What are you listening to?

[walboi]

The works from Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst

Paganini in disguise, this composer spills the passion of the violin over you, like Paganini his Arpeggios, if you don't watch out.
No really, tis very nice, to take in, what is afterall delightful music, very well played by the great violinist Ilya Grubert.
Harry

[jserraglio]

Leonard Bernstein, Candide. Marin Alsop/NYPhil

sizzling score - entertaining adaptation on DVD

[maskedman]

[quote="karlhenning"]That [b]Dorati Bartók [/b]box is very nice, [b]Gabe[/b]![/quote]

Gabe,

Its been very very cold here as of late.....This piece helped warm me up....I like the DSO's BARTOK,as well as their STRAVINSKY...

rOBERT

[maskedman]

EGON WELLESZ

Symphonies 4, 6 & 7

Gottfried Rabl

Radio Symphonieorchester Wien

a fabulous disc...

[BWV 1080]

Elliott Carter - Duo for Violin and Piano (Arditti / Oppens)

[davidb]

Volume 33 of the wonderful series from Japan on BIS

[jserraglio]

The Cleveland Orchestra's first commercial recording, Jan 1924, on Brunswick 540047, courtesy of Bill Anderson at rec.music.classical.recordings who did the transcription:

Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture (Abridged to fit on one 12" record), Nikolai Sokoloff, conductor.

It sounds pretty good for an acoustic.

[moldyoldie]

On a virgin voyage with...

Disc #1 & 2 of 4
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 "Classical"; Symphony No. 4 (revised 1947 version); Symphony No. 2; Symphony No. 3
London Symphony Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, cond.
Philips

Other than the popular First and Fifth, I'm totally unfamiliar with the symphonies of Prokofiev. This won a 2006 Record of the Year award from a prominent critical mag. (Britain's Gramophone magazine?)

Yes, it was the Gramophone!
And it is good, apart from a few quibbles. The breathing from Gergiev, very audible, the recording venue, not the best, and the sluggish performance of the first Symphony, the first two movements. Apart from that, GREAT set!
Harry

These discs have been in my cart at BMG for sometime. I understand the breathing is a big distraction....enough to put me off...

Well its a bit of a nuisance

So that's what those noises were! I didn't know if it was breathing, harrumphing, or someone passing gas. A nuisance? Yes, especially on the pianissimos, but nothing more. It's not all-pervasive and not as bad as hearing the likes of Barbirolli and Barenboim groaning or Colin Davis humming along with the music, which is even more distracting, in my opinion.

I also agree with Walboi about the sluggishness of the First; it's not nearly as well-performed and affecting as my Previn/LAPO. However, I had no problem with the acoustic. Yes, it's dry and mastered at a low level, but cranking up the volume gave me all the orchestral presence I could wish for. It's close, not spacious. (Obviously, right? )

Of these four works, my own clear favorite is the Second, which has suffered from long decades of bad press, but which I find vital, strikingly original, and very well shaped.

I hope Gergiev does it justice!

Agreed! Hearing it for the first time, it's a powerful and original piece, and I believe Gergiev and the Londoners did it full justice.

Currently listening to...


Haydn: The Paris Symphonies Nos. 82 - 87
Orchestra of the 18th Century
Frans Brüggen, cond.
Philips

If you like HIP, it's as fine as any. However, this is one of the very few albums for which I'm forced to adjust tone; i.e., cut the upper highs and boost the lower midrange and bass. The stridency of the strings hits you like a rock, at least it does me!

[johnshade]

I like this production and the music I am beginning to appreciate even more.

[hautbois]

BEETHOVEN. Wind Octet op.103
Septet op.20. Rondino

Amphion Bläseroktett (on historical instruments)

Rhythmic clarity, contrasts of colors, excellent repertoire, FRESH!
BE WARNED, if one does not wish to fall down the pit of permanent "HIPness", DO NOT PLAY THIS CD! Young Beethoven at his best!

