What are you listening to?

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:54 pm

Welcome, Rick!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:55 pm

Recorder & Lute/Guitar

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:55 am

Arcangelo Corelli, Violin Sonatas, Op. 5, as performed by Andrew Manze and Richard Egarr, on the Harmonia Mundi label--currently listening to disc 2. Beautiful music.

mourningstar · Post by **mourningstar** » Wed May 17, 2006 3:38 pm

This is my first post where i can actually post about classical music, well at this moment of time, i am listening to : Fransz List - Liebestraum

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Wed May 17, 2006 5:32 pm

Two great film scores for Hitchcock by Bernard Herrmann
Psycho and Vertigo
Varese Sarabande--Joel McNeely

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:39 am

Boulez
Le marteau sans maître
Ensemble Intercontemporain

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat May 20, 2006 5:32 am

Jacob Lateiner playing Beethoven Sonata No. 32 (LSC 3016)--wonderful perf.

<div align="right"><img src ="http://content.answers.com/main/content ... 3hs4ev.jpg">
Bruckner Symphony No. 9 Klemperer, 10/14/1934 (USA permiere)
Bach-Wood Toccata and Fugue in D minor Toscanini, 2/23/1936
Brahms Violin Concerto Heifetz/Toscanini, 2/24/1936 (great)
Sibelius En Saga Toscanini, 3/29/1936
This is an amazing set!</div>

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat May 20, 2006 7:13 pm

Prokofiev
Aleksandr Nevsky
Ancerl & Co.

Lark Ascending · Post by **Lark Ascending** » Sun May 21, 2006 8:17 am

A Naxos compilation of works by Percy Grainger entitled The Power of Love

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sun May 21, 2006 4:50 pm

Peter Abelard's Planctus David, Planctus Jephta, and O Quanta Qualia realized by the Studio der Fruhen Muisk.

PJME · Post by **PJME** » Sun May 21, 2006 5:07 pm

This set of cantatas is very beautiful - subtle, intimate,human.
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B ... 07-6499230

Do listen to the last movement from "Du aber Daniel gehe hin" ,
Schlaft wohl, ihr seligen Gebeine....(Sleep well, thou blessed bones..).I wouldn't mind if it was played at my funeral.

BradStark · Post by **BradStark** » Sun May 21, 2006 7:28 pm

karlhenning wrote:
My "normal listening" gets much curtailed when I am hot in pursuit of the closing double-bar of a piece of my own ... so I have been listening to a very-nearly-finished brass quintet (2 flugelhorns, horn, trombone, tuba) called Moonrise. Looks like it will run about 14 minutes, total.

(On the other hand, since I spend a goodish percentage of my time composing, maybe that's my "normal listening" ....)

I have the same problem--Composition takes up most of my listening time, but I listen to music whenever I possibly can.

Currently listening to:
Amy Beach, Piano Concerto Op. 45, Symphony in e minor Op. 32

I think she’s an unfairly neglected composer

Brad

PJME · Post by **PJME** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:31 pm

On a recent re-issue : RCA Red Seal - Classical library

opera & concert arias
Margaret Price
James Lockhard conducts the english Chamber Orch. and the London Philharmonic

Jef Maes ( Belgian composer(1905-1996) on a Naxos CD: symphony nr 2

As a student of the Antwerp composer and conductor Karel Candael - himself a student of Lodewijk Mortelmans and Jan Blockx, who in their turn studied under Peter Benoit - Jef Maes can be regarded as an ‘artistic great-grandchild’ of the pioneer of the Flemish Romantic movement. In this sense he is also a direct heir of the renowned Antwerp School, started by Peter Benoit. On a technical-compositional level he also follows the same course of Romanticism, not so much in the choice of genres, not with large scale cantatas on historical or poplar themes in his works but more in the twentieth century. He was certainly open to the new styles that were springing up everywhere. When asked to describe his style, he likes to call himself a ‘modern Romantic’, a nineteenth century poet in the body of a twentieth century orchestrator.

In 1922, the seventeen year old Maes enrolled as a student at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Music in his home city of Antwerp. Initially it was his friend and contemporary André Cluytens, who later took French nationality and became a well known conductor, who persuaded him to take this step. A few years later Maes was awarded the First Prize for viola and chamber music. His tutor for harmony, counterpoint and fugue was Karel Candael. As a solo viola-player he worked with the most important chamber music ensembles and symphony orchestras from his home town, and in this privileged position, he enhanced, his knowledge of orchestration. From the forties he gradually abandoned orchestral work in order to spend more time teaching. He kept in close touch, however, with the concert world of the city and this led him in 1955 to co-found the Antwerp Philharmonic, the predecessor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Mon May 22, 2006 4:11 pm

Welcome to the forum, Brad. We have a few composers here, Karl and Dave Stybr being amongst them. Kick your shoes off and set a spell. Post as much as you can - we always enjoy hearing about music from the professionals.

