Earlier i mentioned the Brahms 1st pianoconcerto with Pollini and Thielemann.
I'm a bit dissapointed by the result. Main reason is the lack of chemistry between Pollini and Thielemann. I can't describe what the lack off chemistry is all about. Pollini sounds and plays very good, Thielemann conducting good as expected but somehow they don't fit together. Though the Dresden Orchestra is playing beautifull with their distinct sound. The recording is also very good. For the latter worth listening.
When boleary wants to listen to another new fine Bach keyboardconcerto cd i have 1 more.
The pianist David Fray is new to me also. I've got this cd from my local library to give it a try and i was amazed by the energy wich it was played with.
The only minor thing in this very good sounding recording is perhaps the balance between piano and strings wich not very lucky. Alexandre Tharaud does this better. But Frays youthfull energy and enthousiasm is striking. There is also a dvd available where Fray is in the recording studio preparing recording and playing the concertos.
Both are worth listening/watching. Lately i listen this cd more than Tharaud.
The complete set from Murray Perahia still is first choice overall.
The Bach cd however made me curious what David Fray did more.
The Schubert pieces on this cd is played by every known and unknown pianist on earth.
Like i must play a piece off Bach everyday so one of the Moments Musicaux is on my daily musical diet. Their not very difficult to play for the amateur pianist. But don't makethis mistake. They're easy for the amateur but very difficult for the proffesional. Schubert keeps singing in the deepest misery.
Maybe David Fray does not fully let me hear the inseparable unity between the singing and misery but this was the first time i thought; So, this is how to play this pieces.
Frays formidable technique is capable to show how to play all the fine details hidden in this music. A must have to play daily 1 or 2 pieces.
Because of the Beatifull Bruckner 4 from Haitink i stuck with his late Bruckner for a while. With symphony Nr.5 with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Haitink is
surpassing every known recording for me both performance and recording. In the fifth the only competitors are maybe Gunther Wand with the Berliner philharmoniker and Christian Thielemann with the Munich Philharmonic.
I like the Bavarian orchestra in this repertoire even more than the Berlin orchestra. They sound warm and the Munich acoustic is very good.
Despite the same level of performance and very, very good orchestra the Bruckner 7 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is because of the sound a bit disappointing. Despite that a must have.
Last few weeks i've listen quite a bunch Mahler also.
Haitinks late Mahler performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are also wonderfull but the same problem with the sound make me listen to his older performances with the Berliner Philharmoniker and even his early cycle with the Concertgebouw Orchestra from the sixties/seventies.
His recordings with the Berliner are a must have for Mahler enthusiasts. I still regret he couldn't finisch this cycle. If you're looking for a good Mahler cycle with a good orchestra and good sound the cycle with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly is a good choice for repeated listening. Bernstein on DG sometimes exaggerates to much though is is a must have next to the Chailly box.
A new cycle with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Maris Jansons is still in process.
But u can enjoy symphony nr.1,2,3,5,6. This performances are top notch with the very well caught Concertgebouw accoustic while the orchestra is playing better than ever before and proofing they are the best orchestra there is.
It's hardly to imaging there is an even better performance from the complete cycle.
But there is..!! Claudio Abbado with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. A star orchestra coming together each summer on vacation from their duty with orchestras like; Berliner philharmoniker, Wiener philharmoniker, etc. and on first instruments top soloists from all over the world. Only on DVD/blu-ray. Unfortunately dvd's will not play on XXHighend but in return you'll see Abbado and the orchestra in action. Symphony Nr.9 is not in this box but available separately. Symphony nr.8 will appear later this year because it has still to be performed in schedule this season.
A warning is in place here. It's not healthy to listen to much Mahler like i sometimes do. Mahlers' music is a rollercoaster of emotions.
Every year on eastern tradition i'll go to 2 or 3 performances of the Matthäus Passion (st.Matthew passion) This year last friday 23 march was the first of 2. That's why i don't listen the Matthäus Passion on cd very little. In stead i listen very often to the Johannes Passion (st.John Passion)
Bach - St John Passion:
John Elliot Gardiner, soloists, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque SoloistsEverybody allready has his first performance from the late eighties. Considered the best there is. But the best can only be surpassed by Gardiner himself in this performance i've bought april 2011. The compelling direction from Gardiner, outstanding singing, beautifull choir and orchestra makes this Performance is a thrilling experience.
It's a live performance from 2003. Why it's released 8 years later is a mystery to me.
Sound quality; superb.
