What are YOU listening to today?

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:26 am

Chalkperson wrote:
Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:
Chalkperson wrote:
bricon wrote:This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.
Agreed
That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole
I have given up on it!
Right, but you don't like Van Morrison either...

Correct, the latter indicates that I have good sense and taste, the former indicates that I have a personal failing and one that may need to be addressed and when I have the time and inclination I will deal with that.

But, the Truck,

no, never, he's a wailing banshee....awful, truly awful!

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:24 am

And yet, another Christmas oratorio. It´s very beautiful, a little bit more archaic than Bach´s, still looking backwards to Schütz, but it´s good music. The Magnificat is even finer.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:20 pm

Franck - Piano Quintet (Christina Ortiz/Fine Arts Quartet, Naxos) below

Mozart - Piano Concerto No.9 'Jeunehomme' (Mikhail Pletnev, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Virgin Classics)

Tchaikovsky - Symphony No.2 'Little Russian' (Evgeny Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Regis)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 4:32 pm

Martinu - Concerto for flute, violin and orchestra (Bohuslav Matousek/Janne Thomsen/Christopher Hogwood, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Hyperion)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:07 pm

Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 played by BPO/Karajan....

These are wonderfully powerful yet bleak versions that still sound very full; von Karajan’s version of the Sibelius 5 has long been a favourite of mine.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:24 pm

Fergus wrote:Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 played by BPO/Karajan....

These are wonderfully powerful yet bleak versions that still sound very full; von Karajan’s version of the Sibelius 5 has long been a favourite of mine.

I simply love those renderings of the 4th and 6th. The opening of the 6th is positively magical. The 4th is a little tense and dark. 7th is another favourite, a remarkable symphony.

A very nice mini-set.

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:06 pm

Schumann Symphony # 1 and 2
Bernstein NYP Sony.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:50 pm

Donaldopato wrote:Schumann Symphony # 1 and 2
Bernstein NYP Sony.

You are gradually making your wa through that Bernstein box set Don.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:53 pm

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies 1 & 2
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Georg Solti - conducting

These are gorgeous interpretations of Beethoven's first two symphonies.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:05 pm

absinthe wrote:
Fergus wrote:Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 played by BPO/Karajan....

These are wonderfully powerful yet bleak versions that still sound very full; von Karajan’s version of the Sibelius 5 has long been a favourite of mine.
I simply love those renderings of the 4th and 6th. The opening of the 6th is positively magical. The 4th is a little tense and dark. 7th is another favourite, a remarkable symphony.

A very nice mini-set.

I have Karajan's EMI recordings and they leave me cold. I'd much prefer Bernstein (wonderful), Vänskä (not far behind), Maazel, Sanderling, Blomstedt & Berglund to HvK any day.

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:00 pm

Seán wrote:
Donaldopato wrote:Schumann Symphony # 1 and 2
Bernstein NYP Sony.
You are gradually making your wa through that Bernstein box set Don.

That I am!

And so much left to go...

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:40 am

absinthe wrote:
Fergus wrote:

I simply love those renderings of the 4th and 6th. The opening of the 6th is positively magical. The 4th is a little tense and dark. 7th is another favourite, a remarkable symphony.

A very nice mini-set.

Yes indeed and should be in every (Sibelius) collection

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:46 am

Seán wrote:

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies 1 & 2
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Georg Solti - conducting

These are gorgeous interpretations of Beethoven's first two symphonies.

I am a Solti admirer as you know Seán and I will most likely end up buying that set but I would never make a decision to buy on the basis of Beethoven 1 & 2....nos. 6 & 7 would sell a set to me as well as the final movement of 5 and the slow movement of 9

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:46 am

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:55 am

Paganini – Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, very ably played by Ilya Kaler....

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:55 am

Mahler Symphony # 7 Levine Chicago SO RCA

Shostakovich Symphony # 13 Babi Yar (in honor of its world premiere anniversary on 12/18/62)
Vitaly Gromadsky Bass, Kirill Kondrashin Moscow Philharmonic Russian Disc

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:06 am

Classical Christmas - Day 1

Handel - Overture to "Messiah" (Shaw/Telarc)
J.S. Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Ledger/EMI)

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:10 am

Jose, could you tell me what is the first track of that Christmas Oratorio?

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:42 am

Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Auger/Burmeister/Schreier/Adam: Deutschner Kreuzchor, Bachorchester der Dresdner Philharmonie: Cond: Martin Flamig

Honegger II & III: Stravinsky Concerto in D for String Orchestra

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:11 pm

Fergus wrote:Paganini – Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, very ably played by Ilya Kaler....