[piston]

Schuman, William: Symphony no.3 in one movement (1941), Bernstein, N.Y. Phil. Orch., October 1960, Columbia LP (re-issued as a SONY CD). Rod Barnett considers this Bernstein recording of the third symphony superior in dynamism and mood creation to his second recording for DG. http://www.musicweb-international.com/c ... known.html I have yet to compare it with the Schwarz recording.

Schuman, William: A Song for Orpheus, 'cello and orchestra, G. Szell, Cleveland Symph. Orch., Leonard Rose, 'cello.

[maskedman]

Messiaen

Turangalia Symphonie

Chailly RCO


AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH I needed that.....

[Wallingford]

My favorite pianist, Robert Casadesus, doing his complete recorded Chopin: the Ballades (1950), and the Sonata #2 ('46) & #3 ('64).

[moldyoldie]

This morning, while waiting for an anticipated six to eight inches of lake effect snow (the amount varies by report), it's been...



Haydn: Symphony No. 103 "Drum Roll"; Symphony No. 95; Symphony No. 104 "London"
Collegium Musicum 90
Richard Hickox, cond.
Chandos

These are very refined HIP performances beautifully recorded in a glowing acoustic. Nothing startling or original here, just great ensemble playing in great sound. This has to be the finest HIP performance of No. 104 I've yet heard.

Roy Harris: Symphony No. 3
William Schuman: Symphony No. 3
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, cond.
Deutsche Grammophon

As suggested and advised by others here. Not quite reminiscent of Copland, but nonetheless dramatic and evocative. I don't return to these very often, but they seem so musically emblematic of post-Depression 20th Century America that I'm occasionally drawn to them.

Disc# 3 & 4 of 4
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 4 (original version); Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 6; Symphony No. 7
London Symphony Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, cond.
Philips

So far, I haven't regretted the purchase of this set. The "original" Fourth, which is what I'm listening to presently, isn't all that musically compelling, but it has its moments. Gergiev seems "quieter" today.

(edit)
An excellent, stirring and tightly played Fifth!

[GK]

BRAHMS:

Violin Concerto--Menuhin, Kempe, BPO
Hungarian Dances--Kubelik, RPO
Sym.#4--Giulini, New Philharmonia

[karlhenning]

Prokofiev
String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Opus 92
Russian String Quartet

[Hondo]

I'm trying to expand my horizons beyond the standard repretoire a bit. Some recent acquisitions:

Golijov - La Pasion Segun San Marcos
Written by an Argentinian-Jewish composer now in residence at Holy Cross. The text is based on portions of The Passion According to St. Mark, Spanish poetry, and the Old Testament. This is a fascinating rhythmic work combining elements of African, European and Latin American music. Mostly choral singing, but also includes some solo work. Very original music that has really helped Golijov get on the musical map.

Revueltas - Centennial Anthology
This wonderful set of two cd's contains 15 of Revueltas' most famous works, all conducted by Eduardo Mata. Revueltas is a much underappreciated composer who always lived in the shadow of his much better known fellow Mexican, Chavez. These discs include his most famous work "Sensemaya," which has often been compared to Bartok's "Allegro Barbaro" with its barbaric rhythms. Other enjoyable pieces include "Homage a Garcia Lorca" and "La Noche de los Mayas." Unlike many contemporary composers, Revualtas' music is very accesible. "La Noche de los Mayas" came from one of several film scores he composed.

Gabe

[karlhenning]

Revueltas - Centennial Anthology
This wonderful set of two cd's contains 15 of Revueltas' most famous works, all conducted by Eduardo Mata.

Nay, Gabe, some of the tracks are conducted by David Atherton (London Sinfonietta) and Luis Herrera de la Fuente (Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa). And the reissue also has an alternate recording of Sensemayá conducted by Stokowski.

By all means, an excellent two-disc set!

