What are YOU listening to today?

[Ken]

^ 'Wow' is indeed the proper adjective for that recording; one of the few I've heard where everything--composition, interpretation, sound quality--seems just right. Good choice!

[Chalkperson]

^ 'Wow' is indeed the proper adjective for that recording; one of the few I've heard where everything--composition, interpretation, sound quality--seems just right. Good choice!

And she is not even Canadian, eh...

[Donaldopato]

One of the recent Concertgebouw downloads Mendelssohn Symphony # 4 Kondrashin RCO November 1979. I have so rarely heard Kondrashin do anything outside of the Russian repertoire so it is quite fun and a great, lively performance.

[Chalkperson]

^ 'Wow' is indeed the proper adjective for that recording; one of the few I've heard where everything--composition, interpretation, sound quality--seems just right. Good choice!

Even though somebody posted it here a while ago she just Officially ditched Pentatone and is going to Decca, to compete/compliment Janine Jansen I guess, she has two more discs to record for Pentatone containing all of Schubert's music for Violin, so no more SACD's from her, but, Decca are just going to have to re-record a lot of Pentatone's music if they want to make their money back...

[Ken]

^ Correct. She'll record the complete works for violin and piano with Martin Helmchen, who I've heard very good things about (though haven't heard play myself). The first disc isn't due out until next August, which leads me to wonder if a Decca disc (supposedly devoted to Bach) isn't coming out earlier; I spoke with Ms. Fischer in April and she indicated that a new recording was pending for release soon after the new year.

[Ken]

Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Hilary Hahn
Esa-Pekka Salonen/Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
DG

After lending this recording to a friend last week, I've returned to the recent Hahn recording of the Sibelius VC; it's really beginning to win me over. I'm still a bit partial to the Lin recording on Sony (with the same back-up troops, no less), but Hahn's warmth and consistency I find quite a good alternative.

[johnQpublic]

Haydn - Overture to "La vera costanza" (Huss/Koch)
Haydn - String Quartet #45 (Kodaly/Naxos)
Haydn - Piano Trio in D, Hob. deest (Beaux Arts/Philips)
Haydn - Symphony #49 (Solomons/CBS)

[slofstra]

Last night:
Klemperer/ Philharmonia/ Beethoven Sym 2 and Sym 5
Tonight:
Klemperer/ Philharmonia/ Beethoven Sym 4
Blomstedt/ Danish Radio/ Nielsen / Sym 5
Golijov/ Atlanta SO et al/ Oceana
Golijov/ Kronos / Tenebrae

Notes -
Sean, what is R3? I must keep up with anything with Haitink's name on it.
Ken, yes that is the set from MDT, although I think amazon.com just had a price drop. I'm so pleased at discovering the quality of Nielsen's symphonies. I have had #4 for some time, but his work is consistently good and certainly in league with Sibelius, Shostakovich, and RVW.
Also, it must be the Fall air, but everything I listen to lately sounds great. Werner's adage that the best piece of music is the one you're listening to now really applies to Beethoven symphonies, because whatever set I'm listening to sounds like the best I've ever heard. That's the way I feel about the Klemperer set which is a real joy to listen through. And the Philharmonia orchestra under his baton is a musical machine, a perpetuum mobile of music.

At this moment I'm listening to a Brendel/ Liszt disc. It's okay.

[karlhenning]

How does the Blomstedt/Danish Radio account compare to the SFSO recording, Henry?

And how do you like Golijov?

Cheers,
~Karl

[johnQpublic]

Gliere - Overture to "Shakh-Senem" (Sinaisky/Chandos)
Shostakovich - String Quartet #9 (Eder/Naxos)
Vainberg - Chamber Symphony #1 (Rachlevsky/Claves)

[maestrob]

Bloch/Lees, Violin Concerti: Elmar Olivera/John McGlaughlin Williams/National Symphony Orch of Ukraine.

Williams is a consummate conductor, supportive and extremely sensitive to the right tempo. Olivera plays up a storms, with a burnished yet brilliant tone, extremely musical in the cadenzas. This is one of my favorite recent releases, both concerti new to my ears.

