What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Bach - The Well-Tempered Clavier
EuroArts DVD



Watching and listening for the first time to this double DVD.
Performances seem good.
Image reasonable, but the sound could be better.

[AudioNut]

Listening to . . . . Leopold Stokowski - The Stereo Collection 1954-1975

A 14 disc, CD Box Set compendium of some of the most beautifully played music ever made available to man.

I'm currently playing disc 6 which is choral music and it is absolutely beautiful.

Needless to say, Stokowski re-arranged and massaged the greatest music of the masters and made it more accessible to the Readers Digest second grade level hoi polloi such as me - and I love it.

And, this box set is wonderful. Wonderful music, wonderful sound, wonderfully played.

My only advice here is to get it while you still can. It is out of print but available from Amazon for really cheap prices.

[chops-tube]

Originally Posted by AudioNut

Listening to . . . .J. S. Bach Das Kantatenwerk Vol.14, Cantatas Nos. 51 - 56

Leonhardt Consort - Gustav Leonhardt, Conductor
Nikolaus Harnoncourt - Harpsichord
Collegium Vocale - Phillippe Herreweghe, Director (and he's great!!!)

I pulled out one of these box sets - happened to get volume 14. Each set has two lp's and I have 33 of the things (Volumes 1-33) and I stopped buying there - I think there are about 50 volumes in all. These Cantatas were recorded by Leonhardt and Nikolaus Harnoncourt over a period of 19 years from 1971 - 1990.

Perhaps 100 records of Bach Cantatas is a little "over the top" but, thanks to the high quality of the singers, orchestras and the Das Alte Werk - Telefunken and later Teldec very high quality control, these are uniformly good.

No, I've not listened to all of them, but the ones I have heard are excellent.

Did you acquire that box set somewhat recently? The reason I ask is because my father had that whole set and sold it all off a few years ago.


Anyway, been listening to a lot this morning. All in 96kHz/24 Bit...

1st


2nd


3rd



After reading review upon review of various loudspeakers and subwoofers way back when in Stereo Review and Audio magazine, then later Stereophile magazine, they all used the Telarc version of the 1812 Overture because of the cannon blasts. I always wanted this CD but never got around to buying it, UNTIL last night when I downloaded it from HDtracks. Now I know what all the hub-bub was with this recording. I turned it up way past apartment legal levels, and the building is still shivering from 20 minutes ago! LOL

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by chops-tube

Did you acquire that box set somewhat recently? The reason I ask is because my father had that whole set and sold it all off a few years ago.

No, I've had most of the boxes for 25+ years and never played most of them until recently. Interestingly, I played the one yesterday using the little amp I bought from you and it sounds good! First time I've plugged it in since I bought it.

JP

[chops-tube]

Originally Posted by AudioNut

No, I've had most of the boxes for 25+ years and never played most of them until recently. Interestingly, I played the one yesterday using the little amp I bought from you and it sounds good! First time I've plugged it in since I bought it.

JP

My father bought that set back in the late 70's I believe and only played them twice, once to listen to them, a second time to record them to tape, all of which I have sitting here behind me in those plastic wood storage things!

I'm glad you're finally using that little Monarchy amp. I've been wondering if you still had it as I haven't heard anything about it. I hope you're using a good PC on it as it makes a big difference with that amp (since I forgot you send you one with it).

[Baroque]

Charles,
Great series of recordings. Julian gave me the 1812 Overture recording with a warning about the cannons!

Isn't that Freiburg Baroque recording of the Bach violin concerti a thing of beauty and a joy forever?! It sings! Caused me to move some other recordings of these works to my "B" shelf.
It also caused me to start a correspondence with them about their instruments, and I'm pleased to report they are as friendly as they are talented. Harmonia Mundi hit a grand slam with that recording, too!
-Gary

[chops-tube]

Originally Posted by Baroque

Charles,
Great series of recordings. Julian gave me the 1812 Overture recording with a warning about the canons!

Isn't that Freiburg Baroque recording of the Bach violin concerti a thing of beauty and a joy forever?! It sings! Caused me to move some other recordings of these works to my "B" shelf.
It also caused me to start a correspondence with them about their instruments, and I'm pleased to report they are as friendly as they are talented. Harmonia Mundi hit a grand slam with that recording, too!
-Gary

Those Harmonia Mundi albums are great sounding, as is this one I'm listening to now...

[Toccata]

I'm not a huge fan of Schumann's music, but when I heard this version on the radio, I just had to have it! It's amazing how a performance can affect one's perception of a composer. Anyway, the Grimaud/Salonen/Dresden combo results in a magical and powerful performance. The solo and chamber pieces are magnificent, too. Very good sound for a standard CD.

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by Baroque

Charles,
Great series of recordings. Julian gave me the 1812 Overture recording with a warning about the cannons!

Isn't that Freiburg Baroque recording of the Bach violin concerti a thing of beauty and a joy forever?! It sings! Caused me to move some other recordings of these works to my "B" shelf.
It also caused me to start a correspondence with them about their instruments, and I'm pleased to report they are as friendly as they are talented. Harmonia Mundi hit a grand slam with that recording, too!
-Gary

My gosh, Gary, where have you been?

I/we have missed your glowing presence here on AA and I/we am/are very glad that you are here.

You listen to great music on that very much over the top stereo system of yours, and we would be very interested in what you have to say about what you listen to.

Best,

Julian and all the rest.

[AudioNut]

Up early and listening to . . . A very good Philips LP box set

Beethoven - The Complete Violin Sonatas

David Oistrach - Violin
Lew Osborin - Piano

Amazing virtuosity by one of the greatest violinists of the last century. This box set, recorded in 1962 is a national treasure (and is so rare, I think I'll put this in my "try to sell some day" pile.). My copy is the original and the review below refers to reissue but the music and playing are accurately described.

The greatest Russian violinist of the twentieth century is the legendary David Oistrakh, the virtuoso whose muscular tone and tender lyricism were the culmination of the Russian tradition of violin playing and whose influence is still felt in the playing of Gidon Kremer, Vadim Repin, Viktoria Mullova, and dozens of others. But what makes Oistrakh legendary when most of his best work is so easily available? As Philips realized early on, reissuing Oistrakh not only kept his work before the public, but was an assured income. In this reissue of Oistrakh's magisterial set of the ten Beethoven violin sonatas recorded in 1962 with pianist Lev Oborin, Philips kept before the public what is arguably the best set of the sonatas since the classic Fritz Kreisler set of the '30s. Oistrakh's interpretations are fresh but thoughtful, seasoned but still passionately involved with the music. His slow movements sing, his fast movements dance, his melodies are endless, his harmonies flawless, and his form is exquisitely poised between consideration and inspiration. Lev Oborin is wholly as one with Oistrakh and a terrific player in his own right. Together, their performances are perhaps the most satisfying and exalting ever made.