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Mon May 22, 2006 6:07 pm

Respighi--Ancient Airs and Dances, Suites 1-3, on the Naxos label.

Parts of this I like very much; some parts I'm not so enthusiastic about.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Mon May 22, 2006 6:38 pm

miranda wrote:Respighi--Ancient Airs and Dances, Suites 1-3, on the Naxos label.

Parts of this I like very much; some parts I'm not so enthusiastic about.

Music or playing?

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Tue May 23, 2006 2:13 am

Haydn's The Creation
Conductor: Mogens Woldike
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orchestra
Label: Vanguard Classics

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:49 am

Corlyss--it's the music. The performance is wonderful, and there are some truly beautiful parts on this cd. But some of it was just a little too perky for me.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:07 pm

A recording of the Santa Fe Women's Ensemble, celebrating their 25th anniversary, Music Is Our Joy, including mine own Alleluia in D.

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:10 pm

Carter - Dialogues for Piano & Orchestra, Boston Concerto

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:21 am

From Saturday, 20 MAY 2006 through Thursday, 26 MAY 2006, I listened to

10/10 Mozart: Idomeneo--Haroncourt, Chor und Mozartorchester des Opernhauses Zurich--3 CDs Warner Classics

10/10 Shostakovich: Sym 11 "1905"--Rostropovich, National Sym Orch (68:56)--Teldec

10/10 Bax: Solo Piano Music--Eric Parkin, piano--CD 3 of a 4 CD set

10/9 Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (1954 perf); Petrouchka (1953 perf)--Fricsay, cond., RIAS Orch, Berlin--DGG

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:03 am

What's the 10/10 refer to?

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Fri May 26, 2006 2:45 pm

</div>

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Sat May 27, 2006 2:57 pm

Haydn: The Creation - Helmut Rilling conducting
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 - Monteux, Vienna Philharmonic
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 - Solti, Chicago Symphony

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:59 pm

Szell & his Clevelanders doing Beethoven's 4 Fidelio Overtures.

Febnyc · Post by **Febnyc** » Sun May 28, 2006 7:28 pm

Richard Strauss - Eine Alpensinfonie - Concertgebouw/Haitink

Also the BPO/Karajan version.

One of my favorite works - and the Concertgebouw horns sound magnificent in the "At the Summit" section.

I've always wondered - Strauss uses almost the exact "summit" theme to depict the sunrise, early in the work. Now - did he run out of ideas? Or is he likening the rising of the sun to the view upon the climbers' acquisition of the mountain's summit? I assume it's some variant on the latter, because Strauss always had a new tune to roll out when the moment needed one.

Anyway, they're both great renditions of an oft-deprecated work, one which has always thrilled me in the listening.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Mon May 29, 2006 3:21 am

Febnyc wrote:Also the BPO/Karajan version.

My favorite. Sonic splendor.

I assume it's some variant on the latter, because Strauss always had a new tune to roll out when the moment needed one.

Similarly, he was into leitmotivs. [/quote]

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon May 29, 2006 6:09 am

Mahler, Symphony No. 3, Bernstein, New York Philharmonic.

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Tue May 30, 2006 8:06 pm

For the weekend, i.e., Friday 26 MAY 2006 through Monday, 29 MAY 2006, I listened to the following--

1) 10/10 Ives: Emerson Concerto; Sym 1--Alan Feinberg, pn., James Sinclair, cond., Natl Sym Orch of Ireland--NAXOS

2) 10/9 Schumann: Syms 1, 2--Knowitschny, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orch--CD 1 of 3 CD Berlin Classics set.

3) 10/10 Shostakovich: Hypothetically Murdered, orchestra suite, Op 31a, reconstructed by Gerald McBurney |4 Romances on poems by Pushkin for brass and chamber orch, Op 46 (1937) |5 Fragments, Op 42 (1935) |Suite for Jazz Band (1924)Mark Elder, cond. CBSO--Signum Classics. (see more in thread on Memorial Day weekend)

4) 10/6 Beethoven: Syms 2 & 7--Mengelberg, Concertgebouw Orch--from live recordings of 4/1940--Grammofono

5) 10/10 Bernstein: Mass--Bernstein, cond, pickup orch, Norman Scribner Choir, Berkshire Boy Choir, Alan Titus, baritone--2 CD Sony.