Cheers,
~Karl

[Marc]

At this moment the singing flutist Hans-Martin Linde is performing So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife, part of Bach's Notenbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach, with Gustav Leonhardt at harpsichord.
Too bad I stopped smoking!

[piston]

Debussy, Pelléas et Mélisande, opera in five acts. James Levine, Metropolitan Opera, Dawn Upshaw, Dwayne Croft, Nadine Denize, Willard White, Robert Lloyd....April 2000. Taped from the public radio broadcast.

For a review of that performance, see http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A9669C8B63

[Wallingford]

Franck's Symphonic Variations (Katin/Goossens)

[Hondo]

karlhenning wrote:

"Nay, Gabe, some of the tracks are conducted by David Atherton, London Sinfonietta and Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa. And the reissue also has an alternate recording of Sensemayá, conducted by Stokowski. By all means, an excellent two-disc set!"

I just wanted to see if anyone was awake out there! You are absolutely right, Karl. Whereas Mata conducted all but one of the tracks on disc one, and one track on disc 2, the other people you mentioned were also involved.

Gabe

[BorisG]

I must be far adrift. I do not have any of the recordings on page 87.

I am currently listening to Hindemith Violin Sonatas with Hoelscher and Koehlen.

[piston]

I flipped the theme of An American in Paris on the other side and I got:D :
Charles Koechlin:
The Seven Stars's Symphony, op. 132 (1933) in seven movements: Douglas Fairbanks, Lilian Harvey, Greta Garbo (with Ondes Martenot); Clara Bow, Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings, and Charles Chaplin (with variations on the musical notation of Chaplin's name); Ballade pour piano et orchestre, op. 50.
Alexandre Meyrat, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo.

[Wallingford]

Blomstedt doing Sibelius' Fourth......I have to admire Blomstedt's extroverted, majestic treatment; far too many maestros have simply let the work continually duck into the shadows.

[piston]

Blomstedt doing Sibelius' Fourth......I have to admire Blomstedt's extroverted, majestic treatment; far too many maestros have simply let the work continually duck into the shadows.

Any thoughts on the fourth, Wallingford? It has always been strangely appealing to me but I gather that not a few Sibelius fans don't consider it his best symphonic work. Indeed, are not the third and the fifth is most popular symphonies?
Regards

[jserraglio]

-----

An old favorite (Graffman-Szell-Prokofieff-Kandinsky) transcribed from the master tapes not the LP masters, and a Bartok-Hindemith-Varese program I've never heard, done by a favorite conductor (Jean Martinon) and orchestra (Chicago).

[jina]

The Ninth Gate Soundtrack - Wojciech Kilar

[BWV 1080]

Dutilleux - Metaboles, Symphony #2

[Wallingford]

Blomstedt doing Sibelius' Fourth......I have to admire Blomstedt's extroverted, majestic treatment; far too many maestros have simply let the work continually duck into the shadows.

Any thoughts on the fourth, Wallingford? It has always been strangely appealing to me but I gather that not a few Sibelius fans don't consider it his best symphonic work. Indeed, are not the third and the fifth is most popular symphonies?
Regards

I've just ever so slowly come to regard it as a masterpiece; I've been officially convinced for awhile now. Its reputation for inaccessibility is well-founded (among most performances, anyway....interesting that Sibelius really wrote it as an ironic commentary on what he viewed as the "coldness" of much modern music). The cue, for me, was when Herbert Weinstock & Wallace Brockway, in their classic volume Men Of Music (which builds up Tchaikovsky, bashes Brahms & disparages every single thing Stravinsky wrote past 1913), that Sibelius' Fourth represents a legitimate artistic growth--of more "compact development."

Strange, though--I always thought the first two symphonies were more popular than the Third.

[Thomas J]

After waiting for more than a month to receive this disc, the first attempt the contents went missing, I finally received this in the mail this past week. I'd like to thanks the folks here on the board who spoke highly of this recording.

