# Sticky  Current Listening Vol IX [2023]



## Art Rock

Here we go again. In the past, this popular thread had to be re-started a number of times because the files got to big for the software used. The latest restart was with volume VIII, which accidentally practically coincided with the start of the new year 2022. Many members thought this was actually a good idea to pick a new year for a new thread, so with 2023 upon us (already or soon, depending on where you live), we are starting a new thread.

Links to previous Current Listening threads:
Current Listening Vol I
Current Listening Vol II
Current Listening Vol III
Current Listening Vol IV
Current Listening Vol V
Current Listening Vol VI
Current Listening Vol VII
Current Listening Vol VIII


A few suggestions (as if anyone bothers reading this):

Many members appreciate if you would not just post a CD cover or an embedded YouTube link. It would be helpful if you would post at least a short description (like composer, work, performers). This holds especially for videos, because not all YouTube videos can be seen in every country, and they tend to disappear over time.

It would be even better if you can post a little bit about your own take on what you are listening to. No need for extensive reviews, but a few lines would make the thread clearly more valuable to other members.

These are suggestions, not rules. They are not subject to intervention by the moderating team. 

Have fun, Happy New Year, and enjoy listening to classical music as always!


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## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 4* in B flat major, Op. 60
George Szell: Cleveland Orchestra (1963)

Happy New Year! Celebrating a little bit with Szell. What an outstanding ensemble he built, and this was recorded in their heyday in great sound. This symphony isn't Beethoven's most popular (as is the case with most of his even-numbered symphonies), but I find it has its own appeal. Szell's Beethoven cycle is one of my favorites overall.


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## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 6 in E minor
Utah SO
Abravanel*


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## Malx

*Ligeti, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra / Concerto for Violincello and Orchestra - Pierre-Laurent Aimard / Jean-Guihen Queyras, Ensemble InterContemporain, Pierre Boulez.*

My first post on the new thread features works by a composer who has an anniversary in 2023 - György Ligeti.


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## Rogerx

Stenhammar: Piano Concerto No. 2 & Aulin: Violin Concerto No. 3

Creta Ericsson (piano), Christian Bergqvist (violin)

Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Evgenij Svetlanov, Okko Kamu


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## Enthusiast

Relatively short pieces involving the piano by Feldman.


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## Art Rock

*Henri Vieuxtemps: Cello Concertos No. 1 and No. 2
Eugène Ysaÿe: Méditation, Sérénade 
(Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Josep Caballé-Domenech, Alban Gerhardt, Hyperion)*

A very appealing issue in the Hyperion Romantic Cello Concerto series. Belgian composer Henri Vieuxtemps may be more famous for his violin works (he was a virtuoso violin player himself), but these two cello concertos (1877/1879) are wonderful romantic works, full of melody and virtuosity. Combined they play for 47 minutes, so Hyperion offers a very welcome bonus with two one movement concertante works by his compatriot and fellow violinist Eugène Ysaÿe, dated around 1910. Warmly recommended to all cello and romantic concerto lovers.


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## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Bartók
Contrasts for violin, clarinet & piano, BB 116, Sz. 111
Chantal Juillet (violin), Michael Collins (clarinet), Martha Argerich (piano)*

From this excellent set -


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## Vasks

_Danish Double_

*August Enna - Overture to "The Little Match-Girl"* (Schmidt/dacapo)
P. E. Lange-Muller - Selections from "Once Upon a Time" (Atzmon/BIS)*

_* The story takes place on New Year's Eve_


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## Manxfeeder

*Langgaard, Symphony No. 2, Awakening of Spring*

Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard. This is the 19-year-old composer rhapsodizing about spring, so it isn't tightly structured. It's something to not so much analyze as to let wash over you.


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## Enthusiast

Left over from yesterday - the piano and winds quintet from this:










Symphony 23 (this week's Saturday Symphony) from this:


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## Bourdon

Offenbach


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## Rogerx

Fiesta

Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, Gustavo Dudamel


Bernstein: West Side Story: Mambo
Bernstein: West Side Story: Symphonic Dances
Carreño, I: Margaritena
Castellanos, E: Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
Estévez: Mediodía en el Llano
Ginastera: Estancia - complete ballet, Op. 8
Ginastera: Estancia - dance suite, Op. 8a
Márquez: Conga del Fuego
Márquez: Danzón No. 2
Revueltas: Sensemayá
Romero, Aldemaro: Fuga con Pajarillo from from Suite for Strings No. 1 (Orchestral version)
Romero, Aldemaro: Suite para cuerdas (version for orchestra)


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## Klavierman

Concerto No.3 from this complete and wonderful set.


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## Lisztianwagner

Revisiting this performance:

*Béla Bartók
Bluebeard's Castle

Tatiana Troyanos (soprano), Siegmund Nimsgern (baritone)
Pierre Boulez & BBC Symphony Orchestra*


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## Knorf

*J.S. Bach: *
Motet: _Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, _BWV 225
Cantatas for the Sunday After Christmas:
_Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, _BWV 152
_Das neugeborne Kindelein, _BWV 122
_Gottlieb! Nun geht das Jahr zu Ende, _BWV 28
Gillian Keith, Katharine Fuge, Joanne Lunn, Daniel Taylor, Jame Gilchrist, Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner


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## Bkeske

Listening and watching The Berlin Philharmonic live, via The Digital Concert Hall. The New Years concert.
Todays program:


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## Neo Romanza

Rogerx said:


> Fiesta
> 
> Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, Gustavo Dudamel
> 
> 
> Bernstein: West Side Story: Mambo
> Bernstein: West Side Story: Symphonic Dances
> Carreño, I: Margaritena
> Castellanos, E: Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
> Estévez: Mediodía en el Llano
> Ginastera: Estancia - complete ballet, Op. 8
> Ginastera: Estancia - dance suite, Op. 8a
> Márquez: Conga del Fuego
> Márquez: Danzón No. 2
> Revueltas: Sensemayá
> Romero, Aldemaro: Fuga con Pajarillo from from Suite for Strings No. 1 (Orchestral version)
> Romero, Aldemaro: Suite para cuerdas (version for orchestra)


One thing is wrong with this tracklisting --- this recording does not contain Ginastera's _Estancia_ in its entirety. There are only two recordings of the complete ballet: Ben-Dor on Conifer (reissued on Naxos) and Mena (Chandos). This Dudamel is only of the dances.


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## Bourdon

Josef Strauss

Dorfschwalben aus Österreich


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## Enthusiast

I think it was Malx who posted some Kokkonen the other day and reminded me of this disc of the three quartets and the piano quintet.


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## Coach G

I've been rounding out the final days of 2022 with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra:

1. *Mahler*: _Symphony #1 "Titan", with "Blumine" movement_; Rec 1969 RCA Red Seal
2. *Shostakovich*: _Symphony #13 "Baba Yar"_ (with Russian lyrics by *Yevgeny Yevtushenko*); featuring Tom Krause and the Male Chorus of the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia; Rec 1970 RCA Red Seal
3. *Tchaikovsky*: _Symphony #6 "Pathetique"_; _Capriccio Italien_; _Waltz_ and _Polonaise_ from _Eugene Onegin_; Rec 1966, 1965 & 1960 Sony Essential Classics
4. *Brahms*: _Violin Concerto_ (w/Isaac Stern, violin); _Double Concerto_ (w/Isaac Stern, violin & Leonard Rose, cello) Rec 1965 and 1960 Sony Essential Classics
5. *Richard Strauss*: _Also Sprach Zarathustra_; _Don Quixote_ (w/Lorne Michaels, cello & Carlton Cooley, viola) Rec 1963 & 1961 Sony Essential Classics
6. *Liszt*: _Hungarian Rhapsody #2_; *Enesco*: _Romanian Rhapsody #1_; *Chabrier*: _Espana (Spanish Rhapsody)_; *Alfven*: _Swedish Rhapsody_; *Ravel*: _Rapsodie Espagnol_ Rec ? (probably between 1958-early 1970) Columbia Masterworks
7. *Rimsky-Korsakov*: _Sheherazade_; _Russian Easter Overture_; _Capiccio Espagnol_ Rec 1959, 1962, & 1966
8. *Bruckner*: _Symphony #4 "Romantic"_ Rec 1967 Sony Essential Classics
9. *Beethoven*: _Symphony #9 "Choral"_ (with German lyrics by *Friedrich Schiller*); featuring Lucine Amara, Lili Chookasian; John Alexander, John Macurdy, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Rec 1966 CBS Great Performances
10. *Telemann*: _4 Concertos for Diverse Instruments_; *Handel*: _Water Music Suite_ (arranged by *Eugene Ormandy*); _Water Music Suite_ (arranged by *Arthur Harris*) Rec 1968, 1970 & 1971 RCA Red Seal

All done by Eugene Ormandy w/The Philadelphia Orchestra recorded in Philadelphia


















































































From the days of LPs when I was a teenager in the early 1980s, on through to the the eve of 2023, Ormandy and his fabulous Philadelphians could be relied upon to always deliver a solid and refined recording; not always the BEST recording, but almost always good enough. If you couldn't afford the latest DG recording by the Berlin or Vienna Philharmonic, you could always rely on an old Ormandy reissue recording from one of those CBS or RCA budget lines (now appearing in innumerable CD reincarnations). As you can see from the diverse menu above, Ormandy's output was prolific and for those who claimed that he couldn't conduct much outside the standard Late Romantic to Early Modern repertoire, his very smooth recording of Beethoven's 9th serves to counter that opinion, not to mention his thoroughly un-HIP Telemann and Handel recordings. The two words that come to my mind when I think of Ormandy is "reliable" and "loyal". What conductor today has stayed loyal to the same orchestra and the same city for over 30 years?


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## 13hm13

Symphony No. 2 
...on...
Edmund Rubbra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Vernon Handley – Symphony No. 2 And Festival Overture
Mvt 3 (Adagio Tranquillo) is outstanding.


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## Lisztianwagner

Bourdon said:


> Josef Strauss
> 
> Dorfschwalben aus Österreich


Good old Boskovsky was certainly one of the best straussian interpreters; his recordings of the Strauss Family so very bright, lively and colourful, those bring out the Viennese spirit at best. I also appreciate his Stehgeiger conducting style. 😌


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## 13hm13

Rubbra – Symphonies 6 And 8
Label: Lyrita Recorded Edition – SRCS 127

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lyrita Recorded Edition – 1982
Copyright © – Lyrita Recorded Edition – 1982
Recorded At – Kingsway Hall – 4/1/1980
Composed By – Edmund Rubbra
Conductor – Norman Del Mar
Engineer – Kenneth Wilkinson
Orchestra – Philharmonia Orchestra
Producer – Andrew Cornall
Sleeve Notes – Robert Layton
Sleeve [Design] – Keith Hensby


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## Enthusiast

The third and last disc of this set. It contains Chukrum, Hymnos and Hurqualia.


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## elgar's ghost

Road-testing a new arrival - Kurt Weill's first real success on Broadway. 

_Lady in the Dark_ - musical play in two acts after a story by Moss Hart [Lyrics: Ira Gershwin] (1940):​
_Liza Elliot finds herself constantly plagued by indecision in her professional and personal life. She is courted by two men, the already-married publisher Kendall Nesbitt who is trying to divorce his wife for Liza, and her advertising manager Randy Curtis, and cannot decide who to choose. When she begins seeing a psychologist, she delves into her dreams and memories of her unhappy childhood. She illustrates a dream of being put on trial for her indecision in a circus setting, with her photographer Russel Paxton acting as prosecutor, Kendall as chief witness, and Randy as her defense attorney. She defends her refusal to make up her mind. She at last makes her decision when her marketing manager Charley Johnson is able to remember the lyrics to an old song she cannot completely recall. When Charley remembers the words to the song Liza realizes that he is the man for her, and finally makes up her mind._

Synopsis courtesy of Wikipedia:​with Maria Friedman (Liza Elliot), Steven Edward Moore (Randy Curtis), Adrian Dunbar (Charley Johnson) a.o. 

Music conducted by Mark W. Dorrell


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## Kiki

*Jonne Valtonen *_Fantasy Overture. Circle within a Circle within a Circle_
*Nobuo Uematsu (arr. Roger Wanamo) *_Final Fnatasty VI. Symphonic Poem. Born with the Gift of Magic_
*Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu (arr. Roger Wanamo, Masashi Hamauzu) *_Final Fnatasty X. Piano Concerto _
*Nobuo Uematsu (arr. Roger Wanamo) *_Final Fnatasty X. "Suteki da ne" for piano solo_
*Nobuo Uematsu (arr. Jonne Valtonen) *_Final Fnatasty VII. Symphony in Three Movements_
*Nobuo Uematsu (arr. Jonne Valtonen) *_Final Fnatasty VII. Continue? Anxiety_
*Nobuo Uematsu (arr. Roger Wanamo) *_Final Fnatasty Series. Fight, Fight, Fight!_
*Katharina Treutler*, piano
*London Symphony Orchestra */* Eckehard Stier *
Rec. 2014-2016
X5 Music Group

The arrangers have done a lot more than just bolting together Uematsu's big tunes from various FF soundtracks. One of them even wrote an original overture for this album/concert tour. I think they have genuinely attempted to make these pieces sound like concert hall music, and with moderate success in my opinion. 

(I am looking at you Mr. Howard Shore holding on to your precious and doing nothing creative with it!)


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## Bkeske

Janáček Quartet : Martinů - String Quartet No. 5
Vlach Quartet : Martinů - String Quartet No. 7
Supraphon 1980, Czechoslovakian release


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## 13hm13

Alun Hoddinott -- Symphony No.4
(as far as I know, UNRELEASED on consumer formats)


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## Bkeske

Pierre Boulez conducts Schoenberg

Serenade Op. 24
Domaine Musical Ensemble. 
Everest, early-mid 60’s release


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## Malx

*J S Bach, Violin Concerto BWV 1041, Double Violin Concerto BWV 1043*, Orchestral Suite No 2 BWV 1067 plus various shorter pieces - Isabelle Faust, Bernhard Frock*, Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin.*

CD 2 of this set - fabulous, infectious music making.


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## Art Rock

*Isaac Schwartz: Yellow Stars (National Philharmonic Of Russia, Vladimir Spivakov, Capriccio)*

Isaac Iosifovich Schwartz (1923 – 2009), also known as Isaak Shvarts, was a Soviet composer, born in the Ukraine, who specialized in movie soundtracks. I played this CD end 2021 for the first time as part of my playing/cataloguing effort, and made the note: "wonderful! need to play again soon!" I played it again in March this year, and now decided it is the one to close out my 2022 listening. 

Yellow Stars (1993) is a concerto for orchestra in seven movements (sometimes called a symphony as in the Wikipedia article), composed in memory of the Holocaust victims. The bittersweet work is inspired by Jewish music, including Klezmer.


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## jim prideaux

Jarvi and the Gothenburg S.O.

Sibelius-5th Symphony.

Seems appropriate as the year ends to listen to at least one performance of my favourite symphony....a work I have enjoyed so much since my early teens.


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## jim prideaux

Il Giardino Armonico and Antonini performing Haydn 6, 7 and 8 Symphonies.

Wonderful.

One of my discoveries of the past year was the Fischer recordings of these symphonies......thought I would have a listen to an alternative.

Not disappointed.


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## Knorf

*Bohuslav Martinů: *Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bryden Thomson


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## PeterKC

Nepomuceno. He packed a great deal into 56 years! Lived in Grieg's home for a time. Studied with Sgambati and Leschetitzky, friend of Debussy, a teacher of Villa-Lobos and Fernandez, and an outspoken advocate for the first Brazilian Republic and its Portuguese culture. Unabashedly romantic in style, but what a stylist he was!


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## Bkeske

Isaac Stern and Alexander Zakin

Franck - Sonata In A Major
Debussy - Sonata In G-Minor
Columbia Masterworks 1960

My copy is in an orphan sleeve, unfortunately


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## Klavierman

Roger-Decasse has been described as a "muscular Debussy"--that's a fair description along with a healthy dose of Scriabin.


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## pmsummer

CHRISTMAS WITH CHANTICLEER
*Vaughan Williams - Tavener - Distler - Mäntyjärvi - Bold - Willan - Gruber - Traditional*
Chanticleer
Dawn Upshaw - soprano
Joseph Jennings - music director
_
Teldec Classics_


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## Montarsolo

It's still 2022 here (1,5 hour to go) and I'm listening to this CD, bought today. One of the best recordings. Beethoven violin concerto, Szeryng, Haitink.


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## Manxfeeder

*Langgaard, Music of the Spheres*

Dausgaard and the Danish National Symphony and Chorus

Langaard has been my discovery to end the year with. I'm listening on Spotify. This is on sale at PrestoClassical, so this might be my first purchase of the new year.


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## Flamme

Afternoon Concert - Friday - Haydn's The Seasons: Winter - BBC Sounds


The final part of Haydn's The Seasons, Winter.




www.bbc.co.uk




Ian Skelly introduces an afternoon of live concert recordings from BBC ensembles and from around Europe. This week's focus on Haydn's The Seasons, in a performance from Vienna's Musikverein, concludes today with Winter. The BBC Philharmonic continue the theme with winter evening tales by Josek Suk, Marin Alsop conducts the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vienna, in Janacek's Sinfonietta, and the Ulster Orchestra plays music by Jessie Montgomery and Vaughan Williams. Plus the Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, on tour in Antwerp with the music of John Taverner. Including: Haydn: Piano Sonata in D major H.XVI:37 Mariam Batsashvili, piano c.2.15pm Suk: Tale of a winter's evening BBC Philharmonic Vassily Sinaisky, conductor Taverner: Gaude plurimum Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford Owen Rees, conductor Jessie Montgomery: Banner Ulster Orchestra Daniele Rustioni, conductor c.3pm Haydn: The Seasons, Hob. XXI:3, oratorio – Winter Miah Persson, soprano Mauro Peter, tenor Florian Boesch, bass Vienna Symphony Orchestra Andres Orozco-Estrada, conductor Vaughan Williams: The Wasps Overture Ulster Orchestra Jac van Steen, conductor Carwithen: Sonatina for cello and piano Andrei Ionita, cello Lilit Grigoryan, piano c.3.55pm Janacek: Sinfonietta ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Marin Alsop, conductor


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## Bachtoven 1

Pleasant, if not life-changing music.


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## Malx

*Mahler, Symphony No 2 'Resurrection' - Yvonne Kenny, Jard van Nes, London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, Klaus Tennstedt.*

A live recording that like so many is a record of an event not just a period of time spent in the studio. 
Tennstedt by the time this was recorded was suffering with cancer which perhaps influenced his approach to the concert. The tempos are slow but never seem laboured, it seems to me the orchestra are at one with his vision - after all they had played Mahler with this conductor on many previous occasions.
If you are looking for a safe library recording this is not the one to go for, if, like me, you like the idea of recordings that can show different elements and approaches to the interpretation of a work then I consider this indispensible.

If I had a few words to try and describe the performance, tonight they would be - intense, at times dark yet loving.


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## Faramundo

Borrowed this CD from the town's library; the scope, the range of inspiration of that composer is incredible.
A frail boy, rather unarmed for Life in his early years but driven by a passion; harmonies, folklore, rythm,
and now he's part of our common heritage.And he managed to say something to all of us about the game we're in.
And "identity", he knew what it meant to be orphan of his roots. That longing made his work splendid and lasting.


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## Lisztianwagner

*Richard Wagner
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, act 1^

Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*








To celebrate the new year, a brightly expressive, beautifully colourful opera is needed, Wagner's only comedy, where art is exalted as a means for escaping from the sufferings of the world. What a masterpiece......


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## Philidor

Still living in 2022. Final notes.

*Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30*

Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan
Recording 1973

*Johann Sebastian Bach: "Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen" BWV 51*

Monika Frimmer, Sopran
Ludwig Güttler, Corno da Caccia
Neues Bachiches Collegium Musicum Leipzig
Max Pommer

















I wouldn't hesitate to say that the 1973 Zarathustra is one of the major discographic achievements of Herbert von Karajan. Top 10 in Philidor's HvK list.


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## Philidor

Philidor said:


> Top 10 in Philidor's HvK list.


And this one is also among the top 10:


Lisztianwagner said:


> Richard Wagner
> Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,
> Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker


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## Manxfeeder

*Else Marie Pade, The Orchestral Album*

Has anyone heard of this composer? She was with the Danish Resistance in WWII, ending up in a prisoner of war camp, at first studying with Holmboe and Maegaard, then at the Darmstadt school, becoming known as an electronic composer.

Unknown to anyone, she also composed some orchestral pieces, and these, to me, are more compelling than her electronic music. They are concerned with sounds and space and are not jarring nor unnecessarily noisy.

I'm listening on Spotify. This is on sale at PrestoClassical until January 2. I might have to spring for another download in the new year.


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## Lisztianwagner

Philidor said:


> Still living in 2022. Final notes.
> 
> *Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30*
> 
> Berliner Philharmoniker
> Herbert von Karajan
> Recording 1973
> 
> *Johann Sebastian Bach: "Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen" BWV 51*
> 
> Monika Frimmer, Sopran
> Ludwig Güttler, Corno da Caccia
> Neues Bachiches Collegium Musicum Leipzig
> Max Pommer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wouldn't hesitate to say that the 1973 Zarathustra is one of the major discographic achievements of Herbert von Karajan. Top 10 in Philidor's HvK list.


The 1973 recording is absolutely powerful and impressive, I love it too; but my favourite for _Also sprach Zarathustra_ is the overwhelming 1959 recording with the Wiener Philharmoniker.


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## Malx

Final music of 2022:
*Sibelius, Symphony No 4 - Oslo Phiharmonic, Klaus Mäkelä.








*


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## prlj

*Mahler Symphony No. 3 NYP/Bernstein*

Technically still 2022 here in the States, so I hope this is okay! 

Yet another Mahler 3 for me...haven't listened to LB in a long time. I forgot how much he wallows in that sixth movement...


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## Hogwash




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## sAmUiLc

_Audio gear by Bogdan Creations, Micromega, Shanling, Schiit, Townshend, FirstWatt, Zu.. as of the end of 2022 & the start of 2023_


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## RandallPeterListens

I guess my last CD listening of 2022 will have been Johann Pachelbel, Easter Cantatas. La Capella Ducale/Musica Fiata under the direction of Roland Wilson. CPO Records 999-916-2. 
What a corker! 
Hard to believe more of Pachelbel's sacred vocal music is not available in recorded form.


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## 13hm13

Vaughan Williams* / Sir Adrian Boult / London Philharmonic* And New Philharmonia Orchestra – Serenade To Music / The Lark Ascending / In The Fen Country / Norfolk Rhapsody 1


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## sAmUiLc




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## prlj

Malx said:


> Final music of 2022:
> *Sibelius, Symphony No 4 - Oslo Phiharmonic, Klaus Mäkelä.
> 
> View attachment 181232
> *


Love this set SO much...Nice choice!


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## Merl

Seeing in the New Year with Shosty's 7th quartet, courtesy of this fine recording from the Emersons.


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## Klavierman

While good, I prefer Weinberg's chamber and symphonic music.


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## Dmitriyevich

Holst: The Planets / Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht


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## OCEANE

My first listening in 2023 
Bach French Suites by Koroliov


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## sAmUiLc

Berlioz, Duparc, Bernadette Greevy, Yan Pascal Tortelier - Les Nuits D'Été / Mélodies


Consulta los créditos, las críticas y las canciones, y compra la edición de 1989 CD de "Les Nuits D'Été / Mélodies" en Discogs.




www.discogs.com


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## Klavierman

I love this recording! Maybe a small chamber ensemble provides more color, but Lifschitz' arrangement for solo piano is stunning, even if parts must be very difficult to play.


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## Rogerx

Mozart: Flute Concerti 1 & 2, Symphony No. 33 K319

Yossi Arnheim (flute)

The Israel Camerata Jerusalem, Avner Biron



Neither peace nor health can be taken for granted as the last few years have shown us - but there are things that each and every one of us can do to bring more light into the world.
I wish you all a great start into a happy new year - be strong, be kind!


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## Rogerx

Bkeske said:


> Listening and watching The Berlin Philharmonic live, via The Digital Concert Hall. The New Years concert.
> Todays program:



We had in on free TV the Arte Channel broadcasted it so I recorded it for later viewing, visitors and all that.


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## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Wagner - Gotterdammerung
Krauss/Bayreuth, live 1953









Lazzari- Piano Trio Op 13
Kienzl - Piano Trio Op 13
Jeral - Serenade viennoise
Thomas Christian Ensemble
First time listening to these works. If you like Romantic era chamber music check these out, the Lazzari in particular is quite good.


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## sAmUiLc

I also have it by Pristine Classical. The voice excels on PC, but the atmosphere is more like live on this older issue with lots of frisson.


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## LeoPiano

Strauss: Tod und Verklarung, Vier letzte Lieder

Gundula Janowitz
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

I recently bought Karajan's complete DG analog Strauss recordings, which has all of his analog Strauss recordings plus the digital Alpensinfonie, a live Rosenkavalier from 1960, and a couple of early 40s recordings with the Concertgebouw. The main reason I got it was to listen to the Blu-Ray, since I've read that Karajan's recordings always sound much better in the Blu-Ray remasterings. I'm happy to report that the remastering for all of the works on the Blu-Ray is incredible, so I'm glad I got this set instead of buying the individual CDs. For the music on this disc, both of these recordings are classics. I actually prefer Karajan's analog Tod to his digital one because I like the more expansive tempos (especially the last 7 mins) and the more immersive sound in the analog version.


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## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Bartók
Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11
Olga Szönyi (soprano), Muhaly Székely (bass)
London Symphony Orchestra
Antal Doráti*

From this OOP set -










This is quite good! Thanks for the nudge @Enthusiast.


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## Neo Romanza

LeoPiano said:


> Strauss: Tod und Verklarung, Vier letzte Lieder
> 
> Gundula Janowitz
> Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
> 
> I recently bought Karajan's complete DG analog Strauss recordings, which has all of his analog Strauss recordings plus the digital Alpensinfonie, a live Rosenkavalier from 1960, and a couple of early 40s recordings with the Concertgebouw. The main reason I got it was to listen to the Blu-Ray, since I've read that Karajan's recordings always sound much better in the Blu-Ray remasterings. I'm happy to report that the remastering for all of the works on the Blu-Ray are incredible, so I'm glad I got this set instead of buying the individual CDs. For the music on this disc, both of these recordings are classics. I actually prefer Karajan's analog Tod to his digital one because I like the more expansive tempos (especially the last 7 mins) and the more immersive sound in the analog version.
> 
> View attachment 181250


I bought that set years ago and I've been a happy camper ever since. Sublime performances throughout. I actually prefer Karajan's earlier Strauss recordings to his digital remakes with the exception of _Eine Alpensinfonie_, which, unfortunately, he never recorded during the analog era.

The box set in question for those who may not be aware of what we're talking about:


----------



## Neo Romanza

Just wanted to tell all the members here:


----------



## Rogerx

Field Complete Piano Music, Vol. 4

Pietro Spada (piano)

Field: Nocturnes Nos. 1-15


----------



## Art Rock

*Ferruccio Busoni: String Quartets No. 1 and No. 2 (Pellegrini Quartet, CPO)*

Kicking off 2023 by continuing the early morning string quartets listening. Today it is the two quartets by Italian composer Ferruccio Busoni (1866 - 1924), best known for his monumental Piano Concerto. The quartets are early works (he was 17 and 21 when he composed them), but they are of stunning quality, with some influences of Schubert (1st) and Dvorak (2nd).

There's a very interesting Gramophone review of this CD:









Busoni String Quartets


As always with Busoni, ignore the opus...




www.gramophone.co.uk


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Rogerx

Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre

Fanny Clamagirard



Saint-Saëns: Caprice andalou, Op. 122
Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op. 40
Saint-Saëns: Havanaise, Op. 83
Saint-Saëns: Introduction & Rondo capriccioso, Op. 28
Saint-Saëns: La Jota Aragonese, Op. 64
Saint-Saëns: Le Déluge, Op. 45
Saint-Saëns: Prière for cello & piano, Op. 158
Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila
Saint-Saëns: Six Études Op. 52


----------



## Kiki

*Sergei Rachmaninov*
_Piano Concerto No. 2_
*Andrei Gavrilov 
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Ashkenazy*
Rec. 1989 Live
EMI

it's amazing how Gavrilov could project such clean notes. He did slow down quite a bit in the solo passages, but I can live with that given the crystalline sound he produced.


----------



## Klavierman

I haven't listened to this in ages. Sublime.


----------



## Rogerx

Six Evolutions - Bach: Cello Suites

Yo-Yo Ma (cello)


Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV1007
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV1008
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV1009
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV1010
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV1011
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV1012


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## Philidor

A new musical year begins. One motet, two cantatas.

*Johann Sebaastian Bach

Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 225
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele BWV 143
Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 190*

Ruth Holton, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey (BWV 143)
Daniel Taylor, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey (BWV 190)
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner

















In these "Bach Pilgrimage" recordings, imho Gardiner is less hard-driven than with some earlier recording for DG.


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## Art Rock

*Pēteris Vasks: Pater Noster, Dona Nobis Pacem, Missa (Sinfonietta Rīga, Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Kļava, Ondine)*

Back to my main project. I still have a dozen or so Vasks CD's that I have not yet replayed and catalogued. Today it is this impressive collection of religious works for choir and string orchestra, composed between 1996 and 2005. I agree with the BBC Music review: "superb performances here: clear, perfectly paced, beautifully balanced and sumptuously textured, with just the right pitch of emotion".


----------



## tortkis

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 - Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (Alia Vox)








This performance is clear and vivid, and I feel that the Savall's set is becoming my favorite recording of Beethoven's symphonies.


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## Rogerx

Scriabin: Symphony No. 1 & The Poem of Ecstasy

Russian National Orchestra & Chamber Choir of the Moscow Conservatory, Mikhail Pletnev


----------



## Lisztianwagner

On the radio:

*New Year's Concert from Vienna:

Eduard Strauß Wer tanzt mit? Polka schnell, op. 251
Josef Strauß Heldengedichte. Walzer, op. 87
Johann Strauß II Zigeunerbaron-Quadrille, op. 422
Carl Michael Ziehrer In lauschiger Nacht. Walzer, op. 488
Johann Strauß II Frisch heran! Polka schnell, op. 386
Franz von Suppè Ouvertüre zur Operette "Isabella"
Josef Strauß Perlen der Liebe. Walzer, op. 39
Josef Strauß Angelica-Polka. Polka française, op. 123
Eduard Strauß Auf und davon. Polka schnell, op. 73
Josef Strauß Heiterer Muth. Polka française, op. 281
Josef Strauß For ever. Polka schnell, op. 193
Josef Strauß Zeisserln. Walzer, op. 114
Josef Hellmesberger II Glocken-Polka mit Galopp aus dem Ballett Excelsior
Josef Strauß Allegro fantastique. Orchesterfantasie, Anh. 26b
Josef Strauß *_*Aquarellen. Walzer, op. 258*_

*Franz Welser-Möst & Wiener Philharmoniker*


----------



## elgar's ghost

Happy New Year to one and all.​
Leonard Bernstein's only serious full-length opera for this morning. Not a critical or box office success at the time, but hindsight appears to be treating it more kindly.

_A Quiet Place_ - opera originally in one act [Libretto: Stephen Wadsworth] (orig. 1983 - rev. and expanded into three acts in 1984, with further revision by 1986): ***

*** the revised three-act with prologue version incorporated Bernstein's 1951 one-act opera _Trouble in Tahiti _[Libretto: Leonard Bernstein] as a cutback device which constituted most of the second act.

with Chester Ludgin (Old Sam), Beverly Morgan (Dede), John Brandsetter (Junior), Peter Kazaras (François), Jean Kraft (Susie), Theodore Uppman (Bill), Clarity James (Mrs. Doc), John Kuether (Doc), Charles Walker (Funeral Director), Douglas Perry (Analyst), Wendy White (Dinah) and Edward Crafts (Young Sam).


----------



## elgar's ghost

13hm13 said:


> Vaughan Williams* / Sir Adrian Boult / London Philharmonic* And New Philharmonia Orchestra – Serenade To Music / The Lark Ascending / In The Fen Country / Norfolk Rhapsody 1


The sign of a true British gentleman - leaving the bottom button of the waistcoat undone but not revealing the shirt in the process.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> NP:
> 
> *Bartók
> Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11
> Olga Szönyi (soprano), Muhaly Székely (bass)
> London Symphony Orchestra
> Antal Doráti*
> 
> From this OOP set -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is quite good! Thanks for the nudge @Enthusiast.


A fine set - it includes a fine violin concerto (Menuhin's best of ... three?) and I really like the atmosphere of Dorati's Concerto for Orchestra. Of course, we have had a lot of fine Bartok since Dorati recorded these but many of these accounts belong among the best of the past for me.


----------



## Chilham

Premiered this day 1894:









Dvořák: String Quartet "American"
Pavel Haas Quartet


----------



## Rogerx

Bach: Double & Triple Concertos

Rachel Podger (violin/director), Bojan Čičić (violin II), Katy Bircher (flute), Alexandra Bellamy (oboe), Johannes Pramsohler, Anna Nowak-Pokrzywinska (violins II & III)

Brecon Baroque


----------



## Anooj

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I


----------



## Merl

The Borodin Quartet's part-set of Shosty quartets was a bit disappointing in places but this 7th was a decent performance.


----------



## Bourdon

Bach

Concertos for harpsichord 1056-1057-1058-1059 & 1060


----------



## HenryPenfold

elgar's ghost said:


> The sign of a true British gentleman - leaving the bottom button of the waistcoat undone but not revealing the shirt in the process.


HaHa! My dad told me to leave the bottom button undone from the time I first wore a waistcoat, (pronounced 'wesc't') in the 1960s.


----------



## HenryPenfold

*MOZART 41 (JUPITER)*

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein. DG

Exposition repeats observed and coming in at nearly 39 minutes.

A positive, life-affirming listening-start to 2023!


----------



## littlejohnuk1

I wonder why I'm listening to this as my first album of the year? Cough cough DH. Happy New Year everyone.


----------



## littlejohnuk1

Monsalvat said:


> Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 4* in B flat major, Op. 60
> George Szell: Cleveland Orchestra (1963)
> 
> Happy New Year! Celebrating a little bit with Szell. What an outstanding ensemble he built, and this was recorded in their heyday in great sound. This symphony isn't Beethoven's most popular (as is the case with most of his even-numbered symphonies), but I find it has its own appeal. Szell's Beethoven cycle is one of my favorites overall.


Glad a Beethoven disc by Szell and Cleveland were first out the blocks. Solid way to start the year.


----------



## Rogerx

Beethoven: For Wind Octet

Oslo Kammerakademi

Beethoven: Octet in E flat major, Op. 103
Beethoven: Rondino in E flat major, WoO 25
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92


----------



## Art Rock

*Ralph Vaughan Williams: The House Of Life, Songs Of Travel (Anthony Rolfe Johnson, David Willison, EMI)*

Like Vasks, I still have lots of RVW CD's that I have not yet replayed and catalogued. Today and tomorrow it will be two CD's from this box, which I do not own (the box, that is). I found these two orphaned for 10 cents each in a thrift shop years ago - no clue what happened to the others. Anyway, they were welcome additions to my RVW collection. The first one contains two of his song cycles, the little known but beautiful The House of Life from 1904, based on six sonnets by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and the more famous Songs of Travel from the same year, on texts by R. L. Stevenson. This version of the latter cycle includes the song "I have trod the upward and the downward slope" which was added to the original eight songs in 1960, after the composer's death. Both cycles are good performances from 1974, adequately recorded as far as I can tell.


----------



## Bourdon

An Englishman Abroad

Consort music composed,arranged and collected by Thomas Simpson


----------



## Rogerx

Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV351, etc.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra


Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV351
Handel: Water Music Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV348
Handel: Water Music Suite No. 2 in D major, HWV349
Handel: Water Music Suite No. 3 in G major, HWV350
Handel: Water Music Suites Nos. 1-3, HWV348-350


----------



## Art Rock

*Tomás Luis de Victoria: Veni Sancte Spiritus, Dum complerentur, Missa Dum complerentur, Popule meus, Vexilla regis, Veni Creator Spiritus, Pange lingua gloriosi, Lauda Sion salvatorem (Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell, Helios)*

Another splendid Victoria CD from the Hyperion label. The main work is here is the six-voice Missa Dum complerentur, but the seven shorter works are well worthwhile too. To quote the Gramophone reviewer: "a superb and compelling disc that adds to our knowledge and appreciation of Victoria's art". I do not have much affinity with Renaissance music in general, but every time I listen to a Victoria CD I enjoy it a lot - especially if the performance is as good as this one.


----------



## Chilham

Beautiful so far:









de Machaut: Songs from Le Voir Dit
The Orlando Consort

Le Livre dou Voir Dit: The Book of the True Tale, the story of his real or fictional love for, and correspondence with, a young female poet, Péronne d’Armentières ... is dated by internal evidence to the period 1362-1365, and appears to comprise a mix of real and fictional material. A combination of verse tale, individual poems, and prose letters, it is more precise in detail, but similar in manner to Guillaume de Lorris’ Roman de la Rose (written c.1230), Dante’s Vita Nuova (written c.1294), and Petrarch’s Canzoniere (written c.1327-c.1368), whereby, in the tradition of courtly love, the author’s relationship with the beloved is idealised, and dramatized. The claim that it is a True Tale, is therefore valid spiritually, and to an unknown extent factually, even though the material has been subject to a literary refashioning. Conversely, there is a hint of irony in the title, even a hint of oxymoron, in that all ‘tales’ are part-feigning, and its truth is ultimately an artistic truth, which of course also begs the question as to whether, in reality, all remembered episodes in a love affair (and even the content of letters between lovers) are not, more or less, re-fashioned in the mind.









de Vitry: Le Roman de Fauvel Motets
Joel Cohan, Boston Camerata, Ensemble Project Ars Nova


----------



## Enthusiast

Old school Mozart piano concertos that still don't sound at all dated to me.


----------



## premont

Klavierman said:


> I love this recording! Maybe a small chamber ensemble provides more color, but Lifschitz' arrangement for solo piano is stunning, even if _parts must be very difficult to play_.
> View attachment 181244


He has told, that he uses "dubbing" in some of the pieces particularly in the trio sonata to overcome the technical difficulties.


----------



## Rogerx

Shostakovich & Weinberg: Chamber Symphonies & Concertino

Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Candida Thompson

Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op. 110a
Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony No. 5 for Strings in A flat major, Op. 118a (orch.Barshai)
Weinberg: Concertino For Violin And String Orchestra, Op. 42


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Happy New Year! 
Bach. Secular cantatas Cd #6. BWV 198, 53 and 1083. Sop. Lunn & Sampson. Counter-ten Blaze, tenor Turk and bass Worner. Bach Collegium Japan. Dir. Suzuki. BIS.


----------



## Kreisler jr

Rogerx said:


> Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV351, etc.
> 
> Orpheus Chamber Orchestra


Thes 80s/early 90s covers are briliantly cheesy.

I picked Savall, my favorite HIP fireworks (and very good Water music, too), I have an early issue with slightly different cover (based on the same picture).


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## Rtnrlfy

Starting off the new year with some Brahms, courtesy of Anton Kuerti.


----------



## Vasks

*Boyce - Overture to "Ode for the New Year, 1774" (Lea-Cox/ASV CD)
Handel - Concerto Grosso in G, Op. 6, No. 1 (Marriner/London LP)
J. S. Bach - Suite #5 for Solo Cello (Starker/Mercury LP)
F. X. Richter - Sinfonia #9 from "Twelve Grandes Symphonies" (Hakkinen/Naxos)*


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Pade, Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra*

I'm starting the new year with something new to me: Else Pade's Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra, Malmo Opera Orchestra, conducted by Joachim Gustaffson.

Else Pade is concerned with sound, and she manages to tease different sounds from the trumpet as it floats over snippets of motifs and differening sound groupings in the orchestra.


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## ericshreiber1005

Haydn. Harpsichord and Organ Concertos. Hob. XVIII:1, 8 and 10 organ. Hob. XVIII: 5 and 7 Harpsichord. Organ: Hoeren, Harpsichord:Haugsand. Cologne Chamber Orchestra. Cond. Muller-Bruhl. Naxos. From the boxset of The complete Haydn Concertos.


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## Rogerx

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 30

Andrei Gavrilov (piano)

Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti


----------



## Philidor

Day by day.

*J. S. Bach: "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben"*
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Fourth

Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
The Netherlands Bach Society
Jos van Veldhoven


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Next up for the morning: a disc of Debussy Preludes by Walter Gieseking, just picked up yesterday.


----------



## Bourdon

*Monteverdi*

Breathtakingly beautiful is the "Dará la notte il sol" from "La Sestina"


----------



## Art Rock

*Heitor Villa-Lobos: Floresta do Amazonas (São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra Choir, John Neschling, Anna Korondi, BIS)*

This composition for soprano, male-voice choir and large orchestra is one of the last works of the Brazilian master, who took his inspiration as so often from the nature of the Amazon rain forest. It was meant to be the soundtrack of the movie Green Mansions (with Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins), but HVL apparently had difficulty grasping the conditions for writing soundtracks, and arrived in Hollywood with a finished score, without paying any attention to the corresponding scenes in the film. Needless to say, another composer got the job (although some of HVL's themes were used). What remains is the score, for me among his best works.


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## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> A fine set - it includes a fine violin concerto (Menuhin's best of ... three?) and I really like the atmosphere of Dorati's Concerto for Orchestra. Of course, we have had a lot of fine Bartok since Dorati recorded these but many of these accounts belong among the best of the past for me.


Yeah, I actually own these recordings twice as I bought the Mercury Living Presence box sets when they came out. Yep, Doráti is quite good in Bartók, indeed. We're in no shortage of great Bartók performances on record, though. We also all have our favorites. I'm still rather partial to Boulez, Solti and Iván Fischer when it comes to the orchestral music.


----------



## Rogerx

The Unknown Sibelius



Artists

Helena Juntunen (soprano), Folke Gräsbeck (piano), Gabriel Suovanen (baritone), Anne Sofie von Otter & Monika Groop (mezzos), Bengt Forsberg (piano), Jorma Hynninen (baritone), Jaakko Kuusisto & Laura Vikman (violins), Taneli Turunen (cello), Laura Vikman (solo violin), Jaakko Kuusisto (violin I), Jyrki Lasonpalo (violin II), Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic (viola), Eero Monter (double bass), Peter Lonnqvist (piano)

Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Dominante Choir, Orphei Drängar, Osmo Vänskä, Seppo Murto, Robert Sund, Okko Kamu


----------



## Andrew Kenneth

*Agostino Di Scipio* - hörbare ökosysteme


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Yeah, I actually own these recordings twice as I bought the Mercury Living Presence box sets when they came out. Yep, Doráti is quite good in Bartók, indeed. We're in no shortage of great Bartók performances on record, though. We also all have our favorites. I'm still rather partial to Boulez, Solti and Iván Fischer when it comes to the orchestral music.


Oh don't get me wrong. I've nothing against Boulez, Solti and Fischer in Bartok. I think I probably prefer Dorati to Solti but they are different and I like variety. As for Fischer ... he is special but Kocsis trumps him as his game, I think: his Bartok recordings are astounding.


----------



## Enthusiast

More Mozart piano concertos from records that are not part of a complete set. Anderszewski is a tremendous pianist, always worth hearing.


----------



## Mark Dee

This afternoon's listening...


----------



## sAmUiLc

Mahler 3rd & 5th on Dutch Radio4..



https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/e56b6fb8-663a-4192-97c8-9074e454863a/kerstconcert-met-mahlers-derde-symfonie





https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/3e0eea85-044b-44bf-9a68-59e032fd6383/kerstmatinee-van-het-concertgebouworkest


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> Oh don't get me wrong. I've nothing against Boulez, Solti and Fischer in Bartok. I think I probably prefer Dorati to Solti but they are different and I like variety. As for Fischer ... he is special but Kocsis trumps him as his game, I think: his Bartok recordings are astounding.


Yeah, Kocsis is great, but so was Ormandy, Szell, Reiner et. al. It's too bad Kocsis couldn't finish his orchestral series on Hungaroton. Speaking of Hungaroton, there are many fine conductors who graced their label who have conducted Bartók. They're quite well-represented in this marvelous set:










If you ever see this box set for a reasonable price then jump on it. I bought mine off eBay from a guy who received this set from a Hungarian friend of his --- everything was mint condition. It's one of the best musical purchases I ever made. Of course, I didn't really "need" it as I own a ton of Bartók on CD (single issues, _Complete_ Decca box set and, more recently, the Warner set - _The Hungarian Soul_), but the price was right and it was too good to pass up. Plus, I didn't have much Hungaroton in my collection prior to this. I also ended up buying many of the Kodály recordings on this label as well, which are just amazing. Lucky to own all of these CDs.


----------



## Philidor

Lisztianwagner said:


> The 1973 recording is absolutely powerful and impressive, I love it too; but my favourite for _Also sprach Zarathustra_ is the overwhelming 1959 recording with the Wiener Philharmoniker.


My sincere apologies, however, I can't agree ...

*Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30*

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan

















(The pic on the right side stands for the 2021 remastering which I was listening to.)

I am sorry to say that imho the 1973 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic is not only more to the point in terms of orchestral precision, but also shows more coherence and flow. So Berlin recording is my favorite together with Reiner's recording from 1962 (not the well-known 1954).

Sinopoli is, as often, the version of the "something else, but really good" kind.

Karajan/VPO and Reiner/1954 are close on the heels, but for me there is a gap to the point of excellence. There are many fine recordings, Kempe, Järvi, Nelsons, Zinman, Urbanski, Jansons, but Karajan/1973 and Reiner/1962 are my benchmarks for this exceptional piece. (Francois-Xavier Roth is still on my list.)

Everything imho, of course.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Klavierman said:


> I love this recording! Maybe a small chamber ensemble provides more color, but Lifschitz' arrangement for solo piano is stunning, even if parts must be very difficult to play.
> View attachment 181244





premont said:


> He has told, that he uses "dubbing" in some of the pieces particularly in the trio sonata to overcome the technical difficulties.


I saw him live once in a recital at UCLA. He would numerous times turn his head to the wall-side (rather than to the audience) while playing and stayed that way for a long while - the only musician with the strange behavior I've seen. It was off-putting to say the least. cutting off any unspoken communication with the audience which was almost none in the first place. I was thinking that if his attitude was like that why give recital after all? I went there with my music buddy who loved solo piano music that evening. He had a few of the pianist's recordings and felt excited when we were driving there. But he must have felt the same. He suggested we'd leave. So we left with the recital not even a third done. He might have been an accomplished pianist, but live he was a complete bore.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Speaking of *Kodály*...NP:

*Háry János Suite
Philadelphia Orchestra
Ormandy*

From this 2-CD Japanese import -


----------



## starthrower




----------



## eljr




----------



## Bourdon

Mozart

piano Concerto No 22 

I love this concerto and the performance by Ashkenazy wich is warm and engaging.


----------



## EvaBaron

Schubert symphony no. 9, Munch/BSO

this is the first time this symphony has really clicked for me. I have admired it more than loving it, but now I absolutely love it and would rate it as high as his 8th which I didn’t before. I listened to this recording the first time I ever heard it, then listened to Szell, Krips and Solti and while great performances really nothing tops this IMO. Great orchestral playing, very well recorded, very exciting performance but still weighty because of the excellent brass and rhythmically very accurate as well


----------



## Enthusiast

Three of Norrington's Mozart symphonies with a standard symphony orchestra rather than a HIP band. Really very good.


----------



## Branko

sAmUiLc said:


> he only musician with the strange behavior I've seen


I get your point, boring is boring. Only, as you know, pianists in any case don't look much at the audience when they play. They often close their eyes for a while, look up at the ceiling, or into the orchestra when there is one. I have even observed some looking at the conductor, when there is one. Shocking, I know. Many almost burrow into the keyboard. But you are right, looking at the back wall is definitely weird.
I once went to a gala concert of a German opera orchestra, where the opera stage was converted into a large concert platform. Quite common practice, of course. They had secured an international star, a soprano, for their show (I won't say who). She sang one aria with her back turned !!!!! She was gesticulating a lot though, arms right up, and so on. In another aria she was strutting left, right, up and down in front of the orchestra at great speed. There was a lot of room on stage. Poor conductor. Had to turn right around as he no idea where she was at any given time. I hadn't paid for my ticket, so thought it was quite amusing.


----------



## starthrower




----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Yeah, Kocsis is great, but so was Ormandy, Szell, Reiner et. al. It's too bad Kocsis couldn't finish his orchestral series on Hungaroton. Speaking of Hungaroton, there are many fine conductors who graced their label who have conducted Bartók. They're quite well-represented in this marvelous set:


Maybe you are not getting how highly I regard Kocsis. Of course, there are many fine Bartok recordings that came out over the decades on Hungaroton and the big three US conductors of the 50s and 60s made some fine Bartok records. I agree. But for me Kocsis achieved something altogether and uniquely wonderful with the Bartok recordings he made (including as a pianist). I like that so many of our greats have made great Bartok recordings and it seems mean spirited to compare them. But still ....


----------



## Philidor

Regarding string quartets, 2023 started in an excellent way with the Quartet of the Week:

*Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Enigma*

Spektral Quartet










Caught in the very first seconds and staying inside until the end. Amazing. What a discovery. A very good invest of 29 mins of well-filled lifetime.


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Philidor said:


> My sincere apologies, however, I can't agree ...
> 
> *Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra op. 30*
> 
> Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
> Herbert von Karajan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (The pic on the right side stands for the 2021 remastering which I was listening to.)
> 
> I am sorry to say that imho the 1973 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic is not only more to the point in terms of orchestral precision, but also shows more coherence and flow. So Berlin recording is my favorite together with Reiner's recording from 1962 (not the well-known 1954).
> 
> Sinopoli is, as often, the version of the "something else, but really good" kind.
> 
> Karajan/VPO and Reiner/1954 are close on the heels, but for me there is a gap to the point of excellence. There are many fine recordings, Kempe, Järvi, Nelsons, Zinman, Urbanski, Jansons, but Karajan/1973 and Reiner/1962 are my benchmarks for this exceptional piece. (Francois-Xavier Roth is srill on my list.)


No problem, I can understand your point of view; I can't absolutely deny the superb quality of the BP recording, in that performance the music flows energetic and fluent, with accuracy, clarity and a perfect combination of the orchestral tones, wonderfully emphasizing the orchestration and the harmonic richness of Strauss' work; what Karajan was able to extract from the Berliner Philharmoniker is unparalleled. But the 1959 WP recording is no less splendid in my opinion: it shows equally a marvelous fusion of the instrumental colours, with such a great intensity and such powerful brass and percussion, brilliant rhythms and precise dynamics; besides I think the _Tanzlied_ section expresses a warmer and more vital atmosphere, with a better solo violin. 
I'm sorry I can't judge Reiner's recordings, I haven't listened to them.


----------



## WVdave

Brahms; Tragic Overture, Op. 81 / Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 / Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90
Antal Dorati, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
Mercury Living Presence – MG 50072, Olympian Series, Vinyl, LP, US, 1956.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra part one.
Any comments have been exhumed from previous posts.​
_The Black Knight_ was EE's first substantial work in terms of length and ambition. It is a realisation of Ludwig Uhland's grim poem about a sinister interloper who turns a joyous jousting tournament into a devilish nightmare.

_The Black Knight_ is usually deemed a cantata but Elgar himself was adamant that it was a symphony, as it has a four-part symphonic structure and the emphasis is far more on the orchestral than the choral.

