What I listened to today

[Rach3]

Young violin phenom Johan Dolene plays the Korngold Concerto live today, Mar.12, with the Liverpool Phil. in Liverpool:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wys8

I have found Dolene usually up to his billing , and is here. One of my fav VC's.BBC sound not the best, but ticket price reasonable.

[jserraglio]

Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 by Tchaikovsky. Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Recorded in 1944. Transfer from the original Victor Red Seal 78 set DM-1057 by Bob Varney.

Stream at https://archive.org/details/SymphonyNo.5_201905

My favorite 5th.

[jserraglio]

Ethel Smyth: Serenade in D Major / Concerto for Violin, Horn and Orchestra



Stream . . . https://archive.org/download/cd_smyth-s ... la_vbr.m3u

[Rach3]

For pianophiles, a couple easy listening , but very interesting , programs by young pianists. The de Falla and Scriabin works among my favs period, although neither heard live often:

From BBC Radio 3:


" Sara Mohr-Pietsch introduces the second concert in the series this week featuring award-winning young Spanish pianist Juan Pérez Floristán celebrates the sounds and influences of Spain in music by Ravel, Debussy, de Falla and Liszt.Recorded last month at LSO St Luke's in London."

de Falla: Fantasía bética

Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte

Debussy:
La soirée dans Grenade
La sérénade interrompue
La puerta del vino

Turina: Orgía from ‘Danzas fantásticas’

Liszt: Spanish Rhapsody

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001v1mc


----------------

From WQXR Nina Simone Piano Competition winners:

Rachmaninoff: Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5
- Kayden Kelly, piano

Dett: Cinnamon Grove, II. Adagio cantabile
- Joshua Mhoon, piano

Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36, II. Non allegro - Lento & III. Allegro molto
- Joshua Mhoon, piano

Gershwin (arr. Wilde): Embraceable You
- Joshua Mhoon, piano

Bach (Arr. hess): "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" BWV 147
- Clayton Stephenson, piano

Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, Op. 30
- Clayton Stephenson, piano

Tatum: Tea for Two
- Clayton Stephenson, piano

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6
- Clayton Stephenson, piano

Liszt: Liszt Transcendental Étude No. 7 in E-flat major, "Eroica"
- Kayden Kelly, piano

https://www.wqxr.org/story/nina-simone- ... n-winners/

[jserraglio]

Dvorak’s Rusalka Chalabala/Prague National Theatre 1963

[Febnyc]

Have all the others, but needed the Op.17 to complete the Haydn Quartets. I picked up this two-disc set about a month ago and just today listened to the six of them.

These performances seem awfully good all around - and the slow movements are done so nicely.

[Lance]

Now you know why I speak so highly of Koussevitzky. There really should be an "edition" on this conductor. Parenthetically, his Sibelius 2nd Symphony (1951) became a favorite; the early 1930s one was good, too, but 1951 - we hear a master at work.

Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 by Tchaikovsky. Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Recorded in 1944. Transfer from the original Victor Red Seal 78 set DM-1057 by Bob Varney.

Stream at https://archive.org/details/SymphonyNo.5_201905

My favorite 5th.

[Lance]

Stunning artwork. Rusalka - one of my faves, too. You have quite the collection of operas!

Dvorak’s Rusalka Chalabala/Prague National Theatre 1963

[jserraglio]

Stunning artwork. Rusalka - one of my faves, too. You have quite the collection of operas!

Dvorak’s Rusalka Chalabala/Prague National Theatre 1963

I have this performance on LP, CD and DD.

[jserraglio]

Carnegie Hall Live
Vienna Philharmonic
Franz Welser-Most

G. MAHLER: Symphony No. 9

This concert was broadcast live on Sunday, March 3rd, 2024 at 2pm.

Conductor Franz Welser-Möst calls Symphony No. 9—Mahler’s final completed symphony—“the strongest, most impactful farewell ever written in music.” The Vienna Philharmonic has an incomparable history with this transcendent work, and to hear the ensemble play it in an acoustically superior concert hall is an essential experience for music lovers. Even for Welser-Möst, to perform it with the philharmonic is “a very special experience.”

