What are YOU listening to today?

bricon · Post by **bricon** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:49 pm

Franco Leoni's L'Oracolo

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 5:19 am

JSB – Cantatas BWV188 with its wonderful opening sinfonia for the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity....

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 5:37 am

Beethoven

Violin Sonata No.5 'Spring' (Gidon Kremer/Martha Argerich, DG)

Violin Concerto (Jascha Heifetz/Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra, RCA) below

Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andre Cluytens, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:23 am

Buxtehude – Complete Organ Works....

I have now listened to the first three of the six discs in this set and the sound quality is fine and, although I am no expert in this matter, the playing also seems fine to me. However, so far, I must admit that I have found the music uninspiring on the first two discs. There are a number of stand-out works but so far I have been somewhat disappointed with the music itself.
Disc no. 3, however, has changed that view as it contains, to my ear, a higher quality of music.

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:30 am

^^ Fergus, Disk 6 will be utterly stupendous...

again...

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:33 am

Fergus wrote:Buxtehude – Complete Organ Works....

I have now listened to the first three of the six discs in this set and the sound quality is fine and, although I am no expert in this matter, the playing also seems fine to me. However, so far, I must admit that I have found the music uninspiring on the first two discs. There are a number of stand-out works but so far I have been somewhat disappointed with the music itself.
Disc no. 3, however, has changed that view as it contains, to my ear, a higher quality of music.

Remember that both, Bach and Handel made the pilgrimage to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude and for a very good reason, he was a very great composer.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:40 am

Dvorak - Overture: My Home (Jarvi/Chandos)
Rachmaninov - Cello Sonata (Thedeen/BIS)
Glazunov - Poeme epique (Schermerhorn/Marco Polo)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 9:58 am

Beethoven - Symphony No.8 (Andre Cluytens, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

Handel - 'Dixit Dominus' (Felicity Palmer/Margaret Marshall/Charles Brett/John Angelo Messana/Richard Morton/Alastair Thompson/David Wilson-Johnson/John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir & Orchestra, Warner Apex) below

Mozart - Piano Trio No.6 (Trio Fontenay, Warner Apex)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:46 am

Jared wrote:^^ Fergus, Disk 6 will be utterly stupendous...

I look forward to it with eager anticipation

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:49 am

josé echenique wrote: Remember that both, Bach and Handel made the pilgrimage to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude and for a very good reason, he was a very great composer.

I wonder to what extent the two boys made the pilgrimage to hear Buxtehude's prowess and virtuosity on the keyboard....

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:54 am

This is a work with a difference in that it is a narrated play (in German, with full translation in the sleeve notes) and interspersed with some very good 18th century music. The narration is wonderfully engaging and gets quite involved and animated in places. The whole package is really a good hour’s entertainment.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 1:23 pm

Bruckner - Symphony No.7 (Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Teldec)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:41 pm

Stravinsky - 'The Firebird - Suite' (Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, DG)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:47 pm

JS Bach – Magnificat performed by the Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner with Nancy Argenta, Anthony Rolfe Johnson and others....

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:52 pm

Fergus wrote:JS Bach – Magnificat performed by the Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner with Nancy Argenta, Anthony Rolfe Johnson and others....

That was the first Bach vocal CD I ever owned Fergus....

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:57 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:JS Bach – Magnificat performed by the Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner with Nancy Argenta, Anthony Rolfe Johnson and others....

That was the first Bach vocal CD I ever owned Fergus....

funnily enough, it was one of my first, too..

I haven't posted much in here today, because I have been giving certain recordings many repeat listens, notably Schubert, Chopin, Britten, Vivaldi & Beethoven... but rest assured, I've been listening to some wonderful music solidly for over 12 hours!...

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:11 pm

Fergus wrote:
josé echenique wrote: Remember that both, Bach and Handel made the pilgrimage to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude and for a very good reason, he was a very great composer.
I wonder to what extent the two boys made the pilgrimage to hear Buxtehude's prowess and virtuosity on the keyboard....

I always figured it was his playing they went to hear, his Organ Music is nowhere close in quality to that of Bach, some great stuff of course, but, quite a lot of average music too...his Cantatas are a different story...

