What I listened to today

[jserraglio]

Florian Leopold Gassmann: L'Opera Seria

Concerto Köln
Conductor: René Jacobs
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
30 March 2003



https://parterre.com/2023/12/28/mama-is ... e-to-it-2/

[jserraglio]

Klara Wurtz - Complete Mozart Sonatas Brilliant Classics

[jserraglio]

Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmélites (in English)

Blanche: Felicity Lott
Madame de Croissy: Régine Crespin
Madame Lidoine: Valerie Masterson
Mère Marie: Pauline Tinsley
Soeur Constance: Lilian Watson
Soeur Mathilde: Eiddwen Harrhy
Mère Jeanne: Patricia Payne
Le Marquis de la Force: Jonathan Summers
Le Chevalier: Robin Leggate

Conductor: Michel Plasson

Royal Opera, Covent Garden
18 April 1983 Broadcast

https://parterre.com/2022/06/02/french-kiss/

[Rach3]

A couple brief ( 20 , 15 mins. ) modern yet tonal, accessible, piano concertos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWhsyAkwVbQ Jiri Gemrot PC 2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyk2j7HCNpw Everett Helm PC # 2 1956

[jserraglio]

The Art of Fritz Reiner, vol. 1, 1942-1952. West Hill radio Archives

[Febnyc]

Superb performances, brilliant sound. My speakers had a workout this afternoon.

[Belle]

Now THAT has got to be something special!!

[jserraglio]

Reiner/Cleveland Orch. Shostakovich Symphony 6 (1945) from the WHRA set.

[Febnyc]

Now THAT has got to be something special!!

Indeed! Give it a listen.

[maestrob]

Klara Wurtz - Complete Mozart Sonatas Brilliant Classics

That's a LOT of Mozart!

And yes, she's wonderful!

Now, do try Mao Fujita:

[Rach3]

Horowitz, 1951 Carnegie recital:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PhD3l8 ... rt_radio=1

[maestrob]

Horowitz, 1951 Carnegie recital:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PhD3l8 ... rt_radio=1

Brilliant! Thanks! The Prokofiev and Chopin were particularly outstanding.

[Febnyc]

The interesting Leipzig-based label, Genuin, about 10+ years ago produced a series of CDs called Unerhört, which featured never-before-heard recordings of 19th and 20th century piano and chamber music.

Leonid Sabaneev (1881-1968) composed these two Piano Trios just before and then after the Russian revolution and civil war.

The first, from 1907 sits, as the notes say, as a "dance on the volcano." It is a grim forecast of things to come. The second trio, from 1923/24, is a stark reflection of its era. With a deep piano register and a tonal palette which is gloomy and ominous, Sabaneev limns the cruelty and lawlessness of the Stalinist regime. There are a few gentle passages, but they prove only to be mirages as millions of people perish in wars and through starvation.

This is soul-searching music, described as "... the extreme outer limits beyond which no more art is possible." While that might be a bit hyperbolic, nevertheless the music is powerful and provoking. And - it's suggested that, as I did, you listen to these trios on a sunny day.

[Rach3]

Leonid Sabaneev (1881-1968) composed these two Piano Trios just before and then after the Russian revolution and civil war.

Agree, I have had this cd a couple years now.Wonderful music, at YT , too, I believe.

[Febnyc]

Leonid Sabaneev (1881-1968) composed these two Piano Trios just before and then after the Russian revolution and civil war.

Agree, I have had this cd a couple years now.Wonderful music, at YT , too, I believe.

Genuin released, I believe, two CDs of his piano music. I listened to samples on their website - very attractive for what I heard. Do you have either or both of these discs?

[Rach3]

Genuin released, I believe, two CDs of his piano music. I listened to samples on their website - very attractive for what I heard. Do you have either or both of these discs?

I have neither ; thanks for the tip. I do have pianist Shafer on a Genuin cd of D'Indy solo piano works,had mixed reactions to the music, the Piano Sonata interesting, though.

[Belle]

Brendel playing Schubert Piano Sonata A Major, D664. A beautiful performance. There's real narrative here. Conversational, tender, reflective, wistful and then joyful - but it's an equivocal kind of joy under the fingers of Alfred Brendel!! I notice Brendel pulls back the speed on a couple of occasions in the final movement and there is no "ritard" instruction - at least in the score which was posted on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h92eE_R0xU

[jserraglio]

Misa Criolla, Missa Luba, Misa Flamenco

[Rach3]

Genuin released, I believe, two CDs of his piano music. I listened to samples on their website - very attractive for what I heard. Do you have either or both of these discs?

