# Today I discovered...



## Manuel

What about a place to comment works you are listening for the first time?
Feel free to list everything, _not only the obscure ones_.

Today I discovered Guitar concerto Op. 99 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. I had it in my shelves for a few years, but never heard it (it stick to the other work in the disc: Concierto de Aranjuez). The local orchestra is playing it next friday, so I wanted to get acquainted with the work.

I'm also presenting myself slowly to Debussy's Preludes.


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## crimson

I was struck by a classical shopping mania the other day, and have gotten myself a couple of CDs, most pieces of which I'm listening for the first time in my life. Right now I'm listening to Dvorák's 9th symphony, "the New World". Symphony no. 8 was also on the CD, but I didn't get so well into it on the first listen. However, I kind of like the 9th. I was surprised to notice a similarity in the second movement to Howard Shore's LotR fellowship theme. The clarinet plays a very similar passage repeatedly in this movement. Also, I can't help getting a feeling of the Wild West from some phrases. Oh, now I got to the last movement. The beginning is already familiar sounding as Rhapsody of Fire (the italian powermetal band) included excerpts from this movement in one of their songs. All in all, I can say I have enjoyed especially this 9th symphony from Dvorák. It may be that I need to give the 8th a few more listens before I get into it. I can easily see why the 9th is such a popular work. The final movement is very nice and catchy, especially the theme with the horns.

Another new discovery for me was Sibelius' 1st and 3rd symphonies. They sound remarkably similar to modern film music. His music is very colourful, deep, and a bit solemn, too. It's a shame I haven't listened to Sibelius before even though I'm a finn myself. If I had to compare Dvorák and Sibelius, I'd say Sibelius was a bit more accessible to me (myself being a film-music guy). And the Sibelius CD was a very good deal, costing only 4.50€ and containing symphonies nos. 1 & 3 plus Finlandia. Also the quality of the recording is very good.


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## Manuel

crimson said:


> I was struck by a classical shopping mania the other day, and have gotten myself a couple of CDs, most pieces of which I'm listening for the first time in my life. Right now I'm listening to Dvorák's 9th symphony, "the New World". Symphony no. 8 was also on the CD, but I didn't get so well into it on the first listen.


An excellent purchase I can tell. Dvorak will provide you with a lot of enjoyment. His late symphonies are magnificent. Give the 8th some time, and you will definitely surrender to its magic.



crimson said:


> However, I kind of like the 9th. I was surprised to notice a similarity in the second movement to Howard Shore's LotR fellowship theme. The clarinet plays a very similar passage repeatedly in this movement.


The main solo of the movement is played by the _english horn_. Is that what you mean?



crimson said:


> Another new discovery for me was Sibelius' 1st and 3rd symphonies. _They sound remarkably similar to modern film music_.


Oh no... This sentence will drive *Kurkikohtaus *mad...

***

I've just finished Messiaen's *Des canyons aux etoiles* and I'm still in shock. 
The recording is from 2004 BBC Proms.


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## Morigan

I discovered four works at a concert yesterday... I can't say they were great discoveries.

First, Berlioz's "Le Corsaire" overture. Not bad actually. The fact that it's very seldom played tells it all. Then there was a "Concerto for english horn AND oboe" (the soloist had to switch between instruments as he played!). This concerto was a composition from a local composer whom I don't really appreciate (Jacques Hétu). Overall, it sounded like the soundtrack to a mediocre movie.

I was surprised by a piece for orchestra called "Ronde villageoise" by another local composer, Clermont Pépin. It was actually a very boisterous single-movement dance-like tune reminiscent of a village festival from the olde tymes.

The last work played was César Franck's symphony. The booklet said it was probably the best symphony composed in France in the second half of the 19th century... Give me Saint-Saëns anytime!! Still, it was a very enjoyable symphony, I found.


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## crimson

> The main solo of the movement is played by the english horn. Is that what you mean?


I think that's it. On my version it (the english horn) comes right after the brass in the beginning. It's not totally the same as the fellowship (or the hobbits/shire) theme but somehow it reminded me of it. I think the beginning of the english horn part uses even the same notes as the fellowship theme in LotR. It doesn't trouble me that they're similar. I love the fellowship theme very much. And it's not like they're excactly the same.



> Oh no... This sentence will drive Kurkikohtaus mad...


Lol, well, Sibelius does remind me of film-music. Much more than Bach, for example, although not like it's identical to film music


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## Manuel

> I think the beginning of the english horn part uses even the same notes as the fellowship theme in LotR. It doesn't trouble me that they're similar. I love the fellowship theme very much. And it's not like they're excactly the same.


The theme Howard Shore uses for the _shire _(I don't remember the name), the one including fiddle figurations, is something I find similar to the _quasi-hymn _at the first movement of Bruch's Scottish Fantasy. (Perhaps we could start a new thread on this subject).


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## Mark Harwood

Manuel said:


> Today I discovered Guitar concerto Op. 99 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. I had it in my shelves for a few years, but never heard it (it stick to the other work in the disc: Concierto de Aranjuez). The local orchestra is playing it next friday, so I wanted to get acquainted with the work.
> 
> That's a delightful piece, one of my favourites, and I hope it encourages you to investigate his other guitar works. They're tuneful, elegant and evocative, and he was a master of scoring for guitar and small orchestra. Glad you've found it!


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## Manuel

Mark Harwood said:


> That's a delightful piece, one of my favourites, and I hope it encourages you to investigate his other guitar works. They're tuneful, elegant and evocative, and he was a master of scoring for guitar and small orchestra. Glad you've found it!


I already know his second violin concerto and a chamber work. I'm definitely going after his guitar works as you suggest.


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## Mark Harwood

Manuel said:


> I already know his second violin concerto and a chamber work. I'm definitely going after his guitar works as you suggest.


Good man. You'll be glad you did.  
Perhaps you could let us know how the concert went?


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## Kurkikohtaus

Crimson said:


> Another new discovery for me was Sibelius' 1st and 3rd symphonies. They sound remarkably similar to modern film music.





Manuel said:


> Oh no... This sentence will drive *Kurkikohtaus *mad...


GAAAAAAAAAAH!

 :angry: 

Now that I got that off my chest, I will give *crimson* the benefit of the doubt... because indeed, the 2nd theme of the 4th mvmt of the 1st Symphony is a little bit Hollywood. And for an uninitiated and unsuspecting listener, maybe even the main theme of the 2nd mvmt can sound like the "Love Theme" from a bad movie.

But the 3rd Symphony?

_*Cool, clear water*_.


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## crimson

Lol, maybe it was the colorfulness and lushness in Sibelius' music that made me think of film music. I'm totally new to traditional classical, coming from a film music background, so the first thing I paid attention to were the similarities  

However, I really enjoy listening to Sibelius. For me, it's easy to listen to, as opposed to some Bach (I'm thinking of Bach's Prelude an Fugue, for example). Sibelius keeps up my interest better. Bach may require some getting used to before I can really appreciate his music.


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## Manuel

crimson said:


> Bach may require some getting used to before I can really appreciate his music.


Don't think that way! ! ! That's exactly what I do, and it took me three years to decide to listen to Mahler and Wagner. Because everybody speaks so well of them and their complexity, that I felt I may not understand what they wrote.


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## crimson

Hehe, ok. It's just that with Bach I find it quite hard to get into his music. Often listening to Bach feels even tiring to me. I cannot focus into his music very well. I think it might not be just a problem with Bach but most classical before romantics period (or at least with baroque music). I seem to like music from many romantic composers like Sibelius, Beethoven, Weber, Tchaikovsky... Although I admit that I haven't tried many baroque composers besides Bach.


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## Mark Harwood

This afternoon I looked through my wife Carol's old cassettes and found the Ravel and Debussy string quartets, played by the "Melos Quartett", on Deutsche Grammophon. 
Brilliant. They enthral and entertain from beginning to end. I heard side 2, the Debussy, first, and I'm glad I did, as you can hear how the Ravel is a response to the earlier work.
Genius at play, times two.


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## ChamberNut

Mark Harwood said:


> This afternoon I looked through my wife Carol's old cassettes and found the Ravel and Debussy string quartets, played by the *"Melos Quartett", on Deutsche Grammophon*.
> Brilliant. They enthral and entertain from beginning to end. I heard side 2, the Debussy, first, and I'm glad I did, as you can hear how the Ravel is a response to the earlier work.
> Genius at play, times two.


Mark, I have the Schubert string quartets by Melos Quartet.


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## Eric

I recently got Rachmaninoff's piano concerto no. 2, and it is amazing. As is Brahms' 4th Symphony, although I've had it for a while (i've just been listening to it a lot lately).


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## Manuel

Not today, but last friday I heard a guitar sonata by Carlos Guastavino. The second movement is just beautiful. However, I can't listen to classical guitar that much, it tends to depress me.

Not exactly a discovery, but today I listened again to Eduard Tubin's second violin concerto. An interesting post-romantic work, with polyphonic writting for the soloist, but the final bars sound too much like Bartok's second concerto.



> I recently got Rachmaninoff's piano concerto no. 2, and it is amazing.


Definitely a lovable work, in full romantic style. Which are the performers in your version?


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## Eric

Manuel said:


> Which are the performers in your version?


Lang Lang, Orchestra pf the Mariinsky Theater, and Valery Gergiev


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## ChamberNut

Last night, I heard a wonderful chamber music work for the first time. I heard it on one of my cable TV classical music stations which I listen to alot. I think it was Galaxie "Chamber Music". Morigan, you might have this in your area of Canada (if you have cable TV).

It was Dvorak's "Cypresses, for string quartet arrangement".

Very beautiful!


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## Morigan

ChamberNut said:


> Last night, I heard a wonderful chamber music work for the first time. I heard it on one of my cable TV classical music stations which I listen to alot. I think it was Galaxie "Chamber Music". Morigan, you might have this in your area of Canada (if you have cable TV).
> 
> It was Dvorak's "Cypresses, for string quartet arrangement".
> 
> Very beautiful!


I do!! There's Galaxie Greatest Classical (or something like that), Galaxie Baroque, etc. Basically it's like radio on tv, with only the title of the piece and the info displayed on the screen. I liked to leave the tv on these channels while doing other stuff.


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## oisfetz

Strongly recommended (if you can find it): Cherubini's 6 SQ by the Melos. IMO,one of the
best chamber recordings of the 70s, and such a beautiful pieces!


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## ChamberNut

Morigan said:


> I do!! There's Galaxie Greatest Classical (or something like that), Galaxie Baroque, etc. Basically it's like radio on tv, with only the title of the piece and the info displayed on the screen. I liked to leave the tv on these channels while doing other stuff.


Sweet! There's 4 stations that I have. Galaxie "Pop Classics", "Baroque", "Classic Masters" and "Chamber"

Pop Classics tends to play only 1 mvt. or 2 of works, while Classic Masters will play complete work more often than not.

There is also a Galaxie "Opera".

These music channels (my girlfriend also likes the Folk Roots, World and Reggae stations)are on much more often in my household than actual TV programs.


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## Handel

My most recent *great* discovery has been the symphonies composed by Friedrich Ernst Fesca. He was obviously influenced by Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart but his music is, imho, not far behind the symphonies of those _grand maîtres_.

To forge yourself your opinion: (ouverture from Cantemire opera)

http://www.box.net/shared/x8p3k7zd1a


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## Mark Harwood

ChamberNut said:


> Mark, I have the Schubert string quartets by Melos Quartet.


I put his A minor, "Rosamunde", D804 by the Brandis quartet on today. I'm afraid I couldn't stomach it, and didn't persevere to the end. Thanks for the steer though: I'll ask Carol where to start with Schubert.


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## mahlerfan

Recently I bought my first recordings of "Das Lied von der Erde" and Mahler's Eighth. I must admit that i was completely blown away by the decisive horns in the beginning, and remained in an equal amount of awe for the rest of the piece.


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## Kurkikohtaus

mahlerfan said:


> I must admit that i was completely blown away by the decisive horns in the beginning...


Have you heard Mahler's 3rd, *Mahlerfan*? 8 horns in unison, unacompanied at the beginning. As much as I like _Das Lied_, the opening of Mahler's 3rd is one of my favourite horn moments in the entire orchestral repertoire.


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## opus67

I'm not a big fan of Brahms as such, but today I heard the 3rd symphony, 2nd piano concerto and his 3rd sym. written for two pianos. They were all great, especially the slow movement of the third. And the transcription to pianos was even better.


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## Manuel

> Recently I bought my first recordings of "Das Lied von der Erde" and *Mahler's Eighth*.


With those new works you have quite fulfiled your *great discoveries *_quota _for this month. 

I have no words to express how much I love the 8th. On my last birthday I woke up to study at 7:30 am (here you get full sunlight about 9am), but I decided that, as birthday present, I would expose myself again to that symphony. A complex agenda, and lots of economics to study are usually an impediment to such things... But it was 7:30 in the morning and I loaded a cd (I think it was Salonen's), set the volume to the maximum, and just listened (to the shock of my neighbours ). What a beautiful thing.


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## Manuel

Latests discoveries include a series of english violin works, most of them sonatas by Charles Villiers Stanford and Hubert Parry


















I could finally get the complete violin concerto by Menotti, in the Spivakovsky/Munch version. I downloaded 2nd and 3rd movements four years ago from Karadar.com, and have been trying to get the 1st since then, but they didn't seem to provide good bandwidth (at least to this part of the world). They must have done something, because yesterday I downloaded 11mb in a few seconds.

Symphonies Nº 1 and 2 by Leevi Madetoja.

And the great _Vasa Prihoda _playing Dvorak's concerto.


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## ChamberNut

opus67 said:


> I'm not a big fan of Brahms as such, but today I heard the 3rd symphony, 2nd piano concerto and his 3rd sym. written for two pianos. They were all great, especially the slow movement of the third. And the transcription to pianos was even better.


Glad to hear you enjoyed those Brahms works, opus67


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## Manuel

opus67 said:


> I'm not a big fan of Brahms as such, but today I heard the 3rd symphony, 2nd piano concerto and his 3rd sym. written for two pianos. They were all great, especially the slow movement of the third. And the transcription to pianos was even better.


I have great interest in those. Could you please give me some info about the performers, cd, etc?


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## opus67

I was actually listening to the radio. It's a programme (or CD) called Live at the Concertgebouw from Radio Netherlands. I think it is broadcast once a week or so (in the station that I listen to). I don't remember the exact names of the conductor and performer, although I have a rough idea of how the name of the former sounded. Will google it up and post the names soon.  The orchesrta, of course, was 'The Concertgebouw'.


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## opus67

I think this was it...



> PROGRAM No. 1
> Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Nelson Freire, piano; Riccardo Chailly, conductor
> BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3 in F, Op. 90
> BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 in Bb, Op. 83


http://www.classicalcdreview.com/live.html
Hmm...apparently the transcription was not part of that.


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## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Hmm...apparently the transcription was not part of that.


Doesn't seem like it. However, your post called my attention to Mr. Freire again (and I thank you for this). I'll get some of his recordings into my Ipod now. (I think I already have that Brahms concert with Chailly... I'll check).


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## opus67

Manuel said:


> Doesn't seem like it. However, your post called my attention to Mr. Freire again (and I thank you for this). I'll get some of his recordings into my Ipod now. (I think I already have that Brahms concert with Chailly... I'll check).


Here's the reply from the radio station. I was right about the symphony and the concerto.



> For the orchestral performances you heard the Concertgebouw Orchestra with Riccardo Chailly, with pianist Nelson Freire for the Brahms 2nd Concerto. In the piano transcription, you heard Jakob Boghart and another whose name I cannot find,, but that performance is not commercially available, to the best of my knowledge.


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## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Here's the reply from the radio station. I was right about the symphony and the concerto.


Thanks. What a pity. I would love to have that. BTW, I think Biret recorded some brahms orchestral works at the piano.


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## opus67

Manuel said:


> I would love to have that. BTW, I think Biret recorded some brahms orchestral works at the piano.


