What are you listening to now?

[Zevy]

Give them a break! I read an article by a famous musician (whose name escapes me) and she admitted that it took her 20 years to understand the Grosse Fugue. Even Beethoven tacitly acknowledged that it was very difficult; he supplied a substitute movement without too much fuss.
It took me about 30 years and yet I cannot say that I "understand" it. But it makes musical sense to me and that's probably as far as I'll get, but I'm very happy with that.

I envy you, Michael. Anyone who understands any of the GF has my respect.

[Michael]

I envy you, Michael. Anyone who understands any of the GF has my respect.

Don't get me wrong! I'm not a musician - I can't even read music - and I don't have a musician's profound insight into this work. But I love every bar of it and it took me a good long time to reach that point.
Maybe that was one of Beethoven's meanings when he said this music was for a later age: that remark could apply to the individual listener as well as all humanity.

[Harvey]

Ah yes, the Dorati. It was quite the demo disk at the dawn of the stereo era and holds up amazingly well today. Didn't it originally come with two flags of the appropriate nationalities to be placed atop each speaker, or do I misremember?

This is the one to get on CD. Comes with commentary on both the 1812 and Wellington's Victory including examples of the cannon and musket fire and details of how the recording was achieved on the military facility. The bells in the 1812 are amazing.

[Zevy]

That's the one. It is a classic.

[Decrepit Poster]

Yesterday I heard Brautigam's fortepiano performance of B's sonata Op.2 No.1, at YouTube rather than over my living room audio system. Other than that I revisited a number of 'potboiler' favorites at YouTube. In reality I've done relatively little listening lately. Certainly not nearly as much as I did up until a few weeks ago.

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F

[Zevy]

Mozart: Serenades for winds, K. 388 & 375.
5 Divertimenti for 6 winds, 2 Divertimenti for 8 winds.
And more (it was a very long trip...)

[AeolianHarp]

I envy you, Michael. Anyone who understands any of the GF has my respect.

When I first heard it I thought what the...?! It's weird! (Sorry Beethoven... ) But as I am eccentric (or so people tell me) I got into it and after about 4 listens I was right into it ..when I saw it played live was that lightbulb moment.

[AeolianHarp]

All Chopin's Etudes on an 1849 Erard Piano

My, am I having a treat here! It's ages since I listened to the Etudes ( on my CD played by Murray Perhaia). I’d never heard them on an antique piano before...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kuh4yRu-Yow[/YOUTUBE]

[Michael]

When I first heard it I thought what the...?! It's weird! (Sorry Beethoven... ) But as I am eccentric (or so people tell me) I got into it and after about 4 listens I was right into it ..when I saw it played live was that lightbulb moment.

4 listens? Well done! It took me about 40. I wonder how many it took Beethoven?
Anyway, for the past few days I have been listening to the Beethoven Piano Concertos (or Concerti if you like).

[AeolianHarp]

4 listens? Well done! It took me about 40.

I think I revelled in its strangeness I hadn't heard anything like it!

I wonder how many it took Beethoven?

Not long I bet as he wrote it!

Anyway, for the past few days I have been listening to the Beethoven Piano Concertos (or Concerti if you like).

They’re great. What's your favourite?

[Michael]

They’re great. What's your favourite?

Hard to decide between the Fourth and Fifth Piano Concerto.
I am just after listening to the ugly duckling of the concerto bunch, the Triple Concerto.

[AeolianHarp]

I am just after listening to the ugly duckling of the concerto bunch, the Triple Concerto.

Wash your mouth and ears out with soap Michael!

[AeolianHarp]

Vladimir de Pachmann - Chopin Nocturne In B Major (1925)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7fDE1qxIkY[/YOUTUBE]

This man's father was a violinist who met Beethoven in Vienna!! Brings the time much closer to us doesn't it? Fascinating!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_de_Pachmann

[Megan]

Vivaldi, Sonata 'La Folia' Op. 1. no. 12.
Musica Antiqua.


Wonderful stirring stuff!