What are YOU listening to today?

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:10 pm

Albeniz-Echoes of Spain-Williams-Sony.

Scriabin-Complete Symphonies-Ashkenazy-Decca.

RichardMitnick · Post by **RichardMitnick** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:52 pm

Two new (for me) albums.

Keith Jarrett Bridge of Light

David Lang Are You Experienced

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 4:03 pm

JSB- Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment....

This was an appealing set for me: the speeds were not too fast but the tempi have a nice lilt especially in the Allegros. The sound is very good and the textures of the instruments are lovely especially the brass when used.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:32 pm

Mendelssohn's fourth and fifth symphonies: Sawallisch/New Philharmonia. I'd put this recording of the Italian Symphony very much in the same league as Sawallisch's Dresden Schumann in terms of how good it is and also how aggressively he conducts it.

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:15 am

Sibelius: Violin Concerto; Serenades; Humoreske
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra & Paavo Berglund
Ida Haendel, violin - EMI

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:35 pm

ContrapunctusIX wrote:How do you like this disc, Darren? I really like Ansermet's way with the French repertoire among other things. Personally it's my second favorite performance of this work, behind Monteux/CSO, but that's no slight at all.

Hey I liked it thanks. I also love the Monteux performance, and also Maazel on DG. One I couldn't stand was Giulini/VPO on Sony...far too slow and laboured

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:15 pm

Mendelssohn - 'Songs without Words - Book 1' (Daniel Barenboim, DG) below

Mozart - Symphony No.36 'Linz' (Leonard Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Decca)

Tippett - 'Ritual Dances from The Midsummer Marriage' (Andrew Davis, BBC Symphony Chorus & Orchestra, Warner Apex)

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:42 pm

Monsigny - Overture to "L'isle Sonante" (Lajouanique/Itowo)
Vanhal - Symphony in G (Watkinson/Naxos)
Szymanowska - Ballade (Bedi/Cedille)
Schubert - Rondo in A (Zukerman/Philips)
ETA Hoffmann - Selections from "Das Kreuz an der Ostsee" (Goritzki/cpo)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:43 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

I bought that set many years ago Darren but it has been a long time since I have listened to it

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:44 pm

I have seen this CD mentioned from time to time by Chalkie so I decided to buy it on his recommendation as I have not been disappointed by any of his previous recommendations that I have purchased. I really enjoyed this performance....the touch was beautifully light, the tempi was beautifully paced and the playing was wonderful.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:50 pm

Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
I bought that set many years ago Darren but it has been a long time since I have listened to it

I bought it some time ago but have never listened to it til today...sounds good so far

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:25 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
I bought that set many years ago Darren but it has been a long time since I have listened to it
I bought it some time ago but have never listened to it til today...sounds good so far

That's actually one of the few Barenboim Solo Piano Recordings that I like...

RichardMitnick · Post by **RichardMitnick** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:43 pm

Q2, the home of New Music in New York City. I would put up a representative play list, but someone(s) would be pissed.

Especially, 12:00-4:00 week days at noon and midnight, four hours curated by phenom violist Nadia Sirota

Today the music of
Lou Harrison
David Lang (http://www.davidlangmusic.com/) of Bang On A Can (http://bangonacan.org/)
John Cage (just 9:20)
Neil Rolnick
Kevin Volans
Paul Moravec
Matthias Pintscher
Stephen Scott

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:22 pm

It´s a pity many people ignore Bruckner´s chamber masterpiece. It´s a beautiful work, and as spiritual as his great symphonies. There are only a few recordings, and this is the best.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:25 pm

Agree with the above about the Barenboim Mendelssohn set. It is a good one.

Mozart-Church Sonatas-Sebestyen-Naxos.

Verdi-Un Ballo in Maschera-Gavazzeni-EMI.

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:01 am

On Monday, April 19, I listened to

Haydn: Symphonies 50, 55, and 54--Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. CD 19 of Sony's survey of the Haydn symphonies. Good, but unremarkable performances.

Brahms: Symphonies 2 & 3--Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, cond. NDR Symphony Orchestra. Reissued on Scribendum 3 CD set. A pattern is emerging here for me. Schmidt-Isserstedt is the sort of conductor who starts every movement rationally and carefully and then in the last 5 minutes really builds up a head of steam and lets loose with some brilliant, inspired, viscerally exciting playing. Not the greatest performances, surely, but if you want to hear a very fine conductor having a very good time, this is a set to hear.