I'm not familiar with Biret, and today was the first time I heard transcription. Earlier in the day, I came across this CD...seems interesting.

http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Four-Piano-Music-Symphonies/dp/B000EBEGY6


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## Handel

Handel said:


> My most recent *great* discovery has been the symphonies composed by Friedrich Ernst Fesca. He was obviously influenced by Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart but his music is, imho, not far behind the symphonies of those _grand maîtres_.
> 
> To forge yourself your opinion: (ouverture from Cantemire opera)
> 
> http://www.box.net/shared/x8p3k7zd1a


So, nobody is interest to give his opinion on this piece?


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## Mark Harwood

*Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's guitar concertos.*



Manuel said:


> I already know his second violin concerto and a chamber work. I'm definitely going after his guitar works as you suggest.


Mario C-T's complete guitar concertos, that's no.1 op.99, no.2 op.160, and the one for two guitars & orchestra op.201, are all available on one disc: Brilliant 7615. It took me a long while to find a recording of no.2, and I haven't seen another.


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## ChamberNut

Today (actually, on Monday) I discovered one of Vivaldi's Cello Sonatas. Beautiful!

I can't remember which one they played on the station, but both my girlfriend and I enjoyed it immensely.


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## Keemun

Handel said:


> So, nobody is interest to give his opinion on this piece?


It started off quite nicely, but I was bored with it by the end. Given the influence of Haydn and Mozart, that doesn't surprise me.


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## Morigan

Handel said:


> So, nobody is interest to give his opinion on this piece?


I liked it and I'm interested in Fesca.

It's a pity, too many people on this website dismiss the classical period as boring, obvious or uninspiring. It's all about romantism...


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## Leporello87

Morigan said:


> It's a pity, too many people on this website dismiss the classical period as boring, obvious or uninspiring. It's all about romantism...


Morigan, perhaps this is due to the Mozart controversy thread? If both Mozart and Haydn are fakes, why should we even bother with this period of music at all? At least the Romantics are genuine composers


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## opus67

Leporello87 said:


> If both Mozart and Haydn are fakes, why should we even bother with this period of music at all? At least the Romantics are genuine composers


The composers may be fakes, but the music still exists.


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## Morigan

I was going to say the same, opus67. 

But I think he was being sarcastic, since Leporello is arguing against Mr. Newman in the said thread.


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## Handel

Morigan said:


> I liked it and I'm interested in Fesca.
> 
> It's a pity, too many people on this website dismiss the classical period as boring, obvious or uninspiring. It's all about romantism...


Amen to part 2 of your post.

Fesca is a very plesant surprise.


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## Keemun

Morigan said:


> I liked it and I'm interested in Fesca.
> 
> It's a pity, too many people on this website dismiss the classical period as boring, obvious or uninspiring. It's all about romantism...


Please don't interpret my comment as a categorical dismissal of the classical period, or even of Mozart and Haydn. My personal opinion of the Fesca work is that I was bored with it by the end. Likewise, I find many (but not all) compositions of Mozart and Haydn to be boring. Thus, my reaction to the Fesca work did not surprise me. However, I did not dismiss it as being boring before listening to it.


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## Handel

Morigan said:


> I liked it and I'm interested in Fesca.


I think you could like too Nicolas Méhul's (1763-1817) symphonies. They are obviously influenced by Beethoven but they are good in their own right.

Naxos released a decent CD which include 2 symphonies.

http://www.amazon.com/Méhul-Symphon...411113?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1179938756&sr=1-10

Review:

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=3048


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## ChamberNut

Morigan said:


> It's a pity, too many people on this website dismiss the classical period as boring, obvious or uninspiring. It's all about romantism...


Other than Haydn and Mozart, you barely hear of any other composers of the purely Classical Era (If you exclude Beethoven from this era, as many do).


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## Manuel

> Other than Haydn and Mozart, you barely hear of any other composers of the purely Classical Era (If you exclude Beethoven from this era, as many do).


Vranicky, Dittersdorf, Myslivecek.


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## Leporello87

Morigan said:


> But I think he was being sarcastic, since Leporello is arguing against Mr. Newman in the said thread.


Indeed I was being sarcastic. I was hoping that some combination of my screen name and the two smileys afterwards would give that away. 

As for other Classical era composers: how about J.C. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, and Cimarosa? Also, pretty much every piano student plays at least one of those Op. 36 sonatinas of Muzio Clementi, so maybe we can add him to the list too.


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## Manuel

> sonatinas


Kuhnau, Diabelli, and the young Hummel.


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## Manuel

*H. W. Henze*

*Vitalino raddoppiato*. ciaccona per violino e orchestra da camera (1977).


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## Leporello87

Manuel said:


> Hummel


Good ones! How could I have forgotten dear old Hummel? Just this morning, on the bus ride to work, I was listening to the piano trio in G major that bears many similarities to the Mozart quartet in the same key, KV 387.

To add to the list: the Stamitzes! Probably every clarinettist plays one or more of those concerti at some point.


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## opus67

It's not the lack of names from the Classical period, but the lack of air-time they get on radio stations that play the same old popular tunes all the time.

I listen to a couple of stations online that plays some of those "obscure" works, as well

http://theclassicalstation.org/
http://king.org
(You can check the daily playlist at both sites)


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## Manuel

Manuel said:


> *H. W. Henze*
> 
> *Vitalino raddoppiato*. ciaccona per violino e orchestra da camera (1977).


At the time I wrote this I had only listened to the first 4 minutes of the work.

The time counter reads 23:25 now and it has degenerated into a violent _solo section_, that comes of course, after a violent _orchestral section_. What a powerful work. It goes straight to my Ipod.


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## Handel

ChamberNut said:


> Other than Haydn and Mozart, you barely hear of any other composers of the purely Classical Era (If you exclude Beethoven from this era, as many do).


Alas, because there were many composers of talent during the 1750-1800 era . Maybe not first rate talent, but darn good.


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## Handel

Manuel said:


> Vranicky, Dittersdorf, Myslivecek.


Kraus, Vanhal, Boccherini, even Johann Christian Bach. Michael Haydn too.


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## Leporello87

I don't think anyone has mentioned Salieri yet in this thread. Any fans?


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## Handel

Leporello87 said:


> I don't think anyone has mentioned Salieri yet in this thread. Any fans?


I know one of his symphonies, but I don't know that much his production, which is a shame since I'm very high on classical period.

To my defense, err, there is too much to discover.


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## ChamberNut

Handel said:


> *To my defense, err, there is too much to discover*.


Isn't that the greatest thing about "classical music" (pardon the pun)?

There is sooooo much (or too much) to discover!!!

It's up to you, the navigator, on where you wish to go with your explorations!


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## Handel

Another "discovery" I made was symphonies composed by Vaclav Pichl.

Here is the first movement of one of them (composed during the 1760's). Sometimes, it looks like a Mozart symphony (especially the early one 1760's-1770's).

http://www.box.net/shared/r60zci30fy

Here is the final movement of another Pichl's symphony.

http://www.box.net/shared/rfos4thvmd

It is not on the same level as Haydn and Mozart, but it is still enjoyable.


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## Lisztfreak

After a pleasant CD-shopping excursion on the streets and squares of my capital city, I returned home with quite a bunch of new works to listen to, and with a less abundant situation in my pocket...  
Anyway, here's what I got:

Britten's War Requiem
Schumann's Symphony No.4
Schubert's Symphony No.8
Schoenberg's Erwartung and Pierrot lunaire
A collection of works for strings by English composers

I enjoyed all of the works, to a lesser or greater extent.

The *War Requiem *is brilliant. Both the music and the poems of Wilfred Owen. Even though the music is mostly far from beautiful, it's excellent. And one must keep in mind that after all, the war couldn't be called 'beautiful' in any way.

Schumann's *Symphony No.4* became one of my Schumann favourites. A juicy and _molto allegro _post-classical work.

Schubert's *Unfinished* is tremendous. So dark and so different from his more Mozartian works like the 5th symphony.

As for Schoenberg, *Pierrot lunaire *is horrible. If they removed the poor woman that doesn't sing but actually has to whisper and moan and screech, the work would be far easier to bear.
*Erwartung*, however, is much better. I could even say I like it.

The *English string classics *are excellent, just as I expected. A bit of lighter and more human music suitable for intermezzos between huge Bruckner symphonies (and to make it clear, I like Bruckner symphonies.)


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## Manuel

> So dark and so different from his more *Mozartian *works like the _5th symphony_.


The 5th is not Mozartian. It's _Haydenesque_.


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## ChamberNut

Manuel said:


> The 5th is not Mozartian. It's _Haydenesque_.


Not according to both Allmusic and Wikipedia


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## Morigan

Manuel said:


> The 5th is not Mozartian. It's _Haydenesque_.


The confusion is understandable. That's because Schubert's 5th wasn't really written by him, but by Andrea Luchesi, the very same who composed the best-known symphonies by Mozart and Haydn.  

*cough cough*


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## Leporello87

Morigan said:


> The confusion is understandable. That's because Schubert's 5th wasn't really written by him, but by Andrea Luchesi, the very same who composed the best-known symphonies by Mozart and Haydn.
> 
> *cough cough*


Morigan, you took the words right out of my mouth!   Methinks we've been spending too much time in that other thread.

I think that if I had to pick one, I would say the 5th is more Haydnesque as well, with perhaps Mozartean echoes in some places.


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## Manuel

LOL. I knew that what just happened would happen.


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## Manuel

Leporello87 said:


> I don't think anyone has mentioned Salieri yet in this thread. Any fans?


Antonio Salieri (1750 - 1825)

1. Sinfonia - La fiera di Venezia
2. Concerto in C for Flute & Oboe
3. Sinfonia in D (Veneziana)

English Chamber Orchestra
Richard Bonynge

_From the original Vinyl Recording._

http://rapidshare.com/files/31660228/salieri.zip *28mb*


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## Leporello87

Thanks for the Salieri link. I think I've heard La fiera di Venezia, so I'll have to check out the others.


----------



## Manuel

Balakirev's Chopin suite.

I've had this two disc set with orchestral works by Mily Balakirev but never gave attention to the suite. It's high quality orchestration of well known Chopin piano works.


----------



## opus67

Today I discovered that the first movement(I think it was the first) of Handel's organ concerto #11, towards the end, sounds a lot a like Pachelbel's hit.


----------



## ChamberNut

Today, I noticed that one of the variations in the Beethoven Piano Trio No. 11 in G major, op. 121a sounds alot like the theme to the Christmas carol "O Christmas Tree".


----------



## ChamberNut

Yesterday, I discovered 2 works from the piano titans, Chopin and Liszt.

Chopin - the Andante Spianato (loved it )

Liszt - Overture for Tannhauser (piano transcription of Wagner's Tannhauser overture). Didn't think I would like this one, but I did!


----------



## Lisztfreak

I've bought a new bunch of CDs couple of days ago, so I'm listening avidly!

Today: Brahms - A German Requiem
Fauré - Requiem
Beethoven - Kreutzer Sonata

All tremendous, beautiful, monumental, delightful, whatever-you-like works!


----------



## opus67

Today I discovered that Dvorak had written a piano concerto. Pretty nice piece for a first listen. But before I could discover the final movement, there was a power-cut, not for long but long enough for me to miss the movement altogether.


----------



## Morigan

Lisztfreak said:


> I've bought a new bunch of CDs couple of days ago, so I'm listening avidly!
> 
> Today: Brahms - A German Requiem
> Fauré - Requiem
> Beethoven - Kreutzer Sonata
> 
> All tremendous, beautiful, monumental, delightful, whatever-you-like works!


Discovering these three awesome work on the same day must make a very, very happy day. Last time i checked my iTunes counter, i had played the Kreuzer 126 times .


----------



## opus67

Henri Vieuxtemps - violin concerto No.6 
I did not listen to it from the beginning, but I really liked whatever I could listen to.


----------



## Eric

Bela Bartok.

I bought his concerto for orchestra, music for strings, percussion, and celesta, and his hungarian sketches


----------



## opus67

I just discovered that a tune I heard in a cartoon as a kid is (most probably) from Mendelssohn's Andante and Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14.


----------



## Keemun

A work for cello and piano by Sibelius: Malinconia, op. 20. Quite beautiful.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Henri Vieuxtemps - violin concerto No.6
> I did not listen to it from the beginning, but I really liked whatever I could listen to.


Really? I will give it a try again. My highests regards are for the fourth and fifth concertos, and I remember the other didn't impress me too much.

However, I do enjoy his violin sonata, the Ballade and Polonaise, and some other minor works (like the viola ones).


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> Really? I will give it a try again. My highests regards are for the fourth and fifth concertos, and I remember the other didn't impress me too much.
> 
> However, I do enjoy his violin sonata, the Ballade and Polonaise, and some other minor works (like the viola ones).


I haven't heard them all to give a judgement of which I like best. As I said, I liked what I heard (not on a technical level ). I'm considering purchasing that CD - the violinist is Misha Keylin(Naxos). I guess I really like Romantic violin virtuosity. The other day, I heard Jochum's second concerto. I slept through most of it, though; not that it was boring, I was just feeling too sleepy.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> I haven't heard them all to give a judgement of which I like best. As I said, I liked what I heard (not on a technical level ). I'm considering purchasing that CD - the violinist is Misha Keylin(Naxos). I guess I really like Romantic violin virtuosity. The other day, I heard Jochum's second concerto. I slept through most of it, though; not that it was boring, I was just feeling too sleepy.


I don't know if the rare Vieuxtemps concertos (Nº 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7) were recorded by any other than Keylin.

Now that you name Jochum...

You brought Joachim to my mind. If you like romantic violin and orchestra works you should look for Aaron Rosand's double cd on Vox including concertos by Joachim, Godard, Ernst and Hubay; plus works by Ysaye and Lehar (yes, the operetta guy, here presented with a short work in the style of Sarasate's Aires Gitanos).

I recently discovered Joachim Raff's symphonies. As happens with many music I discover, I've had those cds for many months, but never listened to them. Now that i did, I fell in love with the Scherzo of the third symphony. However, when the Scherzo ends I somehow feel a reciter will read "How now, spirit (...)"


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> I don't know if the rare Vieuxtemps concertos (Nº 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7) were recorded by any other than Keylin.


There's the famous 5th by Heifetz.



> Now that you name Jochum...
> 
> You brought Joachim to my mind. If you like romantic violin and orchestra works you should look for Aaron Rosand's double cd on Vox including concertos by Joachim, Godard, Ernst and Hubay; plus works by Ysaye and Lehar (yes, the operetta guy, here presented with a short work in the style of Sarasate's Aires Gitanos).
> 
> I recently discovered Joachim Raff's symphonies. As happens with many music I discover, I've had those cds for many months, but never listened to them. Now that i did, I fell in love with the Scherzo of the third symphony. However, when the Scherzo ends I somehow feel a reciter will read "How now, spirit (...)"


Sorry, I meant Joachim.  It was his concerto on the Hungarian style(?).


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> There's the famous 5th by Heifetz.


Yeah. I also like Perlman on the fifth.
Heifetz is unsurpassed in the multiple stops of the 4th movement of the 4th concerto.



opus67 said:


> Sorry, I meant Joachim.  It was his concerto on the Hungarian style(?).


LOL. I thought you were talking about any Veronica Jochum recording of the second concerto by Vieuxtemps. I now realise that's impossible as she is actually a pianist.

Yes, the second is in Hungarian style. Nishizaki recorded the third for Naxos.
On Joachim again, Rosand and Bisengaliev recorded his violin and piano transcriptions of Brahms' Hungarian dances.

Bisengaliev, on Naxos, also plays two works by Joachim: a Romance, and a longer work whose title I don't remember, but I think I used to like it a lot.


----------



## toejamfootball

Today I bought.. "Bach - Toccatas for Harpsichord, by Colin Tilney" and all I can say is  !!

I love it.. I love how Bach puts his pieces together. I want more more more!


