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Johannes Brahms: Quartets, Quintets, Sextets
Verdi Quartett (and guests) 4 CDs (2018, Hänssler)

Picked this set up from the big Performing Arts branch here in the city. And though I had all the browsing stacks seemingly to myself the current city-wide short-of-staff closings/abbreviated hours gave the deserted building an ominous chill. I actually missed dodging people in the aisles and eyeing the choices of music in other people's clutches. This box set leaped out at me though it isn't the approach I expected for a collection of Brahms chamber pieces (the cover is hardly Brahmsian) but a welcome one: the Verdi Quartett is restrained, yet poignant. At times I do miss some the effusiveness from more famous virtuoso musicians but there is something to be said for temperance. It's a faithful if not the most passionate rendering of the maestro. Somehow the measured interpreations fit the time. Full YouTube playlist.

Beethoven ‎Piano Sonatas №s 25, 26, 27 Emil Gilels (1974, Melodiya, USSR)

Btw these magnificent recordings were done for DG rather than Melodia, the Soviets just reissued them (my grandpa had all of them). Live recordings aside, Gilels only recorded in studio for Western labels since going beyond the Iron Curtain in the early 1950s, and exclusively for DG since 1970.

#27 he also recorded for BBC in the 1950s and sometimes I think I like it even better though the tempi are crazy fast


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89v-...ncontrariomotu

Impressive grandsire. Thanks. :)

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Mozart String Duos & Trios (1990, Philips)
Grumiaux Trio, Arthur Grumiaux (violin), Arrigo Pelliccia (viola), Kenneth Sillito (violin), Malcolm Latchem (violin), Stephen Orton (cello)

Excellent. Next time you hear these pieces in an elevator or airport think of the routine rejection Wolfgang got during his life for that genius. No great work is done in vain.

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orchestrální skladby (orchestral compositions) pavel josef vejvanovský (1971, supraphon vinyl)

Not familiar with Czech composer, Vejvanovský, but this post stopped me in my surfing tracks. Indeed, beautiful compositions finely played and well recorded.
Can only imagine what a cd transfer from the masters (assuming they exist) might sound like.

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Beethoven Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1 "Ghost"

Daniel Barenboim - piano
Pinchas Zukerman - violin
Jacqueline du Pré - cello

https://i.discogs.com/iqYsdjCgc4gRWB...3Lmpw/ZWc.jpeg

Pelléas Et Mélisande Jean Sibelius /Claude Debussy (Symphony/Suite from the Opera)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Serge Baudo, conductor
(1991, Supraphon Vinyl)

Happy Birthday, Wolfie!

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The Marriage of Figaro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Staatsoper Hannover

In celebration of Mozart's 266th birthday I'm watching this live stream from Staatsoper Hannover of the first night of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro which has a twist.

Director, Lydia Steier - "We start the piece with the finale – with everyone standing around in pairs and happy and harmonious and it all worked out. And then when we see that again at the end of the piece, then we see how hollow and real almost hopelessly sad this ending is that people came together against their will."

Conducted by Giulio Cilona. the production stars Germán Olvera as Count Almviva, Kiandra Howarth as Countess Almviva, Sarah Brady as Susanna, Richard Walshe as Figaro and Nina van Essen as Cherubino.

Still the best doc on Mozart that I've seen.

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in search of mozart (2006, phil grabsky)
Happy Birthday Maestro!