Western Classical Music

This is strange , considering they acquired a fully functional service (Primephonic) which already had all these capabilities two years ago ! So it has taken them two years stay in the same place while probably depriving Primphonic subscribers of a service they liked, thereby driving them to a rival service (Idagio). The way large corporations work is sometimes mystifying :) But then they are making billions so they must be doing something right .....
 
Love this recording


Any other recommendations that are up there ?

Manek
I love this one as well…in fact I wish Sony would release a jumbo Fiddler box…the Bernstein one on CBS originally is pretty special as well as his Deutsche Grammophon one (LA PO I think) though I remember thinking they were different interpretations but need to reconfirm them. Have not heard in ages…

This is strange , considering they acquired a fully functional service (Primephonic) which already had all these capabilities two years ago ! So it has taken them two years stay in the same place while probably depriving Primphonic subscribers of a service they liked, thereby driving them to a rival service (Idagio). The way large corporations work is sometimes mystifying :) But then they are making billions so they must be doing something right .....
Indeed…I wonder why they waited this long…there are now so many options on the block. BTW the UK site Presto Classical has just launched their classical streaming service (not yet in India)…that might be something to look forward to. I wonder how effective Apple Classical’s recommendations engine is though…
 
I love this one as well…in fact I wish Sony would release a jumbo Fiddler box…the Bernstein one on CBS originally is pretty special as well as his Deutsche Grammophon one (LA PO I think) though I remember thinking they were different interpretations but need to reconfirm them. Have not heard in ages…

The bernstein with nypo live(i think) is on youtube
 
While I am no expert on classical music, I guess when compared to few thousands in India who have some exposure to western classical, I am not that bad.

I started listening to classical music post introduction of cable TV in India in 1990 in my late teens. Since I am a professional quizzer, my initial learnings was to know about some famous pieces that may be asked in quiz competitions and later on just got curious but mostly limited myself to famous pieces given I listen to just about every genre of music and hence cannot go too deep.

Anyways the purpose of this rant is that sometime in the mid 90s I think, in an age where cassette prices of non-Indian music was pretty high, I somehow managed to save enough to lay my hands on a compilation launched by McDowells called Vintage Virtuosos. Am sure you are aware of the same series for Indian classical.

So in a time and age where I didnt know Mozart or Beethoven and with no friends or family who listed to classical, had to rely on what I could lay my hands on(even today no one I know listens to them!!!). Luckily the six cassette series gave me a good introduction to classical music.

Dont have the cassettes with me now and now that my knowledge has progressed and improved by leaps and bounds - have always been searching for the list of pieces from that set and finally could find the entire set yesterday and promptly created a playlist on Amazon Music to relive what I listened to 90s.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/404137812808 is the list

I lived in London for couple of years and thanks to being the outsourcing industry, been there multiple times since. Have been fortunate enough to attend many concerts at Royal Albert and Barbican.

Griegs Piano concerto - part of BBC proms I think in Royal Albert
Beethovens Violin Concerto - Barbican - Zubin Mehta and Israel philharmonic
And many more performances of famous pieces

I remember this concert in Royal Albert...they had two major pieces. First I think was Griegs Piano Concerto which I knew and thoroughly enjoyed and second piece was Shashotkovich # 5...never heard about him or this piece and given how loud it was conveying his sadness or whatever...Experienced both Joy and Boredom/Frustration at the same concert!!


Any of you bought this cassette set way back then?
 
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While I am no expert on classical music, I guess when compared to few thousands in India who have some exposure to western classical, I am not that bad.

I started listening to classical music post introduction of cable TV in India in 1990 in my late teens. Since I am a professional quizzer, my initial learnings was to know about some famous pieces that may be asked in quiz competitions and later on just got curious but mostly limited myself to famous pieces given I listen to just about every genre of music and hence cannot go too deep.

Anyways the purpose of this rant is that sometime in the mid 90s I think, in an age where cassette prices of non-Indian music was pretty high, I somehow managed to save enough to lay my hands on a compilation launched by McDowells called Vintage Virtuosos. Am sure you are aware of the same series for Indian classical.

So in a time and age where I didnt know Mozart or Beethoven and with no friends or family who listed to classical, had to rely on what I could lay my hands on(even today no one I know listens to them!!!). Luckily the six cassette series gave me a good introduction to classical music.

Dont have the cassettes with me now and now that my knowledge has progressed and improved by leaps and bounds - have always been searching for the list of pieces from that set and finally could find the entire set yesterday and promptly created a playlist on Amazon Music to relive what I listened to 90s.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/404137812808 is the list

I lived in London for couple of years and thanks to being the outsourcing industry, been there multiple times since. Have been fortunate enough to attend many concerts at Royal Albert and Barbican.

Griegs Piano concerto - part of BBC proms I think in Royal Albert
Beethovens Violin Concerto - Barbican - Zubin Mehta and Israel philharmonic
And many more performances of famous pieces

I remember this concert in Royal Albert...they had two major pieces. First I think was Griegs Piano Concerto which I knew and thoroughly enjoyed and second piece was Shashotkovich # 5...never heard about him or this piece and given how loud it was conveying his sadness or whatever...Experienced both Joy and Boredom/Frustration at the same concert!!