_Spanish Serenade_ - part-song for mixed choir, two violins and piano op.23, arr. for
mixed choir and orchestra [Text: Henry Longfellow] (orig. 1892 - arr. 1893):
_The Black Knight_ - symphony-cantata for mixed choir and orchestra op.25 [Text:
from the ballad _Der schwarze Ritter_ by Ludwig Uhland, transl. by Henry
Longfellow] (1889-93 - rev. 1898):

with the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, the Royal Liverpool PO/Sir Charles Groves









_The Light of Life_ [_Lux Christi_] - oratorio for soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, mixed choir
and orchestra op. 29 [Text: Rev. Edward Capel-Cure, afterbiblical sources] (1896):

with Margaret Marshall (sop.), Helen Watts (alt.), Robin Leggate (ten.),
John Shirley-Quirk (bar.), the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and the
Royal Liverpool PO/Sir Charles Groves


----------



## Rtnrlfy

More piano music - some Percy Grainger performed by Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin.


----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*
_Piano Concerto No. 22 K482_
*Kristian Bezuidenhout
Freiburger Barockorchester
Petra Müllejans*
Rec. 2012
Harmonia Mundi


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Ralph Vaughan Williams
Piano Concerto

Louis Lortie (piano)
Peter Ounddjian & Toronto Symphony Orchestra*


----------



## Klavierman

premont said:


> He has told, that he uses "dubbing" in some of the pieces particularly in the trio sonata to overcome the technical difficulties.


Where did you read/hear that? I don't recall him mentioning it in the CD booklet (Rather disconcertingly, I can't find the CD--I listened to it via Qobuz yesterday), nor can I find any references to him overdubbing online.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> Maybe you are not getting how highly I regard Kocsis. Of course, there are many fine Bartok recordings that came out over the decades on Hungaroton and the big three US conductors of the 50s and 60s made some fine Bartok records. I agree. But for me Kocsis achieved something altogether and uniquely wonderful with the Bartok recordings he made (including as a pianist). I like that so many of our greats have made great Bartok recordings and it seems mean spirited to compare them. But still ....


Perhaps you're not getting how highly I rate all of the aforementioned conductors in my previous posts.  But, it's really pointless that we seem to be arguing about our preferences in performances when the reality is that no one is right or wrong in these said preferences.

And, yes, Kocsis was great in Bartók as I said, but there are so many other conductors that I prefer over him --- his recordings as pianist in the solo piano works and PCs, however, are where I think more highly of him.


----------



## starthrower

Rihm: Akt und Tag 
Artist: Claron McFadden
Ensemble: Arditti String Quartet


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Lisztianwagner said:


> *Ralph Vaughan Williams
> Piano Concerto
> 
> Louis Lortie (piano)
> Peter Ounddjian & Toronto Symphony Orchestra*


Looking forward to seeing Louis Lortie next Saturday in Baltimore... I just picked up his album of Debussy duets with Hélène Mercier which is simply delightful.


----------



## premont

Klavierman said:


> Where did you read/hear that? I don't recall him mentioning it in the CD booklet (Rather disconcertingly, I can't find the CD--I listened to it via Qobuz yesterday), nor can I find any references to him overdubbing online.


Having heard his Musicalisches Opfer it was clear to me, that he was using dubbing or had got assistance from another musician, so I discussed this with a friend, who decided to write to Lifschitz and ask about it. And in his answer he confirmed the dubbing.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Perhaps you're not getting how highly I rate all of the aforementioned conductors in my previous posts.  But, it's really pointless that we seem to be arguing about our preferences in performances when the reality is that no one is right or wrong in these said preferences.
> 
> And, yes, Kocsis was great in Bartók as I said, but there are so many other conductors that I prefer over him --- his recordings as pianist in the solo piano works and PCs, however, are where I think more highly of him.


I didn't think of it as arguing and I must have missed it if you said that you prefer many to Kocsis in Bartok. But we both agree that all conductors named are great and have given me a lot of pleasure. With works like these I need several recordings (as do you, clearly) and all of them have to have something special to offer. Where we disagree is on Kocsis - something that I had not been expecting!


----------



## Enthusiast

Solti's experience with opera as well as Bartok stands him in good stead here.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> I didn't think of it as arguing and I must have missed it if you said that you prefer many to Kocsis in Bartok. But we both agree that all conductors named are great and have given me a lot of pleasure. With works like these I need several recordings (as do you, clearly) and all of them have to have something special to offer. Where we disagree is on Kocsis - something that I had not been expecting!


Oh, don't get me wrong, Kocsis' recordings are excellent, but I just can't shake the performances that I cut my teeth on like Boulez or Solti. For me, these two conductors got me to love the music more than I had previously. So, for these reasons, they have a special place in my heart that takes precedence over others that came before and after them.


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## janwillemvanaalst

*Valentyn Silvestrov* (1937-): *Serenaden (for chamber orchestra, 2000) *as recorded in 2006 by the *Munich Chamber Orchestra*, conducted by *Christoph Poppen*.

Silvestrov has a unique way of quieting the soul i.m.o.


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## Klavierman

premont said:


> Having heard his Musicalisches Opfer it was clear to me, that he was using dubbing or had got assistance from another musician, so I discussed this with a friend, who decided to write to Lifschitz and ask about it. And in his answer he confirmed the dubbing.


Well, that is disappointing! I, too, initially suspected he might, but then after listening to a lot of Sorabji and insanely difficult orchestral transcriptions I was convinced that technique has improved to the point that the once seemingly impossible is now merely difficult. I guess he’s simply an ordinary virtuoso, not one of the current super-human players!


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## Rtnrlfy

Time for some Bach from Pierre Fournier.


----------



## Malx

My first classical music listening of the year is two fifth symphonies from relatively recent recordings.

*Sibelius, Symphony No 5 - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä.
Vaughan Williams, Symphony No 5 - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins.*

Both in fine sound and both played to a very high standard.


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## janwillemvanaalst

*Manuel Cardoso* (1566-1650): *Missa Secundi Toni *(~1601), as recorded in 2016 by the* Choir of Girton College, Cambridge & the Historic Brass of the Royal Academy of Music*, conducted by *Gareth Wilson*. With *Lucy Morrell* (organ).

The refinement of Cardoso's compositions is i.m.o. comparable to that of his contemporary Tomás Luis de Victoria. Both conjure up images of angels floating on a golden stream.


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## janwillemvanaalst

*Frederic Hymen Cowen* (1852-1935): *Rêverie, tone poem* (1903), as recorded in 2019 by the* BBC Philharmonic*, conducted by* Rumon Gamba.*

Lovely little late romantic tone poem by this British composer. Great sound quality, too. The entire CD is well worth hearing imo.


----------



## premont

Klavierman said:


> Well, that is disappointing! I, too, initially suspected he might, but then after listening to a lot of Sorabji and insanely difficult orchestral transcriptions I was convinced that technique has improved to the point that the once seemingly impossible is now merely difficult. I guess he’s simply an ordinary virtuoso, not one of the current super-human players!


What's important to me BTW is that the result is musically interesting and think it is. 
I also find his Beethoven sonata cycle interesting (and rewarding) for musical reasons.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Oh, don't get me wrong, Kocsis' recordings are excellent, but I just can't shake the performances that I cut my teeth on like Boulez or Solti. For me, these two conductors got me to love the more than I had previously. So, for these reasons, they have a special place in my heart that takes precedence over others that came before and after them.


Ah yes - that's me with Dorati's Concerto for Orchestra. It was the recording that my father owned and introduced me to the work.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra part two.

No work tomorrow as it's a Bank Holiday so it gives
me the chance to have a late night with more music.​
Henry Longfellow's massive 22-part poem, _The Saga of King Olaf_, was based on the Icelandic tales commemorating Olaf Tryggvason, a hyperactive Norwegian king who during his short reign gallivanted across Scandinavia and the British Isles marrying, raiding, fighting and spreading the Word of God.

Elgar, familiar with the subject since childhood, realised that setting the whole of the poem was out of the question, so nine key episodes were chosen, augmented with a prologue and epilogue. Elgar roped in his neighbour H.A. Acworth to customise parts of Longfellow's text so that it would scan better with the music. Incidentally, the life of Olaf Tryggvason was also the subject which ultimately defeated Edvard Grieg when he attempted to write an opera about it a few years before.

Overall I find the 90+ minutes of _Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf_ slightly too disjointed and overwrought to maintain more than sporadic interest, but the experience Elgar gained was priceless in order for him to attain the level of improvement which was evident in his next large-scale choral works, _Caractacus_ and (especially) _The Dream of Gerontius_.

_Scenes from The Saga of King Olaf_ - cantata for soprano, tenor, bass, mixed
choir and orchestra op.30 [Text: Henry Longfellow, partially rewritten by Harry
Arbuthnot Acworth] (1896):

with Teresa Cahill (sop.), Philip Langridge (ten.), Brian Rayner Cook (bass),
the London Philharmonic Choir and the London PO/Vernon Handley









_The Banner of St. George_ - ballad for mixed choir and orchestra op.33
[Text: Shapcott Wensley a.k.a. Henry Shapcott Bunce] (1897):

with the London Symphony Chorus and Northern Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox


----------



## Klavierman

Speaking of insanely difficult orchestral transcriptions...


----------



## sAmUiLc

The pianist in the concerto is Heinrich Neuhaus and Alexander Goldenweiser plays the piano in Prometheus.


----------



## Art Rock

*José Vianna da Motta: Symphony "À pátria", Inês de Castro, Chula do Douro, 3 Improvisos, Vito (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Álvaro Cassuto, Naxos)*

José Vianna da Motta (1868 - 1948), or in modern spelling 'Viana da Mota' as on the CD cover, was a Portuguese pianist, teacher, and composer. He was one of the last pupils of Franz Liszt. The symphony is from 1895, and is the only Portuguese symphony composed between Bomtempo (1822) and de Freitas Branco (1924). A typical romantic work of 43 minutes with influences of folk songs, well worth listening to. The tone poem Inês de Castro from 1886 is based on the dramatic life and murder of the 14th-century noblewoman - and positively Lisztian. The other works are short but colourful orchestrations of piano works. A very attractive CD.


----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*
_Piano Concerto No. 9 K271_
*Kristian Bezuidenhout
Freiburger Barockorchester
Gottfried von der Goltz *
Rec. 2021
Harmonia Mundi

Amazing slow movement!


----------



## Bachtoven 1




----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Bachtoven 1

sAmUiLc said:


> View attachment 181295


He’s one of my favorites. I saw him in concert a few years ago—he was jaw-droppingly good. He began with the Bach-Busoni Toccata and Fugue in D minor and closed with Rachmaninov’s Sonata No.2 just to give you an idea! I met him afterward—very friendly and down to earth.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Love the Youth Symphony also.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Frank Nordensten: Organ Concertos


Frank Nordensten: Organ Concertos. LAWO: LWC1142. Buy CD or download online. Dan René Dahl (organ) The Norwegian Wind Ensemble



www.prestomusic.com





The CD I have was a personal gift from the composer himself, flown all the way from Norway to So Cal. He expressed the concern about the balance between the organ and the orchestra, saying he felt the organ sound was a bit too prominent for his ideal based on his live performing experience. I told him in audio only without visual the organ might need a little boost, which seemed to have eased his mind. I think the engineer did a sensible balancing job.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Frank Tveor Nordensten: Symphony #2 (3rd movement is titled 'Oblivion')
Christian Eggen conducts Oslo PO (Einar Henning Smebye on piano)
on CD-R

This was also a present from the composer, sent online in a file which I burnt on CD-R. It is his early composition (mid 20s ?) and quite ambitious in concept, scale and length, lasting over 55 minutes. I like it more than a little.


----------



## Knorf

*Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
Leontyne Price, Maureen Forrester, David Poleri, Giorgio Tozzi
New England Conservatory Chorus 
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch

It's been awhile since I last listened to this awesome and fierce performance of the Ninth. Highly recommended!


----------



## pmsummer

THE FEAST OF FOOLS
_La Fête des Fous – Das Narrenfest_
New London Consort
*Philip Pickett* - director
_
L'Oiseau-Lyre_


----------



## OCEANE

A little Chopin


----------



## OCEANE

Art Rock said:


> *Tomás Luis de Victoria: Veni Sancte Spiritus, Dum complerentur, Missa Dum complerentur, Popule meus, Vexilla regis, Veni Creator Spiritus, Pange lingua gloriosi, Lauda Sion salvatorem (Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell, Helios)*
> 
> Another splendid Victoria CD from the Hyperion label. The main work is here is the six-voice Missa Dum complerentur, but the seven shorter works are well worthwhile too. To quote the Gramophone reviewer: "a superb and compelling disc that adds to our knowledge and appreciation of Victoria's art". I do not have much affinity with Renaissance music in general, but every time I listen to a Victoria CD I enjoy it a lot - especially if the performance is as good as this one.


Thanks for sharing and will later listen to this which I'm not familiar at all


----------



## Knorf

*Sofia Gubaidulina: *_The Light of the End_
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Andris Nelsons

Incredible music from an incredible composer.


----------



## Kiki

*Alberto Ginastera*
_Violin Concerto_
*Salvatore Accardo
Hopkins Center Orchestra 
Mario di Bonaventura *
Rec. 1968 Live 
Dynamic

Absolutely stunning!


----------



## sAmUiLc

Strauss, R: Elektra


Strauss, R: Elektra. Claves: CD251415. Buy 2 CDs or download online. Gwyneth Jones (Elektra) Leonie Rysanek (Clytemnestra) Anne Evans (Chrysothemis), Ronald Hamilton (Aegisth), Wolfgang Schöne (Orest) Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Choeur du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Jeffrey Tate



www.prestomusic.com





my favorite version

I saw Jones live once. During the 1984 L A Olympics, the Covent Garden Opera sent their troops with Colin Davis, performing Peter Grimes, Magic Flute and Turandot. Ms. Jones sang Turandot opposite Domingo. I've never heard a voice so large before or after. Even in the thick of the full orchestra going, her voice had no problem cutting through and many times the walls of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion shook when she went full throttle. It was almost scary! I remember during the 2nd act duet (more like a Turandot aria and at the end Calaf joins in a yelling contest) when she raised her voice it seemed someone suddenly muted Domingo's voice. I saw his mouth opened and he was straining but I heard nothing from him, completely drowned by Jones' voice.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 1* in C minor, Op. 68
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1979)

Solti takes the exposition repeats in his Brahms recordings, which is always welcome; however, this pushes the length of his recording of the First to a few seconds shy of 49 minutes. I've always liked his Brahms cycle, but I like to think that I am open to a wide variety of interpretations when it comes to the Brahms symphonies.


----------



## prlj

*Beethoven Symphony No. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 COE/Nézet-Séguin*

Starting the New Year off with this set.


----------



## Knorf

*Richard Stauss: *_Also sprach Zarathustra, _Op. 30
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mariss Jansons 

An electrifying performance of my own personal favorite among Strauss's tone poems!


----------



## Monsalvat

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: *Symphony No. 4* in F minor, Op. 36
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1984)

This is a recording I haven’t heard before. I’m accustomed to turning to Karajan when I want to hear a Tchaikovsky symphony, and while I believe Karajan’s Tchaikovsky is excellent, I am interested in hearing another interpretation. So far, I am liking what I am hearing. The string sound isn’t quite as lush, which is what I expected, but the orchestra has a beautiful tone palette in any case and at the very least I haven’t found myself disagreeing with Solti. The stereophonic picture of the orchestra is quite clear; the celli are very clearly on the right, and the trombone entrances in measures 5 and 6 are crystal clear, completely distinct from the horns which had entered before. I also love how Solti handles the beautiful orchestral colors in the section starting at measure 115 of the first movement.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

No.5 and 6 from this superb SACD set.


----------



## 13hm13

Sacred Cantatas

Barbara Schlick and Harry Van der Kamp

Rheinische Kantorei & Das Kleine Konzert, Hermann Max

Altnickol: Frohlocket und jauchzet


----------



## sAmUiLc

Elgar


----------



## Kiki

*Richard Strauss*
_Ein Heldenleben _
*Berliner Philharmoniker 
Herbert von Karajan *
Rec. 1985 
DG

While Romantic music often emphasizes on a composer's subjective feelings, I am afraid I have always found Ein Heldenleben on the borderline of being pretentious... But I can live with that here because those Berlin brass of yesteryears are really astonishing, not to mention the amazing ensemble!


----------



## Rogerx

Baroque Bohemia & Beyond

Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Vojtech Spurný

Brixi, F X: Symphony in D major
Kozeluch: Symphony in G minor
Linek: Sinfonia Pastoralis
Reicha, A: Symphony in E flat major


----------



## Neo Romanza

Kiki said:


> *Alberto Ginastera*
> _Violin Concerto_
> *Salvatore Accardo
> Hopkins Center Orchestra
> Mario di Bonaventura *
> Rec. 1968 Live
> Dynamic
> 
> Absolutely stunning!


Have you heard the new Hilary Hahn recording of the Ginastera _Violin Concerto_? As much as I liked Accardo's performance, compared to Hahn, he doesn't sound as convincing to me. Add in stunning DG sonics to Hahn and you have a win/win all-around.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing two Soviet Era cello concerti of great contrasts:

*Kabalevsky
Cello Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 77
Marina Tarasova, cello
Symphony Orchestra of Russia
Veronica Dudarova*










*Schnittke
Cello Concerto No. 1
Alexander Ivashkin, cello
Russian State Symphony Orchestra
Valery Polyansky*


----------



## sAmUiLc

Rachmaninov









my favorite recording of the sonata of all I've heard


----------



## Kiki

Neo Romanza said:


> Have you heard the new Hilary Hahn recording of the Ginastera _Violin Concerto_? As much as I liked Accardo's performance, compared to Hahn, he doesn't sound as convincing to me. Add in stunning DG sonics to Hahn and you have a win/win all-around.


Hahn is more charismatic for sure!


----------



## Rogerx

Balakirev: Symphony No. 1 and Piano Concerto No. 1

Oleg Marshev

Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, James Loughran


----------



## Neo Romanza

Closing the night out with some back-to-back *Scriabin*:

*Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30
Maria Lettberg, piano*

From this magnificent set -










*Le Poème de l'extase
New York Philharmonic
Sinopoli*


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Shostakovich - Symphony 5, The Bolt Suite No 5
Jarvi/Royal Scottish National Orchestra 









Tippett - String Quartets 1 and 2
The Lindsays


----------



## Rogerx

Haydn: ‘Sun’ Quartets Op.20, Nos. 4-6 (Vol. 2)

Chiaroscuro Quartet


Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 20 No. 4 in D major 'Sun'
Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 20 No. 5 in F minor
Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 20 No. 6 in A Major


----------



## Chilham

First performed this day 1772:









M. Haydn: Requiem in C minor "Missa pro defuncto Archiepiscopo Sigismundo"
Robert King, The King's Consort


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Leoš Janáček* (1854-1928):* In the mists, for solo piano* (1912), as recorded in 2004 by *Håkon Austbø*.

I do not find all output by Janáček always very appealing or digestible, but I sure like his piano works.


----------



## Philidor

Should old acquaintance be forgot ...

*Johann Sebastian Bach

Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 1 F major
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 2 F major*

Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
(Recording 1981/82)


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Felix Blumenfeld* (1863-1931): *Piano études, op.14* (1897), as recorded in 1994 by *Daniel Blumenthal.*

_From Wikipedia:_ Felix Mikhailovich Blumenfeld (9 April 1863 – 21 January 1931) was a Russian composer, conductor of the Imperial Opera St-Petersburg, pianist, and teacher. [...] From 1918 to 1922, he was the director of the Music-drama school of Mykola Lysenko in Kiev, where, amongst others, Vladimir Horowitz was a pupil in his masterclasses. He returned to the Moscow Conservatory in 1922, teaching there until his death. As a pianist, he played many of the compositions of his Russian contemporaries. His own compositions, which showed the influence of Frédéric Chopin and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, include a symphony, numerous pieces for solo piano, an Allegro de Concert for piano and orchestra, and lieder. His virtuoso pieces for piano in particular have enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Vincent d'Indy* (1851-1931):* Jour d'été à la montagne* (*Summer day in the mountains*, 1905), as recorded in 1995 by *l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France*, conducted by *Marek Janowski.*

I find that d'Indy isn't particularly innovative but he isn't particularly average either. He has a style of his own.


----------



## Rogerx

Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore

Dame Joan Sutherland (Adina), Luciano Pavarotti (Nemorino), Dominic Cossa (Belcore), Spiro Malas (Dulcamara), Maria Casula (Giannetta)

English Chamber Orchestra & Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Richard Bonynge


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Umberto Giordano* (1867-1948):* Andrea Chénier, opera* (1896), as recorded in 2016 by *Anna Netrebko* (soprano) on her album '*Verisimo*' with the *Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia*, conducted by* Antonio Pappano*.

Very nice collection by a superb artist i.m.h.o., and Pappano is also steadily rising on my list of favorite conductors.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*John Tavener* (1944-2013): *Annunciation* (2002), from his album '*Angels*', as recorded in 2019 by the *Winchester Cathedral Choir*, conducted by *Andrew Lumsden*. With George Castle (organ).

I have mixed feelings about Tavener. Sometimes, to me his music comes across as shallow, but on the other hand, his Annunciation really opened my heart this morning. A mixed bag.


----------



## Art Rock

*Anton Bruckner: String Quintet In F Major, Intermezzo In D Minor, String Quartet In C Minor, Rondo In C Minor (The Fine Arts Quartet, Gil Sharon, Naxos)*

The early morning string quartet(s) CD today is by Bruckner, inspired by a recent blog post by Merl:









Bruckner - String Quartet in C Minor (SQ review)


Best known for his symphonies Bruckner's only entry into the SQ genre came in 1862 whilst he was completing his studies with Sechter. The quartet was more of a study piece showing off the techniques Bruckner had gained through these studies. It's classical in form but also romantic in sound. The...




www.talkclassical.com





Bruckner is of course almost exclusively known for his symphonies, and after that, at a considerable distance, for his religious choral works and the string quintet. But he did compose a string quartet 'early on". Note that the early on here is different than for most composers. In 1855 he began to seriously study music in Vienna and graduated in 1861 at the age of 37. The string quartet was composed one year later.

The CD start with the better known string quintet from 1879, a gorgeous piece, one of my favourites in the genre. The short Intermezzo for string quintet, composed the same year, is a rarity - I don't think I have seen it recorded before. The string quartet is an utterly charming piece building on the style of Schubert. It is a sobering thought that Schubert would have been 65 at the time this was composed - if only. The final piece on the CD, a short Rondo, is an alternative for the string quartet's fourth movement. All in all, a wonderful CD.


----------



## HerbertNorman

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Symphony no. 2 "A London Symphony" - Bryden Thomson and the LSO


----------



## Montarsolo

Beethoven, triple concerto, Perlman, Ma, Barenboim 💿


----------



## Montarsolo

One more time this recording because I like it. Piano Concerto 24 with Bilson/Gardiner. 💿


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra 
part three for this rather murky morning.

_Te Deum_ _and_ _Benedictus_ - version for mixed choir and orchestra op.34 (1897):

with the London Symphony Chorus and Northern Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox







​_Caractacus_ was probably the closest Elgar got to writing an opera, albeit one for the mind's eye. There is some genuinely enjoyable music and a bit of decent drama running through it but the ending, in which Emperor Claudius suddenly shows mercy after the vanquished but proud Celtic chieftain gets the baying Roman crowd onside with an eloquent address, is something of a damp squib.

_Caractacus_ - cantata in six scenes for soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, mixed
choir and orchestra op.35 [Text: Harry Arbuthnot Acworth] (1897-98):​with Sheila Armstrong (sop. - Eigen), Robert Tear (ten. - Orbin), Peter Glossop (bar. - Caractacus), Bryan Rayner Cook (bass-bar. - Archdruid), Malcolm King (bass - Claudius) and Richard Suart (bass - Bard), the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and the Royal Liverpool PO/Sir Charles Groves


----------



## Art Rock

*Henri Vieuxtemps: Music for Viola and Piano (Roberto Diaz, Robert Koenig, Naxos)*

This Naxos CD collects some obscure works for viola and piano by Belgian composer, and violin and viola virtuoso, Vieuxtemps (1820 - 1881). The main work here is the gorgeous viola sonata from 1860 which combines demanding passages with long melodic lines as usual for this composer. I can't think of a romantic viola sonata that I like better. There is also an unfinished two movement viola sonata from 1881, which is still substantial (25 minutes) and well worth hearing. Between the two sonatas we have three short (typical 'encore') pieces, Elégie For Viola And Piano, Capriccio For Viola Solo, and La Nuit. An interesting and rewarding look into a different side of this composer.


----------



## littlejohnuk1




----------



## Rogerx

Britten & Prokofiev

Daniel Müller-Schott (cello)

WDR Köln, Jukka-Pekka Saraste

Britten: Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante in E minor for cello & orchestra, Op. 125


----------



## Art Rock

*Pēteris Vasks: Violin Concerto 'Distant Light', Musica Dolorosa, Viatore (Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Katarina Andreasson, Mats Levin, BIS)*

This is the third rendition of Vasks' stunning violin concerto from 1997 in my CD collection - I also have the ones on Wergo (Sinfonietta Riga, Juha Kangas, Alina Pogostkina) and Ondine (Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Juha Kangas, John Storgårds). Normally I do not go into many different versions of the same work (with some exceptions), but I'm glad I got this one on top of the others. It is beautifully played and recorded, and in the presence of the composer. Musica Dolorosa for cello and orchestra from 1983, also frequently recorded, is an instrumental requiem of his sister. The composer said of this piece: "I have always dreamed that my music would be heard where people were unhappy: in hospitals and prisons, in crowded trains and buses… My music is intended for a large number of people, not just for the audiences at concert halls." Viatore (The Wanderer) is the most recent piece (2004), and this was the world premiere recording. 

Vasks is in general a very rewarding composer in my opinion. Replaying all his CD's (not done yet) made me appreciate him even more. Among living composers I would only rank Gubaidulina higher. Although I maintain that the cor anglais concerto is his masterpiece, the violin concerto is at almost the same level, and this CD is one I would recommend to start with if you do not know him yet.


----------



## Rogerx

Prokofiev for Two

All works transcribed for two pianos by Sergei Babayan.

Martha Argerich (piano) & Sergei Babayan (piano)



Prokofiev: Eugene Onegin, incidental music, Op. 71
Prokofiev: Eugene Onegin, incidental music, Op. 71: Mazurka
Prokofiev: Eugene Onegin, incidental music, Op. 71: Polka
Prokofiev: Hamlet, incidental music, Op. 77
Prokofiev: Hamlet, incidental music, Op. 77: The Ghost of Hamlet's Father
Prokofiev: Pushkin Waltz No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2
Prokofiev: Pushkin Waltzes (2), Op. 120
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet - Suite from the Ballet for two pianos
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 - excerpts
Prokofiev: The Queen of Spades, Op. 70
Prokofiev: The Queen of Spades, Op. 70: Idée fixe
Prokofiev: The Queen of Spades, Op. 70: Polonaise
Prokofiev: War and Peace, Op. 91
Prokofiev: War and Peace, Op. 91: Waltz


----------



## Bourdon

Bach


----------



## MartinDB

Weinberg solo cello sonatas, a new purchase. Part of a project for 2023 to get to know Weinberg better. I will possibly use this also to revisit a lot of Shostakovich who, while one of my favourite composers, seems to be one I seldom listen to. I don't really understand that paradox and maybe the Weinberg project will be a way to resolving it. 

So far, I am enjoying these. I am not sure I can say anything yet to compare them to other solo cello works from the 20th century. The recording quality is ok, but nothing special it seems.


----------



## Anooj




----------



## Malx

Two twentieth century violin 'concertos' of very different styles.
*Bernstein, Serenade for violin, strings, harp & percussion - Hilary Hahn, Baltiomore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman.
Ligeti, Violin Concerto - Saschko Gawriloff, Ensemble InterContemporian, Pierre Boulez.*

I'm not a great fan of much of Bernstein's output as a composer but this piece is a notable exception, especially when given such fine advocacy as on this recording. The work was composed in the 1950's the first performance being given by Isaac Stern in 1954.
The Ligeti composed in the early 1990's is a different beast and one I'm just getting to know. In this anniversary year I suspect, or hope, some new recordings may appear.


----------



## Rogerx

Grieg: Peer Gynt, Op. 23 (Excerpts)

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Stig Nilsson (violin), Terje Kram (chorus master), Oslo Philharmonic Chorus, Barbara Hendricks (soprano)


----------



## Art Rock

*Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Jet Whistle, Song Of The Black Swan, Quintet, Duo For Violin And Viola, Five Songs (Mobius, Naxos)*

An hour of chamber music by HVL beyond his string quartets. The Jet Whislte (Assobio A Játo) for Flute and Cello (1950) is a very attractive piece for a rather underused combination of instruments. Quintette Instrumental for Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello and Harp (1957) harks back to the sound of Debussy and Ravel. The early Song Of The Black Swan (O Canto Do Cysne Negro) for Violin and Harp (1917) is almost finished by the time you read the title. Then we have a Duo for Violin and Viola (1946), which sounds better than I expected. The CD ends with five of his songs transcribed by two Mobius members for Flute and Harp, a combination I've become somewhat allergic to. This is a CD that works well as background, but is in large parts also rewarding for listening to with more attention.


----------



## Rogerx

Chabrier & Roussel: Orchestral Works

Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Paul Paray

Chabrier: Bourrée Fantasque
Chabrier: Danse Slave
Chabrier: España
Chabrier: Gwendoline
Chabrier: Gwendoline Overture
Chabrier: Joyeuse Marche
Chabrier: Le Roi Malgré Lui
Chabrier: Suite Pastorale
Roussel: Suite in F major, Op. 33


----------



## sbmonty

Lalo: Piano Trio No. 2 In B Minor
Leonore Piano Trio

A nice recording of a very engaging work. Really nice andante.


----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart *
_Serenade No. 13 K525 _
*The English Concert 
Andrew Manze *
Rec. 2002 
Harmonia Mundi

I could be wrong but I am under the impression that many classical music listeners hate Eine kleine Nachtmusik. I do NOT hate it, but to be honest in fact I did for a very long time. I thought it was pretentious, cry-without-pain, or using a more modern analogy Neymar-doing-a-horizontal-quadruple-Axel-on-grass. (In fact I thought the same for most works written by Mozart or Brahms.) It was also like a reaction of denial to the younger and more innocent me who had once thought it was the most beautiful piece of music ever written. (That was certainly before I discovered Messiaen.)

It was HIP that changed my mind. Gone are the soap-opera romanticization. Only elegance remains. These days I can listen to Mozart and Brahms without having serious allergic attacks. Having said that, it does not have to be HIP for me to find them listenable. There are in fact musicians playing on modern instruments who do not subscribe to soap-opera romanticization. One just have to discover them instead of relying on old-fart critics or marketing slogans produced by record companies.

Also, it is probably fair to say that Eine kleine Nachtmusik is, functionally and essentially, party music. For sure, my dinner guests never complained about it, but then they all think classical music is for relaxation anyway, i.e. background music. (Perhaps that's why I always have the urge to feed them Messiaen instead.) Never mind. My point is, I think functionally it works rather well.


----------



## Enthusiast

More Mozart piano concertos: Curzon was special in this repertoire.


----------



## Philidor

Organ music for Christmas (I).

*Charles-Marie Widor: Symphonie gothique op. 70*

Joseph Nolan


----------



## Merl

The last of a series of recordings before I post my blog of this one. This fine one will be featuring.


----------



## sAmUiLc

These are not sonatas for four hands or two pianos. They are all solo piano sonatas. The two listed pianists take turn and complete the twelve.

Initially these sonatas reminded me of Scriabin but quickly I dropped the notion. They are on their own and of equal stature, I'd say more complex..


----------



## Rogerx

Beethoven (arr.Mahler): String Quartet No.11 & Brahms (orch.Schoenberg): Piano Quartet No.1

Wiener Philharmoniker, Christoph von Dohnanyi


----------



## Monsalvat

Knorf said:


> *Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
> Leontyne Price, Maureen Forrester, David Poleri, Giorgio Tozzi
> New England Conservatory Chorus
> Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
> 
> It's been awhile since I last listened to this awesome and fierce performance of the Ninth. Highly recommended!


I am listening to this one right now at your recommendation. So far, I'm enjoying it and I agree with your assessment that it is awesome and fierce.


----------



## Philidor

Organ music for Christmas (II).

*Marcel Dupré: Variations sur un Noel op. 20*

Ben van Oosten


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Else Marie Pede: 7 Pieces in Couleurs

Malmo Opera Orchestra, Jachim Gustaffson conducting*

Today is the last day of Presto's Da Capo sale, so I'm listening again on Spotify to see if I'm going to make this a purchase.


----------



## Bourdon

*César Franck*


CD 1

Pièce En Mi Bémol Majeur (18 
Pièce En La Majeur (1854) 
Andantino En Sol Mineur (1857-1858) (FWV 25)

Pièces Posthumes Pour L'office Ordinaire (1858-1863) (FWV 24) (Selection)


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Bach. Secular cantatas Cd #7. BWV 212, 209 and 203. Sop. Erdmann bass Worner. Bach Collegium Japan. Dir. Suzuki BIS.


----------



## Philidor

Organ music for Christmas (III).

*Charles Ives: "Adeste fideles" in an Organ Prelude*

Hans-Ola Ericsson


----------



## Enthusiast

Zelenka's _Missa Sancti Josephi _and _De Profundis _(not mentioned on sleeve front). It used to be said that Zelenka's best music was the choral works. Perhaps it is true: certainly this is a lovely disc of top quality Baroque music.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now for some back-to-back *Martinů* works:

*Les Fresques de Piero Della Francesca, H. 352
Czech Philharmonic
Ančerl*










*Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Scottish National Orchestra
Thomson*










*Three Fragments from the Opera 'Juliette'
Magdalena Kožená, Steve Davislim, Frédéric Goncalves, Michéle Lagrange & Nicolas Testé
Czech Philharmonic
Mackerras*










*String Quartets Nos. 2, 4 & 5
Kocian Quartet*


----------



## Rogerx

Tippett: The Rose Lake, etc.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Richard Hickox


Tippett: Ritual Dances from The Midsummer Marriage
Tippett: The Rose Lake



*Sir Michael Kemp Tippett OM CH CBE (2 January 1905 – 8 January 1998) *


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Claude Debussy
Pelléas et Mélisande

Claudio Abbado & Wiener Philharmoniker*


----------



## eljr

Dvd


----------



## Bourdon

Winter was Hard


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Mozart. Nachtmusik, Divertimenti K 136-138. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Cond. Karajan. Deutsche Grammophon.


----------



## Rogerx

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica' & Strauss: Metamorphosen

Sinfonia Grange au Lac, Esa-Pekka Salonen


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Starting off my musical day with some Schubert, courtesy of Igor Markevitch and the Berlin Philharmonic.


----------



## Malx

Faint praise I know, but I enjoyed having this disc on in the background while doing some long overdue tidying up of the room I do a lot of my listening in.
*Music in the Time of Velazquez - Ensemble La Romanesca, José Miguel Moreno.*

Short pieces by the composers listed below - what is definitely worthy of note is the fabulous sound quality of Glossa's recording.
*Composers*

Duron, Sebastián (1660-1716)
Guerau, Francisco (1649–1721)
Hidalgo, Juan (1614-85)
Marín, José (1618–99)
Martin y Coll, Antonio (c.1660–c.1734)
Ribayaz, Lucas Ruis (1626–67)
Ruiz de Ribayaz, Lucas (c.1626–c.1677)
Salaverde, Bartolomé de Selma y (c.1595–c.1640)
Sanz, Gaspar (1640–1710)


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra part four
for late afternoon and early evening.

_Sea Pictures_ - cycle of five songs for contralto (or mezzo-soprano) and orchestra op.37
[Texts: Roden Noel/Caroline Alice Elgar/Elizabeth Barrett Browning/Richard
Garnett/Adam Lindsay Gordon] (1897-99):

with Felicity Palmer (mez.) and the London SO/Richard Hickox







​_The Dream of Gerontius_ had a chequered early life in the UK, largely due to the unmistakable Roman Catholic aspect which made performance in centres of Anglican worship tricky without toning down some of the text. The premiere in Birmingham went badly for other reasons but two successful performances in Dusseldorf soon after compensated, especially when followed by positive comments from a certain Richard Strauss. Continued interference from a succession of ostrich-like Anglican bigwigs prevented _TDoG_ from gaining a proper foothold in the UK while Elgar lived, but when such reservations concerning the nature of its content eventually receded it deservedly came to be generally acknowledged as Elgar's finest large-scale choral work.

_The Dream of Gerontius_ - poem in two parts for mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass, mixed
choir and orchestra op.38 [Text: Cardinal John Henry Newman] (1899-1900):​with Dame Janet Baker (mez. - Angel), Richard Lewis (ten. - Gerontius/Soul of Gerontius), Kim Borg (bass - Priest/Angel of the Agony), the Hallé Choir, the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, the Ambrosian Singers and the Hallé Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli


----------



## Enthusiast

Bartok perfection!


----------



## Art Rock

*Robert Volkmann: Serenades No. 1-3
Carl Reinecke: Serenade in G minor
(Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, Johannes Goritzki, Catherine Tunnell, CPO)*

The three Volkmann Serenades for strings (the third one with a prominent role for a solo cello) are standard romantic works, composed around 1870. I find them mildly entertaining, but without any depth as far as I could tell - although the third has its moments. Certainly not near the level of the likes of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and Fuchs. A bit disappointing when one takes into account that the same composer wrote a good second symphony and an even better cello concerto. The three Volkmann serenades take up about half an hour combined; the Reinecke coupling (composed around 1898) takes care of another half hour. And it is not just the length that makes the difference, also the content. In the end, Reinecke is to my taste simply a better composer and it shows.


----------



## Philidor

Second try with the Quartet of the Week, still great:

*Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Enigma*

Spektral Quartet










The dark side of the Force.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing *Brahms' 3rd* and *Dvořák's 8th* from the 2-CD set with *Hrůša/Bamberger Symphoniker*:


----------



## Malx

I'll get round to the quartet of the week soon, but this afternoon I was in the mood for something from Max.
*Maxwell Davies, String (Naxos) Quartet No 6 - Maggini Quartet.*

This year I will spend sometime with these quartets on first listen some seem a bit thorny but they are definitely growing on me.


----------



## Georgieva

Marcel Dupré: Complete Organ Works Volume 4


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Multi tasking now: putting the Christmas decorations/lights away, doing laundry, heating up leftovers and have footie on the telly (no sound).

Listening to Dvorak.
Symphonies 8 $ 9 Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Cond. Talich. Supraphone Music. From The Vaclay Talich Special Edition #13


----------



## PeterKC

Neo Romanza said:


> NP:
> 
> *Bartók
> Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11
> Olga Szönyi (soprano), Muhaly Székely (bass)
> London Symphony Orchestra
> Antal Doráti*
> 
> From this OOP set -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is quite good! Thanks for the nudge @Enthusiast.





Rogerx said:


> Balakirev: Symphony No. 1 and Piano Concerto No. 1
> 
> Oleg Marshev
> 
> Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, James Loughran





janwillemvanaalst said:


> View attachment 181332
> 
> 
> *Vincent d'Indy* (1851-1931):* Jour d'été à la montagne* (*Summer day in the mountains*, 1905), as recorded in 1995 by *l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France*, conducted by *Marek Janowski.*
> 
> I find that d'Indy isn't particularly innovative but he isn't particularly average either. He has a style of his own.
> View attachment 181336





Art Rock said:


> *Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Jet Whistle, Song Of The Black Swan, Quintet, Duo For Violin And Viola, Five Songs (Mobius, Naxos)*
> 
> An hour of chamber music by HVL beyond his string quartets. The Jet Whislte (Assobio A Játo) for Flute and Cello (1950) is a very attractive piece for a rather underused combination of instruments. Quintette Instrumental for Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello and Harp (1957) harks back to the sound of Debussy and Ravel. The early Song Of The Black Swan (O Canto Do Cysne Negro) for Violin and Harp (1917) is almost finished by the time you read the title. Then we have a Duo for Violin and Viola (1946), which sounds better than I expected. The CD ends with five of his songs transcribed by two Mobius members for Flute and Harp, a combination I've become somewhat allergic to. This is a CD that works well as background, but is in large parts also rewarding for listening to with more attention.





ericshreiber1005 said:


> Multi tasking now: putting the Christmas decorations/lights away, doing laundry, heating up leftovers and have footie on the telly (no sound).
> 
> Listening to Dvorak.
> Symphonies 8 $ 9 Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Cond. Talich. Supraphone Music. From The Vaclay Talich Special Edition #13












Love this old recording of Gould's music. The pieces on this lp are wonderful and stand alongside Copland as some of the best examples of American ballet music.


----------



## Malx

*Brahms, Six Piano Pieces Op 118 & Four Piano Pieces Op 119 - Murray Perahia.*

I'm no expert on Brahms' piano music but this sounds pretty good to me.


----------



## Enthusiast

Gulda - who we know as something of a Mozartian - only recorded a few of Mozart's piano concertos, the best being (IMO) these two with Harnoncourt.


----------



## Knorf

*Joseph Haydn: *Symphonies No. 93 in D major, No. 94 in G major "Surprise," and No. 95 in C minor
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, Ádám Fischer 

I was led to believe that the "London" symphonies from this cycle were substantially weaker or less memorable than the rest, but that's total rubbish. These are excellent performances! It is true that, from these earlier recordings to the symphonies recorded last in the cycle, Fischer and the AHHO noticeably moved towards a leaner and generally quicker style. But that in no way invalidates the top-shelf quality of these earlier recordings, and I think the difference between them has been rather exaggerated. Seeing as the complete cycle took over a decade to complete, it's rather understandable.


----------



## Enthusiast

For a long time I thought that Mozart's divertimentos were less significant works but, of course, the Posthorn is a major and substantial work and never more so than with this late Harnoncourt record. The symphony must wait until tomorrow.


----------



## Musobooks

Art Rock said:


> View attachment 181186
> 
> 
> Here we go again. In the past, this popular thread had to be re-started a number of times because the files got to big for the software used. The latest restart was with volume VIII, which accidentally practically coincided with the start of the new year 2022. Many members thought this was actually a good idea to pick a new year for a new thread, so with 2023 upon us (already or soon, depending on where you live), we are starting a new thread.
> 
> Links to previous Current Listening threads:
> Current Listening Vol I
> Current Listening Vol II
> Current Listening Vol III
> Current Listening Vol IV
> Current Listening Vol V
> Current Listening Vol VI
> Current Listening Vol VII
> Current Listening Vol VIII
> 
> 
> A few suggestions (as if anyone bothers reading this):
> 
> Many members appreciate if you would not just post a CD cover or an embedded YouTube link. It would be helpful if you would post at least a short description (like composer, work, performers). This holds especially for videos, because not all YouTube videos can be seen in every country, and they tend to disappear over time.
> 
> It would be even better if you can post a little bit about your own take on what you are listening to. No need for extensive reviews, but a few lines would make the thread clearly more valuable to other members.
> 
> These are suggestions, not rules. They are not subject to intervention by the moderating team.
> 
> Have fun, Happy New Year, and enjoy listening to classical music as always!





Art Rock said:


> View attachment 181186
> 
> 
> Here we go again. In the past, this popular thread had to be re-started a number of times because the files got to big for the software used. The latest restart was with volume VIII, which accidentally practically coincided with the start of the new year 2022. Many members thought this was actually a good idea to pick a new year for a new thread, so with 2023 upon us (already or soon, depending on where you live), we are starting a new thread.
> 
> Links to previous Current Listening threads:
> Current Listening Vol I
> Current Listening Vol II
> Current Listening Vol III
> Current Listening Vol IV
> Current Listening Vol V
> Current Listening Vol VI
> Current Listening Vol VII
> Current Listening Vol VIII
> 
> 
> A few suggestions (as if anyone bothers reading this):
> 
> Many members appreciate if you would not just post a CD cover or an embedded YouTube link. It would be helpful if you would post at least a short description (like composer, work, performers). This holds especially for videos, because not all YouTube videos can be seen in every country, and they tend to disappear over time.
> 
> It would be even better if you can post a little bit about your own take on what you are listening to. No need for extensive reviews, but a few lines would make the thread clearly more valuable to other members.
> 
> These are suggestions, not rules. They are not subject to intervention by the moderating team.
> 
> Have fun, Happy New Year, and enjoy listening to classical music as always!


This is one of my “Desert Island Discs” and I wouldn’t want any lover of serious music not to have heard it before they die. The recording here by Ruth Crouch/James MacMillan is by far the best - only one other comes close (Diana Galvydyte/Christopher Guild). I have pasted in the poem “The Tryst” which I recommend reading before you listen. It’s a wee bit naughty and the music captures what’s going on there beautifully.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Funny how Dvorak's 1st movement of the New World Symphony perfectly illustrated the two squads frantically counter attacking each other. Best color commentary I've heard in a long time.

Mahler. Symphony No.4 Sop. Anderson. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra cond. Marin. A BBC music freebie CD for years ago.


----------



## Art Rock

*Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia On Christmas Carols, Yorkshire Wassail Song, In Windsor Forest, Songs Of Travel, On Wenlock Edge (Various Artists , EMI)*

Yesterday and today I'm playing two CD's from this Vaughan Williams box, which I do not own (the box, that is). I found these two orphaned for 10 cents each in a thrift shop years ago - no clue what happened to the others. Anyway, they were welcome additions to my RVW collection. The second one contains a number of works. Fantasia On Christmas Carols is the full orchestra (London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox) with choir (London Symphony Chorus) and solo singer version (bass-baritone Stephen Roberts). It sounds a bit congested, and I really don't care for Christmas melodies in other times of the year at best. Then we have a single song, the well-known "Yorkshire Wassail Song (We've been awhile a-wandering)", extracted from the Five English Folksongs, performed by the Jacques Orchestra under Sir David Willcocks. It was probably selected because it also refers to Christmas and New Year. Humbug. Good song though, well sung by the choir. In Windsor Forest is a relatively unknown cantata for choir and orchestra (Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Norman Del Mar). It has its moments, especially the third song "Falstaff and the Fairies", but there are also moments when the singing sounds blurred - whether due to the chorus or the recording I don't know. The CD ends with two of RVW's most famous song cycles. Songs of Travel is recorded here in the orchestral version, performed by Sir Thomas Allen and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle. Only three of the nine songs were actually orchestrated by RVW, the others by his assistant Roy Douglas. It's a great cycle also in the orchestral version, but in the end I think I still prefer the intimacy of the original piano version. On Wenlock Edge is my favourite RVW song cycle, composed for voice, piano and string quartet. It is rendered here in an orchestral version by Robert Tear and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle. I much prefer Ian Partridge with The Music Group of London (also EMI), both for the singing (not a Tear fan) and for the original arrangement. So all in all, a bit of a mixed bag, but still worth having.


----------



## Klavierman

A little Henze to get my day going.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 2* in D major, Op. 73
Carlo Maria Giulini: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (1980)

At 48 and a half minutes, this must be one of the slowest Brahms Seconds on the books. It is even slower than Giulini's recording of this work with the Vienna Philharmonic. The first movement on its own takes 22 and a half minutes; it definitely feels slower than usual, but not completely lugubrious, as the timings might suggest. The exposition repeat is taken; each time, it takes just under six minutes. Giulini recorded a Brahms cycle with the Philharmonia Orchestra (and New Philharmonia Orchestra after Walter Legge formally disbanded the original group), as a second cycle nearly thirty years later for Deutsche Grammophon with the Vienna Philharmonic. He also recorded the First and Second symphonies with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1981 and 1980, respectively, both for Deutsche Grammophon. I love the Vienna recordings because of the lush beauty of their sound; the slow tempi allow me to bask in that beautiful sound for longer! The Los Angeles Philharmonic doesn't quite have that radiant beauty but they perform well under Giulini. John Barbirolli's Brahms cycle with the Vienna Philharmonic from the mid-1960s seems to me the closest comparison point to the second Giulini cycle, as well as to this recording. Barbirolli was a cellist, and Giulini a violist, and both could coax beautiful sounds out of string sections. It's amazing how different Giulini is here from the musician who conducted those classic accounts of _Le nozze di Figaro_ and _Don Giovanni_ in the late 1950s. I should revisit Giulini's first Brahms cycle also; I remember it being leaner and more mainstream than the second cycle, but it has been a while since I've heard it.


----------



## Mannheim Rocket

From yesterday...

*New Year's Day Concert 1997

Wiener Philharmoniker
Riccardo Muti










Johannes Brahms*

_*Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80*_

*Wiener Philharmoniker
Leonard Bernstein*

Kicking the new year off with what is probably the most conventional performance of Lenny's later Brahms cycle, though I've always been fond of all of these recordings.










*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major K 543

Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Bruno Walter*

Wonderful.


----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*
_Piano Concerto No. 21 K467_
*Wiener Philharmoniker
Maurizio Pollini*
Rec. 2005 Live
DG

Simple and elegant!


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## vincula

Regards,

Vincula


----------



## Itullian

Haydn "name" symphonies. Marriner
Wonderful set


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Brahms
Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115
Thea King, clarinet
Gabrieli String Quartet*

From this OOP set -










Something about Brahms is finally clicking with me or so it seems. This work is so gorgeous and it absolutely goes with the winter weather right now as the rain continues to fall.


----------



## Art Rock

*Anatol Vieru: Symphony No.3 "An Earthquake Symphony", Taragot, Joseph And His Brothers (Various Artists, Olympia)*

Anatol Vieru (1926 - 1998) was a Romanian music theoretician, pedagogue, and composer. A pupil of Aram Khachaturian, he is arguably the best known Romanian composer after Enescu. The main attraction on this CD is the third symphony from 1978, titled "La Un Cutremur" (To An Earthquake). It is performed by the Romanian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Ludovic Bàcs. Not surprisingly, there is a big role for the percussion section. The short third movement (Cricket Carols) is a fun intermezzo, effective tone painting of nervous insects, before the full power of the earthquake strikes. There are some interesting parallels in set-up with Hovhaness Volcano eruption symphony (Symphony No. 50, Mount St. Helens) of four years later, even though the music is rather different. All in all, perhaps too many effects compared to the musical content, but it is fun to listen to, and I think it would be a success in a live concert. Taragot (1991) is a concertante work for two soloists and string orchestra with percussion (The Virtuosi of Bucharest Ensemble, conducted by Horia Andreescu). The first soloist (Ion Văduva) plays the trumpet, the second one (Adrian Petrescu) gets to play four different instruments: Oboe, English Horn, Soprano Saxophone, and Fluier [Romanian Flute]. It does not quite work for me (then again, I'm not a big fan of the trumpet as concertante instrument). Joseph And His Brothers (1979) is for eleven players and magnetic tape (Omnia Ensemble, conducted by Marin Soare). There are interesting moments, but overall I am not quite convinced. Still, three totally different works from a composer we hardly talk about... it is worth an occasional listen.


----------



## Ulalume!Ulalume!

I try to avoid listening to Bach, he's too good. Everything else sounds so trivial by comparison. It's not fair for the rest of the composers. But the version of Erbarme Dich featured on here came up on shuffle so I had to listen to the rest of the album.
p.s. many thanks to the poster on an old Talkclassical dot com thread for introducing me to Heynis


----------



## Malx

Last music of the day.
*Bruckner, Symphony No 4 - Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen.*

I keep coming back to this Bruckner 4 - not one of the more regularly recommended recordings but I enjoy it.


----------



## MartinDB

John Adams, Nixon in China, from Collected Works, released by Nonesuch last year. I have only just started with the box set and was surprised and disappointed to realise that libretti are not included; it seems an incredible oversight. Are there any published (physically, if possible) libretti for Adams's operas?