Highly recommended......

http://www.amazon.com/Bloch-Lees-Violin ... 320&sr=1-1

[Chalkperson]

Sean, what is R3? I must keep up with anything with Haitink's name on it.

Radio Three...I just picked up Haitink's Shostakovich 4th and 10th with the CSO and LPO respectively on the Orchestra's Labels, very good indeed, and I enjoyed the re-mastered Mahler 3rd also...

[Seán]

Sean, what is R3? I must keep up with anything with Haitink's name on it.

Radio Three...I just picked up Haitink's Shostakovich 4th and 10th with the CSO and LPO respectively on the Orchestra's Labels, very good indeed, and I enjoyed the re-mastered Mahler 3rd also...

Henry, Chalkie is right R3 is Radio 3 or BBC Radio 3 to be exact. When I mention R3 it is usually when I am referring to their wonderful Building a Library programme section on their CD Review programme. It is available on podcast and more often than not it is a real pleasure to listen to. Here's a link to the site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/cdreview/

[Seán]

How does the Blomstedt/Danish Radio account compare to the SFSO recording, Henry?

Cheers,
~Karl

I think that there was a discussion recently on people's preferences when comparing these two cycles. I think that the majority preferred the SFSO cycle if I'm not mistaken.

[Ken]

Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 5
Sviatoslav Richter
Lorin Maazel/London Symphony Orchestra
EMI

[moldyoldie]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 (1881 Haas Edition, last 3 movements only); Symphony No. 7 (1884-85 Gutmann Edition)
Berlin Philharmonic
Wilhelm Furtwängler, cond.
MUSIC & ARTS (from 5-CD boxset)
I'll just say that I've never heard the respective Adagio movements of these two symphonies more movingly rendered! It's a shame that the first movement of the Sixth is lost.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 7
Philharmonia Orchestra
Christian Thielemann, cond.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
These performances of this popular pairing are so gloriously un-HIP that one's ears can't help but member up and take notice -- I love 'em! I'm sure many modern ears might not be endeared with Thielemann's "old fashioned" push & pull approach with both tempo and dynamics, but the orchestra responds wonderfully and makes Beethoven sound as heavy and significant as one often imagines he "should" be. I find myself recommending this to novice listeners as the perfect modern complement to DG's same pairing featuring the renown recordings of Carlos Kleiber.

[johnQpublic]

Kurpinski - Overture to "Henry VI at the Hunt" (Latoszewski/Olympia)
Chopin - Cello Sonata (Kliegel/Naxos)
Szymanowski - Symphony #2 (Dorati/London)

[Ken]

This morning--more Richter:


Grieg, Schumann: Piano Concertos; Schumann: Papillons Op. 2
Sviatoslav Richter
Matacic/Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra
EMI

One of my favourite recordings of the Schumann Concerto--very powerful playing.

[Chalkperson]

This morning--more Richter:


Grieg, Schumann: Piano Concertos; Schumann: Papillons Op. 2
Sviatoslav Richter
Matacic/Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra
EMI

One of my favourite recordings of the Schumann Concerto--very powerful playing.

A little eccentric though...

[Ken]

^ Surely; not to mention pretty mediocre orchestral accompaniment and poor sound engineering. I'm not sure exactly why I like it so much... Still, in my opinion, not as good as Andsnes or Lupu.

[SaulChanukah]

Francis Poulenc sonata for Flute.

Amazing, beautiful music.

[RebLem]

Yesterday, Nov 5, inspired by the election results, I listened to Copland's Lincoln Portrait for the first time in several years. Copland conducting the LSO, with Henry Fonda marrating.

[johnQpublic]

Porter - Overture to "Gay Divorce" (McGlinn/EMI)
Schuman - Dances: Divertimento for Winds & Percussion (Westwood WQnt/Crystal)
M. Starobin - The Snoid Trucks Up Broadway (D. Starobin/Bridge)
Varese - Dance for Burgess (Chailly/London)
Reich - New York Counterpoint (Diry/RCA)
Gershwin - Catfish Row (Kunzel/Telarc)

[Donaldopato]

The World of Harry Partch on LP. Sadly long out of print and not available on CD, as was discussed in a previous thread. Too bad as it is a great intro disc to this unique composer.