Brahms: Symphonies 2 & 3--Rudolf Kempe, cond. Munich Philharmonic. Recorded 1974-5. Rec by FonoTeam, reissued on 3 CD Scribendum set. Crystal clear, unmuddied playing led by a true master.

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:00 am

josé echenique wrote: It´s a pity many people ignore Bruckner´s chamber masterpiece. It´s a beautiful work, and as spiritual as his great symphonies. There are only a few recordings, and this is the best.

I agree, I am a big fan of his quintet. I'd recommend you also investigate the performances by the Leipzig Quartet on MD&G and the Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:10 am

ContrapunctusIX wrote:
josé echenique wrote: It´s a pity many people ignore Bruckner´s chamber masterpiece. It´s a beautiful work, and as spiritual as his great symphonies. There are only a few recordings, and this is the best.
I agree, I am a big fan of his quintet. I'd recommend you also investigate the performances by the Leipzig Quartet on MD&G and the Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion.

Yep, a great work, I have the Leipzig recording, and the Fine Arts Quartet on Naxos...

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 2:52 pm

LPs

Jimenez - Overture to "El baile de Luis Alonso" (Sorozabal/Columbia)
Villa-Lobos - Danses Africaines (Mester/Louisville)
Ginastera - Milena (Curtin/Desto)
Davidovsky - Elextronic Study #1 (Columbia-Princeton EMC/Columbia)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:26 pm

Beethoven - 'Grosse Fuge' (Budapest String Quartet, Sony Classical)

Mendelssohn - 'Songs without Words - Book 2' (Daniel Barenboim, DG)

Sibelius - Violin Concerto (Hilary Hahn/Esa-Pekka Salonen, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, DG)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:52 pm

Schubert – Symphonies 1-3 played by the Putbus Festival Orchestra/Keitel...

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:20 am

On Tuesday, April 20, I listened to

Vol 39 of the 51 CD complete Menuhin EMI set. It consists entirely of Paganini works, mostly in performances from the 1930's. Not, I must say, the most memorable volume in the set.

Brahms Symphonies 2 & 3--Klemperer, cond. Philharmonia Orch., from EMI set. Recorded 1956-7. With only the 4th yet to be heard (along with "fillers"), I see now why so many consider this Klemperer set the greatest of all the sets of the Brahms symphonies. I know now that it has already entered my "Top 4 Brahms Symphony Sets" list, along with the Solit and Szell sets, with which I have long been familiar, and the Kempe set, which I am also listening to for the first time contemporaneously. It may even move to the top of the list. We shall see. At any rate, both these performances start out enthusiastically, but carefully. Klemperer really builds up a head of steam, though in the last movement of the second and the last two movements of the third, which are performed with wild abandon--with absolutely no loss of technical control. Magnificent performances.

Also, today, I listened to the last excruciating volume (of 7) of Olivier Messiaen's complete solo piano music performed by Peter Hill on Regis, licensed from Unicorn-Kanchana Records. Recorded 1986-1992. Apparently, even Mr. Hill needed lots of breaks while recording these works. These are uniformly dull, plodding, slow, and unimaginative works, as if the composer wwere overmedicated for chronic depression while composing them. I cannot understand why anyone likes any of them.

RichardMitnick · Post by **RichardMitnick** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:08 am

WPRB, Princeton, NJ

Especially Classical Discoveries 5:30-8:30AM and Classical Discoveries Goes Avantgarde 11:00AM-1:00PM
Marvin Rosen

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:12 am

Fergus wrote:Schubert – Symphonies 1-3 played by the Putbus Festival Orchestra/Keitel...

How is that set Fergus?
I bought a Guglielmo Tell from the Putbus Festival and all I can say is: NOT RECOMMENDED!!!!

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:22 am

Leave that one with me for a while José until I hear more of it (as I have only listened to the first three symphonies) but so far I like what I hear.

DavidRoss · Post by **DavidRoss** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:48 am

Suites 4, 5, 6. I like it.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:04 am

DavidRoss wrote:

Suites 4, 5, 6. I like it.

For modern recordings he sweeps the board IMHO...

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:57 am

Beethoven - Symphony No.4 (Charles Mackerras, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

Mendelssohn - 'Songs without Words - Book 3 & 4' (Daniel Barenboim, DG)

Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.3 (Martha Argerich/Riccardo Chailly, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Philips) below

Ravel - 'Alborada del Gracioso' & 'Pavane pour une Infante Defunte' (Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra, DG)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:40 pm

Brahms - 'Variations on a Theme by Haydn' (Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

Mozart - Symphony No.38 'Prague' (Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Philips)

Schubert - String Quartet No.15 (Quartetto Italiano, Philips) below

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:57 pm

Zemlinsky- Lyric Symphony for Soprano, Baritone and Orchestra....

