Thursday, November 15, 2012

2 Sem 2012 - Part Five

Trevor Pinnock & The English Concert
The Complete Mozart Symphonies 
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)






By Alan Majeska 
Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert turn in the best period instrument Mozart Symphony cycle around. With 20-30 players, the English Concert sounds full and rich, and are so well recorded, one could mistake them for a modern instrument chamber orchestra augmented with more players for a bigger sound. The early symphonies employ fewer players, the symphonies from about No. 20 and following call for more players, in some cases trumpets, horns and timpani in addition to the usual strings, harpsichord, flutes, oboes, and bassoon.
Pinnock chooses perfect tempos for the English Concert: allegros are spritely, but not driven and there's never a sense that the musicians are having trouble keeping up at Pinnock's tempos. Andante movements sing with the cantabile quality Mozart is famous for, and are always musical and flowing: very beautiful.
I am not a big fan of period instrument Mozart. I have heard Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music (L'Oiseau Lyre) in Mozart Symphonies 34, 38, 39, and 41 and that's enough to give me a sense that Pinnock is superior - more confident, and better recorded - to Hogwood in this music. Haydn's symphonies seem to work better with period instruments than do Mozart's, but Pinnock and the English Concert have a special musical quality which MAKE Mozart work with a period orchestra. Incidentally, both Pinnock and Hogwood have recorded very fine Haydn Symphonies with their respective orchestras.
I have also read, in AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE (July/August 2005 issue) in a review of the Mozart Symphonies with Linden/Mozart Academy of Amsterdam, a period orchestra (Brilliant Classics set) that Pinnock's Mozart cycle is to be preferred. I have not heard Linden myself, but ARG's review states that with the exception of Symphonies 20, 39, 40, and 41, Pinnock "wins across the board." The reviewer cites sour tuning, below standard pitch, sloppy playing, not enough contrasts of dynamic range and pokey allegros, as liabilites which are especially annoying in Linden's cycle, and advises the reader to go with Pinnock if looking for a period cycle of Mozart symphonies.
Other options? Bohm/Berlin Philharmonic (DG); Krips/Concertgebouw (for Symphonies 21-41, Philips); Hans Graf/Mozarteum Orchestra, Salzburg (Capriccio); and Nicholas Ward/Northern Chamber Orchestra, modern instrument chamber orchestra (for early symphonies, Naxos). But unless you really hate period instruments, you will like Pinnock, as I do, and as I stated earlier: I am not a fan of period instrument Mozart.


By ClassicsToday
- Artistic Quality: 10
- Sound Quality: 10
Trevor Pinnock’s set of Mozart symphonies, recorded between 1992 and early 1995, was greeted warmly upon its release in three separate volumes (the last volume typically never made it to U.S. shores as a domestic release) and Universal has seen fit to re-issue it in an 11-CD box as part of its Collectors Edition series. While the general public honed its “historically informed” ear on the pioneering compilation set by Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music in the mid-1980s, Pinnock’s later account, the second such to use period instruments, showed just how much more refined and skillful period-instrument playing was to become. “Authentic” colors abound–bright, aggressive, vibratoless strings and pungent winds combine to provide the now-customary sparkling textures redolent in period performances–but with a suaver, more graceful, and better-tuned overall presentation than its predecessor.
In general, Pinnock opts for a degree of moderation and conviviality in the slow movements that brings out their lyricism, a contrast with Hogwood’s starker stance. Pinnock conjures up the dark, heavier timbres necessary for the opening of the Prague and in the Andante section of the E-flat symphony (K. 543), among other examples. This set has been one of the stalwarts of the period-practice approach since it first appeared, and it sounds as great as ever. And in spite of more recent competition, it continues to be highly and widely recommended. If you like your Mozart with plenty of rhythmic vivacity and without a smidgen of harshness that has befallen so many period-instrument recordings, then look no further than this now attractively priced gem.