[Ken]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 2, En Saga
Herbert von Karajan/Berliner Philharmoniker
EMI

[slofstra]

Sean, what is R3? I must keep up with anything with Haitink's name on it.

Radio Three...I just picked up Haitink's Shostakovich 4th and 10th with the CSO and LPO respectively on the Orchestra's Labels, very good indeed, and I enjoyed the re-mastered Mahler 3rd also...

Henry, Chalkie is right R3 is Radio 3 or BBC Radio 3 to be exact. When I mention R3 it is usually when I am referring to their wonderful Building a Library programme section on their CD Review programme. It is available on podcast and more often than not it is a real pleasure to listen to. Here's a link to the site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/cdreview/

Tell me about it. I'm a huge R3 fan, and catch CD Review on my Internet radio most weeks while at work. Especially now that the CBC in its wisdom decided to put our Canadian classical channel out to pasture.

The problem as it turned out was that your La Mer graphic was not showing through. It is today for some reason. So I thought R3 must be referring to the composition in some oblique way. Thanks for clarifying.

[moldyoldie]

Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Rafael Kubelik, cond.
AUDITE
Certainly among my favorite recordings of this perennial favorite symphony. It's recorded in live performance (sans applause) and exhibits a joyous, mostly straightforward interpretation with nary a ponderous moment. The coda to the finale is brought off wonderfully!

[Chalkperson]

Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Rafael Kubelik, cond.
AUDITE
Certainly among my favorite recordings of this perennial favorite symphony. It's recorded in live performance (sans applause) and exhibits a joyous, mostly straightforward interpretation with nary a ponderous moment. The coda to the finale is brought off wonderfully!

I agree, it's a great Live Performance...Audite has released a Complete Cycle, I like Audite a lot, their recently released discs by a very young Fischer-Dieskau, and some fine discs by Geza Anda, Karl Bohm and Ferenc Fricsay are all worth investigating...

[johnQpublic]

....about every 30 years....

Verdi - Overture to "Les Vepres siciliennes" [1854] (Muti/Sony)
R. Strauss - Incidental Music to "Romeo & Juliet" [1887] (Rickenbacher/Koch)
Ravel - Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme [1913] (von Otter/DG)
Holmboe - Chamber Concerto No. 11 for Trumpet & Strings [1948] (Christensen/Rondo)
Garland - Dreaming of Immortality in a Thatched Cottage [1977] (Wood/Mode)

[Donaldopato]

Mieczysław Karłowicz

Tone Poems: Stanislaw and Anna Oswiecimowie. Lithuanian Rhapsody, Episode at a Masquerade

Naxos 8.570452 Warsaw Philharmonic Antoni Wit

What a loss Karlowicz was to Polish music and to 20th century music in general. Similar in style to Szymanowski, colorful, youthful, exuberant, yet polished and actually quite mature.

My introduction to Karlowicz, I look forward to more.

[Donaldopato]

Lots of exploring tonight:

Hermann Bischoff Symphony No. 2 / Introduktion and Rondo

Rheinland-Pfalz State Philharmonic, Werner Andreas Albert conducting

CPO 777206-2

Bischoff (1868-1936) was a disciple of Richard Strauss and thus his music has similar qualities. Not 100% derivative, but definitely in the vein of Don Quixote and Don Juan.

An interesting listen. His Symphony # 1 is also available on CPO from the same forces. Straussians will love it.

[johnQpublic]

LPs

Goetz - Overture to "Francesca da Rimini" (Adler/London)
Brahms - Violin Sonata #1 (Stern/Columbia)
Wagner - Prelude & Liebestod from "T & I" (Ormandy/RCA)

[maestrob]

Ernest Bloch/Benjamin Lees: Violin Concerti

Elmar Olivera/John McGlaughlin Williams/National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

Two unknown pieces of great music. Why these pieces are not played more often is a mystery to me. Many thanks to JMW & Olivera for bringing this music to our attention.

