Classical

Antonin Dvorak - Symphony No.8 (Szell) [1983]

2012-01-17T19:37:18Z

Antonin Dvorak - Symphony No.8 (Szell) [1983]


01. Allegro con brio
02. Adagio
03. Allegretto grazioso; Molto vivace
04. Allegro ma non troppo

Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell – conductor

My mother sang with this orchestra under the baton of this man and I have grown up listening to the recordings that he made. I hasten to say that this orchestra/conductor combination was one of the best in history and every attempt should be made to resurrect all of the recordings which are not currently available. One need not look furthan Szell's difinitive Mahler 4th, with Judith Raskin, his Beethoven set, or his classic Haydn and Mozart recordings. Even though this Symphony is the only item on this disc, it is still well worth the bargain price. One is immedaitely drawn into the recording with the powerful string statement at the onset. This is a masterwork by a great composer and a master performance by a great maestro. My only regret is that there is no filler, say a Slavonic Dance or two, like his recording of the Ninth. Every once in a while, if you are a real listener, you can hear the great conductor's breathing, but that price is insignificant and hardly worth mentioning. This is not low-priced for lack of quality, it is an absolute gem! --- Michael A. Steele (Michigan)

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Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons (Zukerman) [1987]

2012-01-25T19:34:39Z

Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons (Zukerman) [1987]

	Spring ("La Primavera") Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No.1
01 		Allegro 	3:36 	
02 		Largo 	2:55 	
03 		Allegro 	4:20 	
  	Summer ("L'Estate") Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No.2
04 		Allegro Non Molto; Allegro 	4:58 	
05 		Adaigo 	3:04 	
06 		Presto 	2:55 	
  	Autumn ("L'Autunno") Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3
07 		Allegro 	5:30 	
08 		Adaigo Molto 	3:00 	
09 		Allegro 	3:36 	
  	Winter ("L'Inverno") Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4
10 		Allegro Non Molto 	3:45 	
11 		Largo 	2:35 	
12 		Allegro 	3:34

English Chamber Orchestra
Pinchas Zukerman – soloist and conductor

(CBA Masterworks – Great Performances 86)

I purchased this CD as the shame of not having Vivaldi's Four Seasons in my music collection became too unbearable. Also, i wanted to test out some classical music my new speakers and amplifier.

The CD offers a quality recording with only a soft hiss in the background (barely perceivable). Overall, the recording captures the space and imaging of the performance quite well.

The synopsis on the CD cover really says it all: "Critically acclaimed recording of the basic repertoire." ---- Dave, amazon.com

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Bach - Keyboard Concertos Nos. 1, 4 & 5 (Gould) [1988]

2011-12-21T19:31:53Z

Bach - Keyboard Concertos Nos. 1, 4 & 5 (Gould) [1988]

Concerto No. 1 For Piano and Orchestra In D minor, BWV 1052 
1. I. Allegro	8:35
2. II. Adagio	7:12
3. III. Allegro	8:20
Concerto No. 4 For Piano and Orchestra In A Major, BWV 1055 
4. I. Allegro	4:12	
5. II. Larghetto	5:43	
6. III. Allegro ma non tanto	4:09
Concerto No. 5 For Piano and Orchestra In F minor, BWV 1056 
7. I. Allegro	3:40
8. II. Largo	3:02
9. III. Presto	3:45	

Glenn Gould – piano
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein – conductor

(CBS Masterworks – Great Performances 97)

This is some of the best music I've ever heard both in terms of the writing and the performance. I think J.S. Bach wrote some of the best music ever, and these are among his best pieces. I especially love the D-minor concerto; the slow middle movement is very beautiful, but it's the quick first and third/final movements which really excite me and blow my mind. It makes you wonder how something can be so clever in terms of musical structures (rhythms, harmonies, melodies, and counterpoint) and still come out sounding so darn good, natural, emotional, beautiful, etc. I mean it's not always easy to have a whole bunch of melodic lines sound that good independently of eachother and come together to form a perfect harmonic union. I know; I've tried.

