What are you listening to?

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:22 pm

Brahms' VC played by Kreisler (with the famous Kreisler cadenza - not sure as yet how much I like the cadenza)

Brahms' PC2, Backhaus (okay)

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:31 pm

Tchaikovsky's Fourth & Gershwin's Cuban Overture (Maazel/Cleveland Orch.)
Holst's Planets (Susskind/St. Louis Sym.)

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:49 pm

Wallingford wrote:Tchaikovsky's Fourth & Gershwin's Cuban Overture (Maazel/Cleveland Orch.)
Holst's Planets (Susskind/St. Louis Sym.)

For some reason, I have never even heard of Gerschwin's Cuban Overture.

Today's highlight: Rachmaninov's Second. Royal Scottish National Orchestra (Owain A. Hughes).

I'm not sure how this recording is rated, but I find it exquisite.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:25 pm

On the resurrected Arte Nova label, String Trios by Beethoven, Op. 9. Performed by the Kandinsky String Trio, these three trios are given very satisfying readings and the sonic quality is excellent. And for just $6.99 minus my 10% Tower discount.

Arte Nova ANO 927760.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:48 pm

Haydn, Symphonies 1-12.

. . . first three disks from Adam Fischer's complete Brilliant set. I've long been looking for these performances and finally came across 'em this weekend at Half Price Books at a giveaway price.

Harvested Sorrow · Post by **Harvested Sorrow** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:28 am

Bach - The Well-Tempered Clavier, performed by Richter.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:03 am

It's been a long time since I last listened to "An American Tapestry," works by Schuman, Griffes, Ives, Piston and Hovhannes on the DORIAN label.

Andrew Litton conducts the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in Schuman's softly moving "New England Tryptych," Griffes's short "The White Peacock," Ives's very well-known "Three Places in New England," Hovhannes's "Mysterious Mountain Symphony" and, lastly, Piston's "The Incredible Flutist."

This is a terrific collection of outstanding American music, well performed and recorded to DORIAN's high standards.

The perfect disc to enjoy in my office as another day of pelting rain hammers us.

DORIAN DOR-90224.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:12 pm

Sibelius' Second & Tapiola--both conducted by Hannikainen.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:22 pm

Starting Maazel's Mahler symphony cycle with the Vienna PO. I want to hear them all in order.

Also, Bernstein's Mahler Symphony 6 with the VPO.

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:30 pm

Your mood must be quite sombre at the moment, jserraglio. (Someone I once knew had an apartment on the 15th floor of his posh building, and he claimed that he never listened to that Mahler 6 without being absolutely sure that he wouldn't jump off the balcony. Phew!)

For me, it is less soul-searching fare: Brahms' Violin Sonata, D Minor, Scott St. John, Rena Sharon. Perfect for a contemplative autumn evening.

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:20 am

Bartok: Violin Sonata 1&2 Christian Tetzlaff / Leif Ove Andsnes
Wuorinen: Genesis
John Zorn: Naked City (my 5yo Daughter loves this album & makes me play it while I take her school)

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:22 am

Huckleberry wrote:Your mood must be quite sombre at the moment, jserraglio. (Someone I once knew had an apartment on the 15th floor of his posh building, and he claimed that he never listened to that Mahler 6 without being absolutely sure that he wouldn't jump off the balcony. Phew!)

Thanks for the heads-up.

I had Bernstein's Vienna performance of the Mahler 6th scheduled for a second listening this afternoon. I shall be much more careful this time.

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:12 pm

Jean Barrière: Sonates pour le violoncelle avec la basse continue.

Bruno Cocset (cello), with Les Basses Réunies.

On the Alpha label.

I had never heard of Barrière beofre I went into Tower records the other night; I am very glad I decided to take a chance and buy this cd. Magnificent performances of equally magnificent music.

Harko · Post by **Harko** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 3:19 pm

Of course there are so many beautiful pieces but then again there can only be a few THE BEST. For me at this moment: Liadov The enchanted Lake, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy A Midsummer Night's Dream, and more, Modest P. Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition, lots of Chopin and Bach etc. etc. I guess if I'm starting this page would be to small.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:22 pm

Nielsen, Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No.6 . Ormandy.
Nielsen, Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No.5 . Bernstein.

