HutchFan

Richard Goode Plays Brahms (Nonesuch) - Eight Piano Pieces, Op. 76 - Seven Fantasies, Op. 116 - Four Piano Pieces, Op. 119

Absolutely! My "gateway" into Bruckner's Fourth was Klemperer's recording in a Time-Life LP set called The Opulent Era. That's still a special record for me. I've also enjoyed Skrowaczewski's recording with the Hallé and Jochum's earlier recording on DG with the Berlin PO. This morning, I've been listening to Mahler's Fourth with James Levine, the Chicago SO, and Judith Blegen: Beautiful! For me, the M4 is the highlight of this set.

Eugen Jochum - ICON (Warner Classics) Disc 12 - Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 / Dresden Staatskapelle

While doing some big cleaning projects in the kitchen earlier today: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6 "Pastoral" & 2; Symphonies Nos. 7 & 1 / Janos Ferencsik, Hungarian PO (Laserlight) Excellent recordings -- despite the bargain-basement price. Originally released on Hungaroton, IIRC. Now back to lieder. Spinning this LP: Hans Hotter - Great German Songs: Schubert, Schumann, Strauss (Seraphim)

Dvořák: The Water Goblin; My Home; The Noonday Witch; The Hussite / Istvan Kertesz, London SO (London)

Interesting. Never heard this before. Sounds great. Thanks for the heads-up!

Not exactly "obscure" -- but Stanley Turrentine's Salt Song is a favorite of mine. Lots of other excellent records on that list too.

Hans Hotter - Great German Songs - Album 2: Brahms, Wolf, Loewe (Seraphim) One LP side consists of lieder by Brahms (despite what the mislabeled cover says). Hotter's singing is extraordinary.

Now listening to Beethoven's Piano Sonatas Nos. 16, 17 "Tempest," and 24, as performed by Wilhelm Kempff, from this set:

Now back to Schubert: Schubert: A Program of Piano Music and Songs / Elly Ameling (sop), Jörg Demus (p) (RCA Victrola) Gorgeous singing.

Listening to Joseph Haydn on vinyl tonight: Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 99 & 100 "Military" / Jochum, London PO (DG) Hadyn: Symphonies Nos. 93 & 94 "Surprise" / Szell, Cleveland O (Columbia)

Not pushy at all, soulpope! On the contrary, thank you for the recommendations.

Funny that you mention Fassbaender. I've eyed that one too. Love her voice. Popp has never grabbed my ear. Maybe I should give her Schubert a try.

Hmm. Interesting. I should look into that CD. Prompted by your post, I'm now spinning this one: The Hyperion Schubert Edition, Vol. 21 / Edith Mathis, Graham Johnson

Wade Marcus did the arrangements for Bobby Hutcherson's one-and-only dud (IMHO, of course), Natural Illusions (Blue Note, 1972). Even the cover art was bad. . . A red-skinned alien holding up a red lightbulb to a disembodied face? What???

Jealous! Jealous (again!)!

Aside from the ones that you've already mentioned, here are a few of my faves: - Charles Ives: All of the Psalm settings for chorus -- particularly Psalm 90 (one of Ives' absolute masterpieces, I think); also "From the Steeples and the Mountains" - Hector Berlioz: Grande messe des morts, Op. 5 and L'enfance du Christ, Op. 25 - Maurice Duruflé: Requiem EDIT: I just found the Gregg Smith Singers' recording of Ives' Psalm settings on YT. To my knowledge, these particular recordings have never been reissued in any digital format. That's unfortunate because they are EASILY the best versions of this music that I've ever heard.

Earlier today, I picked up a still-sealed copy of Bunky Green's Places We've Never Been (Vanguard, 1979). I already know & love this music -- but I've only heard it as MP3 downloads. Now, I'm looking forward to hearing it in full, unsullied-vinyl fidelity.

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 / Friedrich Gulda Disc 1

My introduction to Mahler was through Leonard Bernstein -- specifically his Mahler 9 with the Concertgebouw (DG). For many fans, this is "Lenny's Mahler" at its worst, but it made a convert of me. The first Mahler Third that I ever heard was Jascha Horenstein's, and I still enjoy it -- but Kubelik's recording is definitely my first choice for this symphony. Kubelik's version isn't nearly as monumental or dramatic as Horenstein's, but Kubelik makes the music flow so beautifully. People often mention Kubelik's woodsy lyricism, but I think they sometimes overlook the sense of flow and over-arching structure that he brings to Mahler. His readings (often, to me) have a continuity, an "inner line," that other conductors lack. As a result, Kubelik's interpretations don't come off as a series of dramatic but disconnected episodes. I'm not a score-reader. This is just my subjective impression as a listener, FWIW.

from --> Mahler: Symphony No. 3 / Kubelik, Marjorie Thomas, Bavarian RSO (DG)

I listened to this version of the Third Symphony last night. First time I'd heard Thomson's recording. Enjoyed it very much!

I'm not familiar with this one. Need to check it out. I have (and love!) Handy's New View with Bobby Hutcherson, and Handy's MPS LP with Ali Akbar Khan is another fave. Not sure why I've overlooked the Monterrey LP.

Great music.

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20 & Other Short Works / Bruce Hungerford (Vanguard Classics)