Any good Fergus? I have considered buying this disc in the past...

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:15 pm

Tchaikovsky

'Eugene Onegin' (Act 2 - Waltz) (Thomas Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

'The Nutcracker - Suite' (Thomas Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

Symphony No.1 'Winter Daydreams' (Michael Tilson Thomas, Boston Symphony Orchestra, DG) below

'Souvenir de Florence' (Borodin Quartet/Yury Yurov/Mikhail Milman, Teldec)

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:15 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:Paganini – Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, very ably played by Ilya Kaler....

Any good Fergus? I have considered buying this disc in the past...

I do not claim to be Fergus,

but I have highly enjoyed this recording, which challenges many bigger name performances for its charm, wit and virtuosity.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 4:35 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:Paganini – Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, very ably played by Ilya Kaler....

Any good Fergus? I have considered buying this disc in the past...

Absolutely Darren; I certainly would recommend it. I think that his playing is really very good and he really attacks the music where required

I basically echo the post above which puts the case better than I do

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 4:41 pm

M2 performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra/Sinopoli....

This was a strong and powerful performance from the orchestra and with the added wonderful vocals this is a welcome addition to my collection.

bricon · Post by **bricon** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:31 pm

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:54 pm

Tischenko Dante Symphonies # 3 and 4 (Inferno and Paradise) Alekseev St Petersburg Philharmonic Northern Flowers

Vaughan Williams Hodie LSO Hickox EMI

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:52 pm

Donaldopato wrote:
Seán wrote:
Donaldopato wrote:Schumann Symphony # 1 and 2
Bernstein NYP Sony.
You are gradually making your wa through that Bernstein box set Don.
That I am! And so much left to go...

I have not started yet, waiting for 2011 to start, mainly listening to Country, Folk, and Celtic music at the moment...the mornings are still dedicated to Early and Baroque Music of course...and a wonderful group called Lez Zeppelin, four girls who play the music as close as possible to the original, Produced by Jimi Hendrix's Producer, the Legendary Eddie Kramer no less...

http://www.lezzeppelin.com/

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:57 pm

Donaldopato wrote:Tischenko Dante Symphonies # 3 and 4 (Inferno and Paradise) Alekseev St Petersburg Philharmonic Northern Flowers

Tomorrow I am going to try and listen to the Entire Series of Dante Symphonies in one go, Lez Zeppelin are the warm up band...

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:40 am

Chalkperson wrote:...and a wonderful group called Lez Zeppelin, four girls who play the music as close as possible to the original....

They are certainly a lot easier on the eye than the original line-up that's for sure

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:41 am

JSB – The beautiful Cantata BWV132 for the Fourth Sunday of Advent....

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:18 am

Tchaikovsky - 'Swan Lake' (Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra, DG)

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:51 am

Renaissance Quartet - Robert White, Tenor
Top Hits C. 1420-1635 A.D.
Enoch Light Project 3 LP PR 7000

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:58 am

Fergus wrote:M2 performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra/Sinopoli....

This was a strong and powerful performance from the orchestra and with the added wonderful vocals this is a welcome addition to my collection.

Hmmm....one to consider then Fergus

I am always looking for comparison recordings of this work

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:54 am

bombasticDarren wrote: I am always looking for comparison recordings of this work

Aside from sets I do not know whether or not you have the following individual recordings:

Kaplan/LSO: Full of power and passion with a beautiful Urlicht.

Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch: A magnificent, hard-nosed account with no sentimentality at all.

Rattle/CBSO: A very fine, assertive version with beautiful vocals all around.

Walter/NY Phil: A performance with a house-shuddering finale; the best ending I have heard yet....a real WOW factor.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:55 am

Brahms – Serenades Nos. 1 & 2 played by the LSO/MTT....

These are the only versions that I have of these works but I really like these performances.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:20 am

Britten - 'Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge' (Iona Brown, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Virgin Classics) below

Mozart - Violin Sonatas No.20, No.21 & No.23 (Szymon Goldberg/Radu Lupu, London)

Stravinsky - 'Concerto in D for String Orchestra' & 'Four Etudes for Orchestra' (Igor Stravinsky, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Sony Classical)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:26 am

Fergus wrote:Aside from sets I do not know whether or not you have the following individual recordings:

Kaplan/LSO: Full of power and passion with a beautiful Urlicht.

Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch: A magnificent, hard-nosed account with no sentimentality at all.

Rattle/CBSO: A very fine, assertive version with beautiful vocals all around.