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 4:47 pm

Respighi Fountains, Pines and Festivals of Rome

Yan Pascal Tortelier Phiharmonia Orchestra
Chandos 10035

premont · Post by **premont** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:39 pm

Fergus wrote:Buxtehude – Complete Organ Works....

I have now listened to the first three of the six discs in this set and the sound quality is fine and, although I am no expert in this matter, the playing also seems fine to me. However, so far, I must admit that I have found the music uninspiring on the first two discs. There are a number of stand-out works but so far I have been somewhat disappointed with the music itself.
Disc no. 3, however, has changed that view as it contains, to my ear, a higher quality of music.

If you acquire Buxtehudes style with the help of the works you immediately like, you may with time find the "uninteresting" works more interesting. And you are well served with Spang-Hanssen.

premont · Post by **premont** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:40 pm

Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
josé echenique wrote: Remember that both, Bach and Handel made the pilgrimage to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude and for a very good reason, he was a very great composer.
I wonder to what extent the two boys made the pilgrimage to hear Buxtehude's prowess and virtuosity on the keyboard....
I always figured it was his playing they went to hear, his Organ Music is nowhere close in quality to that of Bach, some great stuff of course, but, quite a lot of average music too...his Cantatas are a different story...

How would you separate his playing from his music?

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:23 pm

Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream Incidental Music

Tchaikovsky Symphony # 6

Toscanini, Philadelphia Orchestra 1942

RCA 88697-02331 mediocre sound, fabulous performances

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 9:19 pm

premont wrote:
Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
josé echenique wrote: Remember that both, Bach and Handel made the pilgrimage to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude and for a very good reason, he was a very great composer.
I wonder to what extent the two boys made the pilgrimage to hear Buxtehude's prowess and virtuosity on the keyboard....
I always figured it was his playing they went to hear, his Organ Music is nowhere close in quality to that of Bach, some great stuff of course, but, quite a lot of average music too...his Cantatas are a different story...
How would you separate his playing from his music?

He's the originator of the works, given how average most of them are I always figured that he must have played them differently to the modern day organists...I see no other reason for Bach to walk 30 miles...

val · Post by **val** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:00 am

CHARLES TOURNEMIRE: Complete recordings (1930/1931)

The legendary recordings made by Tournemire with Cesar Franck's organ, the Cavaille-Coll of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris. The sound is poor but who cares? Tournemire plays works of Cesar Franck and excerpts of his own Orgue Mystique. But the best are the Improvisations by one of the last great masters of this instrument.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:06 am

premont wrote:
Fergus wrote:Buxtehude – Complete Organ Works....

I have now listened to the first three of the six discs in this set and the sound quality is fine and, although I am no expert in this matter, the playing also seems fine to me. However, so far, I must admit that I have found the music uninspiring on the first two discs. There are a number of stand-out works but so far I have been somewhat disappointed with the music itself.
Disc no. 3, however, has changed that view as it contains, to my ear, a higher quality of music.

If you acquire Buxtehudes style with the help of the works you immediately like, you may with time find the "uninteresting" works more interesting. And you are well served with Spang-Hanssen.

Thank you for that comment....I did feel that the playing on the set thus far was not the issue at all for me. I am very conscious that this is my first listen to and venture into music that I am completely unfamiliar with so perhaps in time, with more listens under my belt, I will have a greater appreciation of this music....and I also have three more discs to listen to

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:07 am

Jared wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:JS Bach – Magnificat performed by the Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner with Nancy Argenta, Anthony Rolfe Johnson and others....

That was the first Bach vocal CD I ever owned Fergus....
funnily enough, it was one of my first, too..

I haven't posted much in here today, because I have been giving certain recordings many repeat listens, notably Schubert, Chopin, Britten, Vivaldi & Beethoven... but rest assured, I've been listening to some wonderful music solidly for over 12 hours!...

A sentimental trip down memory lane for both of you then

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:08 am

Selections from Canteloube’s “Songs of the Auvergne” beautifully sung by Anna Moffo....

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:16 am

^^ that's a nice 1970's style dress Anna's wearing...