I haver owned the Bernstein Mass for some time; the others were recently purchased recordings.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:02 am

Carter
Piano Concerto
Oppens / SWF Symphony / Gielen

Ralph wrote:Mahler, Symphony No. 3, Bernstein, New York Philharmonic.

Any luck with the disc of a certain New Englander, O esteemed Dittersdorffian? :-)

hautbois · Post by **hautbois** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:28 pm

Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4 in G Major
(Mitsuko Uchida, piano)

Schubert Rosamunde Overture

Bach Double Concerto for violin and oboe BWV 1060
(Zinovi Kaplan, violin, Dudu Carmel, oboe)

Stravinsky's Pulcinella suite.

Zubin Mehta, Israeli Philharmonic.

What fine soloists and what a wonderful orchestra!

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:47 pm

I'm currently listening to Claude Le Jeune's Chansons, as sung--wonderfully--by the Ensemble Clément Janequin, on the Harmonia Mundi label.

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:49 pm

Corlyss_D wrote:What's the 10/10 refer to?

Classics Today gives ratings on a 10 point scale, the higher the number, the better. The first number is a shorthand performance rating, the second number is a rating for sound and general production values.

But these are MY ratings, not Classics Today's. I just adopted their rating format.

Brendan · Post by **Brendan** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:08 pm

Beethoven: 3rd piano concerto
Bliss: piano concerto

Solomon Cutner/Sir Adrian Boult BBC Symphony

Naxos remaster by Mark Obert-Thorn

I've had this recording on a 2nd-rate EMI remaster for some time, and longed to hear the music through the bad sound. Mark Obert-Thorn has done his usual superb job of digital remastering, bring the sound to life once more for this unapologetic Solomon nut. There is still some tape noise from this wartime recording, but the playing is so sublime one melts into it and forgets any sonic issues. At least, I did the first time I heard this.

I'm not familiar with the Bliss concerto, so enjoyed my first hearing.

ShostakovichListener · Post by **ShostakovichListener** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:15 pm

I like to listen to "The Nose" by Shostakovich.

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:01 am

Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, 30 May-1 June 2006, I listened to the following:

10/10 Lou Harrison: Suite from the ballet "Solstice" |Canticle #3 |Ariadne for flute and percussion |A Summerfield Set for solo piano--Nohema Fernandez, piano & celesta, William Winant, percussion, Leta Miller, flute & ocarina, Dennis russel Davies, cond.--MHS

10/9 Schumann: Syms 3, 4--Konwitxchny, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orch--CD of a 3 CD Berlin Classics set

10/10 Bax: Solo Piano Music (13 pieces)--Eric Parkin, piano--CD 4 of a 4 CD MHS set, lic from Chandos

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:54 am

Brahms op 51 string quartets

Boulez Pli Selon Pli

Carter ASKO Concerto

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:28 pm

Beethoven: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 - Brendel, Rattle, Vienna Philharmonic
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 - Solti, Chicago Symphony

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:36 pm

Since my last post, I have listened to several CDs, ending today, Sunday 4 JUN 2006:

1 10/10 Mozart: Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail--Harnoncourt, Chor und Mozartorchester des Opernhauses Zurich--CDs 8 & 9 of a 9 CD set of Mozart operas from Warner Classics. This is one of the best performances in the Warner Classics Mozart opera series.

2 10/10 Mahler: Pieere Boulez cond Wiener Phil in Songs of a Wayfarer (Thomas Quasthoff); 5 Ruckert Lieder (Violetta Urmana); and Kindertotenlieder (Anne Sofie von Otter)--DGG

3 10/10 Shostakovich: Sym 13 "Babi Yar"--Rostropovich, National Sym Orch, various other artists. This is one of the best performances in the Rosty set--CD 10 of a 12 CD Teldec set.

4 10/9 Stravinsky: Petrouchka--Oscar Danon, cond. Royal Phil (1962 perf) |Le Sacre du Printemps--Leibowitz, cond, London Festival Orch.(1960 perf)--Chesky

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:38 pm

Not to be missed:

AntonioA · Post by **AntonioA** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:29 pm

Now playing:

Les Contes d´Hoffman conducted by Cluytens (his first one with Jobin), one my favorite opera recordings ever.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:39 pm

C.P.E. Bach: Sinfonia no.2 in Eb Major

I'm in a rambunctious mood this evening!