I have neither ; thanks for the tip. I do have pianist Shafer on a Genuin cd of D'Indy solo piano works,had mixed reactions to the music, the Piano Sonata interesting, though.

I heard today the Genuin cd of Sabaneev's solo piano, Vol.2, pianist Michael Shaefer. Must say did not connect much with me on first-hearing ; the Trios on the other hand are great as earlier noted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkBk3uj ... kA&index=2

[Rach3]

Genuin released, I believe, two CDs of his piano music. I listened to samples on their website - very attractive for what I heard. Do you have either or both of these discs?

I have neither ; thanks for the tip. I do have pianist Shafer on a Genuin cd of D'Indy solo piano works,had mixed reactions to the music, the Piano Sonata interesting, though.

I heard today the Genuin cd of Sabaneev's solo piano, Vol.2, pianist Michael Shaefer. Must say did not connect much with me on first-hearing ; the Trios on the other hand are great as earlier noted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkBk3uj ... kA&index=2

The works on Genuin Shaefer Vol.1 were more comfortable on first hearing than the apparently later works on Vol.2, somewhat similar to an early Scriabin-late Scriabin comparison, Scriabin a composer who obviously influenced Sabaneev. Among the 44 brief works on Vol.1 were some gems, although I'd recommend hearing them in small doses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJP4dCl ... 8&index=37

[Febnyc]

Thanks, got it.

[Rach3]

Transcriptions by pianist Florian Noack , live videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YcQj3jkrx8 ( Prokofieff's "Classical Symphony" )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6XSmqnuHpY (Bach's Concerto for Four Harpsichords,BWV 1065

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-K8Ei-Pe6w (Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances" )

And a recital if interested:

A pianist I follow , here one of the best Prokofieff 6th Sonata performances I’ve heard, live or recorded ; a rare chance to hear live the complete, very demanding Etudes; and my first hearing of the Myaskovsky from his early Soviet avant-garde period.Brussels, Palais des Beaux Arts,Jan.31,2024.

Lyadov, The Enchanted Lake,Op.62 (arr.Noack)
Prokofieff, 4 Etudes, Op.2, complete
Prokofieff, 4 “Visions” from “Visions fugitives” , Op.22
Myaskovsky,Piano Sonata No.2,Op.13
Prokofieff, “Tales of an old Grandmother “ ,Op.31, Nos.1-3
Prokofieff, Piano Sonata No.6,Op.82

3 encores, a Myaskovsky (?), and parts of Noack's transcriptions of Tchaikovsky's “Swan Lake” and Rimsky Korsokov's “Scheherazade”


https://auvio.rtbf.be/media/concert-le- ... 0h-3151176

[jserraglio]

Furtwangler: Wartime Recordings

[jserraglio]

Steinberg-PSO - Stravinsky Rite of Spring 1953 Capitol P 8254

24-bit LP rip sourced from Archive.org; trimmed, lightly declicked and downsampled to 16/44 in Audacity.

[jserraglio]

[Febnyc]

I've listened to that Bohème so often that the CD booklet has fallen apart.

Next to the Callas/DeStefano Tosca, it's the finest opera recording I know.

[maestrob]

Leonid Sabaneev (1881-1968) composed these two Piano Trios just before and then after the Russian revolution and civil war.

Agree, I have had this cd a couple years now.Wonderful music, at YT , too, I believe.

Also on Spotify. Thanks for the suggestion, gentlemen. Rare and wonderful music.

[Lance]

This is a great set. I have patiently been waiting for Volume 2. Reiner sells ... so I wonder why the holdup. Me, a great fan of Reiner, always have been.

The Art of Fritz Reiner, vol. 1, 1942-1952. West Hill radio Archives

[Lance]

This came out on EMI/Icon [26486, 20 CDs, issued 2011]. It included all of Steinberg's EMI recordings. Not sure if it is still in the catalogue. I loved watching Steinberg conduct ... saw him many times live with the Pittsburgh.

Steinberg-PSO - Stravinsky Rite of Spring 1953 Capitol P 8254

24-bit LP rip sourced from Archive.org; trimmed, lightly declicked and downsampled to 16/44 in Audacity.

[Lance]

Any particular issues or labels?

Furtwangler: Wartime Recordings

[Lance]

Brian, how would you describe Sabaneev's music or who might it be compared to in his own time frame?

