What are YOU listening to today?

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:30 am

Siegfried Köhler (1927-1984), East-Germany

SYMPHONY No 3 op 57 (1974/75)
for Orchestra, String Quartet , Wind Quartet and 1 Synthesizer
Staatskapelle Dresden / Siegfried Kurz.

recorded from Nova Stereo LP made in GDR (DDR, 1977).

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:19 pm

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 in G minor Op. 13 "Winter Daydreams" played by Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Neeme Järvi is a beautifully controlled performance. That second movement is performed with a delicacy that one doesn't often hear.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:05 pm

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:47 am

A perennial Christmas favourite.

piston · Post by **piston** » Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:20 am

M. Weinberg's film score to the Soviet movie "Posledniy dyuym (The Last Inch)" (1958).

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:49 am

1953 Aida: Barbirolli/Callas/Baum/Simionato/Walters/Sutherland

A dream cast: Barbirolli clearly loves the music, and inspires his cast to great heights.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Fri Jan 04, 2013 4:11 pm

Entire concerto, amazing violin. AFAIK, she hasn't recorded it yet.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Jan 05, 2013 10:47 am

Aga Mikolaj: Strauss: Four Last Songs, Etc.

A Star is Born. I'm not kidding. Grab this CD while you can!

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:27 pm

maestrob wrote:Aga Mikolaj: Strauss: Four Last Songs, Etc.

A Star is Born. I'm not kidding. Grab this CD while you can!

I´ll investigate that cd Maestro, thank you.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:33 pm

There could also be some promising new stars in this youthful Czech cast of The Bartered Bride.
Belohlavek conducts a joyful, charming performance and the BBC Symphony plays as a sort of brach of the Czech Philharmonic.

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:03 pm

I'm on to the third CD of the Haydn Piano Sonatas. The first two were played by Bart Van Oort and were very enjoyable--especially the B minor {Hb 32 on disc 1 and the C amah HB 50 on disc 2 but all the pieces were beautifully played on the period fortepiano.

Discs 3 and 4 are played by Ursula Dütschler, On the third disc the first three sonatas are all early works but pleasant enough. I liked the theme and variations in the last movement of the A Maj HB 30 {1776} and the G Minor sonata.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:19 pm

Finally acquired Alexandre Tharaud et al.'s compilation of Erik Satie's solo and chamber works, Avant-dernières pensées. Just as wonderful as I'd read.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 10:06 am

The Detroit Symphony in the early stereo years, was very nearly the equal of any of the Big Five, and when expertly led by Paul Paray, produced some truly wonderful recordings of French repertoire for Mercury. These have all been restored from the original master tapes (35mm film many of them), and are available in this boxset:

Paray imagined every note with precision and elan: these are essential recordings for every collection, not just Francophiles. The CD set is now marked down post-holiday to $69, while the mp3 collection sells for s stunning $29. Must-have repertoire!

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:25 pm

Volkman's Pandora (MTT/SFSO)
Dello Joio's Air Power (Ormandy)

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 12:11 pm

Bavouzet: Debussy Volume IV.......Images & Etudes

This is the finest Debussy available, IMHO.

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:46 am

I listened to the fifth Sonata for Piano and 'Cello with Kempff and Fournier. It's particularly beautiful with with a lovely and deeply profound slow movement, Adagio con molto sentimento d`afetto.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:30 am

Chris Merritt was a unique tenor. His voice had a low, almost baritonal quality, but with ringing top notes, that strangely, seemed to belong to a different voice.
He was the first tenor in our time to sing successfully the roles that Rossini composed for Andrea Nozzari, a legendary tenor that had the same vocal qualities...or peculiarities that Merritt has. He often sang next to fellow American tenor Rockwell Blake, who took the Giovanni David roles, the "other" Rossini tenor.
Merritt is one of those singers that people either love or hate. His voice is not traditionally beautiful, but at least I could never describe it as ugly (others certainly did), but he was a musical and expressive singer that understood what Bel Canto is all about.
He, for example, was one of the few tenors to sing the murderous role of Arnold in Rossini´s William Tell in theaters, others like Pavarotti recorded it, but never dared to sing it live.
Merritt now is almost retired, but on occasion sings small roles.
I remember him with gratitude, he was a special, unusual, and yes, great singer.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:03 pm

This is some of the best Liszt I've heard since Jorge Bolet: a very fine release!

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 9:47 am

Let´s celebrate Mozart´s birthday!