Any of you bought this cassette set way back then?

Nope, honestly I stayed away from Indian western classical cassettes as they were horribly recorded generally and equally bad cassette tapes were used. My eyes were set on lp’s, and cd’s and imported cassettes(available at DN road mumbai).
I would record lp’s, cd’s on cassettes though.
 
Ok. Guess you had the equipment that would tell you if its recorded well or not. I was just using it in boombox type radio/double cassette portable deck - we had a videocon one. Shame that most Indian brands have disappeared. we had extremely good experience with Videocon, Kelvinator, Onida...etc.
 
While I am no expert on classical music, I guess when compared to few thousands in India who have some exposure to western classical, I am not that bad.

I started listening to classical music post introduction of cable TV in India in 1990 in my late teens. Since I am a professional quizzer, my initial learnings was to know about some famous pieces that may be asked in quiz competitions and later on just got curious but mostly limited myself to famous pieces given I listen to just about every genre of music and hence cannot go too deep.

Anyways the purpose of this rant is that sometime in the mid 90s I think, in an age where cassette prices of non-Indian music was pretty high, I somehow managed to save enough to lay my hands on a compilation launched by McDowells called Vintage Virtuosos. Am sure you are aware of the same series for Indian classical.

So in a time and age where I didnt know Mozart or Beethoven and with no friends or family who listed to classical, had to rely on what I could lay my hands on(even today no one I know listens to them!!!). Luckily the six cassette series gave me a good introduction to classical music.

Dont have the cassettes with me now and now that my knowledge has progressed and improved by leaps and bounds - have always been searching for the list of pieces from that set and finally could find the entire set yesterday and promptly created a playlist on Amazon Music to relive what I listened to 90s.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/404137812808 is the list

I lived in London for couple of years and thanks to being the outsourcing industry, been there multiple times since. Have been fortunate enough to attend many concerts at Royal Albert and Barbican.

Griegs Piano concerto - part of BBC proms I think in Royal Albert
Beethovens Violin Concerto - Barbican - Zubin Mehta and Israel philharmonic
And many more performances of famous pieces

I remember this concert in Royal Albert...they had two major pieces. First I think was Griegs Piano Concerto which I knew and thoroughly enjoyed and second piece was Shashotkovich # 5...never heard about him or this piece and given how loud it was conveying his sadness or whatever...Experienced both Joy and Boredom/Frustration at the same concert!!


Any of you bought this cassette set way back then?
Indeed I have this set…bought it around the same time. I was in late teens in 1990 as well!! The Schumann Rhenish symphony (with Wolfgang Sawallisch) and the Mendelssohn Italian symphony (Muti) were particular favourites
 
and finally could find the entire set yesterday and promptly created a playlist on Amazon Music to relive what I listened to 90s.
Thank you for reviving a wonderful memory , I also had these tapes ! Like you, I was listening to them on a "double deck" (Philips).

Please post a link to the Amazon Music playlist (the link in the post is an eBay link)
 
Ok. Guess you had the equipment that would tell you if its recorded well or not. I was just using it in boombox type radio/double cassette portable deck - we had a videocon one. Shame that most Indian brands have disappeared. we had extremely good experience with Videocon, Kelvinator, Onida...etc.
Fortunately yes, had decent equipment.

Boombox was our portable. Would put it on the back seat of the car when we went out of town and….you know the rest. Always preferred the boombox over a car stereo for long drives 😂
 
@pindranil ji,

Found Anneleen Lenaerts album on Nino Rota’s works on apple music high rez. The godfather theme on it is splendid. The harp concerto is really well played.
 
Apple classical music app streaming now, waiting for Sonia S2 spatial music update
 

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Apple classical music app streaming now, waiting for Sonia S2 spatial music update
I listened to the first movement late last night…very vivid sound. I am not a big fan of Welser Most - he had a torrid time during his years with the LPO and as a major Austrian conductor, it was sad to see so little passion in his Bruckner for example. But this performance has started well or so it seemed last night.

@pindranil ji,

Found Anneleen Lenaerts album on Nino Rota’s works on apple music high rez. The godfather theme on it is splendid. The harp concerto is really well played.
Loved it’s well…really epic…
 
I listened to the first movement late last night…very vivid sound. I am not a big fan of Welser Most - he had a torrid time during his years with the LPO and as a major Austrian conductor, it was sad to see so little passion in his Bruckner for example. But this performance has started well or so it seemed last night.


Loved it’s well…really epic…

Just downloaded apple classical app. The sound is different, even on the basic lossless stuff I have marked on the regular apple music which it brings up in its library. It has more presence. Wonder if its mildly eq’ed ?Not into spatial stuff though.
 
One of the most beautiful Vocalise interpretations i have heard and dont know the orchestra and conductor ……

 
Very few posts on vocalalists and operas…..thought of sharing this one, id this doesnt spark a discussion or solicit a response then nothing will. 😇



Two legends….
 
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