----------



## opus67

Today I discovered that Saint-Saens' 3rd symphony includes a piano! (I knew it had an organ.) I was playing a CD that I recently bought, and although I have heard this symphony many times before, this was the first time I heard the piano.


----------



## Lisztfreak

Today I discovered a number of things:

1. That Schoenberg's 'Pierrot lunaire' isn't that bad at all. I've actually managed to listen through the entire cycle without feeling a slightest urge to turn the stereo off. 

2. That Elgar wrote some wonderful chamber music (Quartet, Piano Quintet, In Moonlight)

3. That Tippett has an interesting and original Piano Concerto in his opus.

4. That Alkan's works are quite unjustly forgotten. [Well, I'm not the first one who did...]

5. That Oscar Wilde wrote 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' as a part of the deal with a certain magazine the Lippincott's; one of the parties in the same deal was Arthur Conan Doyle (who wrote 'The Sign of the Four' for the magazine). So Doyle and Wilde met at a lunch with their employer. [Not much to do with music, but it's interesting...]

6. That I don't really like Beethoven's Violin Concerto. [To be frank, I discovered that yesterday  ]


----------



## opus67

Lisztfreak said:


> 1. That Schoenberg's 'Pierrot lunaire' isn't that bad at all. I've actually managed to listen through the entire cycle without feeling a slightest urge to turn the stereo off.
> 
> 6. That I don't really like Beethoven's Violin Concerto. [To be frank, I discovered that yesterday


 What's wrong with you, man?! I haven't listened to anything by Schoenberg, but still, what's wrong with you?


----------



## Lisztfreak

Guess I'm going through a modern music phase. I've been listening to considerable amounts of 20th century music lately. And I'm slowly adapting to atonality. It doesn't bother me a lot any more.

But after a day's worth of modern, I turn to Schubert's songs and some Liszt's piano to refresh my mind and soul.


----------



## MungoPark

opus67 said:


> Today I discovered that the first movement(I think it was the first) of Handel's organ concerto #11, towards the end, sounds a lot a like Pachelbel's hit.


If by no. 11 you mean op. 7 no 5 you're probably reminded of the Canon because of this piece's use of a ground bass (which is only remotely simnilar to that used by Pachelbel). But anyways, this is definitely my favorite piece by Handel - maybe even of the entire Baroque era! Another great work that also uses a pretty ground bass is Vivaldi's concerto no 11 from La Stravaganza, RV 204.


----------



## Saturnus

Today I discovered this thread and because of toejamfootball I discovered Bach's Toccatas. Thank you!


----------



## opus67

Beethoven's second piano sonata. Sonata No.2 Op.2 No.2.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Beethoven's second piano sonata. Sonata No.2 Op.2 No.2.


You might have only listened to it. You only really discover the work when you listen to this lectures by Andras Schiff

http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> You might have only listened to it. You only really discover the work when you listen to this lectures by Andras Schiff
> 
> http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html


Actually, I discovered the numerological coincidence rather than the piece itself.

I only listen to pieces, and when I say that I have discovered one, I mean that I heard it for the first time. Thanks for the link. I'll go through it, but I can guarantee that I will understand it if it is technical.


----------



## ChamberNut

Schumann - Manfred Overture Op. 115


----------



## opus67

ChamberNut said:


> Schumann - Manfred Overture Op. 115


I'm surprised you haven't listened to it before. Or did you mean to post it in What are you listening to... thread?


----------



## ChamberNut

Nope Mr. O, I'd never heard of the man named Fred before.  

I'm in the right place.


----------



## opus67

ChamberNut said:


> Nope Mr. O, I'd never heard of the man named Fred before.
> 
> I'm in the right place.


Okay, now I'm officially surprised.   I have heard it non-zero times, but am not familiar with it.


----------



## Andrew

Today I discovered Symphonies written by Anton Fils - never heard of this composer before. He was born in 1733, died in 1760 and was - as explained in the CD booklet - one of the most important symphonists of the so-called "Mannheim school". Some years after his early death the following was written about him: "This young composer is full of spirit and fire in his symphonies, and his slow movements are full of charm and harmony."

The Symphonies are played by "L'Orfeo Baroque orchestra" (Leader: Michi Gaigg) on historical instruments.

Andrew


----------



## ChamberNut

Chopin's Fantasy for piano in F minor/A flat major Op. 49 C.42


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

It is only in the last two weeks that I have really "gotten into" classical music. i count myself so fortunate to have discovered classical music at this point in my life. Was in a bit of a rut and now I find myself excited to begin to explore new music every day.

Today I woke up and listened to the entire of beethoven's 4th symphony. I'm sure many of you have heard this countless times, but I think todayw as the first time I gave it a proper listen.

Anyway, the joy of hearing this music with my morning coffee!


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

on a rainy morning, as a student on holiday, makes me grateful to no longer be one of the massess scrambling to and from work on a busy commuter train and instead listen to this great music, and so i wrote...

*Home for the TV Dinner!*
brooks brothers rain storm
forms those familiar
platform puddles
you can't cheat gravity
it's five o'clock.


----------



## ChamberNut

EricIsAPolarBear said:


> It is only in the last two weeks that I have really "gotten into" classical music. i count myself so fortunate to have discovered classical music at this point in my life. Was in a bit of a rut and now I find myself excited to begin to explore new music every day.
> 
> Today I woke up and listened to the entire of beethoven's 4th symphony. I'm sure many of you have heard this countless times, but I think todayw as the first time I gave it a proper listen.
> 
> Anyway, the joy of hearing this music with my morning coffee!


A smile was on my face when I read this Eric, because it is almost exactly how I related to the discovery and "getting into" classical music.

Enjoy the journey......it gets better every day!


----------



## opus67

Viotti!

Surprising virtuosity for a Classical composer/concerto. I heard the concerto No.22, with Perlman and Julliard Orchestra. Perlman was on fire...and there is a fast cadenza at the end of first movement. Great stuff!


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Viotti!
> 
> Surprising virtuosity for a Classical composer/concerto. I heard the concerto No.22, with Perlman and Julliard Orchestra. Perlman was on fire...and there is a fast cadenza at the end of first movement. Great stuff!


You should hear Grumiaux playing the third movement, awsome.


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> You should hear Grumiaux playing the third movement, awsome.


Well, let's hope that I get to do that one of these days. I just found out that one of the internet stations I listen to has that same Perlman version lined-up for later in the day. What are the chances?  It's a Perlman-Perahia Weekend.


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

I've actually made a number of purchases recently of music that is new to me. Among these I got an entire array of Liszt's piano works performed by Brendel, Cziffra, , Richter and Jorge Bollet. I also purchased the complete piano music (including the sonatas) by Scriabin. Along with this I got the 24 Preludes and Fugues by Shostakovich. I guess I'm finally branching out from the Germans, Italians, and French. As a huge Bach fan(atic) I was struck most immediately by the Shostakovich. The pieces are fascinating. I've yet to listen to all the Scriabin or Liszt... and it usually takes several listenings for me to begin to digest a piece. I must admit, however, that upon only a single listening I found much of great interest in the Scriabin. I also purchased a Cherubini Requiem and right now I'm listening to Mozart's late violin sonatas. It's always a great day when you can discover a major piece by Mozart that is new (to you).


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

I have recently discovered Sibelius and the few symphonies i have of his (1,2,4, and 5) have become favorites of mine. I especially enjoyed 5, the first movement and the finale are among the best moments and i find myself listening to them a couple of times a day. I am excited to have discovered another composer that warrants more exploring.


----------



## ChamberNut

Brahms - Scherzo "Sonatensatz", originally transcribed for Violin and Piano.

The version I heard was for Trombone and Piano.


----------



## Manuel

ChamberNut said:


> Brahms - Scherzo "Sonatensatz", originally transcribed for Violin and Piano.
> 
> The version I heard was for Trombone and Piano.


Form which sonata was it? The FAE ir the third?


----------



## ChamberNut

Manuel said:


> Form which sonata was it? The FAE ir the third?


Scherzo for violin & piano in C minor (third movement of "F-A-E Sonata"), WoO posth. 2


----------



## toejamfootball

"Beethoven String Quartet 14" By Italiano Quarteto 

I heard the 6th movement on the mini series "Band of Brothers" and was interested, it is a great piece of music. 

"Schubert Death and the Maiden String Quartet"

I love this, Schubert is quickly becoming my favorite musician (so far anyways) I love this and I love his Piano Sonatas as well.

"Mozart Piano Sonatas 284, 309 and 310"

I have only listened to them a few times, but so far my favorite is 310 I love the mood of the song.

But right now all I want is more Schubert, give me more Schubert! I find myself listening to a Classic Rock station with my friends and blurting out "Why dont they ever play any Schubert?" haha



Oh I forgot, I heard Mendelssohn Symphony 3 on the radio (I think it had Scottish in the title?) I liked that. After reading about Mendelssohn, I want to check out his String Quartets I read that no.6 is great and emotional since he wrote it after the death of his sister.

I will let you know how I like it when I finally buy it.


----------



## opus67

toejamfootball said:


> "Schubert Death and the Maiden String Quartet"
> 
> I love this, Schubert is quickly becoming my favorite musician (so far anyways) I love this and I love his Piano Sonatas as well.
> 
> But right now all I want is more Schubert, give me more Schubert! I find myself listening to a Classic Rock station with my friends and blurting out "Why dont they ever play any Schubert?" haha


String Quartet No.13 'Rosemunde' 
Symphonies No.8 and 9 ('Unfinished' and 'Great')
Piano Quintet 'Trout'
String Quintet 
Also check out his solo piano works, especially the late sonatas.

I'm not familiar with the piano trios and lieders, but I've read that they are some of his best works, too.



> Oh I forgot, I heard Mendelssohn Symphony 3 on the radio (I think it had Scottish in the title?) I liked that. .


Yes, No.3 is the Scottish. Symphony 4 'Italian' is one another wonderful work by Mendelssohn.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> I'm not familiar with the piano trios and lieders, but I've read that they are some of his best works, too.


They are indeed. And like the Trout quintet, they are transmit something like... uplifting joy.

@toejamfootball,

If you are exploring Schubert it's mandatory that you listen to the Fantasy in C Major (Op.15 D760), AKA "Wanderer fantasy". It's an order.


----------



## toejamfootball

Oh I forgot Rosemunde is on the Death and the Maiden CD I bought. It kind of creeps me out after reading the Nazis played in when jews were entering Concentration camps. (According to Wikipedia anyone) but it is good.

I will check out all of the Schubert works you guys have posted. 

I have a CD with Sonata 4 and 17 on it, I love them both. Everyone keeps telling me his later stuff is better, but I dig the older sonata too. I cant wait to hear more.


----------



## music17

I have recently discovered the Hovhaness Symphony # 2 "Mysterious Mountain." It is absolutely beautiful. The melodies and harmonies are so unusual, yet it sounds a little like a more traditional work.

I have also rediscovered a great deal of Respighi's works. I have fallen in love with the _Pines of Rome_, the _Tittico Botticelliano_, and the _Ancient Airs and Dances_.


----------



## opus67

I listened to Lizst's _Paganini Etudes_. Nice work (from what I could hear while I was asleep ).


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> I listened to Lizst's _Paganini Etudes_. Nice work (from what I could hear while I was asleep ).


They come in two different versions:
the _Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini S140_, and the 
_Grandes Études de Paganini S141_.

The second set is well known, while the first one (much difficult) is not played often.
Leslie Howard plays both in vol. 48 of his Complete Liszt series recorded for Hyperion; the cd gives a nice chance to compare both sets.

Here you have two versions of the fourth Etude
1838
1851

However, I Prefer Nikolay Petrov in the 1838 Etudes. In his disc the Liszt is coupled with Schumann's barely known Etudes on Paganini.


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> If you are exploring Schubert it's mandatory that you listen to the Fantasy in C Major (Op.15 D760), AKA "Wanderer fantasy". It's an order.


Listening to it, "discovering" it (aka. first time)

Elisabeth Leonskaja on the piano.


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

I just bought and listened to the first time Mahler's Symphony #2 "Resurrection" with Klemperer and the Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra. I'm very satisfied with my purchase, i'm pretty sure this disc will bring me much enjoyment.


----------



## Oneiros

Indian Classical music. I really enjoy it - the rhythms are very interesting, the vocal music is beautiful, and in general its nice to hear music that doesn't go anywhere in the sense of strong emotional drive and harmonic progressions.


----------



## opus67

phatic said:


> Indian Classical music. I really enjoy it - the rhythms are very interesting, the vocal music is beautiful


Nice to hear that.  What are you listening to exactly?


----------



## ChamberNut

Brahms' Piano Quartets. I took out a set at the library last night, and was floored by the Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25. The set I have includes Emanuel Ax - piano, Isaac Stern - violin, Jaime Laredo - viola and Yo-Yo Ma - cello.

From the library, also took out another 2 CD's

Mozart - Piano Sonata K 448 in D and Schubert Fantasie in F minor, Op. 103 D940 with 
Guher and Suher Pekinel on piano.

Vivaldi's Cello - Yo-Yo Ma, Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra


----------



## Manuel

ChamberNut said:


> Brahms' Piano Quartets. I took out a set at the library last night, and was floored by the Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25. The set I have includes Emanuel Ax - piano, Isaac Stern - violin, Jaime Laredo - viola and Yo-Yo Ma - cello.


You will have a lot of fun with the whole set. My personal fav is the second Quartet, but I really like all of them.


----------



## ChamberNut

ChamberNut said:


> Brahms' Piano Quartets. I took out a set at the library last night, and was floored by the Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25. The set I have includes Emanuel Ax - piano, Isaac Stern - violin, Jaime Laredo - viola and Yo-Yo Ma - cello.


For the G minor quartet, you can tell Brahms' had been heavily influenced by Schubert's late chamber works. This piano quartet has Schubertian melodies all over it, with some terrific Brahmsian rhythms!


----------



## Manuel

ChamberNut said:


> This piano quartet has Schubertian melodies all over it, with some terrific Brahmsian rhythms!


It's the _Zigeunerstyle_. The orchestration by Schönberg will blow your head away. (Listen to the fourth movement, courtesy of Amazon.com)


----------



## ChamberNut

Manuel said:


> It's the _Zigeunerstyle_. The orchestration by Schönberg will blow your head away. (Listen to the fourth movement, courtesy of Amazon.com)


That was nice, Manuel!  I forgot to mention Schoenberg was heavily influenced by this work, and decided to orchestrate it. That 4th mvt. definitely has a 'Hungarian Dance' feel to it.


----------



## Guest

I bought the album String Quartets of Sibilus, Stravinsky, and Ravel a while back but never listened to Ravel. Yesterday i listened to Ravel's String Quartet in F and "fell into" the music. The second movement is absolutly amazing. I have listened to the entire string quartet at least 5 times already. I was wondering if any of you know any other good Ravel suggestions, this is the only piece ive ever listened to of his.


----------



## Manuel

Notserp89m said:


> I bought the album String Quartets of Sibilus, Stravinsky, and Ravel a while back but never listened to Ravel. Yesterday i listened to Ravel's String Quartet in F and "fell into" the music. The second movement is absolutly amazing. I have listened to the entire string quartet at least 5 times already. I was wondering if any of you know any other good Ravel suggestions, this is the only piece ive ever listened to of his.


Now get the piano trio, and the sonata for violin and cello.


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

Ricardo Chailly and Mahler's 3rd Symphony, had never heard it before and bought it in anticipation of seeing the RSNO perform it, great finale!


----------



## opus67

Mendelssohn Prelude and Fugue Op.35, No.1 

It started like a Beethoven sonata (at least I thought so), but then it was almost like a solo keyboard work by Bach. (I shoud've guessed given the title of the piece.)


----------



## Rondo

I'm just now _DIVING_ into Mahler's 6th. One word: greatness.

I'm also about to get some of Malcolm Arnold's late symphonies (7 and 8). I'm a huge fan of him, but just don't have much of his later work.


