Д.Д.

Yes, it was deployed. The singers ware in semicircle all through the stage. Same with the musicians - symmetrically split over central stage (two violins on extreme right - two on extreme left, and so on). A lot of singing and playing was in call-and-response fashion from one side to the other. Since I was sitting on the side this was lost on me.

So, here it goes. Wiener Konzerthaus Performers Hespèrion XXI, Ensemble Le Concert des Nations, Orchester La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Ensemble Hanna Bayodi-Hirt, Sopran Marianne Beate Kielland, Mezzosopran Pascal Bertin, Countertenor David Sagastume, Countertenor Nicholas Mulroy, Tenor Lluis Vilamajó, Tenor Daniele Carnovich, Bass Antonio Abete, Bass Jordi Savall, Leitung Program Bartholomäus Riedl Ist ein schöner Aufzug Ein langer und schöner Aufzug Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Plaudite tympana à 53 (1682)) Battalia à 10 (1673) Sonata Sancti Polycarpi à 9 (1673) Missa Salisburgensis à 53 (1682) Encore: Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Gloria (Missa Salisburgensis à 53) (1682) The hall was packed - mostly with retirees, but there were some youngish faces. I decided not to familiarize myself with the music beforehand, so it was all fresh for me. The instrumentalists were good, although from where I was sitting it seemed like horn players on the left and on the right (they were positioned in semi-circle on the balcony) were a bit out of sync - but it might be just due to my being positioned right upfront and to the side (this is what you get when you buy the tickets in the last moment). The music was good, but fairly predictable. There was an interesting moment in Riedl's piece (never even heard of Riedl, btw) that sounded really dissonant - gotta check out if this was intended or some performance fuck-up. The singers (there were 16) were excellent, female ones (two mezzos, two sopranos) in particular. One of the sopranos was on the last weeks of pregnancy, had to hold her belly when bowing. It is heroic that she managed to stand the whole concert. She was outstanding, which was a relief, since being positioned right next to her, she was whom mostly heard. I really enjoyed the (very few) polyphonic moments when the whole choir was singing - otherwise, these were mostly solos / duos. Pretty, but repetitive. I had my regular qualm with vocal choir music reinforced - the "s" sound (and "t" to a lesser extent) is so pronounced - particularly when the whole choir is singing, then it really sounds like a snake pit - it affects my enjoyment of the music. I should start a petition to ban the use of texts in favor of wordless (and consonant-less) vocalizing. Mandatory thundering applause (I still have to attend a concert in Vienna that would not end in 10-minute ovation, retirees are very polite here). And an encore from which I escaped.

And that's a good one.

papsrus, good idea for the thread. I am attending Hespèrion XXI performing Biber's Missa Salisburgensis. The full line-up is here: http://konzerthaus.at/kh/d/0201_detail_frame.asp?KHGVA=true&vaid=0015e412 Will post my impressions.

Yes, this one came to my mind immediately as well. I like both versions (there are more, actually - a 1954 one and a concert one from Salzburg from mid-60s, but these 55 and 81 offer the greatest contrast), but prefer the early one. It has more vigor and energy; the later one sounds more detached to me. In general, Bach's music seems to inspire regular revisiting. Looks like every major cellist recorded suites at least twice - with often dramatically different results. Wispelwey recorded them three times (so far). I love the second version, have only once heard the last one (recorded at lower pitch), have not formed any opinion of it yet.

OK, got it. Last time I saw Butcher playing solo (in a XIII century church with a lot of reverb) he played both soprano and tenor in equal measure.

Love both of those guys, but the few times I've seen Butcher live, he favored the tenor sax. I wonder if that is generally true now? I think Butcher is often a match for Evan Parker when it comes to tenor. One can still discern some Parkerisms in Butcher's playing, but for the most part, it is quite individual and strongly inventive. You mean soprano, right? Parker's tenor plying is quite jazzy, Butcher has eschewed all jazz references from his playing (whether on soprano or tenor) by now, although I did see him do a mock free-jazz blow-hard on tenor once - but this was just a few seconds. I don't hear much similarity. On soprano Butcher's vocabulary is much broader than Parker's IMO. There is a recent Parker / Leimgruber duo, will check it out.

I did not like the sound of these sets (I used Abrams set for A/B-ing), but some of the older individual CDs are still available directly from CAM Jazz website at €7-8 a pop. They are all on Spotify as well.

John Butcher is great on soprano. I particularly like him in solo setting, for example on early record "Thirteen Friendly Numbers" or on a later one "Invisible Ear". And Urs Leimgruber. He is fantastic solo (there are a few CDs out there, I have heard only "Blue Log", which I can highly recommend), and in ldp trio with Barre Phillips and Jacques Demierre. I am not a fan of Evan Parker's soprano. I think he was interesting around Monoceros time, but then became sort of a circular breathing machine playing the same stuff ad nauseam. I like Parker's tenor playing more.

My good friend Andrej Prozorov:

I saw Gergiev a couple of times in Moscow way back when, 15 years ago. Don't remember what orchestra he was with, Mariinski, most likely. They played Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, I recall. I found the performances to be over the top, very loud and sort of crude. But that was a long time ago.

