Stop Fleecing Me Naxos!

 

Let us do some quick math...

The Best of the Set

 

I am happy to report, as I come to the end of this Rossini Overtures series, it goes out with a bang.

Villa-Lobos and the Guitar

 

I've tried, but I never got a handle on playing the guitar.

The End of Bachianas Brasileiras

 

With nos. 7, 8, and 9, I come to the end of Villa-Lobos' marriage of Bach and Brazil.

Schmidt for Wittegenstein

 

Much has been written about Paul Wittgenstein's lionizing of Franz Schmidt's music, high praise from a historically difficult-to-deal-with pianist.

Volume Three from Prague

 

I am beginning to feel this series of Rossini overtures is very fine, if not particularly outstanding.

Three Modes of Villa-Lobos

 

As I was listening to Villa-Lobos in his first few Bachianas Brasileiras, I was thinking of who else his music reminds me of.

Where should Classical Music lovers live?

 

Germany!

Bach and Brazil

 

Once again, I am beginning with the last volume in a BIS Villa-Lobos series, this time the Bachianas Brasileiras.

Meet and Greet

When I read a book series or watch a film series, the first entry tends to be my favorite.

Thank You for the Warmth

 

In Volume 1 from the Naxos Rossini Overtures series, if I wanted anything, it was a little warmth.

Ending with the First

 

I am kind of glad I began this Villa-Lobos Chôros series with the last volume.

How do you like your Snare?

 

I personally like a tight-sounding snare drum.

Going Backwards

 

As I am going through the BIS volumes of Villa-Lobos' Chôros in reverse order, I am liking them more and more.

Mahler from DF-D

 

I really only keep two recordings of Mahler's song cycles around anymore.

Rossini for Male Voices

 

I was first introduced to the one (or two) -part-per-voice male ensemble from recordings of the King's Singers and Chanticleer.

The Sweet Choral Music of Rossini

 

Variety has become a real problem for choral albums.

The Villa-Lobos Sound World

 

Villa-Lobos shows a mastery of such a wide variety of musical styles, and yet his Chôros sound spontaneous and experimental too.

Cooke I, Take Two

 

Inbal revisits Ormandy's footsteps.

Mahler 10 from Deryck Cooke

 

Eugene Ormandy's performance marks the first commercial recording of Deryck Cooke's realization of Mahler's Symphony no. 10.

An Exciting Mixture

 

I have little to say regarding this recording, other than what a delight it is.

Song of the Stars

 

What a wonderful program!

Still a good Mahler 9

 

I mentioned in another Mahler symphony review that I am not much of a comparative listener.

Let's hear it for the Winds

 

I think what most stands out for me in this recording is the singular wind sound from the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

A Mess of Engineering

 

Too bad, for something seems to get in the way of successful Granados transcriptions at Naxos.

Drippingly Italianate

 

What I've noticed in listening to a lot of music...

Happy Birthday!

 

This month, Dame Janet Baker turns 91-years old.

Mugshot and Fingerprints please...

 

I'm not sure I have figured out this cover.

When is a Reconstruction Not a Reconstruction?

 

When it's not?

If it walks like an opera, and talks like an opera...

 

It must be an opera!

When Seiji Ozawa Ate a Sun-Kebab off of a Baton

 

I realized I have never approached Mahler's Symphony no. 8 chronologically,  only on its own.

Less please...

 

I try, but to no avail.

More please...

 

When exploring the music of Granados away from the piano, I had no expectation of anything but Spanish exoticisms.

Lord of the Rings... in Symphony Form... Again

 

I have long admired Johan de Meij's First Symphony.

Taking 'Discoveries' too literally

 

After all, I discovered ice cream at a rather young age, and if that discovery didn't change the world, it has been a lifelong friend for me.

Building The Oozy Channel Keep with Mahler

 

As we are getting started up here, I wanted to make sure Mahler was too.

Tenor Horn Love

 

Boy, do I hate the opening Horn here.

Orchestration 101

 

If tackling an existing work, such as Granados' Danzas Españolas, orchestrating is a dance on a knife's edge.