----------



## Mark Harwood

Eric, I keep listening to Arnold's 9th and I haven't yet worked out whether I should persevere with it. Any opinions?


----------



## Rondo

I don't know....I dont have that one...yet. I just mentioned 7 and 8, since those are the two Ive been eyeballing.


----------



## opus67

ChamberNut said:


> Brahms' Piano Quartets. I took out a set at the library last night, and was floored by the Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25. The set I have includes Emanuel Ax - piano, Isaac Stern - violin, Jaime Laredo - viola and Yo-Yo Ma - cello.





Manuel said:


> You will have a lot of fun with the whole set. My personal fav is the second Quartet, but I really like all of them.


I got to hear the second quartet today. Sounds nice...I think it was the piano that did the trick.


----------



## opus67

Johann Wilms and his symphony No.7. Really liked the work...almost Beethovenian. I didn't get to hear it from the first movement, though.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Johann Wilms and his symphony No.7. Really liked the work...almost Beethovenian. I didn't get to hear it from the first movement, though.


  

His name is completely unknown to me. Am I missing something very interesting here?


----------



## ChamberNut

Georges Onslow (1784-1853) String Quintet N21 (3rd mvt), played by Salon Romantique.

A French composer who wrote 36 string quartets and 34 string quintets , which were admired by both Beethoven and Schubert.

Apparently, Schubert modelled his (2 cello) String Quintet D.956 on Onslow's.

And Schumann rated Onslow's chamber music on par with Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn. Mendelssohn also regarded him well.

How come I haven't heard of him before today?


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

Today I listened to Liszt for the first time, i got Les Preludes with the Berlin Phil. and Karajan. Don't know why i didnt explore him earlier, so far i really like symphonic poem no. 3


----------



## MrJiveBoJingles

I've heard probably only two things by Liszt, and I don't think I own a performance of either...

Opinions on him seemed very mixed from what I read, so I didn't bother to check him out. Maybe I will.


----------



## opus67

Wow! A lot of people are wondering why they completely missed some composer or the other, till now.  

Manuel, I believe Wilms also wrote the (former) Dutch National Anthem. (Got that from Wiki, of course. ) I certainly want to explore Wilms' more. 

As for Onslow. His name is familiar...but I don't think I have heard any of his works.


----------



## ChamberNut

Got some more CD's from the public library yesterday:

Bartok - Piano Concertos w/ Boulez conducting

*PC# 1 - Krystian Zimerman (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
*PC# 2 - Leif Ove Andsnes (Berlin Philharmonic)
*PC# 3 - Helene Grimaud (London Symphony Orchestra)


Brahms - Violin Sonatas (Barenboim/Perlman)


Dvorak - Piano Trio in E minor, Op. 90 & Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81 (Nash Ensemble of London)


----------



## ChamberNut

Bela Bartok, Dance Suite Sz. 77 Jeno Jando on the piano.

Not what my ears are used to, but then again, that's how Bartok is for alot of people the first time hearing. Actually, it's quite catchy.


----------



## Guest

Today i discovered Schubert's Gretchen am Spinrede

I do not believe there are words to describe the purest forms of beauty. It is impossible to comprehend the hypnotic way of this song without listening yourself. With the piano Schubert dances from dissonance to consonance in the treble while striking perfect notes in the bass to accompany. The soprano voice is suppressed to a gentle yet stated melody that wraps around the piano until it is unleashed at the highest point of tension, then falls back into its spellbinding subtle statement of pain. As it closes the melody is not finished. It is left hanging and unresolved as if it declares to go on no longer. It is something you cannot help but want to finish, revolve, but is perfect as is.

Simple, subtle, yet powerful and moving. Perfect.


----------



## ChamberNut

Notserp89m, I will have to check out the library because the have several Schubert Lieder CD's.

Today, I'm listening to some of my new CD's that just came in.....

** Haydn - The Seven Last Words of Christ op. 51 (Emerson String Quartet). It is simply out of this world beautiful music.

Golijov - Oceana, Tenebrae and Three Songs w/ Dawn Upshaw. Wonderful, haunting melodies!


** Alas, I also discovered that I need to return this CD for an exchange, since the CD booklet somehow is missing pages 5,6,7 and 8.  This CD booklet must have been put together on a Friday afternoon on the eve of a long weekend.


----------



## Manuel

I discovered that using Vdownloader you can easily download videos from youtube, stage6 and others in dvix/xvid format.

I just downloaded Shostakovich's first concerto played by Alexander Toradze.


----------



## opus67

Although there are many other programs, I've never actually tried that myself. (Why? I really don't know...guess I'm just lazy....but I really should be getting all those videos.)

I'm listening to a piano concerto now. Sounds good and sort of new to me. I don't which one it is.


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## opus67

That was Chopin's first. I might have heard that one or two times before. 
Ax, Mackerras, Orch. of the Age of Enlightenment.


----------



## oisfetz

Hermann Scherchen string quartet op.1 (!!). A dark, Malherian-Brucknerian piece
almost totally unknown,44' long.Nobody ever plays it live. And I think that 
except tle players,the editor and I, nobody ever have heard of it.


----------



## opus67

Hi, oisfetz. Welcome back.


----------



## Manuel

oisfetz said:


> Hermann Scherchen string quartet op.1 (!!). A dark, Malherian-Brucknerian piece
> almost totally unknown,44' long.Nobody ever plays it live. And I think that
> except tle players,the editor and I, nobody ever have heard of it.


Not even Harry Collier?


----------



## oisfetz

Look,compadre; Harry know (and has) thousends of CDs on violin, by
every violinist old or new. But He is not a colector of rarities on chamber
instrumenal work, like I am. BTW, can you ever listen to my "Rarezas"
program from Radio Nacional Clásica? Tomorrow will be my 149th.


----------



## Manuel

oisfetz said:


> Look,compadre; Harry know (and has) thousends of CDs on violin, by
> every violinist old or new. But He is not a colector of rarities on chamber
> instrumenal work, like I am. BTW, can you ever listen to my "Rarezas"
> program from Radio Nacional Clásica? Tomorrow will be my 149th.


Lamentablemente, en Córdoba no lo retransmiten. Probé un par de veces por la emisión online de la radio, pero la calidad es bajísima y el flujo de audio ni siquiera es constante, o sea, se transmite con microcortes cada 4 segundos.

Hace algunos años, en Córdoba todavía emitía Radio Clásica, que tomaba señal de Clásica de Bs. As (y Clásica Nacional después).


----------



## Onoktake

*help, what am i listening?*

hello classic music lovers,
i found this music from an old cd but i can not find other albums/ tracks like this. if this is an album, can u please say me the album name. pls pls pls help

and i dont know it is legal to give this link to others but i must find and buy this album but at first, i have to know the album name.

Electric Dreams: Mozart, Canon in D Minor


----------



## opus67

...that Perlman can play the cello. 






I've always thought the cello as an inverted violinp), but I've never actually seen an expert in one instrument play the other.


----------



## ChamberNut

Another visit to the library, and brought home 3 more CDs:

*Schubert* - Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished and Symphony No. 9 "The Great" Cleveland Orchestra and Christoph von Dohnanyi conducting.

*Prokofiev* - Violin Sonatas 1 & 2, Sonata for solo violin Op. 115 and Cinq Melodies Op. 35b, Dmitry Sitkovetsky - violin, Pavel Gililov - piano.

*Schubert/Prokofiev *- Schubert - Sonata for Arpeggione in A minor, D821; Prokofiev - Cello Sonata Op. 119 in C major. Ofra Harnoy - cello, Michael Dussek -piano.


----------



## Chi_townPhilly

Into the CD player went my first installment of Villa-Lobos' *Bachianas Brasileiras*... possibly the most famous (I dare not say "best") serious composition to come from that continent.


ChamberNut said:


> Another visit to the library, and brought home 3 more CDs:
> *Schubert* - Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished and Symphony No. 9 "The Great" Cleveland Orchestra and Christoph von Dohnanyi conducting.


I've sampled that rendition... and came away wondering why CvD takes #8 sooo s...l...o...w...l...y


----------



## ChamberNut

Chi_town/Philly said:


> Into the CD player went my first installment of Villa-Lobos' *Bachianas Brasileiras*... possibly the most famous (I dare not say "best") serious composition to come from that continent.


Well, Golijov is pretty good too  , but I don't know if he's considered purely Argentinian. He's lived in a lot of different places.


----------



## ChamberNut

Chi_town/Philly said:


> *Schubert *- .I've sampled that rendition... and came away wondering why CvD takes #8 sooo s...l...o...w...l...y


This is my first true sampling of Schubert's late symphonies, so I can't make that comment.....yet


----------



## ChamberNut

ChamberNut said:


> *Schubert/Prokofiev *- Schubert - Sonata for Arpeggione in A minor, D821; Prokofiev - Cello Sonata Op. 119 in C major. Ofra Harnoy - cello, Michael Dussek -piano.


Both of these works for cello and piano are absolutely fantastic!  2 big thumbs up.


----------



## Manuel

Garth Knox plays works for solo viola written by Ligeti, Kurtag, Sciarrino, Berio, Dusapin and Dillon.

Review: Excellent.


----------



## Rondo

Every now and then I hear a part of a particular collection (i.e. Beethoven's Piano sonatas) and begin to think of it as the best. First, it was Op. 111, played by R. Serkin, which I thought to be the best Ive heard of all the Beethoven sonatas. However, after hearing Op. 109, as played by A. Brendel, that was changed. Brilliant playing!


----------



## opus67

Now try Kempff and Schnabel.  I haven't heard the latter, though.


----------



## oisfetz

A friend has copied for me the live first version of Shosta first v.c.by Oistrakh with Mitropoulos and NYO,taken the day before of the studio recording. Just great. More spontaneous and fresher.


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

I have attended my first live classical performance, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performing Mahler's 3rd symphony. I was bowled over by the whole experience and I think this was a particularly good selection for me, as I was quite familiar with the symphony prior to my attendance. The scope of this piece, and its use of vocalists made this a real winner as a first symphony to see.

I have also just recently purchased Mahler Das Lied von der Erde and Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, listening to the latter now for the first time.


----------



## opus67

Glad you enjoyed the performance Eric. I've yet to see an orchestral work performed live.

Re: Symphonie Fantastique, Manuel has posted links to files with a performance of that work by the BPO, in his _The Broadcasts Corner_ thread.


----------



## ChamberNut

Enchanted Lake, for orchestra, Op. 62 - Anatol Lyadov


----------



## Manuel

Somebody nicknamed as ALEKOZ is sharing weird music through Emule's P2P network, I discovered this recently and this is, thus far, what I have been downloading (Does this expression make sense?)

1. alfred schnittke - sonata n.2 per pianoforte (1990 (18:55)
2. arvo pärt (n.1935) - sinfonia n.1 (live) (p.jarvi, dir (19:00)
3. bohuslav martinu (1890-1959) - la jolla, per pianoforte e orchestra da camera (1951 (22:05)
4. bruno maderna (1920-73) - concerto n.1 per oboe e orchestra (1962 (15:48)
5. bruno maderna (1920-73) - concerto n.2 per oboe e orchestra [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (13:13)
6. bruno maderna (1920-73) - hyperion III, per flauto e orchestra (1964-69 (26:10)
7. bruno maderna (1920-73) - notturno (1956 (3:24)
8. charles wuorinen (n.1938) - new york notes, per violino,violoncello,flauto,clarinetto,pianoforte,percussioni (1981-82 (23:18)
9. christopher rouse (n.1949) - trittico, per orchestra [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (21:35)
10. cornelius cardew (1936-81) - revolution is the main trend in the world, per pianoforte [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (3:17)
11. dmitri shostakovich (1906-75) - aleksandr chaikovsky (n.1946) - sinfonia per viola e orchestra d'archi (trascr.dal quartetto n.13 (23:54)
12. dmitri shostakovich (1906-75) - lady macbeth suite (compilata da james conlon, 1991 (45:12)
13. elena firsova (n.1950) - musica per 12 esecutori [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (10:30)
14. elena firsova (n.1950) - quartetto n.4 per archi (chilingirian quartet (15:23)
15. ervin schulhoff (1894-1942) - concerto per quartetto d'archi e orchestra di fiati (1932 (21:21)
16. fabio nieder (n.1957) - j.s.bach - XIV contrappunto dall'arte della fuga [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (8:23)
17. ferenc liszt - parafrasi da concerto sulla marcia nuziale dal sogno di una notte di mezza estate di mendelssohn (volodos)[rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (4:27)
18. Trio Aristos - E. Ysaÿe - Trio 'Le Chimay' (17:40)
19. franco donatoni (1927-2000) - cinis, per soprano e clarinetto basso (1988 (15:24)
20. franco donatoni (1927-2000) - voci. orchesterubung, per orchestra (1972-73 (17:44)
21. giacinto scelsi (1905-88) - sauh III, per 4 voci femminili (1973 (7:50)
22. giacinto scelsi (1905-88) - sauh IV, per 4 voci femminili (1973 (5:11)
23. giacomo manzoni (n.1932) - musica notturna, per 5 fiati, pianoforte e percussioni [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (9:16)
24. giacomo manzoni (n.1932) - ode, per grande orchestra (1982 (18:45)
25. giacomo manzoni (n.1932) - ombre. alla memoria di che guevara (1968) (world premiere (19:52)
26. giacomo manzoni (n.1932) - stomp, per quintetto di fiati (1999 (3:23)
27. gianfrancesco malipiero (1882-1973) - quartetto n.2 per archi 'stornelli e ballate' [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (15:25)
28. giuseppe sinopoli (1946-2001) - erfarungen, per orchestra da camera (1999 o 2000 (7:45)
29. gyorgy ligeti (n.1923) - invenzione, per organetto di barberia [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (1:15)
30. hanns eisler (1898-1962) - parodia di rachmaninov, per pianoforte (1959 (2:17)
31. hanns eisler (1898-1962) - streichquartett 1938 op.75 (leipziger streichquartett) - 1.variationen (5:47)
32. hanns eisler (1898-1962) - streichquartett 1938 op.75 (leipziger streichquartett) - 2.finale (7:11)
33. hans werner henze (n.1926) - in memoriam 'die weisse rose', per 12 strumenti (1965) (live recording, 2003 (8:56)
34. hans werner henze (n.1926) - sinfonia n.8 (1993 (26:22)
35. hans werner henze (n.1926) - sinfonia n.10 (1998-99, rev.2002 (36:55)
36. Hans Werner Henze, (n.1926) - boulevard solitude (1951 (83:42)
37. heiner goebbels (n.1952) - aus einem tagebuch. brevi registrazioni per orchestra (2003) (world premiere (26:48)
38. heiner goebbels - schwarz auf weiss. musiktheaterstuck (h.muller,v.;idea e regia,h.g;txt blanchot,poe,webster,eliot) (1997) [rare HQ by ALEKOZ]] (58:43)
39. helmut lachenmann (n.1935) - allegro sostenuto per clarinetto, violoncello e pianoforte [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (35:34)
40. hildegard westerkamp (n.1946) - kid's beach sound walk [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (9:40)
41. iannis xenakis (1922-2001) - tauriphanie (1988 (10:51)
42. jean-claude risset (n.1938) - escalas, per orchestra (2002 (18:31)
43. kurt weill (1900-50) - die kleine dreigroschenmusik (1929 (22:47)
44. kurt weill (1900-50) - la ballata di mackie messer (london sinfon.) (1929 (2:09)
45. lev knipper - quartetto n.3 per archi - I.allegro moderato (1:42)
46. lev knipper - quartetto n.3 per archi - II.allegro (2:00)
47. lev knipper - quartetto n.3 per archi - III.andante (3:28)
48. lev knipper - quartetto n.3 per archi - IV.adagio (3:26)
49. luca.francesconi.(n.1956).-.cobalt.and.scarlett,.per.grande.orchestra.(2003). (17:22)
50. luigi nono (1924-1990) - sara dolce tacere (pavese) (1961 (10:10)
51. mimmo cuticchio (n.1948) - angelica a parigi [una puntata]. musica di giacomo cuticchio [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (17:58)
52. Monica Conversano (n.1963) - Vittorio Sermonti (n.1929) - riraccontare verdi. traviata [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (69:03)
53. niccolò castiglioni (1932-96) - inverno in-ver. 11 poesie musicali per piccola orchestra [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (24:20)
54. orie sato - 1-137. concerto per tromba, trombone e orchestra - bologna, premio speciale 'concorso 2 agosto' (2-8-2005 (11:53)
55. sebastian courier - whispers, per flauto, violoncello, pianoforte e percussioni (1996 (13:33)
56. tikhon khrennikov (n.1913) - sinfonia n.1 in si bemolle minore op.4 (1933-35) - I.allegro II.adagio molto espressivo III.allegro molto Kondrashin[rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (20:43)
57. vittorio fellegara (n.1927) - winter music [rare LQ by ALEKOZ] (6:53)
58. vladimir deshevov (1899-1955) - relsy (rails), per pianoforte (1926) (oleg malov, pf (1:06)


----------



## Manuel

If anyone here had interest in some of these works please let me know, and I will gladly upload them.