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:20 pm

Verdi, Falstaff (Welser Most / The Cleveland Orchestra).

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:50 pm

Vienna Recital--Yundi Li (DG B0006090-02GH) The program sonsists of two sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti (E major, K. 380 and G major, K. 13), Mozart's Sonata in C major, K. 330, Schumann's Carnaval, Op. 9 and Liszt's Rhapsodie espagnole, S. 254

I really like this disc. The Scarlatti works are played with lightness and felicity. Extremely clear articulation without sounding at all percussive. The notes do not sound clipped and flow naturally. The little march tune in the E major is quite fetching.

Li has a wonderful touch in Mozart as well. The overall sound is light, but phrases emerge unforced with clarity.

Li's approach to Carnaval seems to emphasize he character of each of the individual numbers and I do not hear an attempt to find a grand architectural scheme. Be that as it may, this is one of the finest recordings of Carnaval I've heard.

The Liszt is also fine. I wasn't familiar with this piece, and Li's reading combines poetry and fireworks. THere is a theme in this work that Mahler used in the Finale of the Third Symphony, nicely turned here.

Some have commented that they thought Li more a technician than a musician, but in ways he reminds me of Krystian Zimerman--in his attention to detail and balance, his combination of technical brilliance and musicianship and perhaps most of all in the way he makes music sound fresh.

Excellent sound. The performances are not recorded live in recital, an impression one might get from the disc's title.
John

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:32 pm

Britten/Walton violin concs with Ida Haendel.... what an artist!

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 2:07 am

Since my last posting, I haven't listened to much music. A couple days I didn't listen at all, one day I listened to only one short 15 minute piece. But here is the sum total of what I listened to through Sunday, 11 JUN 2006:

1) 10/10 Shostakovich: Sym 13--Rostropovich, Members if the Academic Sym Orch of Moscow, Galina Vishnevskaya, sop, Mark Reshetin, bass--Teldec

2) 9/10 Arnold: Syms 1, 2--Andrew Penny, cond National Sym Orch of Ireland.--NAXOS

3) 9/9 Mozart: Clarinet Trio, K 381 (13:01) |Hovhannes: Lake Samish (17:08 ) |Frescobaldi: Canzoni a due Canti (8:28 ) |Pasatieri: Theaterpieces (14:04) | Bartok: Contrasts (17:18 )--Verdehr Trio--Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, clarinet; Walter Verdehr, violin; Gary Kirkpatrick, piano--Crystal

4) 10/9 Buxtehude: Sonatas, Bux WV 252-258 (6)--John Holoway, violin; Jaap ter Linden, viola da gamba; Lars Ulrik Mortensen, cembalo--NAXOS. Fine performances, too closely miked.

david johnson · Post by **david johnson** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:08 am

beethoven/pno sonata 14/kempf

dj

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 9:08 am

currently playing: Sonatas by Francesco Maria Veracini, performed by John Holloway (violin), Jaap ter Linden (violoncello), and Lars Ulrik Mortensen (harpsichord), on the ECM label.

Next up is Jordi Savall's double cd set of Mr. de Sainte Colombe Le Fils, Pieces de Viole: Les Six Suittes pour Basse de Viole seule, on his own Alia Vox label.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:53 pm

I've started the four-disc set of Prokoviev symphonies with the London S.O. conducted by Gergiev. So far, just the first and fourth (revised) symphonies. There's also a performance of the original fourth that I'll get to tomorrow.

GREAT PERFORMANCES!!!

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 1:03 am

Yesterday and today, Tues., 13 JUNE 2006, I listed to the following:

1) 10/10 Mahler: Sym 1--Haitink, RCOA--Philips

2) 9/10 Shostakovich: Sym 15--Rostropovich, LSO--Teldec. Superb performances of the first 3 movements, falls below the highest standard in the last movement. In that, no one is better than the composer's son, Maxim. So, now, I have listened to the whole Rosty set. I would say that among the better performances are all 4 of the symphonies involving the human voice--2, 3, 13, & 14. He also does well with 1, 4, 8, & 9. He does about as much for 12 as there is to be done. I think his weakest performance is the 7th, especially the first movement; doesn't have anywhere near the presence or dynamism or sheer horror of Ancerl or either of the Bernsteiin accounts.

3) 10/10 Arnold: Sym 3, 4--Penny, National Sym Orch of Ireland--NAXOS

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