Leonid Sabaneev (1881-1968) composed these two Piano Trios just before and then after the Russian revolution and civil war.

Agree, I have had this cd a couple years now.Wonderful music, at YT , too, I believe.

Also on Spotify. Thanks for the suggestion, gentlemen. Rare and wonderful music.

[jserraglio]

Any particular issues or labels?

Furtwangler: Wartime Recordings

Various. I started with the Turnabout LPs. Have a couple others on Tahra and Russian Compact Disc.

[maestrob]

Brian, how would you describe Sabaneev's music or who might it be compared to in his own time frame?

Leonid Sabaneev (1881-1968) composed these two Piano Trios just before and then after the Russian revolution and civil war.

Agree, I have had this cd a couple years now.Wonderful music, at YT , too, I believe.

Also on Spotify. Thanks for the suggestion, gentlemen. Rare and wonderful music.

Lance, I would compare this music to a combination of early Scriabin and Taneyev, with a dash of Rimsky-Korsakov thrown in, very much in the idiom of the time. There are the inevitable moments of turgidity, but overall the music holds up well. Definitely worth a hearing, IMHO.

[Lance]

Many thanks for that ... nothing like curiosity to form an interest in something unheard! Makes life even more interesting.

[Febnyc]

Eugen Suchoň (1908-1993) really is below the radar today. But he was an important Slovak composer during the twentieth century - along with Alexander Moyzes and Ján Cikker.

Thanks to Chandos we can hear some of what he wrote before he turned to serialism. These pieces are romantic, chromatic and are based on folk elements. They are very attractive.

(PS - the Marco Polo label recorded the twelve symphonies of Alexander Moyzes - which languish, essentially unknown - which is a shame for such a powerful cycle of works. Worth a listen, too!)

[Rach3]

Eugen Suchoň (1908-1993) really is below the radar today.

Thanks for the tip,my first hearing of him.Listened at YT to his Metamorphosis from the Chandos cd, as well as 2 solo piano works, Small Suite,Op.3 and Balladic Suite,Op.9. All very enjopyable and interesting.All would play well at concerts,guess just too much repertoire to learn and / or sell ?

[jserraglio]

Ozawa's debut recording, 1965. It's been in my LP collection for ages.

[Rach3]

(PS - the Marco Polo label recorded the twelve symphonies of Alexander Moyzes - which languish, essentially unknown - which is a shame for such a powerful cycle of works. Worth a listen, too!)

Thanks again ! Again my first knowledge.Heard these gems of Moyzes which will definitely warrant re-hearings.Is there another of his symphonies you'd recommend ? TIA.

Alexander Moyzes (1906 - 1984):

Symphony No.11,Op.79 (1978), Slovak Radio Orchestra, Ladislav Slovak, Marco Polo studio cd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0lQGAGtKgM&t=46s


Piano Sonata , Op.2 , ( probably late 1920s ? ) , Anthony Goldstone, piano , studio recording, label ? :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xIjZCZpto

[Febnyc]

(PS - the Marco Polo label recorded the twelve symphonies of Alexander Moyzes - which languish, essentially unknown - which is a shame for such a powerful cycle of works. Worth a listen, too!)

Thanks again ! Again my first knowledge.Heard these gems of Moyzes which will definitely warrant re-hearings.Is there another of his symphonies you'd recommend ? TIA.

Alexander Moyzes (1906 - 1984):

Symphony No.11,Op.79 (1978), Slovak Radio Orchestra, Ladislav Slovak, Marco Polo studio cd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0lQGAGtKgM&t=46s


Piano Sonata , Op.2 , ( probably late 1920s ? ) , Anthony Goldstone, piano , studio recording, label ? :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xIjZCZpto

I like the earlier symphonies - I mean, they're all worthwhile but those seem more lyrical, as far as I recall. Now you've convinced me to listen once again myself.

Also, you might consider listening to the disc of Moyzes' "folksier" tunes - Gehmer and Pohronie Dances and the River Vah Suite.

[Febnyc]

Eugen Suchoň (1908-1993) really is below the radar today.

Thanks for the tip,my first hearing of him.Listened at YT to his Metamorphosis from the Chandos cd, as well as 2 solo piano works, Small Suite,Op.3 and Balladic Suite,Op.9. All very enjopyable and interesting.All would play well at concerts,guess just too much repertoire to learn and / or sell ?