----------



## hawk

Carellis(sp?) Trio Sonata
Gabrielle Faure's Pavan
Florida Suite composer ????
All so nice


----------



## Handel

Hawk, Corelli maybe.

On my side...it is not really a new discover Heinrich von Biber. I found another of his work in a sampler released by Analekta (Les must) vol. 13.

There is a sonata a cinque by Biber. And it is very good... A hidden gem/composer from mid baroque.


----------



## Manuel

Handel said:


> Hawk, Corelli maybe.
> 
> On my side...it is not really a new discover Heinrich von Biber. I found another of his work in a sampler released by Analekta (Les must) vol. 13.
> 
> There is a sonata a cinque by Biber. And it is very good... A hidden gem/composer from mid baroque.


Do you know his Missa Salisburgensis? It's known as the Mahler's 8th of the baroque.


----------



## Handel

No, (actually, I know only 3-4 works by him: requiem, his great Battalia and some sonatas). But I keep that.


----------



## Lisztfreak

I have found out that Schumann's 4th symphony had in it's original version a guitar included in the second movement! Did you know that?

As for works, I was astounded by a performance of Belshazzar's Feast by Walton that I heard on the radio this morning.


----------



## Handel

Hideliho Lisztfreak! How are you? I lost your track here..

Or maybe you were here but didn't see you (shame, shame).


----------



## hawk

Handel I believe Corelli is the composer.
The Florida Suite is by Frederick Delius. I have not heard the whole suite but "By the River" which is the second movement is beautiful!


----------



## Lisztfreak

Handel said:


> Hideliho Lisztfreak! How are you? I lost your track here..


Excellent, thanks! I've been here all the time...


----------



## ChamberNut

Visit to the library over the weekend and brought home:

Schubert - Winterreise (Russel Braun - Baritone, Carolyn Maule, piano) CBC Records

Schubert/Schumann (Schubert Piano Sonata in B flat D960; Schumann Kinderszenen Op.15) Vladamir Horowitz

Mozart - Don Giovanni (Berlin Philharmonik and Herbert von Karajan) The CD, not a DVD.


----------



## opus67

ChamberNut said:


> Mozart - Don Giovanni (Berlin Philharmonik and Herbert von Karajan) The CD, not a DVD.


You may want to celebrate the 220th anniversary of its premiere, by watching it tonight.


----------



## opus67

Shosty's VC! 

While I usually stick to VC from the Romantic era, I liked something about this 20th C one. It was played by Hilary Hahn, and I could listen only to the last movement.


----------



## alan sheffield

*John Estacio*

John Estacio is a very fine contemporary Canadian composer. He writes in an "accessible" style. I only know his music through this record:

http://www.gramophone.ca/?p=productMore&iProduct=33

Try in particular Solaris.


----------



## ChamberNut

alan sheffield said:


> John Estacio is a very fine contemporary Canadian composer. He writes in an "accessible" style. I only know his music through this record:
> 
> http://www.gramophone.ca/?p=productMore&iProduct=33
> 
> Try in particular Solaris.


Alan,

Last year, I went to hear a performance of Estacio's _Borealis_ with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. It was a very enjoyable work, and it definitely gave you a feel for the Northern Lights.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> Shosty's VC!
> 
> While I usually stick to VC from the Romantic era, I liked something about this 20th C one. It was played by Hilary Hahn, and I could listen only to the last movement.


First or second concerto?


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> First or second concerto?


The first, I think.


----------



## ChamberNut

*Lalo *- Piano Trio # 3 (heard some of the 2nd mvt Presto). Wonderful! I thought I was listening to Brahms when I heard it.


----------



## ChamberNut

The theremin is a strange sounding instrument. Similar to the saw.


----------



## Manuel

ChamberNut said:


> The theremin is a strange sounding instrument. Similar to the saw.


Ever heard of Clara Rockmore?


----------



## ChamberNut

Manuel said:


> Ever heard of Clara Rockmore?


Manuel, yes! It was her that was playing the theremin. It was La Vie en Rose on CBC Radio that I heard this morning.


----------



## silmarillion

Today I discovered.......

Erkki Melartin - Symphonies 2 & 4
Joly Braga Santos - Symphony 2, Crossroads and Concerto for Strings (1951).
Jean Sibelius - Symphony 5
Cesar Franck - Symphony in D

Except for the Melartin S2, all were pretty good discoveries. Braga Santos' music is melodious and finely orchestrated. The Melartin symphony no. 4 "Summer" had it's moments. I liked the Scherzo, but it overall failed to keep me attentive. Sibelius' symphony is great. Over the past weeks I've really come to admire the Finnish master. Franck Symphony I must listen to again before I pass judgement.


----------



## ChamberNut

The impact of Beethoven's Sonata Op. 106 _Hammerklavier_.

I've listened to it before, but only now does it have an effect on me.

The 3rd mvt., so soft and delicate, yet it's hitting me like a ton of bricks and I'm having trouble catching my breath. Wow....


----------



## Morigan

Tonight, I'm gonna discover

FRANCK Sonate pour violon et piano en la majeur
MOZART Sonate pour violon et piano no 26 en si bémol majeur
YSAŸE Sonate pour violon seul no 5 en sol majeur, « Pastorale »
IVES Sonate pour violon et piano no 3
BRAHMS Sonate pour violon et piano no 2 en la majeur, « Thun »

Performed by no other than Hilary Hahn


----------



## Manuel

Morigan said:


> Tonight, I'm gonna discover
> 
> FRANCK Sonate pour violon et piano en la majeur
> MOZART Sonate pour violon et piano no 26 en si bémol majeur
> YSAŸE Sonate pour violon seul no 5 en sol majeur, « Pastorale »
> IVES Sonate pour violon et piano no 3
> BRAHMS Sonate pour violon et piano no 2 en la majeur, « Thun »
> 
> Performed by no other than Hilary Hahn


Give especial attention to the _last movement_ of the Franck sonata. It ranks first in my list of preferred works for violin and piano.

And please, come here tomorrow with a review of the concert.


----------



## silmarillion

Henryk Gorecki - Symphony no.3
Ottorino Respighi - Pini di Roma and Fontani di Roma
Johannes Brahms - Symphony no. 4
Aram Khachaturian - Violin Concerto in D minor.
Miklos Rozsa - Symphony no. 1, Theme and Variations
Jean Sibelius - Violin Concerto
Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto


----------



## Manuel

silmarillion said:


> Henryk Gorecki - Symphony no.3
> Ottorino Respighi - Pini di Roma and Fontani di Roma
> Johannes Brahms - Symphony no. 4
> Aram Khachaturian - Violin Concerto in D minor.
> Miklos Rozsa - Symphony no. 1, Theme and Variations
> Jean Sibelius - Violin Concerto
> Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto


WOW!. That's too many big shots for the same day. Was your intention to discover only violin concertos in the key of D today? Or was it casual...


----------



## silmarillion

Manuel said:


> WOW!. That's too many big shots for the same day. Was your intention to discover only violin concertos in the key of D today? Or was it casual...


No it was not intentional, it just so happened to be. Although I might have been cheating a little: some of these (the last two) were sort of rediscoveries. But lately I've been working a lot at home on papers and exams and I can't work without music. So I decided to use my time doubly by working on the assignments and to discover as much new music as I could. It's going pretty well so far

Today I have some Bruckner and Brahms on the menu Always searhcing for that next great piece of music.


----------



## opus67

Manuel said:


> Was your intention to discover only violin concertos in the key of D today? Or was it casual...


Actually, if you look at it, many of the VC at the core of the repertoire are in D. The big ones definitely are: Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius...I've always wondered why.


----------



## Morigan

I've read about this on Wikipedia when I was looking up Brahms's VC:



> Brahms's choice of D major for his concerto is significant. Since the violin is tuned G'D'A'E, the open strings, resonating sympathetically, add brilliance to the sound. Possibly for the same reason, this key has been used in several other concertos, such as Beethoven's, Tchaikovsky's, Schumann's (D minor) and Sibelius' (also D minor).


----------



## Hexameron

Today I discovered the following:

-Nikolai Miaskovsky's (1881-1950) Piano Sonata No. 1 and 4.
-Julius Reubke's (1834-1858) Piano Sonata in B flat minor.


----------



## Lisztfreak

Hexameron!!! You're here again! Where have you been?


----------



## Hexameron

Hi, Lisztfreak. I've taken a long hiatus, I know, but it's mostly due to an intense year of schooling.


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## opus67

The Liszt freaks are back!!!


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## Lisztfreak

Beware!


----------



## Lisztfreak

Ah yes... Hexameron, as for Reubke you mentioned, I've heard he was a favourite student of Liszt's, but died very young. Is his sonata 'Lisztian' in style (or at least 'Lisztish')?


----------



## Hexameron

Indeed, Reubke's early death deprived of us of who knows what kind of compositional fruition. He is mostly recognized, if at all, for his organ music, but his only Piano Sonata is a stunning work of both melodic and virtuosic power. Oh, and I would definitely call it "Lisztian" in an affectionate and complimentary way. I've read some say that Reubke's inspiration for this work came from Liszt's Sonata in B minor. While the thematic development and perhaps the structure shows such an influence, Reubke's sound world is quite different from the Sonata in B minor.

Without being derivative, he employs sinister melodic ideas like something out of Liszt's Malediction for piano and orchestra and the Dante Sonata, and weaves his own passagework and thematic transformations into the fabric. It's a great piece that is somewhat difficult to find on recording. I've only noticed four available on amazon, and the performance I familiarized myself with is by Till Fellner reissued on the Apex label. Lisztfreak, I think you'll love it. The only problem I have with hearing his Piano Sonata is that I now want more piano music from Mr. Reubke.


----------



## Lisztfreak

The recording you have is exactly the one I noticed in the store a couple of weeks ago! 
It seems that's the only one available. It's coupled with Kreisleriana, isn't it?

Thanks a lot for the information about Reubke! I'll get the Sonata asap.


----------



## Lisztfreak

As for discovering new music, today I became aware of Johan Svendsen. 
I bought a disc with both of his symphonies yesterday. The No.1 is very nice but quite generically Romantic - it sounds much like something you've heard many times before.
However, No.2 is much better and certainly much more memorable, particularly the second and third movements.


----------



## silmarillion

Listened to some suites by Lopartz and Magnard today. I liked them a lot. Magnard wrote a fun little suite 'Dans le Style Ancien', a collection of miniatures: Fugue, Gigue, Gavotte, Sarabande and a Menuet. Does anyone know his symphonies? Are they worth looking into?


----------



## Manuel

silmarillion said:


> Listened to some suites by Lopartz and Magnard today. I liked them a lot. Magnard wrote a fun little suite 'Dans le Style Ancien', a collection of miniatures: Fugue, Gigue, Gavotte, Sarabande and a Menuet. Does anyone know his symphonies? Are they worth looking into?


Never heard (of) Lopartz. But I do now Ropartz.
And I remember listening to Magnard's symphonies last year. Too many things happened since then, and I'm affraid would be no reliable critic of Magnard's output now. (Not that I even could have been a proficient one in any other circumstance).


----------



## Handel

I really have discovered Paganini. Him and re-discovered Spohr (which composed a very fine concerto in E minor that I listened to 3-4 years ago and that I forgot. But not anymore).


----------



## oisfetz

About Paganini,I hope you'll listen to his 3 string quartets for the traditional ensamble, or to any of his several quartets with guitar.


----------



## opus67

oisfetz said:


> About Paganini,I hope you'll listen to his 3 string quartets for the traditional ensamble, or to any of his several quartets with guitar.


I had never heard of his quartets before. And what do you mean by a traditional ensemble?


----------



## oisfetz

The usual, 2 violins,viola and cello. Of course, first violin has the main rol.


----------



## opus67

oisfetz said:


> The usual, 2 violins,viola and cello. Of course, first violin has the main rol.


Oh, okay. I thought it was some other combination of instruments now out of fashion.


----------



## Hexameron

Heard for the first time today *Samuel Feinberg's* _Piano Sonata No. 3_...

Structurally it is one of the more original sonatas I've come across in a long time. In a fascinating design, the last movement marked "Allegro appassionato" is the actual Sonata itself. While the whole work is a marvelous creation of a forgotten early 20th century Russian composer, the last movement is the blockbuster; it's a stunning explosion of virtuosity, horrific sounds, and beautiful ideas.


----------



## Hexameron

Moved on to *Samuel Feinberg's* _Piano Sonata No. 6_... easily a forgotten masterpiece of the Russian piano literature.

If I thought the Third Sonata was a colossal force of expression, cerebral introspection and virtuosic might, the Sixth Sonata is doubly so. Without stretching tonality too far (even less so than late Scriabin), Feinberg still fosters a tonal language that exudes originality. The use of tritones and motives and the restless momentum, where for five minutes at a time there is not a break in the intensity nor even the slightest hint of a rest, makes this piece a pianistic tour-de-force. The Sonata itself is a frightening work of despair, rage, and bleakness that left me mesmerized on a first hearing.

Fans of Scriabin, Myaskovsky, early Stravinsky and Schoenberg, and Roslavets will find Feinberg a marvelous discovery.


----------



## ChamberNut

Sibelius - Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39 (Iceland Symphony Orchestra w/ Petri Sakari conducting)

Wanted a listen to this before this weekend's concert, which features the above, plus Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1


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## ChamberNut

Brahms - Intermezzo Op. 117 No. 1 in E flat major _Andante moderato_

This is beautiful! This would certainly be a recommended work for anyone who claims they find Brahms' music as "unemotional". Certainly not the case here.


----------



## Lisztfreak

I'm discovering monsieur Chausson these days... I'll hear his Symphony, symphonic poem Viviane, Poeme de l'amour et de la mer, Chanson perpétuelle, some Mélodies Op.2 and the String Quartet in the next few days.


----------



## Manuel

A 64 minute cello concerto by _Donald Francis Tovey_, dedicated to Pablo Casals.


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## opus67

(A/The?) Violin concerto by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Like every other violin concerto I discover, I started listening to it from the middle.


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## ChamberNut

Grieg's 3 violin sonatas. Got the disc from the library last night.

Just finished listening to the Op. 8 in F major. 2 thumbs up  Augustin Dumay on violin, Marai Joao Pires, piano.

I'll be listening to the other 2 later today.


----------



## Manuel

opus67 said:


> *The *Violin concerto by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Like every other violin concerto I discover, I started listening to it from the middle.


The exact half? Or the second movement?

Why not starting with the third? It's supposed to be the liveliest section of every violin concerto, therefore being, statistically, the most catchy.


----------



## silmarillion

Listened to Carl Nielsen's Fourth today and it didn't really do anything for me. The timpani section in the fourth movement was fun, but the music never really got to me. 