Schubert:Lieder
Bostridge/ Drake

are there any other Ian Bostridge fans on CMG? I found 5 of his CDs in a household clearance place nearly a year ago for £1 each.... one of the best fivers I've ever spent in my life. I love his voice, and his Schubert is simply sublime... I will be collecting a few more of his disks before long, I can promise you that!!

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:21 am

Jared wrote:^^ that's a nice 1970's style dress Anna's wearing...

Whatever about the dress, the voice is wonderful

Well done on you recent haul....a good bargain

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:28 am

Beethoven: String Quartets op. 18/2 & op. 131
Artemis Quartet (BBC)

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 6:38 am

Jared wrote:Beethoven: String Quartets op. 18/2 & op. 131
Artemis Quartet (BBC)

I am finally getting to grips with the earlier quartets and the second of the Opus 18's is probably my favourite, it's wonderful music. I haven't ventured as far as the Opus 131 yet.

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:16 am

Seán wrote:I am finally getting to grips with the earlier quartets and the second of the Opus 18's is probably my favourite, it's wonderful music. I haven't ventured as far as the Opus 131 yet.

the later String Qts in the op.130's are generally gargantuan beasts of intricate magnificence, which generally seem to require high levels of concentration (esp the Grosse Fuge op.133

) I suggest you lie down in a quiet, blacked-out, distraction free room with a cold compress on your forehead...

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:36 am

Jared wrote:
Seán wrote:I am finally getting to grips with the earlier quartets and the second of the Opus 18's is probably my favourite, it's wonderful music. I haven't ventured as far as the Opus 131 yet.
the later String Qts in the op.130's are generally gargantuan beasts of intricate magnificence, which generally seem to require high levels of concentration (esp the Grosse Fuge op.133 ) I suggest you lie down in a quiet, blacked-out, distraction free room with a cold compress on your forehead...

A nice Bottle of Red will certainly help your cause Seán

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:37 am

I always enjoy the music of JC Bach.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:52 am

Jared wrote:
Seán wrote:I am finally getting to grips with the earlier quartets and the second of the Opus 18's is probably my favourite, it's wonderful music. I haven't ventured as far as the Opus 131 yet.
the later String Qts in the op.130's are generally gargantuan beasts of intricate magnificence, which generally seem to require high levels of concentration (esp the Grosse Fuge op.133 ) I suggest you lie down in a quiet, blacked-out, distraction free room with a cold compress on your forehead...

They do indeed require high levels of concentration, that's why I started at the beginning and the results are very rewarding. I will eventually get to the middle and the later quartets, but for now I'm happy with the Opus 18's.

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:08 am

Seán wrote:They do indeed require high levels of concentration, that's why I started at the beginning and the results are very rewarding. I will eventually get to the middle and the later quartets, but for now I'm happy with the Opus 18's.

yes, if the uninitiated (and for that, read Newbies like me..) were sat down and played op.135 (per se) and asked to name the composer, you'd never come up with Beethoven as an early guess, because the music sounds 50+ years ahead of its time; I guess its like comparing his early Piano Sonatas with No 32...

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:36 am

Hmm, I used to divide Beethoven's work into early, middle, late and Op135 as it is indeed a work alone; although all the late quartets (to me) display the utter genius of Beethoven's musical perception and his ability to copy his aural world onto m/s paper. The scoring of passages in these quartets beggers belief at times. Likewise his evident desire to expand/change form, as in the Op131 with its 7 movements. The 5th movement (presto) seems to demand a timbre very unusual, if not the first instance, in string quartet writing, the famous rats feet on broken glass, produced by playing sul pont - bowing very close to the bridge. I don't know if it is the first instance. I can't remember hearing it in previous music but then I'm not well up on pre-20th C stuff.

The cellist, William Pleeth (alas, deceased), once told me that he'd sooner play any Bartok quartet than Beethoven's Op135 because performers could "get away with" nothing.

My fav recording of the OP135 is the Juilliard's made sometime in the mid '60s.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:47 am

Fergus wrote:Selections from Canteloube’s “Songs of the Auvergne” beautifully sung by Anna Moffo....

Grew up with that recording: it shows Moffo at her best, and is one of the most stunningly beautiful vocal recordings of all time.

