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Post by egoodstein on Nov 8, 2009 1:32:37 GMT -5
Today I was listening to: the new Rickie Lee Jones album, Balm in Gilead (jury still out for me on that one); new recording of Verdi Requiem by Antonio Pappano and Orch. & Chorus of Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rovery tuneful & impressed esp. by orch./chorus on early listening; and also cast album of early '00's B'way show 'Sweet Smell of Success' (yes, based on film) w. John Lithgow/Kelli O'Hara. Pretty good-- music by Marvin Hamlisch; lyrics by Craig Carnelia/John Guare.
Ed
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Post by Antonio on Nov 8, 2009 5:45:12 GMT -5
Salif Keita & Cesaria Evora - Yamore
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Post by erik on Dec 6, 2009 14:54:26 GMT -5
The soundtrack to the Doomsday film to end them all--bombastic in many ways, but in others very haunting. Something different from the former teen idol who was not either Britney or Christina--an album that occasionally smacks of late 70s Linda Ronstadt (especially on "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week"). A greatly underrated film (the 1984 sequel to director Stanley Kubrick's 1968 sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) receives a highly innovative music score by David Shire (who also did ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, THE CONVERSATION, and the original THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE) (see my review of the film in the Movie forum here).
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Post by egoodstein on Dec 7, 2009 12:03:13 GMT -5
Lately (last week or so): Pop: Carolyn Mark and group NQ Arbuckle's 'Let's Just Stay Here'-- excellent country rock w. some shades of Continental Drifters too. . . . Also, nice debut album by country folk duo (husband and wife I think) from Washington DC, the Honey Dewdrops: 'If the Sun Will Shine.' Also, just got new album from resurrected '60's New Jersey band, The Doughboys, 'Act your Rage'-- shades of early Stones/Animals w. Paul Revere & Raiders & a bit the Rascals, but also a bit early '80's new wave at times . Vet Iain Matthews w. jazz group Searing Quartet's 'Joy Mining'-- interresting departure for IM, like mod. cabaret more than pop-- just got that. And still really enjoying Rebecca Luker's 'Greenwich Time'-- somewhere between pop/cabaret/art song. Jazz: Gwilym Simcock's excellent new two CD one 'Blue Vignette'; tenor saxman Harry Allen's new 'New York State of Mind'-- fine staight-ahead jazz; Argentinian jazz singer Vanissa Santi's 'Bienvenida'-- very nice if a couple 'fusion' tracks I'm not as crazy 'bout; and also enjoying bits of 4 vol. comp. of '40's/50's singer Eileen Barton drawn from her extensive radio broadcasts--'30's-'60. Real fun-- she was sort of cross between Garland, Kay Starr, the ballad side of Teresa Brewer & some comedy bits a little like Judy Canova. Or something . Classical: enjoying pianist Ingrid Fliter's albums of Chopin-- one of the complete waltzes, another varied. Very 'light' fingering, but quite expressive-- a bit like Imogen Cooper. Also David Zinman and Baltimore Symphony's version of Mahler's 2nd Symphony. And Christmas album of 17th century music 'Angels and Shepherds,' by Netherlands Bach Society, conducted by Jos Van Veldhoven. Last week I was also listening a lot to EMI 5 CD comp 'Art of Christa Ludwig'-- I picked that up super cheap recently . Ed
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Post by Antonio on Dec 8, 2009 14:42:19 GMT -5
Right now: STYL Plus - Four years
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 12, 2009 13:02:40 GMT -5
Very Beethoven-like without the great man's genius. The first movement of the second symphony for example is very reminiscent of Beethoven's "Eroica." Worth the occasional listen, but whereas Beethoven was (to say the least) a great composer, Ries is "merely" a good one.
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Post by erik on Dec 13, 2009 13:43:13 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26 re. Ferdinand Ries:
Ries unfortunately had the bad luck of living during Beethoven's time; and it's only because of recordings like these that his works are starting to see exposure (the same is true with all the minor composers that sprang up during Mozart's time and were obscured by that wunderkind).
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 16, 2009 11:19:39 GMT -5
Ries unfortunately had the bad luck of living during Beethoven's time; and it's only because of recordings like these that his works are starting to see exposure (the same is true with all the minor composers that sprang up during Mozart's time and were obscured by that wunderkind). Yes, but I think that some of the contemporaries of Mozart and Haydn were more interesting than Ries. In fact, contemporaries of Beethoven such as Cherubini, Czerny and Spohr were also better than Ries in my opinion.
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 16, 2009 11:28:24 GMT -5
The best Rosenkavalier I've ever seen in my life - truly awesome.
