I'd be interested to hear what "new" music people got for Xmas. My list is:
1) Donizetti - 'Anna Bolena' - Not an opera I knew but with Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca singing it was bound to be good and in fact it's great. It's the DVD that I was given and it's going to be on my playlist a lot this year. Not an easy opera though so not for anyone wanting to start exploring!
2) Elina Garanca - 'Bel Canto' - You may have guessed that I love Garanca and this is more lovely singing of the top order from her.
3) Magdalena Kozena - 'Lamento' - Another brilliant mezzo (Gramophone's artist of the year) singing less well-known Bach. Superb!
4) Schubert Complete Symphonies - Vienna Philharmonic, Istvan Kertesz - I used to have these (some of them anyway) on vinyl and these remasters are great. I've read reviews saying that his playing of the early symphonies isn't of the highest order but they are pretty lightweight IMO and it's the later symphonies you want and these interpretations are top class. A great bargain at less than £15 for 4 packed CDs.
5) Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos - Ashkenazy, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Solti - I was a bit surprised to get these as I've always favoured other interpretations but a knowledgeable friend bought them for me with a note saying "Listen with an open mind" so that's what I'm doing. The playing is very fine but I'm not convinced that Ashkenazy gets to the soul of Beethoven.
What did you get and what do you think of it?
Chris
1) Donizetti - 'Anna Bolena' - Not an opera I knew but with Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca singing it was bound to be good and in fact it's great. It's the DVD that I was given and it's going to be on my playlist a lot this year. Not an easy opera though so not for anyone wanting to start exploring!
2) Elina Garanca - 'Bel Canto' - You may have guessed that I love Garanca and this is more lovely singing of the top order from her.
3) Magdalena Kozena - 'Lamento' - Another brilliant mezzo (Gramophone's artist of the year) singing less well-known Bach. Superb!
4) Schubert Complete Symphonies - Vienna Philharmonic, Istvan Kertesz - I used to have these (some of them anyway) on vinyl and these remasters are great. I've read reviews saying that his playing of the early symphonies isn't of the highest order but they are pretty lightweight IMO and it's the later symphonies you want and these interpretations are top class. A great bargain at less than £15 for 4 packed CDs.
5) Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos - Ashkenazy, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Solti - I was a bit surprised to get these as I've always favoured other interpretations but a knowledgeable friend bought them for me with a note saying "Listen with an open mind" so that's what I'm doing. The playing is very fine but I'm not convinced that Ashkenazy gets to the soul of Beethoven.
What did you get and what do you think of it?
Chris
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