Streaming here. https://www.wnyc.org/widgets/ondemand_p ... 9/&share=1

[Rach3]

Solo piano music of Colombian composer Pedro Morales Pino (1863 - 1926 ), when in the mood for something a little lighter.He had a tough life.Claudia Calderón , pianist. All new to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbJsOI8jN00 (Audio with scores, 40 mins.)

[Rach3]

Solo piano music of Colombian composer Pedro Morales Pino (1863 - 1926 ), when in the mood for something a little lighter.He had a tough life.Claudia Calderón , pianist. All new to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbJsOI8jN00 (Audio with scores, 40 mins.)

And another Colombian, Luis Calvo ( 1882-1925) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2Xx52kHVTQ (Audio with scores, 20mins.)

[jserraglio]

Three masses by Adrian Willaert (1490–1562) by Dionysos Now!, all three made available free by the artists for streaming or download.

https://www.evilpenguin.eu/dionysosnow

[jserraglio]

Music In Catalonia 1968 Hispavox CD 1994 {Coleccion de Musica Antigua Espagnola vol. 3} available in a good CD transfer at https://archive.org/details/lp_la-music ... nta-cruz-d

[Febnyc]

Music In Catalonia 1968 Hispavox CD 1994 {Coleccion de Musica Antigua Espagnola vol. 3} available in a good CD transfer at https://archive.org/details/lp_la-music ... nta-cruz-d

Very nice, thanks. Not my usual cup of tea but I'm wondering if there's a CD? Initial searches come up empty.

[jserraglio]

I'm wondering if there's a CD?

Yes, on I.A. there is a 1994 Hispavox reissue on CD of that LP in lossless with full artwork.
Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/am-cdmae-lmeches14

https://archive.org/compress/am-cdmae-l ... ches14.zip

[Febnyc]

Ok - but can't find any for sale. I don't do streaming at all.

[jserraglio]

Ok - but can't find any for sale. I don't do streaming at all.

It's also downloadable. https://archive.org/compress/am-cdmae-l ... ches14.zip

[Febnyc]

Not as overtly Greek folkloric as, say, the piano works of Hadjidakis - nevertheless interesting and engaging.

[Rach3]

Not as overtly Greek folkloric as, say, the piano works of Hadjidakis - nevertheless interesting and engaging.

Many thanks for this, my first hearings of the composer and works.Agree with your assessment.After first hearing, my strongest connections were with the Ballade No.1, Five Preludes, and Nocturne.I will re-hear all. The children's pieces were a delight. At YT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph25rmh ... 9D&index=1

[Febnyc]

Recorded in 1961/1962, the sound is brilliant.

I have to say that the third (andante) movement from Bruch's Scottish Fantasy, as performed here by Heifetz, is exquisite. Not much comes near it in lyricism, power and emotion.

[Belle]

Three years from today it will be 200 years since Beethoven died! Listen to this as a reflection of how we'll hurtle towards that date:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XFMZs_7nOA

[Rach3]

An uncommonly more lyrical, less dark, less pessimistic Beethoven " Appassionata" Sonata played live by the 2021 Leeds Competition winner:

From BBC: "Kazakhstani pianist Alim Beisembayev performs Beethoven's majestic 'Appassionata' alongside the composer's late sonatas for the piano and music by Scriabin as part of the Barber Lunchtime Concert Series from Birmingham. Presented by Andrew McGregor from the Elgar Concert Hall."

BEETHOVEN Sonata no. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110
SCRIABIN 4 Preludes Op. 22
BEETHOVEN Sonata no. 23 in F minor ‘Appassionata’, Op. 57

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xf1r

[Febnyc]

One of two recorded symphonies written (1920s and 1930s) by the Austrian composer Marcel Tyberg (1893-1944).