Walter/NY Phil: A performance with a house-shuddering finale; the best ending I have heard yet....a real WOW factor.

Well, let me tell you what I do have...

Abbado/VPO
Rattle/CBSO
Klemperer/Philharmonia
Bernstein/NYPO
Bertini/CRO
Haitink/RCO
Mehta/VPO
Tennstedt/LPO
Solti/LSO
Chailly/RCO
Walter/NYPO

I will admit that purchasing a Kaplan recording is tempting. I heard some great excerpts of Nott's Bamberg recording on R3 some time ago also. However, Zinman will inevitably be purchased after the new year

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:18 pm

Holst - Double Concerto, 'Two Songs without Words', 'Lyric Movement', 'Brook Green Suite', 'A Fugal Concerto' & 'St. Pauls' Suite' (Andrew Watkinson/Nicholas Ward/Stephen Tees/Duke Dobing/Christopher Hooker/Richard Hickox, City of London Sinfonia, Chandos)

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:54 pm

Classical Christmas - Day 2

Caldara - Sinfonia to the Christmas cantata "Vaticini di Pace" (Mallon/Naxos)
Charpentier - In Nativitatem D.N.J.C. Canticum (Christie/Harmonia mundi)
D'Aquin - Noels #10 & 12 (Bardon/Pierre Verany)
Anon. - Ther is no rose (Best/Nimbus)
Esterhazy - Puer natus in Betlehem (Nemeth/Hungaraton)
Telemann - Festive Suite in A (Francis/Helios)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:45 pm

Beethoven - 'Missa Solmnis' (Edda Moser/Hanna Schwarz/Rene Kollo/Kurt Moll/Leonard Bernstein, Hilversum Radio Chorus/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, DG)

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:56 pm

Chalkperson wrote:
Donaldopato wrote:Tischenko Dante Symphonies # 3 and 4 (Inferno and Paradise) Alekseev St Petersburg Philharmonic Northern Flowers
Tomorrow I am going to try and listen to the Entire Series of Dante Symphonies in one go, Lez Zeppelin are the warm up band...

Just 3 and 4 wore me out. I can not imagine the whole set of Dante Symphonies. I would need Lez Zeppelin and few drinks.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:10 pm

Brahms - 'Academic Festival Overture' & Serenade No.1 (Adrian Boult, London Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:17 pm

Fergus wrote:Brahms – Serenades Nos. 1 & 2 played by the LSO/MTT....

These are the only versions that I have of these works but I really like these performances.

They are wonderful, fun pieces aren't they Fergus?

I recommend the Boult recordings also if you fall into some cash after Christmas

(I have just ordered the Mackerras set

)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:23 pm

bombasticDarren wrote: Well, let me tell you what I do have...

Abbado/VPO
Rattle/CBSO
Klemperer/Philharmonia
Bernstein/NYPO
Bertini/CRO
Haitink/RCO
Mehta/VPO
Tennstedt/LPO
Solti/LSO
Chailly/RCO
Walter/NYPO

I will admit that purchasing a Kaplan recording is tempting. I heard some great excerpts of Nott's Bamberg recording on R3 some time ago also. However, Zinman will inevitably be purchased after the new year

You have done very well with your collection there Darren in a relatively short space of time

Kaplan would make a fine acquitition and would certainly add to your collection. I will be interested to see how you get on with the Zinman version when you eventually do get it.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:26 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

How does Lenny handle that work Darren? It seems like a work that would be suited to him.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:28 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

Thanks for the recommendation Darren....I see that the Alto Rhapsody is also on that set and I would be interested to hear that version also.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:29 pm

JS Bach – Organ Sonatas BWV 525-530 played by Christopher Wrench....

Since I first heard these works earlier this year I was captivated by them and these were really well played on a beautifully toned instrument.

val · Post by **val** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:56 am

CONRAD PAUMANN and the 15th century German keyboard school / Tasto Solo

A recent CD that gives a nice panorama of German keyboard music in the ARS NOVA.

The instruments used by the interpreters are: gothic organ and harp, organetto and the (new to me) clavisimbalum.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:20 am

Classical Christmas - Day 3

Coleridge-Taylor - A Christmas Overture from "Forest of Wild Thyme" (Sargent/Pearl)
Britten - St. Nicolas (Bedford/Collins)
Linde - Pensieri sopra un cantico vecchio (Hirokami/BIS)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:19 pm

Christmas Goes Baroque....

“Christmas Favourites in the style of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi”; this is wonderful stuff which I take out every Christmas to kick start my Festive Spirit

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