[piston]

Absolutely all over the musical map on this Saturday
Tournemire, Symphony no.1;
Lekeu, Larghetto for 'cello and orchestra;
Chausson, Pièce for 'cello and orchestra;
Chabrier, Suite pastorale;
Canteloupe, Pièces rustiques;
Dukas, Villanelle for horn and orchestra;
Jolivet, complete flute music;
and last but not least, from Worcester, MA, Bowdoin College (class of '75), and in France with Nadia, Jolivet and Xenakis, I give you...
Michael C. Viens, Les insectes dansants (Dancing insects).

[RebLem]

In the week ending Saturday, 27 January 2007, I listened to the following:

1. 10/10 The Fine Arts Quartet at WFMT, CDs 5 & 6 OF 8. Recorded 1967-73. CD5--Mozart:SQ 17 in B Flat, K 458 "Hunt" |SQ 20 in D, K 499 |Piano Quartet in E Flat, K 493. CD6--Mozart: Adagio & Fugue for String Quartet, in C Minor, K 546 (7:21) |Brahms: SQ in A Minor, Op. 51 #2 (30:05) |Husa, Karel: SQ 3 (31:09) |Shifrin, Seymour: SQ 4 (20:58 ) The shift from Brahms to the harsh and dramatic dissonance of Husa is rather jarring at first, and takes some getting used to. But it does nothing so much as demonstrate the breadth of the Fine Arts Quartet's repertoire, and the excellence of both performances and all the others in this set demonstrate that this was truly a great ensemble, now, sadly, in the past.

2. 10/10 Bach, J.S.: Cantatas 38, 39, & 40--Rilling, cond, the usual suspects. Superb performances, as almost always in this series. Vol. 13 of hanssler CBE.

3. 10/10 CDs 6 & 7 of the Annie Fischer 9 CD Hungaroton set of Beethoven piano sonatas. CD6--15 "Pastorale," 17, & 23 "Appassionata" |CD7--2, 16, 24, 30. Superb performances.

4. 10/10 Mahler: Sym 4 (51:50)--Kubelik, cond. Bavarian RSO, Elsie Morison, soprano. Excellent performance. DG

5. 9,10/9,10 Prokofiev: Syms 1 (13:54), 2 (34:33), 3 (31:48 ), 4 (1947 revised version) (36:32)--Gergiev, LSO. Syms 2, 3, & 4 are excellent, and, in particular, Gergiev makes an impressive case for the revised version of # 4, though I prefer the original, also recorded, on disc 3, in this set. Superb performances and sound. However, the Classical Sym, # 1, is a different story. It is recorded at a lower level than the others, and the performance is surprisingly lackluster. 9/9 rating on #1, 10/10 on the other three--CDs 1 & 2 of 4 CD Philips set of the complete Prokofiev Symphonies. I feel constrained to point out they could have included a Sinfonietta in A without increasing the number of discs, but chose not to.

After I wrote the above, I did something I should have done first--reviewed all the posts since my last post in this thread. Yes, walboi, I was a bit put off by Gergiev's grunting, too, but not as much as you--perhaps because I recently listened to some Barenboim, CSO performances in which Danny's grunting was even more obtrusive. And while the First does pick up a bit after the 2nd movement, I don't think even the last two meet the standard met by 2, 3, and the revised 4th.

[RebLem]

4. 10/10 Prokoviev: 7 Symphonies |Lt Kije Suite--Seiji Ozawa, cond. Berlin Phil Orch, Andreas Schmidt, baritone (in Kije)--I have the Martinon and the Jarvi sets, and will start on the Gergiev next week. So far, this is my favorite, overall. These are fine performances, recorded 1989-92. In several cases, there is another performance or two I prefer, but this is, so far, the best set. A couple disappointments--Ozawa does only the revised version of #4, and there is no Sinfonietta in A, which Jarvi did record.

And that Sinfonietta is an underperformed, underrecorded, undersung gem!

