What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Max Richter - Sleep



We're 2 hours in the complete 8 hour session...
Very relaxing and has a full sound, even it is only a recorded stream.
Our Radio Klara broadcast the whole piece last night to accompany the change to winter time.



Edit: I just noticed that we passed 16,000 posts in the classical thread!

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by bart

I just noticed that we passed 16,000 posts in the classical thread!

Wonderful - my favorite thread. But where's our founder Julian to celebrate?

[Antonmb]

Yesterday I had an ear worm. For some unknown reason Ravel's Bolero popped into my head, and I couldn't get it out, but wasn't home to play it. I found myself whistling it under my breath, and my wife caught me humming it in the car. So today I went through all three versions I own:

The Orchestre National de Lyons, Leonard Slatkin conducting
Naxos 2014, 24/96 file

Chicago Symphony, Sir Georg Solti conducting
Decca 1976, from the CD box set Decca Sound: The Analogue Years

New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducting
Columbia Masterworks 1973, vinyl

Slatkin's recording had the best overall sound, with the greatest dynamic range - I had to strain to hear the strings and snare in the opening bars, and it built to a wonderful crescendo. The pacing is just a bit slow, but a very nice performance overall, with real heft and weight to the tympani.

The Solti/CSO recording was a bit smoother, but the pace was a bit brisker and had me tapping my foot and nodding my head more. The sound is very good as well, although not quite the dynamic range as the Naxos recording, but the performance more than made up for the slight lack of dynamics in the recording.

The Bernstein was the most disappointing. The sound was bright and thin, lacked bass, the pace just a little quick for my taste, and the winds with just a little more vibrato than the other performances.

In summary, the Slatkin left me relaxed but wanting more, the Solti finale left me with that mildly euphoric sense of release of tension after a great performance, and the Bernstein just left me fatigued and wishing I'd played it first instead of last.

[tima]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Yesterday I had an ear worm. For some unknown reason Ravel's Bolero popped into my head, and I couldn't get it out, but wasn't home to play it. I found myself whistling it under my breath, and my wife caught me humming it in the car. So today I went through all three versions I own:

The Orchestre National de Lyons, Leonard Slatkin conducting
Naxos 2014, 24/96 file

Chicago Symphony, Sir Georg Solti conducting
Decca 1976, from the CD box set Decca Sound: The Analogue Years

New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducting
Columbia Masterworks 1973, vinyl

Slatkin's recording had the best overall sound, with the greatest dynamic range - I had to strain to hear the strings and snare in the opening bars, and it built to a wonderful crescendo. The pacing is just a bit slow, but a very nice performance overall, with real heft and weight to the tympani.

The Solti/CSO recording was a bit smoother, but the pace was a bit brisker and had me tapping my foot and nodding my head more. The sound is very good as well, although not quite the dynamic range as the Naxos recording, but the performance more than made up for the slight lack of dynamics in the recording.

The Bernstein was the most disappointing. The sound was bright and thin, lacked bass, the pace just a little quick for my taste, and the winds with just a little more vibrato than the other performances.

In summary, the Slatkin left me relaxed but wanting more, the Solti finale left me with that mildly euphoric sense of release of tension after a great performance, and the Bernstein just left me fatigued and wishing I'd played it first instead of last.

Good job Tony - I enjoyed your report!

[eljr]

Originally Posted by tima

Good job Tony - I enjoyed your report!

Indeed, it would be nice to have "like" buttons.

[eljr]

Originally Posted by bart

Max Richter - Sleep



We're 2 hours in the complete 8 hour session...
Very relaxing and has a full sound, even it is only a recorded stream.
Our Radio Klara broadcast the whole piece last night to accompany the change to winter time.



Edit: I just noticed that we passed 16,000 posts in the classical thread!

I thought you were to be asleep while listening to the 8 hour edition?

I have been considering giving the one hour release a spin.

[eljr]

Various Artists
Masters of Classical Music, Vol. 6: Tchaikovsky

nothing of note

[cma29]

Originally Posted by eljr

Various Artists
Masters of Classical Music, Vol. 6: Tchaikovsky

nothing of note

Not surprised. These super-budget LaserLight releases scrape the bottom of the barrel. For those looking for super cheap, but artistically worthy, performances I recommend the Naxos label.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by eljr

Indeed, it would be nice to have "like" buttons.

thanks guys.

[cma29]

I'm continuing my exploration of Telemann with...

Telemann:
Quartet TWV 43:h2 in B minor for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello & b.c.
Quartet TWV 43:A3 in A major for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello & b.c.
Quartet TWV 43:e4 in E minor for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello & b.c.
Quartet TWV 43:h1 in B minor for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello & b.c.
Florilegium



This is excellent baroque chamber music played by a recorder, violin, viol, cello and harpsichord. I'm finding that Telemann is an endless source of musical pleasure. The Channel Classics recording is over 10 years old, but it sounds very nice.