This is my first venture into Zemlinsky’s work. I found the music to be very lyrical and very accessible and this is certainly a composer that I will follow up.

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:22 am

On Wednesday, April 21, I listened to

Haydn: Symphonies 84 (23:58 ), 86 (25:13), & 82 (25:48 )--Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Vol. 29 of the Davis/Sony complete set of the Haydn symphonies. Good but not remarkable performances.

Brahms: Sym 4 (49:35), Schicksalslied, for Choir and Orch, Op. 54 (16:33)--Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, cond., NDR Sym Orch and Chorus--from 3 CD Scribendum set.

Volume 41 of the 51 volume, 3 box of Yehudi Menuhin's complete EMI recordings. Purcell: Trio Sonata in f, Z810 "Golden Sonata," (9:49), rec. 1955 with Gioconda de Vito, violin, John Shinebourne, cello, & Raymond Leppard, harpsichord |Handel: Trio Sonata in G Minor, Op. 2/8 (14:41)--same time and forces as above. Viotti: Duo in G (9:06)--rec. 1955 with Gioconda de Vito, violin |Vivaldi: Concerto in D, RV210 (12:55)--rec. 1982 with Jerzy Maksymiuk, cond., Polish Chamber Orch. |Mozart: Concertone in C, K. 190 (29:25)--rec. 1963 with Alberto Lysy, violin, and Derek Simpson, cello, Bath Festival Orch. A disc of moderate interest.

About halfway through the Menuhin disc, I became away that I had skipped over Volume 40, because the last one I had listened to in this set was Volume 39. A frantic search ended when I found that, somehow, I had misfiled Vol 40 in the box, out of order. I have already listened to 3/4 of it, but will listen to the rest and report on it tomorrow.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:18 am

ContrapunctusIX wrote:
josé echenique wrote: It´s a pity many people ignore Bruckner´s chamber masterpiece. It´s a beautiful work, and as spiritual as his great symphonies. There are only a few recordings, and this is the best.
I agree, I am a big fan of his quintet. I'd recommend you also investigate the performances by the Leipzig Quartet on MD&G and the Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion.

I have the Hyperion recording too, but I much prefer the breath and scope of L´Archibudelli, who led by the great cellist Anner Bylsma, former first cello of the Concertgebouw, must know a thing or two about Bruckner. It is a very beautiful and "Brucknerian" performance.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:10 am

You could still cast Il Trovatore in 1992. Just listen to Chernov singing "Il Ballen"

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:19 am

Brahms: String Quintets 1 & 2
Hagen Quartet - DGG

These are my favorite performances of the quintets bar none.

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Chicago Symphony & Georg Solti - Decca

This earlier 1970s Tchaik #5 is preferable to Solti's digital remake from the late 1980s with the same orchestra.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:36 pm

Brahms - Violin Concerto (Frank Peter Zimmermann/Wolfgang Sawallisch, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

Mozart - String Quartet No.17 'Hunt' (Alban Berg Quartet, Warner Apex)

Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.1 (Earl Wild/Jascha Horenstein, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chandos) below

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:03 pm

Schubert - Mass No.3 (Alexander Nader/Georg Leskovich/Jorg Hering/Harry van der Kamp/Bruno Weil, Chorus Viennesis/Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sony Classical) below

Shostakovich - Symphony No.6 (Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Decca)

Stravinsky - 'Concerto for two pianos' (Vladimir Ashkenazy/Andrei Gavrilov, Decca)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:54 pm

Dvorak – Symphonies Nos. 4-6 played by the LSO/Kerész....

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:32 pm

Barry -Flamboys Overture (Houlihan/Marco Polo)
Bacewicz - Concerto for 2 Pianos & Orchestra (Wislocki/Olympia)
Aho - Symphony #5 (Pommer/Ondine)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 10:02 am

Haydn - String Quartet No.31 (The Angeles String Quartet, Philips)

Mendelssohn - 'Elijah' (Willard White/Rosalind Plowright/Linda Finnie/Arthur Davies/Richard Hickox, London Symphony Chorus & Orchestra, Chandos)

Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.2 (Earl Wild/Jascha Horenstein, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chandos)

Schubert - Mass No.4 (Thomas Puchegger/Bela Fischer/Jorg Hering/Harry van der Kamp/Bruno Weil, Chorus Viennesis/Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sony Classical)

Vivaldi - 'The Four Seasons' (Alan Loveday/Neville Marriner, The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Decca) below

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:10 am

In the 1950´s every weekend somebody was recording La Gioconda, now it´s almost a rarity.
This version is notable above all for the Barnaba of Ettore Bastianini, who owned a truly God-given voice.