Cheers,
~Karl

I couldn't agree more, Dr. Karl. My introduction to the Sinfonietta was at a concert by the Chicago Chamber Orch, founded in 1952 by Dieter Kober. It became a professional ensemble of 35 musicians in 1962, and Kober remains its music director today, 55 years after its founding. It gives free concerts and is subsidized by a group of foundations, private citzens, and tax funded bodies (the tax funded bodies' contribution is mostly limited to the free provision of performing venues). Amazingly, they don't even pass the plate or request free will donations at concerts, and its performance standards are amazingly high. http://www.chicagochamberorchestra.org/history.htm

At any rate, at the concert where I heard the Sinfonietta, Kober made a longer than usual speech at the beginning of the concert, in which he expressed the opinion that the Sinfonietta was a great work, unjustly neglected. I agree, and I am delighted to hear that you seem to agree.

As for the notion that the Ozawa cycle has sound which is somehow inferior, all I can say is that perceptions of sound quality are heavily influenced by one's playback equipment. Mine consists of an ARCAM CD72 CD player, a McCormack RLD-1 preamp, an Audionics CC2 power amp, and a pair of IMF MK III Improved speakers. With the possible exception of the preamp, these are not state of the art components, but damn close, even if I do say so myself. The sound of the Ozawa set may fail to meet the very highest standard met by, say, the Barshai set of the Shostakovich symphonies, or the Segerstam set of the Mahler symphonies, but it hits a very high standard indeed on my equipment. At least as good as the Jarvi set, certainly, and way better than the Martinon.

[RebLem]

Another mystery for me, the almost obsessive veneration of Bernstein.

Very interesting, Harry! My caution viz. Bernstein is roughly on the same order as my caution viz. Hvk (I don't particularly care, for instance, for how either conductor treats Mozart). But there are a couple of recordings by either conductor which I do enjoy, though not entirely clear of caveats.

Cheers,
~Karl

That my dear Karl that makes the mystery even deeper! I would not buy Mozart or Haydn for instance from Karajan for I know full well, that those composers are not treated well by him.
Maybe we should make a Thread about it?
Or maybe not doing that, for it will cause fire and emotional rupture amongst certain posters.
O, dear.
Harry

It would cause fire and emotional rupture? I can't think of a better reason to do it, myself. But relax. We will not stab you on the street unless you make a movie or publish a cartoon about it.

[Ricordanza]

On Saturday, I returned to a CD that I have listened to many times and it never fails to inspire and uplift me: the 12-year-old Evgeny Kissin's live performance (with the Moscow Philharmonic) of the two Chopin Piano Concerti. I've run out of words to describe just how great these performances are, so I'll just put a period on this comment.

[RebLem]

On Saturday, I returned to a CD that I have listened to many times and it never fails to inspire and uplift me: the 12-year-old Evgeny Kissin's live performance (with the Moscow Philharmonic) of the two Chopin Piano Concerti. I've run out of words to describe just how great these performances are, so I'll just put a period on this comment.

Yes, I have that one, too, with a pic on the cover of him all decked out in his spiffy little Young Pioneers uniform. I am afraid I don't have quite the same reaction as you, but that's not because of Kissin; I just don't like the works themselves very much.

[johnshade]

--------
Mozart: Piano Concertos 19 through 27 (Perahia). Had not listened to them in a while; what dramatic and lyrical beauty!
--------

[Thomas J]

Rued Langgaard - Symphony #1(Pastorals on the Rocks), Fra Dybet(From the Deep) The Danish National Radio S.O., Leif Segerstam conductor

What can you say about his 1'st symphony. Stunning IMO. Written when he was 16. Very much on the romantic side. Alot of brass which I especially enjoy. If you were to own own only one of his symphonies, I say this would be a very wise choice.

