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Post by jandl100 on Sept 17, 2023 8:38:16 GMT
I could volunteer to do a September 23 CAOTM if that might be of interest.
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 16, 2023 19:52:00 GMT
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 16, 2023 4:49:08 GMT
Nobody else care to join us for some Mahler?? I'll be along shortly. Well, it'll he a while.... Just started listening to this Rattle recording and I'm hugely surprised. The opening is superbly done. Deeply tentative and surgingly romantic. What he's doing with the pacing of the initial sections is mind-whirling. Wow.
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 16, 2023 4:25:00 GMT
I really wanted to hate this album. Some here may recall my ancient and deep antipathy for the Pluhar female's music and her unforgivable tendency to "jazz things up a bit". And don't get me started on that fatuous and smug smile of hers. I use PrestoMusic for most of my streaming these days, so imagine my delight when this image came up of the album cover. In my perusal of probably over a thousand Presto albums I've never seen this type of error before. Maybe someone at Presto shares my views of her work. But, giving this (another?) listen I have to concede that it ain't half bad. As stated the sound quality is excellent. She does jazz some of it up (the ultimate Crime Against Music in my book) as is her lamentable tendency. But only a little, I've heard her do far, far worse. And so much of it is a bit too jolly. But having recently complained about an album's lyrics being too depressing I seem to be a bit hard to please in that respect. So, despite my deep desire to hate this, I have to concede that overall, yeah, it's OK. 3/5
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 15, 2023 18:52:05 GMT
Bruckner 2nd symphony. Gunter Wand, Koln Radio SO, RCA
I usually listen to Solti or Muti in this work, but Wand is as usual very fine.
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 15, 2023 3:28:21 GMT
I like their lower energy music. I realise that this largely negates the purpose and intent of what they do.
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 15, 2023 2:46:43 GMT
I really like the sound world. Trying hard not to hear the depressing lyrics! I think I'd prefer it if the vocals were replaced by a cello or viola. 4/5
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Post by jandl100 on May 16, 2022 15:30:30 GMT
fop
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Post by jandl100 on May 16, 2022 13:59:55 GMT
Lovers of English pastoral chamber music a la RVW will likely take kindly to this album of clarinet chamber music by Ruth Gipps. Totally yummy.
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Post by jandl100 on May 16, 2022 13:18:34 GMT
Obviously, I have no actual idea of the facts, but it seems like her fame has led to a much broader appeal than would be usual for a classical concert - and so the entry of many folks who do not actually know the usually accepted rules of behaviour at such events. Perhaps you were lucky there weren't whistling, cat calls, clapping and singing along with the music, and maybe even a crowd surfer or two. All perfectly acceptable behaviour at a rock or metal concert! Definitely this was a much younger audience than I'm used to seeing at the Barbican and I was surprised to see KB having that broad an appeal. Of course that in itself is a good thing, and I love to see kids at classical concerts, but somewhere along the line people need to know what the basic expected behaviour is. The Barbican staff certainly didn't help in this regard as I mentioned. I must admit to being a bit concerned that KB's overly romantic approach to repertoire and performance will only exacerbate the widely held view that "classical music" is all laidback mush. We, of course, know that is not the case. But the young folks turning up due to her box office appeal would likely leave the concert with their prejudices apparently largely confirmed.
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Post by jandl100 on May 16, 2022 5:11:12 GMT
Another possible solution to the Fermi Paradox (where are the aliens?). phys.org/news/2022-05-planetary-scientists-solution-fermi-paradox.htmlThe article is quite short, unfortunately. I'll have to try and dig out the original. There's a rather neat diagram from the original paper reproduced in the article. But it basically postulates an (almost) inevitable burnout and catastrophic collapse of aspiring techno civilisations. The primary escape route being a realisation that continuing growth is not sustainable, and the concept of "progress" and growth is redefined in a more healthy way. Not a new idea, but it looks like it's been framed in an interesting way. The catastrophic ending of techno civilisations seems to be a particularly relevant and plausible one at the moment!
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Post by jandl100 on May 16, 2022 4:46:57 GMT
As for her performances, interesting. Especially coming from a diehard fanboy like you, Jules!
The Lebrecht article does mention or imply a personal overlay of meaning related to the challenges of her recent love life. She has always tended to lay the schmaltz on a bit thickly for me. Perhaps, like Adele, she has finally disappeared up her own bottom.
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Post by jandl100 on May 16, 2022 4:42:36 GMT
Obviously, I have no actual idea of the facts, but it seems like her fame has led to a much broader appeal than would be usual for a classical concert - and so the entry of many folks who do not actually know the usually accepted rules of behaviour at such events.
Perhaps you were lucky there weren't whistling, cat calls, clapping and singing along with the music, and maybe even a crowd surfer or two. All perfectly acceptable behaviour at a rock or metal concert!
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Post by jandl100 on May 15, 2022 14:59:16 GMT
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Post by jandl100 on May 15, 2022 10:34:28 GMT
Bobo looking old but scenic. We got him as a rescue when he was about 10, that was getting on for 5 years ago.
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Post by jandl100 on May 15, 2022 7:20:44 GMT
An excellent Elgar cello concerto, played by Anastasia Kobekina in the jaw dropping extravagance of the Athenaeum concert hall in Romania
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Post by jandl100 on May 14, 2022 12:17:42 GMT
Now on my 3rd hearing of this album in the last couple of days. Wow. Vasks - oboe concerto and other orchestral works.
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Post by jandl100 on May 14, 2022 3:45:26 GMT
A deeper (but still preliminary) dive into the new black hole image.
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Post by jandl100 on May 13, 2022 17:58:58 GMT
I've no time for Mahler 8, but Wit's Mahler 9 is one of my favourites. Unfortunately the recording is marred by the end of movements being prematurely cut off.
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Post by jandl100 on May 13, 2022 2:41:40 GMT
So Einstein was right. Again.
Much much more to be coming from this. Including, I suspect, a movie of the rapidly changing image of the black hole.
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