Also, I've been trying some music by Malcolm Arnold and Arnold Bax. But I have to listen some more before passing well grounded judgement.


----------



## Manuel

> Also, I've been trying some music by Malcolm Arnold and Arnold Bax. But I have to listen some more before passing well grounded judgement.


As I said somewhere else, get the first string quartet by Arnold Bax.


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## Morigan

I'm trying some Raff. Thank you Manuel from bringing this up in that videogame soundtrack thread.


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## ChamberNut

Manuel said:


> The exact half? Or the second movement?
> 
> Why not starting with the third? It's supposed to be the liveliest section of every violin concerto, therefore being, statistically, the most catchy.


I have to disagree with both of you. 

For Violin Concertos, I believe the heart of them, and the essence lies in the colossal 1st movements. Especially considering Beethoven, Brahms' and Tchaikovsky's violin concertos, these are undoubtedly what makes them great. That's my opinion of course.


----------



## ChamberNut

ChamberNut said:


> Grieg's 3 violin sonatas. Got the disc from the library last night.
> 
> Just finished listening to the Op. 8 in F major. 2 thumbs up  Augustin Dumay on violin, Marai Joao Pires, piano.
> 
> I'll be listening to the other 2 later today.


I've listened to the other two now.

I was lukewarm on the 2nd sonata, in G major, Op. 13, but both the F major, Op. 8 and C minor Op. 45 sonatas are really fantastic discoveries for me!

Opus67, if you haven't heard these, check them out.


----------



## ChamberNut

Manuel said:


> As I said somewhere else, get the first string quartet by Arnold Bax.


That was to me, and I wholeheartedly concur.


----------



## Hexameron

Morigan said:


> I'm trying some Raff.


He left a fine piano concerto if you like that genre.


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## Lisztfreak

I have just heard on the radio the piano quintet of Juliusz Zarebski. He was a student of Liszt's, but he died young of tuberculosis (just like Reubke). Liszt really didn't have luck with his prodigious students!
The work is quite long, but strong and harmonically daring sometimes. The piano part is, as expected, quite dominant. I would call it Lisztian, and the form too is cyclic and full of the theme-development Liszt often used.


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## Hexameron

Thanks for bringing Zarebski to our attention, Lisztfreak. I certainly knew of him but never heard any of his works... I'll check into the Piano Quintet.


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## lmd

Mark I have the same recordings as your wife, impossible for me to say which I like best.
I am deeply greatful to Debussy,apparently Gabriel Faure(at one time Ravels composition
teacher) thought this Quartet too long,so Ravel took it to Debussy who said "do not change one note"His uncoventional harmonies are superb!


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## lmd

Manual can you suggest a good recording of the Arnold Bax first String Quartet,
Thanks


----------



## Manuel

lmd said:


> Manual can you suggest a good recording of the Arnold Bax first String Quartet,
> Thanks


The one at Naxos is the only one I know. The Maggini quartet plays there, I think.


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## Manuel

I list the second violin concerto of *Tor Aulin* as my discover for today.

I started with the first movement, which is a bit predictable, and its structure owes very much to Wieniawski and Vieuxtemps. I skipped the second movement for schedule reasons and went straight to the ferocious _Tarantella _that is the third movement. I'm very pleased with it.


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## Hexameron

*Jan Levoslav Bella's* (1843-1936) _Piano Sonata in B flat minor_. Here's another find of a sonata in the Lisztian mold, except this composer wasn't a Liszt disciple. He had close ties with Brahms, Bulow, R. Strauss and Dohnanyi, although Liszt approved of his compositions. The sonata itself is formally different from Liszt's Sonata, retaining the classical four-movement structure. I'm quite taken with the first movement's Lisztian grandeur and rapturous piano-writing.


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## opus67

Manuel said:


> The exact half? Or the second movement?


Somewhere in the second.


----------



## Manuel

... That the advertising at Amazon.com also includes videos. You can watch Repin playing Beethoven's concerto here.

_I was looking for a new Kreutzer._


----------



## Lisztfreak

Hexameron said:


> *Jan Levoslav Bella's* (1843-1936) _Piano Sonata in B flat minor_.


So the Slovak man is not totally obscure after all! A few days ago I heard on the radio his Solemn Overture in E flat. It was a good, but not highly memorable work (as many overtures are).


----------



## jsdealy

I bought a few CD's today. My current favorite among them is conductor Carlos Kleiber's Deutsche Grammophone recordings of Beethoven's fifth and seventh. The front of the CD was covered with superlative statements about it quoted from the typical well-known critical sources, and I'd been recommended to Kleiber's work by a good friend of mine who knows music. Prior to hearing Kleiber's renderings, I think I favored David Zinman's version of the fifth to the other versions I'd heard, and I had never acquainted myself with the seventh. I must say that Kleiber's are massive, volcanic, warlike renderings. But for all their eruptive might they are never merely raucous. In the more tumultuous movements of both symphonies the forces seem to be spread into vast expanses by the masterful balance of tempo and intensity; the symphony seems to move with great deliberation without losing the overpowering urgency of its statements. The emotional recklessness and classical majesty of Beethoven in the first movement of the seventh work like the heart and mind of the same great individual. Yes, I suppose these statements are all a sort of overflow of satisfaction with the music, but hey, when it comes to Beethoven what else is new? For those who haven't heard Kleiber's edition, I highly recommend it.


----------



## opus67

Hi, jsdealy. Welcome to TC. I'm sure to get that CD one of these days.


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## opus67

Johan Baptist Vanhal
Listening to his 'Symphony in D' as I type. 

Very Mozart/Haydnesque. The initial stages remind me of some other work, but I'm not able to place a finger on it.

According to Wikipedia, he is reported to have written some 100 quartets and 73 symphonies, and he was also a precursor to Beethoven in that he was one of the first to earn a living as a composer without any appointments (or patronage).


----------



## opus67

Berwald's Symphony No.2 


I'd heard of this composer before, but never any of his works. This symphony was a very light-hearted introduction. Now I want to listen to his "Grand" septet.


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## ChamberNut

Well, it was yesterday. I discovered the very beautiful, haunting String Quartet in E minor, Op. 121 by Faure.


----------



## jsdealy

Thanks for the welcome.

I just got a copy of some of Shostakovich's quartets (Borodin Quartet) in the mail a few days ago. They're all strikingly good, but I think I like the second the best so far. Also, I just heard a few movements from Ligeti's quartets on YouTube and they are quite terrifying.


----------



## ChamberNut

Another visit to the library, this time the downtown Millenium Library, which had, to my great delight, a huge section of classical music CDs!!  

So, I came out with 5 CDs:

*Brahms* - Cello Sonatas (Jacqueline du Pre, cello; Daniel Barenboim, piano), *Bruch *- Kol Nidrei (Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, conductor) EMI Classics label

*Chopin *- 24 Preludes/Barcarolle, Op. 60, Bolero, Op. 19 (Idil Biret - piano) Naxos label

*Schubert* - Octet in F major, D803 (Nash Ensemble of London) Virgin Classics

*Dvorak* - Cello Concerto (Jacqueline du Pre, cello; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Groves conducting); *Ibert *- Concerto for Cello and Wind Instruments (Jacqueline du Pre, cello; Michael Krein Orchestra) BBC Music

*Debussy/Dutilleux/Ravel *- String Quartets (Belcea Quartet) - EMI Classics


----------



## opus67

This thread has slept long enough.

Has anyone else noticed how Schubert quotes the 'Ode to Joy' in this second to last piano sonata(No.20, D.959), in the final movement? It's the the same tune you get to hear in Brahms' first symphony, but Schubert pulls back in a bit before Brahms does.

Although, according to those at allmusic.com,



> [the] last three piano sonatas contain stylistic nods to Beethoven; in the case of this A major sonata, the Rondo is based on the finale (also a Rondo) of Beethoven's Sonata No. 16 in G major.
> ...
> 
> The finale, as mentioned above, pays tribute to Beethoven; yet, the only truly imitative element is Schubert's borrowing of a theme from the slow movement of his own A minor Piano Sonata, D. 537.


----------



## opus67

I seem to be in 'discover' mode today, albeit of a different kind. It has more to do with realising something than finding new music. 

I treated myself to a performance of Dvorak's Cello Concerto today. I realised how (arguably) the two most famous works in this repertoire (Elgar and Dvorak) come back to their opening theme in the final moments of the last movement.


----------



## World Violist

I'm slogging through Mahler's symphonies, and the sixth one stood out for me. It's very... fiery, maybe? Just something about it... but I definitely liked it. A lot.

I also listened to Brahms' last symphony all the way through for the first time. It's ingenious; the first and last movements are definitely my favorite movements... as is the case with most of the Brahms symphonies... the last movement Chaconne was stunning right from the off. It was so impassioned right up to the last chords!

Opus67: It is most interesting at that! The two greatest cello concerti did go back to their beginning themes, but most if not all of the greatest violin and piano concerti do not do that.


----------



## opus67

World Violist said:


> I also listened to Brahms' last symphony all the way through for the first time. It's ingenious; the first and last movements are definitely my favorite movements... as is the case with most of the Brahms symphonies... the last movement Chaconne was stunning right from the off. It was so impassioned right up to the last chords!


I heard bits and pieces of the last two movements on TV about half an hour ago. I heard the symphony in a new sound(? - am I first person in history to use that expression? ) I think it was seeing an orchestra in action and, more importantly, listening to sounds that were not emanating from puny computer speakers.


----------



## sirder

Today 27th Dec 2007, I spent a very quiet christmas in a reflective mood....Ye.....sss I know ;-))))) Only an Old Guy would admit that .........But seriously ...........Sibelius has only recently become my favourite.and seeing young " Crimsons" writings earlier this year had me Full of admiration ....To be a Finn..........The birthplace of Sibelius.......( I feel Sure) Crimson should be very proud of his Nationality.

So it was that I listened a few times to Jean's (Sibelius) 2nd and 5th Symphonies ....I guess the lonliness added to the Romanticism and appreciation of his Music.........
well ;-))))) Like Forrest Gump said "Thats alll I got ter say about thaaaat " ;-))))))

Happy and peaceful new year to us ALL huh ;-)))))))))))))))))))))))))))


----------



## opus67

Taneyev's string quartet No.1

Oisfetz's recommendation of Taneyev's chamber works was in the back of my mind, but I never got to sample any of the works. I just heard the first quartet on the radio and it's a very fine work. Looking forward for more.


----------



## ChamberNut

opus67 said:


> Taneyev's string quartet No.1
> 
> Oisfetz's recommendation of Taneyev's chamber works was in the back of my mind, but I never got to sample any of the works. I just heard the first quartet on the radio and it's a very fine work. Looking forward for more.


Navneeth,

I keep seeing the name Taneyev as well, and it just keeps reminding me that "I gotta check this guy's music out". It is going to be this week.


----------



## hawk

While in my workshop I listen to the classical station. Lots of wonderful music (some not so wonderful also) that I commit to memory so I can look more into it. Well my memory gets loose sometime and tosses info all over the place ")

Today I heard to pieces which managed to stay in my head til now.

Tchaikovsky Andante Cantabile

A piece by Rachmaninoff which featured a woman singer with piano. Her voice was amazing as well as the piece itself. Wish I could remember it's name.

Opus, do you remember some posts back I said I did not care for piano well this might be the door of appreciation opening


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## opus67

hawk said:


> Tchaikovsky Andante Cantabile


I think I have that on CD(but yet to listen to it). Isn't that a movement from a string quartet transcribed for cello and orchestra?



> A piece by Rachmaninoff which featured a woman singer with piano. Her voice was amazing as well as the piece itself. Wish I could remember it's name.


Here's the list of all the vocal works by Rach. Maybe it's one of them. 
http://wm03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=41:7870~T2C



> Opus, do you remember some posts back I said I did not care for piano well this might be the door of appreciation opening


Glad to know, hawk. The piano (and its predecessors) are such an integral part of western classical (and non-classical) music, that it's hard not to miss them.


----------



## Morigan

hawk said:


> A piece by Rachmaninoff which featured a woman singer with piano. Her voice was amazing as well as the piece itself. Wish I could remember it's name.


That might be the famous "Vocalise" for voice and piano. It has no words, only a long set of "Ah-aaah-aaaah"s


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## opus67

Morigan said:


> That might be the famous "Vocalise" for voice and piano. It has no words, only a long set of "Ah-aaah-aaaah"s


Hehe...sometime after I replied Hawk's post, I heard the Vocalise on the radio. It was actually pretty good, but unfortunately, there was a glitch in the stereo and I couldn't listen to it completely.


----------



## Morigan

It's one of those piece I got to learn by buying singer recital or compilation CDs. I have it on a Dessay disc and another version on a Fleming compilation!


----------



## hawk

That's the piece Morigan! 
What, in classical terms, is that style of singing called? Her voice was very powerful yet gentle...it kind of enveloped me in a soothing wash of sound (if that makes any sense)


----------



## jsdealy

*Biber's Missa Christi Ressurgentis*

I just received my copy of Andrew Manze and the English Concert doing Biber's Missa Christi Ressurgentis in the mail last week, and am very satisfied with it. I know it's cliche to describe any and all pleasing Baroque masses in terms of the way the objectivity and purity of the style unifies with the deeply spiritual ardor it expresses, but Biber's work is an especially wonderful example of what the cliches are meant to describe. Considered from the wide view it certainly satisfies the aesthetic expectations common to Baroque era sacred music, but fans of the genre I think will find a lot that is startling, foreign, and fascinating about Biber's work. The Kyrie (of which I think, if you search for Biber's mass on Google - Harmonia Mundi is the dist. - you can hear a clip) is the part that I currently find most extraordinary. In that section especially, but often on occasions throughout the piece, there is an oracular, intensely mystical quality to the use of harmony, brass, and percussion that is really amazing. I think any passing fan of Baroque music should hear it. And of course Manze's violinwork is exquisite throughout. The cornets are particularly splendid also.


----------



## EricIsAPolarBear

Having never listened to Mahler's sixth, i sat down tonight, made myself a nice drink, and enjoyed the entire thing. Proud to have discovered finally Mahler's 'Tragic' symphony, the finale great!


----------



## Sanctus493

"Anneés de pèlerinage" by Liszt, played by Alfred Brendel (1st and 2nd year) and Zoltan Kocsis (3rd year). It's brilliant, some of the best solo piano music I've heard. 'Orage' in particular is stunning.


----------



## opus67

I just caught the last few minutes of Boccherini's cello concerto No.10. There was a part that sounded so much like the first two lines from _Se Vuol Ballare_ (the aria from _Le Nozze di Figaro_). Does anyone know if Mozart was inspired by the concerto?


----------



## ChamberNut

Recent discoveries that I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing:

Smetana - String Quartet # 1 in E minor "From My Life"

Berwald - String Quartets # 1 in G minor and # 2 in A minor

Vincent d'Indy - String Quartet # 3 in D flat major, Op. 96

Bach - 6 Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin (BWV 1001-1006)

Wagner - Siegfried Idyll

Haydn - Cello Concertos

Hindemith - Mathis der Maler Symphony

Janacek - String Quartet # 1 "Kreutzer Sonata"

Glazunov - String Quintet in A mjaor, Op. 39


----------



## YsayeOp.27#6

opus67 said:


> Isn't that a movement from a string quartet (...)?


Indeed it is. It comes from the first string quartet. Didn't Alexander Borodin orchestrate the piece?

That being said, if you were about to link the notions of:
String quartet
slow movement
Alexander Borodin

everything leads to the Nocturne, from Borodin's Second String Quartet. Or to the original version.


----------



## R-F

My most recent has been Sky Channel 270, ortherwise known as the Performance Channel. I have 7 people in my family, and I'm the only one who likes Classical Music so this should really drive them up the wall!