I'm of the same opinion. But who'd be brave enough to program these at a concert? - hardly anyone would recognize the composer's name, no less buy a ticket to hear his unknown music. Indeed, too much repertoire - and so many gems hidden in obscurity - only to be engulfed by repetitions of the "popular" warhorses - masterpieces, yes - but over-exposed to know-nothing audiences.

[jserraglio]

Furtwangler - Cmplt Pre-War HMV Recs 1937-39 Biddulph 1993

[Lance]

Sounds good. I only have two Biddulphs with remastering accomplished by Mark Obert-Thorn, Biddulph 006 and 007. Largely Beethoven, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, and Furtwängler's own Symphonic Concerto with pianist Edwin Fischer. I was never particularly drawn to that concerto even with the legendary Fischer at the piano. That work never seemed to 'fly.'

Furtwangler - Cmplt Pre-War HMV Recs 1937-39 Biddulph 1993

[Belle]

Hans Knappertsbusch, Brahms Symphony #4 in a live concert from 1953 with, really, a provincial German orchestra - the Kolner Rundfunk (no longer extant). OK, some intonation problems in the winds and the strings on odd occasions, but otherwise a sensational reading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su-iB-GM0tQ

Knappertsbusch fell foul of Hitler and was booted from Munich after which he had a chequered career as a 'freelancer'. Record producer John Culshaw wrote about "Kna" and here are a couple of extracts (taken from Wiki). One is Culshaw quoting Solti reflecting on his appointment to Munich after the American occupiers awarded him the job:


Of all the people who might have had reason to resent my appointment in Munich after the war, there was one who had more reason than anyone else: that was Hans Knappertsbusch. There was in fact one man who really helped me, in my inexperience: that was Hans Knappertsbusch. He was a father to me.

And from Culshaw himself:

It is not often that there is a true bond of affection between an orchestra and a conductor, and especially so in the case of an orchestra with so long and proud a tradition of its own as the Vienna Philharmonic. The older members still talk with awe about Furtwängler and Richard Strauss. They speak with profound respect for the memories of Erich Kleiber and Clemens Krauss and Bruno Walter. For others, still living, they have mixed feelings ranging from loathing to admiration. But for Hans Knappertsbusch, they had love.

[jserraglio]

Sounds good. I only have two Biddulphs with remastering accomplished by Mark Obert-Thorn, Biddulph 006 and 007. Largely Beethoven, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, and Furtwängler's own Symphonic Concerto with pianist Edwin Fischer. I was never particularly drawn to that concerto even with the legendary Fischer at the piano. That work never seemed to 'fly.'

Furtwangler - Cmplt Pre-War HMV Recs 1937-39 Biddulph 1993

I much admire Biddulph Recordings and Pearl and snap them up wherever and however I find them. Such as, all of the sets in the Biddulph "Kreisler Collection".

[jserraglio]

The matchless Kna. 1962 Parsifal , in vinyl form, can be streamed in goodly sound at https://archive.org/details/lp_parsifal ... -orchest_0

[Rach3]

Russian cello music, a couple favs of mine:

Prokofieff's Cello Sonata with Peter Wispelwey on BBC Lunchtime Concert today

Shostakovich's 1st Cello Concerto with Truls Mork on Radio Belgium Francais Concert 1300 today

Both archived, free listen on demand.

[jserraglio]

Puccini Turandot Chailly-SFO Caballe, Pavarotti, Mitchell, Tozzi (4.XI.1977)

[jserraglio]

Martinon-BBC & Giulini-PhO - Schumann & Dvorak CCs Du Pre & Rostropovich 1962 BBC 2018 ICA

[Rach3]

….and Furtwängler's own Symphonic Concerto with pianist Edwin Fischer. I was never particularly drawn to that concerto even with the legendary Fischer at the piano. That work never seemed to 'fly.'

Indeed. My recording is a 1990 Marco Polo cd, one David Lively,pianist, with Czechoslovak State Phil. , Alfred Walter. Per the liner notes, Furtwangler considered himself “ a conducting composer, not composing conductor.” Notes give no info as to why he wrote a piano concerto. The work is 62 minutes, with the first mov. “Schwer.Pesante” 32 ! He apparently started it at least by 1925, did not finish it until 1936, and then revised it publishing it in 1954.Heard it again today ,spurred by your mention, but still opaque for me even though tonal.

[jserraglio]

David Oistrakh - Bach · Brahms · Tchaikovsky - Violin Concertos · Beethoven - Violin Romances 2017 (DGG)