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
Carlo Maria Giulini: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1969)

This recording stands on its own as Giulini's only Brahms recording made with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (to my knowledge). Temperamentally, it is more akin to Giulini's first Brahms cycle than to his second; though never fleet or lightweight, it is much less heavy than his later Brahms recordings. Another similarity with his Philharmonia Orchestra cycle (and dissimilarity with his later Vienna Philharmonic cycle) is the relative prominence of the winds. 1969 was the year Giulini became Principal Guest Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the same year that Georg Solti's first contract with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra came into effect. To my ears, the woodwinds stand out in terms of excellence in this recording; under Solti, the brass section would later become famous, although perhaps one reason I perceive the woodwinds as more important in this recording is simply that Brahms writes sparingly for brass, save the horns. While the slow tempi that Giulini later adopted work well in some of Brahms's movements, I am glad to hear him take a quicker pulse in this work, since it adds to the impassioned closing passages of the first and fourth movements. A worthy interpretation, and one that is surprisingly close to the mainstream from a conductor who would later drift away from it. Giulini's Wikipedia biography mentions that this was the work Giulini conducted the most over the course of his career. Solti's own Brahms cycle with this orchestra would come ten years later.









Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 3* in F major, Op. 90
William Steinberg: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1962)

Very pleased that Deutsche Grammophon has seen fit to reissue these recordings. Steinberg's Brahms is very different from late Giulini's (although not altogether dissimilar from earlier Giulini, including the Brahms Fourth reviewed earlier in this post). For starters, he is on the fast side; this symphony clocks in at just over 32 minutes. The recorded sound is also quite different, with a prominent, almost piercing violin sound, but one that is less lush than Giulini's, allowing the woodwinds to come out more strongly. Steinberg seems to be more rhythmically focused, and he is always in firm control of the orchestra. This helps him navigate the notoriously tricky first movement, as Steinberg is always forward-looking here. This is a fine recording overall, muscular and propulsive, but not merely virtuosic for the sake of it.


----------



## starthrower




----------



## Montarsolo

Händel, concerti grossi op. 3, Trevor Pinnock


----------



## Manxfeeder

Nikolai Korndorf, Symphony No. 4 "Underground Music" (1996)

St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Lazarev, conductor

This is my first encounter with Korndorf, a Russian who expatriated to Canada. First impression: This piece is an assault on the ears.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Vaughan Williams
Dona Nobis Pacem
Sarah Fox, Christopher Maltman
Colorado Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Andrew Litton*










Followed by:

*Khachaturian
Masquerade Suite
Iyad Sughayer, piano*


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Nikolai Korndorf, Violincello Concerto*

St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Lazarev, conductor

This is a download of a live performance. Korndorf is concerned with sounds, and he gets unique sounds out of the cello, sometimes even like the squeaking sound of letting the air out of a balloon, and he is not afraid to sound ugly. Usually I like htis kind of music, but on first blush, I'm not connecting with his particular style.


----------



## Neo Romanza

MartinDB said:


> John Adams, Nixon in China, from Collected Works, released by Nonesuch last year. I have only just started with the box set and was surprised and disappointed to realise that libretti are not included; it seems an incredible oversight. Are there any published (physically, if possible) libretti for Adams's operas?
> 
> View attachment 181369


I own this box set as well, but I also own the most of the individual releases that came out on Nonesuch. All of the opera releases had libretti, it's a shame this box set does not (my set is still sealed).

Anyway, here's a cool site that has libretto of many works, but here's a direct link to _Nixon in China_:

John Adams' Nixon in China libretto


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Strauss
Tod und Verklärung, Op. 24
Vier letzte Lieder
Gundula Janowitz (soprano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Karajan*

From this set -


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Excellent and often dramatic late Romantic music.


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 7* in A major, Op. 92
Otto Klemperer: Philharmonia Orchestra (1955)

Klemperer's first recordings for EMI were made in 1954, in mono. Here is a very early example of stereo, rather narrow but still nicer to listen to than mono. Klemperer would later re-record this in clearer stereo in 1960 with the same orchestra. This slightly earlier recording is about three minutes faster than the later one; Klemperer notoriously slowed down as he reached the very end of his career. However, despite being one of his earliest EMI recordings, it is still late in his overall career, and he was already roughly seventy years old when this recording was made. Klemperer and the Philharmonia Orchestra would build up a quite impressive artistic partnership and discography over the next decade and a half. One idiosyncrasy: the very end of the Allegretto is played pizzicato here, unusually; I'm not sure why, and I would love to hear an explanation if there is one. The score I have clearly says "arco" which is how it's usually played.









Robert Schumann: *Symphony No. 3* in E flat major, Op. 97, “Rhenish”
Wolfgang Sawallisch: Staatskapelle Dresden (1972)

This Schumann cycle is part of the EMI Great Recordings of the Century series, and boy, is it a great recording. Just lovely.









Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: *Symphony No. 40* in G minor, KV 550
Claudio Abbado: London Symphony Orchestra (1980)

Also watched a videotaped performance of Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in Mozart's 36th symphony (Linz). Fascinating to watch him. This Abbado performance is conceived in large terms; weighty sound and slowish tempi, but played marvelously and to grand effect.


----------



## Kiki

*Antonín Dvořák*
_Slavonic Dances Op. 46 & Op. 72_
*Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Karel Šejna *
Rec. 1959
Supraphon

The most elegant Slavonic Dances that I know!


----------



## Bkeske

Szell conducts Brahms - The Four Symphonies

Symphony No. I In C Minor, Op 68
Symphony No. II In D Major, Op. 73
Symphony No. III In F Major, Op 90
Symphony No. IV In E Minor, Op. 98
The Cleveland Orchestra
Columbia Masterworks 3LP box, 1967


----------



## prlj

*Beethoven Symphony No. 6, 7, 8, and 9 COE/Nézet-Séguin*

Finished off this set today. It's interesting to hear clarity of the inner parts with the Chamber Orch setting, but I still wish there was a little more fire in the finale of the 9th.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing two back-to-back *Stravinsky* works:

*Pulcinella Suite
New York Philharmonic
Boulez*

From this OOP set -










*Perséphone
Andrew Staples (tenor), Pauline Cheviller (narrator)
Finnish National Opera Children's Chorus, Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Finnish National Opera Chorus
Esa-Pekka Salonen*


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Strauss
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59
Regine Crespin (Marschallin), Yvonne Minton (Octavian), Helen Donath (Sophie), Manfred Jungwirth (Ochs), Otto Wiener (Faninal), Murray Dickie (Valzacchi), Anne Howells (Annina), Luciano Pavarotti (Italian Tenor), Emmy Loose (Marianne Leitmetzerin)
Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoper
Solti*

From this OOP set -










Just playing _Act I_ for now. I'll continue with the rest tomorrow.


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Messiaen - Apparition de l’Église éternelle, La nativité de Seigneur
Latry, organ









Rachmaninoff - Piano Trios
Borodin Trio









Honegger - Les Miserables (Complete film score)
Adriano/Slovak RSO


----------



## Rogerx

Schneider: Symphony & Overtures

Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau, Markus L. Frank



Schneider, F: Gaudeamus igitur. Festive Overture on Motifs from Students' Songs op. 84
Schneider, F: Overture on the 'Dessauer Marsch' op. 50 in D major
Schneider, F: Symphony No. 16
Schneider, F: Tragic Overture, Op. 45


----------



## Becca

R. Strauss _Four Last Songs_
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
London Symphony / Sir John Barbirolli
(live recording 1965?)

It won't replaced my fondness for the Schwarzkopf/Szell recording but is worth listening as a live performance. The sound is reasonable broadcast stereo.






(Maybe it was Barbirolli's way of saying to Szell 'anything you can do...'  There is a story behind that going back about 30 years.)


----------



## haydnguy

Roslavets (1881-1944)

1. Chamber Symphony
2. In the hours of the New Moon


BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Ilan Volkov, conductor


----------



## Red Terror




----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing two Second Viennese School VCs:

*Schoenberg
Violin Concerto, Op. 36
Isabelle Faust, violin
Swedish RSO
Harding*










*Berg
Violin Concerto, "To the memory of an angel"
Isabelle Faust, violin
Orchestra Mozart
Abbado*


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Rogerx

Spring Will Come

Choral rarities from the Grand Duchy of Finland

David Hackston (tenor), Jukka Jokitalo (tenor), Juha-Pekka Mitjonen (bass), Jussi Linnanmäki (bass), Meri Metsomäki (soprano), Iris Roost (alto), Viivi Tulkki (alto), Jussi Salonen (tenor), Júlia Heéger (soprano)

Helsinki Chamber Choir, Nils Schweckendiek


----------



## Rogerx

Elgar & Beach: Piano Quintets

Garrick Ohlsson (piano)

Takács Quartet


----------



## Neo Romanza

Last work of the night:

*Berio
Folk Songs
Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano
Juilliard Ensemble
Berio*


----------



## cybernaut

Arias from – La Semiramide riconosciuta; Ezio; La clemenza di Tito; Antigono; Telemaco; Il re pastore; L’ivrogne corrigé; Orfeo ed Euridice; Alceste; Paride ed Elena; Iphigénie en Aulide; Paride ed Elena

Recorded 20 January 2010 at Wigmore Hall, London


----------



## sAmUiLc

I don't trust EMI remastering, so I drove all the way to the Sunset Amoeba and bought the one with this cover photo used.


----------



## Rogerx

Verdi: Otello

Carlos Cossutta (Otello), Margaret Price (Desdemona), Gabriel Bacquier (Iago), Peter Dvorsky (Cassio), Kurt Equiluz (Rodrigo), Kurt Moll (Lodovico), Stafford Dean (Montano), Jane Berbié (Emilia), Hans Helm (Un Araldo)

Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoper, Sir Georg Solti


----------



## MartinDB

Neo Romanza said:


> I own this box set as well, but I also own the most of the individual releases that came out on Nonesuch. All of the opera releases had libretti, it's a shame this box set does not (my set is still sealed).
> 
> Anyway, here's a cool site that has libretto of many works, but here's a direct link to _Nixon in China_:
> 
> John Adams' Nixon in China libretto


Thank you very much. I will look at that site.


----------



## Chilham

Anon.: Llibre Vermell de Montserrat
Jordi Savall, Hespèrion XXI, La Capella Reial De Catalunya


----------



## Biwa

Anton Bruckner: 

Symphonies in F minor "Studiensinfonie" & D minor "Annulierte"

sinfonieorchester Aachen
Marcus Bosch


----------



## Montarsolo

Händel, Overtures, Trevor Pinnock. Spotify


----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*
_Piano Concerto No. 25 K503_
*Melvyn Tan
London Classical Players
Roger Norrington*
Rec. 1990
Virgin

Very nice sinfonia concertante (!) with a piano. 😅


----------



## Art Rock

*Kevin Volans: String Quartet No. 2 "Hunting - Gathering", No. 3 "The Songlines" (Balanescu Quartet, Argo)*

Starting the day with two quartets by South African (now Irish) composer Kevin Volans (1949). My first encounter with his music was by the Kronos Quartet, who recorded his first quartet ("White Man Sleeps") and the second which is also on this CD by the Balanescu Quartet. Hunting - Gathering from 1987 shows some (South) African influence on his music in terms of rhythm. I have a slight preference for the Kronos Quartet's recording, but there is nothing wrong with the Balanescu. Like the second quartet, the third was commissioned by the Kronos, but they never recorded it. Both works are fascinating soundscapes, rhythmic, and with melody lines, but not in a conventional mode. They have been compared to abstract paintings, and I can hear why.


----------



## Dmitriyevich

Farrenc: Symphonies 1 & 3


----------



## Rogerx

Ravel: Concertos pour piano & Mélodies

Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth, Cédric Tiberghien, Stéphane Degout

Ravel: Deux mélodies hébraïques: Kaddisch
Ravel: Deux mélodies hébraïques: L'enigme eternelle
Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte
Ravel: Piano Concerto in D major (for the left hand)
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
Ravel: Sainte
Ravel: Trois poemes de Stephane Mallarmé


----------



## MartinDB

Pulcinella - Boulez, Orchestre National de France











The choice was inspired by @Neo Romanza's post that he was listening to the suite conducted by Boulez with the New York Philharmonic. I don’t know that recording of the suite. 

I have always preferred this version of Pulcinella to others but don’t pretend to understand the reasons why. The best I can offer is that the combination of formal, rigid structure yet emotional suppleness works for me. Each time I try a new version it falls short in terms of getting the balance right. Maybe I should try the NYP version of the suite at least? 
(*Boulez’s Mahler works for me too, I don’t know if that is for similar reasons.) 

Similarly inspired by a post from @vincula, I listened to Schnittke’s second cello concerto for the first time in years. I love Schnittke but know this less well than I should. It sounds very Schnittkian to me, if there is such a thing.


----------



## Merl

A beautiful recording. I've just blogged this one.


----------



## AClockworkOrange

*Jacques Offenbach: Overtures
Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*









This is disc was my first real (and recent) introduction to the music of Jacques Offenbach. Some parts are recognisable but this disc is the first intentional listening experience. I streamed this first before buying a copy.

This has piqued my interest to investigate Offenbach further and I have a disc of Lieder/Ballades and a recording of Gaité Parisienne/Offenbachiana on order. I hope to explore further in time and start listening into some of the operas. 

Musically it is a nice change of pace and tone to what I have been listening to recently. It’s an excellent listen and pallet cleanser much like Abbado’s excellent DG Rossini Overtures disc with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.


----------



## Rogerx

Piano Concertos for the Left Hand

Leon Fleisher (piano)

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa


Britten: Diversions for piano (left hand) and orchestra, Op. 21
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 53
Ravel: Piano Concerto in D major (for the left hand)


----------



## Bourdon

AClockworkOrange said:


> *Jacques Offenbach: Overtures
> Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*
> View attachment 181401
> 
> 
> This is disc was my first real (and recent) introduction to the music of Jacques Offenbach. Some parts are recognisable but this disc is the first intentional listening experience. I streamed this first before buying a copy.
> 
> This has piqued my interest to investigate Offenbach further and I have a disc of Lieder/Ballades and a recording of Gaité Parisienne/Offenbachiana on order. I hope to explore further in time and start listening into some of the operas.
> 
> Musically it is a nice change of pace and tone to what I have been listening to recently. It’s an excellent listen and pallet cleanser much like Abbado’s excellent DG Rossini Overtures disc with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.


I listened to it a week ago


----------



## AClockworkOrange

Bourdon said:


> I listened to it a week ago


It’s an excellent album, I recognised more of it than I thought I would.


----------



## Rogerx

Sibelius: Violin Concerto & Humoresques

Fenella Humphreys (violin), BBC National Orchestra of Wales, George Vass


Josephson, Nors: Celestial Voyage
Sibelius: Four Humoresques Op. 89
Sibelius: Two Humoresques Op. 87
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47


----------



## PeterKC

Good morning! A wonderful take on the Bolero theme by a gifted and creative young Brazilian pianist/composer.
For any interested in the piano music of Brazil I highly recommend the IPB, (Instituto Piano Brasileiro) youtube thread. I have learned about so many marvelous composers.


----------



## Montarsolo

Pinnock rules. Boyce symphonies.


----------



## Rogerx

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on the Old 104th, The Lark Ascending

Mark Bebbington, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Hilary Davan Wetton


Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on the Old 104th
Vaughan Williams: Piano Quintet in C minor for Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Piano
Vaughan Williams: Romance for viola & piano
Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Richard Strauss
Tod und Verklärung

Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*


----------



## Art Rock

*Tomás Luis de Victoria: Missa Gaudeamus (Lay Clerks Of Westminster Cathedral, Matthew Martin, Thomas Wilson, Hyperion)
*
Strictly speaking this is more than Victoria's Missa Gaudeamus, because some organ works by Frescobaldi and some Gregorian chants are interwoven with the Mass. It works very well, the performances are brilliant, the recording excellent, and the reviews raving ("this benchmark recording is another superb addition to both Hyperion's and Westminster Cathedral's illustrious Victoria discography" from Gramophone). Pure bliss for 73 minutes.


----------



## Enthusiast

It's just a game I play with myself. Often I could not name a single favourite composer. Other times it might be Beethoven or Bach and occasionally Brahms. But probably most often it is Mozart. Certainly this year so far I have wanted to listen to mostly Mozart. And until now I hadn't even got to the operas (or the quartets). So I spent the morning greatly enjoying Jacob's recording of La Clemenza di Tito.


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Starting off the workday with some Brahms.


----------



## Rogerx

Destination Rachmaninov - Departure

Daniil Trifonov (piano), Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin


Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40


----------



## Manxfeeder

CPE Bach, Hamburg Sinfonias

Christian Benda with the Capella Istropolitana

These are nicely done, with the requisite contrasts and quirks called for in the music highlighted but not overemphasized.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Mozart. The Magic Flute. W/ Dermota, Seefried, Kunz, Lipp, Weber and London. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Cond. Karajan. recorded in 1950, remastered 1988. EMI Eminence.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 1* in C minor, Op. 68
Otto Klemperer: Philharmonia Orchestra (1957)

A classic, and one of my absolute favorite Brahms cycles. Klemperer's stern concentration suits the first movement particularly well, but the Philharmonia Orchestra provides the necessary warmth for the rest of the work. The exposition repeat is not taken. It is taken on the slow side, but not extremely slowly. Well anyway, there's not much use in me reviewing such a well-known recording. The divided violins are a nice touch; the orchestra has its own distinct personality and the winds are in splendid form. Klemperer is the musician of the ten commandments carved in granite, as I think Walter Legge once described him.









Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 5* in C minor, Op. 67
Carlos Kleiber: Wiener Philharmoniker (1974)

After watching Kleiber conducting yesterday, I felt in the mood to listen to this famous recording again. Actually, I should listen to the Seventh symphony also, but I don't think I will immediately. Listening to Klemperer's Beethoven Seventh yesterday, I remarked how the ending of the Allegretto is played pizzicato, whereas I'm used to hearing it arco, and the score says arco... well I found a discussion about this and some other matters online on another website, and a participant mentioned that this odd choice was made by both Erich and Carlos Kleiber in addition to Klemperer. In Carlos's case, perhaps it was as simple as respecting his father's choice, but I would also expect him to rethink these matters on his own... but perhaps Erich _did_ have a persuasive reason for this. Someone had suggested that the word "arco" in the manuscript looked like it might not have been in Beethoven's handwriting, which was later debunked. In any case, I'm still not sure why Klemperer's recording follows this odd choice, which is a minor detail but still arrestingly different. So apparently Carlos Kleiber also plays it pizzicato. Would love to hear anyone's insight into this, if there is any.


----------



## Vasks

_On the turntable_

*Tomas Breton - Overture to "La verben de la Paloma" (Sorozabal/Columbia)
Manuel de Falla - El Retablo de Maese Pedro (Ansermet/London STS)
Roberto Gerhard - Symphony #4 (Davis/Argo)*


----------



## Chat Noir

Tubin Symphony No.2. Like a symphony with a little violin concerto movement incorporated. It's always uplifting listening Tubin 2 & 4.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Maegaard, Labirinto I for Solo Viola

Tim Frederiksen, viola*

This was a nice discovery from my CD stack; I didn't know I had any recordings by Maegaard. I've been listening to Elsa Marie Pede, learning that she was taught by Maegaard. One thing this piece ties into what I've heard from Elsa Pede is, it is in a modernist style but with a sense of space and also a sense of calm rather than histrionics.


----------



## Georgieva

Murray Perahia
*Bach: English Suites Nos. 2, 4 & 5*


----------



## Georgieva

What a pleasant surprise!

Recommended


----------



## Enthusiast

I seem to have two recordings of Jansons conducting the Alpine Symphony. This is one of them. It is excellent.


----------



## Rogerx

Vivaldi: Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus (Psalm 126), RV608/ Longe mala, umbrae, terrores, RV629/

Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano)

English Chamber Orchestra, Antoni Ros Marbà


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing four violin sonatas of great contrasts:

*Shostakovich
Violin Sonata, Op. 134
Lydia Mordkovitch, Clifford Benson*










*Bartók
Violin Sonata No. 1, BB 84, Sz. 75
Gidon Kremer, Yuri Smirnov*

From this OOP set -










*Schumann
Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121
Carolin Widmann, Dénes Várjon*










*Poulenc
Violin Sonata, FP 119
Graf Mourja, Alexandre Tharaud*

From this set -


----------



## Chilham

I don't know why I slated this to listen to today. But I did.









Bach: Violin Concerto BWV 1041
Bernhard Forck, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Isabelle Faust


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Next up: Bach's Brandenburg Concerti, conducted by Pablo Casals. Bargain find on vinyl this weekend.


----------



## Flamme

The annual New Year’s Day concert given by the Vienna Philharmonic in the glittering Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein. But those of us not lucky enough to be there in person can still enjoy the swirling waltzes, rousing marches uplifting polkas as Petroc Trelawny introduces the concert live for Radio 3. Led from the podium by conductor Franz Welser-Möst the programme mixes old favourites with new discoveries which celebrate, amongst other things: heroic poems, cosy nights, pearls of love and the famous Blue Danube. The orchestra say the concert is a New Year's Day greeting to people all over the world in the spirit of hope, friendship and peace, and who wouldn’t agree with these sentiments and wish for these things in 2023? Broadcast live from the Musikverein, Vienna Presented by Petroc Trelawny Eduard Strauss - Who’ll Join the Dance?, Fast Polka, op. 251 Josef Strauss - Heroic Poems, Waltz, op. 87 Johann Strauss Jr. - The Gypsy Baron Quadrille, op. 422 Carl Michael Ziehrer - On a Cozy Night, Waltz, op. 488 Johann Strauss Jr. - Come On In!, Fast Polka, op. 386 Interval Franz von Suppé - Overture to Isabella Josef Strauss - Pearls of Love, Waltz, op. 39 Josef Strauss - Angelica-Polka, French Polka, op. 123 Eduard Strauss - Up and Away, Fast Polka, op. 73 Josef Strauss - Blithe Spirits, French Polka, op. 281 Josef Strauss - Forever, fast Polka, op. 193 Josef Strauss - Siskins, Waltz, op. 114 Joseph Hellmesberger - Bells Polka and Galop from the Ballet Excelsior Josef Strauss -Allegro fantastique, Orchestral Fantasy Josef Strauss - Aquare llen, Waltz, op. 258 Johann Strauss Jr. - Bandit’s Galop, Fast Polka, op. 378 Johann Strauss Jr. - The Beautiful Blue Danube, Waltz, op. 314 Johann Strauss Sr. - Radetzky March, op. 228 








New Year's Day Concert - 01/01/2023 - BBC Sounds


The traditional New Year's Day Concert given by the Vienna Philharmonic.




www.bbc.co.uk


----------



## Rogerx

Dvořák: Stabat Mater, Op. 58

Eri Nakamura (soprano), Elisabeth Kulman (contralto), Michael Spyres (tenor), Jongmin Park (bass)

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Jiří Bělohlávek


----------



## Enthusiast

This Bluebeard is red hot.


----------



## sAmUiLc

It is my favorite version. I am playing MoFi Ultra Gold CD-R I burned for listening. I made the transfer many years ago because I felt the original sounded a bit pale. It was successful as I expected, not overly done, meeting my intention.


----------



## Bourdon

Beethoven

Symphony No 3 "Eroica" (1963)

My first Eroica


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 2* in D major, Op. 73
Leonard Bernstein: Wiener Philharmoniker (1982)

It's been a while since I've heard this recording, but I enjoyed Bernstein's earlier cycle with the New York Philharmonic recently when I heard it. Bernstein does take the exposition repeat here, pushing the first movement to over twenty minutes in length and the symphony as a whole to over 48 minutes. Beautiful, warm sound.









Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: *Piano Concerto No. 26* in D major, KV 537, “Coronation”
Daniel Barenboim: Berliner Philharmoniker (1989)

Very happy with this set, and also with the Brendel/Marriner set. I still have a few cycles I'd like to explore, but that's not a project I'm going to start today. Barenboim was Rattle's strongest competitor to be Abbado's successor in Berlin, and recordings like these and some of Barenboim's opera recordings with this orchestra illustrate the fruitful relationship they had.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## bharbeke

*Bach: Violin Sonatas 1 and 2*
Viktoria Mullova

She knocks these pieces out of the park. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this performer.


----------



## PeterKC

Touched by God no doubt. She is and will always be my number one.


----------



## Malx

In keeping with my stated aim to play more of the items tucked away in corners of the collection
*Bruch, Violin Concerto No 1 / Schubert Rondo for Violin and Strings D438 / Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor - Nigel Kennedy, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate.*

Enfant terrible he may have been to many of the CM establishment but he was pretty handy with a violin. I haven't played this disc for probably over 10 years - my loss.
Plus his team beat Spurs the other day - so why not celebrate their success.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Langgaard, Symphony No. 16*

Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard. These symphonies are well recorded and sympathetically conducted.


----------



## Enthusiast

I feel Rostropovich's Shostakovich 14 is one of the best things he did as a conductor - it is devastating. It is also the best, I think, of his wife's (Galina Vishnevskaya's) many recordings of the work.


----------



## jim prideaux

Chailly in Leipzig......

Brahms 3rd.

I rather like this performance.


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Anton Webern
Passacaglia
Five Movements
Six Pieces for Orchestra
Five Pieces for Orchestra

Pierre Boulez & Berliner Philharmoniker*


----------



## vincula

A cracking album 🤗!

Regards,

Vincula


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> This Bluebeard is red hot.


And is my reference recording for this masterpiece!


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Enjoying this live recording of Schumann's violin sonatas 1 and 2 from Martha Argerich and Renaud Capuçon.


----------



## Malx

*Mozart, Piano Concerto No 23 - Wilhelm Kempff, Bamberger Symphoniker, Ferdinand Leitner.*

Understated elegance.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> I feel Rostropovich's Shostakovich 14 is one of the best things he did as a conductor - it is devastating. It is also the best, I think, of his wife's (Galina Vishnevskaya's) many recordings of the work.


I'll join you, but in an equally amazing recording with *Teodor Currentzis *on the Alpha label:










This recording has been reissued, but I'm glad I own the original as the artwork and liner notes are excellent.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> And is my reference recording for this masterpiece!


I had thought from your thread on this work that you favoured the other Boulez recording slightly over this one but must have misread you. I do also like that one. For me, though, I can say the first Boulez recording is extraordinary but (as you know) I have a good few that I love for a variety of reasons and qualities.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra part five.

Dunno why but right now loading this page is like pulling teeth. 
Probably the crappy internet signal we sometimes get around here.

_Coronation Ode_ for soprano, contralto, tenor, bass, mixed choir and
orchestra op.44 [Text: Arthur Christopher Benson] (1901-02):​
with Felicity Lott (sop.), Alfreda Hodgson (alt.), Richard Morton (ten.), Stephen Roberts (bass), the Cambridge University Musical Society, the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, the Band of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall and the New Philharmonia Orchestra/Philip Ledger







_The Apostles_ was the first of a planned trilogy of oratorios based on episodes from the _New Testament_. The second instalment, _The Kingdom_, followed relatively quickly as the writing of both works pretty much overlapped.

To be honest I've never taken to either _The Apostles_ or its companion all that well. Both were successful in their day (Elgar was box office gold by then and Great Britain had long been in love with large-scale sacred choral works) but despite some beautiful passages both strike me as being too stolid and a little overlong - when listening to them neither seem to really 'flow', nor do I get any actual sense of immersion like I do with _The Dream of Gerontius_ or parts of _Caractacus_. Maybe deep down Elgar had reservations of his own - he planned to make a trilogy out of them by writing a final work called _The Last Judgment_ but eventually abandoned the idea.

_The Apostles_ - oratorio in a prelude and two parts for soprano, contralto, tenor,
three basses, mixed choir and orchestra op.49 [Text: Edward Elgar, after
_New Testament_ sources] (1902-03):​
with Sheila Armstrong (sop. - The Blessed Virgin/The Angel), Helen Watts (alt. - Mary Magdalene), Robert Tear (ten. - St. John), Benjamin Luxon (bass - St. Peter), Clifford Grant (bass - Judas), John Carol Case (bass - Jesus), the choir of Downe House School, the London Philharmonic Choir and the London PO/Sir Adrian Boult


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> I'll join you, but in an equally amazing recording with *Teodor Currentzis *on the Alpha label:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This recording has been reissued, but I'm glad I own the original as the artwork and liner notes are excellent.


I like that one a lot and listen to it often. But it is a little gentle compared to most (including Rostropovich) which is nice but not, perhaps, entirely true to the work. And it hasn't got Vishnevskaya's heft. I actually heard the Currentzis before the Rostropovich and it really wowed me. I knew quite a few others but hadn't thought it worthwhile trying Rostropovich ... until I did (in response to a recommendation somewhere on this site a few years ago). Now the two are my main go to recordings for the work.


----------



## Enthusiast

The remaining third of this disc (I listened to the serenade yesterday): Mozart's Haffner.


----------



## fbjim

Listened to this on the first, got it from a record store. First of the new year. 


I'm getting Haitink's version shipped to me, be interesting to see which I prefer!


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Holst:Suite 1&2, Ralph Vaughn Williams: Folk Song Suite & Toccata Marrziale. Mennin:Canzona, Persichetti: Psalm and H.Owen Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana. Eastman Wind Ensemble. Cond. Fennell. Mercurt Living Presence. Recorded 1954 and 1955, reassembled 1999.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> I had thought from your thread on this work that you favoured the other Boulez recording slightly over this one but must have misread you. I do also like that one. For me, though, I can say the first Boulez recording is extraordinary but (as you know) I have a good few that I love for a variety of reasons and qualities.


The member @Lisztianwagner mentioned the second Boulez recording being their favorite. In my initial post in the _Bluebeard_ thread, I mentioned that the Boulez on Columbia was my reference recording. And, yes, there are many great recordings of _Bluebeard_, but this Boulez goes straight to the top for me.


----------



## Bourdon

Bach

Longing for Bach and organ......

CD 2


----------



## Neo Romanza

Speaking of reference recordings...

NP:

*Janáček
String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2
Pražák Quartet*










Absolutely incredible in every possible way. This recording I'm listening comes from the Praga Digitals 30th Anniversary box set, but I also own an older iteration of this recording (also on Praga), but this recording I'm listening to has been 24-bit remastered and sounds better than ever.

And since I know I'll be on a *Janáček* jag after I listen to these SQs, I'll play some more works from him:

*Sinfonietta
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Václav Neumann*

_







_

And some operatic preludes from *Mackerras* (w/ the *Pro Arte Orchestra*):

_







_


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 3* in F major, Op. 90
Simon Rattle: Berliner Philharmoniker (2008)

I think of Rattle as the man who dismantled the Karajan sound which Abbado had preserved in Berlin. This seems apparent enough listening to the 2015 Beethoven cycle or the late Mozart symphony recordings released within the last decade on the Berlin Philharmonic's house label, and comparing those with Karajan's recordings. Rattle shifted towards historically informed performance, using smaller string sections and focusing on clarity and transparency rather than the full, lyrical sound fostered by Karajan. However, this trend isn't as apparent to me in this 2008 Brahms cycle, six years into his tenure as principal conductor. The sound I hear isn't the same as Karajan's, though, so Rattle must have been in the process of taking it apart. It could also be the fact that Brahms came later than Mozart and Beethoven, so the historically informed approach would be less different for Brahms than for his predecessors. This recording is more lyrical than rhythmic, and there is some great playing in every corner. Andreas Blau was the principal flute player; he had occupied this position since 1969 and would not relinquish it until his retirement in 2015 (what a phenomenal career!). Rattle takes the exposition repeat in the Third (but not in the First or Second symphonies, and the Fourth doesn't have a repeat). Like Klemperer, Rattle divides his violins antiphonally, which is nice. The sound itself is good; I think these are live composite recordings, but there's no audience noise or applause I can perceive.









Arnold Schoenberg: *String Quartet No. 3*, Op. 30
Gringolts Quartet (2021)
Ilya Gringolts, violin; Anahit Kurtikyan, violin; Silvia Simionescu, viola; Claudius Herrmann, cello

A work I've neglected. In fact I don't listen to enough Schoenberg in general. The Second String Quartet is the one I've listened to the most out of the four; then the Fourth. This recent release completes the cycle began by the Gringolts Quartet in 2016. The cover art by Vasily Kandinsky pairs very well with this composition, I believe.


----------



## Floeddie

Haydn, Franz Joseph, Symphonies 97 & 98 Dresdner Philharmonic Orchestra, Günther Herbig


----------



## Knorf

*Anders Eliasson: *Symphony No. 1
U.S.S.R. Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky

Anders Eliasson (1947-2013) is another of of those composers whose music deserves far more attention and exposure, in my opinion. His First Symphony from 1986 is simply outstanding. It's been a while since I last listened to it, and was immediately reminded that, yes, this thing is realy, really good. Highly recommended!

The companion works on this disc are also terrific, a Bassoon Concerto written for Knut Sönstevold, and an amazing work for sting orchestra entitled _Ostacoli _("Obstacles").


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Nicolaus Kraft *(1778-1853): *Cello concerto no.1 in E minor, op.3* (1815), as recorded in 2012 by* Jirí Hosek* (cello) with the Plzen radio symphony orchestra, conducted by *Jiri Strunc*.

_From Wikipedia_: Nikolaus Kraft was an Austrian cellist and composer (six cello concertos). He was the son of Antonín Kraft, under whom he first studied. He then trained under Jean-Louis Duport (1801). He claimed to have been the soloist for the premiere of Beethoven's Triple Concerto and played alongside Mozart and Anton Teyber on 12 April 1789 at Dresden on Mozart's Berlin journey.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Beethoven: String Quartets Volume 7: The Lindsays 'New Beethoven Cycle'


Beethoven: String Quartets Volume 7. ASV: CDDCA1117. Buy Presto CD online. The Lindsays



www.prestomusic.com





There are two different Cavatina movements followed by two different endings, surely for programming according to the listener's preference. Not sure about which ending but I slightly prefer the performance of the first Cavatina.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Francis Poulenc* (1899-1963): *Four little prayers of St. Francis of Assisi, FP.142 *(1948), as recorded in 1990 by *The Sixteen*, directed by* Harry Christophers.*

It's often been said that Poulenc has a cheerful side and a profound side to his music. This is obviously the profound side.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Jan Dismas Zelenka* (1679-1745): *6 Lamentationes Jeremiae prophetae pro hebdomada sancta, ZWV 53 *(1722), as recorded in 2011 by *Marian Krejcik* (bass) with the *Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704*, conducted by *Vaclav Luks*.

Wonderful, and deeply moving. Krejcik as bass vocalist is simply stunning on this work i.m.h.o. Marvellous sound quality on this recording, too.
Come to think of it, so far I've never felt disappointed by any Zelenka work whatsoever.


----------



## deangelisj35

Neo Romanza said:


> Last work of the night:
> 
> *Berio
> Folk Songs
> Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano
> Juilliard Ensemble
> Berio*


"Even Cathy Berberian knows there one roulade she can't sing." -Steely Dan, "Your Gold Teeth"


----------



## Dmitriyevich

Farrenc: Nonet / Brahms: Serenade No. 1


----------



## Art Rock

*Heitor Villa-Lobos: Missa São Sebastião and other sacred music (Corydon Singers, Matthew Best, Helios)*

The Missa São Sebastião is heavily influenced by Palestrina and Victoria, and for a layman like myself, it would be easy to assume that this was an actual renaissance composition, and not something composed in 1937. Most of the other sacred works on the album have a more 20th century sound, not miles away from British composers at that time to give an idea. It is not really what one would expect from HVL, and although it is pleasant enough to listen to, for me it is far less interesting than his usual style.


----------



## Neo Romanza

fbjim said:


> Listened to this on the first, got it from a record store. First of the new year.
> 
> 
> I'm getting Haitink's version shipped to me, be interesting to see which I prefer!
> View attachment 181424


I need to dig deeper into the Mahler Bruno Walter box set I bought via Tower Records Japan --- thanks for the reminder!

The Mahler Walter set in question:










This set contains _Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 & 9_ and _Das Lied von der Erde_. All are DSD remastered and are hybrid SACDs.


----------



## MusicSybarite

Chat Noir said:


> Tubin Symphony No.2. Like a symphony with a little violin concerto movement incorporated. It's always uplifting listening Tubin 2 & 4.


My favorite disc of this superb cycle, containing arguably his most agitated utterances in the form. The No. 4 is indeed quite the contrast with 'The Legendary', and I love it unreservedly.


----------



## joen_cph

Manxfeeder said:


> *Maegaard, Labirinto I for Solo Viola
> 
> Tim Frederiksen, viola*
> 
> This was a nice discovery from my CD stack; I didn't know I had any recordings by Maegaard. I've been listening to Elsa Marie Pede, learning that she was taught by Maegaard. One thing this piece ties into what I've heard from Elsa Pede is, it is in a modernist style but with a sense of space and also a sense of calm rather than histrionics.


The most immediately accessible *Maegaard* CD is probably the Danacord CD with _Concertos_, one for cello, one for violin, they are quite romantically coloured

There was also a quite late LP with a _Chamber Concerto _etc_._, a much more avantgardesque work, but strangely fascinating. I don't think it was relased on CD.








Jan Maegaard - Chamber Concerto No.2 / Octomeri / Musica Riservata I


View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1986 Vinyl release of "Chamber Concerto No.2 / Octomeri / Musica Riservata I" on Discogs.




www.discogs.com


----------



## PeterKC

Well, its not Classical, and not Broadway musical, but, it is Thurber, and Don Elliot was a great musician. Thanks to Columbia Special Products and Masterworks for this little gem. And what the heck, it's cocktail hour here in Kansas, and it is what I'm listening to now. Canape? Highball?


----------



## Red Terror

Giving ol' Stockie another chance but all I am hearing so far amounts to synth effects and mood 'music'.

.


----------



## joen_cph

Red Terror said:


> Giving ol' Stockie another chance...
> 
> .



Many will know the feeling ...


----------



## MJSymphonist




----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Mahler
Das Knaben Wunderhorn
Maureen Forrester, contralto
Heinz Rehfuss, baritone
Vienna Festival Orchestra
Felix Prohaska

Rückert-Lieder
Maureen Forrester, contralto
RIAS-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Ferenc Fricsay*










Another winning disc in the Praga Digitals 30th Anniversary box set! Forrester is an outstanding Mahlerian vocalist.


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 6* in F major, Op. 68, “Pastoral”
Daniel Barenboim: Staatskapelle Berlin (1999)

My first time hearing any of Barenboim's Beethoven symphonies, though I've heard some of his Beethoven piano sonatas and I think some of the concerti with Klemperer. In any case, this is sort of the antidote to the sleek, transparent, and dare I say thin way of conducting Beethoven which has become fashionable recently, thanks in part to the historically informed community. I think of Rattle and Chailly, as well as Gardiner. Along with Thielemann, Barenboim champions an approach that could be described as Wagnerian. Barenboim has overall slowish tempi, a weightier sound with a firm bassline, and a full, thick, lyrical sound in the high strings and melodic parts. Barenboim's _Eroica_ takes 56 minutes, his Ninth takes 76 and a half, and this performance of the Sixth takes 44 and a half minutes. The orchestra is beautiful, though. I haven't heard the bulk of this yet but the beginning was enjoyable, even if it's not the only way of doing things.









Johannes Brahms:* Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
Daniel Barenboim: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1993)


----------



## PeterKC

MJSymphonist said:


> View attachment 181444
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 181445
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 181446





MJSymphonist said:


> View attachment 181444
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 181445
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 181446



MJ. Your post reminded me of something I have not listened to in a while. Thank you!


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## starthrower

When you need a laugh to break up the winter blues!


----------



## Reichstag aus LICHT

Red Terror said:


> Giving ol' Stockie another chance but all I am hearing so far amounts to synth effects and mood 'music'.


That's basically it for "Freitags Gruss", which takes up the first CD. I actually love that soundscape, but the real plot - inasmuch as there is one! - unfolds on CDs 2 and 3. "Freitags Abschied" on CD4 is another moody synth-fest, which I also like, but your mileage may vary, and probably will


----------



## Manxfeeder

*The Time of the End*

Dausgaard with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra

This is a 20-minute four-movement distillation of his two-hour opera about the Antichrist, titled Antichrist Prelude, At the End of Time, Towards the End of the World, and The Catastrophe. So far it's nice music, but I'm only at the prelude.


----------



## Neo Romanza

It's time for a *Prokofiev*-a-thon:

*Chout, Op. 21
USSR Ministry of Culture SO
Rozhdestvensky*

From this magnificent set (which is OOP now) -










*Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
Yevgeny Mravinsky*

From the _Praga Digitals 30th Anniversary_ set -










*Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16
Anna Vinnitskaya, piano
Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin
Gilbert Varga*










*Piano Sonata No. 8 In B Flat Major, Op. 84
Matti Raekallio, piano*

From this OOP set -


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*
_Piano Concerto No. 19 K459_
*Melvyn Tan 
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra 
Nicholas McGegan *
Rec. 1995
Harmonia Mundi

I like happy music, something that is so rare these days.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Satie, Parade*

Markevitch with the Philharmonia Orchestra

I'm listening on YouTube. Whoever engineered this, or maybe it was the conductor, didn't understand the music. This is supposed to sound like an orchestra in a circus pit, not the Berlin Philharmonic.


----------



## MusicSybarite

Manxfeeder said:


> *The Time of the End*
> 
> Dausgaard with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
> 
> This is a 20-minute four-movement distillation of his two-hour opera about the Antichrist, titled Antichrist Prelude, At the End of Time, Towards the End of the World, and The Catastrophe. So far it's nice music, but I'm only at the prelude.
> View attachment 181449


If you liked this "suite", you could also enjoy the whole opera which is not too long (it lasts 1h 30 min or so).


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Superb playing and sound on this 2-SACD set.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Hélène Grimaud, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Swedish Radio Choir, Esa-Pekka Salonen - Credo


View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2009 CD release of "Credo" on Discogs.




www.discogs.com


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> I like that one a lot and listen to it often. But it is a little gentle compared to most (including Rostropovich) which is nice but not, perhaps, entirely true to the work. And it hasn't got Vishnevskaya's heft. I actually heard the Currentzis before the Rostropovich and it really wowed me. I knew quite a few others but hadn't thought it worthwhile trying Rostropovich ... until I did (in response to a recommendation somewhere on this site a few years ago). Now the two are my main go to recordings for the work.


This being a Currentzis recording, it's not going to be conventional or "true to the work" (whatever this actually means, because only Shostakovich knew what he meant and everything else is merely an interpretation). There are many fine performances of the 14th on record, so we're in no shortage --- I also love Kondrashin, Jurowski, Maxim Shostakovich, Barshai, Bernstein et. al.


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 8* in F major, Op. 93
Daniel Barenboim: Staatskapelle Berlin (1999)

Well, I've heard all four Brahms symphonies today... but I'm still in the mood for them. I was thinking about _Ein deutsches Requiem_ or one of the concertos, but I've decided to go with Beethoven for now. Barenboim's cycle is new to me, but it is basically what I expected of him so far. I guess I'm learning steadily. This Beethoven is pretty good but I think he's actually better in Mozart (and at his best in Wagner). I find that he conducts Beethoven like a Romantic, but he performs Mozart as more of a Classicist, in essence; anyway, I appreciate the incandescent sound Barenboim draws from this orchestra, and he doesn't do anything too crazy in terms of artistic liberty, so I'm happy. I was thinking earlier today about how odd it is that even as Simon Rattle dismantled "the Karajan sound" of the Berlin Philharmonic, Barenboim was building up a similar kind of ensemble with the Staatskapelle Berlin. The timing is eerie; Karajan died in 1989, and Barenboim became the head of the Staatskapelle Berlin in 1992. This is obviously distinct from Karajan in terms of interpretation, but I do hear echoes of Karajan here.

Looking at some of @Merl's Beethoven cycle reviews, I'm reminded about just how little I really know about classical music, even though I'm more knowledgeable than the "average person" about it. Of all the Beethoven cycles that have ever been recorded, I've only heard a few, and there are so many more to explore. I find this with Brahms all the time; there's always some dark horse lurking out there. This isn't some esoteric body of works; it is at the very center of the repertory I listen to, and even so there is a lot of territory I have not charted for myself.









Ludwig van Beethoven: *Violin Concerto* in D major, Op. 61
Arthur Grumiaux, violin; Colin Davis: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1974)


----------



## sAmUiLc

Reflection


Reflection. DG: 4775719. Buy download online. Helene Grimaud (piano), Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Truls Mørk (cello) Staatskapelle Dresden, Esa-Pekka Salonen



www.prestomusic.com


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Knorf

*Gustav Mahler: *Symphony No. 1 in D major
Concertgebuoworkest Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein

It's been ages since I Iistened to this recording. In truth, my feelings about it are mixed. For sure, there are many fantastic, genuinely inspired moments. The Concertgebuow Orchestra sounds superb, at very nearly a historical best (especially the woodwinds), and the recording quality is honestly terrific. But there are some interpretive choices here and there that to me are questionable at best, usually in the slow direction, and some inflections here and there that are rather, well, affected in their effect.

Still, it's a recording well worth a revisit, and for sure the good bits are really, really good, such as finding here just about the most convincing performance I've ever heard of the third movement. Also, I have no reservations whatsoever about the tremendous playing in the finale.

ETA: Compared to Bernstein's New York Philharmonic version, I definitely find the later one to be much more polished in execution and dramatic cohesion.


----------



## prlj

*Martinů Symphony No. 1 ORF Vienna Radio Symphony/Meister*

How has this flown under my radar? Absolutely stoked by this tonight, and very eager to dive into the rest of the set. Bravo.


----------



## Knorf

*Bohuslav Martinů: *Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bryden Thomson

The Third is my favorite among Martinů's six symphonies; I've long been borderline obsessed with the second movement, especially. I think this one is now perhaps my favorite recording of this symphony. It's stunning!

Edit: added the Fourth.


----------



## Dirge

_I’ve been revisiting my favorite recording discoveries of 2022 …_

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN: *Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60* (1806)
:: Casals/London Collegium Musicum [Prades Festival ’59] Music & Arts
YouTube 
Casals milks the Adagio opening of the first movement for all its worth and then some—dramatically playing up the darkness-to-light journey to the Allegro vivace à la Furtwängler—and then proceeds to lead a rambunctious account of the rest of the symphony, with the London Collegium Musicum valiantly trying to hold things together all the way. This performance is more about exploration and characterization than technical proficiency and can’t be generally recommended (more so given the woolly and fulsome recorded sound), but I favor it in any event.

Antonin DVOŘÁK: *Legends, Op. 59* (1881)
:: Serebrier/Scottish Chamber Orchestra [ASV ’90]
YouTube
Like the Slavonic Dances, _Legends_ was originally written for piano four hands and then arranged for orchestra. Unlike the Slavonic Dances, which sound best to me in piano-four-hands form, the somewhat less rhythmic & angular and more lyrical & atmospheric _Legends_ sounds best to me in orchestral form. I’ve long been happy enough with Leppard/LPO [Philips ’71] and Kubelik/ECO [DG ’76], but the slightly leaner & meaner Serebrier/SCO account allows me to hear/discern more of the work’s inner workings and intricacies and is even more to my liking. 

Antonin DVOŘÁK: *Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, Op. 90 “Dumky”* (1891)
:: Suk Trio [DG ’58] Les indispensables de Diapason 
YouTube 
Popular as it is, the “Dumky” Trio is nevertheless new to me, and this old Suk Trio recording is easily my favorite of those I’ve managed to hear; nothing in particular stands out to me about the performance, it’s just that the group’s way with the music sounds “just right”/to-the-manner-born to my ears. [I also like Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65 (1883), which is also new to me, but I don’t yet know it well enough to have a warm & fuzzy feeling about it or recordings of it.]

Antonin DVOŘÁK: *String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 “American”* (1893)
:: Jerusalem Quartet [HM ’05]
YouTube 
The Jerusalem Quartet offers up a vigorous and intense account of the “American” Quartet marked by teeming molecular energy, beautifully sustained tension, crisply defined rhythmic playing, and slightly lean textures and sonorities. Weighting and balancing of lines is ideally judged, allowing primary lines to emerge without undue emphasis and secondary lines to be heard/discerned in context, and phrasing couldn’t be more to my liking. For sheer unadulterated beauty, the Skampa Quartet [Champs Hill ’15] must be heard, but for all-around interpretation, the Jerusalem Quartet is now my go-to “American.”

Claude DEBUSSY: *Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune* (1891–94)
:: Stokowski/NBC SO [live broadcast ’43] Cala
YouTube 
This performance is slow and sensuous/sensual/sultry in the usual Stokowski manner, but it’s more focused & concentrated and has more molecular energy than his various other accounts, with underlying tension stealthily holding everything together. All this allows the performance to conjure up a languorous impression without the playing itself being languorous. The recorded sound is not very good but is good enough.

Gustav MAHLER: *Symphony No. 6* (1903–04)
:: Mitropoulos/NYP-SO [live ’55]
Spotify 
Grittily resolute, intensely wrought, and daringly interventionist, this performance finds Mitropoulos at his Mitropoulos_esque_ best, and the New York Philharmonic somehow manages to hang with him and respond in kind. The recording is available as part of the NYPO’s «The Mahler Broadcasts» box set and Music & Arts «The Art of Dimitri Mitropoulos, Vol. 2».

Josef SUK: _*Asrael*_*, Symphony for large orchestra in C minor, Op. 27* (1905–06)
:: Ančerl/CzPO [Czech Radio, live ’67] Supraphon
YouTube 
Ančerl was a long-time champion of _Asrael _and made a fine studio recording of it with Südwestfunk-Orchester Baden-Baden in 1967 [SWR Klassik], but that performance pales beside this incendiary live Czech Radio broadcast recording from the same year. The playing is intense and dynamic yet so intently focus and concentrated that tension never slackens no matter how violent or subdued, how dense or sparing the music at hand happens to be, and climaxes are diabolically devised and built and crushing in effect.

Claude DEBUSSY: _*Jeux *_(Poème Dansé) (1912–13)
:: De Sabata/Orchestra Stabile dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia [HMV ’47] Pristine
Spotify 
The playing here is duly playful yet duly focused and concentrated, with unflagging inner tension holding everything together. De Sabata manages to relate the work’s various episodes to one another more convincingly than other conductors, making the elusive work sound more organic and comprehensible than usual. The recorded sound is surprisingly vivid and hi-fi for 1947.

Benjamin BRITTEN: *Serenade for tenor, horn & strings, Op. 31* (1943)
:: Partridge, Busch, Pritchard/LPO [CfP/EMI ’74]
Ian Partridge et al offer up a contrasting but complementary alternative to the great 1944 Peter Pears et al account of the Serenade, sacrificing a degree or two (or three) of vocal intensity and drama for that much more tonal beauty and mellifluousness. Partridge (and all other tenors) must yield to Pears in terms of diction and vocal acting/storytelling prowess, but he’s impressively communicative in his less dramatic way. Busch and Pritchard/LSO seem to take their cue from Partridge and prove to be very sympathetic/complementary partners.


----------



## Dmitriyevich

Farrenc: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3


----------



## Neo Romanza

prlj said:


> View attachment 181459
> View attachment 181460
> 
> 
> *Martinu Symphony No. 1 ORF Vienna Radio Symphony/Meister*
> 
> How has this flown under my radar? Absolutely stoked by this tonight, and very eager to dive into the rest of the set. Bravo.


I hope you enjoy Meister's Martinů more than I did. Compared to my favorites: Bělohlávek, Thomson, Järvi and Neumann, I hate to say that Meister didn't quite measure up.


----------



## prlj

Neo Romanza said:


> I hope you enjoy Meister's Martinů more than I did. Compared to my favorites: Bělohlávek, Thomson, Järvi and Neumann, I hate to say that Meister didn't quite measure up.


Thank you for sharing these recommendations...I am brand new to Martinů, so I will explore the other options!


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## Neo Romanza

prlj said:


> Thank you for sharing these recommendations...I am brand new to Martinů, so I will explore the other options!