I also went shopping not long ago and bought four CDs. The First was *Dvorak's 8th and 9th Symphonies*, the second *Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto and Violin Concerto in D*, the third *Mahler's 5th Symphony* and the fourth was a whole lot of impressionistic stuff by Debussy, including *La Mer,* etc. etc. I've only listened to Dvorak's 9th Symphony, which was incredible, and some of the Debussy stuff, but it all should be good!


----------



## Emilia

More string quartets in general. I don't think I appreciate their beauty before. I especially like Haydn. Sometimes I prefer Papa Haydn to Beethoven *ducks before being hit with assorted vegatables*


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## opus67

R-F said:


> I also went shopping not long ago and bought four CDs. The First was *Dvorak's 8th and 9th Symphonies*, the second *Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto and Violin Concerto in D*, the third *Mahler's 5th Symphony* and the fourth was a whole lot of impressionistic stuff by Debussy, including *La Mer,* etc. etc. I've only listened to Dvorak's 9th Symphony, which was incredible, and some of the Debussy stuff, but it all should be good!


It's mandatory to list performer(s) info. when listing new purchases.


----------



## opus67

Emilia said:


> More string quartets in general.


Wonderful, aren't they? My latest discovery in the string quartet repertoire (so to speak) is Bach's _The Art of Fugue_. It's just wonderful to listen to it with this combination of instruments. For your enjoyment, the Emerson quartet playing contrapunctus No.9.



> I especially like Haydn. Sometimes I prefer Papa Haydn to Beethoven *ducks before being hit with assorted vegatables*


 Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. He was after all the first master of the genre. Given early Beethoven SQs and Haydn's later ones (say Op.76), I think I'd choose Haydn, too.


----------



## Justin

Hello

Today I discovered Charpentier's Messe de Monsieur de Mauroy and it's very beautiful indeed. I would heartily recommend it to those who love choral baroque.

Best

J


----------



## SamGuss

Today's discovery for me was Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 and Beethoven's Wellington's Victory. Yes, I am brand new to classical music


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## opus67

Albinoni's Oboe Concerto. In particular the one in D minor, Op.9 No.2.

Addendum: Having looked around the web for a while, it seems the Op.9 set of concerti is to Albinoni, what Op.6 is to Handel and Corelli, and Op.76 to Haydn, etc.

Do any of you have particular recommendations from this set?


----------



## SamGuss

Gerswhin Rahpsody in Blue. It suprised me! Originally we got it more for my girlfriend's collection but I quickly added it to my library here on the computer.


----------



## World Violist

Rachmaninoff's transcriptions of Kreisler's Liebesleid and Liebesfreud are very interesting, almost entirely rewritten by Rachmaninoff in the manner of Busoni's transcription of the Bach chaconne.

Mahler's 8th is a new experience for me, it's absolutely gorgeous.


----------



## opus67

I was just listening to the last few minutes* of _Verklärte Nacht_, and I actually liked it!  I wonder if it's due to the fact that it was an early work of Schoenberg, with influences from Brahms and Wagner, as Wikipedia states. This was a performance with the BPO and Karajan.(I'm assuming this is a re-arrangement for an orchestra.) I'd like to listen to it again, especially as a string sextet.

* How is it that I always get to listen only to the last few minutes of a work that I discover? Hmm..


----------



## BuddhaBandit

opus67 said:


> I was just listening to the last few minutes* of _Verklärte Nacht_, and I actually liked it!  I wonder if it's due to the fact that it was an early work of Schoenberg, with influences from Brahms and Wagner, as Wikipedia states. This was a performance with the BPO and Karajan.(I'm assuming this is a re-arrangement for an orchestra.) I'd like to listen to it again, especially as a string sextet.


Now this is a great piece. I was used to Schoenberg's 12-tone stuff before I heard VN so, not surprisingly, the late-romantic idiom of it took me a bit by surprise. You MUST hear the strings only version, as the wonderful swells are captured much better there than in the orchestral arrangement.


----------



## opus67

> You MUST hear the strings only version, as the wonderful swells are captured much better there than in the orchestral arrangement.


Some kind person had uploaded the various parts of the original arrangement on YouTube, and I'll be downloading those later tonight. And the version with Karajan, quite a popular recording it seems, is for a string orchestra. I'm also curious about the other work in the CD, _Pelleas und Melisande_.


----------



## SamGuss

Surfing over at YouTube I discovered Schubert's quartet piece called "Death and the Maiden". I especially enjoyed the Allegro, but liked it all.


----------



## opus67

SamGuss said:


> Surfing over at YouTube I discovered Schubert's quartet piece called "Death and the Maiden". I especially enjoyed the Allegro, but liked it all.


That's a wonderful work! One of my favourite SQs. I think the melody (and its variations) of the second movement is one of Schubert's most beautiful.


----------



## Isola

World leading musicians teamed up playing Bach's concerto BWV 1065 at Verbier festival:






Absolutely fabulous! Okay, I confess I didn't discover it just today.  The video clip is from DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Verbier-Festival-Academy-10th-Anniversary/dp/B0002YJ29O - one of my faourite DVDs.


----------



## SamGuss

Today's discovery is something of a big step (I think) in my listening appreciation but is old school to most here I am sure.

I've understood from nealry the beginning that in most cases two or more themes are running throughout an entire symphony at any given moment and in some select cases I've been able to "hear" that, but for the most part, all the music has just been one section of music that I have enjoyed.

I am not sure if it is due to repetition or more understanding or simply my ears becoming accustomed, but I now "hear" the different themese as seperate pieces weaving their story individually of each other. I am probably butchering the description I am tyring to convey but where before I heard the harmony between the themes as harmonious to each other I now hear them seperately playing off on each other. This has made a huge impact on how I am listening and hearing the music - much of it like I was hearing it for the first time - even old favorites like Dvorak Symphony No. 9.

In an odd metaphor, it's like being able (for me at least) to tell a rock song fom both it's bass line and it's lead guitar riffs. The two are seperate and can be recognized when played seperately but you get the "full" picture when you hear them individually playing independently of each other with the song.

Anyway, like I said probably old school for most of you but for someone new, this is a big revelation and seems like a new step along this path of classical appreciation.

Sam


----------



## opus67

Congratulations, Sam.  It definitely is a wonderful feeling when you discover, not new music, but something about the music that you thought you were already familiar with.

Regarding different themes playing together, you must listen to chamber works like string quartets, where the four players play as a team, yet each instrument has its own "voice" that you can discern.


----------



## Rachovsky

- Franz von Suppe's "The Light Calvary: Overture"
- The minuet from Luigi Boccherini's "String Quintet in E, Op. 13, No. 5"

Very nice little pieces


----------



## SamGuss

Today's big discovery of a piece I hadn't heard fully until now and was simply blown away by it:

Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Ressurection". What a phenomonal piece of work. I look forward to later on tonight, putting my headphones on full blast and simply listening to it.


----------



## Rachovsky

SamGuss said:


> Today's big discovery of a piece I hadn't heard fully until now and was simply blown away by it:
> 
> Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Ressurection". What a phenomonal piece of work. I look forward to later on tonight, putting my headphones on full blast and simply listening to it.


Oh you'll love it. I just bought Zubin Mehta's recording of it and it is more amazing than any other recording I've heard. The first and last movements are phenomenal.


----------



## opus67

Rachovsky said:


> - The minuet from Luigi Boccherini's "String Quintet in E, Op. 13, No. 5"
> 
> Very nice little piece


Agreed. I first heard it in a TV advert. It sounded western classical, but I wasn't very sure. A few months later, I heard the same tune on radio, and I found out that it's indeed as I had suspected.


----------



## SamGuss

Copland.

I Liked it. Really liked it. Was caught off guard that I knew a couple of the scores (like the Olympics theme). Was a recent purchase of the better half.


----------



## opus67

It was actually yesterday...anyway, I was introduced to the _Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet_ by Ernest Chausson. Unlike a traditional concerto, there is no orchestra involved here. The violin dominates with piano accompaniment, and the string quartet forms the "background." Check it out!


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## Chi_townPhilly

Okay- so a short while ago I finished listening to *Liszt*'s _Les Preludes_, and I noticed rhythmic and pitch similarities (not really identities, but clear echos, I thought) between:
1) the _opening_ of that piece and a first movement passage in *Franck*'s _Symphony in D minor_, and 
2) the _close_ of the work and a 'big tune' in *Sibelius*' _Karelia Suite_.


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## World Violist

Tchaikovsky's first symphony. I don't see why it's not performed more often, but I think it's because it isn't the Tchaikovsky we see in, say, the sixth.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

SamGuss said:


> Today's big discovery of a piece I hadn't heard fully until now and was simply blown away by it:
> 
> Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Ressurection". What a phenomonal piece of work. I look forward to later on tonight, putting my headphones on full blast and simply listening to it.


I can not put into words how much I

*LIKE*​*LOVE*​*ENJOY *​this work.


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## Lisztfreak

Today I discovered Mr Chausson's Concert, op.21. All right, I'm a liar, it was yesterday. But the effect is still upon me...

It's a fascinating work. Concert pour quatour a cordes, violon et piano prinicipal. A strange combination, but a horrific one. And it's drenched in emotion. Especially the last two movements (of four). The opening is also impressive - solo piano, three fortissimo notes: D, A, E. POM-pam-PUM! And then the quartet repeats them gently and quietly... ah, divine.

Where's Chambernut? - I want to hug him for inspiring me to sit back a bit and understand chamber music!


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## opus67

Scahrwenka and his piano concerto in Cm. A very Romantic work which I heard in bits and pieces. It was quite good.


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## SamGuss

Recent discoveries (covering the past couple of weeks):

Sibelius
Copeland
Choral Music: Chanticleer (spelling?) performing Palestrina for the win
Dvorak Symphony No. 9 as conducted by Kubelik - wow!
Shostakovich


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## opus67

This evening I heard the _Stabat Mater_ in Fm, written by Vivaldi. A beautiful work.


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## BuddhaBandit

Today I discovered...
Rzewski's The People United Will Never Be Defeated!, which is a series of piano variations on a Chilean song (performed by Ralph van Raat on piano). The most surprising part, for me, was the sheer virtuosity of many of the improvisations. A highly satisfying recording.


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## Lisztfreak

Today I discovered Reynaldo Hahn! I heard a broadcast of his Piano Concerto on the radio. I dropped in around the half of the first movement, and at first I thought that it might be some impressionist, or some even more 'modern' composer, but definitely a Frenchman. And I almost guessed!  

I'll have to find some recordings of his works. But I think it'll be hard. Haven't seen any around.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Lisztfreak said:


> Today I discovered Reynaldo Hahn! I heard a broadcast of his Piano Concerto on the radio. I dropped in around the half of the first movement, and at first I thought that it might be some impressionist, or some even more 'modern' composer, but definitely a Frenchman. And I almost guessed!
> 
> I'll have to find some recordings of his works. But I think it'll be hard. Haven't seen any around.


The piano concerto shares a disc with the beautiful Massenet concerto in a Hyperion Release, from the _Romantic piano concerto_ series. A very good recording, but my first choice for the Massenet concerto is still Aldo Ciccolini.


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## World Violist

Today I enjoyed a belated discovery of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony (Toscanini/NBC). Very nice, pleasant piece.


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## SamGuss

World Violist said:


> Today I enjoyed a belated discovery of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony (Toscanini/NBC). Very nice, pleasant piece.


Good stuff!

The girlfriend's parents are in town this weekend and her mom and I had a great conversation on classical music today. At the end I was very pleased to know that I had held on my own in the conversation; i.e. knew what we were discussing at various points and able to identify composers, pieces, ensembles,periods, etc. I even got the compliment that I knew my conductors fairly well.

So my big discovery was that I can indeed carry on an intelligent conversation about classical now. Of course I still butcher composer's names to hell on my pronunciations lol.


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## Lisztfreak

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> The piano concerto shares a disc with the beautiful Massenet concerto in a Hyperion Release, from the _Romantic piano concerto_ series. A very good recording, but my first choice for the Massenet concerto is still Aldo Ciccolini.


Thank you very much! Now it's time for me to begin a quest through the music shops of Zagreb...


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## Rachovsky

Today I discovered Hector Berlioz's Requiem as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis at the BBC Proms. They used correct instrumentation and it sounds absolutely amazing!


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## World Violist

Yesterday (which may as well have been today; I was at an airport at about 10:30 PM as I listened, and didn't get back home until 2:30 AM today) I listened to Beethoven's Sixth with the score. I still much prefer both Mahler's and Sibelius' Sixths, but there you go. The Romantics worshiped the thing...


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Rachovsky said:


> Today I discovered Hector Berlioz's Requiem as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis at the BBC Proms. They used *correct instrumentation* and it sounds absolutely amazing!


When does an orchestra use _incorrect instrumentation_?

Let me guess... if someone inadvertedly switches the instrumentalist's scores and the tuba ends up playing the piano part, the flute plays the leading cello role and the percussionist follows a score that leads him to believe he belongs to the second violins (which is a nice experience since he will, for the first time in his life, participate as a real musician).


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Not a discovery... but yesterday I got the idea that while a Strad is, as we know, an awesome instrument, the Brahms violin concerto may sound better if the soloist plays a Guarnerius.


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## Rachovsky

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> When does an orchestra use _incorrect instrumentation_?
> 
> Let me guess... if someone inadvertedly switches the instrumentalist's scores and the tuba ends up playing the piano part, the flute plays the leading cello role and the percussionist follows a score that leads him to believe he belongs to the second violins (which is a nice experience since he will, for the first time in his life, participate as a real musician).


So sorry for not making myself clear. I meant "correct" in the sense of how Hector Berlioz scored the requiem, with every instrument and number of choral performers included. A better phrasing would have been full instrumentation, which is around 16 timpani I believe, for example.


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## Badinerie

Haydn's Cello Concerto No 2 in D. Its on the Du Pre Haydn Boccherini cd as an extra. I had to listen to it twice straight away. Very Lovely. Great Adagio.


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## World Violist

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> Not a discovery... but yesterday I got the idea that while a Strad is, as we know, an awesome instrument, the Brahms violin concerto may sound better if the soloist plays a Guarnerius.


I've come to the conclusion that just about anything sounds better on a Guarnerius than on a Strad... unless it's Perlman.


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## opus67

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> Not a discovery... but yesterday I got the idea that while a Strad is, as we know, an awesome instrument, the Brahms violin concerto may sound better if the soloist plays a Guarnerius.


Do you any particular recordings in mind? (With decent sound, of course. )



Badinerie said:


> Haydn's Cello Concerto No 2 in D. Its on the Du Pre Haydn Boccherini cd as an extra. I had to listen to it twice straight away. Very Lovely. Great Adagio.


I agree. That recording was my introduction to the concerto, as well.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

World Violist said:


> I've come to the conclusion that just about anything sounds better on a Guarnerius than on a Strad... unless it's Perlman.


I don't agree. The warm tone is very good for a Brahms solo (like the first violin sonata), but I prefer Mozart from a Strad. For the Tchaikovsky enthusiasts... I still prefer the Op.35 in a Strad.



Opus67 said:


> Do you any particular recordings in mind? (With decent sound, of course. )


Not really. I produced this as an idea in general, not because I have heard a particular recording. In fact, I don't really know the exact instrument that is used for each recording, my listening skills don't go that far... yet.


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## World Violist

The score to Pohjola's Daughter on IMSLP (along with others, but still!!!)!!!


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## SamGuss

Actually discovered a couple of days ago but Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 aka "Organ" Symphony.

Last week I discovered Bruckner Symphony No. 4. Great stuff! (Karl Bohm's RCA Legendary Recording)


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## Lisztfreak

I discovered Arvo Pärt! Bought a CD with some (all British, except Pärt) modern composers who wrote choral pieces for the Westminster Cathedral Choir. There's a piece of his called 'Beatitudes' on it. It's wonderful, totally mesmerising, and the final part with the solo organ is somehow surreal...
Also on the same CD I was most pleasantly surprised by John Tavener's 'Funeral Ikos' and Herbert Howells' 'Salve regina'.