The Ukranians are a fine band, easily equal to our best from Cincinnati, Washington, or St. Louis.

[Donaldopato]

Richard Wetz Symphony # 1 Bader Krakow Philharmonic CPO 999272-2

A big sprawling Bruckner-inspired post romantic symphony from 1917. Wetz (1875-1935) was heavily influenced by Bruckner and rejected more modern musical ideas and forms. He spent his life in Erfurt, Germany and did little traveling or work in larger musical centers, thus limiting the exposure of his compositions. In the 1930's he became a member of the Nazi party and hoped that would increase his fame. It did little but hurt his reputation.

Fine music, but not enough to say he was an equal to Bruckner. I hear a lot of Bruckner of the 1st-3rd in his music and little of the power and sustained nobility of Bruckner's later works.

Worth a listen, he wrote 3 Symphonies in all, 1917, 1919, 1922.

[Seán]

Another Titan, this time its the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducetd by Yuri Simonov

[Seán]

A really powerful rendidtion of Shostkovich's Fifth Symphony with Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra:

[Donaldopato]

Mahler Symphony # 10 version by Samale/Mazzucca 2002 Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra Martin Sieghart. Recording of the first performance. Many like this version, I find it nothing much more than a bit more percussion and loud trumpets at climaxes, including a totally unnecessary addition of percussion to the big dissonant climax of the Adagio. The two scherzi are way too slow and the second one, the most problematic movement of the work, falls apart in my opinion.

I still like Cooke III and the Sanderling Berlin recording of Cooke II is overall one the best.

[johnQpublic]

LPs

Sibelius - All'Overtura from "Scenes historiques" (Gibson/RCA)
Sibelius - 3 Songs [Flicken kom, Hennes budskap & Jargargosssen] (Krause/London)
Sibelius - Four Legends (Foss/Nonesuch)

[moldyoldie]

Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem
Barbara Hendricks, soprano; José van Dam, baritone

Bruckner: Te Deum
Helga Müller-Molinari, alto/contralto; Janet Perry, soprano; Gösta Winbergh, tenor; Alexander Malta, bass

Vienna Singverein
Wiener Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan, cond.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON (2-CD)
I'm certainly not what one would describe as a fervent fan of religious choral music. When listening to any choral work, whether religious or secular, I tend to take an agnostic's objective viewpoint and allow the performance to either make me feel the composer's inspiration or perhaps even "convert" me.

I've heard only two recordings of Brahms' seemingly popular German Requiem, this being the first. First impressions, being what they are, left me nonplussed with Brahms' creation and in awe of the absolutely wondrous choral singing as well as the very fine contributions of the soloists; I was particularly enamored of the angelically sung "Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit" by soprano Barbara Hendricks. The overall tone here is one of utmost reverence and solemnity in a performance that extends over 75 minutes. Hearing it this morning, and after having experienced the leaner, swifter "period-inspired" performance conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, I've still not been "converted", but remain spellbound by the sheer beauty of this 1985 recording, apparently later re-released on a single CD without the appended Bruckner work. If it was Brahms' intent to convey peace to the living, Karajan and company channel it marvelously and to a tee. As can be surmised, I've yet to hear Klemperer's early '60s recording which supposedly set some sort of modern performance standard.

This recording was also my introduction to the Bruckner Te Deum. Initially on first hearing, I found it more musically compelling than the Brahms with its opening organ proclamation; this morning, I found it comparatively turgid and inert. (I'm consciously avoiding that punnish homonym!) Maybe it's the performance, maybe it's the work, or maybe it's just me...I don't know. I'll have to either hear it in isolation or hear another performance to be more conclusive.

[CharmNewton]

to compete/compliment Janine Jansen

Just checking Ms. Jansen's discography, I see she recorded two discs for Naxos as a member of Spectrum Concerts Berlin. One is chamber music of Dohnanyi (Serenade for String Trio and Sextet) and the other features music of John Harbison (the Naxos website lists her as the performer of Four Songs of Solitude, but I suspect she performs on the other works as well).

Some of her fans may not have been aware of these discs.

John

[piston]

Lots of Saariaho this week end, raking leafs and beginning to winterize.