Welcome aboard! I certainly don't want to discourage you from not listening to Meister. @Knorf has been listening to the Thomson cycle on Chandos lately and let me tell you, it's amazing. One of the things about Martinů's music, especially in the symphonies, is his use of syncopations. It's difficult music to perform well, but, thankfully, there have been several conductors who got inside this music. This composer was so prolific. Once you've digested the symphonies, then try the ballets, concerti, chamber music, operas, etc. He wrote in every genre and his oeuvre is up there with other composers who wrote a lot of music in the 20th Century like Milhaud and Villa-Lobos. If you need any help with the composer or have any questions, then don't hesitate to ask!


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## Neo Romanza

Knorf said:


> *Bohuslav Martinů: *Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
> Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bryden Thomson
> 
> The Third is my favorite among Martinů's six symphonies; I've long been borderline obsessed with the second movement, especially. I think this one is now perhaps my favorite recording of this symphony. It's stunning!
> 
> Edit: added the Fourth.


I have a special fondness for _Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3_. Great to see you listening to Martinů. He's a composer that I feel has a lot of fans, but he just hasn't broken into the mainstream repertoire. His music doesn't get many performances outside of the Czech Republic it seems.


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## sAmUiLc

Unlike piano I don't see any disadvantage to female musicians vs male counterparts on violin. They can/do bring in different aspect not inferior. And unlike the old time, female musicians have equal footing in making it a career these days. I simply find more female violinists attractive than the males especially these days. Even from the bygone era I have more female violinists I like than male. The three ladies below are my absolute favorites and these recordings represent the summit interpretation of each concerto. I often listened to them in succession as I would do now.

Sibelius

















Brahms









Walton









P.S. All three are unfortunately out of print, I believe. The Bustabo was almost impossible to find, but my last effort before giving-up paid the dividend. I found HMV Hong Kong was still carrying it then. The two disc CD set I got had some ugly scratches on the one with Sibelius Concerto even though it still played fine. I weighed pros and cons of sending it back for replacement and decided to keep it. First, the communication with them was impossible. Actually after I paid for it online there was no communication from them; no acknowledgement or shipping information. Luckily it arrived somehow. Second, there was a strong possibility that the one I got was the very last copy, which was kind of confirmed in that soon the listing disappeared from their website. If I sent mine back then I'd be **** out of luck. The Auclair, after a few attempts I had given up. Several months later out of the blue the CD showed up at my door. Apparently I had asked my friend who lived (and still lives) in Japan about it and completely forgot about the fact. I still thank him in my heart - Bless you Mita san! The Wicks was much easier. I bought one used on Amazon, a very clean copy.


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## Knorf

Neo Romanza said:


> I have a special fondness for _Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3_. Great to see you listening to Martinů. He's a composer that I feel has a lot of fans, but he just hasn't broken into the mainstream repertoire. His music doesn't get many performances outside of the Czech Republic it seems.


I first encountered Martinů's music when I performed the second bassoon part of his wonderful Sextet for piano and winds, in 1988. I was 18. I got to know quite a lot of his chamber music, starting with the Nonet, and have been fortunate enough to perform the aforementioned Sextet again as well as the terrific _Quatres Madrigaux _for woodwind quartet. Sadly, though, never any of his orchestral music.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Shostakovich/Kondrashin fans rejoice! Qobuz has brought back the complete symphonies, and the download (CD quality) is only $19.76! That certainly beats $242 from Amazon (I've seen it at $499...). This is the 2006 remastered version, which supposedly sounds the best. I'm enjoying the blistering intensity of No.11 tonight.


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Neo Romanza

Bachtoven 1 said:


> Shostakovich/Kondrashin fans rejoice! Qobuz has brought back the complete symphonies, and the download (CD quality) is only $19.76! That certainly beats $242 from Amazon (I've seen it at $499...). This is the 2006 remastered version, which supposedly sounds the best. I'm enjoying the blistering intensity of No.11 tonight.
> View attachment 181462


Kondrashin's Shostakovich is one of the finest I know. I bought this very CD set many years ago. Blistering performances, indeed!


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## Neo Romanza

Knorf said:


> I first encountered Martinů's music when I performed the second bassoon part of his wonderful Sextet for piano and winds, in 1988. I was 18. I got to know quite a lot of his chamber music, starting with the Nonet, and have been fortunate enough to perform the aforementioned Sextet again as well as the terrific _Quatres Madrigaux _for woodwind quartet. Sadly, though, never any of his orchestral music.


His chamber music is out-of-this-world wonderful. Great to read that you have had a personal connection with his music.


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Messiaen- Les Corps Glorieux
Latry, organ









Rachmaninoff - The Bells, Symphonic Dances
Rattle/Berlin; Orgonasova, Popov, Petrenko
One of the best things Rattle ever did









Schoenberg - Die Jakobsleiter
Nagano/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin


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## Rogerx

Pergolesi: Mass for 5 voices, etc.

Ensemble Turicum, Luiz Alves da Silva & Mathias Weibel


Gallassi: Te Deum
Leo: Sinfonia 'Il Demetrio'
Perez, D: Trio
Pergolesi: Mass for 5 voices


----------



## Mannheim Rocket

*Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 6 in F major "Pastoral" op. 68

Wiener Philharmoniker
Karl Bohm*

This is an amazing Pastoral. The playing, sound, and interpretation are all exquisite. One of the great ones.


----------



## Rogerx

Agricola: Missa In myne Zyn

Capilla Flamenca, Dirk Snellings


anon.: Alleluia, In mynen zin
anon.: Bien soiez venu
Agricola, A: Ad Missam
Agricola, A: Ad Vesperam
Agricola, A: Missa In minen sin
Agricola, A: Sy j'aime mon amy
Binchois: Comme femme desconfortée
Frye, W: Tout a par moy
Ockeghem: D’ung aultre amer


----------



## cybernaut




----------



## Neo Romanza

Closing out the night with two back-to-back *Honegger* works:

*Symphony No. 3, "Liturgique"
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
Mravinsky*

From the Praga Digitals 30th Anniversary box set -










*Violin Sonata No. 2
Ulf Wallin, Patricia Pagny*


----------



## Kiki

*Dmitri Shostakovich*
_Symphony No. 5_
*BBC Symphony Orchestra
Leopold Stokowski*
Rec. 1964 Live
BBC Legends

Here is a very effective Stokowski showing us strong contrast between brutality and contemplation. A great 5th I say, unless one cannot live with the Stokowski antics, especially in the fluctuation of tempo.


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## Rogerx

Mozart: Divertimento K334 & other chamber works

Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute), Bruno Pasquier (viola), Roland Pidoux (cello), Régis Pasquier (violin), André Cazalet (french horn), Jean Michael Vinit (french horn), Trio Pasquier, Tasso Adamopoulos (viola), Pierre Pierlot (oboe), John Steele Ritter (celesta)

Mozart: Adagio and Rondo in C minor K617a
Mozart: Adagio and Rondo K617 for flute, oboe, viola, violoncello & glass harmonica
Mozart: Al desio di chi t'adora, K 577
Mozart: Andante in F major, K616
Mozart: Divertimento No. 17 in D major K334
Mozart: Quintet for flute, violin, two violas and cello arranged from The Marriage of Figaro, K. 577 (K.Anh. 177)


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## cybernaut

Just finished listening to this and loved it.


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## Art Rock

*Carl Nielsen: String Quartets Volume 1 (Oslo String Quartet, Naxos)*

It's the Danish master for today and tomorrow for my early morning string quartets, once again inspired by a recent @Merl blog:

Nielsen - String Quartet 1 op.13 (SQ review) 

I automatically selected to start with volume 1, before noticing that this actually contains the third and fourth quartet. Oh, well. String Quartet in E flat major (Op. 14) from 1898 is a marvelous piece (probably my favourite of the four) and it is bewildering to read the critics of the time in the Wiki article: [the first movement] "appears to belong to the kind of music that is splendid to read on the lined music paper, but in the event it sounds frightful. The few moments where we grasped the musical point were drowned out by the other cacophonous babble". String Quartet in F major (Op. 44) from 1906 did not get a much better reception at its premiere: "If what the four gentlemen with the strings sat there playing last night in all earnestness is to be considered beautiful and good music... then sciatica is a musical treat, for it too is very disagreeable." It is slightly more modern than the third, and a very impressive piece as well. A pleasure to listen to these pieces again.


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## cybernaut

now blasting;


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## haydnguy

Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Weinberg (1919-1996)
Kobekin (*1947)

1. Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major Op.17 (1959)
2. Fantasy for Cello & Orchestra Op. 52 (1956)
3. Bacchants for Cello & Orchestra (2018)

Anastasia Kobekina, cello
Berner Symphonieorchester
Kevin John Edusei, Conductor

Claves Records
© 2019


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## Rogerx

Pergolesi & A. Scarlatti: Stabat Mater

Mirella Freni & Teresa Berganza

Orchestre de Chambre Paul Kuentz, Sir Charles Mackerras 



*Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was an Italian Baroque composer, violinist, and organist. Born: 4 January 1710*


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## cybernaut

"Tchaikovsky's first opera, _Voivoda_ as titled on the original Melodiya LPs but now more commonly written _The Voyevoda_ is one of his most obscure works, largely thanks to his destruction of the score. To the best of my knowledge there has been one full recording, also originating in the USSR, and this early double-LP set of highlights or 'fragments', which I understand to have been produced for radio broadcast. In terms of sound quality it's very much of its age and origin - not bad, but soon to be eclipsed by recordings made later in the decade. That said, I've heard far worse from western record companies working in the early 1950s!

I've managed to breathe quite a bit of life into a slightly dull and dusty original, whilst battling against peak distortion at higher frequencies during some of the tracks. The titles used for the various tracks here are listed exactly as written on the Melodiya LPs."

_Andrew Rose_


----------



## Dmitriyevich

Farrenc: Piano Quintets


----------



## Chilham

Premiered this day 1880 and 1879:









Smetana: Má Vlast "Tábor" and "Blaník"
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

I need to get to know these other movements better, rather than just "Vitava", so I'll take this for a spin too:









Smetana: Má Vlast "Tábor" and "Blaník"
Jiří Bělohlávek, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra


----------



## Montarsolo

Bach, Goldberg variations, Trevor Pinnock


----------



## Art Rock

*Pēteris Vasks: Viola Concerto, String Symphony 'Voices' (Sinfonietta Rīga, Maxim Rysanov, BIS)*

The Concerto for Viola and String Orchestra is a recent composition, it was premiered in 2016 by its dedicatee Maxim Rysanov, who also plays the viola (and directs the orchestra) on this CD. The viola is still an underused concertante instrument, and this concerto is definitely one of the better ones. I got this CD for the concerto, already owning a handful of renditions of the coupling, which is Vasks' first symphony from 1991. That said, this is also a good performance of the symphony and it fits well with the concerto. Top notch CD (great front cover as well).


----------



## prlj

Neo Romanza said:


> One of the things about Martinů's music, especially in the symphonies, is his use of syncopations. It's difficult music to perform well, but, thankfully, there have been several conductors who got inside this music.


Thank you! I've been following along with the scores...they are NOT easy pieces! The syncopations are wild. The other thing I've noticed is the heavy use of piano. I'm not usually a fan of piano in symphonies, but in this case, I really like it. He uses it as a textural instrument, not necessarily as a melodic vehicle or chordal accompaniment. It's great!

(I had just finished a close listen to a Beethoven cycle before starting this, so you can only imagine how jarring these pieces have sounded!)


----------



## Rogerx

Josef Suk: Fairy Tale

Michael Ludwig (violin)

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta

Suk: A Fairy Tale, Op. 16
Suk: Fantastické Scherzo Op. 25
Suk: Fantasy for Violin & Orchestra, Op. 24


*Josef Suk (4 January 1874 – 29 May 1935) *was a Czech composer and violinist.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> This being a Currentzis recording, it's not going to be conventional or "true to the work" (whatever this actually means, because only Shostakovich knew what he meant and everything else is merely an interpretation). There are many fine performances of the 14th on record, so we're in no shortage --- I also love Kondrashin, Jurowski, Maxim Shostakovich, Barshai, Bernstein et. al.


I'm the opposite! I love the piece (for me it is his best) but there are very few recordings I fully enjoy. So my praise of the Currentzis is high indeed (despite it clearly - read the words, look at the Russian tradition - being not quite what Shostakovich intended). Currentzis is a bit "neoclassical" with the work - which is very rewarding in its own way.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> The member @Lisztianwagner mentioned the second Boulez recording being their favorite. In my initial post in the _Bluebeard_ thread, I mentioned that the Boulez on Columbia was my reference recording. And, yes, there are many great recordings of _Bluebeard_, but this Boulez goes straight to the top for me.


I remembered it the wrong way around! Never mind: I like both. This (first Boulez) is certainly great and a real thrill. But really it is a work that responds well to various treatments and it is that variety (among what I feel are the best) that I love more than any particular recording.


----------



## Art Rock

*Louis Vierne: Messe solennelle, Organ works (Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine (Chœurs d'enfants de l'Opéra national de Paris), Francis Bardot, Pierre Pincemaille, Forlane)*

The impressive Messe solennelle (Solemn Mass) in C-sharp minor, Op. 16, is probably Vierne's best known composition outside his organ works. He composed it in 1899, scored for choir and two organs - which he later changed to one organ for practical reasons. The remainder of the CD is taken by organist Pincemaille, playing a number of shorter and mostly worthwhile pieces (Marche Triomphale, Cathédrales, Impromptu, as well as the overplayed Carillon de Westminster), and an improvisation in honour of Louis Vierne.


----------



## Merl

A decent, if unspectacular performance of the op.29.


----------



## Rogerx

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E Major

Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg


----------



## Montarsolo

Bach, violin concertos, Pinnock


----------



## Rogerx

Elgar: Violin Concerto op. 61

Kyung Wha Chung (violin), Phillip Moll (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti


Elgar: La Capricieuse, Op. 17
Elgar: Salut d'amour, Op. 12
Elgar: Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61


----------



## sbmonty

Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio In A Minor, Op. 50 
Trio Wanderer

Great recording. I'm a big fan of these guys. I like piano trios almost as much as string quartets.


----------



## Chilham

de Machaut: Messe de Nostre Dame
Andrew Parrott, Taverner Choir, Taverner Consort


----------



## PeterKC

A brilliant collection. I think Casella's day has finally arrived. Well, it has for me.


----------



## Bourdon

Beethoven

String Trio in E flat
Serenade (String Trio) in D major


----------



## Rogerx

Edvard Grieg: the Cello Works - Transcriptions and Songs

Daniel Müller-Schott (cello), Herbert Schuch (piano)


Grieg: Cello Sonata in A minor, Op. 36
Grieg: Den Aergjerridge, Op. 26, No. 3
Grieg: Dulgt Kjaerlighed, Op. 39 No. 2
Grieg: Intermezzo, EG 115
Grieg: Jeg lever et Liv I Laengsel, Op. 70 No. 2
Grieg: Ved Moders Grav, Op. 69 No. 3
Grieg: Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45


----------



## Malx

Having just returned from the town centre I turned on the radio (good old FM tuner) and had the good luck to time it just as a recording of a concert from the Verbrier Festival had started:

*Shostakovich, String Quartet No 8 - Quatuor Ebène.*

There are some chamber music gems to be heard on the BBC Radio 3 lunch time concert series - I'm fairly certain this and many others will available to stream on the iPlayer.


----------



## Enthusiast

Again I started the day with a Mozart opera. This time it was the opera that I think I am right in saying that Antonio Pappano called the greatest opera of all time, Don Giovanni. I went for the recording from 1955 (but still sounding pretty good) by Krips - a great performance that keeps its place among the available recordings. Irresistible.


----------



## Merl

As you know I'm not averse to brisk readings but the Endellion haven't the chops here to scamper through the op.29 Quintet and clearly articulate. If you're gonna play this music at a rate of knots you've got to be able to match the finest versions for dynamics and clarity. The Endellion should have listened to other brisk readings to hear how to properly do it. Disappointing (and from a set I own).


----------



## OCEANE

A little Bach...


----------



## Vasks




----------



## ericshreiber1005

Bach. Secular cantatas Cd #8. BWV 206 and 2155. Sop. Blazikova, counter-ten. Aoki, ten. Daniels and bass Williams. Bach Collegium Japan. Dir. Suzuki. BIS.


----------



## Art Rock

*Ralph Vaughan Williams: Early Chamber Music (The Nash Ensemble, Hyperion, 2 CD's)*

A double CD with lots of interesting works, many of them world premier recordings at the time. We start the first CD with the main course, the 30 minutes Piano Quintet in C minor for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass (1903). The double bass makes a difference compared to most others piano quintets. A wonderful piece with an amazing Andante. Nocturne and Scherzo is for string quintet (1906) is an enchanting, though relatively short, piece. Both this work and the piano quintet were not published in his lifetime, and until the nineties, they were not allowed to be performed by instruction of RVW's widow. The quirky Suite de Ballet for flute and piano (probably 1913) is in four miniature movements, all 1-2 minutes. Romance and Pastorale for violin and piano (1914) is an attractive but rather generic romantic piece. I find the short Romance for viola and piano (also 1914) more interesting.

The second CD kicks off with the String Quartet in C minor (1898). RVW's second string quartet from 1944 is rather well-known and well-regarded, his first is possibly his first composition that survived. It is a generic romantic quartet, a bit in the style of Dvorak. It is a decent quartet, but I doubt that people who hear it for the first time would guess it's by RVW. From the same year is the playful Brahmsian Quintet in D major for clarinet, horn, violin, cello and piano, possibly my favourite piece from this selection. These two pieces were also not allowed to be performed by instruction of RVW's widow until the nineties Two shorter piece to finish off the second CD: a Scherzo for string quintet (1904) and rather surprisingly (but welcome) Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes for string quartet (1940/41 - early?). 

All in all, a very attractive double CD, played superbly as always by the Nash Ensemble.


----------



## Rogerx

Rachmaninov: Vespers, Op. 37

Ory Brown mezzo (soprano) & David Vanderwal (tenor)

Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys, John Scott


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Shostakovich, Symphony No. 1*

Kondrashin and the Moscow Philharmonic.

I'm listening to honor Quboz's reissuing this set that's been out of print for too long. The recording quality isn't always the best, but Kondrashin does something to Shostakovich that makes this music consistently compelling, at least to me.


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 3* in E flat major, Op. 55, “Eroica”
Daniel Barenboim: Staatskapelle Berlin (1999)

Continuing to explore this cycle; I listened to the Sixth and Eighth yesterday, and commented about them on this thread (as well as the First, which I liked but did not make its way into one of my posts). I've gotten used to Barenboim's approach to the Beethoven symphonies now, and it's really enjoyable. I hear the influences of Furtwängler, Klemperer, Karajan, and perhaps others, but really it's Barenboim's own accomplishment. It's not the only way of doing Beethoven, and it's not even the only way of doing Beethoven which I personally would like, but I'm overall very happy with this cycle from what I've heard.









Gustav Mahler: *Symphony No. 5*
Giuseppe Sinopoli: Philharmonia Orchestra (1985)


----------



## Rogerx

Strauss: Symphony for Wind Instruments 'The Happy Workshop'; Serenade for Wind Instruments

Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Edo de Waart


----------



## Malx

Sticking with the older residents of my shelves.
*Rachmaninov, Symphony No 2 - London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn. *

Bought around the turn of the century based largely on recommendation from the old Penguin Guide.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Die Meistersinger - Hermann Abendroth

















Another Wagner Box Set: Wagner's Vision: Bayreuth Heritage


News and information about the German Composer Richard Wagner and his work




www.the-wagnerian.com


----------



## MartinDB

A mixed bag of listening, including two Haitink Beethoven 7s, in a never-ending quest to find the _best_ - in a specific sense of the 1st movement where the basses seem to hold back the crescendo before the coda. I adore this moment as much as almost any in Beethoven and recordings can work or not for me based on this. 

On quick listenings, neither is perfect - there is not enough tension. I know the LSO recording better and like it overall, as well as parts of the rest of the cycle. Haitink with the Concertgebouw has a number of other merits but that moment is not right IMO. The search continues.


----------



## Bourdon

Beethoven

Symphony No.8











*I'm waiting for the complete Hans Schmidt Isserstedt Box. 😊*


----------



## Kiki

*Bohuslav Martinů*
_Toccata e Due Canzoni H311_
*Prague Chamber Orchestra 
Ondřej Kukal *
Rec. 1997
Supraphon

Great to see so much love for Martinů around here recently!


----------



## Enthusiast

I rate Ancerl very highly and often find his recordings high among the very best of the work in question. His Janacek Sinfonietta is superb and he had a special way with Martinu that I love. I listened to the whole of the Janacek/Martinu disc and symphonies 1 and 3 in the much older (and with somewhat thin sound) Martinu symphonies two record set. Accounts from Ancerl of symphonies 5 and 6 are also available in good sound but there is no complete set.


----------



## eljr

*Beethoven: Christ On the Mount of Olives*

Elsa Dreisig (soprano), Pavol Breslik (tenor), David Soar (bass-baritone)
London Symphony Chorus


> ...the full chorus acquits itself well as commentators on one of the angel’s arias and in the rousing finale; and the male chorus of well-drilled soldiers takes the listener right into the Garden... — Choir & Organ, March 2021, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 13th Nov 2020
*Catalogue No:* LSO0862
*Label:* LSO Live
*Length:* 45 minutes










Presto Editor's Choice
November 2020


----------



## Art Rock

*Klaas de Vries: Diafonia, la Creacion, ...Sub nocte per umbras... , De Profundis (Asko Ensemble/David Porcelijn, Schönberg Ensemble/Reinbert de Leeuw, Symphonic Band Of The Rotterdam Conservatorium/Arie van Beek, Donemus)*

Klaas de Vries (1944) is a Dutch composer. This is the only CD I have of his work, a surprise thrift shop find of many years ago. I'm pretty sure I never played it before - if I did, I have no recollection of it. I find the opener Diafonia, la Creacion a bit too nervous to my taste. The highlight (and longest track) of this CD is ...Sub nocte per umbras... De Profundis is almost at the same level. On the basis of these three works not a composer I'm going to check out further though. YMMV as always.


----------



## Rogerx

Shostakovich & Tchaikovsky: Piano Trios

Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer & Mischa Maisky


Kiesewetter: Tango pathétique
Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 'In Memory of a Great Artist'


----------



## Bourdon

Mozart

Love this recording,it was my first Mozart opera,long.....long time ago.:


----------



## Enthusiast

My 3rd Bluebeard in three days. Malkki's is a fine account - very impressive.


----------



## Malx

*Shostakovich, Symphony No 7 - St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy.*

A very good Shostakovich 7 that I don't hear much reference to these days which concludes with fittingly thunderous timpani and brass.

The disc starts with a 54 sec piece of audio of Shostakovich broadcasting from Leningrad in 1941:

'_ An hour ago, I finished the score of two parts of a large symphonic composition. If I succeed in writing this composition well, if I succeed in completing the third and fourth parts, then it will be possible to call this composition the seventh symphony.
Why do I announce this? So that the radio listeners who are listening to me now will know that life of our city goes on as normal.
We are all now doing our military duty. Soviet musicians, my dear and numorous brothers-in-arms, my friends! Remember that our art is now in great danger. Let us defend our music, let us work honestly and selflessly_!'
(Quote from CD booklet)


----------



## eljr

*Beethoven: Missa Solemnis in D major, Op. 123*

Regine Hangler (soprano), Elisabeth Kulman (alto), Christian Elsner (tenor) and Franz-Josef Selig (bass)
MDR-Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester, Marek Janowski

*Release Date:* 23rd Jun 2017
*Catalogue No:* PTC5186565
*Label:* Pentatone
*Length:* 73 minutes










Record Review
29th July 2017
Recording of the Week


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now for some back-to-back *Britten*:

*Serenade For Horn, Tenor And Strings, Op. 31
Andrew Staples, tenor
Christopher Parkes, horn
Swedish RSO
Harding*











*Ballad of Heroes, Op. 14
Martyn Hill, tenor
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Hickox*










*Winter Words, Op. 52
Peter Pears, Benjamin Britten*

From this OOP set -










*String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36
Emperor Quartet*


----------



## cybernaut

Drinking coffee and listening to some Barber. Never heard this music before but I like it. I really only know Barber's Adagio, so there's a LOT of exploring for me to do.

So far, what I'm liking is that Barber's music sounds very 20th century, but avoids being overly dissonant and atonal. Burn me at the stake if you wish, but I find it hard to listen to much atonal, dissonant music.










Having just recently learned that Barber was in a long-term relationship with Menotti, I'm very intrigued with the possibility of writing a movie script about their years together. It would be a film filled with a lot of great music for sure.


----------



## Malx

The final 'Oldie but Goldie' recording from the shelves and the third Russian composer of the day.
*Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No 1 - Martha Argerich, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado.*

I don't think this classic live recording requires any introduction from me.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Now for some back-to-back *Britten*:
> 
> *Serenade For Horn, Tenor And Strings, Op. 31
> Andrew Staples, tenor
> Christopher Parkes, horn
> Swedish RSO
> Harding*


How is that recording? It and the performers names are new to me.


----------



## starthrower

Discs 1-3, today.

Continuing my exploration of Italian Madrigals.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> How is that recording? It and the performers names are new to me.


I'm not quite finished with _Serenade_ yet, but I listened to _Nocturne_ several nights ago and it's very good, indeed. Staples has a good voice. Harding is, of course, a natural in Britten as evidenced by his earlier recordings. Audio quality is excellent.


----------



## Enthusiast

I started the day with Krips and Mozart and that's the way I finished my listening day, too. Symphonies 21 - 26.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> Drinking coffee and listening to some Barber. Never heard this music before but I like it. I really only know Barber's Adagio, so there's a LOT of exploring for me to do.
> 
> So far, what I'm liking is that Barber's music sounds very 20th century, but avoids being overly dissonant and atonal. Burn me at the stake if you wish, but I find it hard to listen to much atonal, dissonant music.
> 
> View attachment 181491
> 
> 
> Having just recently learned that Barber was in a long-term relationship with Menotti, I'm very intrigued with the possibility of writing a movie script about their years together. It would be a film filled with a lot of great music for sure.


I have no difficulty with atonal music as long as I'm drawn into the sound-world or intrigued by the composer in question. I have this very same Barber recording and it's quite good. My reference recording for _Knoxville: Summer of 1915_, however, is Upshaw/Zinman on Nonesuch, but Alexander/Waart is respectable. The selections from _Vanessa_, however, are where this recording shine the brightest. Stunning performances. Barber is one of my favorite American composers. He was a perfectionist --- there's not much within his oeuvre that I dislike or have no time for.


----------



## Knorf

*Anton Webern: *Symphony, Op. 21
London Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (1969)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan (1974)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez (1994)

Doing some comparative listening of three of my favorite performances of this miraculous, gorgeous little piece.


----------



## eljr

*Mahler: Symphony No. 4*

Lisa Larsson (soprano)
Het Gelders Orkest, Antonello Manacorda


> Manacorda is sunny and relaxed, an impression enhanced by exceptionally lush and velvety sound engineering which puts us at some distance from the performers even when listening through the regular... — Gramophone Magazine, June 2015 More…



*Release Date:* 10th Nov 2014
*Catalogue No:* CC72659
*Label:* Challenge Classics
*Length:* 68 minutes
The album that made me a full time classical music fan, a mere 8 years ago. 
Don't know why it hit me so but it did.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Taking a break from Meistersinger. Will go back to the last act after this..


----------



## Knorf

*Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: *_Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy, 1812 Overture_
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti


----------



## Floeddie

*Herrmann, Bernard:* Psycho Suite for String Quartet, Echoes, Souvenirs de Voyage, Tippett Quartet Julian Bliss (2011)


----------



## eljr

Art Rock said:


> View attachment 181186
> 
> 
> Here we go again. In the past, this popular thread had to be re-started a number of times because the files got to big for the software used. The latest restart was with volume VIII, which accidentally practically coincided with the start of the new year 2022. Many members thought this was actually a good idea to pick a new year for a new thread, so with 2023 upon us (already or soon, depending on where you live), we are starting a new thread.
> 
> Links to previous Current Listening threads:
> Current Listening Vol I
> Current Listening Vol II
> Current Listening Vol III
> Current Listening Vol IV
> Current Listening Vol V
> Current Listening Vol VI
> Current Listening Vol VII
> Current Listening Vol VIII
> 
> 
> A few suggestions (as if anyone bothers reading this):
> 
> Many members appreciate if you would not just post a CD cover or an embedded YouTube link. It would be helpful if you would post at least a short description (like composer, work, performers). This holds especially for videos, because not all YouTube videos can be seen in every country, and they tend to disappear over time.
> 
> It would be even better if you can post a little bit about your own take on what you are listening to. No need for extensive reviews, but a few lines would make the thread clearly more valuable to other members.
> 
> These are suggestions, not rules. They are not subject to intervention by the moderating team.
> 
> Have fun, Happy New Year, and enjoy listening to classical music as always!


Great job with these threads!


----------



## cybernaut

Listening to the cello concerto. Gorgeous, thrilling music to my ears:


----------



## MusicSybarite

cybernaut said:


> Listening to the cello concerto. Gorgeous, thrilling music to my ears:
> 
> View attachment 181494


I have that CD in high esteem for the Concerto Fantasy for two timpanists and orchestra. Now, that's exciting! There are no many concertante works for timpani, but this one definitely is great.


----------



## Musicaterina

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No. 4 "Italian"

played by the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by John Elliot Gardiner


----------



## Malx

*Messiaen, Theme and Variations* / Ravel, Violin Sonata* / Mark Grey, San Andreas Suite - Leila Josefowicz (violin), John Novacek (piano)*.*

A two disc set I picked up for next to nothing, which mixes the familiar with some modern works - another of those discs that should be listened to more often. Every piece is played with bundles of skill and passion.

I seem to recall someone posting this a number of weeks ago or is my memory playing tricks on me, again!


----------



## eljr

*Schmidt, F: Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln (The Book of the Seven Seals)*

Johannes Chum (tenor), Robert Holl (bassbaritone), Sandra Trattnigg (soprano), Michelle Breedt (mezzo-soprano), Nikolai Schukoff (tenor), Manfred Hemm (bass) & Robert Kovács (organ)
Tonkünstler orchester Niederösterreich & Wiener Singverein, Kristjan Järvi


> Where this new version really trumps both the magisterial… Mitropoulos and the over-boxy… Harnoncourt is in the quality of the recording itself, excitingly atmospheric… and… throated choral singing... — BBC Music Magazine, April 2008, 4 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 3rd Mar 2008
*Catalogue No:* CHSA5061(2)
*Label:* Chandos
*Length:* 1 hour 52 minutes


----------



## PeterKC

Taking it in after lighting a candle in church this morning. The 12th day will soon be here.


----------



## PeterKC

Klavierman said:


> Roger-Decasse has been described as a "muscular Debussy"--that's a fair description along with a healthy dose of Scriabin.
> View attachment 181227


Most definitely need to listen to this!


----------



## cybernaut

MusicSybarite said:


> I have that CD in high esteem for the Concerto Fantasy for two timpanists and orchestra. Now, that's exciting! There are no many concertante works for timpani, but this one definitely is great.


I'm listening to the cello concerto again and then moving on to the timpani piece.


----------



## PeterKC

Musicaterina said:


> Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No. 4 "Italian"
> 
> played by the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by John Elliot Gardiner


Wonderful! But all these standing orchestras? What gives?


----------



## pmsummer

THESE DISTRACTED TIMES
*Thomas Tomkins*
Fretwork - viol ensemble
Alamire - vocal ensemble
Choir of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
David Skinner - director

_Obsidian_


----------



## Lisztianwagner

I use to listen to Bernstein on DG, so I don't know how Bernstein on Sony can sound; but I have great expectations:

*Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.6

Leonard Bernstein & NY Philharmonic*


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 2* in D major, Op. 73
Riccardo Muti: Philadelphia Orchestra (1988)

Ormandy had retired in 1980 but the way he built this orchestra's sound is still apparent throughout Muti's Brahms cycle. This actually isn't all that dissimilar to the recording I heard yesterday of Barenboim conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Brahms's Fourth. What a treat to hear this. Muti does take the first movement exposition repeat.









Johannes Brahms: *Clarinet Quintet* in B minor, Op. 115
Karl Leister, clarinet; Amadeus Quartett (Norbert Brainin, violin; Siegmund Nissel, violin; Peter Schidlof, viola; Martin Lovett, cello), rec. 1967

Just can't get enough of Brahms! The symphonies are what I'm _really_ interested in but I'm happy to hear his _Lieder_, chamber works, and piano solo works also. I'm not huge on choral music in general but _Ein deutsches Requiem_ is a masterwork. This clarinet quintet is something I have known for a long time, but I never listen to it _that_ often.


----------



## eljr

ericshreiber1005 said:


> putting the Christmas decorations/lights away


NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You must wait until after January 6th!!!!! 3 Kings Day, Little Christmas.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Lisztianwagner said:


> I use to listen to Bernstein on DG, so I don't know how Bernstein on Sony can sound; but I have great expectations:
> 
> *Gustav Mahler
> Symphony No.6
> 
> Leonard Bernstein & NY Philharmonic*


In many respects, I prefer Bernstein's earlier Mahler recordings, especially in the 4th, 3rd, 6th and 7th. He's about even in the other symphonies. I never cared much for either of his recordings of _Das Lied von der Erde_. Will be interested to read what you think of this performance whenever you get the chance.


----------



## Kiki

*Dmitri Shostakovich*
_Symphony No. 9_
*Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra 
Mariss Jansons*
Rec. 1991
EMI

Agile, beautiful and straight. Amazing pianissimo as expected. Great rendering as pure music. Is that a disguise that I cannot see through?


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Neo Romanza said:


> In many respects, I prefer Bernstein's earlier Mahler recordings, especially in the 4th, 3rd, 6th and 7th. He's about even in the other symphonies. I never cared much for either of his recordings of _Das Lied von der Erde_. Will be interested to read what you think of this performance whenever you get the chance.


Ok, I'll write something after collecting my emotions in tranquillity. I like Bernstein in _Das Lied von der Erde_, but to tell the truth, I prefer Karajan's and Haitink's recording.


----------



## Neo Romanza

And now for some back-to-back *Dvořák*:

*Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 13
Staatskapelle Berlin
Otmar Suitner*










*The Water Goblin, Op. 107, B 195
Royal Concertgebouw
Harnoncourt*










*Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65
Smetana Trio*










*Cypresses for string quartet, B152
Panocha Quartet*


----------



## Malx

PeterKC said:


> Wonderful! But all these standing orchestras? What gives?


I would reckon the knees first


----------



## Red Terror




----------



## Neo Romanza

Lisztianwagner said:


> Ok, I'll write something after collecting my emotions in tranquillity. I like Bernstein in _Das Lied von der Erde_, but to tell the truth, I prefer Karajan's and Haitink's recording.


Confession time: I never liked Karajan's _Das Lied_. For me, one of the few times he didn't quite understand Mahler. My favorite _Das Lied_ performances remain Baker/King/Haitink, Ludwig/Wunderlich/Klemperer and the more recent Connolly/Smith/Jurowski. Others I like a lot: Fasbaender/Araiza/Giulini, Minton/Kollo/Solti and Baker/Kmentt/Kubelik.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra 
part six for earlier this evening.

_Two Part-Songs_ for female choir, two violins and piano op.26, arr. for female
choir and orchestra [Texts: Caroline Alice Elgar] (orig. 1894 - arr. 1903):

with female members of the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir
and the Royal Liverpool PO/Sir Charles Groves









_The Kingdom_ - oratorio in a prelude and five parts for soprano, contralto,
tenor, bass, mixed choir and orchestra op.51 [Text: Edward Elgar, after
_New Testament_ sources] (1901-06):​with Margaret Price (sop. - The Blessed Virgin), Yvonne Minton (alt. - Mary Magdalene), Alexander Young (ten. - St. John), John Shirley-Quirk (bass - St. Peter), the London Philharmonic Choir and the London PO/Sir Adrian Boult









_Pleading_ - song for voice and orchestra op.48 [Text: Arthur Leslie Salmon] (1908):

with Robert Tear (ten.) and the City of Birmingham SO/Vernon Handley


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Neo Romanza said:


> Confession time: I never liked Karajan's _Das Lied_. For me, one of the few times he didn't quite understand Mahler. My favorite _Das Lied_ performances remain Baker/King/Haitink, Ludwig/Wunderlich/Klemperer and the more recent Connolly/Smith/Jurowski. Others I like a lot: Fasbaender/Araiza/Giulini, Minton/Kollo/Solti and Baker/Kmentt/Kubelik.


Heresy!! 😳😉

Joking aside, I haven't listened to as many recordings as you have, but among those ones you mentioned, Haitink/RCO is one of my favourites too, and Jurowski/RSB is also very compelling.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Lisztianwagner said:


> Heresy!! 😳😉
> 
> Joking aside, I haven't listened to as many recordings as you have, but among those ones you mentioned, Haitink/RCO is one of my favourites too, and Jurowski/RSB is also very compelling.


Well, you know I love Karajan, but he didn't always turn in great performances. His Mahler 6th, however, remains my reference for this symphony. Unbelievable performance.


----------



## eljr

*Codex Las Huelgas*

Hesperion XXI, Jordi Savall

*Release Date:* 25th Nov 2022
*Catalogue No:* AVSA9951
*Label:* Alia Vox
*Length:* 64 minutes
Compiled in 1325 and rediscovered in... 1904, the Codex Las Huelgas is the only manuscript of his time still kept in its original place : a Cistercian monastery on the road to Compostella in northern Spain. It grants us a privileged access to the music written in the 3 centuries prior to its completion. Jordi Savall selected 11 pieces among the 186 included in the collection.


----------



## pmsummer

PERPETUAL NIGHT
*Johnson - Lawes - Coprano - Ramsey - Lanier - Banister - Webb - Hilton - Hart - Blow - Purcell - Jackson*
Lucile Richardot - mezzo-soprano
Ensemble Correspondances
Sebastian Daucé - director
_
Harmonia Mundi_


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 3* in F major, Op. 90
Riccardo Chailly: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1991)

I think Chailly's Gewandhausorchester cycle has overshadowed this older one. Though it's been a while since I've heard either cycle, I think this one is more moderate, closer to the mainstream, and overall warmer in tone than the later one. Chailly takes the exposition repeat. This is well-played; the orchestra is really in good shape!









Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
Kurt Sanderling: Staatskapelle Dresden (1972)


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Bantock, Fifine at the Fair*

Beecham with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 1949

Beecham recorded this for the Bantock Society (headed by Sibelius) after Bantock died. It is mono, so the sound isn't as opulent as Bantock needs, but the playing is wonderful, with even the rhythm shifts accurate but effortless. I'm too lazy to read the Robert Browning poem, so I don't know what Fifine is doing at the fair, but I'm guessing interesting things are happening, because this tone poem features several interesting episodes.


----------



## Bkeske

Just arrived. Really looking forward to this on viny.

Hilary Hahn - Eclipse

Dvořák - Violin Concerto In A Minor Op. 53
Pablo de Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy Op. 25
Ginastera - Violin Concerto Op. 30
Frankfurt Radio Symphony conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada
Deutsche Grammophon 2 LP gatefold, 2022


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Bach, Goldberg Variations*

Vladimir Feltsman, piano

This is ClassicSelectWorld's latest free download. Feltsman plays with the same kind of touch as Glenn Gould, but his distinctiveness comes in the way he varies the repeats by changing octaves. Speaking personally, this recording doesn't knock Murray Perahia off the top of my list, but it is distinctive enough to keep my attention, with variations invoking feelings at times of approbation and others of head-scratching.


----------



## OCEANE

Horowitz at Home
Enjoy his Mozart very much!


----------



## sAmUiLc

Beethoven


----------



## OCEANE

This album of Bazzini violin music has been unattended for sometime and I revisit it now. The music is relatively short in length and feels like encore pieces


----------



## fluteman

OK, here is my second and final installment on the classic French wind sound circa 1850 to 1970. This LP was another issue of the joint venture begun in 1948 between French music publisher Éditions De L'Oiseau-Lyre and British record label London / Decca. Unlike the first one I discussed, the Brahms clarinet sonatas played by Jacques Lancelot, clarinet and Annie D'Arco, piano, I know of no CD reissue. Alas. Anyone who knows of one, please speak up. But you can't get more French than the French Wind Quintet with Jean-Pierre Rampal, Pierre Pierlot, Jacques Lancelot, Gilbert Coursier and Paul Hongne playing French mid-century modern neoclassical woodwind quintets. The highlight is Jacques Ibert's delightfully witty Three Short Pieces. What can I say, tout va bien, et je souhaite une bonne et saine année à tous.


----------



## Klavierman

Vierne Organ Symphony No.2. Suitable for the stormy weather today.


----------



## OCEANE

An unfamiliar piece: Jean Philippe Rameau’s piano suite (Suite en Sol) played by Alexandre Tharaud


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Bkeske

István Kertész conducts Dvořák

Symphony No. 5 In F Major
Overture "My Home"
The London Symphony Orchestra
London 1967


----------



## Neo Romanza

Bkeske said:


> Just arrived. Really looking forward to this on viny.
> 
> Hilary Hahn - Eclipse
> 
> Dvořák - Violin Concerto In A Minor Op. 53
> Pablo de Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy Op. 25
> Ginastera - Violin Concerto Op. 30
> Frankfurt Radio Symphony conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada
> Deutsche Grammophon 2 LP gatefold, 2022


As much as I love the Dvořák, the Ginastera steals the show for me, especially under Hahn's bow.


----------



## Bkeske

Neo Romanza said:


> As much as I love the Dvořák, the Ginastera steals the show, for me, especially under Hahn's bow.


I absolutely agree. In addition, the Carmen Fantasy is delightful.


----------



## cybernaut

Listening to Elgar's 1st for the first time....and so far it's not doing much for me. It's pleasant, but nothing has really grabbed me. I know it is held in very high regard, so I will give it a few listens.


----------



## prlj

*Martinů Symphony Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 ORF Vienna Radio Symphony/Meister*

After sampling No 1 last night, I binged the rest of this set this evening. All of these symphonies are new to me, and now I'm very eager to listen to other interpretations as suggested above. 

Count me as a new fan of Martinů.


----------



## Simplicissimus

Listening to this CD which I just bought - English pastoral music. (I notice that on 22JAN2019 Joe B posted this CD as his current listening.) It was a pricey purchase - about USD 23 - but I really wanted to add it to my collection, especially the George Butterworth pieces. I recently heard a couple of pieces by Butterworth on my classical music radio station which I enjoyed very much, so I decided it was time to get more into this composer. I have been into Vaughan-Williams, Holst, Delius, Finzi, and Walton already for a long time. Other factors: I want to explore William Boughton and the English String Orchestra, and I tend to like the recorded sound from Nimbus Records. I also like the fact that I was living in England when these recordings were made - little did I know at the time, but it was during my two years in England that I got hooked on English pastoral music.

This CD has been reviewed in some detail on Amazon. As noted there, the version of Butterworth's _A Shropshire Lad_ on this disc is instrumental with no vocal parts. That is OK with me; I plan to listen my way through some future CDs of vocal music in this same vein. I absolutely love all of the Butterworth pieces, and am delighted to listen carefully to the works by Parry and Bridge, which are entirely new to me and very appealing. Vernon Handley is my go-to conductor for English pastoral music, but I find Boughton's and the ESO's work here superb. I think this CD will be my gateway into much more of Boughton and the ESO.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> Listening to Elgar's 1st for the first time....and so far it's not doing much for me. It's pleasant, but nothing has really grabbed me. I know it is held in very high regard, so I will give it a few listens.
> 
> View attachment 181509


Well, the first problem is you're listening to Barenboim. He's a good conductor, but I never cared for his Elgar. Try Barbirolli or Solti.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing this entire recording, which happens to be a new acquisition:










I'm still on the fence about a tenor in _Les Nuits d'été_ as I generally prefer a mezzo-soprano or, in the case of Véronique Gens, a soprano, but this is well-done I must say. I haven't got to _Harold en Italie_ yet, but I imagine it going rather well. John Nelson is, of course, a Berlioz specialist and has made many notable recordings of this composer's music over the years. I still need to get around to listening to his recording of what may very well be Berlioz's greatest achievement, _Les Troyens_.


----------



## Becca

Enthusiast said:


> How is that recording? It and the performers names are new to me.


If you are including Daniel Harding as a new name...
‘It’s OK to take risks in concerts because there it’s safe to do so’: Conductor Daniel Harding on his double life as an airline pilot


----------



## Bkeske

Szell conducts :

Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Borodin - Polovetsian Dances From "Prince Igor"
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34
Mussorgsky - Dawn On The Moskva River From "Khovantchina" (Prelude To Act 1)
The Cleveland Orchestra.
Columbia Odyssey reissue 1970’s, originally 1958


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> Well, the first problem is you're listening to Barenboim. He's a good conductor, but I never cared for his Elgar. Try Barbirolli or Solti.


listening to this now


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> listening to this now


I really hope you enjoy it. Under the right baton, Elgar is an exciting composer and has a style that is completely his own.


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> I really hope you enjoy it. Under the right baton, Elgar is an exciting composer and has a style that is completely his own.


This Barbirolli does seem much more alive and emotive than the Barenboim.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> This Barbirolli does seem much more alive and emotive than the Barenboim.


Wait until you hear Elgar's 2nd symphony. As much as I like the 1st, the 2nd took me aback the first time I heard it --- the _Larghetto_ movement continues to have a profound effect on me.


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> Wait until you hear Elgar's 2nd symphony. As much as I like the 1st, the 2nd took me aback the first time I heard it --- the _Larghetto_ movement continues to have a profound effect on me.


Well, I am definitely enjoying this 1st now, under Barbirolli's directing.

Am I completely wrong in saying that there seems to be some similarities in style between Buckner and Elgar? I love Bruckner.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> Well, I am definitely enjoying this 1st now, under Barbirolli's directing.
> 
> Am I completely wrong in saying that there seems to be some similarities in style between Buckner and Elgar? I love Bruckner.


No, I wouldn't say you're wrong at all. I don't personally hear it, but our ears have been known to deceive us.


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> No, I wouldn't say you're wrong at all. I don't personally hear it, but our ears have been known to deceive us.


I've been marvelling at the intensity of this Barbirolli recording. Just read an article where someone referred to it as "Barbirolli's operatic fury". Works for me. 

And in the same article:
"Having had no musical education, Elgar drew his early inspirations from the German late-Romantic idiom, from Wagner, Bruckner and Richard Strauss, complemented by the contradicting otherness of Brahms. Deep down, he was a symphonist rooted in this tradition, and under a subtle but noticeable influence from Debussy, the French master of colour, he developed a highly individual orchestration technique to communicate the essence of his musical thoughts."


And from another piece:
"Elgar’s style drew on all the major influences of the day, while forging a highly personal and distinctly British style from them. His music was firmly rooted in the German Romanticism of Brahms and Bruckner and the programme visits lovely motets by these composers too."

So I guess I wasn't wrong in hearing the influence of Bruckner.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> I've been marvelling at the intensity of this Barbirolli recording. Just read an article where someone referred to it as "Barbirolli's operatic fury". Works for me.


Barbirolli, along with Adrian Boult, were champions of Elgar's music. They did so much for this composer. His oeuvre is loaded with gems. In fact, your posting has inspired me to revisit the 1st, but I'll probably wait until tomorrow.


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> Barbirolli, along with Adrian Boult, were champions of Elgar's music. They did so much for this composer. His oeuvre is loaded with gems. In fact, your posting has inspired me to revisit the 1st, but I'll probably wait until tomorrow.


Apparently Barbirolli died a few days after the recording I'm listening to. That is stunning. To think someone could conduct like this with death knocking on the door...


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> And in the same article:
> "Having had no musical education, Elgar drew his early inspirations from the German late-Romantic idiom, from Wagner, Bruckner and Richard Strauss, complemented by the contradicting otherness of Brahms. Deep down, he was a symphonist rooted in this tradition, and under a subtle but noticeable influence from Debussy, the French master of colour, he developed a highly individual orchestration technique to communicate the essence of his musical thoughts."
> 
> 
> And from another piece:
> "Elgar’s style drew on all the major influences of the day, while forging a highly personal and distinctly British style from them. His music was firmly rooted in the German Romanticism of Brahms and Bruckner and the programme visits lovely motets by these composers too."
> 
> So I guess I wasn't wrong in hearing the influence of Bruckner.


You're never wrong for what you hear. As I mentioned, I don't really hear a Bruckner influence, but I do hear Strauss who was a composer he greatly admired.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> Apparently Barbirolli died a few days after the recording I'm listening to. That is stunning. To think someone could conduct like this with death knocking on the door...


Well, Barbirolli was an "all or nothing" kind of conductor. He put his heart and soul into his performances and you can hear it. His Sibelius, for example, is absolutely stunning even if the sometimes scrappy playing from The Hallé makes some mistakes here and there. If you like Sibelius, do check out his recordings!


----------



## sAmUiLc

There is no way for me to listen to the whole thing (7 CDs, 8 1/2 hours) in one sitting. I'll do it next few days in piecemeal.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

This is fuguing good!


----------



## Bachtoven 1

sAmUiLc said:


> View attachment 181513
> 
> 
> There is no way for me to listen to the whole thing (7 CDs, 8 1/2 hours) in one sitting. I'll do it next few days in piecemeal.


I listened to it in one day, but not one sitting.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Bachtoven 1 said:


> I listened to it in one day, but not one sitting.


 You are Da Man.. until we find someone who did it in one sitting 😎


----------



## Mannheim Rocket

*Gustav Mahler

Symphony No. 4 in G major

Elly Ameling, soprano
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn*

One of Previn's few forays into Mahler, and it's surprisingly good! Well played, and Ameling is terrific in the last movement.


----------



## Rogerx

Pisendel Dresden Concertos

Freiburger Baroque Orchestra, Gottfried von der Goltz





Pisendel: 2 Concertos in G
Pisendel: 3 Concertos in D
Pisendel: Concerto a 5 da Chiesa in G
Pisendel: Concerto in E flat
Pisendel: Fantasie
Pisendel: Imitation des Caracteres de la Danse


----------



## Neo Romanza

After having a tooth extracted today, I'm now starting to feel the pain, so I'm listening to something on the quieter side:

*Janáček
In the Mists
Slávka Pěchočová, piano*










*Debussy
Deux Arabesques
Michel Béroff, piano*

From this set -










*Koechlin
L'Ancienne Maison de campagne, Op. 124
Michael Korstick, piano*

From this set -


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Beethoven - Piano Concertos 1 and 2
Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna; Backhaus 
On vinyl









Vaughan Williams - Symphony 7
Boult/LPO
On vinyl









Janacek - Suites from Jenufa and The Excursions of Mr Broucek (arr Breiner)
Breiner/NZ Symphony Orchestra


----------



## Red Terror




----------



## Rogerx

The Romantic Piano Concerto 2 - Medtner

Nikolai Demidenko (piano)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Jerzy Maksymiuk

Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 50
Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 3 in E minor, Op. 60 'Ballade'


----------



## Neo Romanza

Last work of the night:

*Brahms
Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108
Alina Ibragimova, Cédric Tiberghien*










Absolutely stunning.


----------



## Art Rock

*Carl Nielsen: String Quartets Volume 2 (Oslo String Quartet, Naxos)*

It's the Danish master for yesterday and today for my early morning string quartets. Today volume 2, containing the first and second quartet. String Quartet in F minor (Op. 5) from 1888 (revised 1900) is a great way to start the numbered cycle (there is also an unnumbered quartet from 1888). It was well received at the time and apparently it is still the most frequently performed of his string quartets. String Quartet in G minor (Op. 13) from 1890 presented difficulties, both in the writing (from his letters: ""Have finished the Andante in the quartet today. At last! What that piece has cost me!"), and in preparing the first performance, for Joachim ("We had held five rehearsals and yet it still sounded very mediocre"). In the end though, this is another wonderful quartet. Like I said yesterday, a pleasure to listen to these pieces again.


