A haul-load of music
February 10th, 2007 Posted in beethoven, classical music, prokofiev, shostakovich
Today (actually right bang on now, 11:15am) is my birthday. I’m an ancient and decaying 26 years old now, pretty much ready for the chopping block and glue factory. At least there’s a bit of moderation involved in the aging process with the whole old gift giving and receiving routine. These days or years all my presents are pretty specifically specified, which maybe makes it a little less exciting, but ultimately a bucketload more satisfying. 
This year, from me dad and stepmum I got:
- Beethoven, the late string quartets – I finally feel ready to taken on Beethoven’s quartets after exposing myself to Shostakovich and Bartok’s, and sliding my way into old Ludwig’s symphonies and piano sonatas. Initial listenings sound complex and subtler (I hate that word, bad, bad me. I’ll let me off though, since it is my birthday) than the dissonances and experimentation I find so attractive in the 20th century dudes.
- Prokofiev, string quartets and Cello sonata – I don’t think I have any of Prokofiev chamber music (except for three of the piano sonatas) which is a sad lacking coz he’s such a well up there favourite of mine. Initally they sound surprisingly… classical. Less avant-garde than I am used to from Sergei P.
- Shostakovich, piano quintet – The last missing piece of Shostakovich’s chamber music in my collection! It also has yet another recording of Schnittke’s piano quintet on it. Since it’s Naxos’ copy it’s probably even the same performance as I already have. Ah well.
I have tonnes of listening ahead of me, how glorious. They are all ripped and ready already. Prokofiev is playing as I type.