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:34 pm

On Thursday, April 22, I listened to

Volume 40 of the 51 CD complete EMI Yehudi Menuhin recordings. Paganini Violin Concerto 1 (29:59) Wit Fistoulari, cond. LSO 1955, Vieuxtemps Violin Concerti 4 (23:12)with Susskind cond. Philarmonia Orch. 1951, and 5 (19:25) with Fistoulari cond. Philarmonia Orch. 1954. Good performances, not among my favorite works, however.

Brahms: Sym 4 (39:25), Haydn Variations (17:06)--Rudolf Kempe, cond. Munich Phil.--rec. 1974-5--Scribendum 3 CD box. Fine, MOR, unmannered performances. This set of the symphonies strikes me as somehow different from all the others. I can't quite put my finger on why. Textures are clearer and cleaner. It is as if one went into a woods and cleared out all the underbrush and deadwood lying on the ground and the dead branches hanging from live trees and carted them away to the chipper. Its soehow fresh, clean, and youthful in a way no others are. This has become, now, one of my four favorite sets, along with Klemperer, Szell, and Solti. Highly recommended.

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:56 pm

RebLem wrote:
Brahms: Sym 4 (39:25), Haydn Variations (17:06)--Rudolf Kempe, cond. Munich Phil.--rec. 1974-5--Scribendum 3 CD box. Fine, MOR, unmannered performances. This set of the symphonies strikes me as somehow different from all the others. I can't quite put my finger on why. Textures are clearer and cleaner. It is as if one went into a woods and cleared out all the underbrush and deadwood lying on the ground and the dead branches hanging from live trees and carted them away to the chipper. Its soehow fresh, clean, and youthful in a way no others are. This has become, now, one of my four favorite sets, along with Klemperer, Szell, and Solti. Highly recommended.

I am a big fan of the Kempe/MPO cycle. I have it on the Arts Music label release across 2 single CD issues. I love the subtle tempo flexibility Kempe employs, as well his interpretations, which are sensitive without falling into the trap of dwelling on the details too much. He really gets the MPO to play way over their head too. A great cycle through and through.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:07 pm

I also listened (and watched) a Munich Philharmonic performance last night. This one a new DVD release of the Bruckner 4th with Thielemann. The performance had some high points, but it dragged a bit too much for my taste at times. The performance clocked in at over 70 minutes, which is just too slow for the fourth IMO. Among Bruckner 4-9, I think it's the symphony that best lends itself to a faster and more aggressive approach.

The sound and video quality/direction are top rate though, so it's recommendable for anyone who thinks they might like a Bruckner fourth that clocks in at around 71 minutes.

The DVD also has the same forces performing the Bruckner 7th, but I haven't gotten to that yet.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:47 pm

Lully - Overture to "Ballet des Plaisirs" (Mallon/Naxos)
Marias - Feste Champetre & Gigue la Fleselle (Coin/London)
Leclair - Trio Sonata #3 (London Baroque/Harmonia Mundi)
F. Couperin - La Piemontoise from "Les Nations" (Hesperion XX/Astree)

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 3:19 am

On April 23, 2010. I listened to

Haydn: Sym. 91 (26:07) & 92 "Oxford" (27:29)--Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Vol. 31 of SONY set. Lackluster performances. The Oxford is one of my favorites, but not in this routine run-through. Get the Kuijken.