----------



## sAmUiLc

#2









My top favorite


----------



## Bachtoven 1

sAmUiLc said:


> You are Da Man.. until we find someone who did it in one sitting 😎


Does it count that I saw Jonathan Powell play "Opus Clavicembalisticum" in concert with just one intermission?


----------



## sAmUiLc

Bachtoven 1 said:


> Does it count that I saw Jonathan Powell play "Opus Clavicembalisticum" in concert with just one intermission?


Isn't that piece a little shorter? OK, if you want the title 'Da Man' for good you can have it. I won't object to it. 🧐


----------



## Kiki

*Bohuslav Martinů*
_Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani H271 _
*Czech Philharmonic Orchestra 
Karel Šejna *
Rec. 1958
Supraphon

An intense affair from Šejna in this rightfully legendary recording! There are many great Double Concerto recordings, but here is something indescribable in the air. However, legendary though it is, I will risk my life by saying I don't like the grand slowing down in several parts in the slow movement.


----------



## Rogerx

Alfred Brendel - The Farewell Concerts

Alfred Brendel (piano)

Wiener Philharmoniker, Sir Charles Mackerras


Bach, J S: Chorale Prelude BWV659 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland'
Beethoven: Bagatelle in A Major, Op. 33 No. 4
Beethoven: Bagatelles (7), Op. 33
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 No. 1 'Quasi una fantasia'
Haydn: Andante & Variations in F minor, Hob.XVII:6 (Sonata - un piccolo divertimento)
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K271 "Jeunehomme"
Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 15 in F major, K533/494
Schubert: Impromptu in G flat major, D899 No. 3
Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat major, D960



*Alfred Brendel KBE (born 5 January 1931) is an Austrian classical pianist*


----------



## Rogerx

Johann Wilhelm Wilms: Symphonies & Solo Concertos
Forgotten Treasures Vol. 4



Wilms: Flute Concerto in D major, Op. 24
Wilms: Piano Concerto in C major, Op. 12
Wilms: Symphony Op. 14 in E flat major


----------



## Enthusiast

Becca said:


> If you are including Daniel Harding as a new name...
> ‘It’s OK to take risks in concerts because there it’s safe to do so’: Conductor Daniel Harding on his double life as an airline pilot


Oh yes, I was familiar with him .... but not his amazing double life. Astounding. Thanks for that.


----------



## Art Rock

*Fritz Volbach: Es waren zwei Königskinder, Symphony (Sinfonieorchester Münster, Golo Berg, CPO)*

Fritz Volbach (1861 - 1940) was a German conductor, composer and musicologist. One of many conservative late romantic composers in the slipstream of Brahms, whose music is not much played or talked about. CPO is one of those adventurous labels that dares to record that type of music. Es waren zwei Königskinder is a symphonic poem from 1900, based on the folk ballad of the same name. It's a subject Richard Strauss could have tackled, and probably with a less restrained result. That said, I quite like the Volbach here. His only symphony is from 1909 and is of pretty high quality (not on level with the famous composers of the era, but definitely not deserving the neglect it has received). The recordings are from live concerts with excellent well-behaved public, by the orchestra that Volbach himself founded in 1919.


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Lisztianwagner said:


> I use to listen to Bernstein on DG, so I don't know how Bernstein on Sony can sound; but I have great expectations:
> 
> *Gustav Mahler
> Symphony No.6
> 
> Leonard Bernstein & NY Philharmonic*


The 6th Symphony was incredible, such a masterful recording; I had few doubts about Bernstein, he was always a very sensitive mahlerian conductor and he didn’t fail to give a very deeply impressive performance. The first movement is such a clash of contrasting suggestions, so powerful in the orchestral expression (gorgeous percussion), alternating violent, fiery passages of an almost demoniac force to others brighter, passionate and lyrical, till echoing the vision of idyllic, but far landscapes, always with a marvelous timbric control; the Scherzo is a bit fast, but it is brilliantly handled evoking an even more grotesque and ghostly atmosphere, at times ironic and caricatural, which is never resolved by the quieter, nostalgic sections. In the Andante the evocative impression of an immersive, pure beautiful nature is clouded by profound glimpses of melancholy and anxiety, depicted with great intensity; the final movement completely blew me away for that overwhelming sense of unceasing, dramatic struggle and tension toward the infinite that can be perceived, so strong, so hugely stretched but always broken before growing so much in energy and almost reaching the peak, not only because of the powerful hammer blows that stand out with clarity, but also through frightening climaxes. 

Same box set, now:
*Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 1

Leonard Bernstein & NY Philharmonic*


----------



## Musicaterina

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 58

played by Hélène Grimaud (pianoforte) and the Orchestre de Paris conducted by Christoph Eschenbach


----------



## Bourdon

Malx said:


> *Messiaen, Theme and Variations* / Ravel, Violin Sonata* / Mark Grey, San Andreas Suite - Leila Josefowicz (violin), John Novacek (piano)*.*
> 
> A two disc set I picked up for next to nothing, which mixes the familiar with some modern works - another of those discs that should be listened to more often. Every piece is played with bundles of skill and passion.
> 
> I seem to recall someone posting this a number of weeks ago or is my memory playing tricks on me, again!


It was me Malx.


----------



## Rogerx

Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 2, Contrasts & Solo Violin Sonata

Musiktage Mondsee, Andras Schiff


Bartók: Contrasts for violin, clarinet & piano, BB 116, Sz. 111
Bartók: Sonata for Solo Violin, BB 124, Sz. 117
Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 2, BB 85, Sz. 76


----------



## Anooj




----------



## Musicaterina

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, op. 58

played by Anton Nel (pianoforte) and the Philharmonie Austin conducted by Mark Dupere on period instruments


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Well, the first problem is you're listening to Barenboim. He's a good conductor, but I never cared for his Elgar. Try Barbirolli or Solti.


I couldn't agree less! Of course, Barbirolli's recording is a great one (and was my introduction to Elgar 1 some 50+ years ago) and Solti's is pretty good. But among recent Elgar accounts (and approaches), I feel Barenboim is excelling. I am not equipped to understand which accounts are the best introductions to a work. What I do know is that if I fail to respond to a work that is widely admired it is likely that I just haven't found the key to that work (the alternative would be that everyone else is wrong to love or admire it) and that trying out different recordings will probably one day bear fruit. For some reason, though, this approach has mostly failed me with Mendelssohn - perhaps we all have our blind spots.


----------



## Rogerx

Chopin: 10 Mazurkas, Prelude Op. 45, Ballade No. 1 & Scherzo No. 2

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano)


*Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli ( 5 January 1920 – 12 June 1995) *


----------



## vincula

Currently rediscovering this wonderful Beethoven cycle:










Glorious sound from the Royal Concertgebouw as usual. Sawallisch gets somethimes bashed in rewiews as a lethargic _kapellmeister_. This can't be further from the truth here!

Regards,

Vincula


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Confession time: I never liked Karajan's _Das Lied_. For me, one of the few times he didn't quite understand Mahler. My favorite _Das Lied_ performances remain Baker/King/Haitink, Ludwig/Wunderlich/Klemperer and the more recent Connolly/Smith/Jurowski. Others I like a lot: Fasbaender/Araiza/Giulini, Minton/Kollo/Solti and Baker/Kmentt/Kubelik.


Discussions of our favourites, our likes and dislikes, are becoming more common in this thread. That's good, I think. But the trouble is that our tastes vary a lot and one post on preferences begs another ... and another. For example, Karajan's Mahler which seems to be quite popular on the forum these days but a couple of years ago was, I think, far less so. I'm "old school" and do not know any Karajan Mahler recording that I can stomach (but prefer his DLVDE to his other attempts)! For DLVDE, we have been lucky: there are many really fine performances (and many that are less good) - I can count more than 10 that seem quite exceptional to me (and there are not many works I can say that of). But I doubt any of us with the experience of having listened to a good number of them would agree on how they measure up "against" each other. So, I'm not sure: do we open up in this thread to discussions of relative merits and preferences here or do we use such instances as reasons to start new threads for such discussions? I suppose "like" and "love" votes give some indication of which recordings we each like but it _is _interesting to explore our opinions in more detail.

The other side of this question is what readers can make of conflicting recommendations. The "most popular" recommendations will tend to be for recordings that have been around for a while and that many members know. I do often try records that are recommended on TC and have got quite good at choosing which to follow up. But I have a lot of time these days (I am mostly retired) and feel I can trust my experience ... but this involves not trusting an opinion formed too rapidly!


----------



## Enthusiast

Red Terror said:


>


I had somehow never been aware of that recording. Do you think I need to become aware of it?


----------



## Rogerx

Weber - The Symphonies

Jaakko Luoma (bassoon)

Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jean-Jacques Kantorow


Weber: Andante & Rondo Ungarese, Op. 35
Weber: Bassoon Concerto in F major, Op. 75
Weber: Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 19, J50
Weber: Symphony No. 2 in C major, J51


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> Now playing this entire recording, which happens to be a new acquisition:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm still on the fence about a tenor in _Les Nuits d'été_ as I generally prefer a mezzo-soprano or, in the case of Véronique Gens, a soprano, but this is well-done I must say. I haven't got to _Harold en Italie_ yet, but I imagine it going rather well. John Nelson is, of course, a Berlioz specialist and has made many notable recordings of this composer's music over the years. I still need to get around to listening to his recording of what may very well be Berlioz's greatest achievement, _Les Troyens_.


I don't know this record but Roth has given us the same coupling and with a baritone in Les Nuits which I enjoyed a lot but, like you, was left uncertain about having a male voice in that work.


----------



## Bourdon

Haydn



















I read somewhere that there is a bootleg edition of this collection on ebay. Nearly indistinguishable from the original. Current prices of this (original) Backhaus box are now well above a thousand euros.


----------



## PeterKC

A brilliant and energetic reading of the 6th.








Now becoming one of my favored Mahler symphonies.
How well this recording has held up!


----------



## Enthusiast

Listening to a whole opera in the morning (after two days of Mozart operas) is becoming a habit. According to a review quoted from on the Presto website, this is a controversial take on Debussy's incomparable masterpiece. But then the same was once true of much of Karajan's Wagner as well. Anyway, it is a recording I love (along with a good few others of Pelleas).


----------



## Kiki

*Dmitri Shostakovich*
_Symphony No. 6_
*Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra 
Kirill Kondrashin*
Rec. 1967 Live
Altus

Very sharp!


----------



## Vasks

*Fuchs - Concert Overture: Des Meeres und der Liebe Wellen" (Mussauer/Thorofon)
Gernsheim - Piano Quintet #2 (Art Vio Qrt +/Toccata)
Goetz - Nenie (Albert/cpo)*


----------



## Rogerx

Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor

Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 4*

Leon Fleischer with the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell

For the price, this is among the best of the Membran/Intense Media 10-CD boxes.


----------



## Bourdon

Mahler

Symphony No.5


----------



## sbmonty

Knorf said:


> *Joseph Haydn: *Symphonies No. 93 in D major, No. 94 in G major "Surprise," and No. 95 in C minor
> Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, Ádám Fischer
> 
> I was led to believe that the "London" symphonies from this cycle were substantially weaker or less memorable than the rest, but that's total rubbish. These are excellent performances! It is true that, from these earlier recordings to the symphonies recorded last in the cycle, Fischer and the AHHO noticeably moved towards a leaner and generally quicker style. But that in no way invalidates the top-shelf quality of these earlier recordings, and I think the difference between them has been rather exaggerated. Seeing as the complete cycle took over a decade to complete, it's rather understandable.


I've read that repeatedly as well, but never understood why. The London sound superb to my ears.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Bach. Secular cantatas Cd #9. BWV 201and 207a. Sop. Lunn, counter-ten Blaze, tenors Phan & Nakashima, bar. Immler and bass Worner. Bach Collegium Japan. Dir. Suzuki BIS.


----------



## MartinDB

Weinberg string quartets (and piano quintet). Working my way for the first time through the full set from the Silesian quartet. Plus the one CD I have of the quartets by the Danel quartet (numbers 4 and 16). The excellent Silesian recordings are better, it seems; I don't know about performances as I haven't compared them.


----------



## sbmonty

Chopin: Nocturnes
Stephen Hough

Terrific recording!


----------



## Chilham

One of my listening objectives this year is to try to get beyond the piece, and become more aware of the performance. I'm unsure how I'm going to achieve that but thought a start might be to listen to several different performances of some of my favourite pieces that I'm very familiar with. I put together several versions of a Beethoven "Frankenstein" symphony, and spent today listening to them:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" - 1. Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande: Allegro ma non troppo
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - 2. Molto Vivace
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" - 3. Scherzo
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - 4. Allegro









Riccardo Chailly, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra









Ádám Fischer, Danish Chamber Orchestra









Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Chamber Orchestra of Europe









Manfred Honeck, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra









Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Chamber Orchestra of Europe









Jordi Savall, Les Consert des Nations


I suspect it was too much to take in, and will need to revisit again, but an interesting and mostly enjoyable exercise all the same.

Harnoncourt was my introduction to Beethoven, so I found it reassuring, Chailly is fast, full and enjoyable, Honeck vibrant and exciting. I'm never sure that what you get with Savall is what the composer intended, but found the performances enjoyable. Fischer is outstanding (as, sometimes with Beethoven, is Dausgaard), and fast becoming my favourite Beethoven cycle. Which leaves Nézet-Séguin. I can only ask, what is all the fuss about? Sure there's a lot of detail, but it's was way too bright to my ears. Interestingly, I read a review suggesting that his approach with the CoE most benefits Beethoven's symphonies 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8. In other words, none of the symphonies I listened to, but really, I found it seriously lacking.

I think for the future, I'd best just take two, or maybe three versions of a piece. Great fun though.


----------



## Georgieva

Mozart: Piano sonatas
Maria Joao Pires (piano)


----------



## Enthusiast

Mention and discussion of Elgar 1 earlier led to my wanting to hear this one. Handley's Elgar seems very "straightforward" but it is also masterly. His recordings of the two symphonies (and the other live Elgar 1) will always be among my preferred recordings and held in higher esteem than many good accounts by more famous names.


----------



## Rogerx

Krommer: Octet Partitas Op. 57; Op. 69; Op. 79

Netherlands Wind Ensemble


----------



## Malx

*R Schumann, Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 - Jonathan Biss.*

Still playing those discs often passed by when selections for listening are made. This album was the debut recording of Jonathan Biss.










Edited to add new Image as the original one I posted with EMI label appears to have been unsuitable for some reason


----------



## allaroundmusicenthusiast

My yearly traversal of the complete Beethoven sonatas, returning again to the full Brautigam set after a couple of years. Probably my favourite recording of the 32, along with Backhaus'


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> Discussions of our favourites, our likes and dislikes, are becoming more common in this thread. That's good, I think. But the trouble is that our tastes vary a lot and one post on preferences begs another ... and another. For example, Karajan's Mahler which seems to be quite popular on the forum these days but a couple of years ago was, I think, far less so. I'm "old school" and do not know any Karajan Mahler recording that I can stomach (but prefer his DLVDE to his other attempts)! For DLVDE, we have been lucky: there are many really fine performances (and many that are less good) - I can count more than 10 that seem quite exceptional to me (and there are not many works I can say that of). But I doubt any of us with the experience of having listened to a good number of them would agree on how they measure up "against" each other. So, I'm not sure: do we open up in this thread to discussions of relative merits and preferences here or do we use such instances as reasons to start new threads for such discussions? I suppose "like" and "love" votes give some indication of which recordings we each like but it _is _interesting to explore our opinions in more detail.
> 
> The other side of this question is what readers can make of conflicting recommendations. The "most popular" recommendations will tend to be for recordings that have been around for a while and that many members know. I do often try records that are recommended on TC and have got quite good at choosing which to follow up. But I have a lot of time these days (I am mostly retired) and feel I can trust my experience ... but this involves not trusting an opinion formed too rapidly!


To be frank, I comment on what I want to freely and I don't think too much about whether this thread is the right vicinity for such an opinion for saying whether I like a performance or not. But, now that you mentioned it, since this thread is dedicated to listening, I think it is okay to comment on a member's post. The like buttons don't really tell the whole tale and sometimes I feel the need to elaborate on my opinion. I think this thread should be open for such comments to take place as long as they're respectful to the member's post that you're responding to. This is just my two measly cents --- another member may feel differently.


----------



## eljr

*Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 14 & 26*

Tamas Vasary (piano)
Berlin Philharmoniker

*Release Date:* 17th Nov 2014
*Catalogue No:* PTC5186203
*Label:* Pentatone
*Series: *Remastered Classics


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now for some back-to-back *Brahms*:

*String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2
Raphael Ensemble*

From this set -










*Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Solti*

From this set -










*Double Concerto in A Minor, Op. 102
Vadim Repin (violin), Truls Mørk (cello)
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Chailly*

From this set -


----------



## Rogerx

R Strauss - Don Juan, Burleske, Till Eulenspiegel

Sergei Edelmann (piano)

Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Paavo Berglund

Saved from my neighbours bin .


----------



## Art Rock

*Pēteris Vasks: Organ Works (Tuomas Pyrhönen, Alba)*

This may be the complete output for organ by Vasks, as a CD with organ works on Wergo has the same five compositions: Te Deum, Viatore (transcribed from the work for string orchestra), Canto di forza (originally for 12 cellos), Musica seria, Cantus ad pacem. Pyrhönen plays them on the Walcker organ of the Riga Cathedral, at one time the largest church organ in the world. The music is as one would expect from Vasks, not too exuberant, more pensive.


----------



## Philidor

This year there is no "Sunday after New Year", as Epiphany is tomorrow ... so I listen today to that stuff:

*Johann Sebastian Bach: "Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind" BWV 153*

Sally Bruce-Payne, James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner


----------



## sAmUiLc

Not sure if it is still there, but I once saw the live performance of this on YT. Formenti is always much more arresting live (actually thoroughly arresting). But there is no live recording available to public. So this will do.. though not completely satisfying.


----------



## Art Rock

Neo Romanza said:


> To be frank, I comment on what I want to freely and I don't think too much about whether this thread is the right vicinity for such an opinion for saying whether I like a performance or not. But, now that you mentioned it, since this thread is dedicated to listening, I think it is okay to comment on a member's post. The like buttons don't really tell the whole tale and sometimes I feel the need to elaborate on my opinion. I think this thread should be open for such comments to take place as long as they're respectful to the member's post that you're responding to. This is just my two measly cents --- another member may feel differently.


Spot on in my opinion. If the comments are civilized and do not result in a long side discussion to and fro (which would be better in a separate thread), I think it can only be beneficial for people participating in this thread.


----------



## Monsalvat

Neo Romanza said:


> Now for some back-to-back *Brahms*:
> 
> *String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2
> Raphael Ensemble*
> 
> From this set -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
> Chicago Symphony Orchestra
> Solti*
> 
> From this set -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Double Concerto in A Minor, Op. 102
> Vadim Repin (violin), Truls Mørk (cello)
> Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
> Chailly*
> 
> From this set -


Glad to see you're giving Brahms another go. That Solti cycle is strong and I might give some of it a go later today. I think Solti is remembered for his very energetic Wagner recordings, but I think he adapts himself well and his Brahms, Mozart, Elgar, and Bartók are all quite different from his Wagner. How is the chamber music? I've found that Hyperion usually has very good engineering with their chamber music, and the Takács Quartet has recorded the Brahms string quartets and piano quintet on that label which were very good.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 1* in C minor, Op. 68
Claudio Abbado: Wiener Philharmoniker (1972)

A predecessor to the more famous Berlin cycle. Young Abbado, here with dark black hair... I'm still trying to find a digital copy of his 1972ish Brahms Third with the Staatskapelle Dresden but it's a white whale (and I don't want to pay through the nose for another Brahms Third...)


----------



## Enthusiast

Art Rock said:


> Spot on in my opinion. If the comments are civilized and *do not result in a long side discussion to and fro (which would be better in a separate thread)*, I think it can only be beneficial for people participating in this thread.


Thanks. I guess that was my point: I tend to hold back for this reason but given the general thumbs up I'll relax and add to such discussions if I have something that seems worth saying.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Monsalvat said:


> Glad to see you're giving Brahms another go. That Solti cycle is strong and I might give some of it a go later today. I think Solti is remembered for his very energetic Wagner recordings, but I think he adapts himself well and his Brahms, Mozart, Elgar, and Bartók are all quite different from his Wagner. How is the chamber music? I've found that Hyperion usually has very good engineering with their chamber music, and the Takács Quartet has recorded the Brahms string quartets and piano quintet on that label which were very good.


I think Solti was one of the great conductors, IMHO. I know he's not for everybody, but his performances always thrill me and his Brahms is no different. I think he acquits himself quite well in Brahms' music. His Mahler, Strauss, Bartók and Elgar are also favorites of mine, but he's also quite good in Shostakovich, too. Brahms' chamber music is exquisite and I've been thoroughly enjoying this Hyperion box set. If you can find it, don't hesitate to buy it (if you see it for a good price).


----------



## Faramundo

A marvel if ever there was one !


----------



## eljr

*Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius & Sea Pictures*

Stuart Skelton (tenor), Sarah Connolly (mezzo) & David Soar (bass), Sarah Connolly (mezzo)
BBC Symphony Chorus & BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis


> among the best Gerontius performances on record. Davis resists the temptation to make the work sound like a flabby, imitation Parsifal and the results are outstandingly convincing...[Skelton]... — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2014, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 29th Sep 2014
*Catalogue No:* CHSA5140(2)
*Label:* Chandos
*Length:* 2 hours 4 minutes










BBC Music Magazine
Disc of the month









BBC Music Magazine Awards
2015
Choral Award Winner









Presto Recordings of the Year
Finalist 2014









Gramophone Awards
2015
Winner - Choral
*Plucking out 
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38
Work length1:42:30
from this disc*


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique*

Beecham conducting the Orchestre National de la Radiofussion Francaise from 1959. It's curious; though this is a French orchestra, you can't tell. They don't have the distinctive sound of the woodwinds and the vibrato in the brass. But they give it everything they've got.


----------



## Enthusiast

Superb.


----------



## Malx

Rogerx said:


> Saved from my neighbours bin .


So many questions formed in my mind when I read that !


----------



## Georgieva

Christoph Eschenbach - Mozart: Piano Sonatas etc.


----------



## 13hm13

Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol, Russian Easter Festival Overture, Scheherazade [Vasily Petrenko]


----------



## Malx

*Finzi, Concerto for cello & orchestra / Eclogue for piano & strings / Grand Fantasia and Toccata - Tim Hugh (cello), Peter Donohoe (piano), Northern Sinfonia, Howard Griffiths.*

I don't know these works from any other recordings but I am content enough with this disc.


----------



## 13hm13

Pavel Haas - Staatsphilharmonie Brünn, Israel Yinon – Orchesterwerke / Orchestral Music


----------



## Philidor

Written for the Sunday after New Year.

*J. S. Bach: "Ehr sei dir, Gott, gesungen"*
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Fifth

Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
The Netherlands Bach Society
Jos van Veldhoven


----------



## Enthusiast

Malx said:


> So many questions formed in my mind when I read that !


Like his address?


----------



## Georgieva

Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 18 in G major, D894
Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 16 in A minor, D845

Radu Lupu (piano)


----------



## Enthusiast

A fine Das Lied von der Erde - Alice Coote is exceptional. It was chosen recently (18 months ago) by the BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library".


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> A fine Das Lied von der Erde - Alice Coote is exceptional. It was chosen recently (18 months ago) by the BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library".


I LOVE this recording! I should've mentioned it as a favorite when I was talking about performances of _Das Lied_ that I enjoy.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra
part seven for tonight.

_O Hearken Thou_ - 'coronation offertorium' for mixed choir and
orchestra op.64 [Text: _Psalm V_] (1911):

with the London Symphony Chorus and the Northern
Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox







​_The Crown of India_ is among the least essential of Elgar's choral works. Bearing in mind that it was written for the recently-crowned King George V and his wife Mary of Teck in the wake of their also becoming Emperor and Empress of India I suppose it's not surprising that despite its grand designation as an 'imperial masque' it comes over more as a long-winded divertimento with words rather than anything more profound.

The storyline - such as it is (the text by actor-turned-playwright Henry Hamilton is the sort of bombastic poppycock that could have been written by any deservedly obscure poet well over half a century earlier) - revolves around a competition between the cities of Calcutta (represented by Commerce and Statecraft) and Delhi (represented by Tradition and Romance) to establish which one becomes India's, or rather the British Raj's, capital. Elgar, craftsman that he was, occasionally succeeds in transcending the unremitting banality of the text but overall I don't think I'm being overly harsh when I say that this is barely more than incidental music-by-numbers. Luckily, conductor Sir Andrew Davis does us something of a favour by providing on disc two a shorter alternative version in which all of the spoken narrative is cut out.
​After an initial run the full work soon fell into neglect, but Elgar shrewdly made a silk purse from a sow's ear by putting together an orchestral concert suite which became popular. Some of the orchestration for the recording of the whole work here was put together by Anthony Payne using a surviving piano/vocal score - the only known example of the full-score manuscript disappeared c. 1970 when the London premises where it was last known to have been archived (the former offices of the publishers Enoch & Sons in Hanover Square) were demolished. Any rumours that the score was discovered by a music lover before the wrecking ball swung into action but deliberately put back in its cabinet to ensure that it would never again see the light of day must remain open to question.

_The Crown of India_ - imperial masque in two tableaux for contralto (or mezzo-soprano),
baritone, three speakers, mixed choir and orchestra op.66, partially orch. by Anthony
Payne in 2007 [Text: Henry Hamilton] (1911-12):​with Claire Shearer (mez. - Agra/Benares/Lotus), Gerald Finley (bar. - St. George), Barbara Marten (nar. - India), Deborah McAndrew (nar. - Calcutta), Joanne Mitchell (nar. - Delhi), the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus and the BBC PO/Sir Andrew Davis










_Three Songs_ for voice and piano op.59, arr. for voice and orchestra
[Texts: Gilbert Parker] (orig. 1910 - arr. by 1912):
_Two Songs_ for voice and piano op.60, arr. for voice and orchestra
[Texts: Pietro D'Alba, a.k.a E. Elgar] (orig. 1909-10 - arr. 1912):

with Robert Tear (ten.) and the City of Birmingham SO/Vernon Handley









_Great is the Lord_ - anthem for baritone (or bass), mixed choir and organ,
arr. for bass, mixed choir and orchestra op.67 [Text: _Psalm XLVIII_]
(orig. by 1912 - arr. ????):

with Stephen Roberts (bar.), the London Symphony Chorus
and the Northern Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20*

Casadesus with George Szell and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra


----------



## eljr

Live now from my Church in midtown Manhattan, St. Malachy.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Excellent playing and sound. I love the contrast between Martinu's motor rhythms and his lyrical slow movements.


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Floeddie

*Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphony No. 4, Danish Chamber Orchestra, Adam Fischer*


I'm not terribly impressed with this one as Beethoven has composed some greats that eclipse this work.


----------



## Art Rock

*Olli Virtaperko: Romer's Gap, Multikolor, Ambrosian Delights (Jyväskylä Sinfonia, Ville Matvejeff, Perttu Kivilaakso, Joonatan Rautiola, Jonte Knif, Ondine)*

Olli Virtaperko (1973) is a Finnish composer. This is my only CD with his works, but this is heaven for someone who like me loves unusual concertos. The first track Romer's Gap (2016) is a concerto for amplified cello and sinfonietta. The soloist is Perttu Kivilaakso, member of the renowned Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica. It is a fascinating piece, far more than just a gimmick choice of concertante instrument. But wait. It gets better (or worse). The final track Ambrosian Delights (2015) is a concerto for knifonium and chamber orchestra. For the... what? Glad you asked. The knifonium is a vacuum-tube-based analogue synthesizer, designed by Jonte Knif, who also plays the beast in this concerto. I really enjoy the sound of this instrument, and Virtaperko combines it well with the chamber orchestra. Funny sounds, yes, but also a fun listening experience. Highly original. Squeezed in between these rarities is a work for an almost normal concertante instrument - Multikolor (2014), a concerto for baritone saxophone (played by Joonatan Rautiola) and small chamber orchestra. It gives me associations with the didgeridoo at places. Another interesting piece, but not at the level of the two others for me. Even if you are not particularly interested in unusual concertos, but like to explore contemporary music that is neither neo-romantic nor hard-core avant garde, but highly original, there is lots to enjoy on this CD.

A good article in case you want to read more about the works on this CD, and how they were recorded:









Four years of twists and turns


Helsinki-based composer Olli Virtaperko attained a physical outcome to a four-year project with the release of an album of three extensive concertos on the Ondi




fmq.fi


----------



## eljr




----------



## Malx

*Mozart, Symphonies Nos 28 & 29 - Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado.*

Big boned, full fat, no semi-skimmed here and none the worse for that. Much as I enjoy many slimmer versions of Mozart's symphonies there is still room for this approach.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Jongen, Symphonie Concertante*

Virgil Fox, Organ, with the Orchestre du Theatre National de l'Opera, let by Georges Pretre

This is fun. I'm not much of a fan of organ music (though I took organ lessons for three years), but Jongen manages to mix the orchestra with the organ to where they are an organic whole.


----------



## PeterKC

It's Pizza Night in the house tonight, so I'm cooking and the following is what's spinning now. Probably go Neapolitan later. Any suggestions? Thinking maybe some buffa with dinner


----------



## eljr




----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Fryderyk Chopin
Nocturnes Op. 48 & 55

Pianist: Jan Lisiecki*


----------



## Chilham

Premiered in it's revised version this day 1868:









Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1
Andrew Litton, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Vadim Gluzman


----------



## HenryPenfold

we can't delete our own posts - wonder why?


----------



## eljr

*Anastasis Mass *
Frederik Magle / December 14, 2017


----------



## Enthusiast

Floeddie said:


> *Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphony No. 4, Danish Chamber Orchestra, Adam Fischer*
> 
> 
> I'm not terribly impressed with this one as Beethoven has composed some greats that eclipse this work.


It is one that can quite often disappoint me, too. But not always. I think it's hard to do successfully.


----------



## MartinDB

Monsalvat said:


> Glad to see you're giving Brahms another go. That Solti cycle is strong and I might give some of it a go later today. I think Solti is remembered for his very energetic Wagner recordings, but I think he adapts himself well and his Brahms, Mozart, Elgar, and Bartók are all quite different from his Wagner. How is the chamber music? I've found that Hyperion usually has very good engineering with their chamber music, and the Takács Quartet has recorded the Brahms string quartets and piano quintet on that label which were very good.


The sextets are great in my opinion and were, I think, the first works by Brahms that I heard. All the Brahms chamber works on Hyperion are great, with terrific recordings as you would expect. (The one exception I would single out is the piano quintet. This is ok, but no more and there are many other great versions to choose from.)


----------



## HenryPenfold

*Ralph Vaughan Williams* - Symphony no. 8
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
Recorded 2 August 1958, live at the Music Shed, Tanglewood, a Berkshire Festival Concert
Performance duration - 28 minutes, 19 seconds (excluding applause and MC announcements)

This performance is my favourite of all the recordings of this symphony that I own (which must be virtually all of them). 

Such a grasp of the overall structure, with powerful playing and an irrepressible forward drive that is utterly necessary for this music to unfold properly. 

The Pristine remastering by Andrew Rose is superb.


----------



## MartinDB

Art Rock said:


> Spot on in my opinion. If the comments are civilized and do not result in a long side discussion to and fro (which would be better in a separate thread), I think it can only be beneficial for people participating in this thread.


I am glad you said this. I really appreciate it when people express opinions but have hesitated from doing so myself. It is much more useful. The proviso sounds spot on, too. Thank you.


----------



## HenryPenfold

Floeddie said:


> *Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphony No. 4, Danish Chamber Orchestra, Adam Fischer*
> 
> 
> I'm not terribly impressed with this one as Beethoven has composed some greats that eclipse this work.


I love his fourth! I listen to it as much as the Eroica........
the second is terrific too, in my opinion.


----------



## PeterKC

Lisztianwagner said:


> *Fryderyk Chopin
> Nocturnes Op. 48 & 55
> 
> Pianist: Jan Lisiecki*


Egads!..that cover!


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Antonio Pappano*

From this 2-CD set -










Next up:

*Strauss
Don Quixote, Op. 35
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Alban Gerhardt, Lawrence Power
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
Markus Stenz*


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Langgaard, Symphony No. 6*

Dausgaard and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra

This is a theme and variations, handled expertly by the composer, reflecting various moods. It's inspired by Christ driving the evil angels out of heaven, but it's really about contrasts.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Manxfeeder said:


> *Langgaard, Symphony No. 6*
> 
> Dausgaard and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
> 
> This is a theme and variations, handled expertly by the composer, reflecting various moods. It's inspired by Christ driving the evil angels out of heaven, but it's really about contrasts.
> View attachment 181549


One of my favorite Langgaard symphonies! Do give the Neeme Järvi recording on Chandos a listen sometime. It is my reference for this work. Dausgaard is good, though and I certainly don't want to take anything away from his own achievement. He's one of two conductors to have recorded the complete cycle of Langgaard's symphonies (the other being Ilya Stupel on Danacord).


----------



## Manxfeeder

Neo Romanza said:


> Do give the Neeme Järvi recording on Chandos a listen sometime.


I'm listening to Järvi's recording of Langgaard's 6th on Spotify. Thanks for the heads-up!


----------



## Ulalume!Ulalume!

*Claudio Arrau w/ The Philharmonia Orchestra
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #1 & Sonata #24*
listening to the concerto while watching the sad lonely twinkling in the darkness of the final remaining Christmas decorations on the street—still standing strong like those Japanese WW2 soldiers stationed in obscure islands who stuck to their posts into the seventies—and being reminded of that quote by Adolf Hitler (_audience booing_) about the end of Bayreuth filling him every year with the same melancholy one is struck with taking down the Christmas tree


----------



## littlejohnuk1

On the bus and tram from work. Boy this Woman can write! Symphony no 1 for about the tenth time since I knew about it.


----------



## Klavierman

It was a ballsy move to play Boulez's Sonata No.2 at a competition!


----------



## Branko

Hindemith is not an easily accessible composer - but here is a recording that I find appealing. 
Frank Peter Zimmermann plays the Hindemith Violin Concerto with brilliance, bravura, tenderness and wit. Well-paired with Paavo Järvi and the Frankfurt Radio.


----------



## Manxfeeder

eljr said:


> *Anastasis Mass *
> Frederik Magle / December 14, 2017


Frederik Magle? I'm up for that! I'm listening on Spotify.


----------



## HenryPenfold

*Edvard Grieg* - Peer Gynt, Incidental Music
Ilse Hollweg, soprano; Beecham Choral Society (Denis Vaughan, chorus master); Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, *Thomas Beecham*
Recorded - 5th, 18th, 21st, 29th November 1956 & 1st April 1957, Abbey Road Studios, London

Performance duration - 40 minutes, 55 seconds (quite a generous selection)

Thomas Beecham is peerless in this music - he's in a class of his own. Every phrase, twist, turn and nuance of this gorgeous and enchanting music is played to perfection.

Although the recording was made 65/66 years ago, it is first class analogue with richness, detail, bass and sweet strings - superior to a great many later recordings.

The couplings are also first rate. I think this disc is widely available very cheaply with various album covers. Mine is the EMI 1998 remaster.















Earlier EMI release.....


----------



## Neo Romanza

Branko said:


> Hindemith is not an easily accessible composer - but here is a recording that I find appealing.
> Frank Peter Zimmermann plays the Hindemith Violin Concerto with brilliance, bravura, tenderness and wit. Well-paired with Paavo Järvi and the Frankfurt Radio.
> 
> View attachment 181556


I actually find Hindemith completely approachable. His oeuvre is loaded with gems --- he was an outstanding composer.


----------



## eljr

*Christopher Cerrone: The Air Suspended & Why Was I Born Between Mirrors?*

Shai Wosner (piano), Patrick Swoboda (double bass)
Argus Quartet, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble

*Release Date:* 2nd Dec 2022
*Catalogue No:* FCR356
*Label:* New Focus Recordings
*Length:* 22 minutes


----------



## littlejohnuk1

Turning in for the night:


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## eljr

Art Rock said:


> Spot on in my opinion. If the comments are civilized and do not result in a long side discussion to and fro (which would be better in a separate thread), I think it can only be beneficial for people participating in this thread.


Like you encouraged in the opening post?


----------



## eljr

*Wagner arr. Andrew Gourlay: Parsifal Suite*

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Gourlay


> This recording makes a glorious 45 minutes, with immaculately seductive playing from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and perfect segues from piece to piece – it all slips deliciously down. — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2022, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 4th Nov 2022
*Catalogue No:* ORC100207
*Label:* Orchid Classics
*Length:* 47 minutes


----------



## Kiki

*Ludwig van Beethoven*
_33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli Op. 120 _
*Ronald Brautigam *
Rec. 2015 
BIS

Heavenly!


----------



## bharbeke

More classical music excellence!

*Bach: Violin Partita No. 2 BWV 1004*
Viktoria Mullova

*Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 1 K 207*
Arabella Steinbacher, Daniel Dodds, Festival Strings Lucerne


----------



## sAmUiLc

Szymanowski









I saw Zimerman once in a recital when he was much younger than now. As soon as he came onstage he started rambling about his political view. But within a few seconds he was shushed by the audience including me, like "just sit down and play the damn piano!" which he did.


----------



## eljr

*Miloslav Kabeláč: Mystery of Time*

Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Marko Ivanovic


> This is a truly outstanding album of music by an outstanding composer. — Gramophone Magazine, December 2022



*Release Date:* 30th Sep 2022
*Catalogue No:* SU43122
*Label:* Supraphon
*Length:* 76 minutes


Last of the day for me.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Strauss, Eine Alpensinfonie*
Kempe with the Staatskapelle Dresden

Erik Levi points out that in 1916, during World War I, the score and parts to this work were impounded at the Liverpool docks until the British officials were satisfied that there were no secret codes embedded in the music. That's what I call paranoia.


----------



## pmsummer

"On the Twelfth Day of Christmas..."










CHRISTMAS VESPERS
*Heinrich Schütz*
Gabrieli Consort & Players
Paul McCreesh - director
_
Archiv Produktion_


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 2* in D major, Op. 73
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1979)

A recording full of warmth, lacking in neither drive nor majesty, and demonstrating Solti's great artistic partnership with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As far as I'm aware, Dale Clevenger was the principal horn for this recording, delivering some beautiful solos. Solti takes the exposition repeat, as he does with the First and Third symphonies.









Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 2* in D major, Op. 36
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1974)


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Béla Bartók
Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta

Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*









Hauntingly beautiful, goosebumping music; Karajan really recorded a masterful performance, so thrilling, so mesmerizing....


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Shostakovich
Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65
Scottish National Orchestra
Järvi*










I'll be going through all of Järvi's Shostakovich recordings on Chandos and DG that I own over the next week or so. In many cases, his performances are tremendous and dare I say this 8th is one of the finest performances of this symphony on record. What I most admire about his Shostakovich is his need to keep the music moving along and this is where he is scores the most points with me.


----------



## Bkeske

Karajan conducts Dvořák

Symphony No. 8 (No. 4) In G Major. Opus 88
Wiener Philharmoniker
London 1965


----------



## Neo Romanza

Lisztianwagner said:


> *Béla Bartók
> Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
> 
> Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hauntingly beautiful, goosebumping music; Karajan really recorded a masterful performance, so thrilling, so mesmerizing....


A great performance of Stravinsky's _Apollon musagète_ as well.


----------



## OCEANE

Finished this great work ....three CDs and over three hours in total


----------



## Coach G

I started off the first week of the New Year with ten budget-line CDs that feature (mostly) Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra:

1. *Saint-Seans*: _Bacchanale_ from _Sampson and Delilah_; The _Swan from Carnival of Animals_; _Symphony #3 "Organ"_; _Danse Macabre_; _Marche Militaire Francsiase_ from _Suite Algerienne_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/E Power Biggs, organ on Organ Symphony)
2. *Tchaikovsky*: _Symphony #5; Serenade for Strings_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra)
3. *Mendelssohn*: _Violin Concerto_; *Tchaikovsky*: _Violin Concerto_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Isaac Stern, violin))
4. *Grieg*: _Piano Concerto; _*Schumann*: _Piano Concerto_; _Concert Piece for Piano and Orchestra_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Philippe Entremont, piano on the Grieg and Schumann _Piano Concertos_; Rudolf Serkin, piano on the _Concert Piece_)
5. *Rachmaninoff*: _Piano Concertos #1 & 4; Variations on a Theme by Paginini _(Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Philippe Entremont, piano)
6. *Beethoven*: _Piano Concerto #5 "Emperor" _(George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra w/Leon Fliesher, piano); _Triple Concerto_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Isaac Stern, violin, Leonard Rose, cello &, Euegne Istomin, piano)
7. *Beethoven*: _Violin Concerto_ (Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra); *Sibelius*: _Violin Concerto_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/David Oistrakh, violin)
8. *Shostakovich*: _Symphony #15_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra); _Piano Sonata #2_ (Emil Gilels, piano)
9. *Ives*: _Symphony #1; Three Places in New England_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra); _Robert Browning Overture_ (Leopold Stokowski/American Symphony Orchestra)
10. *Respighi* : _Fountains of Rome; Pines of Rome_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra)


















































































So here we have more of those great old Eugene Ormandy recordings that have been packaged and repackaged in LP and in CD form; and from the time I was a teenager in the 1980s until now, I've relied heavily on those CBS and RCA budget lines. Once again, Ormandy is classical music's utility man; always reliable for a solid recording; not always best but always good practically across the repertoire. 

Highlights include the American premier recording of Shostakovich's mysterious and quirky _Symphony #15_; the lesser revered but underrated outer _Piano Concertos#1_ and _4_ by Rachmaninoff featuring Philippe Entremont; The Grieg _Piano Concerto, _also with Entremont, and a top-draw Romantic-era Piano Concerto as fine as the ones by Brahms and Tchaikovsky! 

Also, outstanding is the bubbly, sparkling, and happy-go-lucky recording of Beethoven's _Triple Concerto_ featuring Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, and Eugene Istomin; as well as he recording of the Sibelius _Violin Concerto_ featuring David Oistrakh on loan from the old Soviet Union in a rendition where the Os (Oistrakh and Ormandy) place plenty of sentiment and sad Russian soul into another one of Sibelius' musical journey's to the icy north and the land of the midnight sun. 

In the many of the above recordings Ormandy and his fabulous Philadelphians many concerto performances, the featured soloists read like a who's who of the wonderful classical musicians of from the Golden Age of Classical Recordings; and apart from the great recordings we find on today's bill-of-fare that features Stern, Entremont, Serkin, Oistrakh, and E Power Biggs; Ormandy also recorded with the likes of Rostropovich, Ma, Horowitz, Ashkenazy, Cliburn, Perlman, Francescatti, and many others. And in the concerto genre, Ormandy always seems to take a step back so the soloist can shine as the orchestra takes the supporting role. 

The CD by Charles Ives is also interesting as it contrasts two sides of (arguably) America's greatest composer with the lyrical and reserved _Symphony #1_ coming straight from Europe with Romantic shades of Brahms, Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky; but then we land in more familiar Ives territory as we move on to the spooky and dissonant realms of _Three Places in New England_ and _Robert Browning Overture. _


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Neo Romanza said:


> A great performance of Stravinsky's _Apollon musagète_ as well.


I can't disagree about that.


----------



## Bkeske

Raymond Leppard conducts Dvořák

"Legends" Op. 59
The London Philharmonic Orchestra
Phillips 1971, Netherlands release


----------



## sAmUiLc

Before tackling the last disc (80 min) of Sorabji..

















Itzhak Perlman, John Williams, Niccolò Paganini, Mauro Giuliani - Duos


View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the CD release of "Duos" on Discogs.




www.discogs.com


----------



## Neo Romanza

Coach G said:


> I started off the first week of the New Year with ten budget-line CDs that feature (mostly) Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra:
> 
> 1. *Saint-Seans*: _Bacchanale_ from _Sampson and Delilah_; The _Swan from Carnival of Animals_; _Symphony #3 "Organ"_; _Danse Macabre_; _Marche Militaire Francsiase_ from _Suite Algerienne_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/E Power Biggs, organ on Organ Symphony)
> 2. *Tchaikovsky*: _Symphony #5; Serenade for Strings_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra)
> 3. *Mendelssohn*: _Violin Concerto_; *Tchaikovsky*: _Violin Concerto_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Isaac Stern, violin))
> 4. *Grieg*: _Piano Concerto; _*Schumann*: _Piano Concerto_; _Concert Piece for Piano and Orchestra_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Philippe Entremont, piano on the Grieg and Schumann _Piano Concertos_; Rudolf Serkin, piano on the _Concert Piece_)
> 5. *Rachmaninoff*: _Piano Concertos #1 & 4; Variations on a Theme by Paginini _(Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Philippe Entremont, piano)
> 6. *Beethoven*: _Piano Concerto #5 "Emperor" _(George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra w/Leon Fliesher, piano); _Triple Concerto_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/Isaac Stern, violin, Leonard Rose, cello &, Euegne Istomin, piano)
> 7. *Beethoven*: _Violin Concerto_ (Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra); *Sibelius*: _Violin Concerto_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra w/David Oistrakh, violin)
> 8. *Shostakovich*: _Symphony #15_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra); _Piano Sonata #2_ (Emil Gilels, piano)
> 9. *Ives*: _Symphony #1; Three Places in New England_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra); _Robert Browning Overture_ (Leopold Stokowski/American Symphony Orchestra)
> 10. *Respighi* : _Fountains of Rome; Pines of Rome_ (Eugene Ormandy/Philadephia Orchestra)
> 
> View attachment 181569
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> 
> 
> View attachment 181571
> View attachment 181572
> 
> 
> View attachment 181573
> View attachment 181574
> 
> 
> View attachment 181575
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> 
> 
> View attachment 181577
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> 
> 
> 
> So here we have more of those great old Eugene Ormandy recordings that have been packaged and repackaged in LP and in CD form; and from the time I was a teenager in the 1980s until now, I've relied heavily on those CBS and RCA budget lines. Once again, Ormandy is classical music's utility man; always reliable for a solid recording; not always best but always good practically across the repertoire.
> 
> Highlights include the American premier recording of Shostakovich's mysterious and quirky _Symphony #15_; the lesser revered but underrated outer _Piano Concertos#1_ and _4_ by Rachmaninoff featuring Philippe Entremont; The Grieg _Piano Concerto, _also with Entremont, and a top-draw Romantic-era Piano Concerto as fine as the ones by Brahms and Tchaikovsky!
> 
> Also, outstanding is the bubbly, sparkling, and happy-go-lucky recording of Beethoven's _Triple Concerto_ featuring Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, and Eugene Istomin; as well as he recording of the Sibelius _Violin Concerto_ featuring David Oistrakh on loan from the old Soviet Union in a rendition where the Os (Oistrakh and Ormandy) place plenty of sentiment and sad Russian soul into another one of Sibelius' musical journey's to the icy north and the land of the midnight sun.
> 
> In the many of the above recordings Ormandy and his fabulous Philadelphians many concerto performances, the featured soloists read like a who's who of the wonderful classical musicians of from the Golden Age of Classical Recordings; and apart from the great recordings we find on today's bill-of-fare that features Stern, Entremont, Serkin, Oistrakh, and E Power Biggs; Ormandy also recorded with the likes of Rostropovich, Ma, Horowitz, Ashkenazy, Cliburn, Perlman, Francescatti, and many others. And in the concerto genre, Ormandy always seems to take a step back so the soloist can shine as the orchestra takes the supporting role.
> 
> The CD by Charles Ives is also interesting as it contrasts two sides of (arguably) America's greatest composer with the lyrical and reserved _Symphony #1_ coming straight from Europe with Romantic shades of Brahms, Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky; but then we land in more familiar Ives territory as we move on to the spooky and dissonant realms of _Three Places in New England_ and _Robert Browning Overture. _


Even though I own many of the Ormandy stereo recordings now (thanks to Sony Japan), whenever I smell the first whiff of an Ormandy stereo Philadelphia box set, I'm going to be all over it like a pitbull on a poodle.  I didn't have much interest in the mono set that came out not too long ago since I wasn't completely won over by the fidelity of many of those recordings (which I sampled through various sources like YouTube for example).


----------



## Monsalvat

Johann Sebastian Bach: *Trio Sonatas* for organ, BWV 525–530
Simon Preston, organ (1993)

As someone who has played some of these, I'm impressed to hear Preston's recording again, and I'm sad that he passed away a few months ago. He uses bright, clear registrations which complement his lightish touch and focus on clarity and vitality in the fast movements. His registrations exclude 16' ranks in the pedal, which is an effect I've tried but don't like when I'm performing; I prefer the extra oomph of a 16' flute in there even if it adds some weight to the interpretation. These are tricky, both the fast movements and the slow movements; it's great to hear such talent across all six of these amazing works.


----------



## OCEANE

Antonio Vivaldi


----------



## Kiki

*Franz Schubert*
_Die schöne Müllerin D795_
*Christopher Maltman
Graham Johnson *
Rec. 2010 Live
Wigmore Hall Live

Partly innocent, partly aggressive and partly hysterical, plus an assertive rhythmic drive (although with a fair share of hiccups), and a dose of hopelessness in disguise as resignation at the end, an excellent Die schöne Müllerin this is.


----------



## Dmitriyevich

I like the second half of Peterrsson 9th very much, but not the chaotic first half, which I can tolerate but not appreciate.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Dmitriyevich said:


> I like the second half of Peterrsson 9th very much, but not the chaotic first half, which I can tolerate but not appreciate.
> 
> View attachment 181582


This is where Pettersson lost me as a listener. After his masterful 6th, 7th and 8th symphonies, everything that comes after these symphonies just doesn't do much for me.


----------



## Bkeske

Eero Bister conducts Uuno Klami

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra
Sea Pictures
Kouvola City Orchestra w/Ilkka Talvi, violin 
Finlandia 1983
Finland release


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing an operatic double-bill: *Berg's Wozzeck* and *Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle* from these recordings -


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Becca

Neo Romanza said:


> To be frank, I comment on what I want to freely and I don't think too much about whether this thread is the right vicinity for such an opinion for saying whether I like a performance or not. But, now that you mentioned it, since this thread is dedicated to listening, I think it is okay to comment on a member's post. The like buttons don't really tell the whole tale and sometimes I feel the need to elaborate on my opinion. I think this thread should be open for such comments to take place as long as they're respectful to the member's post that you're responding to. This is just my two measly cents --- another member may feel differently.


Comments on posts are good, provided that they are constructive/informative. The problem is that the like button means different things to different people and, in many cases, it's sole meaning is 'I read your post' which doesn't really communicate anything.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

This is my favorite version of these concertos.


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## Rogerx

Sammartini, G: Flute Sonatas Op. 2: Nos. 7-12

Georges Ki Massimo Mercelli (bassoon), Georges Kiss (harpischord), Vito Paternoster (cello)


----------



## Rogerx

Malx said:


> So many questions formed in my mind when I read that !


Very simple, he thinks he's insulting me by asking if I have it / want it. .( He's storing all on his computer)
He know I collect my whole life so......


----------



## Neo Romanza

A change of listening plans...

Now a *Martinů*-a-thon ensues:

*Sonata for Flute, Violin & Piano, H. 254
Fenwick Smith (flute), Haldan Martinson (violin), Sally Pinkas (piano)*










*String Quartet No. 6, H. 312
Pražák Quartet*










I actually prefer this assorted quartet cycle from Praga Digitals to the Panocha cycle on Suraphon. Seems like the performances are a bit more livelier and fresh sounding to my ears.