Ormandy and Bernstein do Nielsen proud.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:29 pm

I'm listening to the 1955 Glenn Gould Goldberg Variations. I've heard sooo much about how legendary the recording is, I figured I better give it a listen.

Sounds pretty good so far. Next, I'll compare it to his 1987 go around with the Goldberg Variations.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:38 pm

Welcome, CH!

Glad to hear from someone in New Orleans.

So, what's the real situation there presently?

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:35 pm

Hey, Gary.

The real situation is that New Orleans is quite a mess. Many areas are completely wiped out and I don't know when they will ever make a comeback. A lot of entire neighborhoods will probably have to be bulldozed completely.

The politicians are all at odds with each other and more and more of their corruption is being exposed at a national level. Contractors thought they could save money here and there with the levees and it wouldn't be a big deal. Boy were they wrong!

Luckily, I live on the outskirts of New Orleans and got by almost unscathed. However, I can't say the same for my college, Tulane University. They had to cancel the fall semester. Now, I'm just sitting out and working on my blog full time.

It's a very sad situation to be sure.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 6:34 pm

Welcome, Ch. Kick your shoes off and set a spell.

ch1525 wrote:I'm listening to the 1955 Glenn Gould Goldberg Variations. I've heard sooo much about how legendary the recording is, I figured I better give it a listen.

Sounds pretty good so far. Next, I'll compare it to his 1987 go around with the Goldberg Variations.

The 1955 version is worth a listen. You can always use the 1987 version as a coaster.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:51 pm

ch1525 wrote:Hey, Gary.

The real situation is that New Orleans is quite a mess. Many areas are completely wiped out and I don't know when they will ever make a comeback. A lot of entire neighborhoods will probably have to be bulldozed completely.

The politicians are all at odds with each other and more and more of their corruption is being exposed at a national level. Contractors thought they could save money here and there with the levees and it wouldn't be a big deal. Boy were they wrong!

Luckily, I live on the outskirts of New Orleans and got by almost unscathed. However, I can't say the same for my college, Tulane University. They had to cancel the fall semester. Now, I'm just sitting out and working on my blog full time.

It's a very sad situation to be sure.

Sorry to hear this, CH.

I was just surprised to see someone in New Orleans pop up on the internet, thinking that power probably still had not largely been restored there.

Well, like Corlyss (our tireless moderator) said, kick your shoes off and set a spell!

ps. I visited Tulane University a decade ago. The campus is beautiful!

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:34 pm

ch1525 wrote:Hey, Gary.

The real situation is that New Orleans is quite a mess. Many areas are completely wiped out and I don't know when they will ever make a comeback. A lot of entire neighborhoods will probably have to be bulldozed completely.

The politicians are all at odds with each other and more and more of their corruption is being exposed at a national level. Contractors thought they could save money here and there with the levees and it wouldn't be a big deal. Boy were they wrong!

Luckily, I live on the outskirts of New Orleans and got by almost unscathed. However, I can't say the same for my college, Tulane University. They had to cancel the fall semester. Now, I'm just sitting out and working on my blog full time.

It's a very sad situation to be sure.

*****

Welcome. I'm glad that you came through okay.

My school has taken some Tulane and Loyola law students for the semester or the year, if need be-no tuition. They're fine people but some actually come from New Orleans and they have much anxiety.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:36 pm

Having heard Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony with the New York Philharmonic on Friday afternoon I'm now listening to the same symphony with the Leningrad P.O. under Mravinsky. It's a Melodiya release.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 5:56 am

Symphonies 4 & 9 and 7 & 10 of William Schuman on Naxos in new recordings by Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle SO.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:48 am

To Gary, Corlyss and Ralph:

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I can see I'm gonna like it here.

Gary, the campus was beautiful. A lot of those stately oaks were badly damaged. Hopefully they will bring back the campus somehow to its former glory.

Harvested Sorrow · Post by **Harvested Sorrow** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:37 pm

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 15 played by the Takacs Quartet.

premont · Post by **premont** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:43 pm

ch1525 wrote: Next, I'll compare it to his 1987 go around with the Goldberg Variations.

Well, a fourth Glenn Gould Goldberg variations recording. But as he died 1982, he surely recorded it either "in absentia" or in anticipation of a grant.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:09 pm

premont wrote:
ch1525 wrote: Next, I'll compare it to his 1987 go around with the Goldberg Variations.
Well, a fourth Glenn Gould Goldberg variations recording. But as he died 1982, he surely recorded it either "in absentia" or in anticipation of a grant.