Guys, it is wrong to talk about Spotify per-stream "rate". It changes depends on the number of paying users and the number of streams (or, to be exact, the share of streams of a particular track out of total Spotify streams). When there are more paying users (and remember, this is just 12.5 million people at the moment) the payout for individual streams will be higher.

Yes, you can use Gramofon (http://gramofon.com/spotify/ ) with your cell phone as a Spotify remote control.

Sad Life is available on Spotify: http://play.spotify.com/album/2zTabbxtAaUj4VuFTrQ3MC

Now that's a great set, even if not every recording (esp. in Mozart, Bach) is tip-top... Damn near worth it for the Nielsen and American recordings alone... But there are near endless discoveries to be made in this set, Bernstein's own music included... Which only heightens the Perahia Conundrum... cf. he will likely die, 40+ years a star, not having recorded anything more recent than that one Bartok recital?! What a waste of talent, resources, opportunity. If someone wants to counter with say Artur Rubinstein they're wrong because tho' he didn't do tons of contemporary works, here's a list of LIVING COMPOSERS he did record-- * Szymanowksi * Stravinsky * Prokofiev * Poulenc * Villa-Lobos * Rachmaninov * Falla * Ravel * Faure If we add the list of composers living while Artur was also alive but not yet recording, we can add * Albeniz, Granados, Scriabin, Debussy # of living composers Murray Perahia has recorded: ZERO # of composers once alive at same time as Murray that he's recorded: ZERO Uh... Murray? This Nielsen concerto is very nice, thanks for posting it. Gotta explore more Nielsen. Regarding Perahia not playing / recording any contemporary stuff - this might be also due to respective earning opportunities. And he most likely simply does not like - and does not know - the stuff. Although who knows, perhaps deep in the night, when nobody is around, he quickly runs to his white grand piano and plays a few passages of Brian Ferneyhough, wistfully stays silently for a few moments with tears in his eyes and then goes back to bed.

Quartetto Italiano Quartetto di Venezia Quartett (w/ Peacock a.o.) Quartet B - exciting Hungarian folk-jazz thing. I think this one has Archie Shepp guesting. Quartoinfolio - nice melodic Italian quartet (reeds / tuba / guitar / drums): https://play.spotify.com/album/7HE0COTHuuJKvAl7oCorRP Alim Quasimov - fantastic mugam singer from Azerbaijan Jesse Quattro - very interesting vocalist, should check out what she is up to now Erik Qvick (excellent drums / percussion duet CD with Steve Hubback on FMR)

Whenever amazon does the shipping for vendors - as is the case for both of these - they will not ship in any other countries. They will not ship within Europe either, only within Spain. Sucks, but has been like that for quite a while. Sucks indeed, but this is not true . This one can be shipped within EU.

!! Yes, this one was a revelation.

Yes, Fataka releases are very strong. Monotype is good, although I can't keep up with them. I used to like Potlatch a lot, but have not checked there releases out for the last three years or so. KAIROS releases some interesting new classical stuff.

Agree with MomsMobley re Perahia and Marcelle Meyer. I missed the big Meyer box, but I guess Warner will reissue it, either whole or in parts. This Rameu piece sure is gorgeous.

Courtesy of Les Bons Plans Classique - a lot of mega-boxes at insanely low prices (€22 for new Glenn Gould Bach box, for example) from EU amazon market sellers: http://bons-plans-classique.blogspot.com/2014/10/urgent-coffrets-brades-sur-marketplace.html Crazy!

New solo Matthew Shipp "I've been to many places" is excellent. Very classical sounding, Scriabin or something. Spotify link: https://play.spotify.com/album/2JSkES12KzaSlTNsf3LuM5

Many great ones mentioned (many not-so-great ones too ). My all-time favorite is probably Barre Phillips. I love his solo records in particular (he has quite a few). Other favorite is Pierre Michelot, his playing is an epitome of tastefulness, as far as I am concerned. I would recommend HUM 3-CD set on Sketch, even if the pianist Rene Utreger is not always that interesting, but both Michelot and Daniel Humair (on drums) are fantastic. The sound quality on the last CD is excellent, really captures Michelot's beautiful sound. Joelle Leandre when she reigns her showmanship instincts is quite amazing. Honestly, I have not had an urge to listen to her stuff for a very long time, but I used to enjoy her solo CD "No Comment" on Red Toucan, as well as her duo with Sebi Tramontana "E'Vero" on Leo. And George Cremaschi - talk about huge sound. I like his playing on "They Were Gentle and Pretty Pigs" with Mats Gustafsson and Gregg Goodman - this one has excellent sound quality too. Ah yes, John Eckhardt's solo bass CD Xylobiont (on psi) is very impressive.

Gentle Giant's "The Power and the Glory" remixed by Steve Wilson, released on CD, 5.1 DVD and blu-ray. Any vinyl. https://www.burningshed.com/store/gentlegiant/

Courtesy of Bons-Plans-Classique blog: EMI eminence 50-CD box for €50 at JPC: https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/EMI-Eminence-The-Original-Jacket-Collection/hnum/2428825