Tyberg was murdered by the Nazis - perishing in Auschwitz - and therefore his musical output was rather limited. When arrest was imminent, Tyberg entrusted his scores to an Italian physician. It's a haunting story, and unfortunately not entirely unique. Anyway, Maestro JoAnn Falletta came upon the manuscripts from the physician's son and via the Naxos label has championed his 2nd and 3rd Symphonies, and she committed them to CD about 15 years ago - each paired with other works by Tyberg.

The symphonies are broad quasi-Mahlerian structures, set in the late-romantic idiom. I listen very often and, because of their total anonymity, they never fail to highlight what beautiful music lies unheard and unrecognized.

[Rach3]

One of two recorded symphonies written (1920s and 1930s) by the Austrian composer Marcel Tyberg (1893-1944).

Once again, many thanks for these works and composer, my first knowledge, hearings all today. Will re-hear all tomorrow.

I would encourage all CMG'ers to have a listen.The 3rd Symphony,2nd piano Sonata,and Piano Trio are wonderful, the slow movs. of the Symphony and Sonata especially, and the Trio was, for me, the most successful of all 3, the one of the three I may acquire in 320kbps mp3 format after re-hearings. Late Romanticism to be sure, but for me more "disciplined" than much of Mahler and Bruckner, if more " earth bound" than those two.

Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyLL7jS ... 2b&index=1

[Febnyc]

Once again, many thanks for these works and composer, my first knowledge, hearings all today. Will re-hear all tomorrow.

I would encourage all CMG'ers to have a listen.The 3rd Symphony,2nd piano Sonata,and Piano Trio are wonderful, the slow movs. of the Symphony and Sonata especially, and the Trio was, for me, the most successful of all 3, the one of the three I may acquire in 320kbps mp3 format after re-hearings. Late Romanticism to be sure, but for me more "disciplined" than much of Mahler and Bruckner, if more " earth bound" than those two.

Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyLL7jS ... 2b&index=1

You're very welcome. And thanks for the kind response - glad you think well of this composer.

[Rach3]

One of two recorded symphonies written (1920s and 1930s) by the Austrian composer Marcel Tyberg (1893-1944).

Once again, many thanks for these works and composer, my first knowledge, hearings all today. Will re-hear all tomorrow.

After re-hearings of all , the Piano Trio is definitely a " keeper."

[maestrob]

One of two recorded symphonies written (1920s and 1930s) by the Austrian composer Marcel Tyberg (1893-1944).

Tyberg was murdered by the Nazis - perishing in Auschwitz - and therefore his musical output was rather limited. When arrest was imminent, Tyberg entrusted his scores to an Italian physician. It's a haunting story, and unfortunately not entirely unique. Anyway, Maestro JoAnn Falletta came upon the manuscripts from the physician's son and via the Naxos label has championed his 2nd and 3rd Symphonies, and she committed them to CD about 15 years ago - each paired with other works by Tyberg.

The symphonies are broad quasi-Mahlerian structures, set in the late-romantic idiom. I listen very often and, because of their total anonymity, they never fail to highlight what beautiful music lies unheard and unrecognized.

Sounds interesting. I'll be hearing these soon. Thanks!

[Febnyc]

One of two recorded symphonies written (1920s and 1930s) by the Austrian composer Marcel Tyberg (1893-1944).

Tyberg was murdered by the Nazis - perishing in Auschwitz - and therefore his musical output was rather limited. When arrest was imminent, Tyberg entrusted his scores to an Italian physician. It's a haunting story, and unfortunately not entirely unique. Anyway, Maestro JoAnn Falletta came upon the manuscripts from the physician's son and via the Naxos label has championed his 2nd and 3rd Symphonies, and she committed them to CD about 15 years ago - each paired with other works by Tyberg.

The symphonies are broad quasi-Mahlerian structures, set in the late-romantic idiom. I listen very often and, because of their total anonymity, they never fail to highlight what beautiful music lies unheard and unrecognized.

