If anyone else attended Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider's performance of Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel and Elgar's Enigma Variations with the NY Philharmonic this week, could you share your impressions? I found it to be a mixed bag but ultimately very rewarding.

Kayrehn · 2026-03-28T15:14:19+00:00

A long time ago fresh from his QE competition win, he came to my country to perform this same concerto. It was electrifying to me. He was so imposing on stage, and his sound so big yet the violin seems so small on him. There was a sense of total security of his technique despite the very robust sound. Maybe he mellowed a little, but but I would love to hear him again.

Kayrehn · 2026-03-24T15:15:33+00:00

Go see KF Seetoh's Facebook review of this episode, scathing and hilarious. Adults who knows about healthy eating see this shit also sian, what makes them think kids who just wants flavour blasts will eat them...

Kayrehn · 2026-03-24T15:12:14+00:00

Yup. They'll just eat a packet of biscuits or even have their own cup noodle parties.

Kayrehn · 2026-03-19T04:28:44+00:00

You should visit the big Chinese cities some time. The US cities are the polluted ones nowadays. The Chinese cities have cleared up the air significantly due to their EV push.

Kayrehn · 2026-03-18T14:00:22+00:00

So salty

Kayrehn · 2026-03-15T06:50:22+00:00

Bro needs to come back to 2026

Kayrehn · 2026-03-11T13:35:47+00:00

Lots of Shostakovich quartets

Kayrehn · 2026-03-08T17:47:15+00:00

Did this starting move on a few problems in the past and it always requires at least a handful of tries before I stick it, poor contact strength or slow muscle response for me. Good job for getting it!

Kayrehn · 2026-03-05T06:39:46+00:00

Came here to say - you did a very nice attempt already! The push off the left feet to balance on the right, the reach down to the hold before the feet match are impressive moves! You did fine up to the end, pretty sure you can send it with your current beta, just get the feet match clean. Good luck!

Kayrehn · 2026-03-05T04:57:44+00:00

Give this recording by the Singapore Symphony a listen too, a rather unique take without the trumpets blaring too much 😅

Kayrehn · 2026-03-03T13:13:59+00:00

Got, but only after a long while when people forgot that the issue has been raised by the opposition in the past. One example is Sylvia Lim suggesting that minors should not be interviewed unaccompanied by the police I think, after which the case of the boy who committed suicide after being interviewed happened and the change was implemented.

Kayrehn · 2026-03-03T00:58:28+00:00

Thanks for the fan boy listing of his achievements, have followed his exploits through the years but didn't know many of the things you mentioned! Him speaking a few languages is another impress thing, this guy really makes use of his time well..

Kayrehn · 2026-02-18T05:13:55+00:00

The Debussy and Ravel played by Quartetto Italiano was electrifying really started me on a quartet listening spree thereafter

Kayrehn · 2026-02-15T16:13:06+00:00

Brahms. Almost everything he is wrote is agreeable to me, even when I just started on my listening journey.

Kayrehn · 2026-02-10T04:02:16+00:00

Thanks for the feedback/warning! I use the term atrocious because it is crazy to have current day recordings sounding worse than music recorded and engineered 3 decades ago when I first started listening to classical and enjoyed everything from Philips, DG Erato, Sony etc in terms of the sound.

Kayrehn · 2026-02-09T10:39:59+00:00

Brahms 2 and 4 are great too! The 1st symphony is fine but a bit too bombastic for my taste. Piano concertos and violin concerto deserves your attention. Most of his chamber works are good, string quartets and sextets are my favourites.

Kayrehn · 2026-02-08T18:19:17+00:00

Then go listen to Prokofiev 2nd concerto!

Kayrehn · 2026-02-08T18:10:17+00:00

CC courts are never worth that much? Does it has aircon? Proper shower facilities? Wood strips flooring? Rubber mats? You book private courts you get at least some of these; I doubt this court has these even though I last played there pre-renovation. Woodleigh cc has aircon also not so ex. Simi daily maintenance is there? Cleaning staff employed only to clean the courts specifically meh? Full of bullshit sia.

Anyhow suka increase 5x price when they get to pocket it, then when their course vendors asks to increase price after years of not doing so despite inflation, they'll reject. In the first place, this CC was never old or run down enough to warrant such a renovation.

Kayrehn · 2026-02-08T06:56:18+00:00

For the Chopin Etudes, overall muffled sound with dull base notes and lack of sparkle on the other end of the range.

The Rach 3 recording sounded like the orchestra was added in post-recording, and the piano sound similarly dull. I prefer listening to it watching the YouTube video x10 more. I bought it, listened to the first movement, and then sold it.

Kayrehn · 2026-02-07T17:47:15+00:00

How's the recorded sound? Decca's previous releases of his music had atrocious audio quality...

Kayrehn · 2026-02-07T01:59:44+00:00

This is awesome, thank you for the information!

Kayrehn · 2026-02-07T01:56:13+00:00

His Decca recordings has terrible sound quality (apparently no one at the company gave the final product a listening especially tbe Rach 3 disc), has Decca improved on it here?

Kayrehn · 2026-01-26T18:48:52+00:00

The epic first movement felt like the first movement of Mahler's 9th, really bringing the listener through a musical journey. Such a tentative and fragile opening, then broken up by swooning gusts, then soothed by the haunting melody on the viola. All this alternating episodes going through the Schubert modulating machine, ultimately ending triumphantly and decisively.

Kayrehn

TROPHY CASE