Ethan Philion "Meditations on Mingus"



I wanted to post this one here because it belongs here (there is so much classical music and approach here) and because it just kicks ass in significant ways. The Mingus material selected is STRONG. I mean Mingus strong, that's really something. This ensemble inhabits the music of Mingus in a unique, almost mysterious way. And this is truly one of those rare recordings where the engineer sees the arranger's vision, and the arranger senses the engineering possibilities, and beauty emerges--or at least that is how I hear it and feel it.

I won't argue with you, no point in that but there are definitely classical elements on this recording, easily heard--and intentionally structured and composed by Mingus. It hardly is all a swinging album, and some pieces hardly swing or don't. I've nowhere near the interest in or experience with classical music as you and I can recognize them. Perhaps another listen on your end, or not, but I am confident they are there--Mingus often had a classical element to his work (I own every official release by Mingus as a leader, most as a sideman). And Philion's arrangements incorporate this.

Well imo that doesn't hold true here. On most of these pieces there are sections that are written out as if they were classical themes and even movements and the structure and format is clearly classical. And the notes are not played with any swing rhythm or jazz feel in these sections--they are truly classical portions. That should be clearly heard when listening.

I knew a handful of classical musicians in Austin, some of whom were also jazz fans and know what many think about re: jazz and classical. And I think those would agree with me that portions of the music on this set would be considered classical music.

Quote:


I would say Beethoven and Mahler are my two favorite composers, and Mahler's 5th is one of my favorite of his symphonies. But Mahler didn't need Hitler to keep his music from being heard, there was just very little interest is his work outside of a very few conductors, most of whom worked with Mahler himself (who was much better know as the conductor of the Vienna Opera and later the New York Philharmonic than as a composer). Bruno Walter was Mahler's assistant in the years before his death, and he made a very famous recording of the 9th Symphony in Vienna in 1938, shortly before the Nazis took over the country.



On CD.

In spite of being very famous and historically important/interesting I don't like the recording very much.

I actually heard Lenny and Vienna Phil play Mahler's 5th in LA back in the 80s. One of the highlights of my concertgoing life for sure.



On CD.

There is nothing like hearing Mahler live, but either of Bernstein's recorded cycles is the next best thing. YMMV.

Mahler 's "Das Lied Von Derr Erde" moves me every time I listen.
Although I prefer Tenor and Mezzo, my favorite recording is Bernstein with James King and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. James King....true Heldentenor. Just glorious

Agree on DFD. Never cared for his singing. He makes everything so "precious" that there was no dynamic. Nothing in the text was important as result where I just tune out...

Jon Vickers is my favorite tenor of all time. I was a professional opera singer for a few years, and I studied with a colleague of his for years.

Peter Grimes was always my dream role, and his interpretation, in my opinion, was the best.

Incidentally, I'm listening on a new Tube Cube 7. Bought this as something fun to play around with while I wait. I am near the very end of the build list so I have some time

Listening to (and enjoying) Tchaikovsky's "The Tempest" (opus 18), performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antoni Wit.  I have this on the Naxos "Tchaikovsky - The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos:"



The Tempest is neither a symphony nor a piano concerto - it is called in the liner notes a "fantasia for orchestra," which appears to have slipped into the box set to use the remaining space on the CD that also includes the third symphony.  I'm glad they included it, it seems relatively "compact" and direct in how it develops, and so relatively understandable to me.

I've always been a fan of Handel's instrumental music but in the last few years I've been listening to more and more of his vocal music.



16/44 FLAC Download.

This is a relatively recent acquisition and is just glorious.

More Easter music.



On CD from the Klemperer Choral box.

Klemperer's take on the Matthew Passion is, in a word "intense." Searingly intense if you give me two.

My commute to camp is a short 30 miles. After logging close to 100,000 miles over the past 24 years camping, it is welcomed. We stayed at Furnace Creek in Death Valley. Cycling Death Valley is on my bucket list.