*Symphony No. 3, H. 299
Czech Philharmonic
Neumann*


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Faure - Piano Quintets 1 and 2
Quatuor Parrenin, Collard
From this set









Falla - Nights in the Gardens of Spain
Martinu - Piano Concerto 5
Tcherepnin - Bagatelle Op 5
Weber - Konzertstuck Op 79
Kubelik/Bavarian RSO, Fricsay/Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin; Weber, piano


----------



## Art Rock

*César Franck and Gabriel Fauré: String quartets (Dante Quartet, Hyperion)*

Early morning string quartet time. These composers and works should not require further introduction. Nor should the CD, which gathered praise all around. If you like string quartets and do not know this CD, do yourself a favour and try to get hold of it.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Art Rock said:


> *César Franck and Gabriel Fauré: String quartets (Dante Quartet, Hyperion)*
> 
> Early morning string quartet time. These composers and works should not require further introduction. Nor should the CD, which gathered praise all around. If you like string quartets and do not know this CD, do yourself a favour and try to get hold of it.


A fine pair of SQs, indeed. I do not own this recording, but I do know both works and agree with you.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Rogerx

Bruch: String Quintets & Octet

The Nash Ensemble


*Max Christian Friedrich Bruch (Keulen, 6 januari 1838 – Berlijn, 2 oktober 1920)*


----------



## Rogerx

Franz Xaver Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 4 in F minor

François Xavier Poizat (piano)

Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra, Łukasz Borowicz

Scharwenka, X: Andante Religioso
Scharwenka, X: Five Polish Dances Op. 3: excerpts
Scharwenka, X: Mataswintha – Opera: Overture 2
Scharwenka, X: Piano Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 82


----------



## Malx

An early start for me today.
*R Schumann, Humoreske Op 20 - Angela Hewitt.*

I have a number of Angela Hewitt discs in my collection all of which are well executed and enjoyable enough but I get the impression that there may be more to find in some of the works. The one thing I do like in piano recordings is good sound, nothing too clangerous - especially when listening on headphones as I am right now - thankfully this disc sounds very good to me.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Last work of the night:

*Brahms
Nänie von Friedrich Schiller, für Chor und Orchester, Op. 82
Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunkchor Berlin
Claudio Abbado*

From this set -


----------



## sAmUiLc

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 5 & 6, Jurists' March, Francesca da Rimini, Romeo & Juliet Overture, Voyevoda (symphonic ballade), Festival Coronation March
Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov conducts various Russian orchestras
on Venezia label

I can't find the picture of this 3 CD set online. It's just a picture of the conductor conducting. He was a smashing conductor, by the way. 

1 CD at a time

When the Western publications attempt silly listing like the greatest conductors (e.g. Guardian) and list numerous ho-hum conductors of the West and ignore so many excellent Russians (except Mravinsky, Svetlanov, Rozhdestvensky) I can only smirk.


----------



## Chilham

Premiered this day 1888:









Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2
Pavel Haas Quartet, Boris Giltburg


----------



## Rogerx

Bellini: La Sonnambula

Dame Joan Sutherland (Amina), Luciano Pavarotti (Elvino), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Rodolfo), Isobel Buchanan (Lisa), John Tomlinson (Alessio), Piero de Palma (Notaro), Della Jones (Teresa)

London Opera Chorus, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Bonynge


----------



## Malx

A selection of pieces of early Polyphony from 1100 - 1300 mainly French and English with no composers mentioned.
*The Birth of Polyphony* being the third disc from the box below featuring *Ensemble Organum, Marcel Pérès / Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier & Annoymous 4.*

An area of music I occasionally dip my toe into. I have no knowledge of the intricacies of the structures and inner workings of the wonderful sounds created but that doesn't stop me enjoying the results.


----------



## HerbertNorman

*Edward Elgar - Symphony no.1 - Colin Davis and the LSO*

For me , Elgar's best symphony and this is a good recording of it imo.


----------



## Kiki

*Andrzej Panufnik*
_Metasinfonia for organ, timpani & strings (Symphony No. 7)_
*Konzerthausorchester Berlin
Łukasz Borowicz *
Rec. 2010
CPO

Cohesive and uncompromising music, but perhaps it could have been a bit more brutal.


----------



## Art Rock

*Celestino Vila de Forns: Piano Quartets No. 1 and No. 2, Piano Quintet (Quartet Teixidor, Santi Riu, Columna Musica)*

Celestino Vila de Forns (1829 - 1915), also known as Celestino Vila, was a Spanish composer and organ player. This is the only CD I have of this work, good romantic chamber music. Difficult to find information about the composer or these works - and what there is on the internet is confusing. The piano quartets are sometimes listed as string quartets, a mistake easily made as the CD back cover lists them as "Quartet" and focuses on the Quartet Teixidor as performers. I still remember I fell this myself the first time I played the CD, and the piano appeared prominently in what I thought was going to be a string quartet....


----------



## Chilham

Malx said:


> ... An area of music I occasionally dip my toe into. I have no knowledge of the intricacies of the structures and inner workings of the wonderful sounds created but that doesn't stop me enjoying the results.


I listened to Howard Goodall's Story of Music over Christmas and New Year. His introduction covers the development of early music. A little bit "Music 101", but I found it interesting and informative.


----------



## Montarsolo

Haydn, string quartet opus 77 no. 1, Takács Quartet 💿☕


----------



## Rogerx

Martucci: Complete Orchestral Music Volume 1

Andrea Noferini (cello)

Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, Francesco La Vecchia

Martucci: Andante, Op.69 No.2
Martucci: Canzonetta, Op. 65, No. 2
Martucci: Giga, Op.61, No.3
Martucci: Notturno, Op. 70 No. 1
Martucci: Symphony No.1 in D minor, Op.75


----------



## HenryPenfold

sAmUiLc said:


> View attachment 181585



Can't you simply write something, perhaps a couple of sentences about the recording/performance/dates/performers &cetera, rather than just posting pictures of CD covers? This thread would be utterly boring and pointless if we all just uploaded pictures of various CDs.


----------



## Montarsolo

Mozart, piano concertos 21, Ashkenazy. Bought yesterday for 3 euros in an antiquarian bookshop.


----------



## Art Rock

*Salvatore Di Vittorio: Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2, Overtura Respighiana, Ave Maria, Clarinet Sonata No. 1 (Chamber Orchestra of New York, Respighi Choir, Salvatore Di Vittorio, Benjamin Baron, Naxos)*

Salvatore Di Vittorio (1967) is an Italian composer and conductor and currently music director and Conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of New York. This is my only CD of his work. Although di Vittorio is a Respighi expert, his short Overtura Respighiana (2008) is rather light weight. Symphony No. 2 ("Lost Innocence", 1997/2000). It is a mostly neo-romantic rather unexciting piece that clocks in under 15 minutes. The choral Ave Maria (1995/1998) is far more interesting. Symphony No. 1 for string orchestra ("Isolation", 1997/2000) makes a much better impression on me than the second. He creates a wonderful atmosphere, especially in the first two movements (of four). The CD concludes with the first (solo) clarinet sonata, a nice piece.

Overall this is not a CD I would recommend, and the overhyping on the back cover is painful ("following in the footsteps of Respighi" and "the moving Sinfonia No. 2 turns more to the Germanic world of Brahms and Mahler for its elegiac message").


----------



## Rogerx

Respighi: Roman Trilogy

Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti


Respighi: Fountains of Rome
Respighi: Pines of Rome
Respighi: Pines of Rome: The Pines of the Appian Way
Respighi: Roman Festivals


----------



## Montarsolo

Beethoven 6, Frans Brüggen. So beautifull!


----------



## Malx

*Brahms, Violin Concerto - Augustin Hadelich, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Miguel Harth-Bedova.*

Maybe not household names but a very enjoyable Brahms concerto. My excuse for buying this disc was the Ligeti coupling plus both concertos feature new cadenzas - Hadelich provides his own for the Brahms and the Ligeti features a cadenza by the composer Thomas Ades.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Piano Concerto No. 2* in B flat major, Op. 83
Adrian Aeschbacher, piano; Paul van Kempen: Berliner Philharmoniker (1952)

I've never heard of this pianist before, much less heard this performance. Apparently Aeschbacher also performed this with Furtwängler in 1943 in a performance which was recorded and made its way onto some CD reissues. This studio recording was made between 14–17 January 1952 at the Jesus-Christus-Kirche, now more than seventy years ago, yet the sound is really good: mono, but clear, without distortion, hiss, or other problems. Balances seem fine, perhaps a little orchestra-forward but I never have trouble hearing the piano. Wilhelm Posegga is the solo cellist in the third movement. The performance is enjoyable, lively and poetic as appropriate. The Scherzo goes less well for me; I think Aeschbacher rushes things a bit and it gets a bit muddled; the section in the recapitulation where the piano takes over the horn melody, for example, just doesn't work well when the piano is jumping ahead of the horns. Also interesting to hear the pre-Karajan Berlin Philharmonic; Furtwängler would reassume his leadership of this orchestra later in 1952 and the character of the orchestra is very different from what it would be just a decade later.


----------



## Anooj




----------



## Enthusiast

HenryPenfold said:


> we can't delete our own posts - wonder why?


The only way I have found is to delete all the content and leave an empty box. That box is then excluded from the thread.


----------



## Rogerx

Weill: The Seven Deadly Sins & Kleine Dreigroschenmusik

Julia Migenes (soprano), Robert Tear (tenor), Stuart Kale (tenor), Alan Opie (baritone), Roderick Kennedy (bass)

London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas


----------



## Monsalvat

Gustav Mahler: *Symphony No. 7*
Leonard Bernstein: New York Philharmonic (1965)

Bernstein re-recorded this symphony with the New York Philharmonic in 1985 for Deutsche Grammophon. I'm not sure which I prefer, but I think this earlier recording has a slightly stronger reputation. It's very good.


----------



## HerbertNorman

Anna Thorvalsdottir - Enigma- Spektral Quartet - String Quartet of the week


----------



## Bourdon

Bach

CD 54

A really wonderful BWV 151


----------



## sbmonty

Wirén: Serenade For String Orchestra, Op. 11
LGT Young Soloists

A fun, refreshing listen. Great playing!


----------



## Rogerx

Beethoven: Christus am Ölberge, Elegischer Gesang

Hanna-Leena Haapamäki, Jussi Myllys, Niklas Spångberg

Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus Cathedralis Aboensis, Leif Segerstam


----------



## Anooj




----------



## Enthusiast

This is quite new but I have been getting a lot of pleasure out of it. The French singing and the period sound make for quite a revelatory experience.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Bach. Secular cantatas Cd #10. BWV 30a and BWV 204. Sop. Sampson, counter-ten. Blaze, ten. Sakurada and bass Worner. Bach Collegium Japan. Dir. Suzuki BIS.

Final Cd of the set, my Christmas present. Liked, the set some of the cantatas better than others. There were some that were down right brilliant so it was tough to play anything after them. The Chorus was uniformly excellent and most of singers were fine. At times I wish Suzuki would have allowed the orchestra to really rip, even at the expense of the soloists though. 
Happy with set, but as for purchasing the complete sacred cantatas from the same group, well not so fast. I'll explore other options on YouTube and probably pick and choose from ones that I really enjoy.


----------



## Vasks

*Ziehrer - Overture to "Ein Deutschmeister" (Pollack/Marco Polo)
Zemilnsky - String Quartet #4 (LaSalle/Brilliant)
Schreker - Prelude to "Die Gezeichneten" (Seipenbusch/Marco Polo)*


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Rogerx

Dvorak: Cello Concerto & 'Dumky' Trio

Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello), Isabelle Faust (violin) & Alexander Melnikov (piano)

The Prague Philharmonia, Jirí Belohlávek


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 3* in F major, Op. 90
Herbert Blomstedt: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (2021)

Beautiful playing from Mendelssohn's orchestra. I prefer a bit more propulsion, but I am happy to trade some of that for the details and colors I hear emerging under Blomstedt's baton. The recording is warm and rather bass-heavy. It's mostly the very low bass end that's prominent; details in the upper registers are not muddy or anything. Glad to have this cycle from Blomstedt.









Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 4* in B flat major, Op. 60
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1987)

A bit smoother around the edges than Solti's earlier Beethoven cycle, but this shares the same general contours of Solti's conception of Beethoven.


----------



## Enthusiast

Some gutsy playing here. I find the music mixed, however. Some parts are to die for while others seem a little dull.


----------



## Bourdon

Bach

Sonaten für Traversflöte

BWV 130-1035 & 1032


----------



## Montarsolo

Beethoven, violin romances no 1 & 2, Szeryng/Haitink


----------



## sAmUiLc

I won't listen to them all without some break somewhere. It will be piecemeal listening.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Martinu, Symphony No. 3*

Bryden Thomson with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

I've had this set for several years, and I've usually stopped at the first symphony just because I like it. I've been hearing about the third symphony around here, so I'm finally moving on to the other disks.


----------



## Rogerx

Haydn: Symphony No. 44 'Trauer'; Symphony No. 49 'La passione'

Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner


----------



## Malx

A set I've long considered but never got around to buying - until now, it landed on the hall carpet a couple of hours ago.
*Nielsen, Symphony No 1 - Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky.*

My first impression of this early symphony is that Rozhdestvensky seems to look back to the romantics rather than forward to the modernists. An easy going style which works well in this particular work, it will be interesting to hear if he continues with the same approach to the later symphonies.

Three disc set in mint condition for less than the price of three coffees (including postage).


----------



## Branko

Paying respect to a great musician. Daniel Barenboim. 
I will listen to more later, for now I only have time for a few minutes, so will play one of my favorites from this set. 
The Adagio from the op 2 No 3. 
Thank you, Mr Barenboim.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Martinů
Concerto for Double String Orchestra, Piano and Timpani, H. 271
Jaroslav Šaroun (piano), Václav Mazáček (timpani)
Czech PO
Bělohlávek*










*Casella
Concerto for Strings, Piano, Timpani and Percussion, Op. 69**
Orchestra Regionale della Toscana
Daniele Rustioni*










*Bartók
Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta, BB 114, Sz. 106
Berliners
HvK*


----------



## Bourdon

Tchaikovsky

Symphony No.6 "Pathetique"

Concertgebouw Orchestra


----------



## Enthusiast

There was a time when most recordings of Bartok's 2nd violin concerto seemed a little incoherent, a little messy, compared with Bartok's normally tight sense of shape and structure. The recording by Menuhin and Dorati stood out for being powerfully coherent and revealed the concerto as one of the truly great violin concertos. We have had a few other successful recordings since then but the Menuhin/Dorati is still an exceptionally fine account. I played it from this set along with an idiomatic Miraculous Mandarin.


----------



## Rogerx

Scriabin: Symphony No. 2 & Piano Concerto

Kirill Gerstein (piano)

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko

*(Moskou, 6 januari 1872 - 27 april 1915)*


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> There was a time when most recordings of Bartok's 2nd violin concerto seemed a little incoherent, a little messy, compared with Bartok's normally tight sense of shape and structure. The recording by Menuhin and Dorati stood out for being powerfully coherent and revealed the concerto as one of the truly great violin concertos. We have had a few other successful recordings since then but the Menuhin/Dorati is still an exceptionally fine account. I played it from this set along with an idiomatic Miraculous Mandarin.


I might have to join in this listening session later on.

By the way, another killer performance of Bartók's 2nd VC that is a bit older is André Gertler with Ančerl/CzPO on Supraphon. Do you know this performance?

I acquired it through this box set:










But there have been so many fine recordings of these VCs over the years.


----------



## eljr

*Russian Dances*

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Kazuki Yamada


> [A] hugely enjoyable and beautifully recorded programme…Kazuki Yamada and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande revel in the very different qualities of each work — BBC Music Magazine, June 2016, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 18th Mar 2016
*Catalogue No:* PTC5186557
*Label:* Pentatone
*Length:* 70 minutes


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Handel, Alexander's Feast, Sonata a 5*

Tervor Pinnock and The English Concert. 

This is HIP, but it doesn't throw it in your face; instead, it is not thin-sounding but melodious and well phrased.


----------



## eljr

HenryPenfold said:


> This thread would be utterly boring and pointless if we all just uploaded pictures of various CDs.


Respectfully, I'd rather one post but a simple album cover than not post at all. 
Also, there are all levels of enthusiasts here. I for example, do not feel qualified most times to comment on more than the recording fidelity so I post info from other sources and have for years. I think that can offer more value in my case. 
In several of my other audio forums posters try to insist only "special" recordings, from an audiophile perspective, be posted. Not simply what you are listening to.
I enjoy sharing what I listen to, I don't post at all in those forums any longer.


----------



## Art Rock

*Heitor Villa-Lobos: Symphonies No. 3 'War' and No. 4 'Victory' (São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Isaac Karabtchevsky, Naxos)*

A thrift store find of years ago. I already had these symphonies in the CPO series, but could not resist the bargain. And to couple these two symphonies on one CD (which CPO did not do) makes sense. Both were composed in 1919, the third was a commission to write a symphony to celebrate the Treaty of Versailles, the fourth a logical follow-up.


----------



## Malx

Continuing with a symphonic afternoon:
*Sibelius, Symphony No 6 - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä.*

Working my way slowly through this box set.


----------



## Neo Romanza

eljr said:


> Respectfully, I'd rather one post but a simple album cover than not post at all.
> Also, there are all levels of enthusiasts here. I for example, do not feel qualified most times to comment on more than the recording fidelity so I post info from other sources and have for years. I think that can offer more value in my case.
> In several of my other audio forums posters try to insist only "special" recordings, from an audiophile perspective, be posted. Not simply what you are listening to.
> I enjoy sharing what I listen to, I don't post at all in those forums any longer.


I'd rather read your impressions of the music you're listening to than what you think about the audio quality. I've written many classical reviews on Amazon and I've learned that some of my reviews have helped other people make a decision as to whether to buy a recording I reviewed or not. I think this particular thread could be used in a similar way. I mean I'm not saying someone should feel obligated to write a 20,000 word essay on a recording, but some general commentary on the composer, work and/or performance is always welcomed.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> I might have to join in this listening session later on.
> 
> By the way, another killer performance of Bartók's 2nd VC that is a bit older is André Gertler with Ančerl/CzPO on Supraphon. Do you know this performance?
> 
> I acquired it through this box set:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But there have been so many fine recordings of these VCs over the years.


I do, thanks. It's good and anyway I can't resist any Ancerl record that falls into my hands. There have been a great many recordings of the concerto over the years but surprisingly few seem wholly successful to me.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing two back-to-back *Martinů* ballets: *Who is the Most Powerful in the World?* and *The Butterfly That Stamped* -


















Two delightful Neoclassical-tinged ballets in the composer's affable style in top-notch performances from Bělohlávek and the Prague Symphony Orchestra. These recordings are difficult to find nowadays (I bought them years ago) and it doesn't look like Supraphon will be reissuing any of their OOP Martinů recordings, so good luck finding them!


----------



## eljr

Neo Romanza said:


> I think this particular thread could be used in a similar way.


It is, it is. (used to decide what to listen to) 

BTW, I enjoy your perspective greatly when you post, I hope you can find some value in mine.


----------



## Neo Romanza

eljr said:


> It is, it is. (used to decide what to listen to)
> 
> BTW, I enjoy your perspective greatly when you post, I hope you can find some value in mine.


Absolutely @eljr. We share many differences in our likes/dislikes, but I welcome differing opinions.


----------



## Manxfeeder

Branko said:


> Paying respect to a great musician. Daniel Barenboim.
> Thank you, Mr Barenboim.


Me too. Bruckner, Symphony No. 4, Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. What brass!


----------



## Philidor

Today we are celebrating the feast of Epiphany.

*Johann Sebastian Bach: "Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen" BWV 65*

James Gilchrist, Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner










I am not in position to write a meaningful commentary on this recording with 20.000+ words.

But I would like to share with you that I liked this recording. There is a reason: Gardiner used horns that played in the high octave ("clarin"). This is a special light sound which is different to all other recordings of this cantata that I know.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Revueltas. Orchestral Music. Sensemaya, La noche de los Mayas and La Coronela. Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra, Mexico. Cond. Barrios. Naxos.


----------



## Enthusiast

Lovely record.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Manxfeeder said:


> Me too. Bruckner, Symphony No. 4, Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. What brass!


My first ever Bruckner (on LP) ☺


----------



## Bourdon

Telemann

May it speak for itself ........


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Malx

Finished off the afternoons symphonic listening with:
*Bruckner, Symphony No 4 - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink.*

For those with an in depth knowledge of Bruckner - this recording is of the Robert Haas edition, 1878 version with the 1880 finale.
The above is all very interesting to read, personally I find all the different versions of the Bruckner symphonies an unfathomable maze in which I have no intention of getting lost - suffice to say it sounded pretty good to me.


----------



## eljr

*Russian Christmas*

The Male Choir of Valaam Singing Culture Institute

*Release Date:* 15th Sep 2001
*Catalogue No:* RCD15119
*Label:* Russian Compact Disc
*Length:* 69 minutes


----------



## Philidor

Finis.

*J. S. Bach: "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben"*
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Sixth

Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
The Netherlands Bach Society
Jos van Veldhoven










I wouldn't hesitate to call this recording a primary recommendation for BWV 248. Imho.


----------



## starthrower

Listening to the Orlando Di Lasso, and Heinrich Shutz CDs.


----------



## allaroundmusicenthusiast

A work of genius. Sciarrino's Macbeth opera, sparse, clever, emotional, intense, subtle, delicious. Give me this over Verdi's anyday (don't get riled up, I love Verdi)


----------



## Enthusiast

After the Schoenberg sextet (Verklarte Nacht), a Brahms sextet (the 2nd but still quite an early work) in a magical performance by Isabelle Faust and others. This is a work I love a lot and a performance that makes me love it even more. I'll play the concerto tomorrow.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Philidor said:


> Finis.
> 
> *J. S. Bach: "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben"*
> Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Part the Sixth
> 
> Johannette Zomer, Annette Markert, Gerd Türk, Peter Harvey
> The Netherlands Bach Society
> Jos van Veldhoven
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wouldn't hesitate to call this recording a primary recommendation for BWV 248. Imho.


I really like their performances of Bach that I've listened to on YouTube. So much so I subscribed to their channel.


----------



## Georgieva

Murray Perahia, Radu Lupu
*Mozart: Concertos for 2 & 3 Pianos*


----------



## eljr

*classique deux*

Emiri Miyamoto (violin), Takashi Sato (piano), Emiri Miyamoto with Nobuaki Fukukawa, Nobuaki Fukukawa (horn), Emiri Miyamoto with Hitomi Niikura, Hitomi Niikura (cello), Emiri Miyamoto with Yoshiko Kawamoto, Yoshiko Kawamoto (viola)

*Release Date:* 20th Jul 2022
*Catalogue No:* SICC39103B00Z
*Label:* Sony
*Length:* 57 minutes


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Found on youtube, first listen to this recording:

*Alban Berg
Wozzeck

Herbert Kegel & Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig*


----------



## HenryPenfold

eljr said:


> Respectfully, I'd rather one post but a simple album cover than not post at all.
> Also, there are all levels of enthusiasts here. I for example, do not feel qualified most times to comment on more than the recording fidelity so I post info from other sources and have for years. I think that can offer more value in my case.
> In several of my other audio forums posters try to insist only "special" recordings, from an audiophi
> le perspective, be posted. Not simply what you are listening to.
> I enjoy sharing what I listen to, I don't post at all in those forums any longer.


"No post at all" isn't the comparator - it doesn't have to be a race to the bottom.

With respect, I think you may be missing the point. 

We all spend time identifying images, uploading them, posting them &cetera - where's the hardship in adding something like ''this is the earlier analogue recording, which is a broader reading than the later digital release and is more to my liking'', for example? I say this because it will have a greater, disproportionally more positive impact on the thread.


----------



## eljr

*Angels in Dystopia Nocturnes & Preludes*

Toshifumi Hinata

*Release Date:* 27th Jul 2022
*Catalogue No:* MHCL30735B00Z
*Label:* Sony
*Length:* 68 minutes


----------



## sAmUiLc

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, etc.


Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, etc.. Warner Classics: 2564602962. Buy download online. Sharon Isbin (guitar) New York Philharmonic, José Serebrier



www.prestomusic.com


----------



## MartinDB

Reich, Beethoven, Brahms so far today.











Steve Reich, including Different Trains and Electric Counterpoint, from this collection. The former fits with some casual reading this week about post WWII culture and history, and always feels despairing to me. By contrast, Electric Counterpoint always sounds fun. I don’t know how it stands up as classical music, but I enjoyed it. 










Karajan Beethoven 7th, BPO, the ’63 set. Wonderful, but the first movement run into coda has not quite enough tension to my ears. Perfection otherwise. (Equally wonderful 8th too.)










Harnoncourt Beethoven 7th, COE, as well. I love this performance, but it too doesn’t get the crucial (to me) moment right. I can’t recall now who does. 

Some slightly distracted listen to Brahms sextets too - Raphael Ensemble - after the discussion here earlier in the week. Not having listened to these for some time, they deserved more attention from me.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing Disc 2 from this *Martinů* set of the *Complete Works for Violin and Piano*:










Such a great set. If I'm not mistaken, it's OOP now, which doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Performances are uniformly excellent. Of course, violinist Bohuslav Matoušek went on to record all of the VCs and various works for violin and orchestra under Hogwood and the Czech Philharmonic on Hyperion (an excellent series that has been conveniently boxed up for those that are interested).


----------



## HenryPenfold

Neo Romanza said:


> I'd rather read your impressions of the music you're listening to than what you think about the audio quality. I've written many classical reviews on Amazon and I've learned that some of my reviews have helped other people make a decision as to whether to buy a recording I reviewed or not. I think this particular thread could be used in a similar way. I mean I'm not saying someone should feel obligated to write a 20,000 word essay on a recording, but some general commentary on the composer, work and/or performance is always welcomed.


----------



## Neo Romanza

HenryPenfold said:


> View attachment 181624


Well, there you go!


----------



## Simplicissimus

LudwigvanBeetroot said:


> Today’s listening
> 
> Beethoven - Piano Concertos 1 and 2
> Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna; Backhaus
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181518
> 
> 
> Vaughan Williams - Symphony 7
> Boult/LPO
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181521
> 
> 
> Janacek - Suites from Jenufa and The Excursions of Mr Broucek (arr Breiner)
> Breiner/NZ Symphony Orchestra
> View attachment 181522





LudwigvanBeetroot said:


> Today’s listening
> 
> Beethoven - Piano Concertos 1 and 2
> Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna; Backhaus
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181518
> 
> 
> Vaughan Williams - Symphony 7
> Boult/LPO
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181521
> 
> 
> Janacek - Suites from Jenufa and The Excursions of Mr Broucek (arr Breiner)
> Breiner/NZ Symphony Orchestra
> View attachment 181522





LudwigvanBeetroot said:


> Today’s listening
> 
> Beethoven - Piano Concertos 1 and 2
> Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna; Backhaus
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181518
> 
> 
> Vaughan Williams - Symphony 7
> Boult/LPO
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181521
> 
> 
> Janacek - Suites from Jenufa and The Excursions of Mr Broucek (arr Breiner)
> Breiner/NZ Symphony Orchestra
> View attachment 181522
> 
> [/QUOT





LudwigvanBeetroot said:


> Today’s listening
> 
> Beethoven - Piano Concertos 1 and 2
> Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna; Backhaus
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181518
> 
> 
> Vaughan Williams - Symphony 7
> Boult/LPO
> On vinyl
> View attachment 181521
> 
> 
> Janacek - Suites from Jenufa and The Excursions of Mr Broucek (arr Breiner)
> Breiner/NZ Symphony Orchestra
> View attachment 181522
> 
> This reminded me to listen to Vaughan Williams Symphony 7 (Sinfonia Antarctica) again. My only recording is the 1990 Vernon Handley/Liverpool on EMI. On my streaming service, I checked out the 1970 Boult, 1969 Previn, and 1996 Davis recordings and started to develop ideas for a comparative review of the recordings, but as I started researching, I found exactly that kind of review. In case anyone is interested:
> A guide to Vaughan Williams's Symphony No. 7 'Sinfonia Antartica' | Classical Music (classical-music.com)
> FWIW, my impressions track with this review's. I am happy to know the Boult version now, as I like it the best. Handley is a close second.


----------



## Malx

^


----------



## HenryPenfold

Neo Romanza said:


> Well, there you go!




Interestingly enough, I have listened to Pettersson 9 twice today and I'm part-way through a third listen because I was intrigued by an incidental comment you made concerning this work and it being your exit-point with Pettersson's symphonies. I was eager to see if I could hear what you were hearing (and your interlocutor's comment about the first part being cacophonous). 

I was intrigued because I rate this symphony very highly, and still do!

One of several things that I like so much about this forum is the stimulating additional comments, even the one-liners.


----------



## HenryPenfold

Enthusiast said:


> I do, thanks. It's good and anyway I can't resist any Ancerl record that falls into my hands. There have been a great many recordings of the concerto over the years but surprisingly few seem wholly successful to me.


Ancerl is like the Tamla Motown label. You only need to see the name and you know the music's gonna be great!


----------



## Malx

HenryPenfold said:


> Ancerl is like the Tamla Motown label. You only need to see the name and you know the music's gonna be great!


I do enjoy the Dvorak Violin Concerto with the Berry Gordy Cadenza


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Malx said:


> I do enjoy the Dvorak Violin Concerto with the Berry Gordy Cadenza.


Makes you "Feels good, like it you know it would, now"

Faure. Piano Quartets. Domus. Hyperion.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
George Szell: Cleveland Orchestra (1966)

This comes from a fairly well-known Brahms cycle. Szell was very proud of the Cleveland Orchestra's _tone_, even though it wasn't something critics often focused on (and not something he deliberately focused on in rehearsals); it seems like it organically developed from the tight sense of ensemble that Szell cultivated after he became the orchestra's conductor in 1946. Brahms was important to Szell; the First Symphony was recorded in stereo around the time of the 1957 tour of Europe which proved that the Cleveland Orchestra was truly world-class. (Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra later recorded the First in 1966 as part of this Brahms cycle.) This recording may not have quite the warmth of Bruno Walter, but the tone here is really fine. Truly a twentieth century classic. Myron Bloom was the principal horn, and Rafael Druian the concertmaster, in 1966 when this was made.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Kiki

HenryPenfold said:


> Can't you simply write something, perhaps a couple of sentences about the recording/performance/dates/performers &cetera, rather than just posting pictures of CD covers? This thread would be utterly boring and pointless if we all just uploaded pictures of various CDs.


I am genuinely interested in what others have been listening to, but in order for me to tell, I need to know essential info like composer, work and performer.

Some old-school album covers state all that on the cover. The cover alone will tell me what I need to know. In which case I am happy with seeing only a cover.

However, a lot of record labels in recent years have started to state less and less of such essential information on the cover. The worst type will state only the name of the main performer plus an often ostentatious word/term that describes the *concept* of the album. Such a cover does not tell me what music the album contains. If someone posts such a cover without any supporting info/words/backcover on what the music is, I will have no idea what he/she has been listening to. I think that defeats the purpose of sharing in the Current Listening thread IMHO.


----------



## eljr

*Humanity*

Simone Drescher (cello)
Sinfonietta Riga, Jānis Liepiņš

*Release Date:* 7th Oct 2022
*Catalogue No:* GWK157
*Label:* GWK Records
*Length:* 68 minutes


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - vocal/choral works with orchestra part eight 
of eight for tonight, concluding tomorrow morning.

_The Music Makers_ - ode for contralto (or mezzo-soprano), mixed
choir and orchestra op.69 [Text: Arthur O'Shaughnessy] (1912):

with Felicity Palmer (mez.), the London Symphony Chorus
and the London SO/Richard Hickox









Incidental music for the Violet Pearn play _The Starlight Express_
(after the story _A Prisoner in Fairyland_ by Algernon Blackwood)
for soprano, baritone and orchestra op.78 (1915-16):

with Valerie Masterson (sop.), Derek Hammond-Stroud (bar.)
and the London PO/Vernon Hadley







​_The Spirit of England_ was Elgar's final choral work of note. As with _Starlight Express, The Spirit of England_ was completed while the shadow of war hung over most of Europe. A greater contrast between _Starlight Express_ and _The Spirit of England_ could scarcely be imagined - the former was a children's fantasy-cum-parable while the latter was an austere dedication to the fallen, especially those from the Worcestershire Regiment (some of whom Elgar would no doubt have known personally). The third section of the work contains the now-famous lines which are quoted at Remembrance Sunday services in the UK and elsewhere every year:

_'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them...'_

Soon after came the three key chamber works and the cello concerto. This was the final flourish - Elgar wound down his career as a serious composer after the death of his wife in 1920.

_Give unto the Lord_ - anthem for mixed choir, organ and orchestra
op.74 [Text: _Psalm XXIX_] (1914): a)
_Land of Hope and Glory_ for mixed choir and orchestra WoO, arr. from
_Pomp and Circumstance March no.1_ op.39 no.1 [Text: A. C. Benson]
(orig. 1909 - arr. by Arthur Fagge 1914): a)
_The Spirit of England_ - cantata for soprano (or tenor), mixed choir
and orchestra op.80 [Text: Laurence Binyon] (1915-17): b)

a) with the London Symphony Chorus and the Northern
Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox
b) with Felicity Lott (sop.), the London Symphony Chorus and
the Northern Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox


----------



## HenryPenfold

Kiki said:


> I am genuinely interested in what others have been listening to, but in order for me to tell, I need to know essential info like composer, work and performer.
> 
> Some old-school album covers state all that on the cover. The cover alone will tell me what I need to know. In which case I am happy with seeing only a cover.
> 
> However, a lot of record labels in recent years have started to state less and less of such essential information on the cover. The worst type will state only the name of the main performer plus an often ostentatious word/term that describes the *concept* of the album. Such a cover does not tell me what music the album contains. If someone posts such a cover without any supporting info/words/backcover on what the music is, I will have no idea what he/she has been listening to. I think that defeats the purpose of sharing in the Current Listening thread IMHO.


But I think there's more to it than that. This is a forum and it would be instructive to look up what the definition of a forum is, what its purpose is.

To just post a picture of a CD cover is essentially narcissistic behaviour, in that it lacks empathy, while being needy of attention and overstates the importance of the 'utterance' and the antisocial act of not engaging with fellow members is dysfunctional.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Kiki said:


> .. I think that defeats the purpose of sharing in the Current Listening thread IMHO.


There could be many more different purposes to post here. I'd say let them be.


----------



## eljr

*Trumpet Concertos*

Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet), Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Michael Sanderling


> it’s with the Arutiunian that Renaudin Vary really comes out of her shell...the Armenian-inspired folksy melodies sing, and the faster sections are punchy and exciting. She’s even more at home... — BBC Music Magazine, January 2023, 3 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 5 out of 5 stars (Recording) More…



*Release Date:* 18th Nov 2022
*Catalogue No:* 9029633426
*Label:* Warner Classics
*Length:* 69 minutes


----------



## MartinDB

Two versions of Martinu's sixth symphony back to back, Munch and Belohlavek. But for this forum, I might not be listening to Martinu at all right now. I certainly wouldn't be listening to this same symphony twice.


















The Munch recording is a Japanese release which, from memory, took some tracking down.

I like the Belohlavek more, but suspect this might be because of sound quality more than performance. The Munch is supposed to be very well regarded, I believe, and it has a terrific urgency. It was recorded in 1956 and the recording quality is acceptable, but not terrific. This is not a work I know well and so I will try my third recording - Neumann with the Czech Philharmonic - tomorrow.

(Regarding the exchanges about what is legitimate, or even expected, in posts here - I am strongly on the side of saying something about recordings. I am not an expert, nor even a musician. I offer my thoughts and opinions simply as an enthusiast and in case others might benefit from them. And I hope they don’t get in the way of the overall thread for those who don't care for them. For my part, I love reading what others think about recordings, performances, whatever.)


----------



## Neo Romanza

The *Martinů*-a-thon continues:

*Piano Concerto No. 3, H. 316
Emil Leichner (piano)
Czech PO
Bělohlávek*










*Promenades for Flute, Violin and Harpsichord, H. 274
Monika Knoblochová, Lenka Šimková-kozderková, Adéla Štajnochrová*










I'm not much for the harpsichord, but this work is extremely well-done and, in many respects, beautiful.

*Tre Ricercari, H. 267
Czech PO
Bělohlávek*

From this OOP 2-CD set -










*Violin Concerto No. 2, H. 293
Isabelle Faust, violin
The Prague Philharmonia
Bělohlávek*










*Duo for Violin and Viola No. 2, H. 331
Alexander Sitkovetsky (violin), Maxim Rysanov (viola)*


----------



## Neo Romanza

MartinDB said:


> Two versions of Martinu's sixth symphony back to back, Munch and Belohlavek. But for this forum, I might not be listening to Martinu at all right now. I certainly wouldn't be listening to this same symphony twice.
> 
> View attachment 181631
> 
> View attachment 181632
> 
> 
> The Munch recording is a Japanese release which, from memory, took some tracking down.
> 
> I like the Belohlavek more, but suspect this might be because of sound quality more than performance. The Munch is supposed to be very well regarded, I believe, and it has a terrific urgency. It was recorded in 1956 and the recording quality is acceptable, but not terrific. This is not a work I know well and so I will try my third recording - Neumann with the Czech Philharmonic - tomorrow.
> 
> (Regarding the exchanges about what is legitimate, or even expected, in posts here - I am strongly on the side of saying something about recordings. I am not an expert, nor even a musician. I offer my thoughts and opinions simply as an enthusiast and in case others might benefit from them. And I hope they don’t get in the way of the overall thread for those who don't care for them. For my part, I love reading what others think about recordings, performances, whatever.)


I also own that Munch Japanese release and it is quite a recording, indeed. This Munch performance is well-regarded for a good reason: I believe it smokes! If only he recorded the other five symphonies! The Bělohlávek symphony cycle on Onyx is highly acclaimed and rightfully so. The only thing that disappoints slightly, for me, is the audio quality. It was recorded in the Barbican Hall and this venue is notorious for its bone dry acoustic. This caveat aside, the performances are tremendous. I can't think of any other conductor who has done more for Martinů than Bělohlávek. I mean if you look at his discography of the composer on Supraphon alone, it's enough to make your head spin. I bought almost all of his Martinů over the course of a year or two. Even when I was buying his recordings (back in '08 and '09), they were becoming difficult to find and this is for the reason I mentioned many posts back, Supraphon hasn't reissued most of their Martinů recordings. I'm not sure if it's for budget reasons or there's no demand for it, but I think for the newcomer to his music who does want to acquire the physical media, it's not doing them any favors.

Special note: The Munch recording of the 6th has been reissued by Praga Digitals in the 2-CD set I posted a few posts again (titled _The Symphonist_), so this is the recording I listen to, but I should get that Japanese recording back out since it contains some interesting couplings (Piston and Menotti).


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## HenryPenfold

*William Alwyn* - Symphony No. 3 (1956)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, William Alwyn
Label - Lyrita

Those of us that like the not so celebrated British composers of the so-called 'lost generation' are lucky that we have three sets of Alwyn's symphonies to choose from - Chandos/Hickox, Naxos/Lloyd-Jones and Lyrita. I have a slight preference for the 1970s Lyrita recordings directed by the composer. I find Lyrita's recorded sound so live and natural sounding.


----------



## starthrower

HenryPenfold said:


> *William Alwyn* - Symphony No. 3 (1956)
> London Philharmonic Orchestra, William Alwyn
> Label - Lyrita


Good stuff, Henry! I got both Lyrita discs from a Discogs vendor a couple years ago.


----------



## HenryPenfold

starthrower said:


> Good stuff, Henry! I got both Lyrita discs from a Discogs vendor a couple years ago.


Pleased to hear that! I wish composers like Alwyn had a much wider audience.

I have now moved onto Alwyn 4


----------



## Kiki

HenryPenfold said:


> But I think there's more to it than that. This is a forum and it would be instructive to look up what the definition of a forum is, what its purpose is.
> 
> To just post a picture of a CD cover is essentially narcissistic behaviour, in that it lacks empathy, while being needy of attention and overstates the importance of the 'utterance' and the antisocial act of not engaging with fellow members is dysfunctional.





MartinDB said:


> ...
> 
> (Regarding the exchanges about what is legitimate, or even expected, in posts here - I am strongly on the side of saying something about recordings. I am not an expert, nor even a musician. I offer my thoughts and opinions simply as an enthusiast and in case others might benefit from them. And I hope they don’t get in the way of the overall thread for those who don't care for them. For my part, I love reading what others think about recordings, performances, whatever.)


No objection to that at all. In fact, I also like to see posters writing a short reaction to the music/performance and I have been doing that myself. 

What I said was trying to identify a common denominator among posters, as I understand not everybody is comfortable with posting reactions to a recording, therefore, as a common denominator, please at least let me know what music you are listening to when the cover does not state that.



sAmUiLc said:


> There could be many more different purposes to post here. I'd say let them be.


Certainly, just that when I see a post that does not tell me what music is being listened to, I can't react to it. If someone wants to do that, fine, but whatever his/her purpose of posting, he/she is probably not interested in getting the message (i.e. "Current Listening") across to the receiving end.


----------



## starthrower

Streaming this opera which I'd never heard of until yesterday.


----------



## Neo Romanza

starthrower said:


> Good stuff, Henry! I got both Lyrita discs from a Discogs vendor a couple years ago.


Just to clarify: there are four volumes of _Alwyn Conducts Alwyn _on Lyrita and they're all superb!


----------



## Andrew Kenneth

Anton Bruckner - Symphony nr. 4
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Manfred Honeck

SACD


----------



## starthrower

Neo Romanza said:


> Just to clarify: there are four volumes of _Alwyn Conducts Alwyn _on Lyrita and they're all superb!


I have only the two symphony discs.


----------



## HenryPenfold

Neo Romanza said:


> Just to clarify: there are four volumes of _Alwyn Conducts Alwyn _on Lyrita and they're all superb!


👍


----------



## Kiki

MartinDB said:


> Two versions of Martinu's sixth symphony back to back, Munch and Belohlavek. But for this forum, I might not be listening to Martinu at all right now. I certainly wouldn't be listening to this same symphony twice.
> 
> View attachment 181631
> 
> View attachment 181632
> 
> 
> The Munch recording is a Japanese release which, from memory, took some tracking down.
> 
> I like the Belohlavek more, but suspect this might be because of sound quality more than performance. The Munch is supposed to be very well regarded, I believe, and it has a terrific urgency. It was recorded in 1956 and the recording quality is acceptable, but not terrific. This is not a work I know well and so I will try my third recording - Neumann with the Czech Philharmonic - tomorrow.
> 
> (Regarding the exchanges about what is legitimate, or even expected, in posts here - I am strongly on the side of saying something about recordings. I am not an expert, nor even a musician. I offer my thoughts and opinions simply as an enthusiast and in case others might benefit from them. And I hope they don’t get in the way of the overall thread for those who don't care for them. For my part, I love reading what others think about recordings, performances, whatever.)


The 1956 Munch is in fact available worldwide as a CD or a download (Presto, HDtracks etc.). While the CD may have gone obsolete or cost an arm and a leg to get, the download is reasonably priced and is always available.

I love this Munch recording. A crushing fire engine it is, also the fastest Martinů #6 that I know. (Perhaps fast and furious would be a more trendy way of putting it.) Incidentally Munch also left us a 1967 live recording from a Prague Spring Festival box set from Andante, which is shockingly one of the slowest (and with cuts!).


----------



## Kiki

Neo Romanza said:


> *Promenades for Flute, Violin and Harpsichord, H. 274
> Monika Knoblochová, Lenka Šimková-kozderková, Adéla Štajnochrová*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not much for the harpsichord, but this work is extremely well-done and, in many respects, beautiful.


Very nice disc! The man liked this kind of things, it seems... Next up, the Fantasia for Theremin H301!!! 😄


----------



## sAmUiLc

Godowsky Edition, Vol. 1: Schubert-Godowsky: Song Transcriptions for Piano


Godowsky Edition, Vol. 1. Music & Arts: MACD0984. Buy CD or download online. Carlo Grante (piano)



www.prestomusic.com


----------



## Kiki

*Francis Poulenc*
_Concerto pour orgue, orchestre à cordes et timbales FP93 _
*Simon Preston
Boston Symphony Orchestra 
Seiji Ozawa *
Rec. 1991 Live
DG

Fast and epic! Stunning!


----------



## sAmUiLc

Kiki said:


> Certainly, just that when I see a post that does not tell me what music is being listened to, I can't react to it. If someone wants to do that, fine, but whatever his/her purpose of posting, he/she is probably not interested in getting the message (i.e. "Current Listening") across to the receiving end.


To be blunt. I am not too interested in what other's think of certain recording. I am pretty much set in my own way. I am not at the expansion stage. I'd be just happy to listen to what I have. No streaming for me, btw. What I also know is everybody has different taste. Therefore my post here is never a recommendation as I would not regard others' posts as such.

I hinted in a much earlier post that English is not my native tongue, so it is a good exercise to write properly in English (love the 'edit' feature for that reason). Plus as I am getting old, it is a good mental exercise, too.


----------



## prlj

*Martinů Symphony No. 1 BBC/Bēlohlávek*

Only one symphony in on this set, and I can already hear why people prefer it to the new Meister set.


----------



## HenryPenfold

sAmUiLc said:


> To be blunt. I am not too interested in what other's think of certain recording. I am pretty much set in my own way.


Q.E.D. (apropros down-thread discussion)

One wonders what purpose the forum serves for you.......


----------



## Klavierman




----------



## Bkeske

May just finish this really good box set tonight, 2 CD’s remain.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 
Live The Radio Recordings 2000-2010
RCO Live/ Radio Netherlands Music
Anthology Of The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - 7

CD #13

Mozart - Symphony No.41 In C Major, KV 551 'Jupiter' conducted by Iván Fischer
Schubert - Symphony No.3 In D Major D 200 conducted by by Iván Fischer
Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier, Suite, Op.59 conducted by Mariss Jansons


----------



## sAmUiLc

for contents..


----------



## Neo Romanza

On tonight's menu:

*Mendelssohn
String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 44 No. 3
Escher String Quartet*










*Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
Hebrides Overture, Op. 26
Symphony No. 5 in D major, Op. 107 'Reformation'
Isabelle Faust, violin
Freiburger Barockorchester
Pablo Heras-Casado*










A certain YouTube critic would throw a hissy fit over this Heras-Casado Mendelssohn recording (well, actually all of them) because they're HIP. You know what? F*** him. He doesn't speak for me nor does he speak for anyone else who do enjoy these kinds of performances. That's all I'll say about that --- these are AMAZING performances!


----------



## OCEANE

Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (Out of the depths I call, Lord, to You), BWV 131


----------



## Klavierman




----------



## Neo Romanza

Klavierman said:


> View attachment 181653


This should be in my mailbox in a matter of days. Really looking forward to it!


----------



## OCEANE

A little more Bach with Cantatas arias


----------



## Andrew Kenneth

*Anton Bruckner -* Symphony nr. 4
Berliner Philharmoniker - Hans Knappertsbusch
(rec. march 10th - 1944) NOT sept. 8th 1944 - a long debunked recording date)


----------



## Bkeske

Final CD of this most excellent box.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 
Live The Radio Recordings 2000-2010
RCO Live/ Radio Netherlands Music
Anthology Of The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - 7

CD #14

Busoni - Berceuse Élégiaque, Op.42 conducted by Ed Spanjaard
Prokofiev - Autumn, Op.8 Symphonical Sketch conducted by David Robertson
Mahler - Das Lied Von Der Erde conducted by Fabio Luisi


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Kiki

*Camille Saint-Saëns*
_Symphony No. 3_
*Gaston Litaize*, organ
*Chicago Symphony Orchestra 
Daniel Barenboim *
Rec. 1976
DG

A really exciting account from Barenboim when he was 34 years old. I have almost forgotten there was a time when he was _fast_!  To be fair, although in recent years he can be mega slow, he's not always so.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Neo Romanza

Kiki said:


> *Camille Saint-Saëns*
> _Symphony No. 3_
> *Gaston Litaize*, organ
> *Chicago Symphony Orchestra
> Daniel Barenboim *
> Rec. 1976
> DG
> 
> A really exciting account from Barenboim when he was 34 years old. I have almost forgotten there was a time when he was _fast_!  To be fair, although in recent years he can be mega slow, he's not always so.


Barenboim was fully capable of turning in great performances, but, like any good conductor, this didn't always happen. This is quite a fine Saint-Saëns or, at least, the best I can remember, but there are so many great Saint-Saëns recordings for me that I begin to lose track after awhile.


----------



## Klavierman

Neo Romanza said:


> This should be in my mailbox in a matter of days. Really looking forward to it!


It's very good (hard to miss with those artists!), but sometimes her tone can be a bit grating to my ears. She tends to sacrifice some tonal beauty for intensity.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Closing the night out with some American "Populist" works:

*Bernstein
Three Dance Episodes from "On the Town"
Israel Philharmonic
Bernstein*

From this set -










*Copland
Appalachian Spring (Orchestral Version)
San Francisco SO
MTT*










*Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue
Bergen Philharmonic
Freddy Kempf, piano
Litton*


----------



## Neo Romanza

Klavierman said:


> It's very good (hard to miss with those artists!), but sometimes her tone can be a bit grating to my ears. She tends to sacrifice some tonal beauty for intensity.


Well, this intensity will serve her well in Janáček and Bartók, but the Brahms could pose a bit of a problem in this regard. Thanks for the feedback.


----------



## Klavierman

Neo Romanza said:


> Well, this intensity will serve her well in Janáček and Bartók, but the Brahms could pose a bit of a problem in this regard. Thanks for the feedback.


That was my feeling. Of course, I’d take intensity over a tepid performance! Somehow Heifetz managed intensity and maintained good tone, so it is possible.


----------



## Bkeske

Lorin Maazel - The Cleveland Years, complete recordings

CD #3

Respighi - Feste Romane
Respighi - Pina di Roma
Rimsky-Korsakov - The Golden Cockerel Suite
The Cleveland Orchestra 
DECCA 19 CD box 2014


----------



## cybernaut

I am completely in love with this:









Wagner - Tannhauser Overture & Venusberg Music
Sir John Barbirolli
Halle Orchestra
BBC Legends


I've never listened to much Wagner so it's a world for me to explore...


----------



## Rogerx

Hurlstone: Trio in G, etc.

James Boyd (viola)

The Dussek Piano Trio - Gonzalo Acosta (violin), Margaret Powell (cello), Micheal Dussek (piano)

Hurlstone: Adagio from Sonata in D for cello & piano
Hurlstone: Quartet in E Minor


----------



## Knorf

HenryPenfold said:


> Can't you simply write something, perhaps a couple of sentences about the recording/performance/dates/performers &cetera, rather than just posting pictures of CD covers? This thread would be utterly boring and pointless if we all just uploaded pictures of various CDs.


It's best practice for the accommodation of anyone visually impaired as well, to post some minimal description of the linked picture, not to mention courteous also for people who wish to reduce data consumption but still participate. But there are those who simply will not extend even that much minimal common decency.


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening: a Szymanowski day

Concert Overture, Symphonies 1 and 4, Study Op 4 No 3
Wit/Warsaw Philharmonic; Broja, piano









Piano Works
Zimerman









String Quartets 1 and 2
Silesian SQ









King Roger
Rattle/Birmingham


----------



## Rogerx

Poulenc: Les Biches - Suite, Les Animaux modèles - Suite & Sinfonietta

RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Jean-Luc Tingaud


Poulenc: Les Animaux modèles Suite
Poulenc: Les Biches: Suite
Poulenc: Sinfonietta


*Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (Paris, 7 januari 1899 – Paris, 30 januari 1963)*


----------



## Neo Romanza

Last work of the night:

*Brahms
7 Fantasien, Op. 116
Alexander Melnikov*










Wow...this is exquisite! Definitely looking forward to listening to more of Brahms' solo piano works. Night before last, I bought the solo piano recordings with Jonathan Plowright on BIS (five volumes total). There are several other sets to choose from, but his grabbed first so to speak through the sampling I did via BIS's website.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> I am completely in love with this:
> View attachment 181660
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've never listened to much Wagner so it's a world for me to explore...


