J.A.W.

Thanks for the recommendation, but I've listened to samples of that set several times last year and I can't get used to the fortepiano and I'm not an organ fan. I like Schornsheim's playing, though. Her Well-Tempered Clavier (4 CDs) is excellent.

I read a few very favourable reviews of the Apponyi. I think I'm going to try their CD - they only recorded one, with Op.33. Thanks.

Just heard that conductor Sir Colin Davis has died. He was 85. I have several of his recordings. Love his Sibelius and late Haydn and Dvořák. BBC obit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22148334

Mike told me he's not that interested in string quartets, so I doubt he'll post here.

It's not only the age of the instruments (some are copies), it's also the way they are played, the pitch, things like that. Plus, I'm not a fan of "romantic" interpretations of baroque and much classical music.

Thanks, but they play on modern instruments and I prefer period instruments - except fortepiano, which I don't like at all - for Haydn (and Mozart, Bach and other earlier composers). Excellent quartet, though.

Two other names that were suggested for Haydn are the Apponyi and Schuppanzigh Quartets, both on period instruments. Anyone?

The thread title speaks for itself. I am especially interested in opinions on the interpretations by the Hungarian Festetics Quartet, Simon Standage's Salomon Quartet and other quartets that specialize in period ("HIP") performances. I've never heard the Festetics' interpretations, which seem to be controversial; I've read many reviews that are very positive, but others complain about the slow movements, that some characterized as being "solemn", way too slow. There were also complaints about their intonation, which one reviewer described as being even worse than in the Vegh Quartet's Beethoven quartets. Opinions and recommendations ("HIP" only, please) are very welcome. P.S. Forgot to say that I have all the Quatuor Mosaïques Haydn string quartet CDs. Unfortunately, they didn't record all of the quartets.

It's a generalization, of course, and maybe I'm opening a can of worms, but Bernstein is not as appreciated in Europe as he is in the United States. Thanks for the tip, though.

Yep, this is all very weird. As Kevin said it's a limited edition of 5000, not 1000, and it's not sold out. And Ubu is right, Mosaic doesn't do re-releases. I wonder what is being sold here.

That decision was made in the early days of this board, to keep it as "family friendly" as possible.

Jim decided to move it to the Politics forum as it quickly became a political discussion.

Buying stuff on labels like that is always risky quality-wise

Apparently fasstrack has no access to the Politics/Religion forum.

"... in the spirit of public intellectuals like Jean-Paul Sartre...?" Not that Sartre was an unflawed figure, but (to quote from my favorite candy bar commercial) "great googly moogly!" Compare Ebert to a fellow journalist from the same city and of the same general era, Mike Royko, and Ebert IMO had nowhere near as great an impact on the public discourse. Yes, Ebert had many virtues, but what next -- the greatest moral philosopher since Immanuel Kant?Funny how obits can turn into ridiculous overstatements.

LD and Turrentine, yes, but while I like Spaulding, don't think so -- just not enough of a player, while distinctive, and also no leader dates. The others (aside from JMAC, for whom I've already voted) no way because so much of their careers took place away from BN both before and later on, in Ornette's case especially.Spaulding did lead several dates from 1976 onwards - but not on Blue Note, if that's what you mean

Many thanks for the reminder sgcim. I have both those old Crown LPs and as fine as they are haven't listened to them much over the years because the sound was so bad (and on top of that my copies also were in nasty shape). Just ordered the CD and now I'll really get to hear this music. Which CD did you order, the Fresh Sound with both Crown albums or the Ace (UK) disc (or was it Boplicity)? The Fresh Sound, he said guiltily.I wonder which source(s) they used.

Many thanks for the reminder sgcim. I have both those old Crown LPs and as fine as they are haven't listened to them much over the years because the sound was so bad (and on top of that my copies also were in nasty shape). Just ordered the CD and now I'll really get to hear this music.Which CD did you order, the Fresh Sound with both Crown albums or the Ace (UK) disc (or was it Boplicity)?

That tie is a work of art.

invarTone was one, but he's just been booted. He was the author of 7 spam posts earlier today. Also saw a few others on the "new members" page recently.

Is it me, or are we having a new wave of spammers here? I've seen several newbies with the infamous location "143040" and a few spam posts as well. I thought the forum software would handle them, but apparently there's a leak of some kind.

NY Times obit: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/05/movies/roger-ebert-film-critic-dies.html?emc=na&_r=0

Well, posting that audiophile labels were hardly releasing Blue Note and Prestige albums while the opposite is true isn't good information in my view.

I don't think the quality of mastering is in question. Of either of the two labels. At least not by me. As jetman said, the majors that own Blue Note etc al, have obviously lost interest in their archival legacy, and are now putting their money behind Blue Note as their contemporary Boutique Blues and Roots label (mostly). They appear content that enough titles are still in print and accessible in the racks. So these franchised re-mastering labels will probably be the way of the future. I guess it was inevitable they would start to compile their own albums as well. Hopefully they will find some useful projects to do in this regard. Otherwise go back to re-mastering Linda Ronstadt. I was referring to the various posts here by CJ Shearn stating that audiophile labels paid hardly any attention to Blue Note and Prestige albums and the like. That is simply not true. My remarks about Kevin Gray's mastering work were side comments.

Like Lon said above, Analogue Productions are releasing 50 (25 mono and 25 stereo) hybrid Prestige SACDs and they've already released several impulse! titles, also on hybrid SACD and all mastered by Kevin Gray. I like Gray's work very much. Analogue Productions also put out a series of hybrid Verve SACDs, mastered by the late George Marino. OK, maybe not very adventurous music, but still. There's quite a bit of misinformation in this thread about audiophile labels not putting out stuff like that.