You're right premont, I suppose I meant to type 1981.

Gould was pretty talented, but not enought to record music from beyond the grave!

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 4:10 pm

Ravel's Rapsodie Espagnole (Stokowski/Phillies)
Beethoven's Sixth (Szell/CO)
Beethoven's Seventh & Egmont Overture (Boult/LPO)
John Field's Piano Concerto #2 (Blumenthal/Buhne)

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:21 pm

Messiaen, Saint François d'Assise
Nagano on DG

Mozart, Così fan tutte
Jacobs on Harmonia Mundi

Messager, Véronique
Thompson on Newport

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:45 pm

Wellllll...........

I've got, staring me in the face,some new acquisitions for my ongoing London Symphony CD compilation (for the UNINITIATED: these last few years, I've burned for myself a 12- or 14- disc set of different tracks of the LSO--led by 200 different conductors........it's now easily expanded to 250, and working its way up to 300!!!):

1. A new CD of BERNARD HAITINK, doing Brahms' Second (3rd mvmt.);
2. A recent CD of BEN HEPPNER, leading the accompaniment track himself (EGOTISTICAL, huh?) on a brief Tosti song;
3. An old late-20s Columbia 78 of SIR DAN GODFREY, conducting Debussy's "Menuet" (from Petite Suite);
4. A 78 (same label, same vintage) of GEORGE SCHNEEVOIGT, doing Grieg's Norwegian Dance #2;
5. An HMV 78 (late 20s) of Chaliapin doing a scene from Boris Godunov, MAX STEINMANN conducting (this is actually a Seraphim LP reissue);
6. And DON JACKSON doing an arrangement of the Rolling Stones' "Tumbling Dice" (from a '94 cassette I picked up for a dime).

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:13 pm

I've been on a Mozart kick for days now. Lots of Piano Concertos played by Jeno Jando, a few sonatas by Alfred Brendel, string quartets by the Hagens and Don Giovanni in the Naxos production led by Michael Halasz.

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:58 pm

Beethoven Symphony No. 5--Ernest Ansermet/Suisse Romande Orchestra (Stereo Treasury Series LP)

Crisp strings, bright winds and sweet sounding brasses made for a different sound to the orchestra than I usually hear in this work and I enjoyed it very much. Ensemble wasn't tidy in places but I didn't find that bothersome. An interesting reading, not the objective one I expected from Ansermet.

Beethoven String Trio, Op. 9, No. 1--Grumiaux Trio (Philips LP). A striking, fresh sounding work from the young Beethoven. It sounds like it requires virtuoso performers (I've never heard the recording with Heifetz and friends), but a piece I'll spend more time with (as well as the other string trios).

John

val · Post by **val** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 7:37 am

Sunday, two big delusions:

Schubert's Winterreise by Fassbaender and Reimann: almost an operatic version, expressionist.
Fischer-Dieskau and Moore (1972) and Hotter/Moore remain intouched.

Dvorak's 9th Symphony, by Kubelik with the BPO. It is part of the set of the 9 symphonies. Kubelik gave the best version I ever heard of the 5th and the 8th, and great versions of the first 3 symphonies and the 7th.
But in the 9th - with the possible exception of the Largo - he seems distant, acting by routine.
Ancerl with CPO, Giulini with the Philarmonia, Toscanini with the NBC, are the great references for this work.

DanielFullard · Post by **DanielFullard** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:03 am

Katherine Jenkins - Second Nature

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:35 pm

Mitsuko Uchida, playing Schubert's piano sonatas d. 840 and d. 894. It's disc 5 of an 8-disc set of her playing his piano sonatas, on the Philips label. I really love her interpretations of this music.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:23 pm

CharmNewton wrote:Beethoven Symphony No. 5--Ernest Ansermet/Suisse Romande Orchestra (Stereo Treasury Series LP)

Crisp strings, bright winds and sweet sounding brasses made for a different sound to the orchestra than I usually hear in this work and I enjoyed it very much. Ensemble wasn't tidy in places but I didn't find that bothersome. An interesting reading, not the objective one I expected from Ansermet..

