Late night music.

[bindeweede]

My memory might be failing me, but several years ago I uploaded this Roberta Flack song to Youtube, and I believe I posted it as the very first item on this thread. Youtube deleted it for some reason, so I deleted the link. But it's back, for the moment at least. From Roberta Flack's "Quite Fire" album, (1971, I think) which I have on vinyl and CD. It still does the magic for me.... The treble response is desperately lacking in this recording, compared with the version I uploaded, but there is still a chance to appreciate the voice and performance.

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

And just to complete my self-indulgence, Carole King's version also from 1971 and her "Tapestry" album. (James Taylor backing, I think.)

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

(Yes horrible images, but at least half decent sound.)

[Tom_I]

Another Schubert/Liszt transcription, from a pianist I hadn't come across before, Georgian/French artist Khatia Buniatishvili.

It's the serenade from Schubert's Schwanengesang, in a beautifully understated performance. Just lovely, though she does ignore some of Liszt's dynamic markings, but I think I'd forgive her almost anything.

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

[bindeweede]

Thanks for that, Tom. Definitely on the slow side, but more importantly for me is the LH/RH coordination, which I find irritating. Here's something else for your consideration, which also has irritations for me, but don't the two recordings illustrate the amazing variation in interpretation of a delightful transcription?

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

And then there is Horowitz. Refined and relatively restrained - definitely top drawer....

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

[Tom_I]

Von Eviger Liebe - a beautiful song by Brahms, performed by Peter Harris and Hamish Brown, joint winners of the young artist platform at the Oxford Lieder Festival 2017.

I'm particularly impressed with how the pianist turns his own pages so quickly.

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

[bindeweede]

Not exactly late night stuff, but anyway. In the late 70s and early 80s, I was lucky enough to visit Finland - 3 times. In those days, a slightly off-path destination. On the second visit, I was taken to the impressive castle at Savonlinna - http://visitsavonlinna.fi/en/olavinlinna/

And in a recent Sibelius mood, I came across this YouTube clip from his Karelia Suite, which briefly features that castle. Just brought back happy memories. Why not?

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

Good recording and spirited performance from a Finnish orchestra - Tampere Filharmonia.

[bindeweede]

"Sailing By" - Ronald Binge. The ultimate Late Night Music perhaps, introducing the Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4 at 12.45am.

(To switch to full screen, click the Full screen icon in the bottom corner of the video player.

To exit out of full screen, press Esc on your keyboard or click the Full screen icon again.)

(insomniacs will be very familiar. )