Sounds interesting. I'll be hearing these soon. Thanks!

Perhaps we are the forefront of a Tyberg renaissance!

When his Piano Trio is performed at a Lincoln Center matinee, we know we've done it.

[Rach3]

Gabriel Faure’s last work, his String Quartet in E minor,Op.121, Hermes Quartet,live Dec.10,2023 in Turin :

https://auvio.rtbf.be/media/concert-con ... 3h-3175492 (Audio only, at about 21:00 in )

Per Wiki: “ The String Quartet in E minor, Op. 121, is the only string quartet by Gabriel Fauré. Completed in 1924 shortly before his death at the age of 79, it is his last composition.

His pupil Maurice Ravel had dedicated his String Quartet to Fauré in 1903, and he and others urged Fauré to compose one of his own; he declined, on the grounds that it was too difficult. When he finally decided to write it, he did so in trepidation.

The quartet is in three movements, the last movement combining the functions of scherzo and finale. The work has been described as an intimate meditation on the last things, and "an extraordinary work by any standards, ethereal and other-worldly with themes that seem constantly to be drawn skywards."

[Febnyc]

Paul Chihara (b.1938) is an American composer.

This is an interesting CD which features a musical polyglot of a piano concerto as its headliner. It was composed as a sort of salute to Viet Nam, past and present. I don't know how to pin it down, but there are some awfully lovely lyrical passages in it. I just found it fascinating.

The solo piano pieces are worthwhile - especially the Four Reveries on Beethoven. Each Reverie relates to and is, in a way, an adaptation of one of LvB's piano sonatas.

They are titled:
1. Rag 109 - from the No. 30 Opus 109 sonata;
2. Pastorale - from the No. 15 "Pastoral" of course;
3. Storm - based on No. 17 "Tempest"; and
3. Sayonara - you guessed it - from No. 26 "Les Adieux"

They're in good fun if not taken as serious stuff.

[jserraglio]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Passion Oratorio (BWV Anh 169) (reconstruction: Alexander Grychtolik)



https://classicalmusicinconcert.blogspo ... o.html?m=1

We know that Bach has composed a St Mark Passion. Unfortunately only the text has been preserved. Several attempts have been made to reconstruct this work, for instance by Alexander Grychtolik. Recently he has devoted himself to another piece which has not survived. However, in this case the music may not even have existed. That is to say: a libretto - in the style of the Brockes-Passion - by Picander has been preserved, which Bach may have intended to set for a performance in 1725. It seems that the text did not pass censorship, and Bach was forced to perform his St John Passion instead, like in 1724. In order to prevent a repetition - which at the time was usually avoided - he made some changes. Grychtolik has tried to 'revive', as it were, a work that Bach has probably not written, by selecting music from other works. In some cases there are strong similarities between texts from Picander's libretto and texts Bach did set. The whole background of this reconstruction is too complicated to summarize here, but I have included the booklet of the CD recording which has just been released. This live performance gives the opportunity to get to know this work, and decide whether it is worth to purchase the commercial recording.

[Rach3]

Paul Chihara (b.1938) is an American composer.

This is an interesting CD which features a musical polyglot of a piano concerto as its headliner.

Entire cd here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-L5jxMgEeQ

As you say, interesting polyglot,glad I heard, but probably a one-hear for me.

[Belle]

Bach: "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, You Hearts), BWV 66.3. Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and the exuberant Ton Koopman. Have seen him with this group in Vienna. Absolute magic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-lKb3bVizM

It's my dream job; keyboard continuo in such a group (should there be another life, or 'go around', using the parlance of aviation).