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## glev91

*Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique*

The violin runs are absolutely riveting. I just found a recording of the Utah Symphony Orchestra (I know, not the BSO or CSO) that was amazing. I downloaded it from this site called HDtracks.com that sells high quality digital music (320 mbps mp3, FLAC, etc.). The difference is absolutely amazing. In addition to an extensive classical catalogue, they have high definition rock, pop, world, and jazz tracks. I would highly reccomend it. Has anyone else tried HDtracks.com?


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## YsayeOp.27#6

glev91 said:


> The violin runs are absolutely riveting. I just found a recording of the Utah Symphony Orchestra (I know, not the BSO or CSO) that was amazing. I downloaded it from this site called HDtracks.com that sells high quality digital music (320 mbps mp3, FLAC, etc.). The difference is absolutely amazing. In addition to an extensive classical catalogue, they have high definition rock, pop, world, and jazz tracks. I would highly reccomend it. Has anyone else tried HDtracks.com?


Shouldn't you post this in the _classifieds _section? That's where we keep the advertising.


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## opus67

Improvisations (piano solo) - Francis Poulenc. 

Wonderful set of pieces. I want to explore Poulenc's solo piano works further.


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## Air

*Mahler Symhony No. 2 "Resurrection"*

I was never into Mahler, until today. I mean, I'd listened to some of his works, but not really. I recently bought a recording of the symphony (a premiere) conducted by Zubin Mehta and it has completely changed my view. Today as i sat down to work I listened to the whole symphony (it was long, but well worth it.) I have to say it was quite a revelatory experience.


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## Rachovsky

This was my second Mahler Album. I think this one is the one your talking about anyways.


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## Air

Rachovsky said:


> This was my second Mahler Album. I think this one is the one your talking about anyways.


I got a 2 in one with the fifth "Giant" symphony too. That was also pretty amazing.


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## World Violist

Satie! Les Gymnopedies... they're easy enough for me to play, so that's nice...


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## oisfetz

Schubert´s and Cherubini´s SQ by the Melos, are IMHO two of the best
chamber interpretations of the last 40 years.


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## ChamberNut

That Elliott Carter's string quartets are just not my cup of tea.


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## Elaryad

I discovered Gorecki works performed by the Kronos Quartet and Einojuhani Rautavaara's works Cantus Articus, Piano concerto n.1 and Symphony n.3.
Also discovered that I love Rachmaninov's 1st piano concerto, 1. Vivace. Vladimir Ashkenazy and André Previn on Decca. Sweet.


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## Air

*Havanaise*.

Saint Saens is surprisingly one of my top favorites now.  Love his Piano Concerto No. 2 and of course, the Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.


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## Air

Today I've just discovered Saint Saens's 4th and 5th concertos. They are just overwhelmingly fantastic.


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## Lisztfreak

Today I've heard some of Sibelius' tone poems for the first time: Pohjola's Daughter, Night Ride and Sunrise, and Luonnotar.

I guess I don't have to say anything. You can't feel disappointed when it comes to Sibelius.


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## opus67

Mahler's second symphony.


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## Isola

opus67 said:


> Mahler's second symphony.


I believe you meant _rediscover_? In my case every time I listen to it I often find something new. There are just so many layers in that extraordinarily rich, deep composition.

I've listened to Martha Argerich and Mischa Maisky's Beethoven's sonatas for Cello & piano for some time. Somehow today it struck me just how beautiful the Op.69 and Op.102 No.2 are.


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## opus67

Isola said:


> I believe you meant _rediscover_?


In a way...sort of... I knew of its existence, but I heard it in full for the first time today.


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## nickgray

Philip Glass' String Quartets. Pretty boring music (well, it's minimalism, so what can you expect), but I kinda liked it, nice stuff.


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## Air

Schubert fantasy for violin and piano in C major... I heard it on you tube and am simply breathless.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

airad2 said:


> Schubert fantasy for violin and piano in C major... I heard it on you tube and am simply breathless.


You should also go for the Duo Sonata in A Major D574.


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## World Violist

Shostakovich's first cello concerto! Priceless stuff! Rostropovich in the premiere recording from 1959, I believe, on Youtube. Simply astounding that he learned it in such a short time and made such a definitive performance on a recording!


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## Rachovsky

Today I discovered Karl Jenkins.

So far I've listened to:

Palladio, First Movement -- 



Adiemus -- 



Dies Irae -- 



Sanctus -- 



The Armed Man -- 




Wow! Some great new age works by this man. There are actually no words being said in the pieces. They are syllables that Jenkins created himself. Apparently he wanted to make the voice another instrument.


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## Zombo

I found a nice gem today:

the 3rd Piano Concerto by Pancho Vladigerov. Going to inquire a bit more about this composer.

Reminds me of Kabalevsky.


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## Air

*Saint Saens's 4th.*

All of them are so special to me. I fell in love with the second quite a while back, then the fifth, and today, the fourth. Got to listen to the first and third now.


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## Air

I've now finished listening and I AM OVERCOME WITH AWE. Some places are so heartfelt I can just feel it surge inside. I never knew such a concerti existed. It has quickly advanced on to my list of favorites.


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## Chopinistic

Schubert's Serenade ("Ständchen"), Op. 90 No. 11

Words cannot express my feelings for this piece. I am literally awe-struck.

Wow.


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## World Violist

My viola teacher gave it to me as thanks for being part of a string quartet accompaniment for a couple of his other students' recital the other day. Haha... maybe I should do this more often???


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## opus67

That's nice. Congrats.


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## Weston

Edgar Bainton, a composer of the first half of the twentieth century whom I had never heard of. I was listening to some random things on my Rhapsody service and came across this. To my ears it vaguely recalls some of Holst's style and is quite appealing.










This is going into my want list at least.


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## World Violist

I just discovered the lute music of S.L. Weiss today. Simply sublime!


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## StlukesguildOhio

Some lovely British Impressionism.


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## Tapkaara

World Violist said:


> I just discovered the lute music of S.L. Weiss today. Simply sublime!


Interestingly, Ifukube played the lute himself, as well as guitar. He wrote one work for solo lute that is quite good. While not "modernist," it does not sound like renaissance music either, so it's interesting how he gets the lute to sing in what sounds more like an Asian language as opposed to what you'd normally expect.


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## bassClef

Today I discovered .... this thread 

Some good pointers here, I'm always on the look out for new and lesser-known music, will be checking some of them out if I can.


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## andruini

While listening to a CD of Monteverdi's Canti Guerrieri e Amorosi, I came across the "Lamento della Ninfa" which I hear is quite famous, but I had never got in on it myself. I loved it so much, I can't explain all it made me felt.. So that's what I discovered.


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## Air

Not today actually, but yesterday, I discovered... Richter's Schubert.

Schubert's piano sonatas have always been tough for me to crack. The same repetition, endless repeats, mundane classicism. It was kind of a blind spot for me, as I was a huge fan of his music in general, even the piano music, both earlier ('Wanderer') and later (Impromptus).

As much as I love S.Richter, I had no real desire to listen to his Schubert, no matter how good, as I had his Schumann, Prokofiev, Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Debussy, Chopin, and Scriabin to drool over.

I happened to be watching _The Enigma_, that great Richter documentary, yesterday and came across the part of Gould talking about Richter's power to communicate meaning through his music instead of just the music itself. There also happened to be a wonderful clip from Schubert's D.894 Sonata.

Well, I was inspired. I listened to the entire D.894 Sonata on youtube. It was not the first time I heard it, but it was the first time I _listened_ to it. It was far slower than any other D.894 I've ever heard, but as I listened, the repeats and tediousness disappeared, and all that was left was... a most heavenly struggle between utter peace and utter chaos. When it was over, I listened to his D.960. I was enraptured.

For as always, the pianist does not showcase himself, but instead showcases the music he plays through his own wit, personality, and control. And what better combination is there than F.Schubert and S.Richter?

D894: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=043B7C30267D35F6&search_query=schubert+richter+894

D960: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=8A1F25D1629DEC93&search_query=schubert+richter+960

My next goal is to grab that Brilliant Classics Richter box that contains a lot of his Schubert _and_ Beethoven _and_ the Liszt b minor. Once it lowers from 56$, that is.


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## World Violist

Today I (somewhat) discovered Luciano Berio. I add the (somewhat) because I'd heard some of his music before; a couple of Sequenzas and the first couple minutes of the truly abrasive viola Sequenza (first couple minutes because I turned it off before it could go on).

But today I consider a rather fresh start for my view of this composer, since I've begun to study some of his duets for two violins. They're brilliant, short pieces that utilize really small motivic ideas (think two notes, a figure that lasts a single beat, and one long note, and you've got the right idea) to create some sort of mini-cosmos of extraordinarily efficient development. Brevity doesn't even touch what Berio executes within these.


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## StlukesguildOhio

Air... I certainly agree with you on Richter's Schubert. I purchased the box set of the complete sonatas over the summer and found that I was more struck by them than the complete sonatas of Beethoven (although admittedly the Beethoven sonatas are well-known friends, while Richter's Schubert really brought his work alive for me).


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## Weston

I am currently streaming the Benjamin Britten Piano Concerto from an unknown radio station (on my parcel in Second Life if you must know). Presumably there is only one. I didn't catch the name of the performers, but it's loaded with bombast and a cadenza that goes on forever with eternal glissandi.

I love it! I'll need to add this to my collection. I never gave Britten much thought before.


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## Lukecash12

Anyone have any more information on the composer that I could read into?


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## dseegs

Beethoven Opus 1
Piano Trios 1-3 

I'm pretty new to classical music so I thought I'd start at the begining of beethoven's opuses
Brilliant stuff love these piano trios 

So it's piano violin and ???? is it a cello or viola?


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## Taneyev

Eduard Franck v.c.
Foerster v.c.1 and 2
Jan Kubelik v.c.Nº.4 live
Three wonderfull romantic violin concertos almost unknown.


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## Weston

This weekend when I wasn't volunteering for flood clean up in Tennessee, I listened to an old Marco Polo disc of a Léon Boëllman piano quartet and piano trio I had for some time but never paid much attention to.










French romantic Léon Boëllmann is better known for his organ music, but I found these chamber pieces to be quite beautiful. He only lived to be 35 and was not nearly prolific enough. I could not find a link to the specific chamber pieces I have, but this one may give some idea:


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## Nix

Barbers Cello Concerto- played by Yo-yo Ma. Cannot believe this concerto isn't discussed more- I checked the Barber thread and didn't find one mention of it. 

I'm relatively new to classical music... kind of. I've been playing it for half my life (I'm 18), but I only started actively listening and enjoying it about a year ago. This is the first work by Barber I've really gotten acquainted with, besides Adagio for Strings. 

Gorgeous melodies and really cool orchestration. At the moment my favorite part is in the first movement, where the cello is playing the main motif while the violins play the main melody, while at the same time two flutes are jumping around all over the place. It seems Russian, French and American all at the same time- really cool. 

Discovered it today and have listened to it 8 times so far. Might go for a 9th before I go to bed.


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## LarryShone

Today I discovered 16th century composer Ascanio Trombetti!


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## hpowders

Ahhh to be seven years younger, when this thread started!


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## PetrB

Nix said:


> Barbers Cello Concerto- played by Yo-yo Ma. Cannot believe this concerto isn't discussed more- I checked the Barber thread and didn't find one mention of it.
> 
> I'm relatively new to classical music... kind of. I've been playing it for half my life (I'm 18), but I only started actively listening and enjoying it about a year ago. This is the first work by Barber I've really gotten acquainted with, besides Adagio for Strings.
> 
> Gorgeous melodies and really cool orchestration. At the moment my favorite part is in the first movement, where the cello is playing the main motif while the violins play the main melody, while at the same time two flutes are jumping around all over the place. It seems Russian, French and American all at the same time- really cool.
> 
> Discovered it today and have listened to it 8 times so far. Might go for a 9th before I go to bed.


This very fine 'Cello Concerto (1945) still has a strong stripe of the neoclassical to it, coming as it were right after his 'wholly neoclassical' _Capricorn Concerto_ (1944).

The _Cello Concerto_ has not, imo, been performed or recorded nearly as often or enough as it should have been since its premiere, so I'm very happy to hear that Ma has taken it up and recorded it!
----------------------------------------------------------------

In chronological order, the Barber Concerti:

Violin Concerto (1939) 





_Capricorn Concerto_, for Flute, Oboe, Trumpet and Orchestra (1944). 
Barber's only 'thoroughly' neoclassical piece. It was stupidly criticized as Barber trying to be a wannabe Stravinsky, and that was enough to discourage him from writing more in this vein,





_'Cello Concerto_ (1945)

_Piano Concerto_ (1962) [This piece was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1963, Barber's second; his first prize was for the opera _Vanessa_ in 1958l]. If the opening Allegro is too modern for your taste, do not miss the second movement canzone (conveniently marked in yellow on the link's time-line counter)





Enjoy!

P.s. Another far too neglected American Composer's Concertante / Concerto for 'Cello and orchestra is
William Schuman ~ A Song of Orpheus, for cello and orchestra (1962)


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## hpowders

I have a feeling that the third movement of the Barber Piano Concerto was modeled after the third movement of the Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto.


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## PetrB

hpowders said:


> I have a feeling that the third movement of the Barber Piano Concerto was modeled after the third movement of the Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto.


I'm well familiar with both, and have never 'heard' that....

It _may_ have been, conscious or unconscious, but there is this (below), meaning the copyists were busy and the ink barely dry just days before the rehearsals before premiere -- at which point 'model' and the time to work something that way somewhat goes out the window!

"The first two movements were completed before the end of 1960 but the last movement was not completed until 15 days before the world premiere performance. According to Browning (in the liner notes for his 1991 RCA Victor recording of the Concerto with the St. Louis Symphony), the initial version of the piano part of the third movement was unplayable at performance tempo; Barber resisted reworking the piano part until Vladimir Horowitz reviewed it and also deemed it unplayable at full tempo" ~ Wikipedia.


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## Forss

Fantastic thread which needs a revival, in my opinion! Today I discovered, while listening to Mendelssohn's _Lieder ohne Worte_ (Op. 62, No. 3 in E Minor), that the opening theme, or rather: _motif_, sounds almost identical to the opening fanfare in Mahler's _Symphony No. 5_. - Perhaps it is old or insignificant news for some of you, but it is always a real treat, I think, when one finds these subtle things, and it also illuminates one's musical experience as a whole. To see the connections, as it were: a kind of _knowledge_ I revere.


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## Tchaikov6

Forss said:


> Fantastic thread which needs a revival, in my opinion! Today I discovered, while listening to Mendelssohn's _Lieder ohne Worte_ (Op. 62, No. 3 in E Minor), that the opening theme, or rather: _motif_, sounds almost identical to the opening fanfare in Mahler's _Symphony No. 5_. - Perhaps it is old or insignificant news for some of you, but it is always a real treat, I think, when one finds these subtle things, and it also illuminates one's musical experience as a whole. To see the connections, as it were: a kind of _knowledge_ I revere.


Ah, yes, I played that piece and heard it often. Each time I heard it I expected it to go into the rest of Mahler 5.

As for what I have discovered today, it is Medtner's phenomenal Night Wind Piano Sonata in E Minor. Medtner's music relaly reminds me of Rachmaninov, and I loved this piece in particular.


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## Malx

Over the last few months I have discovered Elliot Carter's Cello concerto and the more I listen to it the more it impresses me.
His String Quartets could be the next area of investigation for me.


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## Janspe

Malx said:


> Over the last few months I have discovered Elliot Carter's Cello concerto and the more I listen to it the more it impresses me.


Fully agree - I've heard it a few times now and it keeps rewarding each re-listen. A worthy piece indeed!


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## Oldhoosierdude

Today I listened to Mahler's 10th Symphony Adagio segment. Don't ever remember listening before. What a nice piece of music.


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## nikon

Last month I discovered Arvo Part. I have no idea ...


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