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 3:19 pm

I really enjoyed Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante in B flat major {Dorati: Philharmonia Hungarica}. It combines features of the Concerto Grosso and the Symphony with its interplay between a group of soloists--usually violin and wind and the full orchestra. The intervals with the soloists are frequently enchanting and, in the slow movement especially beautiful. There are three delightful movements over far too soon.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 9:47 pm

Neville Marriner conducting Rachmaninoff's Second.

Just to see if he can.

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 4:41 am

I've dipped back into Corelli's Concerti Grossi. My version is that done by Brilliant Classics: with Pieter-Jan Belder and Musica Amphion. They use period instruments and the result is quite good indeed--in general--and not just for a bargain basement issue.

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Wed Feb 13, 2013 4:41 am

delete-the last post came up twice

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 1:36 am

Dvorak: Symphony No. 9
Chicago Symphony Orch & Fritz Reiner
JVC Japan

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Chicago Symphony Orch & Fritz Reiner
Emil Gilels, piano
JVC Japan

arthound · Post by **arthound** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:29 am

From Abbado's Vienna cycle...

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:28 am

Can't seem to get enough of this warm & lovely singing. Her ornamentation is as sophisticated as it comes.....

Next up:

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:06 pm

Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Haydn-Variations; Alt-Rhapsodie
Royal Concertgebouw Orch & Eduard van Beinum
Aafje Heynis (Alt-Rhapsodie)
Universal Japan

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:38 pm

This is interesting. Manuscripts of this composition have appeared in 2 Austrian abbeys since the 1930´s. Recently it´s been attributed to Pergolesi on account of some similarities to his oratorio La Morte di San Giuseppe. Well, I have that oratorio on an old Ricordi recording and I can´t hear the similarities. More startling, this -to me- doesn´t sound like anything I have ever heard from Pergolesi.
If I had been asked blindfolded, I would have said that this indeed sounds like Central European, something wrote around 1700 in the style of the Imperial Court composers: Fux/Caldara/Conti, but Pergolesi? Sorry, no.
The work itself is very beautiful, it consists on 7 mini cantatas with 2 arias and a recitative each. It´s very contemplative and it perhaps can be related to Graupner´s The Last 7 Words of Christ.
I could accept that it was composed by someone who may have known La Morte di San Giuseppe, but not by Pergolesi himself. The structure is like anything he ever did.
Still, most important of all, it´s a truly beautiful work, and obviously René Jacobs lavishes every care on it. A beautiful recording.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:50 am

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:55 pm

Semyon Bychkov is one of the most under-appreciated conductors in the world today: This Lohengrin is very, very special, with Botha and Pieczonka starring, this is a sure-fire winner.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:22 pm

Bela Fleck's Banjo Concerto--Fleck, live w/Guerrero & Cleveland Orch.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:29 pm

maestrob wrote:

Semyon Bychkov is one of the most under-appreciated conductors in the world today: This Lohengrin is very, very special, with Botha and Pieczonka starring, this is a sure-fire winner.

I thought it was very good Maestro, but I have to say that I didn´t love Botha in the title role. He certainly has a big voice, but I thought him rather unmusical, at least when compared to our 2 finest Lohengrins: Jonas Kaufmann (of course) and Klaus Florian Vogt. It was a great pity that they didn´t hire Vogt for this recording, because he recorded the part for Pentatone under Marek Janowski and I didn´t like the conducting there.

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:20 am

I listened to Dinu Lipatti's recording of Chopin's 14 waltzes. They were played in the order Lipatti chose himself and are memorable performances.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 4:10 pm

Johann Sebastian Bach
English Suites 1, 2 & 3
András Schiff - piano.

Wonderful music, beautifully played, this is about as good as it gets.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:29 am

josé echenique wrote:
maestrob wrote:

Semyon Bychkov is one of the most under-appreciated conductors in the world today: This Lohengrin is very, very special, with Botha and Pieczonka starring, this is a sure-fire winner.
I thought it was very good Maestro, but I have to say that I didn´t love Botha in the title role. He certainly has a big voice, but I thought him rather unmusical, at least when compared to our 2 finest Lohengrins: Jonas Kaufmann (of course) and Klaus Florian Vogt. It was a great pity that they didn´t hire Vogt for this recording, because he recorded the part for Pentatone under Marek Janowski and I didn´t like the conducting there.