Welcome to the world of Wagner! I hope you enjoy the ride.


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> Welcome to the world of Wagner! I hope you enjoy the ride.


Part of the reason I'm so late to Wagner is that I was never into opera. My father is an opera fanatic and has been trying for 40 years to get me into it...and I'm slowly starting to appreciate it. I'm not sure if I'll ever be a big fan of the genre, but I try. Collections of arias, I'm fine with. But entire operas? Not so much.


----------



## cybernaut

Knorf said:


> It's best practice for the accommodation of anyone visually impaired as well, to post some minimal description of the linked picture, not to mention courteous also for people who wish to reduce data consumption but still participate. But there are those who simply will not extend even that much minimal common decency.


Ahh, I didn't realize. I will start putting info.


----------



## Knorf

cybernaut said:


> Ahh, I didn't realize. I will start putting info.


No worries, really!

My comment is about a couple posters who voiced strenuous opposition to the idea in the past, as if it were some massive affront to include just a little information: at least the composer, composition, and performer(s), in text. I mean, if one is unwilling to share just that much, especially if it is from a multi-set, or a compilation where the picture doesn't even include anything specific, why bother sharing at all?

In any case, it's clear that this is a recommendation and is not something the moderators will address in their moderation.


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> Part of the reason I'm so late to Wagner is that I was never into opera. My father is an opera fanatic and has been trying for 40 years to get me into it...and I'm slowly starting to appreciate it. I'm not sure if I'll ever be a big fan of the genre, but I try. Collections of arias, I'm fine with. But entire operas? Not so much.


I enjoy operas now more than I did when I first started listening to classical music. I can listen to Verdi, Puccini, Wagner et. al. with zero problems and I think a lot of this has to do with me listening to the actual music and figuring out how everything is pieced together around the vocals.


----------



## Kiki

*Franz Schubert*
_Winterreise D911_
*Mark Padmore
Kristian Bezuidenhout*
Rec. 2017
Harmonia Mundi

I have read some comments likening Padmore to Bostridge. However, I think over the years they have been developing their styles in opposite directions. While Bostridge has been perfecting his mannerism into an art that starts to make sense, Padmore has been refining everything with masterly craftmanship into naturally flowing first-rate silk, as in this case here.

To be honest, I think Padmore's earlier recording with Lewis is OK but not outstanding. The recording here only caught my eyes because of Bezuidenhout's fortepiano. And I am not disappointed. Both singing and playing are excellent.

I do have a complaint about this recording. The recorded voice is a bit too reverberant for my taste.


----------



## Rogerx

Vaughan Williams - Willow-Wood

Roderick Williams (baritone)

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones


Vaughan Williams: Five Variants of ‘Dives and Lazarus'
Vaughan Williams: The Sons of Light (Cantata for Chorus and Orchestra)
Vaughan Williams: The Voice out of the Whirlwind; (Motet for Chorus and Orchestra)
Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region
Vaughan Williams: Willow-Wood (Cantata for Baritone and Orchestra)


----------



## Neo Romanza

Ah, hell...one more work for the night:

*Strauss
Burleske in D minor
Hamelin
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Ilan Volkov*


----------



## sAmUiLc

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #1
Shostakovich: Symphony #10
Herbert von Karajan conducts Berlin Phil.

This is indeed a lousy-sounding CD. The Schiit Loki mini EQ I got at the end of the last year is really making it quite listenable. Before I bought the EQ I thought I had only a handful CDs that would need it, but I am finding out a whole lot more simply sound more enjoyable with its help. It has only 4 bands, so it fits my preference of less diddling. And since I use 3 CD players in the same system and the EQ is placed between one of the players and the passive pre-amp, the good recordings can be played as before on the other two players.


----------



## cybernaut

Loving this! I love Bruckner and I love Klemperer so this is a match made in heaven for me:









Bruckner - Symphony No. 4 (1886 version, ed. Nowak)
Otto Klemperer - conductor
Philharmonia Orchestra
Recorded September 1963

from Warner Classics box set: Bruckner Symphonies 4-9


----------



## Klavierman




----------



## Becca

cybernaut said:


> Loving this! I love Bruckner and I love Klemperer so this is a match made in heaven for me:
> View attachment 181669
> 
> 
> Bruckner - Symphony No. 4 (1886 version, ed. Nowak)
> Otto Klemperer - conductor
> Philharmonia Orchestra
> Recorded September 1963
> 
> from Warner Classics box set: Bruckner Symphonies 4-9


If you love Klemperer and are just getting into opera, try his well regarded set of Wagnerian orchestral excerpts.


----------



## cybernaut

Becca said:


> If you love Klemperer and are just getting into opera, try his well regarded set of Wagnerian orchestral excerpts.


this one?


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Philidor

Relistening some stuff for New Year's Day.

*Johann Sebastian Bach: "Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele" BWV 143*

Sandrine Piau, Jörg Dürmüller, Klaus Mertens
The Amsterdam Baroque Choir and Orchestra
Ton Koopman










I like Koopman's approach for the early cantatas. He comes along with some freshness which makes this music shine.


----------



## prlj

*Bacewicz Symphony No 3 WDR Sinfonieorchester/Borowicz*

This was a pleasant surprise as I was sorting through new releases. Bacewicz was a mid-20 Century Polish composer, primarily focusing on works for violin, but now I’m eager to hear the rest of her symphonies. (She wrote four.)


----------



## Rogerx

Verdi: Luisa Miller

Plácido Domingo (Rodolfo), Aprile Millo (Luisa), Vladimir Chernov (Miller), Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Walter), Florence Quivar (Federica), Paul Plishka (Wurm), Wendy White (Laura), John Bills (Contadino)

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, James Levine


----------



## Philidor

Next New Year's stuff.

*Johann Sebastian Bach: "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" BWV 190*

Alto: Elisabeth von Magnus; Tenor: Paul Agnew; Bass: Klaus Mertens
The Amsterdam Baroque Choir & Orchestra
Ton Koopman










Although I have about two thirds of Koopman's complete recordings of these cantatas, I often neglected them in view of the (as a whole) preferred Suzuki or special recordings like Kuijken's or Pierlot's, using OVPP. However, there are real gems among Koopman's renditions, and this is one of them, imho.


----------



## Malx

*Haydn, String Quartets Op 76 Nos 2 & 3 - Quatuor Mosaïques.*

Two fine examples from the father of the string quartet. The Mosaïques aren't exactly fiery in these quartets but thats not a problem as I don't expect too much attack in Haydn Quartets. Their warmth underpined by a solid cello sound is very appealing.
I have the recordings in the box below that I have had for a number of years - sadly a box that is oop these days and has become expensive on resale sites. The box is one of the few that has the full notes that came with the original releases (96 page booklet).


----------



## Philidor

A new recording of Franck's music for organ - well, the 12 "big pieces".

*César Franck

Trois Chorals
*

*
No. 1 Mi majeur

No. 2 Si mineur

No. 3 La mineur
*

*Grande Pièce Symphonique op. 17*

Michel Bouvard
Organ by Cavaillé-Coll in Saint-Sermin, Toulouse (F)










"L'Oeuvre d'orgue" is misleading as the collection "L'organiste" is missing as well as earlier versions of some pieces and other smaller works. However, I found these renditions appealing. Bouvard does not try to make everything different than others. Quite the contrary, he is rather modest in taking back his own commentary, leaving the stage to the music itself. Recordings by Guillou and others might be more spectacular, but this seems to be a frank presentation of Franck. Imho.


----------



## Chilham

Premiered this day 1857:









Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2
Andrew Litton, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Hough


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

cybernaut said:


> Part of the reason I'm so late to Wagner is that I was never into opera. My father is an opera fanatic and has been trying for 40 years to get me into it...and I'm slowly starting to appreciate it. I'm not sure if I'll ever be a big fan of the genre, but I try. Collections of arias, I'm fine with. But entire operas? Not so much.


Neeme Jarvi recorded 4 discs worth of orchestral arrangements from various Wagner operas, not just the standard selections you get from the Ring. They’re on Chandos I think. Maazel also arranged and recorded 1 hour worth of selections from Tannhauser — Tannhauser Without Words or something. All are worth checking out


----------



## Art Rock

Knorf said:


> In any case, it's clear that this is a recommendation and is not something the moderators will address in their moderation.


Indeed. We would probably have to appoint a moderator just for this thread. Seriously, the recommendation is in the first post, and if people choose not to do it, so be it. 

Personally, I find posting just a Youtube link without any information far worse, as they are often not viewable world wide and can be removed from that site.



prlj said:


> *Bacewicz Symphony No 3 WDR Sinfonieorchester/Borowicz*
> 
> This was a pleasant surprise as I was sorting through new releases. Bacewicz was a mid-20 Century Polish composer, primarily focusing on works for violin, but now I’m eager to hear the rest of her symphonies. (She wrote four.)


I have heard a lot of her work by now, and I think she's an excellent composer. I would also recommend exploring her violin concertos and string quartets.


----------



## Art Rock

*Pēteris Vasks: String Quartets No. 1-3 (Miami String Quartet, Conifer)*

Early morning string quartet time, combined with my replaying and cataloguing project. This CD is from 1999, and contains the three quartets Vasks had composed at the time (meanwhile we are at number six). The CD starts with the third quartet, for some reason named "Christmas Quartet" from 1995. It is an interesting work, at times rather wild and exciting passages and at times beautifully restrained. Next up is the revised version of the first quartet (1977), an excellent modernist composition, combining melodies and dissonance, creating a very convincing world of sounds. The second quartet (1984), named "Summer tunes" is totally different again and just as interesting. I've said it before, I regard Vasks at the moment as the second "greatest" living composer (based on my personal taste), with only Gubaidulina rated higher.


----------



## Branko

Today being Orthodox Christmas, I felt like listening to Rachmaninovs All-Night Vigil, op 37 .

*The Choral Art of Alexander Sveshnikov*
The State Academic Russian Choir/Alexander Sveshnikov
Klara Korkan (mezzo); Konstantin Ognevoi (tenor)










This recording is on Spotify. I tried a few others in the past, but this one seems the most atmospheric and beautiful to me.


----------



## Malx

*Mozart, String Quartet No 20 'Hoffmeister' / Haydn Op 3/5 att Hoffstetter, Serenade / Beethoven, String Quartet No 16 Op 135 - Alban Berg Quartet.*

A nice little selection of quartet pieces - the Bergs' also recorded the Mozart on Teldec, a set I marginally prefer but this is also a very good rendition. The Haydn/Hoffstetter and the Beethoven are live recordings which are equally enjoyable.
These recordings are in this box:


----------



## elgar's ghost

Continuing with Edward Elgar - non-vocal orchestral works part one
on what is a rather vile, rain-soaked morning.

_Salut d'Amour_ for violin and piano op.12, arr. for string orchestra
(orig. 1888 - arr. 1889): a)
_Serenade_ for string orchestra op.20, revision of three earlier pieces
for strings (orig. 1888 - rev. 1892): b)

a) with the CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Adrian Leaper
b) with the Capella Istropolitana/Adrian Leaper









_Froissart_ - concert overture for orchestra op.19 (1890):
_Cockaigne_ [_In London Town_] - concert overture for orchestra op.40 (1900-01):

with the New Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli









_Imperial March_ for orchestra op.32 (1896-97):







​I sometimes wonder if the "enigma" was that there actually wasn't one and that EE got wry satisfaction from sending countless people on a fruitless musical treasure hunt?  

_Variations on an Original Theme_ [_Enigma_] for orchestra op.36 (1899):


----------



## Kiki

*Franz Schubert*
_Winterreise D911_
*Markus Schafer
Tobias Koch*
Rec. 2018
Avi Music

My latest discovery. Think embellishment, ornamentation, improvisation, and loads of liberty being applied to Schubert's lieder; then imagine my jaw dropping onto the floor. Singing and playing are first-rate, but honestly I don't know if I should love it or hate it.


----------



## HenryPenfold

cybernaut said:


> this one?


Yes, that's the one - Becca's recommendation is absolutely spot on for where you're at, in my humble opinion. It's a terrific set, head and shoulders above any other orchestral set, and I loved his performance of 'Forest Murmurs' from the moment I first heard it.


----------



## Rogerx

Versailles - Alexandre Tharaud

Alexandre Tharaud (piano), Sabine Devieilhe (soprano), Justin Taylor (piano)


Anglebert: Cadmus: Overture (after Lully)
Anglebert: Chaconne [from Pièces in C]
Anglebert: Fugue grave
Anglebert: Sarabande grave
Anglebert: Sarabande: Dieu des Enfers
Anglebert: Variations sur Les Folies d’Espagne in Pièces de clavecin
Balbastre: La Suzanne
Couperin, F: Pièces de clavecin II: Ordre 8ème in B minor: Passacaille
Couperin, F: Pièces de clavecin IV: Ordre 25ème in E flat major: Les ombres errantes
Duphly: La de Belombre (from Troisième livre de pièces de clavecin)
Duphly: Rondeau: La Pothoüin
Lully: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs
Rameau: Gavotte et doubles
Rameau: Le rappel des oiseaux
Rameau: Les Indes Galantes: Viens, hymen
Rameau: Les Sauvages
Rameau: Suite in E minor: Le Tambourin
Royer, P: L'Aimable
Royer, P: La Marche des Scythes
Royer, P: Premier et deuxième Tambourins (from Premier livre de pièces de clavecin)
Royer, P: Tambourins
Visée: Sarabande


----------



## Malx

*Shostakovich, String Quartet No 3 - Fitzwilliam String Quartet.*

For a long time I didn't pay much attention to the Fitzwilliams' recordings perhaps thinking them a little 'polite'. I am happy to admit I was wrong and I am enjoying their Decca/London set greatly - there is definitely more than one way to approach these magnificent works. The way they play the opening Allegretto of this quartet makes me smile each time I hear it.


----------



## Kiki

sAmUiLc said:


> View attachment 181668
> 
> 
> Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #1
> Shostakovich: Symphony #10
> Herbert von Karajan conducts Berlin Phil.
> 
> This is indeed a lousy-sounding CD. The Schiit Loki mini EQ I got at the end of the last year is really making it quite listenable. Before I bought the EQ I thought I had only a handful CDs that would need it, but I am finding out a whole lot more simply sound more enjoyable with its help. It has only 4 bands, so it fits my preference of less diddling. And since I use 3 CD players in the same system and the EQ is placed between one of the players and the passive pre-amp, the good recordings can be played as before on the other two players.


The recorded sound is indeed awful, but it is such a special historical document that every Karajan collector should try to get it! I always wonder about one thing though: did he play continuo on stage? I think he did for his studio recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos, and certainly in his video production of Brandenburg #3 in which he looks really, ah, I hesitate to say, posh (by 1970s standard I suppose).


----------



## HenryPenfold

*Richard Strauss* - Tod Und Verklärung
Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Performance Duration - 22 minutes, 34 seconds
Label - EMI
Recorded - March 1962, Kingsway Hall, London

This really is a superb performance in astonishingly good sound - you'd never believe it was from 1962!

*sAmUiLc* made a most interesting comment a few days ago, saying that he didn't trust EMI remasters. I have both the original EMI CD releases of most of Klemperer's performances, as well as most of the remasters (and some Pristine/Andrew Rose remasters) and I look forward to doing a comparison myself.

It pains me that Klemperer never recorded 'Ein Hledenleben'


----------



## Chilham

Dufay: Missa Ave Regina Coelorum
Jesse Rodin, Cut Circle


----------



## Kiki

HenryPenfold said:


> *Richard Strauss* - Tod Und Verklärung
> Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
> Performance Duration - 22 minutes, 34 seconds
> Label - EMI
> Recorded - March 1962, Kingsway Hall, London
> 
> This really is a superb performance in astonishingly good sound - you'd never believe it was from 1962!
> 
> *sAmUiLc* made a most interesting comment a few days ago, saying that he didn't trust EMI remasters. I have both the original EMI CD releases of most of Klemperer's performances, as well as most of the remasters (and some Pristine/Andrew Rose remasters) and I look forward to doing a comparison myself.
> 
> It pains me that Klemperer never recorded 'Ein Hledenleben'
> 
> View attachment 181679


I don't know this recording but, blimey he did 22:34? That fast in as late as 1962 in his career? That's shocking. Now I feel curious to check it out.


----------



## Mark Dee

This morning's listening...


----------



## HenryPenfold

Kiki said:


> The recorded sound is indeed awful, but it is such a special historical document that every Karajan collector should try to get it! I always wonder about one thing though: did he play continuo on stage? I think he did for his studio recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos, and certainly in his video production of Brandenburg #3 in which he looks really, ah, I hesitate to say, posh (by 1970s standard I suppose).


I don't think the sound quality is _that_ bad 🤔


----------



## HenryPenfold

Kiki said:


> I don't know this recording but, blimey he did 22:34? That fast in as late as 1962 in his career? That's shocking. Now I feel curious to check it out.


Presto Music think he did it even quicker at 22.27 🤣


----------



## Musicaterina

Today is Christoph-Graupner-Day for me - day of a quite rarely played composer!

Christoph Graupner: Concerto in C Major for Oboe d'amore, Strings & B.c GWV 302

played by: 

Ofer Frenkel, oboe d'amore 
Accademia Daniel, Shalev Ad-El


----------



## Anooj

CD5: _Concerto_ _da_ _camera_ _1_-_3_ _Op_._10_ (Charles-Valentin Alkan) + _Symphony_ _on_ _a_ _French_ _Mountain_ _Air_ _Op_._25_ (Vincent D’Indy).

Very enjoyable works I’ve not been previously familiar with (the same goes for most of what’s in the box, aside from the concerti by Saint-Saens, Franck, and Ravel).


----------



## Musicaterina

Christoph Graupner: Ouverture-Suite in E minor for 2 Oboes da caccia, Strings & B.c GWV 442

played by: Harmonie Universelle, Florian Deuter, Mónica Waisman


----------



## Neo Romanza

HenryPenfold said:


> *Richard Strauss* - Tod Und Verklärung
> Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
> Performance Duration - 22 minutes, 34 seconds
> Label - EMI
> Recorded - March 1962, Kingsway Hall, London
> 
> This really is a superb performance in astonishingly good sound - you'd never believe it was from 1962!
> 
> *sAmUiLc* made a most interesting comment a few days ago, saying that he didn't trust EMI remasters. I have both the original EMI CD releases of most of Klemperer's performances, as well as most of the remasters (and some Pristine/Andrew Rose remasters) and I look forward to doing a comparison myself.
> 
> It pains me that Klemperer never recorded 'Ein Hledenleben'
> 
> View attachment 181679


A fine recording. I was just listening to it what seems like a few weeks ago. Also, anyone who says EMI remasters aren't of good quality seriously needs to listen to this Strauss Klemperer recording! Honestly, I haven't heard a bad sounding Klemperer EMI remaster.


----------



## Tsaraslondon

This really is a lovely disc. Perhaps there is nothing that is starkly original here, but the concerto is a gorgeously lyrical work with some beautiful melodies and the String Serenade is as enjoyable as those by Tchaikovsky and Dvorak.


----------



## Rogerx

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 9 & Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3

Clara Haskil (piano)

Winterthur Symphony Orchestra, Henry Swoboda



*Clara Haskil (7 January 1895 – 7 December 1960)*


----------



## Malx

*Ligeti, Violin Concerto - Augustin Hadelich, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Miguel Harth-Bedoya.*

Gradually getting into this piece, I'll pass no comment as to preferences or differences as my opinions will undoubtedly change as I get to know the work better. I'll just say at this stage its a great find for me.


----------



## HenryPenfold

Neo Romanza said:


> A fine recording. I was just listening to it what seems like a few weeks ago. Also, anyone who says EMI remasters aren't of good quality seriously needs to listen to this Strauss Klemperer recording! Honestly, I haven't heard a bad sounding Klemperer EMI remaster.


I can't say I've had anything but a very positive experience with the EMI remasters, but to be fair to sAmUiLc, he only said he didn't _trust_ them, and I think scepticism on such matters is a good thing. I am reminded that I find my Sony Bernstein Sibelius NYPO cycle remastered CDs inferior to my original CDs.


----------



## Anooj

CD 1: Symphonies 35, 38, 39, 59

Conducted by Trevor Pinnock, who performs the harpsichord continuo


----------



## Rogerx

Bruckner: Symphony No. 2 in C minor

Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard


----------



## Musicaterina

Christoph Graupner: Ouverture in G-major for 2 Corni di Selva, Tympani, 2 Violini, Viola e Cembalo

played by "Das Kleine Konzert" conducted by Hermann Max


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*W. A. Mozart
Sinfonia Concertante K. 364

Thomas Brandis (violin), Giusto Cappone (viola)
Karl Böhm & Berliner Philharmoniker*








Beautiful, graceful, but at the same time so emotionally compelling music....


----------



## Enthusiast

This morning's opera - both drama and beauty.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Mendelssohn. Quartet No.2 Cleveland Quartet, Octet in Eb Major Cleveland and the Meliora Quartets. Telarc. 
Been long time since I played these.


----------



## Rogerx

Sibelius & Adès: Violin Concertos

Augustin Hadelich (violin)

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Hannu Lintu


----------



## Enthusiast

The Brahms violin concerto (surely the greatest ever!) from Isabelle Faust with Daniel Harding. I listened to the sextet yesterday. A great performance - Faust seems able to give us wonderfully fresh accounts of much recorded works, performances that equal the best of the past but are new as well. I don't think any other of today's violinists can match her in this.


----------



## Rogerx

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Beethoven. Fidelio. W/Ludwig, Vickers, Frick and Berry. Philharmonia Chorus and Philharmonia Orchestra cond. Klemperer. EMI Classics 1962, remastered 1994.


----------



## Vasks

*Arthur Thomas - Overture to "The Golden Web" (Bonynge/Somm)
Edward Elgar - The Sanguine Fan (Lloyd-Jones/Naxos)
Ralph Vaughn Williams - Five Mystical Songs (Best/Hyperion)*


----------



## Xenophiliu

*Aaron Copland*: Danzón Cubano & El Salón México
*Oscar L. Fernández *(1897-1948): Batuque
*Mozart Camargo Guarnieri* (1907-1993)*: *Dansa Brasileira
*Heitor Villa-Lobos*: Bachiana Brasileira 5: Adagio & Allegretto
*Silvestre Revueltas*: Sensemayá
*Carlos Chávez*: Symphony 2 "Sinfonía India"

Netania Devrath, soprano (Villa-Lobos)
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein

Sony
1962-64
1992/1998

Much more serious music than Latin American Fiesta lets on. I hold on to the Royal Edition so I don't need to double dip Ferde Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite from Bernstein (and hold on to my collection of Prince Charles' watercolours *).*


----------



## Malx

*Nielsen, Symphony No 2 'The Four Temperaments' - Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky.*

Next symphony from this new to me set. In keeping with what I thought yesterday I found this to be a considered reading leaning towards the romantic side of Nielsen but with enough weight and insight to be, for me, a very valid approach.


----------



## Rtnrlfy

A bit of Chopin for a Saturday morning...


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 1* in C minor, Op. 68
Carlo Maria Giulini: Los Angeles Philharmonic (1981)

This is not from a completed cycle; Giulini also recorded the Second symphony in 1980 with these forces, but not the other two symphonies. Like that recording of the Second, this is slow, long, but beautiful. When I listened to that First a few days ago, I compared Giulini to Barbirolli, and so far I think that's the closest comparison I can think of. Incidentally, aside from questions of tempo, both were string players (Barbirolli a cellist, and Giulini a violist), who could lure out beautiful sounds from an orchestra, the strings in particular. Further adding to the 53 minute length of this recording is the fact that Barbirolli takes the exposition repeat, a choice I always approve of. I do feel the first movement Allegro needs to be closer to an Allegro to really take on the dramatic character it often has, helped by the triple time, fragmentary motives, and scherzo-like viciousness. Giulini takes a different approach, sculpting the movement a bit more gently I guess than I'm accustomed to. Of course that gentleness then pays dividends in the slow movement. When Brahms calls for the brass, it comes through very neatly in this recording, but Giulini's focus is obviously on the strings in most cases.


----------



## Chilham

Josquin: Missa de Beata Virgine
Peter Phillips, The Tallis Scholars


----------



## Rogerx

Schubert/Liszt: Erlkönig

Duos & Transcriptions

Gidon Kremer (violin), Oleg Maisenberg (piano)


Ernst, H W: Der Erlkönig - Grand Caprice Op. 26
Liszt: Erlkönig (No. 4 from Zwölf Lieder von Franz Schubert, S558)
Liszt: Grand duo concertant sur la romance 'Le Marin', S. 128
Liszt: La Lugubre Gondola for cello & piano, S134
Liszt: Soirées de Vienne, 9 valses-caprices (after Schubert), S427
Liszt: Soirées de Vienne: valse-caprice No. 6 (after Schubert), D427 No. 6
Schubert: Erlkönig, D328
Schubert: Introduction and Variations on 'Trockne Blumen' from Die Schöne Müllerin D802


----------



## Georgieva

Thanks for inspiration 

Clara Haskil (piano)


----------



## Enthusiast

Schumann - the violin concerto and the 3rd piano trio.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Zygmunt Stojowski* (1870-1946):* Modlitwa za Polske (Prayer for Poland), op.40* (1920), as recorded in 2008 by the *Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir, Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra*, conducted by *Marcin Nalecz-Niesiolowsk*. With Marta Wroblewska (soprano), Maciej Bogumit Nerkowski (baritone), Rafat Sulima (organ).

I especially like Stojowski's piano miniatures and piano concertos, but on the ground of this "Prayer for Poland" alone I'm inclined to rank Stojowski among the 200 greatest composers ever. A truly great, timeless work by this composer who lived and taught a great deal of his life in New York, where he founded his own 'Stojowski studios' due to the large number of students who wished to work with him.


----------



## Neo Romanza

HenryPenfold said:


> I can't say I've had anything but a very positive experience with the EMI remasters, but to be fair to sAmUiLc, he only said he didn't _trust_ them, and I think scepticism on such matters is a good thing. I am reminded that I find my Sony Bernstein Sibelius NYPO cycle remastered CDs inferior to my original CDs.


All I know is if it sounds good and it enhances the listening experience, then this is all that matters.


----------



## Rtnrlfy

Mozart variations for fortepiano, courtesy of Ronald Brautigam.


----------



## Georgieva

Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D Major "Titan" (Remastered)
*Bruno Walter*


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Aram Khachaturian* (1903-1978): *Violin concerto in D minor *(1940), as recorded in 2001 by *Mihaela Martin* (violin), with the *National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine*, conducted by *Theodore Kuchar*.

_From Wikipedia:_ Khachaturian's violin concerto in D minor was composed for David Oistrakh and was premiered on November 16, 1940 by Oistrakh. In 1940, Khachaturian was enjoying tremendous professional success and personal joy. He worked on the concerto in the tranquility of a wood composer's retreat west of Moscow; he said of the composition that he "worked without effort ... Themes came to me in such abundance that I had a hard time putting them in order." Many sections of the concerto are reminiscent of the folk music of Khachaturian's native Armenia—while he never directly quotes a specific folk melody, "the exotic Oriental flavor of Armenian scales and melodies and the captivating rhythmic diversity of dances" are throughout the work. The work has been charactered by "an exhilarating rhythmic drive and vitality, and a penchant for intoxicating, highly flavored, languorous melody owning much to the inflections of his native Armenian folk music." Having won the Stalin prize in 1941, it has since become one of Khachaturian's famous pieces, in spite of considerable criticism.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Reger
Vier Tondichtungen Nach Arnold Böcklin Op. 128
Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin
Gerd Albrecht*

From this set -










A gorgeous work --- I need to spend more time with Reger. I think he's largely misunderstood in general. He's written some exquisite music.

I also contribute to him one of my favorite composer quotes of all-time: _"I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it shall be behind me."_


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Christoph Graupner* (1683-1760): *Cantata "Wie bald hast du gelitten", GWV.1109/14*, as recorded in 2009 in Belgium by* Ex Tempore and the Mannheimer Hofkapelle,* conducted by *Florian Heyerick.*

Ever since Christmas I've been enjoying Graupner's choral works, and I'm glad to see him in this thread as well every once in a while. I was surprised to find out that conductor Florian Heyerick even made a Ph.D. study on Graupner. Apparently this man has written an incredible amount of music.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

Neo Romanza said:


> NP:
> 
> *Reger
> Vier Tondichtungen Nach Arnold Böcklin Op. 128
> Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin
> Gerd Albrecht*
> 
> From this set -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A gorgeous work --- I need to spend more time with Reger. I think he's largely misunderstood in general. He's written some exquisite music.
> 
> I also contribute to him one of my favorite composer quotes of all-time: _"I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it shall be behind me."_


I fully agree. I discovered Reger a couple of years ago, and I still hold that if anyone can claim the title of being the true heir of Brahms, Reger's my top candidate. He just had the 'bad luck' that he never came up with a killer tune that stays in the active repertoire. And he indeed had a marvellous sense of humor. He would often urge his students to "please stop _Regering _so much, and find your own voice!"


----------



## Neo Romanza

janwillemvanaalst said:


> I fully agree. I discovered Reger a couple of years ago, and I still hold that if anyone can claim the title of being the true heir of Brahms, Reger's my top candidate. He just had the 'bad luck' that he never came up with a killer tune that stays in the active repertoire. And he indeed had a marvellous sense of humor. He would often urge his students to "please stop _Regering _so much, and find your own voice!"


The Brahms comparison is apt, but I would say Reger is more extreme in his emotional temperament. Compared to Brahms, Reger comes across as someone in need of psychiatric evaluation.


----------



## Becca

cybernaut said:


> this one?


That is one of the 2. There is also a Wagner/Strauss box...


----------



## Bourdon

Mozart

Le Nozze di Figaro

High time for a Mozart opera, I remember the excitement I felt when I listened to operas more often in the past, especially the great Mozart operas, the Carmen, Boris Godunov and Don Carlos for example. Time for more attention to what has given me so much joy in the past.


----------



## Musicaterina

Christoph Graupner: Reiner Geist, lass doch mein Herz, GWV 1138/11

Performers:
Dorothee Mields.
Ensemble: Harmonie Universelle.

I was there when this was performed at the Trinitatis Church in Cologne, Germany.


----------



## Malx

Becca said:


> That is one of the 2. There is also a Wagner/Strauss box...


That box is a cracker his recording of Act I of Die Walkure makes me wonder what a Klemperer ring cycle might have sounded like.


----------



## Rogerx

Sibelius: Kullervo

Benjamin Appl (baritone), Helena Juntunen (soprano)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra & Lund Male Chorus, Thomas Dausgaard


----------



## Monsalvat

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: *Piano Concerto No. 23* in A major, KV 488
Murray Perahia: English Chamber Orchestra (1984)

The focus in this recording is on the piano; the orchestra is a bit recessed. I suspect this is partially because it is after all a chamber orchestra, and partially the engineers choosing to put the spotlight on Perahia. This is all right, though, because Perahia's playing is full of vitality and sparkle. The slow movement is very beautifully and poetically executed. An elegant performance. Next up is a performance I remember as being absolutely electric:









Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 5* in C minor, Op. 67
Georg Solti: Wiener Philharmoniker (1958)


----------



## Bkeske

Back to my Maazel box before today’s live Berlin performance.

Lorin Maazel - The Cleveland Years, complete recordings

CD #4

Prokofiev - Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100
Rimsky-Korsakov - Russian Easter Federation Festival Overture, Op. 36
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34
The Cleveland Orchestra 
DECCA 19 CD box 2014


----------



## Musicaterina

Christoph Graupner: Ouverture-Suite in E major for 2 Oboes d'amore, Strings & B.c GWV 439

played by Nova Stravaganza conducted by Siegbert Rampe


----------



## Becca

Malx said:


> That box is a cracker his recording of Act I of Die Walkure makes me wonder what a Klemperer ring cycle might have sounded like.


True, but you need to remember that Klemperer's health meant that Reginald Goodall did the rehearsals for him, and we have a Goodall Ring!


----------



## Malx

Becca said:


> True, but you need to remember that Klemperer's health meant that Reginald Goodall did the rehearsals for him, and we have a Goodall Ring!


Very true but I was really thinking of what might have been had he recorded a Ring in say the 50's when his health was considerably better and the availability of quality singers was arguably at a peak. He did after all have a great operatic grounding in his younger days.


----------



## Becca

Malx said:


> Very true but I was really thinking of what might have been had he recorded a Ring in say the 50's when his health was considerably better and the availability of quality singers was arguably at a peak. He did after all have a great operatic grounding in his younger days.


Indeed, and that makes me think about the Barbirolli _Meistersinger_ that almost was.


----------



## Mark Dee

This afternoon's listening. Record 1 of a favourite box set. RCA mono recordings from 1959. Bach's Brandenburg No. 1 backed with Handel's Water Music Suite. Both played by The Orchestra of The Accademia di Santa Cecilia, under Arturo Basile.


----------



## Bourdon

Monsalvat said:


> Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: *Piano Concerto No. 23* in A major, KV 488
> Murray Perahia: English Chamber Orchestra (1984)
> 
> The focus in this recording is on the piano; the orchestra is a bit recessed. I suspect this is partially because it is after all a chamber orchestra, and partially the engineers choosing to put the spotlight on Perahia. This is all right, though, because Perahia's playing is full of vitality and sparkle. The slow movement is very beautifully and poetically executed. An elegant performance. Next up is a performance I remember as being absolutely electric:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 5* in C minor, Op. 67
> Georg Solti: Wiener Philharmoniker (1958)


This seventh was my first recording of this Symphony and I liked it then but not anymore.I have it now in the big box with Decca and the Wiener Philharmoniker"the orchestral edition" and it was a real disappointment.It lacks any real feeling with Beethoven .The Bruckner in this box is also very casual and lack any coherent vision..Hi did a better job in Chicago but the combination Beethoven/Solti is not one that springs to my mind.It's just my opinion...


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> The Brahms violin concerto (surely the greatest ever!) from Isabelle Faust with Daniel Harding. I listened to the sextet yesterday. A great performance - Faust seems able to give us wonderfully fresh accounts of much recorded works, performances that equal the best of the past but are new as well. I don't think any other of today's violinists can match her in this.


I'll be listening to this recording again soon. It really is fabulous. One of Faust's best!


----------



## Musicaterina

Christoph Graupner: Ouverture-Suite in F major for Alto Recorder, Strings and B.c GWV 447

played by Dorothee Oberlinger (alto recorder) and the Ensemble 1700 conducted by Reinhard Goebel


----------



## Enthusiast

More Schumann - The 2nd piano trio and the piano concerto. Excellent!


----------



## Klavierman

I was inspired by the Reger posts to play this. Tremendous playing and very good sound.


----------



## Malx

Again dipping into the well of neglected discs that deserve more of my attention.
*Brahms, Piano Concerto No 1 - Nicholas Angelich, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi.*

Probably the most recent recording of this concerto I have on my shelves, one I haven't really compared against the old favourites - maybe a project for later in the year.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Ralph Vaughn Williams. A Pastoral Symphony w/New Philharmonia Orchestra, Symphony No.6. London Philharmonic Orchestra cond. Boult. EMI Classics. From 1968 and 1970. Remastered 1991.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Leonardo Leo* (1694-1744):* Il figliuol prodigo* (*The prodigal son*, 1741), as recorded in 2016 by *Ulrike Hofbauer* (soprano) with the *Ensemble &cetera*, conducted by... *Ulrike Hofbauer*.

A heads-up this afternoon. Very inspired performance of a very impressive Baroque piece i.m.o. Sacred, yes, but no choir - just a chamber ensemble with one soprano voice.


----------



## Chilham

Agricola: Missa in Mine Zyn
Dirk Snellings, Capilla Flamenca


----------



## Musicaterina

Christoph Graupner: Ouverture-Suite in G minor for 2 Flutes, Strings & B.c GWV 470

played by L'Arpa Festante conducted by Rien Voskuilen


----------



## HenryPenfold

Malx said:


> That box is a cracker his recording of Act I of Die Walkure makes me wonder what a Klemperer ring cycle might have sounded like.


Or even just a Walkure 😢


----------



## Lisztianwagner

ericshreiber1005 said:


> Ralph Vaughn Williams. A Pastoral Symphony w/New Philharmonia Orchestra, Symphony No.6. London Philharmonic Orchestra cond. Boult. EMI Classics. From 1968 and 1970. Remastered 1991.


Wonderful recording, Vaughan Williams/Boult is a cracking combination.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johann Sebastian Bach: assorted preludes and fugues from the _Well-Tempered Clavier_
Zuzana Růžičková, harpsichord (1970)

Růžičková isn’t all that well known, but she was the first person to record the complete keyboard/harpsichord works of Bach between 1965 and 1975 (Helmut Walcha I think made his recordings earlier but they weren't fully complete). She survived the Bergen-Belsen extermination camp in the Holocaust and later became an anti-Communist activist. She sadly passed away in 2017, not long after Erato remastered and reissued these recordings in this set. I don't listen to her Bach all that much but I do make sure I dig it out every once in a while. What a remarkable life and career. Coming before the historically informed movement was entrenched, Růžičková uses an Ammer harpsichord built in the 20th century (the same kind of instrument Walcha used for his EMI recordings).


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Zoran!!!


----------



## Rtnrlfy

I keep getting tempted away from what I'd planned to listen to today by all the great music y'all are listening to! But, I did get in one record from this set (Otto Klemperer, Brahms Symphonies):










before turning to the Schumann piano concerto (Alexander Melnikov) that @Enthusiast highlighted earlier.


----------



## Enthusiast

A superb DLVDE - the singing is very good but the star is Boulez, who (as we all know) had a special way with Mahler.


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Before testing Boulez' _Wozzeck_, Mozart again:

*W. A. Mozart
Sinfonia Concertante K. 297b

Karl Steins (oboe), Karl Leister (clarinet), Gerd Seifert (horn), Günther Piesk (bassoon) 
Karl Böhm & Berliner Philharmoniker*


----------



## cybernaut

Drinking delicious coffee and listening to my favorite composer of all time, J.S. Bach, being conducted by my favorite conductor, Otto Klemperer. Sublime.









J.S. Bach - Mass in B minor
conductor - Otto Klemperer
BBC Chorus
New Philharmonia Orchestra
BBC chorus master - Peter Gellhorn
Agnes Giebel - soprano, Janet Baker - mezzo-soprano, Nicolai Gedda - tenor, Hermann Prey - baritone, Franz Crass - bass-baritone
Recorded November 1967 Kingsway Hall, London


----------



## Bkeske

Watching and Listening to the Berlin Philharmonic live via the Digital Concert Hall. 

Todays program:


----------



## HenryPenfold

*Gustav Mahler* - Symphony No. 6
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt
Recorded live at the 22nd August 1983 Promenade concert, Royal Albert Hall, London
Performance Duration - 83 minutes, 53 seconds (including applause and a fecking moron screaming 'Bravo!' within one nano-second of the last note 😡 )

I've been a huge fan of Tennstedt's Mahler, and this performance in particular, for many years.

I was not surprised that it was picked by Edward Seckerson on this morning's Radio 3 Building a library programme. Seckerson felt it was a toss-up between this recording and Bernstein's Vienna Philharmonic recording on Deutsche Grammophon. This latter point I find interesting because I've been in the habit of choosing his earlier NYPO Sony release ahead of the VPO, so much so that I have not listened to the VPO in quite a while (it's now near the top of my playlist).

For the record, Seckerson is firmly convinced that S-A is the only way to play this symphony, so he gets my vote!

Although any one of Tennstedt's Mahler 6 recordings (this, a studio and a live one on EMI) is all anyone ever needs, should they be restricted to one recording of the 6th (Heaven forfend!), it is generally this Prom recording that is considered the_ primus inter pares_.










*NB: *Those for whom lossless downloads are acceptable, *7 Digital* have this available in 16 bits CD quality for no more than three English Pounds, eleven shillings and fourpence-ha'penny (£3.56)


----------



## cybernaut

Bkeske said:


> Watching and Listening to the Berlin Philharmonic live via the Digital Concert Hall.
> 
> Todays program:


Ever though about investing in some stereo equipment?


----------



## Bkeske

cybernaut said:


> Ever though about investing in some stereo equipment?


 😁 Gotta tell ya, Martha is quite incredible. Sounds very nice with my cheap ol stereo setup.


----------



## cybernaut

Bkeske said:


> 😁 Gotta tell ya, Martha is quite incredible. Sounds very nice with my cheap ol stereo setup.


Hey, I see tubes and pyramid-shaped speakers, so i doubt that was very cheap!

Now, if you want to talk about cheap...this is my stereo system (plugged into my Mac):


----------



## sAmUiLc

Mahler: Symphony #5
Vladimir Jurowski conducts LPO
live.. on CD-R


----------



## Bkeske

cybernaut said:


> Hey, I see tubes and pyramid-shaped speakers, so i doubt that was very cheap!


My Hagerman Trumpet phono pre with nice old tubes, and Vanderseen Treo speakers. I try to shop smart to get the biggest bang for the buck. So far, so good. 😉


----------



## sAmUiLc

Kiki said:


> .. did he play continuo on stage? I think he did for his studio recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos, and certainly in his video production of Brandenburg #3 in which he looks really, ah, I hesitate to say, posh (by 1970s standard I suppose).


I have no idea but somehow not knowing it never bothered me. And I think I saw that video long time ago either on YouTube or on digitalconcerthall. Not sure which, which also don't bother me. 😎


----------



## Mannheim Rocket

*Gustav Mahler

Symphony No. 9

New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein*

Quicker than the RCO remake, but I enjoy both. The remastering of these recordings sounds really good.


----------



## Bkeske

Wow, Daniel and Martha are playing an encore together on the piano 😱 !!!

Bravo!


----------



## Neo Romanza

Klavierman said:


> I was inspired by the Reger posts to play this. Tremendous playing and very good sound.
> View attachment 181699


I don't own this Hamelin recording, but I do own Markus Becker's complete traversal of Reger's solo piano works that I need to get around to at some juncture. So much music, so little time.


----------



## Philidor

New year, new cycle.

*Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 C major op. 21*

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan
1961/62


----------



## Barbebleu

Neo Romanza said:


> NP:
> 
> *Shostakovich
> Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65
> Scottish National Orchestra
> Järvi*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be going through all of Järvi's Shostakovich recordings on Chandos and DG that I own over the next week or so. In many cases, his performances are tremendous and dare I say this 8th is one of the finest performances of this symphony on record. What I most admire about his Shostakovich is his need to keep the music moving along and this is where he is scores the most points with me.


That will be a rewarding journey Neo. Being from Glasgow I saw many performances by Järvi and the RSNO at the City Halls. Always a great night and the orchestra leader was, of course, the inimitable Edwin Paling. I have a few of the Shostakovich recordings too although I haven’t heard them for a while. I must remedy that. 😎


----------



## littlejohnuk1

I wonder who put me onto this?


----------



## Bourdon

Bach


Ciaccona

Transcriptions by van Asperen,Bach himself (?) & Wilhelm Friedemann Bach


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Hogwash

Bkeske said:


> Wow, Daniel and Martha are playing an encore together on the piano 😱 !!!
> 
> Bravo!


🤯 wow is this something they’ve ever done before?!


----------



## Bkeske

Hogwash said:


> 🤯 wow is this something they’ve ever done before?!


Not sure. First time I’ve seen it. Audience loved it. Actually, unbelievably, this is the first time they have been in Berlin together.


----------



## eljr

*Mendelssohn, Robert Shaw, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Barbara Bonney, Florence Quivar, Jerry Hadley, Thomas Hampson – Elijah*

More images

Label:Telarc 20 – CD-80389, Telarc 20 – 2CD-80389Format:2 x CD, Club EditionCountry:USA & CanadaReleased:1995Genre:ClassicalStyle:Romantic, Choral, Oratorio


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Bruckner, Symphony No. 4*

Inbal with the Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt. 

This is the first version of the 4th. It's like hearing the 4th through the looking glass; somewhat familiar, somewhat weird.


----------



## eljr

cybernaut said:


> Drinking delicious coffee and listening to my favorite composer of all time, J.S. Bach, being conducted by my favorite conductor, Otto Klemperer. Sublime.


Sound like life is good. Very good.


----------



## Klavierman

I got a kick out of the label's PR release:

_"When the red light in Studio 2 at the famous Abbey Road Studios came on at the start of the recording sessions for Elschenbroich’s and Grynyuk’s latest ONYX recording, the control room had a very different atmosphere. The recording was made using analogue technology – tape recorders, vintage microphones, and longer takes.At no point was the recorded material subjected to a digital process.

Elschenbroich wanted to capture a specific sound for these sonatas; the recorded sound of the late 1950s and the 1960s was his goal. The result is a wonderfully
intimate, warm yet clear sound, as if the musicians are actually in the room with the listener – not clinical, not a bright superficially impressive digital sound, but a
sound that captures perfectly the best recorded sound of the golden years of the LP. Importantly, it is the sound by which the artist ‘recognises’ himself. As Elschenbroich writes in the notes ‘ the listener only needs one pair of ears and the music must come to life in their unique space’."_

So, why release it in digital-only formats?? To be sure, it's well played, the sound is rich and full, but also rather closely mic'd and dry. I'd definitely buy the LP if they ever release one, but in the meantime Qobuz's 24 bit 192kHz streaming will suffice.


----------



## Bourdon

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX


----------



## Bkeske

I realized that my own hometown Cleveland Orchestra reduced their annual subscription to their on-line streaming app, Adella. So, I sprang for a year subscription yesterday. Compared to Berlin, still quite expensive per their lack of any real historical archives, as they have only been doing this for 3 years now, but, you can’t grow unless you ‘pony up’ and get on board. So, I did. And it feels good supporting this endeavor.

So, after Berlin, a fantastic performance, I decided to watch and listen to this performance in the Cleveland Orchestra Adella archives:

Adès - The Exterminating Angel Symphony (U.S. premier)
Sibelius - Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major, Opus 82
The Cleveland Orchestra 
Conducted by Franz Welser-Möst


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - non-vocal orchestral works 
part two for the rest of today.

Incidental music and funeral march for orchestra from the George Moore
and W.B. Yeats play _Grania and Diarmid_ op.42 (1901):









_In the South_ [_Alassio_] - concert overture for orchestra op.50 (1903-04):









_Introduction and Allegro_ for string orchestra op.47 (1905):

with the Capella Istropolitana/Adrian Leaper









_Dream Children_ - two pieces for orchestra op.43 (1902):
_The Wand of Youth - _two suites for orchestra op.1a/b (1907,
based on material from 1867-71):









_Pomp and Circumstance March nos.1-4_ for orchestra op.39 nos.1-4
(1901/1901/1904/1907):


----------



## eljr

Bkeske said:


> I realized that my own hometown Cleveland Orchestra reduced their annual subscription to their on-line streaming app, Adella. So, I sprang for a year subscription yesterday. Compared to Berlin, still quite expensive per their lack of any real historical archives, as they have only been doing this for 3 years now, but, you can’t grow unless you ‘pony up’ and get on board. So, I did. And it feels good supporting this endeavor.


I find this a big impediment to all these services, lack of content. I am kinda sitting on the sideline in this regard because I would need need too many services to resource for my eclectic taste.


----------



## Bkeske

eljr said:


> I find this a big impediment to all these services, lack of content. I am kinda sitting on the sideline in this regard because I would need need too many services to resource for my eclectic taste.


Understand completely, and if it wasn’t my hometown Cleveland, may have passed on Adella. I had for two years as they wanted twice what they are asking now. Adella is also available with a monthly subscription.

But Berlin and Digital Concert Hall is on a level unto themselve. The archives go back literally decades, and you can find any eclectic performance you desire. The number of performances is quite vast. Highly recommended.


----------



## eljr

Bkeske said:


> Understand completely, and if it wasn’t my hometown Cleveland, may have passed on Adella. I had for two years as they wanted twice what they are asking now. Adella is also available with a monthly subscription.
> 
> But Berlin and Digital Concert Hall is on a level unto themselve. The archives go back literally decades, and you can find any eclectic performance you desire. The number of performances is quite vast. Highly recommended.


Take NYC. We have the NY Ballet, the NY Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall all offer a streaming service. WTF?

Meantime it's out in San Francisco that the more progressive, Contemporary works are performed.

We need a universal service like we have Netflix or Amazon Prime.

As to Digital Concert Hall which I have used for years off and on, look how much Phil Glass they have for example. They put the minimal in minimalism.


----------



## Bkeske

@eljr

Good luck finding someone to develop a ‘universal’ service with the overall quality of Berlin, as example.

Of course that would be nice, but as all these entities have their own agenda and audiences to perform to and please (read patrons), it does not surprise me that they only cater, for the most part, to their particular audience.

A ‘third party’, or ‘universal‘ service would then have to purchase the rights individually from these various groups, and I can see how tricky that would be in making it a lucrative effort.

There are some out there, but the quality is lacking.

Glass is a very niche composer in a very overall niche musical genre that encompasses a wide variety of interests. We see that here.


----------



## Bourdon

To close the day.....

Messiaen-Bartók,Grieg & de Falla


----------



## Lisztianwagner

After I listened to it yesterday, Kegel's recording is absolutely approved; on youtube now :

*Alban Berg
Wozzeck

Pierre Boulez & Orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris*


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

__
https://soundcloud.com/kjetil-olav%2Ftarrega-lagrimaremix
My little "remix" of Lagrima...


----------



## starthrower

Symphony No.3 - Lutoslawski / BPO
Concerto for Orchestra, Venetian Games - Rowicki / National Philharmonic of Warsaw
Paganini Variations - Martha Argerich, Nelson Feire


----------



## Monsalvat

Pierre Cochereau: 15 improvised verses on “Ave Maris Stella” on the organ of Notre Dame de Paris (1970)

Cochereau is a phenomenal musician. These were recorded live in concert, with an audience of about 4000, according to the booklet. The ability to improvise variations of such diversity and complexity over a theme on the spot is a truly special one. It concludes with a fantastic toccata, right in the French organ tradition leading to and including Cochereau. The accompanying variations on a noël were recorded live on Christmas Eve 1972 right before Midnight Mass; talk about high stakes! This is a disc I cherish.

Up next:








Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: *Piano Concerto No. 25* in C major, KV 503
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, piano; Cord Garben: NDR-Sinfonieorchester (Live, 7 June 1989)

I think of Michelangeli as a fantastic Debussy interpreter. I'll try his Mozart. I confess that I know absolutely nothing about Cord Garben except that he was the conductor for this album.


----------



## Montarsolo

Mozart, piano concerto 23, Uchida / Tate.


----------



## Bkeske

Time for some vinyl.

A rather recent pick-up for me, so my second spin of this.

Mehta conducts Rimsky-Korsakov

Scheherazade
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra w/Sidney Harth, violin
London 1975










……3/4 the way through, this is a highly recommend version. Just seems to fit Mehta. Very very nice.


----------



## WVdave

Elgar; Enigma Variations 
Britten; Variations & Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell 
Sir Malcolm Sargent, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra 
Seraphim – S-60173, Vinyl, LP, Stereo, US, 1982.