[Wallingford]

A collectible old Remington LP of Ernst von Dohnanyi playing the Schumann Scenes Of Childhood, as well as his own Rhapsodies (Op.11). In the Schumann, Dohnanyi introduces each and every one of the movements' titles, and it's rather endearing to hear him say "Playings Tag," or "Ze Bogie Man," or "Knight of ze Hubby-Horse." Very expressive playing, too.

[GK]

A Mahler Weekend:

Sym.#1--Walter Columbia SO
Blumine--Mehta, Israel PO
Sym.#9--Bernstein, NYPO
Sym.#4--Wit, Polish Natl. RSO, Lynda Russell, soprano

[hautbois]

Rameau - Overtures and suites

Raymond Leppard, New Philharmonic Orchestra
Gustav Leonhardt, Orchestra Age of Enlightenment
Frans Bruggen, Orchestra of the 18th Century

HIP frenzy!!!

[moldyoldie]

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 "Choral"
Inge Borkh, soprano; Ruth Siewert, contralto; Richard Lewis, tenor; Ludwig Weber, bass
The Beecham Choral Society
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
René Leibowitz, cond.
Chesky

Oh my! Now this is an Ode to JOY! This has to be one of the most exciting and exhilirating renditions of Beethoven's Ninth I've ever heard...anywhere!

No storming the heavens here, no "historical accuracy" nor original instruments, no cosmic truths nor combing the depths of human experience -- just pure, unadulterated joy in performing this greatest of great musical art. Ensemble playing and orchestral balances may not be note perfect, but you can just see the smiles on the faces of everyone involved.

This is the absolute antithesis of Karl Böhm's magnificent, high calorie rendition I wrote of earlier (p. 82) and probably makes the perfect complementary recording. It's also an "antidote" to any uncommitted, plodding, or pedantic performance one might have heard recently. I've read conductor Leibowitz described as the "stereo Toscanini" or something to that effect when it comes to Beethoven -- probably very apt. Tempos are decidedly upbeat, even in the slow Adagio movement, but never wayward. There's no "speed for the sake of speed", more like uncontained exuberance.

This is a fine 20-bit remastering of an already great early '60s analog recording. Ahh, that chorus...and those horns!

[piston]

Got started on the Kubelik/Berlin Philharmonic recordings of Dvorak's symphonies with the first and the fifth. About to move on to the fourth, and then will listen to the sixth.
cheers

[maskedman]

Rued Langgaard - Symphony #1(Pastorals on the Rocks), Fra Dybet(From the Deep) The Danish National Radio S.O., Leif Segerstam conductor

What can you say about his 1'st symphony. Stunning IMO. Written when he was 16. Very much on the romantic side. Alot of brass which I especially enjoy. If you were to own own only one of his symphonies, I say this would be a very wise choice.

The two I would consider before one would be

4 very melodic

6 very dramatic

not to forget his most famous piece even though its not a symphony

Music of the Spheres

These will give you an excellent overview of Langaard...

Robert

[karlhenning]

Britten
Sinfonia da Requiem, Opus 20
CBSO / Rattle

[Sergeant Rock]

Celebrated Schubert's birthday by listening to all the symphonies:



Sarge

[Stonebraker]

Celebrated Schubert's birthday by listening to all the symphonies:

Sarge

Good stuff! I really need to look into Schubert's music. I familiar with some of his Lieder, and a few of his late piano sonatas (which, btw, are delicious), and of course two of his symphonies... I bet you can guess which ones.

Anyways, today I've worked through Mahler 2, Shostakovich 5, and I'm about to listen to Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major on the recommendation of my composition teacher. Probablty after that I'll watch Mahler 2 on DVD while I drink some bourbon, and then hit the sack.

[piston]

From the land of Barry Z, music of Vincent Persichetti for wind instrument ensemble, Amos, members of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harmonia Mundi.

[bOrbOt]

Busoni - Piano Concerto In C Major, Op.39

Garrick Ohlsson/Christoph Von Dohnanyi/The Cleveland Orchestra