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Post by erik on Dec 16, 2009 13:14:00 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26 re. Carlos Kleiber's recording of "Der Rosenkavalier":
Then that must be saying a lot, given the stature of HvK's from the 1950s, with the Philharmonia Orchestra. I presume Kleiber's is from either the late 70s or early 80s.
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 16, 2009 13:36:46 GMT -5
Then that must be saying a lot, given the stature of HvK's from the 1950s, with the Philharmonia Orchestra. I presume Kleiber's is from either the late 70s or early 80s. I'm talking about DVD's, Erik. This Kleiber performance was recorded in 1979. Another GREAT Rosenkavalier on DVD is Solti's with Kiri Te Kanawa. As for cd sets, the Karajan recording is indeed very special, but so is Erich Kleiber's (Carlos' father) recording from 1954.
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Post by erik on Dec 16, 2009 14:34:23 GMT -5
It is stunning that "Der Rosenkavalier" is able to hold up in terms of popularity after a century, given that it is hardly a short opera. But then with performances led by people like the Kleibers (father or son) and Karajan, perhaps it's not too surprising. In the meantime... A pre-eminent recording of what is arguably the single most popular ballet ever, Tchaikovsky's celebrated "Nutcracker", in a classic 1972 recording by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Andre Previn.
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 16, 2009 15:35:11 GMT -5
I'm ashamed to admit that I don't have a complete recording of the Nutcracker. I only have one of the Nutcracker suite.
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 17, 2009 11:24:18 GMT -5
The Band/Music from Big Pink
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Post by egoodstein on Dec 17, 2009 11:39:35 GMT -5
This AM listening to some stuff from recent BIS box set 'Art of Emma Kirkby'-- nice of more recent stuff. Also, following brief discussion yesterday, Steeleye Span's recent ('07 I think) 'Bloody Men.' I still enjoy most recent incarnation of SS.
Ed
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Post by erik on Dec 17, 2009 14:08:09 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26 re. "The Nutcracker":
I could easily recommend the aforementioned recording by the LSO and Previn (it's never been out of print since 1972). In fact, look for a Classical Works Spotlight of it this coming Saturday.
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 17, 2009 16:07:25 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26 re. "The Nutcracker": I could easily recommend the aforementioned recording by the LSO and Previn (it's never been out of print since 1972). In fact, look for a Classical Works Spotlight of it this coming Saturday. Thanks, Erik. I will.
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Post by Andrew on Dec 17, 2009 16:36:49 GMT -5
I've been focusing on 2009 lately, and most recently enjoyed these two albums.
Brandi Carlile - Give Up the Ghost After recently watching a televised Indigo Concert with her on stage with them for several tracks, my interest in her music increased even more. This is a lovely album, haunting at times, and more Indigo Girls than I had previously noticed.
Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream What can I say? I'm a lifelong fan and that will probably not change. This is a four-star release from him. Better than Human Touch, for example, but not as good as Born to Run.
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Post by Andrew on Dec 17, 2009 16:40:00 GMT -5
A quick feeble attempt to use html to display the album covers of the two I just mentioned.
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 18, 2009 13:36:02 GMT -5
Three cd's with all ten of Beethoven's violin sonatas. I listened to the first three. The Who's second album. A bit uneven in quality, but all things considered a good album.
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Post by erik on Dec 18, 2009 19:04:15 GMT -5
In honor of the fact that this film's director turns 63 years young today. John Williams' magnificent score to director Steven Spielberg's 1982 sci-fi masterpiece of an alien who makes an unanticipated stopover not of his own volition on Earth won both a Grammy and an Oscar for Best Motion Picture Score. It remains one of the greatest pieces of one of the great composer/director relationships in Hollywood history.
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Post by egoodstein on Dec 18, 2009 19:44:06 GMT -5
Today listening when I've time to an early '90's Deutsche Grammophone comp. of Irmgard Seefried singing lieder. I've been enjoying her a lot last few years esp.
Also-- some of Ken Nordine's 'Word Jazz' albums (spoken word over jazz backing) & his one of poet Robert Shure's 'Wink.' Ironic-amusing/cool beat poetry type stuff.
And some of '90's Toronto roots/alt. band Lowest of the Low's 'Shakespeare, My Butt' album. I like em.
Ed
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 19, 2009 13:09:16 GMT -5
Terrific recording of a masterpiece. Good 'classic rock' album. Sounds like a mix of the Faces and "Excile on Main Street" era Stones.
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Post by erik on Dec 20, 2009 13:30:41 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26 re. Munch/Boston recording of "Symphonie Fantastique": And essential to have, with the maximum impact at Halloween. Meanwhile: Highlights from the ultimate children's opera, with a stellar cast and a world-class orchestra (the Dresden State Orchestra) under Sir Colin Davis (dates from the early 1980s).
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Post by jhar26 on Dec 20, 2009 15:52:09 GMT -5
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