[jserraglio]

Arthur Bliss: Concerto for Piano & Orchestra I: Allegro con brio ~ II: Adagietto ~ III: Andante maestoso - Molto vivace

Solomon Cutner, piano - Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult 12-13 January 1943 - Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool (HMV C.3348-52)

[Rach3]

Mitsuko Uchida plays Schubert's 4 Impromptus,D.899 live at Wigmore Hall in 2021,starts at about 2 hours into the broadcast ( GMT 15:04 ):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xnjr

[Rach3]

Mitsuko Uchida plays Schubert's 4 Impromptus,D.899 live at Wigmore Hall in 2021,starts at about 2 hours into the broadcast ( GMT 15:04 ):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xnjr

And Lalo's Cello Concerto, which I enjoy much more than his famous "Symphonie" violin work, here cellist Sol Gabetta live in Montreux,2023,with ORF/Franck:

https://auvio.rtbf.be/media/concert-con ... 0h-3176282

[Febnyc]

Brilliant - just the ticket for a mostly dreary day!

[Febnyc]

Igor Raykhelson was born in 1961 in Leningrad, moved to New York City at age 18. I think he may now have relocated back to Moscow - not sure.

The Toccata label, led by the pioneering Martin Anderson, is one of my go-to sources for new repertoire and new (to me, anyway) composers. They've dedicated presently five discs to Raykhelson. I've enjoyed them all - touches of jazz, lots of contemporary romanticism, concertos, orchestral works, chamber music. Not quite as "upbeat" as, say Kapustin, but the sort-of fusion style permeates. Yuri Bashmet, Boris Berezovsky, et al are featured on the CDs. I would recommend the Toccata discs, except:

The last disc issued in the Toccata series opens with what I consider an un-listenable Piano Trio. I wondered why this entertaining composer had to go so far off the deep end. Was it a natural tendency - a la some other composers - to become more dissonant and spaced-out as he matured? All I know is that my wife called up to me and asked, "Is that music you're playing?"

The rest of the CD - some piano pieces, mercifully short - is better. The Piano Quartet - Homage to Robert Schumann - is very good. I hope he got that Trio out of his system and future recordings will keep my wife from closing the doors!

[Belle]

Olivier Latry playing Franck's First and Second Chorales on the beautiful Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ of Notre Dame. The organ works of Franck are not terribly well known to me.

I'm unsure of the present condition of the organ following the restoration of the cathedral, but I do hope to hear that Latry is behind the console again soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmN0I8W40gw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt2bcGBxtHg

Here is the Third Chorale by Franck and I actually have a recording of that from Stephansdom, Passau: it's the one of these three Chorales that I prefer. Half way through it you can actually detect sections of Franck's Symphony in D!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgK3t1o0xZQ

If any of you have been to an organ recital from Latry in Notre Dame you'll know how moving it can be. Off the charts is how I'd actually describe that.

Here is Latry at the central console of the large new organ in Stephansdom, Vienna. (I can hear it calling me!)

[Rach3]

I must "confess" probably my first Bruckner 5th Symphony today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IPqiq7nTgs John Storgards,SWR Symphony,live video, 2021 in Stuttgart.

Previously, the only Bruckner symphony I listened to, had a recording of, was the 7th, but found even that one taxing.I was thus pleasantly surprised to discover the 5th, even though longer, was more enjoyable, more coherent, more cohesive for me, with some decent momentum.

Not sure I'd want a recording as the work will not be an often listen, but any recommendations ? TIA.

[Febnyc]

I must "confess" probably my first Bruckner 5th Symphony today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IPqiq7nTgs John Storgards,SWR Symphony,live video, 2021 in Stuttgart.

Previously, the only Bruckner symphony I listened to, had a recording of, was the 7th, but found even that one taxing.I was thus pleasantly surprised to discover the 5th, even though longer, was more enjoyable, more coherent, more cohesive for me, with some decent momentum.

Not sure I'd want a recording as the work will not be an often listen, but any recommendations ? TIA.

I'm sort of neutral vis-à-vis Bruckner and I think of the old wives' tale that he wrote one symphony nine times. Exaggerated, of course, but understandable for me. I do listen, however, when I'm in the mood for that "big" symphonic sound which tests my speakers.

Anyway - my favorite Fifth is Jochum with the Concertgebouw (on Philips label).

