quote:

Originally posted by Jamie:



Samantha Robichaud

As pleasing to the ear as she is to the eye, this 20 year old from Riverview, New Brunswick, Canada is making quite a name for herself in the Folk/Traditional scene in Canada, and has even had some music cross over into mainstream FM airtime. Very accomplished sweet singing style of violin, writes alot of her own material, and has already quite a list of accomplishments.

can't get this disc anymore...

http://www.matthewherbert.com/

I have the "unnecessary history of Doctor Rockit" which is great, but at this website you can listen to all. Very creative and fun stuff.

The finest set in quite a while. Gorgeous playing. I was listening to the Pastorale sonsta last night - several times - beautifully done.

While there are some wonderful Mozart performers, I think this man may very well be the best. A number of his students are household names - Richard Goode, Ruth Laredo, Peter Serkin and Murray Perahia to name but a few. Horszowski started performing in public at 7. At 7 he could play all of the Bach inventions - and transcribe them into other keys as well. This concert was 92 years later as he was just turning 99. It is from his final recital in England. The audience represented the music world of London - every pianist who could get a ticket was there. His playing wasn't quite as secure as it had been through the 90+ year career - but still is gorgeous. I so wish I could have been there for this program. The good news is that this recording will be out in this country in a couple of weeks. I got my copy from the UK.

Horszowski performed one more program a few months later and then retired from public performance. He was begged to perform a program during his 100th year but chose not to. He died just shy of his 101st birthday.

A compilation of the complete Mozart sonatas was made on the Arbiter label a few years back. The recording quality is not great but the music is sublime.

BTW, one other interesting thing about Horszowski is that he married but once...at age 89. The woman he married is also a pianist - and helped compile a book in her husband's memory.

Wow. Very fascinating Kluurs. Tomorrow being Friday, aka shopping day, I will look for this.

I love Goode's playing. I met Ruth Laredo once and shook her hand. She was soooo short and what I remember most--physically--about her playing, was the way she pumped the pedals! Murray Perahia was a classmate of my teacher (for 10 years) at the HS for the performing arts here in NYC.

Married at 89! That's beautiful.

I'm listening to a selection from Bach's Johannes Passion, to get more into vocal works. So far, I like it.

Vocal and instrumental ensemble Lausanne/Michel Corboz

I think it's a selection from this recording:


Anyone who knows if it's good? I'm not familiar with it so it's hard to judge.

The second CD has a selection of Matthäus Passion. I think from this one:

For the Bach Passions, I'm partial to the work of Gardiner - though I also like Harnoncourt.

Corboz is ok - but I've always found better recordings out there.

Debussy - by many accounts was not the nicest of guys to be around - but he did some wonderful colorings in his piano music... For many years Gieseking was considered peerless in his interpretations. But in the past 20-25 years there have been a number of stunning performances including some by Pascal Roge.

Roge is now re-recording the Debussy opus - and I have to say, I really enjoy his performances - very well thought out - nicely colored - and well recorded.

One of the best rock albums from the '70s. Definitely in my top 10 best. Damn they're good.

Well, I've had a great time reading through this thread. Lots to try.

Just to join in (and a disclaimer that I listen to a LOT of my kids' stuff):



and



The Fratellis aren't for everyone, but they are definitely for me!

Nice, but not my favourite. Come to think of it, I don't really have a favourite recording of the Chopin Nocturnes yet... It seems as if the better you know the pieces, the harder it is to find a recording that is satisfying. There's always something about the interpretations that bugs me. I've tried Pollini, Barenboim, Arrau, El Bacha and François Samson. So far I like Barenboim the best, but still not "perfect". Any other "must try" nocturne interpretations I could try?

Rubinstein and Pires are two that come to mind.

Thanks, Ken! I've ordered both sets and should have them next week. I'm especially curious about the Pires recording since I don't know here well.

I also still think Pires version of the Schubert Impromptus are the best version - although there are several other outstanding interpretations out there.