- CD 1: Mozart: Symphonies K. 16, K. Anh. 223, K. 19, K. 22, K. Anh. 221, K. 43
Symphony No.1 in E flat, K.16
1.1. Molto allegro 5:49
2.2. Andante 6:13
3.3. Presto 1:55
Symphony in F, K.App.223
4.1. Allegro assai 5:00
5.2. Andante 3:54
6.3. Presto 2:32
Symphony No.4 in D, K.19
7.1. Allegro 2:14
8.2. Andante 4:04
9.3. Presto 2:44
Symphony No.5 in B flat, K.22
10.1. Allegro 2:38
11.2. Andante 2:48
12.3. Molto allegro 1:14
Symphony No.7a in G, K.App. 221, "Alte Lambacher"
13.1. Allegro maestoso 5:04
14.2. Andante 4:55
15.3. Presto 2:26
Symphony No.6 in F, K.43
16.1. Allegro 5:32
17.2. Andante 5:31
18.3. Menuetto 2:18
19.4. Allegro 3:39
Total Playing Time 1:10:30

- CD 2: Mozart: Symphonies K. 45, K. 48, K. 73, K. 76, K. Anh. 214, K. 81
Symphony No.7 in D, K.45
1.1. Overture 2:35
2.2. Andante 2:25
3.3. Menuetto 3:09
4.4. Molto allegro 2:34
Symphony No.8 in D, K.48
5.1. (Allegro) 3:04
6.2. Andante 3:51
7.3. Menuetto 3:30
8.4. (Allegro) 3:00
Symphony No.9 in C, K.73
9.1. Allegro 3:05
10.2. Andante 4:21
11.3. Menuetto 3:17
12.4. Molto allegro 1:56
Symphony No.43 in F, K.76
13.1. Allegro maestoso 4:22
14.2. Andante 3:51
15.3. Menuetto 3:42
16.4. Allegro 2:44
Symphony No.55 in B flat, K.App.214
17.1. Allegro 2:18
18.2. Andante 4:40
19.3. Menuet 2:44
20.4. Allegro 3:40
Symphony No.44 in D, K.81
21.1. Allegro 2:52
22.2. Andante 4:38
23.3. Allegro molto 2:27
Total Playing Time 1:14:45

- CD 3: Mozart: Symphonies K. 97,K. 95, K. 84, K. Anh. 216, K. 75, K. 96
Symphony No.47 in D, K.97
1.1. Allegro 2:36
2.2. Andante 3:28
3.3. Menuetto 3:05
4.4. Presto 1:33
Symphony No.45 in D, K.95
5.1. Allegro 2:15
6.2. Andante 3:13
7.3. Menuetto 3:16
8.4. Allegro 3:02
Symphony No.11 in D, K.84
9.1. Allegro 3:40
10.2. Andante 2:30
11.3. Allegro 3:17
Symphony in B flat major, K. App. 216
12.1. Allegro 3:27
13.2. Andante 4:10
14.3. Menuet - Trio 2:40
15.4. Allegro molto 3:36
Symphony No.42 in F, K.75
16.1. Allegro 3:11
17.2. Andantino 5:16
18.3. Menuetto 3:32
19.4. Allegro 2:17
Symphony No.46 in C, K.96
20.1. Allegro 1:58
21.2. Andante 5:28
22.3. Menuetto 3:42
23.4. Molto allegro 2:56
Total Playing Time 1:14:08

- CD 4: Mozart: Symphonies K. 10, K. 110, K. 112, K. 114, K. 124
Symphony No.10 in G, K.74
1.1. Allegro 3:10
2.2. Andante 2:40
3.3. Allegro1:48
Symphony No.12 in G, K.110
4.1. Allegro 6:41
5.2. Andante 4:29
6.3. Menuetto 3:48
7.4. Allegro 2:08
Symphony No.13 in F, K.112
8.1. Allegro 5:20
9.2. Andante 5:24
10.3. Menuetto 2:18
11.4. Molto allegro 2:19
Symphony No.14 in A, K.114
12.1. Allegro moderato 7:41
13.2. Andante 4:55
14.3. Menuetto 3:49
15.4. Allegro molto 4:21
Symphony No.15 in G, K.124
16.1. Allegro 5:09
17.2. Andante 4:58
18.3. Menuetto 3:22
19.4. Presto 2:11
Total Playing Time 1:16:31

- CD 5: Mozart: Symphonies K. 128, K. 129, K. 130, K. 132, K. 184
Symphony No.16 in C, K.128
1.1. Allegro maestoso 4:24
2.2. Andante grazioso 4:06
3.3. Allegro 3:14
Symphony No.17 in G, K.129
4.1. Allegro 6:27
5.2. Andante 5:46
6.3. Allegro 3:43
Symphony No.18 in F, K.130
7.1. Allegro 5:16
8.2. Andante grazioso 5:08
9.3. Menuetto 2:15
10.4. Allegro molto 6:56
Symphony No.19 in E flat, K.132
11.1. Allegro 4:04
12.2. Andante 6:09
13.3. Menuetto 4:19
14.4. Allegro 3:49
Symphony No.26 in E flat, K.184
15.1. Molto presto 2:50
16.2. Andante 3:09
17.3. Allegro 2:12
Total Playing Time 1:13:47