[Febnyc]

British composer Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960) mainly wrote songs and choral works. This CD of a batch of his string quartets really makes for delightful listening.

The quartets are very much in the early-20th Century English pastoral vein. The slow and mostly-slow movements tend to the lugubrious and idyllic. There are tinges of Vaughan Williams; as a matter of fact, one short work included here was written by Gibbs in honor of VW's 70th birthday.

[Rach3]

Anyway - my favorite Fifth is Jochum with the Concertgebouw (on Philips label).

I should get a medal for hearing two Bruckner symphonies in one day, let alone the same one, but I agree the Jochum /RCO is great, if this 1964 from YT is your fav:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J4IDfajZHw

All the positive features of the Storgards amplified even more.IF I get a recording, it would be the Jochum.Bruckner's 7th pales in comparison to the 5th.

[Febnyc]

I should get a medal for hearing two Bruckner symphonies in one day, let alone the same one, but I agree the Jochum /RCO is great, if this 1964 from YT is your fav:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J4IDfajZHw

That, indeed, is the performance I have on the Philips CD.

And, duly bestowed for valor in the face of overwhelming symphonic assault:

[Lance]

I know not Raykhelson's work at all - or yet, anyway. When I looked at the Toccata CD photo, I noted the name Konstantin Lifschitz as the pianist. I was quite taken with his pianistic work on the Signum Udagawa disc mentioned on another thread. As for the last paragraph of your post, I, too, have encountered those words from my own Mrs.! But the doors open much more frequently (just happened with an Alkan disc on Ligia, Laurent Martin, piano): "can I have a copy of that?!?"

Igor Raykhelson was born in 1961 in Leningrad, moved to New York City at age 18. I think he may now have relocated back to Moscow - not sure.
[partially truncated quote]
The last disc issued in the Toccata series opens with what I consider an un-listenable Piano Trio. I wondered why this entertaining composer had to go so far off the deep end. Was it a natural tendency - a la some other composers - to become more dissonant and spaced-out as he matured? All I know is that my wife called up to me and asked, "Is that music you're playing?"

[jserraglio]

Giulini-Philh Orch - Tchaikovsky 6 1959 EMI-Seraphim LP



Still one of the best.

[jserraglio]

Elbphilharmonie LIVE | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fP-rET0kFI&t=98s Bach: Matthäus-Passion mit dem Freiburger Barockorchester (2023)

[Febnyc]

Those of us who like the music of Ottorino Respighi probably find ourselves listening to his popular and evergreen tone poems - Pines of Rome, Fountains of Rome, Roman Festivals.

This CD shows a different side of the composer - with one orchestral work which is for smaller forces and more "intimate" subjects - and two violin concertos (although one is not officially titled as such). These really are wonderful examples of the other side of Respighi and the violinist makes some awfully beautiful sounds.

[Lance]

I'm with you as being "neutral" with Bruckner. He doesn't get a lot of listening by me though I have all the symphonies and many individual ones. Nos. 5 and 7 get the most play when I am in the mood. Many great conductors have shown interest in Bruckner: Szell, Walter, Kubelik, Furtwangler, Bohm, Jochum, C. Abbado, Barenboim, Kempe, Steinberg, Schuricht, Giulini, Mravinsky, Ormandy, Rosbaud, Knappertsbusch, Karajan, Koussevitzky, Barbirolli, etc., etc., et al. And yet we don't hear Bruckner very often in live concerts (except perhaps in Europe). Apparently Bruckner isn't a great audience pleaser or much of a money-maker. Hence: we always have recordings! Thus, we are blessed!

I'm sort of neutral vis-à-vis Bruckner and I think of the old wives' tale that he wrote one symphony nine times. Exaggerated, of course, but understandable for me. I do listen, however, when I'm in the mood for that "big" symphonic sound which tests my speakers.
Anyway - my favorite Fifth is Jochum with the Concertgebouw (on Philips label).