Personal Revelations of 2011

[cjvinthechair]

The most disturbing revelation was that if I continued listening to all the lovely music out there 24/7 for the rest of my days I would never get up to date.
The most joyous revelation - that this forum and YT give me every chance of discovering a whole lot more than I ever thought possible.

For which many, many thanks, and a Happy 2012 to all !            Clive.

[Dundonnell]

The most disturbing revelation was that if I continued listening to all the lovely music out there 24/7 for the rest of my days I would never get up to date.
The most joyous revelation - that this forum and YT give me every chance of discovering a whole lot more than I ever thought possible.

For which many, many thanks, and a Happy 2012 to all !            Clive.

I agree 100%

[Alan Howe]

-Carel Anton Fodor: Beethoven before there was a Beethoven.  Why can't I find more of his stuff on CD?

Well, his style is clearly pre-Beethoven, more à la Haydn, I would have thought. The symphonies are pleasant, but no more than that. Maybe there's some better, more original stuff waiting to be discovered - he lived a long life...

Having now listened carefully to this C minor Symphony, Op.19 by Fodor I have changed my mind. While it clearly looks back to Haydn, it is nevertheless a very powerful work and also has some forward-looking, Beethovenian features, e.g. the 'Sturm und Drang' writing of the outer movements and the remarkable third-movement scherzo.

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

His close musical friend, another composer active in Amsterdam in those years, is Johan[n] Willem[Wilhelm] Wilms, whose Sixth and Seventh proved quite a revelation when they appeared on this cd with the Concerto Köln, that was re-issued as a Brilliant (bargain price) cd recently. Recommended.

Well, guess what I found for $11 at a used CD store last night?  A two-disc set of Wilms.  Needless to say I am quite looking forward to getting to know his work better. 

[Christo]

A twofer with music by Wilms can only refer to Anthony Halstead conducting the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra in four symphonies plus the 'Wilhelmus van Nassauwe' Variations. The four symphonies being Nos. 3 Op. 14 (c. 1808), 4 Op. 23 (c. 1812), 5 Op. 52 (c. 1817) and 6 Op. 58 (c. 1823). In general, the performances are a bit more `period instrument' oriënted (chamber orchestra sound, rather unRomantic) than those by the Concerto Köln, but the only symphony both issues share is the Sixth.

BTW CPO just embarked on a fresh series by the NDR Radiophilarmonie under Howard Griffiths, starting with No. 1 Op. 9 (c. 1806) coupled with No. 4 Op. 23 (c. 1812) and the Overture in D major. I didn't try its qualities yet (too many downloads from this marvelous site standing in between). 

   

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

A twofer with music by Wilms can only refer to Anthony Halstead conducting the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra in four symphonies plus the 'Wilhelmus van Nassauwe' Variations. The four symphonies being Nos. 3 Op. 14 (c. 1808), 4 Op. 23 (c. 1812), 5 Op. 52 (c. 1817) and 6 Op. 58 (c. 1823). In general, the performances are a bit more `period instrument' oriënted (chamber orchestra sound, rather unRomantic) than those by the Concerto Köln, but the only symphony both issues share is the Sixth.

Yep, that's the one.  It's amazing what you can find at this place.

(Including a good chunk of cpo, I might add.  I've picked up more than a few cpo releases there over the years.)

[Christo]

Yep, that's the one.  It's amazing what you can find at this place. (Including a good chunk of cpo, I might add.  I've picked up more than a few cpo releases there over the years.)

'Here' (the Netherlands) CPO is better ordered online, as shipping from Germany (JPC, it's their home label) is often free. But I'm also lucky enough to 'still'have a couple of record shops around with quite a collection. Not so many of our colleagues here are that well-off.  BTW Wilms is hardly a name in the Netherlands, he remained largely forgotten until recently.

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Yep, that's the one.  It's amazing what you can find at this place. (Including a good chunk of cpo, I might add.  I've picked up more than a few cpo releases there over the years.)

'Here' (the Netherlands) CPO is better ordered online, as shipping from Germany (JPC, it's their home label) is often free. But I'm also lucky enough to 'still'have a couple of record shops around with quite a collection. Not so many of our colleagues here are that well-off.  BTW Wilms is hardly a name in the Netherlands, he remained largely forgotten until recently.

It's unfortunate - we're losing one of the last independent CD stores in DC next month, and to my knowledge the last one which dealt with classical music much at all.  I was there last night - picked up some nice things, but at not-so-nice prices, I'm afraid.  And the last time I was in the town wherein I went to college I stopped by the spot where my favorite independent CD store used to be...nothing.    They used to have a remarkably eclectic collection of used CDs for sale there - I purchased some Robert Ashley, some Gavin Bryars, some Smetana...

Ah, well.  At least there's my favorite used book and music store.  I always find something there.  (Frequently too much something, but that's a subject for another day.  )

[shamokin88]

Well, as I read through these comments I see that this or that piece has made a big impression - and why not?

But for me the "revelation" has been the accidental discovery of this site in pursuit of the Catoire Symphony. For years I have felt frustrated by being able to share my various enthusiasms with only a couple of friends whom I know personally, feeling all the while that there must be a way that my good fortunes in collecting could be shared with strangers. I always assumed that there were "similarly-minded" collectors - but where? And now I have found that way.

Sometimes I can answer that any such "revelation" is the last to piece to which I have listened but there are always things to which I return, the Schubert C-major Quintet or Ernest Bloch's chamber music, fresh and new at each hearing. Or maybe something by a composer of whom I have never heard.

Best to all from Shamokin88.

[Dundonnell]

That is really a rather touching post

I can understand exactly and precisely the point you are making. Sharing the music one has collected with others, sharing one's enthusiasms and hoping (often successfully) that others will discover joy and pleasure in music previously unknown to them is quite amazingly satisfying