What are you listening to now?

[Harvey]

Really enjoying this Rachmaninoff Cycle:

[Zevy]

Amadeus Quartet - The Complete Beethoven Cycle. Just got finished listening to Op. 127! I find the middle and late quartets a bit easier on the ear than Op. 18.

[Quijote]

Beethoven: Piano Concerto no. 3, played here magnificently by Paul Lewis.

A big "ouch" at the 8'17" mark between the flute and oboe:

[Harvey]

Sound clips here.

[Quijote]

I've just been rewatching Copying Beethoven which is available for free on YouTube. I know we've probably all seen it before and found it historically a bit silly but you know what, it's still quite entertaining. Here's the link:

[Peter]

I've just been rewatching Copying Beethoven which is available for free on YouTube. I know we've probably all seen it before and found it historically a bit silly but you know what, it's still quite entertaining. Here's the link:

Actually I've never seen it as the storyline is so ludicrous, but we were consulted by the producers and gave plenty of advice and suggestions - the only one that they seemed to take notice of was my recommendation for the casting of Nicholas Jones as the Archduke Rudolph. We received no credits, but there were some lengthy discussions over a period of time on this forum.

[Chris]

Actually I've never seen it as the storyline is so ludicrous, but we were consulted by the producers and gave plenty of advice and suggestions - the only one that they seemed to take notice of was my recommendation for the casting of Nicholas Jones as the Archduke Rudolph. We received no credits, but there were some lengthy discussions over a period of time on this forum.

Ha, you never even saw it after all that? I actually went to see it when it opened in theaters, and I brought a couple of music enthusiast friends with me too. After seeing it they were... not too happy I dragged them out there for it, heh. Yes, not a great movie, and certainly not accurate in any way, but Quijote is right - it is entertaining in parts. There are some nice moments and performances. I think Ed Harris was certainly cable of portraying a good older Beethoven. Maybe the script and direction did not help there, but I think Harris was a good choice. And including anything about the Grosse Fuge always gets my interest!

[Peter]

Ha, you never even saw it after all that? I actually went to see it when it opened in theaters, and I brought a couple of music enthusiast friends with me too. After seeing it they were... not too happy I dragged them out there for it, heh. Yes, not a great movie, and certainly not accurate in any way, but Quijote is right - it is entertaining in parts. There are some nice moments and performances. I think Ed Harris was certainly cable of portraying a good older Beethoven. Maybe the script and direction did not help there, but I think Harris was a good choice. And including anything about the Grosse Fuge always gets my interest!

I think I felt we were rather misled and our time was wasted. As I recall the first enquiries suggested they were after factual and authentic information and we did provide a lot of useful stuff including the sort of music that would have been played in the taverns, but as it developed it became apparent that this film was going down a very fictionalised route which rather negated our research and input, so I've never bothered with it!

[Peter]

Working my way through the complete Beethoven piano sonatas played by Wilhelm Kempff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lML1...noJFAudioSheet

[Sorrano]

Working my way through the complete Beethoven piano sonatas played by Wilhelm Kempff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lML1...noJFAudioSheet

Which cycle? I have the later cycle, I believe, but felt like he rushed through some of the "lesser" sonatas. I am not particularly keen on that set.

[Peter]

Which cycle? I have the later cycle, I believe, but felt like he rushed through some of the "lesser" sonatas. I am not particularly keen on that set.

It is the 1964/5 recording. My preference is for the Schnabel version and some of these are pretty quick!

[Sorrano]

It is the 1964/5 recording. My preference is for the Schnabel version and some of these are pretty quick!

Looks like I have the same set. It was the performance of the Largo from the number 7 (Op. 10, No. 3) that put me off. Of course I was much younger and stupid back then and now am just older. I might have to give these another listen soon. Opinions and sentiments change with experience.

[Quijote]

I recently bought the score of the piano suite Goyescas by Enrique Granados, a work that I had never heard before in its entirety. Wow, I never imagined what a virtuoso piece it is!!
I was also fascinated to learn that the fourth piece – Quejas, o la Maja y el Ruisenor – was the inspiration for the famous 1940s song Besame mucho composed by Mexican songwriter (and concert pianist) Consuelo Velazquez.

Goyescas

Piece 4 from Goyescas: Quejas, o la Maja y el Ruisenor

Besame mucho

[Peter]

I recently bought the score of the piano suite Goyescas by Enrique Granados, a work that I had never heard before in its entirety. Wow, I never imagined what a virtuoso piece it is!!
I was also fascinated to learn that the fourth piece – Quejas, o la Maja y el Ruisenor – was the inspiration for the famous 1940s song Besame mucho composed by Mexican songwriter (and concert pianist) Consuelo Velazquez.

Thanks for that, I love this and was first introduced to it at a recital by one of my friends about 20 years ago - he played the entire work which lasts just over an hour and was awed not only by the music, but his incredible playing!

[Harvey]

really love this set played on a series of seven instruments of the period.