He should post more great videos like that!
Well, here is something a bit darker...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What are you listening to? Part III
- Thread starter S.B.G
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Well, here is something a bit darker...
He should post more great videos like that!
Agreed!
Yes, Dmitri was a bundle of laughs some of the time. Thank you for posting it…...
Mind you, while, in general, I like a lot of the 'darker' ('modern', i.e late 19th century and up to 20th century) Russian music, there is 'dark' and there is 'darker'.
Shostakovich was bleakly dark much of the time, whereas Rachmaninov (some of whose stuff I really love) and Prokofiev (whom I also love) were both, somehow, more emphatically expressive when exploring dark things (but then, both also wrote music where the concept of joy was not unknown….)
Give us Rachmaninov's 'The Isle Of The Dead' - - which I am listening to just now, as I write - a powerful, haunting, gripping piece, and one totally in keeping with acknowledging the night that is in it (Hallowe'en.)……..
(It seems I've acquired 15 albums of them, over the years..)
His personal life compared to the music he produced is a very interesting journey. Compare his First Symphony to Piano Concerto 2# in the knowledge that he spent years in a mental clinic in between writing them..
Last edited:
I also love the dark, and darker music like this as well. I just started listening to what mobilehaathi posted. In fact, I am streaming it over AirPlay to the Apple TV so I can listen to on the bigger sound system.
Then, try to listen to Sergey Rachmaninov's 'Isle Of The Dead'. Spine tingling ...
I do have a small selection of Rachmaninov's music in iTunes, though I don't know if that title is among them. I will search it out and if I don't have it, I'll go looking for it. Thanks!
Well, for Hallowe'en, I'd argue that 'The Isle Of The Dead' is a spine-tinglingly apposite piece of music…...
However, most of the the rest of the time, I find that one of my favourite all time pieces is Sergey Rachaminov's stunning and simply awesome 'Piano Concerto No 2'. (all three movements, though Nos 1 & 2 are superlative).
Last edited:
Ooh, yes I do listen to plenty of Rachmananov...let's see what I have here...
I absolutely adore this piece, especially as played by Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman. Too bad I can't find it stitched together...
Well, as it is Hallowe'en (according to the ancient Celtic mythos, one of the two times of the year when the portal of the wall between the living and the dead is unusually porous, and strangely flexible), and as I love Sergey Rachmaninov (thank you, mobilehaathi - if you hadn't mentioned Dmitri Shostakovich, I wouldn't have thought of Sergey Rachmaninov), and, as my (late) father also loved the Piano Concerto No 2 - I am now listening to it.
As mentioned earlier, Movement Nos 1 & No 2 are simply sublime. The recording I am listening to is from the very early 1990s - it cost £25 (a veritable fortune) at the time, and features (conductor) Mariss Jansons with the St Petersburg Philharmonic and was recorded by Deutsche Gramophon, a lovely CD.
As mentioned earlier, Movement Nos 1 & No 2 are simply sublime. The recording I am listening to is from the very early 1990s - it cost £25 (a veritable fortune) at the time, and features (conductor) Mariss Jansons with the St Petersburg Philharmonic and was recorded by Deutsche Gramophon, a lovely CD.
Last edited:
Nice. I'll have to come back later and give a listen to these.
Right now though, taking a quick break from writing, I am now listening to Mozart's piano sonata's and an opera - 'Die Zauberflöte', or 'The Magic Flute'.
Ah, well, what can I say? Sergey Rachmaninov will always be trumped (well, almost always) in my world, or iPod, or stereo, or MBA with iTunes library, by anyone playing 'Die Zauberflöte' (or, 'The Magic Flute' .) or, indeed, by anyone playing much of the astounding output of the immortal, sublime W. A. Mozart.
Have I ever mentioned on any of these threads - ever - how much I really like, (love, revere) the works of W. A. Mozart ...
Over a decade ago, I managed to see Don Giovanni performed, live, in Prague in the Czech State Opera House the opera had actually premiered in Prague in 1787 .
Don Giovanni is also one of my favorite opera's. That must have been magical to see it there in Prague!
I'm not sure if I've ever heard any Mozart piece that I didn't like. He's my favorite followed closely by Vivaldi.
I took listen this morning and these are just some magnificent pieces! Very wonderful indeed. Keep them coming!
Lovely listening and an excellent choice.
As someone who rather likes the music of Pink Floyd (a lot), indeed, as someone who will almost inevitably buy this, but also as someone who has read the reviews of this new release (very mixed, it must be said and some penned in a tone of rueful regret), I am curious to know your thoughts (and feelings) on this .interesting.
Must say that I always liked The Grateful Dead; vinyl? Wow. I'm impressed. And a little envious .
What sort of turntable do you use? Any recommendations? Recently, I found myself looking at some very high end products, - superbly made, with excellent production values - as I have not been able to play my vinyl records in an age.
However, I am curious as to the differences in audio quality - do you find that playing, or listening on vinyl makes an appreciable difference to your enjoyment of the recording?
They always seemed to have a little trouble in the studio, but this was a mighty fine album.
I use an inexpensive Music Hall MMF 2.1 turntable with a Shure M97E cartridge with a tubed Primaluna Prologue 2 integrated amp with a phono stage through B&W 603 Series 3 loudspeakers. Soundwise it's much better than CD's, at least to my ears.