I've heard at least one other performance of these concerti which were also excellent. At least one that I've heard featured the harpsichord instead of the modern grand piano. The orchestra may also have been using original period instruments. So it was closer to the way Bach would have performed it. It was just as good as this, but different. I can't speak for the maestro, but I'd like to think that Mr. Bach would have liked this performance, too.

On this performance, Glenn Gould sounds so good on the modern grand piano that it has to be heard to be believed. It's just perfect! He expresses so much emotion, fire, and drama without sacrificing one iota of precision. He's performing along with world-class conductors and orchestra musicians who sound as good as he does. I think this really belongs in your music collection! --- Nelson R. Willis "Rob Willis" (Pittsburgh, PA)

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Bach J.S. - Goldberg Variations (Gould 1955 Version) [1990]

2012-01-15T20:01:46Z

Bach - Goldberg Variations (Gould 1955 Version) [1990]


1. Aria	1:55
2. Variation 1 a 1 Clav.   0:44
3. Variation 2 a 1 Clav. 	0:35	
4. Variation 3 a 1 Clav. Canone all' Unisuono  0:54	
5. Variation 4 a 1 Clav.	 0:29	
6. Variation 5 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav. 0:36	
7. Variation 6 a 1 Clav. Canone alla Seconda	0:32	
8. Variation 7 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.	1:06	
9. Variation 8 a 2 Clav. 	0:45	
10. Variation 9 a 1 Clav. Canone alla Terza	0:37	
11. Variation 10 a 1 Clav. Fughetta	0:41	
12. Variation 11 a 2 Clav.	0:52	
13. Variation 12 Canone alla Quarta	0:55
14. Variation 13 a 2 Clav.	2:09	
15. Variation 14 a 2 Clav.	0:57	
16. Variation 15 a 1 Clav. Canone alla Quinta. Andante	2:14
17. Variation 16 Ouverture a 1 Clav.	1:16	
18. Variation 17 a 2 Clav. 	0:53	
19. Variation 18 - Canone alla Sesta a 1 Clav.	0:45	
20. Variation 19 a 1 Clav.	0:42	
21. Variation 20 a 2 Clav.	0:45
22. Variation 21 Canone alla Settima	1:42	
23. Variation 22 Alla breve a 1 Clav.	0:42
24. Variation 23 a 2 Clav.	0:53	
25. Variation 24 Canone all' Ottava a 1 Clav.	0:56	
26. Variation 25 a 2 Clav. 	6:27	
27. Variation 26 a 2 Clav.	0:51	
28. Variation 27 Canone alla Nona	0:48	
29. Variation 28 a 2 Clav.	1:10	
30. Variation 29 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.	0:59	
31. Variation 30 a 1 Clav. Quodlibet 	0:46	
32. Aria da capo	2:12

Glenn Gould – piano

Glenn Gould's extraordinary career was bracketed by the Goldberg Variations. It was his first recording of the work, in 1955, that established Gould as a pianistic force of exceptional gifts, while the second studio version he made in 1981 (there is also a Salzburg festival performance from 1957) proved to be his last visit to the recording studio; it was released in September the following year, just days before his sudden death at the age of 50. In the subsequent 20 years, Gould's reputation and stature as one of the most important pianists of the 20th century have been maintained, and these two recordings especially have achieved near legendary status.

In his lifetime Gould was viewed with suspicion, if not downright hostility, in some quarters. No one could deny his phenomenal keyboard mastery, the almost machine-like control of articulation, and the range of touch and colour he brought to a repertoire that extended from Byrd to Schoenberg. But the eccentricity of his performances, some of which seem wilfully perverse, with their mannered phrasing and exaggeratedly slow or fast tempos, was less easy to take. His strange and reclusive behaviour (he abandoned recitals altogether in 1964, and concentrated solely on recordings) only added to the controversy.