- CD 6: Mozart: Symphonies K. 133, K. 134, K. 162, K. 181, K. 199
Symphony No.20 in D, K.133
1.1. Allegro 7:20
2.2. Andante 5:57
3.3. Menuetto 3:55
4.4. Allegro 5:23
Symphony No.21 in A, K.134
5.1. Allegro 5:20
6.2. Andante 4:36
7.3. Menuetto 4:10
8.4. Allegro 3:28
Symphony No.22 in C, K.162
9.1. Allegro assai 3:33
10.2. Andantino grazioso 3:00
11.3. Presto assai 1:58
Symphony No.23 in D, K.181
12.1. Allegro spirituoso 4:53
13.2. Andantino 2:05
14.3. Presto assai 2:06
Symphony No.27 in G, K.199
15.1. Allegro 6:47
16.2. Andantino grazioso 5:33
17.3. Presto 5:18
Total Playing Time 1:15:22

- CD 7: Mozart: Symphonies K. 182, K. 183, K. 202, K. 297
Symphony No.24 in B flat, K.182
1.1. Allegro spiritoso 4:00
2.2. Andantino grazioso 2:35
3.3. Allegro 1:27
Symphony No.25 in G minor, K.183
4.1. Allegro con brio 10:13
5.2. Andante 6:50
6.3. Menuetto 4:08
7.4. Allegro 6:24
Symphony No.30 in D, K.202
8.1. Molto allegro 5:53
9.2. Andantino con moto 5:57
10.3. Menuetto - Trio 4:53
11.4. Presto 4:43
Symphony No.31 in D, K.297 - "Paris"
12.1. Allegro assai 7:28
13.2. Andante 5:53
14.3. Allegro 3:35
Total Playing Time 1:13:59

- CD 8: Mozart: Symphonies K. 201, K. 200, K. 319
Symphony No.29 in A, K.201
1.1. Allegro moderato 9:59
2.2. Andante 11:22
3.3. Menuetto 3:47
4.4. Allegro con spirito 6:30
Symphony No.28 in C, K.200
5.1. Allegro spiritoso 7:27
6.2. Andante 8:30
7.3. Menuetto (allegretto) 4:24
8..4. Presto 5:23
Symphony No.33 in B flat, K.319
9.1. Allegro assai 6:52
10.2. Andante moderato 4:26
11.3. Menuetto 3:12
12.4. Finale (Allegro assai) 8:11
Total Playing Time 1:20:03

- CD 9: Mozart: Symphonies K. 318, K. 338, K. 385 "Haffner", K. 425 "Linz"
Symphony No.32 in G, K.318 (Overture in G)
1.1. Allegro spiritoso 2:54
2.2. Andante 2:50
3.3. Tempo I 1:50
Symphony No.34 in C, K.338
4.1. Allegro vivace 6:57
5.2. Andante di molto più tosto Allegretto 7:08
6.3. Finale (Allegro vivace) 7:33
Symphony No.35 in D, K.385 "Haffner"
7.1. Allegro con spirito 5:46
8.2. Andante 6:45
9.3. Menuetto 3:28
10.4. Finale (Presto) 3:45
Symphony No.36 in C, K.425 - "Linz"
11.1. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso 11:04
12.2. Andante 9:21
13.3. Menuetto 3:56
14.4. Finale (Presto) 7:32
Total Playing Time 1:20:49

- CD 10: Mozart: Symphonies K. 504 "Prague" & K. 543
Symphony No.38 in D, K.504 "Prague"
1.1. Adagio - Allegro 13:07
2.2. Andante 12:10
3.3. Finale (Presto) 7:27
Symphony No.39 in E flat, K.543
4.1. Adagio - Allegro 10:21
5.2. Andante con moto 8:26
6.3. Menuetto (Allegretto) 4:23
7.4. Finale (Allegro) 7:26
Total Playing Time 1:03:20

- CD 11: Mozart: Symphonies K. 550 & K. 551 "Jupiter"
Symphony No.40 in G minor, K.550
1.1. Molto allegro 7:23
2.2. Andante 11:21
3.3. Menuetto (Allegretto) - Trio 4:48
4.4. Finale (Allegro assai) 9:19
Symphony No.41 in C, K.551 - "Jupiter"
5.1. Allegro vivace 11:16
6.2. Andante cantabile 11:22
7.3. Menuetto (Allegretto) 5:27
8.4. Molto allegro 11:27
Total Playing Time 1:12:23