Moffo went to my High School in Wayne Pennsylvania (graduated in 1952): her father's shoe repair shop was just next to the school property. Talk about rising from humble beginnings to stardom! She sang at my graduation from Middle School, a very gracious lady. We shared the same music teacher, Dr. Zerr.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:49 am

maestrob wrote:
Fergus wrote:Selections from Canteloube’s “Songs of the Auvergne” beautifully sung by Anna Moffo....

Grew up with that recording: it shows Moffo at her best, and is one of the most stunningly beautiful vocal recordings of all time.

Moffo went to my High School in Wayne Pennsylvania (graduated in 1952): her father's shoe repair shop was just next to the school property. Talk about rising from humble beginnings to stardom! She sang at my graduation from Middle School, a very gracious lady. We shared the same music teacher, Dr. Zerr.

Wow....what an insight....thank you so much for that

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:30 pm

maestrob wrote:
Fergus wrote:Selections from Canteloube’s “Songs of the Auvergne” beautifully sung by Anna Moffo....

Grew up with that recording: it shows Moffo at her best, and is one of the most stunningly beautiful vocal recordings of all time.

Moffo went to my High School in Wayne Pennsylvania (graduated in 1952): her father's shoe repair shop was just next to the school property. Talk about rising from humble beginnings to stardom! She sang at my graduation from Middle School, a very gracious lady. We shared the same music teacher, Dr. Zerr.

That is a very interesting comment maestrob. I never fail to be impressed by the company I keep on CMG.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:31 pm

Seán wrote:I will eventually get to the middle and the later quartets, but for now I'm happy with the Opus 18's.

It's fair that the late quartets readily get such exalted praise - but the earlier sets are beautiful music too

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:33 pm

Seán wrote:That is a very interesting comment maestrob. I never fail to be impressed by the company I keep on CMG.

well, *most* of the company you keep...

Chopin: Piano Works: Ashkenazy

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:35 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Seán wrote:I will eventually get to the middle and the later quartets, but for now I'm happy with the Opus 18's.
It's fair that the late quartets readily get such exalted praise - but the earlier sets are beautiful music too

they are indeed Darren... in fact after hearing an SQ op.130... something, I'm left gasping to return to the normality of a considerably more Classical op.18..

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:37 pm

Jared wrote:
Seán wrote:That is a very interesting comment maestrob. I never fail to be impressed by the company I keep on CMG.
well, *most* of the company you keep...

Don't

be

to

hard

on

yourself

young

sir

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:03 pm

Haydn - Piano Trio No.30 & No.31 (Beaux Arts Trio, Philips) below

Schubert - Symphony No.9 'Great' (Karl Bohm, Staatskapelle Dresden, DG)

Stravinsky - 'Petrouchka' (Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, DG)

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:16 pm

Over the past week or so, I have been listening to a 4 CD Arte Nova set of the complete Saint-Saens organ music, Stefan Johannes Bleicher, organist. Some of the works are sort of halfway interesting, but I wasn't listening with full attention as I was listening in my car, which is where I listen to CDs I think I might not like. The best I can say for it is its nowhere near as bad as Messiaen's organ music.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:49 pm

Beethoven – Pastoral Symphony performed by the Northern Sinfonia of England/Hickox....

....a very fine performance.

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:17 pm

Ravel: Piano Concertos; Debussy: Fantaisie for Piano & Orchestra
Budapest Festival Orchestra & Ivan Fischer
Zoltan Kocsis, piano
Philips

Schoenberg: Chamber Symphonies 1 & 2; Verklarte Nacht
Chamber Orchestra of Europe & Heinz Holliger
Apex

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:36 am

bombasticDarren wrote:Stravinsky - 'The Firebird - Suite' (Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, DG)

That is a splendid 2 CD set.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:38 am

Fergus wrote:Beethoven – Pastoral Symphony performed by the Northern Sinfonia of England/Hickox....
....a very fine performance.

Interesting coment Fergus, I don't have any recordings of orchestras conducted by Hickox and I have often wondered about the man.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:39 am

bombasticDarren wrote:Schubert - Symphony No.9 'Great' (Karl Bohm, Staatskapelle Dresden, DG)

I haven't got that yet.

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