Brahms: Academic Festival Overture (10:08 ) |Tragic Overture (12:32) |Alto Rhapsody (12:28 ) |Sym 4 (39:09)--Klemperer, cond. Philharmonia Orch, Christa Ludwig in Alto Rhapsody. CD 3 of 3 CD Klemperer EMI set of the symphonies and other works, recorded 1956-62. Although there is much good music here, this is the most disappointing of the three discs of the Klemperer set for me. I didn't like the Academic Festival Overture at all, which is slow, ponderous and humorless, this last especially inappropriate as the whole idea of the piece is a very lively joke. The Alto Rhapsody is probably the best performance here, but that has more to do with Christa Ludwig than Klemperer. The Tragic Overture is pretty good. Only in the third movement does this performance really gel and come to life. The first isn't bad, either, but this performance is not, in my opinion, up to the high standard set by the performances of the other three symphonies in this set. Still, the set as a whole is highly recommended.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:13 am

Dvorak - Violin Concerto (Isaac Stern/Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Sony Classical)

Janacek - String Quartet No.2 'Intimate Letters' (The Lindsay String Quartet, ASV)

Tchaikovsky - 'Variations on a Rococo Theme' (Han-Na Chang/Mstislav Rostropovich, London Symphony Orchestra, EMI)

Wagner - 'The Flying Dutchman' (Bernd Wiekl/Cheryl Studer/Placido Domingo/Hans Sotin/Peter Seiffert/Guiseppe Sinopoli, Chor & Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, DG) below

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:22 am

What a wonderful work this was! I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute and note of it! I loved the whole “feel” of this performance.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:13 am

Gershwin - Overture to "Of Thee I Sing" (McGlinn/EMI)
Copland - Appalachian Spring Suite (composer/RCA)
A. Berger - Ideas of Order (Rose/New World)
Piston - Violin Concerto #1 (Buswell/Naxos)

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:25 pm

Sergey Prokofiev
Piano Concerto's 3 & 2
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn conducting
Vladimir Ashkenazy - Piano

Last Sunday, on a whim I took out the Prokofiev complete Piano Concerto set and listened to the Third and Second Concertos. I hadn't listened to them for a long time. My listening habits have changed in that every day since then the first piece of music that I listen to is Prokofiev's Third. It is a beautifully balanced, sparkling piece of music that really moves me. I am surprised that I didn't instantly fall in love with it when I listened to it before....better late than never. Highly recommended!

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:12 am

Today, April 24, 2010, I listened to

Bach: Christmas Oratorio. S. 248 (161:30)--Fritz Werner, cond. Pforzheim Chamber Orch., Heinrich Schütz-Chor Heilbronn, Agnes Giebel, soprano, Claudia Hellman, alto, Helmut Krebs, tenor, Barry McDaniel, bass. Recorded 1963. CDs 6, 7, and 2/3 of 8 of a 10 CD Warner Classics set. Vigorous, exciting performance in which interest never flags. Highly recommended.

Bach: Motet, S. 228 Fürchte dich nicht Fear thou not; for I am with thee (10:57) |Motet, S 229 Komm, Jesu, Komm! Come, Jesus, come! (9:37) |Motet, S. 118, aka Cantata 118 O Jesu Christ, mein’s Lebens Licht O Jesus Christ, light of my life (4:37)--Fritz Werner, cond., Heinrich Schütz-Chor Heilbronn, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Eva Hölderlin-Liedecke, organ (228, 229), Heinrich-Schütz-Chor Heilbronn, Pforzheim Chamber Orchestra, Eva Hölderlin-Liedecke, organ (118).These are the fillers on CD 8 after the Christmas Oraorio, above. Lively, interesting performances. Highly recommended.

Haydn: Symphonies 17 in F Major (15:40), 19 in D Major (14:53), 107 in B Flat Major aka Sinfonie A (13:16), 25 in C Major (14:16)--Dennis Russell Davies, cond., Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. CD 3 of SONY complete symphonies set. All four of these early 3 movement symphonies are performed with verve and enthusiasm. One of the better discs in the set.

Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9 (30:11), Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (17:18 ) , Toccata in C Major, Op. 7 (7:06)--Howard Shelley, piano. Conifer CLASS, lic from Chandos, rec 1990. The Kinderszenen performance seems rather listless and unimaginative, but the other two works seem to me much better performed. Recommended, with reservations.

Volume 42 of the 51 disc Complete EMI Menuhin box. Ravel: Piano Trio in A Minor (27:35)--with Gaspar Cassado, cello, Louis Kentner, piano, recorded 12 JUL 1960. Debussy: Violin Sonata (13:16), with Jacques Fevrier, piano. Trio for flute, viola, & harp (18:12) with Michel Debost, flute, and Lili Laskine, harp, recorded 11-12 SEP 1974, Faure: Andante in B Flat, Op. 75 (5:02), Berceuse in D, Op. 16 (3:41) with Jeremy Menuhin, piano, recorded 1970. A light, easygoing disc of lively performances. Recommended.

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