"Unmusical"? Ouch! He has a bit of a straight tone here and there, but I don't mind that. Kaufmann would be better, though, I agree.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:39 am

Poplavskaya is the real star here....simply outstsnding in the Russian version of this poetry by various authors. Caetani is daemonic as a conductor: he makes the orchestra reflect the intensity of the text. Absolutely five stars. Available as an mp3, or as part of a complete set of CDs.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 12:44 pm

maestrob wrote:
josé echenique wrote:
maestrob wrote:

Semyon Bychkov is one of the most under-appreciated conductors in the world today: This Lohengrin is very, very special, with Botha and Pieczonka starring, this is a sure-fire winner.
I thought it was very good Maestro, but I have to say that I didn´t love Botha in the title role. He certainly has a big voice, but I thought him rather unmusical, at least when compared to our 2 finest Lohengrins: Jonas Kaufmann (of course) and Klaus Florian Vogt. It was a great pity that they didn´t hire Vogt for this recording, because he recorded the part for Pentatone under Marek Janowski and I didn´t like the conducting there.
"Unmusical"? Ouch! He has a bit of a straight tone here and there, but I don't mind that. Kaufmann would be better, though, I agree.

I heard Botha sing a dreadful Radames in Vienna that I didn´t like a bit, so maybe I´m already biased, but really, Lohengrin needs a warmer, more Italianate voice. Who sings a wonderful Lohengrin? Well, Sandor Konya for sure in the Leinsdorf recording, or Siegfried Jerusalem with Abbado and of course Domingo with Solti, they are much easier on the ear than Botha.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:32 pm

Christoph Willibard Gluck
Orfeo Ed Euridice
Bernarda Fink, Veronica Cangemi, Maria Cristina Kiehr
RIAS Kammerchor
Freiburger Barockorchester
René Jacobs - conducting.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:33 pm

Joseph Haydn
The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross
Quatuor Mosaïques

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:38 pm

Seán wrote:

Joseph Haydn
The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross
Quatuor Mosaïques

Of all the versions of the Last 7 Words, my favourite is the string quartet, and the Mosaïques´version, recorded a Good Friday Morning, is my favourite of all.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:11 pm

josé echenique wrote:
Seán wrote:

Joseph Haydn
The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross
Quatuor Mosaïques
Of all the versions of the Last 7 Words, my favourite is the string quartet, and the Mosaïques´version, recorded a Good Friday Morning, is my favourite of all.

It is a truly wonderful performance by the Mosaïques. I have their 10 Haydn CDs and they are all superb, they are a marvellous ensemble.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 12:21 pm

Casella is right up my alley: well-written symphony, and a pastiche of Scarlatti themes. Very fine way to pass the day: looking forward to more from this composer!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 9:47 am

Bruckner IV: Runnicles/BBC Scottish

Absolutely outstanding! Can't wait to hear VII. Who would have ever thought.......

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:19 pm

<Bruckner IV: Runnicles/BBC Scottish

Absolutely outstanding! Can't wait to hear VII. Who would have ever thought.......>

Perhaps it wouldn´t have been such a big surprise if you have heard this fine recording:

Which I liked much better than this new release:

I will continue my Wagner thread with Tristan un Isolde.

piston · Post by **piston** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:45 pm

The Enchanted Wanderer, an opera by Shchedrin which has been uploaded on youtube. It's interesting to note that the author who wrote this story and from which this opera's libretto is drawn is the same individual who wrote Lady MacBeth of the Mtsensk District, Nicolai Leskov.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Leskov

scififan · Post by **scififan** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:25 am

I.ve been listening to the Beethoven Piano concerto no 3 played by Levin with Gardiner and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. This is a really exciting performance with a sense of spontaneity about it!

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a sample of that recording on You Tube.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 11:14 am

Vaughan Williams VI: Boult/BBC

Bridge: The Sea: Brabbins, BBC Wales

This latest disc from BBC Magazine offers an historical stereo performance of V-W's VI that ranks among Boult's best, and an interesting tone poem by Frank Bridge. Well done!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:13 pm

For those who love Handel, Karina Gauvin spins her way through this outstanding production, and we don't have to worry about the sets! George Petrou's incisive and sensitive conducting and singers' preparation shines through every note. Simply outstanding!

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:06 pm

maestrob wrote:

For those who love Handel, Karina Gauvin spins her way through this outstanding production, and we don't have to worry about the sets! George Petrou's incisive and sensitive conducting and singers' preparation shines through every note. Simply outstanding!

Isn´t she just marvelous? And a Giove in Argo with her is due soon.
But don´t forget to mention outstanding countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic, as close as we can hope to a male Marilyn Horne.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:48 am

Today is another opera day, with one of the great voices of the century. Lucia Popp possesses one of the purest, most silvery tones of any singer: from the Song to the Moon to the Queen of the Night and Strauss's Four Last Songs, here she is in a wide range of repertoire that I could listen to all day. Grab this set while it's available: the Russian/Czech disc is particularly stunning as is her Mozart.

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