# Highlights of the weekend listening



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

One example of why this project is necessary and worthwhile is Jongen's Symphony Concertante.










Evidently (according to an Amazon reviewer) that performance is a touch idiosyncratic, but it's the only one I've ever heard, and I heard it for the first time this weekend, despite having owned this recording for several months.

If you want that, look for the 3 disk Brilliant box set of Guillou recordings.

It is definitely interesting. I like that the organ and orchestra blend so well. The organ is a part of the orchestra much of the time, not a soloist or a concerto-style antagonist.










Listened to Book One on Sunday morning. Such interesting music. Just the right amount of complexity. But Book One was enough. I'll do Book Two some other time. (This was not a part of the project - I've heard this lots of times.)

Puts me in mind, though, that I haven't got a harpsichord version of the WTC, and I will get one someday.










The German Requiem. The first time I heard it the tempo was too slow, and it hurt me. But this time I loved it. Have to give things several chances. I don't know how I'll feel about the regular tempo now!

I cannot imagine hearing Bruckner by Celibidache. I'll have to try it though - maybe it's exactly what I need to get Bruckner. Or perhaps it'll help me live longer. Who's the character in _Catch-22_ who wants to live longer by being bored?










Listened to the Dvorak. Until now Rostropovich/Karajan was my only recording of this concerto, but in this recording I heard a few details in the orchestra that I hadn't heard in the other one. I'll have to give it another listen as well.

A very nice work of music. It's fascinating to me that within a few bars, you can immediately tell it's Dvorak. He's got a sound of his own.










One more not-for-project work: the op. 8 trio, revised. One of my absolute favorite pieces of music. Really beautiful all the way through, with interesting ideas and lovely tone colors. Love the famous "warm" tones of Brahms. I have several recordings of this and I've listened to all but one several times, and I think this gets the nod for favorite, but I don't want to say anything bad about the Beaux Arts.

Revised the nature of my project, largely because I decided to add the Deutsche Harmonia Mundi box to the project. I've heard most of that only once, so it should be here. But that renders the project impossibly large. So for the duration of the project, I will allow myself a budget of $10 for every 50 hours of project-listening. That will also be easier to keep track of. Now I've earned $10, and am over 16 hours of my way toward another Ax Hamilton.

Question is, once I have my $20, how should I spend it? I've probably got at least a week to think about it...

(Amazing how this project has helped my budget...)


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

About the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony: I own the MSO/Dutoit recording, with Peter Hurford on the organ. Interestingly, organ was the great Beckrath at St Joseph's Oratory, and orchestra was recorded separatrely at St Eustache church. A _brilliant _recording, in spite of the technical challenge!


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

That is an interesting thing. Thanks for letting me know about it.


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