Reissued together now to mark the 20th anniversary of his death, the two recordings of the Goldberg Variations provide a fascinating comparison. The earlier one has been scrupulously remastered for the new album, and sounds more lifelike and immediate than ever before. The set also includes a disc of outtakes from the 1955 sessions as well as an interview Gould gave in 1982, in which he discussed the differences between the two performances. The most startling contrast is in the sheer length of the performances. In 1955 Gould got through the work in 38 minutes, while in 1981 he took 51; in the later account he does observe some repeats (there were none in 1955), but there is also a broadness, a sense of contemplation in a work that clearly meant more to him than any other.

What remains constant is the mastery of the playing. You may not like everything he does (and the almost arbitrary attitude to repeats in 1981 infuriates purists) but it is piano-playing of an astonishingly high musical and technical order. Both performances are acts of profound artistic creativity, and both are essential parts of any CD collection. This set is also very well documented, and comes with a typically penetrating essay by Gould's biographer, Tim Page. ---Andrew Clements, theguardian.com

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Barber Mahler Vaughan Williams Tchaikovsky - Romantic Favorites For Strings (1991)

2012-01-23T23:41:12Z

Barber Mahler Vaughan Williams Tchaikovsky - Romantic Favorites For Strings (1991)


1. Adagio for Strings from the String Quartet, Op. 11 9:58
2. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis for Double String Orchestra	18:18	
3. Fantasia on Greensleeves		5:01
4. Andante cantabile from String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11	9:30
5. Adagietto From Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor	11:09	

New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein – conductor

(CBS Masterworks – Great Performances 92)

I bought this CD mainly for the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis, but the Greensleeves Fantasia and Barber's Adagio were unexpected bonuses as well. This is a very good recording, not rushed and not too slow. The only reason I did not give it five stars is because it is an AAD recording, that is, a digitally mastered audio recording, and not digitally recorded and mastered (DDD). However, it remains my favorite CD out of quite a collection (depending on the mood you're in, of course). --- J. A. Dueck "lord love a duck" (Minneapolis, MN USA)

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Beethoven - 9th Symphony ( ' Choral ') (1981)

2012-02-20T19:54:48Z

Beethoven - 9th Symphony ( ' Choral ') (1981)


I - Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco maestoso
II-Motto Vivace ; Presto
III-Adagio Molto E Cantabile
IV-Presto;Allegro Assai; Rezitativo Allegro assai

Lucine Amara (soprano), 
Lili Chookasian (contralto), 
John Alexander (tenor), 
John Macurdy (bass)
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy – conductor

(CBS Masterworks - Great Performances 34)

This Ninth proves what a superb musician Ormandy, at best, can be. The opening movement is played with breadth and impetus, an exciting multi-tonal drama beside which some celebrated German performances sound tentative, pedestrian even. The acoustic is a reverberant one, adding a certain richness but never clouding or obscuring the flow of the drama. After this there is a superb scherzo, an adagio which, though hardly ever dolce, is winningly articulate, and a finale which, in spite of some gruffness in the instrumental recitative (and some 'traditional' touches: the crescendo in bar 65, for instance) emerges winningly, thrillingly in fact: orchestra and choir hymning the brotherhood of man with a certainty that we Europeans can't always quite muster. If one were to quibble one could point to some rather clipped and drilled choral singing at the very start of the choral contribution; and to an Alla marcia which is proud, loud and rather slow. But how splendidly the choir sings later on— fervent but never gauche—and how refreshing to hear the Alla marcia given such a portentous tread, with flashing trumpets and a gloriously sounded fugato to follow. The admirable single-disc Ansermet tends to sound dull by comparison, interpretatively and sonically, though the turnover midway through the slow movement is better managed by Decca. CBS's trick of ending on bar 82 and then re running it at the start of Side 2 doesn't work. All we require as we turn the disc rapidly ovens an answer to the query posed in bar 82, mat a reiteration of the question. But that is a miniscule point. For this Philadelphia Ninth-has abundant merits (apart from its priee).: above all, a vibrance, a conviction—a sail-filling quality— that one joys to hear. R.O. --- .gramophone.net