Well I broke a promise to myself! Ended up buying a tote full of albums this week while at camp. Out of a hundred 60 are playable which includes the 5 pictured below. Need to bring my portable player next trip to camp.

Beethoven's Diabelli Variations have been called a lot of things, like "a microcosm of Beethoven's genius." I've been listening to them for years (decades really) and I still don't fully get it. But I keep listening.



16/44 FLAC download.

Andreas Staier's performance on a fortepiano is very interesting, and very different from e.g. Rudolf Serkin on a modern concert grand.



On CD.

Grechaninov's Passion Week, like Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil, was written in the early 20th century but as an homage to hundreds of years of Russian Orthodox church music. And like the All Night Vigil it is some of the most beautiful music ever written, either scared or profane.



DSD rip from SACD

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Walter can certainly be considered a little old fashioned these days, which translates to "slow." But for me he is one of my favorite conductors for Mozart, and Beethoven and Brahms. The Jupiter, esp. the finale, is one of the high water marks of the human imagination, YMMV, and I'll have more to say about it later. In the mean time I've been enjoying Walter/Columbia (which was the second desk players from the LA Philharmonic plus wringers from the Hollywood studio orchestras) playing shorter works.



DSD download from HDTT.

I haven't listened to this in a while and the sound was a little disappointing. But the performances were delightful. Esp. The Masonic Funeral Music.

The Sibelius 4th is a dark and brooding even for Sibelius, who is know for being dark and brooding. But it is great for listening when the weather is bad, which it has been a lot lately.



16/44 FLAC download.

It is based on a dissonance: the tritone, aka "The Devils Interval" aka an augmented forth (or diminished fifth in an equal temperament scale). The tritone is the reason why, in Germany, B is the rest of the world's B-flat and B-natural is H. Good stuff.

Big music sounds really good too. And it doesn't get much bigger than Mahler's Third.



On CD, from the Mehta/LA Phil box.

It's safe to say that in general I find (classical) music from a generation or two ago more interesting than what is being recorded currently. But there are always exceptions.



16/44 FLAC download.

Igor Levit's late Beethoven Sonatas are on my very short list for, not only the best late Beethoven Sonatas, but the best recordings of anything ever.

CA James said:

I'll call a penumbra of the pathétique

Easy for you to say.

Tony

Solomon was a single name rock star (SNRS) long before e.g. Cher or Bono. He was an amazing pianist who suffered a series of strokes in the prime of his career, as he was recording the Beethoven Sonatas for EMI in the 50s. If there is any good news it is that the recordings he finished, including the 6 late sonatas, are really special.



On CD.

Tchaikovsky is know almost exclusively for his orchestral music. But he wrote a bunch of piano music that is highly listenable as well.



16/44 FLAC Download.

I've been enjoying the Bach Partitas played (uniquely) by Maria Tipo.



On CD.

Tipo's Bach is pretty much over-the-top romantic, she makes it sound almost like Rachmaninov. It was recorded in the 80s (I think) but the style could be from a hundred years ago. Not Bach for everyday, but occasionally as a guilty pleasure.

FWIW this is a great collection of Bach, not only Tipo's keyboard but Janos Starker's Cello Suites from about a decade before his famous Mercury recordings and Johanna Martzy's Violin Sonatas & Partitas. Unfortunately a quick check indicates it is only available used at pretty ridiculous prices.

I've been listening to this frequently lately as I've been trying new tube combinations:



16/44 FLAC Download.

Thanks Lon! Not only is it well worth listening to on its own terms, but Bach Cello Suites played on the double bass are a great way to assess bass performance.

Disc 9 from the Ludwig Guttler Box is a great collection of baroque brass choir, mostly by unknown (at least to me) composers.



On CD

Heavy metal? You be the judge.

More baroque brass music.



On CD.

This is a great sounding early digital recording, but I have no idea what the availability is like these days.

Another ex-audiophile label that I suppose has moved into the ether. I have a bunch of Dorian CDs from back in the day and most of them (still) sound exceptional. Esp. the ones recorded in the Troy Savings Bank.



On CD.