In "Private Gardens":
1. Lonh (From Afar), for soprano (Upshaw) and electronics, dedicated to Upshaw. Her voice, as always, is lyrical and angelic whatever the nature of the composition. Here she sings a Middle Age Provençal poem, in a language quite distant from present-day French.
2. Près, for 'cello and electronics, a work in three parts which refers to the work of Saint-John Perse, interpreted by Anssi Karttunen, a student of Jacqueline Du Pré.
3. "NoaNoa" for flute and electronics, takes for inspiration and reference a Gauguin engraving and the diary he wrote in Tahiti. Interpreted by flautist Camilla Hoitenga.
4. The Six Japanese Gardens is a work for percussion and electronics and comprises "a series of impressions" drawn from the composer's trip in Japan in 1993. Florent Jodelet is at the percussion.
Ondine 906-2 (1997)

Maa -- Ballet Music in Seven Scenes, for violin, viola, cello, flute, harp, harpsichord, synthesizer, percussion, and electronics, conducted by Tapio Tuomela. I found this work ideally suited for raking leafs on a wet Saturday afternoon, very "environmental" and even primal. In this abstract work, Saariaho "avoids telling a story, choosing instead to handle the germinal themes of travelling, remoteness, yearning and communication in a dream-like way through the medium of association." The seven scenes are Journey, Gates, ...de la Terre (Door), Forest, Windows, Fall, Aer (Phoenix).
Ondine 791-2 (1992)

Du cristal à la fumée is a recording with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the L.A. Orchestra. It also includes Nymphea for string quartet and electronics, performed by the Kronos Quartet. The fruit of her one-year visit to the USA, in San Diego, Du cristal à la fumée consists a two related works, a diptych, the first characterized by order, symmetry, density, permanence and compactness; the second is in "constant flux, unpredictable in its movements, endlessly changing shape and direction." Du cristal is written for a symphony orchestra; its counterpart, a la fumée, highlights two "electronically modified" solo instruments, the cello and the alto flute, with orchestra. Capricious like northern lights, ... à la fumée is also a work that I associate with the outdoors.
Ondine 804-2 (1993)

Oltra Mar later this afternoon.

[AntonioA]

Now playing: Mariage of Figaro. Klemperers recording. Underrated recording.

[Ken]

Bach: Cantatas Volume 10, Potsdam/Wittenberg (BWV 48, 5, 90, 56)
John Eliot Gardiner
Peter Harvey, Joanne Lunn, James Gilchrist
English Baroque Soloists
Soli Deo Gloria

Thanks to my generous Public Library, I have finally decided to take the plunge into the wonderful world of Gardiner's Bach Cantata set. Very sleek, indeed.

[Seán]

I started today's listening session by putting on Rattle with the BPO playing Mahler's Tenth and took it off after a few minutes, I know that some people really like, I don't. I then realised that it is several months since I listened to this version of the M10. So this afternoon I sat through two entire sittings of Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in Mahler's Tenth symphony, this is one of the best CDs in my collection:

[Wallingford]

ENRIQUE BATIZ's album full of Saint-Saens:

Sym. #3 ("Organ"), Danse Macabre, Wedding-Cake, and Carnival of the Animals.

Jorge Federico Osorio's the pianist on Wedding-Cake.

Rather median performances, not top-of-the-heap, IMO.

[karlhenning]

Sergei Sergeyevich
Romeo & Juliet, Opus 64
Mariinsky (Kirov) Orchestra
Gergiev

Cheers,
~Karl

[Chalkperson]

I started today's listening session by putting on Rattle with the BPO playing Mahler's Tenth and took it off after a few minutes.

[karlhenning]

Feldman
Piano and Orchestra
Cello and Orchestra

Cheers,
~Karl

[arglebargle]

Traversing the Juilliard Quartet's complete Beethoven quartets recorded 1964-1970, Sony BMG Europe's 8 CD set.

With 6 down and 10 to go - what a great position to be in, up next: the marvelous Rasumovsky's!

[karlhenning]

Feldman
Coptic Light

Cheers,
~Karl