John

Man.....makes me almost want to pull out my (near-)complete Ansermet Beethoven symphony set. He has a HELL of a way with the Ninth (especially the first movement......devastating in a way few others are!).

val · Post by **val** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 3:42 am

Richter conducting Bach's Cantata BWV 147. The work is famous because of the Choral "Jesus bleibet meine Freude", but the first Choir and the soprano aria are perhaps even superior. Richter in this recording of 1961 was different from that massive and "karajanesque" conductor 15 years later: here we have a good dynamic, phrasing and articulation, good soloists - in special the soprano Ursula Buckel.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:08 pm

Borodin, Symphony No. 2. Mitropoulos/Minneapolis on the Nickson label. Wonderful, full-blooded performance.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:28 pm

Tasmin Little is one of my favorite violinists. She's based in England and has recorded extensively.

This month's cover CD for BBC Music Magazine features Ms. Little in a spirited performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor. She has a sure grasp of this familiar work. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Stefan Solyom accompanies her very nicely.

BBC Music Magazine CDs are always full-length and also on the disc are Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and Properous Voyage" conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite and Carl Czerny's Symphony No. 1 conducted by Jurjen Hempel, both again with the BBC Scottish Orchestra.

Czerny's work, known as the Grand Symphony, is unfamiliar to most, including me. It's in four movements and runs about 32 minutes. The notes describe this Beethoven-influenced symphony as having been relegated to virtual "oblivion." A shame-there are intriguing passages here.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:30 pm

By the way, the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto is a February 2005 live performance.

Brendan · Post by **Brendan** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:30 pm

Feather on the Breath of God - hymns by Hildegard von Bingen performed by Gothic Voices with Emma Kirkby. From there I'll move to the Sequentia Hildegard discs then Trio Mediaeval's Stella Maris and Soir, dit-elle. My Amazon shipment finally made it through![/i]

DanielFullard · Post by **DanielFullard** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 1:39 pm

This piece of brilliance

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:34 pm

Nojima Plays Ravel. Reference Recordings.

one of my favourite piano discs

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:14 pm

Franck D Minor (Munch/PCO)
Mozart S#39 (Walter/Stockholm PHil.)

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 1:29 am

Wallingford wrote:Franck D Minor (Munch/PCO)
Mozart S#39 (Walter/Stockholm PHil.)

Wallingford, that #39 is a good thing.

Oh, while away from CMG I pampered my rained-drenched November soul with glorious music: Bach's Mass in B minor, Violin Concerto in D minor, various transcendental works by Arvo Part, Schubert's impromptus, Rachmaninoff's 2, and - finally (it took courage) - Mahler's Ninth.

All Naxos recordings.

Cyril Ignatius · Post by **Cyril Ignatius** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:56 pm

Wallingford, The entire Brahms Symphony # 2 with Haitink is great!

The Johann Strauss with Vienna/Willi Boskovsky is also great.

I'm currently listening to an LP of Sviatoslav Richter playing the Saint-Saens Piano Concerto # 5, with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, which is followed by the Schubert Impromptus A-Flat and E-Flat.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:45 pm

Oscar Straus, The Chocolate Soldier (Newport Classics)

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 8:30 pm

For Richard Strauss fans, I just enjoyed listening to a new acquisition, Rosenkavalier Waltzes, Burleske and Capriccio Sextet. It's on the DECCA label with pianist Jean-Ives Thibaudet and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under Herbert Blomstedt. Well performed and recorded but only 52 minutes long.

DECCA B0004645-02

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 4:10 pm

Rachmaninov S#2 (Steinberg/PSO)
Menotti Piano Concerto (Boukoff/Cluytens/PCO).....good lord, why isn't this in the repertoire of more pianists--specifically, more AMERICAN pianists? Guess M's too typecast as an opera man.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:20 pm

I listened to one of two entry CDs of young violinist Baiba Skride from SONY. With the Kammerorchester C.Ph.E.Bach under veteran conductor Hartmut Haenchen she performs with real insight and virtuosity.

The works are Mozart's Concerto No. 3 in C Major, his Rondo No. 2 in C Major for Violin and Orchestra, Schubert's Rondo in A Major for Violin and Orchestra and Mike Haydn's Concerto in B flat Major.

An auspicious new talent and I'll be looking for her solo album this week.

SONY SK 97749.

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