Friday, November 2, 2012

My Discography - Part Two

Robert Silverman
Concert: Piano Works


Concert: CD 1
J.S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One
Prelude in e-flat
Fugue in d-sharp
Prelude in E-flat
Fugue in E-flat
Robert Schumann: Sonata No.3 in f, Op.14 ("Concerto Without Orchestra")
Allegro brillante
Scherzo 1: Molto commodo
Scherzo 2: Vivacissimo
Quasi Variazoni: Andantino de Clara Wieck
Prestissimo possibile

Concert: CD 2
Franz Schubert: Six Moments Musicaux, D.780
No.1 in C
No.2 in A-flat
No.3 in f
No.4 in c-sharp
No.5 in f
No.6 in A-flat
Frédéric Chopin: Three Works 
Barcarolle, Op.60
Scherzo No.3 in c-sharp, Op.39
Waltz in c-sharp, Op.64 No.2

Recording Information:

http://www.stereophile.com/features/315/index.html

Performances: Robert Silverman
Production/Editing/Engineering: John Atkinson, with Robert Harley
Executive Producer: Larry Archibald
Concert Organizer: Ralph Johnson
Road Manager: Danny Sandoval
Piano Technician: Charles Rempel
Emergency Piano-Stool Repair: Gorm Damborg
Photographs: John Atkinson

Venue: The First United Methodist Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Recording Dates: November 6 & 8, 1992; November 5, 1993.
Steinway D piano: supplied by Riedling Music Company, Albuquerque, NM.

Microphones: two B&K 4006 ½" omnidirectionals with black (diffuse-field) grids.
Microphone preamplifiers: EAR 824 (1992-I), Meitner (1992-II), Sonosax (1993).
Cables: AudioQuest Lapis balanced, fitted with AudioQuest XLRs, to mike preamps; Beyerdynamic balanced microphone cable to recorder.
Recorder: Revox PR99 ¼", two-track, open-reel recorder.
Playback: Ampex ATR-100 ¼", two-track, open-reel recorder, restored by Mike Spitz (ATR Service Company) and modified by Robert Harley, with the invaluable help of Steve Hogan (Jensen Transformers), Jerry Ziss (Analog Devices), Steve McCormack (McCormack Audio), and John Curl.
Tape: Maxell XL-1 & UD-XL (1992), Ampex 456 (1993).

Editing/Mastering:
Analog original transfered to digital with the Manley/UltraAnalog 20-bit A/D Converter; edited with 20-bit resolution on the Sonic Solutions hard-disk editing system; mastered and redithered to 16-bit resolution using the Meridian 618 Mastering Converter. 

My Discography - Part One

Anne-Sophie Mutter, Herbert Von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker
Great Violin Concertos: Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Brahms




By Music lover (California) 
An excellent set, sure to become a standard. The combination of Herbert von Karajan, the Berlin Philharmonic and Anne-Sophie Mutter shines brilliantly. Ms Mutter performs the works with dignity and feeling, and shows why she is still one of the best in the world when it comes to playing the old masters. The Beethoven concerto is undoubtedly the signature piece of the set, a truly moving performance that ranks amongst the greatest I've heard. Technically, the recordings are consistent with the high quality one came to expect from DG. An absolute must-have collection!

Disc 1:
Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K.216, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

1 Allegro 10:43
2 Adagio  9:51
3 Rondeau Allegro 6:46
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major ("Turkish"), K.219 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 
4 Allegro aperto 10:43
5 Adagio 10:57
6 Rondeau,Tempo di Menuetto 9:19

Disc 2:
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 - Ludwig van Beethoven 
1 Allegro ma non troppo 26:36
2 Larghetto 11:24
3 Rondo, Allegro 10:16

Disc 3: 
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 - Felix Mendelssohn

1 Allegro molto appassionato 13:55
2 Andante 9:28
3 Allegro non troppo - Allegro molto vivace  7:14
Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op. 26 - Max Bruch
4 Prelude. Allegro moderato 8:35
5 Adagio 9:55
6 Finale. Allegro energico - Presto 7:35

Disc 4:
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 - Johannes Brahms 
1 Allegro non troppo 22:00
2 Adagio 9:41
3 Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace