Never too busy for this...

A few more live recordings of Carter's music came my way, and I thought I should not delay adding them to the blog.

First there is one of Carter's last compositions, Two Controversies and a Conversation, performed early this year in Paris by P.L. Aimard and Collin Currie with the French RPO under J.P. Saraste.  The orchestral support is more relaxed than what David Robertson obtained from the NY Phil in their world premiere broadcast, but the French performance enjoys significantly better quality of recorded sound.

Next, there is Carter's Oboe Concerto performed by Holliger a couple of years ago with the St Paul Chamber O. under Thomas Zehetmair.  Compared to Holliger's pioneering live recording under Gielen, the St Paul performance sounds attractively mellow, even dreamy. 

Also from St Paul are two chamber pieces: Enchanted Preludes and Esprit rude... , performed by members of SPCO.

Then there is the very recent Dutch premiere of Carter's Flute Concerto with Emmanuel Pahud supported by the Dutch Radio CO under Michael Schonwandt.

The last item, and the only one with less than superior sound quality, is Carter's Quintet for Piano and Strings, performed by M.A. Hamelin and Arditti Quartet.  The stereo sound is acceptable (certainly for Carter fans), and I find it vastly superior to the over-processed and sickeningly "glossy" sound of Ursula Oppens' commercial recording.