In my book this was the definitive performance of Beethoven's 9th even if Ormandy skipped the repeats in the second movement, as he is wont to do. The performance lives up to everything said by previous reviewers and more. If you believe that there are two classes of conductor, Eugene Ormandy then all the others, this is a must-have CD despite it's major flaws. I bought this recording on vinyl in the 1970s and finally got the CD. What a disappointment. The original analog recording sounds great in the softer areas but the tape is saturated in some of the loud parts. There are many places where you can clearly hear the harmonic distortion, especially when the timpani are playing loudly. There are also occasional dropouts, with a major one in the left channel about 1:25 into the first movement (it sounds like a wrinkle in the tape but seeing that it is in only one channel it's probably a flaw in the oxide). In the third movement there is so much crackling and popping that I could swear they digitized a vinyl recording for the CD. Seriously, I think the master tape must have been lost or damaged and this CD was made from a bad copy. Also, I know there is an Ormandy recording where he takes the repeats in the second movement. I borrowed it from the public library as part of the complete symphonies many years ago. Columbia apparently edited the repeats out to fit the symphony on a single vinyl disk for the single-disk release. Why didn't they use the unedited version here? There's room on the CD. This recording is a must-hear because it is an unbeatable performance of the 9th, and I'm glad to have it. However, don't clamp on your best headphones and expect to hear an excellently-engineered recording. The quality of the recording is, unfortunately, second-rate.

Update: There is an excellent recording of the Ormandy performance of Beethoven's 9th available. It's out of print but available used here at Amazon if you search "Beethoven symphony 9 Ormandy". It is the two-disk set that includes the Choral Fantasy. It's a bit pricey on the used market but it sounds excellent and includes the repeats in the second movement. --- Bob DuHamel (El Cajon, CA USA)

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Beethoven - Moonlight, Pathetique & Appassionata Piano Sonatas (1990)

2011-12-23T21:07:13Z

Beethoven - Moonlight, Pathetique & Appassionata Piano Sonatas (1990)

Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor for Piano, Op. 27, No. 2 "Moonlight"
1. I. Adagio sostenuto  6:28
2. II. Allegretto 	2:14
3.. Presto agitato 
Sonata No. 8 for Piano, Op. 13 "Pathétique" in C minor
4. I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio	9:23
5. II. Adagio cantabile	5:49
6. III. Rondo. Allegro	4:13
Sonata No. 23 in F minor for Piano, Op. 57 "Appassionata"
7. I. Allegro assai	9:15
8. II. Andante con moto	6:57
9. III. Allegro ma non troppo; Presto 	8:06

Rudolf Serkin – piano

Rudolf Serkin's early 1960s accounts of the most popular "name" sonatas, on a CBS "Great Performances" mid-price CD, are compellingly direct and offer excellent value. The playing is deliberate, but hardly theatrical: as always, the pianist emphasizes the virtues of literalism. The recordings are closely miked and sonorous, and convey good piano tone along with every breath, sigh, groan, and vocalization Serkin produces. The Adagio of the Pathetique is especially lovely. --Ted Libbey, Editorial Reviews

I have listened to this recording in awe since I first heard the original on LP in 1983. I have heard many pianists play these pieces, but I have hear few renditions as sincere, austere, emotionally rich, and technically secure as this one.

Serkin's rendition of the Presto Agitato of the Moonlight Sonata, track 3, is one of the few most superb technical and musical accomplishments I have ever heard. He manages to capture an intermittent lightning storm in sound, and do it better than anyone else I have ever heard. Every time I hear it, it makes me shiver. I have heard Horowitz, Dubravka Tomsic, Marta Argerich, Ashkenazy, Arrau, Brendel, Berezovsky, Stephen Hough, Hamelin, and manyother great pianists. They, too, can achieve this effect, but it is something that is achieved intermittently. It is never insured. Its not something you pull out of a hat. It is true inspiration. True inspiration on track 3. Buy it.

