Classical Music & Opera Forums

The Beethoven Diabelli Variations have been a topic here recently, and, having recently been gifted a recent outing by Stephen (Bishop) Kovacevich, have been concentrated on them recently.

I don't think I have ever heard such concentrated playing before: each phrase, every note has been deeply thought through, yet it all has such a natural flow. This disc is a treasure (including Bach's Partita IV) that I will return to many times: some of the finest piano playing I've ever heard.

I've only listened to it once but I found the Kovacevich Diabellis unsettling. The statement of the theme is so fast that one can barely hear any articulation; it flies by, out of breath and holding a sign saying 'look how fast I can play.' Kovacevich also tends to rush cadences, puts in odd accents here and there, rushes headlong into the next phrase before the previous one has finished sounding. And I'm not convinced by his andantes either; they seem mannered or half-hearted in turn.

I'll listen again and if I change my impression I'll write again.

On the continued dumbing-down of American education: [urlnw]http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/education/16scores.html?ref=music[/urlnw].

Cliftwood:

YHM

ACD

Fellow Mahlerites

There is no shortage of new Mahler recordings these days (thank Heavens!). I can recommend the following:



On repeated hearings, it just gets better & better! -Ed

Asagohan

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ACD wrote:Asagohan

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Hysterical

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It's Stravinsky's birthday and god bless the people at google for remembering. http://www.google.com

Happy Birthday Igor Stravinsky!

To celebrate, I'll listen to Monteux's version with the Paris Conservatoire:



And, for me, the most pleasant Stravinsky surprises:



Although, Hvk's Apollo is unbeatable IMHO:




-Ed

Howdy, Ed!

Stravinsky's Appollon musagete is indeed surprisingly listenable: I happen to like this version; sadly, now OOP (don't have the Robert Craft, which I'm sure is superb)....



In honor of his birthday, will now listen to Stravinsky's own complete Firebird, and a perennial favorite in the neooclassical vein, Dumbarton Oaks!

MaestroB

Ah, Nimbus Records with the English String Orchestra led by Boughton! Oh happy memories! I'm sure your recording is fine. I have that Columbia set of all Stravinsky's recordings, btw. Never warmed up to Dumbarton Oaks; however, it often takes multiple listening attempts before a piece wins me over. I'll place that one on the platter too.

What I'll never understand is why Stravinsky, towards the end of his life, felt intimidated by Schoenberg and his 12 tone system. Stravinsky's output was clearly head and shoulders above Schoenberg's in my book(IMHO)! -Ed

ACD wrote:Asagohan

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Including the developments sections would have been more impressive.

From the "That's-Not-How-I-Remember-It" Department ...

Received a recent gift of



I had been wanting, as I believe it is the same recording (1959, says the cd) of the Transcendental Etudes I had on cassette tape when I was a kid (and played until it wore out, hence I had not heard it for a while). Back when I was even less sophisticated than I am now, Berman was a hero of mine, his flashy technique overwhelming any attention to style I might have had. But what I find particularly odd is how I remembered the sound quality on that tape being so fantastic -- the cd is rather disappointing in that regard (and here I thought sound engineers could accomplish miracles -- like with some of those early Maria Callas operas that sound as though they could have been recorded yesterday). Oh well, Berman is still a hero -- who could mistake that Liszt playing for that of anyone else.

What think, Piano-man?

Anybody else have favorites or suggestions for Liszt interpreters?

eddobbinsIV:

Agree with you about 12-tone Stravinsky: not my cuppa. BUT, I like most of the neoclassical stuff, starting with Pulcinella (which I've sung in concert), and including the Symphony in C and the one for piano & winds, L'Histoire du Soldat, Oedipus Rex, the striking Octet for Winds, and so on. The thing is, I agree with you in principle that the later works don't live up to the promise of the three early popular ballets, but I like them and listen ferquently. MHO, of course.

jessica:

Berman is a hero of mine as well, and I can well understand your complaint about certain CDs sounding pale in comparison to their LP or cassette counterparts. Here's a favorite that's on my wishlist at Amazon:

Maestrob, since I posted yesterday, I read someone on youtube commenting that Berman recorded the Transcendental Etudes twice: in 1961 as well as 1959 (and of course it was the 1961 version that was preferred). Some day in the distant future I may come across my old cassette tape (I couldn't bring myself to throw it away even though it was unplayable), and perhaps discover the year of that original recording. I wonder ...

The 3-cd Annees that you're wishing for -- you have or previously owned the very same on LP or cassette? I'll bet it's a gem!

After a long hiatus from classical music and opera, I listened last night to Beethoven's nine symphonies conducted by Bruno Walter and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. My first classical lp was his conducting of the First and Fifth Symphonies with the Philharmonic Orchestra of New York. Guess he never recorded the complete symphonies with the later orchestra.

This morning American music with Barber's wondrous Adagio for Strings followed by Ives' variations on America. Great way to start the day.

An interesting update has been made to this S&F post.

ACD