jhb134's channel

This, and other parts of the Comet session ... were released on a Spotlite (British) LP - SPJ 127.

Thanks for uploading this example, of Bessie at her best. There's even a nice, snippet of a solo by Charlie "Big" Green (primitive, as it may sound). Of course, her BEST accompanist was always the trumpeter/cornetist - the short-lived Joe Smith.

This is (from) 1938. Toscanini conducted this, in 1935, with the BBC Symphony. The latter is an excellent effort, from the great Italian ... but the results are NOT the same, as Furtwangler's. In fact, it's Toscanini who has the more-MEASURED tempo; in fact, it almost drags, in certain ways. Furt...

@kickingmule - Bukka, and BB (King) and Big Joe Williams, and Mississippi John Hurt, and (Nehemiah) Skip James, Sleepy John Estes, Blind Lemon Jefferson ... and MANY others ... are the blues heritage that we have ... from the days when bluesmen (or blueswomen - Memphis Minnie) would play the old ...

... again, this is a REMARKABLE recording by one of the best, of the British conductors, of former days. The LPO exhibits some very-remarkable playing, in ensemble, or in other parts ... and Sir Adrian juxtaposes the inner rhythms, so, VERY-well. ... Great!!!

Funny, in a way, that some of the best of the English-types of excellent conductors - Boult, Beecham, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Anthony Collins - could conduct the music of the Finn, of the North Country ... so-REMARKABLY. ... Some of the opening, few minutes of Boult/Tapiola seem a bit-rushed, but th...

A remarkable voice ... with a (similar) grasp of shadings and dynamics. THANKS for an upload, of this veritably-unknown soprano!

@SatchmoSings - Thanks for the comment ... but I still think you SHOULD look-into the writings of Whitney Balliett. His columns and reviews are some of the best, that jazz (writings/criticisms) has had. :)

@maxreger100 - Fine comments, esp. about a great trio - Toscanini, Szell and Reiner! The shadings and dynamics are exceptional in the Reiner/RCA Orch. version, and the orchestral playing is quite-phenomenal! Also, right ... about Toscanini and Studio 8-H! The old performance, conducted by Strauss...

A seemingly-slow tempo, but never, to the point that it's overly sentimental. The dynamics that Mengelberg and his Orchestra could exhibit were some of the best, even of former days. One might argue about some of the inner tempos and their transitions, but this is a VERY-straightforward ... yet (...

@Firebrand55 - Yes, the old set - A Study in Frustration - is a a great way to listen to Fletcher and his sidemen. There've been other, LP (and/or CD reissues) of similar types, also. ... Also, nice to know about the Jeffrey Magee book; the late, Stanley Dance had one, about Fletcher and his Orch...

@PEAinSwe - Thanks! Set Svanholm is a tenor, that I can take (or leave), although he has a good reputation. For a somewhat-BETTER singer, even in Wagnerian roles, I'd suggest another non-German (although, not from the North Country) - Georges Thill, from France!! ... Thanks, also, for mentioning ...

@16yearoldwhiteboy - Good comments, about technique. Tatum, the blind man, used certain pianistic devices to embellish his empyrean ways, of improvising. V Horowitz and others were in-AWE of his prodigious technique, and we know that Vladimir Horowitz was NO "slouch", on the piano!! ... Tatum wa...

@rsalvucc - Agree, man. ... Wardell, Lucky Thompson and others were some of the BEST of their era. Let's enjoy what they played/improvised ....

Thanks, "danti", for the upload. I've noticed some problems, with the sound, though. The voices (Volker/Muller) can fade, in and out, and there are some, noticeable scratches on your source - I'm assuming, from and LP. If the source is an old, Telefunken LP (2-record set), I have the same. There'...

@EdmundStAustell - Thanks for a very-good response! I still think the opera has the elements, of what a Wagnerian opera should BE, but it's understandable that it has faded from the public eye, or ear, in recent years. Yes, it's true that certain parts would appeal to even the Nazi/Hitler ... and...

@madisonelectronic - ??? - Just wondered - exactly WHERE, and WHEN (w/in the aria) do you find any, possible examples of Bjorling mixing lyrics with "whiskey"??!! Sure, the tenor voice, in this transcript, is a bit-recessed, as Ms. Roman's voice is recorded very-forwardly, and almost (or actually...

@thheijmans - (Santini) - That's WELL-said, and Santini accomplishes, what Leinsdorf could do with other Puccini operas (w/Bjorling)!! Ms. Pirazzini is very-fine, also, and the entire performance is probably, one, that can NEVER be-equalled. Thanks!

@jazzmasta92 - (moved past). Yes, they sure HAVE, moved-past their earlier accomplishments! ... Well, in the rudimentary-tune category, we could also include, the great St. Louis Blues, etc. In any case, it's great to see Chick C and Gary B, together, in a give-and-take. In this performance, thou...

Geez ... Don, at the 1:30/minute mark, almost sounds-like Coleman Hawkins! It's always nice, or better, to have some relaxed examples of Joe Thomas's trumpet, in solos.

@johnabenford - Agree, John! Mary Lou Williams, Benny Morton, Red Norvo, Tommy Ladnier, Wardell Gray and others are those, who are under-rated. ... In this recording, Smith's tone is so-DEEP, that it almost sounds like a trombone. NO doubt, he was the greatest accompanist, to Bessie (Smith)!

Maria builds and prepares her, slight (physical) frame, with a slight glance/smile towards the Orchestra, before her part of the aria even begins. The intentions are, so VERY-fine, but some of the scales, and their outer notes (so to speak) escape her, and/or are NOT so-great, in intonations. ......

Exceptional! ... This is the Italian master, at his best; thanks for transcribing Tito S, at his most-heartfelt!

80 years old (as a recording), and still the best of all!

0515stan is ENTIRELY right. Swoboda, and his Vienna St. Opera forces are very-fine! The genius of Dvorak, and his assimilation-of themes and their, variations, is becoming MORE-apparent, as times go-on.