Both the Pathetique and the Appassionata are interpreted with unique style. How often does a pianist these days leave you with a lasting vision of the piece that is different from the vision presented by every other pianist? Not often. Serkin had personality, and it shows. Listen to the way he phrases, pedals, and voices. This recording is wonderful. I highly recommend it for someone who wants to learn something about *true* interpretation, and what you can add beyond what is written on the score. --- C. K. Merrill "CKMerrill" (Los Angeles, CA)

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Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' (1990)

2012-01-11T19:32:42Z

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' (1990)


1. Allegro
2. Adagio un poco mosso
3. Rondo. Allegro

Rudolf Serkin – piano
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein – conductor

I have listened to many performances and recordings of this beloved concerto and this one, in my opinion, always ends up on top. It defines musical perfection. The majesty of the Emperor, its delicacy, its sweetness, its passion are all captured with such clarity it is impossible to listen to this performance without getting caught up in the emotions of this great concerto. If one has to choose which performance to get, this should be number one! The quality of this recording is also excellent. ---John Fanning (Los Angeles, CA)

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Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.1 Sonata No. 26 (1990)

2011-12-16T19:37:40Z

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.1 Sonata No. 26 (1990)

Concerto No. 1 For Piano and Orchestra in C Major, Op. 15
1. I. Allegro con brio 16:59
2. II. Largo 	10:59
3. III. Rondo: Allegro scherzando	9:17

Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major for Piano, Op. 81a "Les Adieux"
4. I. Les Adieux. Adagio Allegro 	7:34
5. II. L'absence. Andante espressivo 	3:25
6. III. Le retour. Vivacissimamente 	6:03

Rudolf Serkin – piano
Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy – conductor

(CBS Masterworks – Great Performances 70)

Besides my dear wife's wonderful playing, this is the best sounding Beethoven piano I have ever heard! The first few times I listened to the concerto piece I thought that there were at least three - four hands playing. The tone of the right hand side of the instrument is like crystal, and the looming murmur on the left is like lead. Each black and white that gets touched will clearly explain this to you as you listen. The orchestra is tops as well, with the airy piping of the fife (flute, that is) and the sometimes actual audible sound of strings being strummed from north to south with the tips of fingers (thumb or other I cannot tell) is something to look forward to at each listen. This is powerful, lively, and real playing in hitherto unmatched sound production (even the tape sounds good played real loud in your average ten-year-old car on stock-stereo speakers).

The sonata is rightly titled "The Good-bye," ("Les Adieux") and not "The 'Tragic' Good-bye" It is that morose, but playful music with which most of us are acquainted by way of good-byes (this one is as sad as usual). The piece is recorded live, but because of the mature and articulated playing of Mr. Rudolph, the clear striking sound of the keys corresponds to that of the studio recorded Concerto No 1. If you listen closely, you can hear Serkin breathing. Altogether superb. --- William D. Sell (United States of America)

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Beethoven - Symphony No.3 Op.55 in E-Flat Major 'Eroica' (1990)

2011-12-07T10:07:51Z

Beethoven - Symphony No.3 Op.55 in E-Flat Major 'Eroica' (1990)


1. Allegro con brio
2. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai
3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
4. Finale. Allegro molto

Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell - conductor

Great recording of Beethoven Symphony no.3,if you are big fan of classical music this compact disc is for you. --- CDman (United States), amazon.com

As time goes on, George Szell's performances seem only to gain in strength. Famed during his lifetime as a disciplinarian who raised the Cleveland Orchestra to an international standard, his Beethoven performances perfectly balance Classical poise with Romantic urgency and emotion. The Eroica is a particularly difficult symphony to conduct, owing to its length and the fact that Beethoven's orchestration often seems too small for such explosive music. With Szell, problems of balance and emphasis simply do not exist. He finds an ideal tempo for each movement (the famous "Funeral March" is particularly impressive) while allowing each climax its natural place in the symphonic argument. A great performance. ---David Hurwitz, Editorial Reviews

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