----------



## eljr

*Two Sides*

Barokkbandið Brák

*Release Date:* 4th Nov 2022
*Catalogue No:* SLE-70026
*Label:* Dorian Sono Luminus
*Length:* 97 minutes

"Tvær hliðar/Two Sides presents two contrasting sides of our music-making. On the first CD we perform our core repertoire of Italian and Swedish Baroque music, but Barokkbandið Brák also seeks to expand the repertoire for historical instruments by commissioning new works by up and coming Icelandic composers, and the second CD showcases new Icelandic music written specially for the ensemble."


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## ericshreiber1005

Martinu. String Quartets No. 1 and 2. TH jezdei (three horsemen). Martinu Quartet. Naxos.


----------



## haydnguy

Shostakovich (1906-1975)

String Quartets 1-15 (Complete)

Borodin Quartet (quartet)
Svyatoslav Richter, piano
Recorded 1978-1983

Listening to Disk 1: 
String Quartet No. 1 in C Major, Op.49 (1935)
String Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op.68 (1944)
String Quartet No. 4 in D Major, Op.83 (1949)


----------



## Bkeske

Sticking with another Mehta selection. Don’t typically prefer his pace with Tchaikovsky, but hey, I’m in his groove right now.

Mehta conducts Tchaikovsky 

Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
London 1967


----------



## OCEANE

revisited my favourite version


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 2* in D major, Op. 73
Otto Klemperer: Philharmonia Orchestra (1956)

This recording needs no introduction, but I'll add my thoughts anyway, since I think it's good for me and good for this thread. Klemperer's Brahms cycle for EMI was recorded in stereo between 1956 and 1957 during the heyday of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Karajan had formerly been associated strongly with the orchestra, but Klemperer filled this void after Karajan became the leader of the Berlin Philharmonic. Klemperer's association with EMI and the Philharmonia only started in 1954. I don't actually know if Manoug Parikian or Hugh Bean was the concertmaster for these recordings, but I suspect it was Parikian. Of course, the horn section was led by Dennis Brain, another genius instrumentalist who passed away prematurely in a car accident in 1957 at the age of 36. Sidney Sutcliffe's oboe always stands out to me for its distinctive tone, and particularly in this recording. Klemperer at this stage was perhaps magisterial but not as deadly slow as he would be a decade later for his recordings of the Mozart/Da Ponte operas, or Mahler's Seventh. It really isn't all that slow; it only takes 39 minutes (no exposition repeat). The string tone isn't all that warm, but as usual with the pre-1964 Philharmonia Orchestra, the winds more than make up for it. Klemperer also splits the violin section antiphonally, which isn't that important in this symphony but does work nicely with Brahms's writing in a few places in the First and Third symphonies. The Philharmonia Orchestra was a shining example of what quality could sound like in a disciplined, musical orchestra under strong (very strong) leadership.


----------



## OCEANE

A CD bought two decades ago plays frequently in my system and Veronique Gens' singing Mozart just feels great!


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 9* in D minor, Op. 125
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt: Wiener Philharmoniker (1965)
Joan Sutherland, soprano; Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano; James King, tenor; Martti Talvela, bass

On a bit of a whim. So far I'm enjoying this, with the Vienna Philharmonic bathed in that classic, warm Decca sound but purposefully directed. Hopefully I'll like the rest of this recording too.


----------



## Kiki

HenryPenfold said:


> I don't think the sound quality is _that_ bad 🤔


You are more generous than I am.  I have to admit, hearing the velvety strings of the Berliner Philharmoniker cracking up is quite an experience.


----------



## Bkeske

Charles Dutoit conducts Ravel

Ma Mère l'Oye 
Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte
Le Tombeau De Couperin
Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
L'Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal
London 1984


----------



## Klavierman

Despax does a great job of playing some formidably difficult transcriptions for piano, especially Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor. When I'm feeling sufficiently ambitious, I'll give it a shot!


----------



## starthrower

Disc 2
Cello Concerto - Heinrich Schiff: cello
Dance Preludes - Eduard Brunner: clarinet
Concerto for oboe, harp and chamber orchestra - Heinz Holliger: oboe, Ursula Holliger: harp
Les espaces du sommeil - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau: baritone
Bavarian Radio Symphony - Witold Lutoslawski
Funeral Music - Witold Rowicki / National Philharmonic, Warsaw

This superb 2 disc set would be my top recommendation for anyone interested in getting in to Lutoslawski's music.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

This won't displace Michel Block or Larrocha, but it's beautifully played. (A bit slower than those other two pianists...sound is a little bright, too.)


----------



## Kiki

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*
_Piano Concerto No. 23 K488_
*Jörg Demus
Collegium Aureum *
Rec. 1975
Harmonia Mundi

Fantastic slow movement. The shockingly natural mood change in it always remains me of a track from the anime soundtrack of "Glasslip" called "An unexpected expected loneliness" (youtube url).


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 3* in F major, Op. 90
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1978)

Interesting liner notes written by Solti may be found here: Solti 35: Brahms’s symphonies. Each movement recorded in one take; exposition repeats taken in the first three of Brahms's symphonies; smaller strings for the second and third, and undoubled woodwinds. Solti also mentions the chamber music quality of the inner movements. All I will say is that this was a _phenomenal_ orchestra if they were able to play like this with each movement recorded in one long take. (The first movement is fourteen minutes with the repeat taken, so this is really a rather long time.) After this, I will revisit Blomstedt's Brahms, from a much more recent cycle that I think will also be remembered for many years:









Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
Herbert Blomstedt: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (2021)


----------



## sAmUiLc

Bachtoven 1 said:


> This won't displace Michael Block or Larrocha, but it's beautifully played. (A bit slower than those other two pianists...sound is a little bright, too.)
> View attachment 181727


'Michel' Block?


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## Bachtoven 1

sAmUiLc said:


> 'Michel' Block?


Yes.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Despite the rather unappealing title, this is a fine recording, and he's a great guitarist.


----------



## Klavierman

I wasn't familiar with Herchenröder's music before playing this recording. (He studied composition with Hans Werner Henze.) This is not the most immediately accessible new music that I've heard, nor should it always be, but it's not complete noise, either. (Well, it might be for some!)


----------



## sAmUiLc

Bach, J.S.: Sonatas And Partitas For Solo Violin. Vol. 2


Bach, J.S.: Sonatas And Partitas For Solo Violin. Vol. 2. Naxos: 8554423. Buy CD or download online. Lucy van Dael (violin)



www.prestomusic.com





Naxos once in a while offers a true gem and this is one of them. Worthy to share the shelf space with Enescu, Szigeti, and Szeryng.


----------



## Monsalvat

Johann Sebastian Bach: selections from the Six Trio Sonatas for Organ, BWV 525–530
Michel Chapuis, organ (1967)

A cycle I like but it is not the easiest to find! Chapuis was devoted to historically informed performances. His Bach cycle was recorded for Valois, roughly in the late '60s; these trio sonatas were recorded at Vor Freslers Kirke, Copenhagen, on the organ shown below. I'm really loving Chapuis' performance of BWV 526, with really nice registrations. Very, very different from Simon Preston's interpretation. I do like Chapuis' choice (which was not shared by Preston) to include 16' flutes in the pedal, to give the bass a bit more grounding. I can hear his brisk toe-only pedaling in the third movement, as well. These works are not easy; to record the complete organ works of Bach as Chapuis did is a phenomenal feat that commands my respect, particularly when the quality is this high.


----------



## Bachtoven 1




----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Bax - Symphony 6, Into the Twilight, Summer Music
Lloyd-Jones/Royal Scottish National Orchestra 









Sibelius - Violin Concerto
Ades - Violin Concerto
Lintu/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Hadelich









Respighi - Roman Trilogy
Toscanini/NBC Symphony Orchestra


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing two string trios of great contrast:

*Reger
String Trio in A Minor, Op. 77b
Mannheimer Streichquartett*










*Schoenberg
String Trio, Op. 45
Schoenberg Quartet*


----------



## Rogerx

Gilles, Jean: Requiem,/ Diligam te, Domine

Agnès Mellon & Howard Crook

La Chapelle Royale Choir & Orchestra, Philippe Herreweghe


----------



## Neo Romanza

A question to all who bought the CD release of Okko Kamu's recording of Sibelius' _The Tempest_ on Naxos: is the CD in your copy a CD-R?

The recording in question:










I only ask, because not only did I get a CD-R, but I got one in the latest Leif Ove Andsnes recording of Dvořák on Sony:










If this is going to be the new trend in CD manufacturing from these major labels, then I'm done buying CDs or, at least, from these two labels.


----------



## Rogerx

Thalberg: Piano Concerto

Francesco Nicolosi (piano)

Razumovsky Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Mogrelia





Thalberg: 10 pieces, Op. 36: No. 5. Canzonette Italienne
Thalberg: Nocturne, Op. 28
Thalberg: Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 5
Thalberg: Souvenirs de Beethoven: Grande Fantaisie pour le piano sur la 7e Symphonie de Beethoven, Op. 39
Thalberg: Un Soupir


----------



## Neo Romanza

Now playing two back-to-back *Saint-Saëns* works which will conclude tonight's listening session:

*Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 29
Alexandre Kantorow, piano
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Jean-Jacques Kantorow*










*Triptyque pour Violon et Piano, Op. 136
Sébastien Surel, Laurent Wagschal*

From this set -


----------



## sAmUiLc

Franco Corelli - The Unknown Recordings


View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 CD release of "The Unknown Recordings" on Discogs.




www.discogs.com





Corelli in studio sounds rather awkward. He shines brightest live. But this is OK.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Brilliant playing and sound.


----------



## Chilham

Cornysh: Salve Regina
Fayrfax: Magnificat "Regale"
Hygons: Salve Regina
All from the Eton Choirbook
Harry Christophers, The Sixteen


----------



## Malx

*Beethoven, Symphony No 4 - Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood.*

I note that in lists of favourite Beethoven symphonies this one fares pretty badly, personally I can't see why. Is it because it is more formal, less groundbreaking, I don't know, but what I do know is it is very high on my list of fav' Beethoven symphonies especially when performed to the high standards achieved by Hogwood and his merry band.


----------



## Rogerx

Gounod: Le tribut de Zamora

Judith van Wanroij (Xaima), Jennifer Holloway (Hermosa), Edgaras Montvidas (Manoel), Tassis Christoyannis (Ben-Said), Boris Pinkhasovich (Handjar), Juliette Mars (Iglésia)

Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Hervé Niquet

More info



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_tribut_de_Zamora


----------



## Philidor

Good morning. - Today is the First Sunday after Epiphany. Two of Bach's cantatas for this day:

*Johann Sebastian Bach

"Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren" BWV 154
"Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht" BWV 124*

Soprano: Claron McFadden; Counter-tenor: Michael Chance; Tenor: James Gilchrist; Bass: Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner


----------



## Malx

*Beethoven, Symphonies No 5 & 6 - Gewandhausorchester, Riccardo Chailly.*

Chailly's Beethoven isn't to everyones taste but I believe these recordings simply go to show that there are many ways to successfully interpret Beethoven's compositions. Chailly keeps things moving apace, combining his tempos with a weight of sound that never gets muddy, a combination that works well.

*Edited*: added Symphony No 6


----------



## sAmUiLc

Janine Jansen & friends @ 2022 International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht (IKFU)



https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/32bcdfa8-3f9c-4bc2-9a74-911a3ba752b8/verklarte-nacht-ultieme-liefde




https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/7e7a304a-38e2-4b96-b3f8-22c00f9542f4/slotconcert-ikfu-2022




https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/3eb2d2ee-d81a-4bb4-ba53-b2a9fa5e5ffe/openingsconcert-ikfu-2022


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - non-vocal orchestral works 
part three for this morning.

_Elegy_ for string orchestra op.58 (1909):

with the Capella Istropolitana/Adrian Leaper









Violin Concerto op.61 in B-minor (1907-10):

with Hugh Bean (vn.) and the Royal Liverpool PO/Sir Charles Groves









Symphony no.1 in A-flat for orchestra op.55 (1907-08):
Symphony no.2 in E-flat for orchestra op.59 (1909-11):


----------



## Malx

*Beethoven, Piano Sonatas Nos 17 'Tempest' & 18 - Hans Richter-Haaser.*

Richter-Haaser is a pianist I rarely see mentioned on the thread or indeed the wider forum. I sense he suffered from being around at a time when the recording companies had a list of big name pianists they were keen on supporting.
For me he seems to present the sonatas in a straightforward, unobstrusive manner - thats not to say his playing is dull far from it, he just allows you to hear Beethoven before Richter-Haaser.
This little box is well worth having around, the recordings are from 1959-1964 and the sound is good for the age of the recordings but there is no indication of remastering having taken place. Alongside the selection of sonatas are three of the piano concertos Nos 3, 4 & 5 conducted by Giulini (3) and Kertesz (4&5).


----------



## Rogerx

Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
Wiener Philharmoniker


----------



## littlejohnuk1




----------



## Chilham

Premiered this day 1843:









Schumann: Piano Quintet
Takács Quartet, Marc-André Hamelin


----------



## Kiki

Neo Romanza said:


> A question to all who bought the CD release of Okko Kamu's recording of Sibelius' _The Tempest_ on Naxos: is the CD in your copy a CD-R?
> 
> The recording in question:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I only ask, because not only did I get a CD-R, but I got one in the latest Leif Ove Andsnes recording of Dvořák on Sony:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If this is going to be the new trend in CD manufacturing from these major labels, then I'm done buying CDs or, at least, from these two labels.


I got the download, not CD, so I can't comment on that. It does sound strange though for a 2-month old release to be sold on a CD-R. For an old obsolete release I can understand, but not a recent release.


----------



## Art Rock

*Max Bruch: String Quartets No. 1 and No. 2 (Mannheimer Streichquartett, CPO)*

Starting the Sunday rather late with the string quartets by Max Bruch, a composer who I feel is still severely underrated. These are two relatively early works (opus 9 and 10, 1858-1860), and numbered - there are also two earlier unnumbered string quartets that I never heard. I like them a lot, wonderful melodious works, and for me probably the best German/Austrian string quartets between Mendelssohn's 6th and Zemlinsky's 1st (always the risk of such a statement that I'm forgetting someone - I did consider Brahms).


----------



## Kiki

Malx said:


> *Beethoven, Symphony No 4 - Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood.*
> 
> I note that in lists of favourite Beethoven symphonies this one fares pretty badly, personally I can't see why. Is it because it is more formal, less groundbreaking, I don't know, but what I do know is it is very high on my list of fav' Beethoven symphonies especially when performed to the high standards achieved by Hogwood and his merry band.


I think this is a great set. Mostly sensible tempo, a clean blend of sound, good transparency, awesome period brass. What's there not to like?


----------



## Rogerx

Schumann: Konzertstück for four horns

Markus Maskuniitty (horn), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sakari Oramo

Glière: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra Op.91
Saint-Saëns: Morceau de concert in F minor, Op. 94
Schumann: Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70
Schumann: Konzertstück for four horns, Op. 86


----------



## MartinDB

Neo Romanza said:


> A question to all who bought the CD release of Okko Kamu's recording of Sibelius' _The Tempest_ on Naxos: is the CD in your copy a CD-R?
> 
> The recording in question:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I only ask, because not only did I get a CD-R, but I got one in the latest Leif Ove Andsnes recording of Dvořák on Sony:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If this is going to be the new trend in CD manufacturing from these major labels, then I'm done buying CDs or, at least, from these two labels.


Mine is not a CD-R. I bought it from Amazon (UK) not, as I always try to use, Presto Music, simply because the latter had no stock.


----------



## Viardots

*Beethoven: Piano Concertos No. 4 & No. 5 "Emperor"
Emil Gilels*, piano
*Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra 
Kurt Sanderling*, conductor
(Rec. 1957)

For me, Gilels' best and best accompanied recording of these works. Sanderling is an excellent accompanist. Gilels recorded the same works during the same year (1957) in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Ludwig for EMI/UK Columbia, but the EMI version is marred by its rather opaque sounding early stereo recording and Ludwig, though sensitive, is not as vital as Sanderling.


----------



## Neo Romanza

MartinDB said:


> Mine is not a CD-R. I bought it from Amazon (UK) not, as I always try to use, Presto Music, simply because the latter had no stock.


Ah, I got ripped off! I'm going to contact Amazon right now! Thanks @MartinDB and @Kiki for the feedback.


----------



## Musicaterina

Carl Stamitz: Cello Concerto in C major No.4

played by Werner Matzke (violoncello) and Concerto Köln


----------



## Musicaterina

Carl Stamitz: Cello Concerto No.1 in G Major

played by Klaus-Peter Hahn (violoncello) and the Kurpfalz Chamber Orchestra


----------



## Art Rock

*Tomás Luis de Victoria: Missa Vidi speciosam and other sacred music (Westminster Cathedral Choir, David Hill, Helios)*

Continuing with replaying my Victoria CD's, this is the tenth. Religious considerations aside, this is wonderful music to start a Sunday afternoon. Apart from the main work (Missa Vidi speciosam), the CD contains five more pieces of sacred music: Ave Maria a 4, Ave Maris Stella, Ne Timeas Maria, Sancta Maria Succurre Miseris, and Vidi Speciosam – Quae Est Ista. Like the others in the Hyperion/Helios series, the performances are excellent.


----------



## Rogerx

Brahms: Clarinet Trio and Piano Quartet

Stephen Geber (cello), Franklin Cohen (clarinet), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano),

The Cleveland Orchestra String Quartet (string quartet)


Brahms: Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114
Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34


----------



## Enthusiast

HenryPenfold said:


> *Gustav Mahler* - Symphony No. 6
> London Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt
> Recorded live at the 22nd August 1983 Promenade concert, Royal Albert Hall, London
> Performance Duration - 83 minutes, 53 seconds (including applause and a fecking moron screaming 'Bravo!' within one nano-second of the last note 😡 )
> 
> I've been a huge fan of Tennstedt's Mahler, and this performance in particular, for many years.
> 
> I was not surprised that it was picked by Edward Seckerson on this morning's Radio 3 Building a library programme. Seckerson felt it was a toss-up between this recording and Bernstein's Vienna Philharmonic recording on Deutsche Grammophon. This latter point I find interesting because I've been in the habit of choosing his earlier NYPO Sony release ahead of the VPO, so much so that I have not listened to the VPO in quite a while (it's now near the top of my playlist).
> 
> For the record, Seckerson is firmly convinced that S-A is the only way to play this symphony, so he gets my vote!
> 
> Although any one of Tennstedt's Mahler 6 recordings (this, a studio and a live one on EMI) is all anyone ever needs, should they be restricted to one recording of the 6th (Heaven forfend!), it is generally this Prom recording that is considered the_ primus inter pares_.
> 
> View attachment 181705
> 
> 
> *NB: *Those for whom lossless downloads are acceptable, *7 Digital* have this available in 16 bits CD quality for no more than three English Pounds, eleven shillings and fourpence-ha'penny (£3.56)


Yes, a great performance. As for Bernstein's Vienna recording, it is a choice I very much support. It is an extraordinary not to say gruelling account - truly grim. Some might find it over the top ... but, hey, this is Bernstein! In any case the performance is tightly paced and never comes close to suffering from the sort of indulgence that the older Bernstein could sometimes suffer from. What I liked less about the recommendations was that the reviewer (Edward Seckerson) seemed to have no time or interest in less overt approaches: like Boulez or Kubelik. Perhaps I missed his take on those (it was playing upstairs and I was mostly down but could hear it)?

I know many here can become very emotional about "not following the composer's wishes" wrt the order in which the scherzo and adagio are played. I was taken by Seckerson's argument for preferring S-A to A-S: he saw Mahler's change of mind (from the former to the latter) as Mahler bottling it. He saw his initial idea as radical and more true to the overall work and felt that Mahler lacked the courage to go with this idea. I think there is a lot to be said in favour of that.


----------



## Musicaterina

Today is Carl-Stamitz-Day for me:

Carl Stamitz: Concerto for Cello in A Major

played by Thomas Blees (violoncello) and the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra, Heilbronn, conducted by Jörg Faerber






By the way, I know the cellist personally.


----------



## Philidor

Second review of the XO.

*Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio BWV 248*

Fourth part - "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben"
Fifth part - "Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen"
Sixth part - "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben"

Anthony Rolfe Johnson, evangelist
Nancy Argenta, Anne Sofie von Otter, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Olaf Bär
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner 










After about 35 years still a strong contender. I am biased, as this was my second recording of BWV 248 (after Harnoncourt's first recording), got it 1989 or 1990, however, I feel, that the freshness and the agility are still able to mesmerize listeners.


----------



## Musicaterina

Carl Stamitz: Viola Concerto in D Major, Op.1

played by Wolfram Christ (viola) and the Cologne Chamber Orchestra conducted by Helmut Müller-Brühl


----------



## Malx

I'm now rummaging around in boxes of BBC MM discs:
*Stravinsky, The Song of the Nightingale / Symphony in C / Symphony in Three Movements - BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov.*

Whilst many of the discs that came with the magazine were decent without ever threatening to displace established recommendable recordings, what they often did for me was introduce me to works I was unlikely to otherwise investigate - keep in mind a large proportion of these discs came before the availability of easy streaming.

This disc is of works I was aware of and I owned the composer's own recordings of but I've always liked this as alternative recording - and its a local orchestra which all adds to the attraction.
Apologies for the waffling!


----------



## OCEANE

Philidor said:


> Second review of the XO.
> 
> *Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio BWV 248*
> 
> Fourth part - "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben"
> Fifth part - "Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen"
> Sixth part - "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben"
> 
> Anthony Rolfe Johnson, evangelist
> Nancy Argenta, Anne Sofie von Otter, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Olaf Bär
> The Monteverdi Choir
> The English Baroque Soloists
> John Eliot Gardiner
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After about 35 years still a strong contender. I am biased, as this was my second recording of BWV 248 (after Harnoncourt's first recording), got it 1989 or 1990, however, I feel, that the freshness and the agility are still able to mesmerize listeners.


Thanks for sharing the series of Bach cantatas and others.
I've been listening to St. Matthew's Passion by Richter and Herreweghe lately and just wonder if you have any preference of St. Matthew's Passion other than these two.


----------



## OCEANE

Selected Arias and Duets of Bach Cantatas


----------



## Musicaterina

Carl Stamitz: Piano Concerto in F major

played by Felicja Blumental and the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jörg Faerber


----------



## Rogerx

Godowsky - Piano Music

Rian de Waal (piano)


Godowsky: Ballet Music from 'Rosamunde'
Godowsky: Das Wandern
Godowsky: Gute Nacht
Godowsky: Moment Musical in F minor
Godowsky: Passacaglia
Godowsky: Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Johann Strauss: No. 1, Künstlerleben
Godowsky: Triakontameron
Godowsky: Triakontameron No. 11 'Alt Wien'
Godowsky: Ungeduld
Godowsky: Weber Invitation to the Dance Op. 65
Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin, D795
Schubert: Moments Musicaux (6), D780, Op. 94
Schubert: Winterreise D911
Weber: Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65


----------



## sbmonty

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14 & 23
Daniel Barenboim


----------



## Malx

One BBC MM disc that is a standout is:
*Haydn, Symphonies Nos 77 & 76 - Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood.*

The two symphonies on this disc don't appear in the incomplete Haydn symphony box from Hogwood on L'oiseau-Lyre. The latest recording dates mentioned in that box are September '95 these recordings are from March '96 - made in one of the main recording venues used and produced by one of the producers featured in the box.
Odd that they were not included in the box and turned up on a magazine freebie disc, a disc that regularly comes up on resale sites at low prices.


----------



## HenryPenfold

Enthusiast said:


> Yes, a great performance. As for Bernstein's Vienna recording, it is a choice I very much support. It is an extraordinary not to say gruelling account - truly grim. Some might find it over the top ... but, hey, this is Bernstein! In any case the performance has is tightly paced and never comes close to suffering from the sort of indulgence that the older Bernstein could sometimes suffer from. What I liked less about the recommendations was that the reviewer (Edward Seckerson) seemed to have no time or interest in less overt approaches: like Boulez or Kubelik. Perhaps I missed his take on those (it was playing upstairs and I was mostly down but could hear it)?
> 
> I know many here can become very emotional about "not following the composer's wishes" wrt the order in which the scherzo and adagio are played. I was taken by Seckerson's argument for preferring S-A to A-S: he saw Mahler's change of mind (from the former to the latter) as Mahler bottling it. He saw his initial idea as radical and more true to the overall work and felt that Mahler lacked the courage to go with this idea. I think there is a lot to be said in favour of that.


These days, there are so many available versions that most recordings don't get a look in. Building a library used to be able to cover most recordings, but that's not possible any longer (see list below)

Ed has been set in his views about M6 for a long while now, either of the Bernsteins then everyone else, so his choice of Tennstedt was quite a surprise. And it has to be S-A.

The rationale he sets out, as previously set out by the composer David Matthews (who also worked with Deryck Cooke on putting together a performing version of M10), is the one I subscribe to i.e. he lost his nerve with the intensity (Strauss even asked him 'are you sure? during performance preparations). Plus the music and architectural arguments of course.

Here's a list of available recordings compiled from the Presto Classical website (I have a few recordings that are not on this list)

Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado *
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado (DVD)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum *
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Wiener Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez
New York Philharmonic, Semyon Bychkov *
Gewandhausorchester, Riccardo Chailly (DVD/Blu-ray)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly
MusicAeterna, Teodor Currentzis
Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Jonathan Darlington *
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Andreas Delfs *
Cleveland Orchestra, Christoph von Dohnányi
Philadelphia Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach (SACD)
London Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman *
Tchaikovsky Symphony of Moscow Radio, Vladimir Fedoseyev
Stuttgarter Philharmoniker, Gabriel Feltz
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer *
Dusseldorfer Symphoniker, Adam Fischer
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Eduard Flipse *
Orchestre National De France, Daniele Gatti *
London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (SACD)
World Orchestra for Peace, Valery Gergiev (DVD/Blu-ray)
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Michael Gielen
New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert *
La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, Hartmut Haenchen (DVD)
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Hartmut Haenchen *
Philharmonia Slavonica, Harmut Haenchen *
Berliner Philharmoniker, Bernard Haitink
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
Concertgebouworkest, Bernard Haitink
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Daniel Harding
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Raymond Harvey *
National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, Gunther Herbig *
London Symphony Orchestra, Mariss Jansons *
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons (SACD)
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mariss Jansons
NHK Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi (DVD/Blu-ray)
Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vaclav Jiracek *
Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Kirill Kondrashin
Südwestfunk Orchestra Baden-Baden., Kirill Kondrashin
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk, Rafael Kubelik
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Erich Leinsdorf
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Yoel Levi
Boston Symphony Orchestra, James Levine *
Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Fabio Luisi
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Lorin Maazel (DVD/Blu-ray)
New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel *
Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel
Wiener Philharmoniker, Lorin Maazel *
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
New York Philharmonic, Dimitri Mitropoulos
WDR Symphony Orchestra, Dimitri Mitropoulos *
Essener Philharmoniker, Tomá Netopil
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Neumann
Bamberger Symphoniker, Jonathan Nott (SACD)
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa *
Orchestra dell’ Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma, Antonio Pappano *
Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko
Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Heinz Rögner *
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden, Hans Rosbaud
Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Jukka-Pekka Saraste
MDR Sinfonieorchester, Hermann Scherchen *
Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli *
Radio Symphonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti *
Gürzenich-Orchestra Köln, Markus Stenz (SACD)
Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell *
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov *
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas (SACD)
Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä (SACD)
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Mark Wigglesworth *
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Simone Young
Philharmonia Orchestra, Benjamin Zander *
Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hans Zender *
Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, David Zinman *
Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden

_(* = download only)_


----------



## Coach G

Over the past few days, nine CDs featuring (mostly) the fantastic readings of Leopold Stokowski:

1. *Bach/Stokowski*: _Preludio; Chaccone; Aria; Ein' feste Burg; "Little" Fugue; Arioso; Sleepers, Awake; Komm, susser Tod_ (Leopold Stokowski/London Symphony Orchestra)
2. *Handel*: _Water Music Suite_; _Royal Fireworks Suite_ (Leopold Stokowski/RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra); _Concerto Grosso_ (Alexander Schneider & his Chamber Orchestra); _Largo_ from _Xerxes_ (Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops Orchestra)
3. *Bizet*: _Carmen Suite #1 _& excerpts from _Carmen Suite #2_; _L'Arlesienne Suites #1_ & excerpts from _L'Arlesienne Suites #2_ (Leopold Stokowski/National Philharmonic Orchestra)
4. *Mussorgsky/Stokowski*: _Night On Bare Mountain_ (Leopold Stokowski/London Symphony Orchestra); _Boris Godunov, A Symphonic Synthesis_ (Leopold Stokowski/L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande); _Pictures at an Exhibition_ (Leopold Stokowski/New Philharmonia Orchestra)
5. *Rimsky-Korsakov*: _Scheherazade_ (Leopold Stokowski/London Symphony Orchestra): _Capriccio Espagnol_ (Leopold Stokowski/New Philharmonia Orchestra); *Borodin*: _Polovotsian Dances_ from _Prince Igor_ (Leopold Stokowski/London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus)
6. *Shostakovich*: _Symphony #5_ (Leopold Stokowski/New York Stadium Symphony Orchestra): *Scriabin*: _Poem of Ecstasy_ (Leopold Stokowski/Houston Symphony Orchestra)
7. *Shostakovich*: _Symphony #11 "1905"_ (Leopold Stokowski/Houston Symphony Orchestra)
8. *Ives*: _Symphony #4_ (Leopold Stokowski/American Symphony Orchestra w/Members of the Schola Cantorum of New York); _Robert Browning Overture_ (Leopold Stokowski/American Symphony Orchestra): _The Majority; They Are There!; An Election; Lincoln, The Great Commoner_ (Leopold Stokowski/American Symphony Orchestra w/The Gregg Smith Singers & The Ithaca College Concert Choir)
9. *Beethoven*: _Piano Concerto #5 "Emperor"_ (Leopold Stokowski/American Symphony Orchestra w/Glenn Gould, piano)










































































How to build a classical CD library on a budget: make your selections from budget lines of reissue recordings that have been packaged and repacked in countless reincarnations. And buy used from local used record stores, Good Will stores, Salvation Army, thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets. That's how I acquired most of these some time before on-line shopping and down-loading took all the challenge and fun out of building a good music collection.

Maestro Stokowski plays musical chairs with different orchestras and record labels, in a prolific and diverse journey across the repertoire; and all well AFTER the age of 70! I start with the best part: The Bach transcriptions and Stokowski's thoroughly un-HIP Late-Romantic take on Bach is rich and lush without weighing down Bach's Baroque sensibilities. Other highlights feature Stokowski's less-regarded MUSSORGSKY editions and while Rimsky and Ravel brought forth a smoother and more colorful treatment of _"Bare Mountain"_ and _"Pictures" _respectively_; _Stokowski's alternatives brings forth a more raw and edgy Mussorgsky. While Stokowski may not be superior to Rimsky or Ravel's genius for fine orchestration, Stokowski's may actually be closer to what the composer himself may have wanted. In any case, the Mussorgsky/Stokowski editions are still good to have some fun with now and then. While Stokowski's reading of Shostakovich's famous and wonderful _Symphony #5_ is viable without being outstanding, the recording of the _Symphony #11 "1905"_ is a sound spectacular, and it was early favorite of mine back when I had it in LP form. Likewise, Stokowski really pulls out all the stops on the weird and wild _Symphony #4_ by Ives, which Harold Schonberg deemed the greatest symphony ever composed by an American. We end with the unlikely pairing of Stokowski with Glenn Gould in a recording of Beethoven's grand and opulent _Piano Concerto #5 "Emperor"; _and while one might think that Stokowski's lush Romantic musical vision would clash with Glenn Gould's eccentric treatments of tempos and dynamics; the recording comes out smoother than one might think.


Bugs Bunny as "Leopold"


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Symphony No. 7* in A major, Op. 92
Daniel Barenboim: Staatskapelle Berlin (1999)

I've commented on other symphonies from this cycle earlier in this thread, and my general impressions hold for this symphony, too. My favorite element of this performance so far (as with the other symphonies in Barenboim's cycle) is the sound of the orchestra itself, which is rich and warm. I actually don't think the first movement tempo drags at all; for once in this cycle, Barenboim picks an Allegro tempo (well, Vivace) I feel is absolutely right. It's kinetic enough for me to agree that it is _Vivace_. The timpani is a bit recessed, which is unfortunate because of how important it is in the first movement. I also feel like the woodwinds in general are more forward than the brass, although Beethoven's orchestra only has two horns and two trumpets (compared with eight woodwind players). Barenboim takes the exposition repeat; the first movement takes 14 and a half minutes, and the whole performance takes 42 and a half minutes. Haven't heard the rest yet; if the Allegretto is good, then I think this will be one of the highlights of this cycle for me.


----------



## Malx

Next up prompted by Henry's post #1046 and because it happened to be in the box I was rummaging through - not one on Presto's list for obvious reasons.
*Mahler, Symphony No 6 (A-S) - BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras.








*


----------



## Monsalvat

Coach G said:


> Over the past few days, nine CDs featuring (mostly) the fantastic readings of Leopold Stokowski:
> [...]
> Bugs Bunny as "Leopold"
> View attachment 181756


I'm sort of scared of Stokowski I think. Are there are really good recordings of his, where he doesn't go too over-the-top in terms of interpretation? I'd love to hear that free-bowed string sound in all its intense glory but I don't want to feel that the music itself has been sacrificed by his alterations or liberties. I'm a big fan of the Brahms symphonies and I know Stokowski recorded some of them in stereo and probably others earlier in his career; are those worth checking out perhaps? I don't know the last time I listened to a Stokowski recording that wasn't from _Fantasia_. So I guess is there anything that shows him at his best and least controversial that might be a good introduction to his art? Thanks!


----------



## Bourdon

Malx said:


> One BBC MM disc that is a standout is:
> *Haydn, Symphonies Nos 77 & 76 - Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood.*
> 
> The two symphonies on this disc don't appear in the incomplete Haydn symphony box from Hogwood on L'oiseau-Lyre. The latest recording dates mentioned in that box are September '95 these recordings are from March '96 - made in one of the main recording venues used and produced by one of the producers featured in the box.
> Odd that they were not included in the box and turned up on a magazine freebie disc, a disc that regularly comes up on resale sites at low prices.


Thank you for this information,I found one for sale.


----------



## Enthusiast

Monsalvat said:


> I'm sort of scared of Stokowski I think. Are there are really good recordings of his, where he doesn't go too over-the-top in terms of interpretation? I'd love to hear that free-bowed string sound in all its intense glory but I don't want to feel that the music itself has been sacrificed by his alterations or liberties. I'm a big fan of the Brahms symphonies and I know Stokowski recorded some of them in stereo and probably others earlier in his career; are those worth checking out perhaps? I don't know the last time I listened to a Stokowski recording that wasn't from _Fantasia_. So I guess is there anything that shows him at his best and least controversial that might be a good introduction to his art? Thanks!


His Shostakovich tends to be very good. I'm not sure I would trust him with Brahms! And I have found that when he played more adventurous modern works he was given to editing the works down.


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## Enthusiast

Comic, but seriously so, operas seem very rare in the modern era but Britten produced a great one.


----------



## Musicaterina

Carl Stamitz: Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F Major

played by Kalman Berkes (clarinet) and the Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia Orchestra


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Anton Bruckner
Symphony No.3

Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*


----------



## Rogerx

Paganini - Violin Concertos No. 1and 2 

Salvatore Accardo (violin)

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Charles Dutoit


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Shostakovich, String Quartet No. 7*

I'm listening on Spotify, dithering over a purchase. The sound is pretty good for the 1950s, and the playing is spot-on.


----------



## Coach G

Monsalvat said:


> I'm sort of scared of Stokowski I think. Are there are really good recordings of his, where he doesn't go too over-the-top in terms of interpretation? I'd love to hear that free-bowed string sound in all its intense glory but I don't want to feel that the music itself has been sacrificed by his alterations or liberties. I'm a big fan of the Brahms symphonies and I know Stokowski recorded some of them in stereo and probably others earlier in his career; are those worth checking out perhaps? I don't know the last time I listened to a Stokowski recording that wasn't from _Fantasia_. So I guess is there anything that shows him at his best and least controversial that might be a good introduction to his art? Thanks!


I have an LP somewhere of Stokowski playing Brahms _Symphony #2_ that he made during his very late years and I wasn't that impressed with it, so it could be that Stokowski and Brahms are something of a mismatch. While Stokowski's Beethoven is good enough, I think that like a lot Romantic-style conductors, his main forte lies within the Franco-Russian repertoire in the Late-Romantic to Early Modern genre. As for recommendations, Leopold plays the _Carmen Suites_ by Bizet in a manner that I find to be smooth and faithful to the essence of Bizet's musical vision. I'm, of course, very bias in my view, as I was imprinted on the Stokowski recording of the _Carmen Suites_ back while I was still a teenager, and I was happy enough with Stokowski that I never found much reason to try alternates.


----------



## eljr

*JS Bach - Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year*

La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken

*Release Date:* 15th Sep 2017
*Catalogue No:* ACC25319
*Label:* Accent
*Series: *Kuijken Bach Cantatas


CD 3 
New Year's BMV 16, 
First Sunday After New Year BMV 153,
Epiphany Season BMV 65, 
First Sunday After Epiphany BMV154


----------



## Vasks

_Andre alone_

*Jolivet - Concerto for Flute & String Orchestra (Milan/Chandos CD)
Jolivet - Serenade foe Woodwind Quintet (Aulos/Koch CD)
Jolivet - La Fleche du Temps (Foster/Timpani CD)
Jolivet - Concerto #2 for Trumpet, Brass, Piano & Percussion (Andre/Westminster LP)*


----------



## HenryPenfold

*Gustav Mahler* - Symphony No. 10 (performing version 'Cooke III' Deryck Cooke)
BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Mark Wigglesworth
Live recording, Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, 26th November 1993
Performance duration - 72 minutes, 24 seconds (including applause)

I got this CD in 1994 as an exclusive recording with the BBC Music Magazine and it was the first M10 I owned.

To this day I still rate it as being up with the very best recorded performances of M10, and superior to most.

Wigglesworth and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales deliver a riveting performance that is convincing of the music, powerful and sympathetic. Of course this is a reflection of the remarkable calibre of the music Mahler wrote and the cogency of Cooke's realisation.

Being a splendid live recording gives it a palpable sense of 'happening' and expectancy.


----------



## Enthusiast

Smetana's two quartets. Excellent performances.


----------



## Rogerx

Falla: El Sombrero de tres picos & El Amor Brujo

Colette Boky (soprano), Huguette Tourangeau (mezzo-soprano)

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit


----------



## eljr

*Beethoven: Christus am Ölberge, Op. 85*

Chorus Musicus, Steve Davislim, Simone Kermes, Franz Xaver Huber, Eike Wilm Schulte, Das Neue Orchester, Christoph Spering

*Release Date:* 30th Dec 1999
*Catalogue No:* OP30281
*Label:* Naive
*Length:* 48 minutes


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Wagner. Lohengrin. W/Domingo, Norman, Randova, Nimsgern and Fischer-Dieskau. Wiener Philharmoniker. Cond. Solti. London. 1987.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Brahms
Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40
Isabelle Faust, Alexander Melnikov, Teunis van der Zwart*


----------



## Philidor

OCEANE said:


> I've been listening to St. Matthew's Passion by Richter and Herreweghe lately and just wonder if you have any preference of St. Matthew's Passion other than these two.


Thank you for asking! With Richter and Herreweghe, there are at least two recordings by each of them ...

... both recordings by Herreweghe are among my favourites, I prefer his first one by a small edge. In addition McCreesh and Suzuki's first recording. If it should be a more traditional recording, then Peter Schreier. - Klemperer's recording is very special (about 3 hrs 45 mins).

I still didn't listen to Veldhoven and Pichon, both are said to be excellent.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Edward Elgar - non-vocal orchestral works part 
four of four for this afternoon.

_Falstaff_ - symphonic study for orchestra op.68 (1913):









Cello Concerto in E-minor op.85 (1918-19):

with Maria Kliegel (vc.) and the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra/Michael Halász









_The Coronation March_ for orchestra op.65 (1911):
_The Empire March_ for orchestra WoO (1924):









_Nursery Suite_ - seven pieces for orchestra WoO (1930, based on
musical sketches from Elgar's youth):









_Pomp and Circumstance March no.5_ in C for orchestra op.39 no.5 (1930):


----------



## Georgieva

*Otto Klemperer
Bach, Rameau, Handel, Gluck & Haydn*

Bach, J S: Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major, BWV1066
Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV1046
Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major, BWV1047
Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV1048
Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV1049
Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV1050
Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV1051
Bach, J S: Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV1067
Bach, J S: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV1068
Bach, J S: Orchestral Suite No. 4 in D major, BWV1069


----------



## Georgieva

*Bach: St. Matthew Passion*
I really like this record from 1961.

Always an overwhelming experience to share in this performance and you feel gravitas and emotion of the subject matter of the passion from the very opening bars which are weighty and magisterial.


----------



## Xenophiliu

*Erich Wolfgang Korngold*
Much Ado About Nothing, Incidental Music, op. 11
Symphony in F Sharp, op. 40

Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra
Marc Albrecht

Pentatone
2010

Love the clear, upfront percussion in this recording.


----------



## eljr

*Vivaldi: Concerto RV117 for strings in C major, etc.*

Sara Mingardo (alto), Francesca Vicari (violin), Luigi Piovano (cello)
Concerto Italiano, Rinaldo Alessandrini

*Catalogue No:* OP30181
*Label:* Naive
*Length:* 59 minutes


----------



## Rogerx

Libertà!

Sabine Devieilhe (soprano), Siobhan Stagg (soprano), Serena Malfi (mezzo), Linard Vrielink (tenor), John Chest (baritone), Nahuel di Pierro (bass-baritone)

Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon


Mozart: Ah che accidenti! (from Lo sposo deluso)
Mozart: Ah che ridere! (from La sposo deluso)
Mozart: Bella mia fiamma, addio... Resta, oh cara, K528
Mozart: Caro bell'idol mio, K562
Mozart: Corpo di Satanasso! (from L'oca del Cairo, K422)
Mozart: Così dunque tradisci … Aspri rimorsi atroci, K432
Mozart: Der Schauspieldirektor, K486: Overture
Mozart: Dove mai trovar quel ciglio? (from Lo sposo deluso)
Mozart: Io ti lascio, oh cara, addio, KAnh. 245
Mozart: Lo sposo deluso, K430: Overture
Mozart: Nascoso e il mio sol, K557
Mozart: Ne pulvis et cinis (from Thamos, König in Ägypten, K345)
Mozart: No, che non sei capace, K419
Mozart: Per pieta, non ricercate KV 420
Mozart: Piu non si trovano, K549
Mozart: Ridente la calma, K152
Mozart: Se lontan, ben mio, K438
Mozart: Spiegarti non poss'io, K489
Mozart: Thamos, König in Ägypten, K.345: Overture
Mozart: Vado, ma dove? oh Dei!, K583
Mozart: Warnung 'Männer suchen stehts zu naschen', K433
Paisiello: Saper bramate (from Il barbiere di Siviglia)
Salieri: Con mille smanie al core (from La scuola de' gelosi)
Salieri: Son le donne sopraffine (from La scuola de' gelosi)
Soler, V M: Una cosa rara: O quando un si bel giubilo


----------



## Enthusiast

An excellent Schubert quintet along with some lieder accompanied by string quintet.


----------



## Georgieva

Dmitri Kabalevsky
BBC Philharmonic

Piano Concertos No.2, No.3


----------



## sAmUiLc

Rogerx said:


> Schumann: Konzertstück for four horns
> 
> Markus Maskuniitty (horn), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sakari Oramo
> 
> Glière: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra Op.91
> Saint-Saëns: Morceau de concert in F minor, Op. 94
> Schumann: Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70
> Schumann: Konzertstück for four horns, Op. 86


I just realized, looking at the picture. Oramo has striking resemblance to Andrew Jones, the legendary loudspeaker designer. They are literally doppelganger to each other!


----------



## Philidor

Philidor said:


> New year, new cycle.


The year is proceeding ...

*Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 D major op. 36*

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan
1961/62


----------



## Art Rock

*Heitor Villa-Lobos: Music for flute (William Bennett et al, Helios)*

An interesting collection of HVL's chamber music for the flute (well, mainly). The first work is a wind quintet in the form of a Choros, which sounds unlike most HVL works I know (I would have guessed Stravinsky, undoubtedly causing Igor to turn in his grave). Modinha is a pleasant miniature for flute and guitar. Of course, the Bachianas brasileiras No 6 for flute and bassoon is included. Distribution of flowers is another likeable miniature for flute and guitar. The Jet Whistle is an enchanting piece for flute and cello, the only one that duplicates another collection of HVL's chamber music that I have (Naxos). Chôros No 2 for flute and clarinet is another obvious choice. Song of Love is the third miniature for flute and guitar, and the "music for flute" CD ends with an attractive fluteless Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon. All in all, I like this Helios (Hyperion) CD better than the Naxos Chamber music CD I played a few days ago - and not just because in this one there is no flute/harp combo.


----------



## eljr




----------



## Enthusiast

Mahler 3 from Jansons - excellent.


----------



## eljr

*TÁR*

Mahler - Guðnadóttir - Elgar
Cate Blanchett Hildur Guðnadóttir Sophie Kauer


> More a concept album than a traditional musical facsimile of the film, the result is both creative and curious. Hildur Guðnadóttir’s music lives within and without the film, and it rubs shoulders... — BBC Music Magazine, December 2022, 4 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 21st Oct 2022
*Catalogue No:* 4863431
*Label:* DG
*Length:* 63 minutes


----------



## eljr

*
The Kreutzer Project*

The Knights (chamber ensemble)
Eric Jacobsen


> Colin Jacobsen’s orchestration of Beethoven’s ‘Kreutzer’ Sonata is mostly convincing...had you never heard the original, you might accept this as a viable slice of Beethoven...Shorthand is an... — BBC Music Magazine, November 2022, 4 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 26th Aug 2022
*Catalogue No:* AV2555
*Label:* Avie
*Length:* 75 minutes










International Classical Music Awards
2023
Nominated - Assorted Programs


----------



## Faramundo

My favourite Martinu record so far (I've only listened to 7 or 8 ), this one is near perfect for me...


----------



## jim prideaux

First listen to Fabio Luisi and the Danish National S.O. recording of Nielsen's 3rd on DG.

Came across this very recent release by accident when messing about on my lap top and now streaming it.......if this performance is indicative of the rest of what will be apparently a complete cycle this could be significant.Uncompromising, immediate and vivid.......very, very impressive.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## cybernaut

Just started listening to this and it's so good I had to restart after the second movement. 









Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
Conductor - Jascha Horenstein
Pro Musica Symphony, Vienna
1956
Pristine Audio


----------



## eljr

*Lang Lang: New York Rhapsody*

Lang Lang (piano)

*Release Date:* 18th Nov 2016
*Catalogue No:* 88985332979
*Label:* Sony
Runtime 80 minutes
Blu-ray

This is a favorite of mine for many reasons which most here won't favor.
First off, it is NYC themed and that is my town so there is a sentimentality others won't feel.
It features show tunes, movie music, popular songs. Another unpopular approach. Then I love the artists assembled. Lindsey Sterling being a favorite of mine.
And of course Lang Lang can be controversial.

I find it incredibly emotional and decently performed.

Link to the full program:








Lang Lang: New York Rhapsody


Lang Lang: New York Rhapsody. Sony: 88985332979. Buy Blu-ray online. Lang Lang (piano)



www.prestomusic.com


----------



## JohnD

Monsalvat said:


> Johann Sebastian Bach: assorted preludes and fugues from the _Well-Tempered Clavier_
> Zuzana Růžičková, harpsichord (1970)
> 
> Růžičková isn’t all that well known, but she was the first person to record the complete keyboard/harpsichord works of Bach between 1965 and 1975 (Helmut Walcha I think made his recordings earlier but they weren't fully complete). She survived the Bergen-Belsen extermination camp in the Holocaust and later became an anti-Communist activist. She sadly passed away in 2017, not long after Erato remastered and reissued these recordings in this set. I don't listen to her Bach all that much but I do make sure I dig it out every once in a while. What a remarkable life and career. Coming before the historically informed movement was entrenched, Růžičková uses an Ammer harpsichord built in the 20th century (the same kind of instrument Walcha used for his EMI recordings).


I've got this set and have enjoyed it a great deal!


----------



## starthrower




----------



## littlejohnuk1

Just put this on after switching on the telly ie YouTube. It's proving to have real character and those old things called feelings. I wonder who got me onto it


----------



## Kiki

*Enrique Granados*
_Goyescas_
*Jean-Philippe Collard *
Rec. 2019
La Dolce Volta

Full of ornamentation and brilliance, although usually not my type of thing, but the music is exotic and beautiful and full of characters. Like.


----------



## HerbertNorman

*charles Ives - 2nd Symphony *- Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic


----------



## eljr

Playing follow the leader, No.2 also.









*Ives, C: Symphony No. 2, etc.*

New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein

*Release Date:* 25th Nov 1992
*Catalogue No:* SMK60202
*Label:* Sony
*Series: *Bernstein Century
Runtime on No 2 is 39:08


----------



## fbjim

Just astonishing.


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## fbjim

and after some remarkable sacred music, nothing better for a lighter desert than some piano encores


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No.5

Maurizio Pollini (piano)
Karl Böhm & Wiener Philharmoniker*


----------



## Monsalvat

Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1978)

Finishing a Brahms cycle which was very consistently satisfying. That it is well-played is a given, knowing this ensemble. But Solti also shapes it very well, each movement a masterpiece. Perhaps I'll listen to the overtures, or maybe I will move on to something else. Solti also recorded the Haydn Variations, which Decca issued separately along with Schoenberg's Variations for Orchestra, another Solti disc I really enjoyed. (And that is a spectacular coupling.)


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Monsalvat said:


> Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 4* in E minor, Op. 98
> Georg Solti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1978)
> 
> Finishing a Brahms cycle which was very consistently satisfying. That it is well-played is a given, knowing this ensemble. But Solti also shapes it very well, each movement a masterpiece. Perhaps I'll listen to the overtures, or maybe I will move on to something else. Solti also recorded the Haydn Variations, which Decca issued separately along with Schoenberg's Variations for Orchestra, another Solti disc I really enjoyed. (And that is a spectacular coupling.)


I use to listen (and appreciate) to the Karajan cycle more than any others, but I agree about the huge quality of Solti's cycle; he handles the orchestral tones very well, extracting a beautiful, powerful sound that certainly fits to the majestic atmosphere of Brahms' music; in the symphonies, he also manages to orient himself in complex structure of the developments of the thematic variations with great agility and flexibility, making it stand out accurately.

P.S. Wow, did Solti really record Schönberg? How nice!


----------



## Vronsky

Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No.3 'Scottish'
Otto Klemperer & Philharmonia Orchestra


----------



## sAmUiLc

for the contents..
Leroy Anderson - Leroy Anderson Favorites - Amazon.com Music


----------



## Coach G

> Wow, did Solti really record Schönberg? How nice!


Solti also recorded Schoenberg's _Moses Und Aron_, a twelve-tone opera and Biblical epic. In the liner notes, written by Solti himself, he points to how Schoenberg's loved the music of Brahms, and so he says, that he instructed his musicians to play Schoenberg as if they were playing Brahms. Since Brahms didn't compose twelve-tone music, and since Brahms never composed an opera, I don't know how one would be expected to do so, but if you're willing to invest the effort, the recording is not that bad given multiple listens and an open mind. Harold Schoenberg theorized that there is something in the character of Moses in _Moses Und Aron_ to which the composer may have identified. Just as Schoenberg was trying to bring the law of God to a people who wanted to dance around a graven image; Schoenberg was trying to bring a new musical language to a world that wasn't ready for it.










George Solti; Arnold Schoenberg


----------



## Coach G

Accidental repeat.


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Simplicissimus

Coach G said:


> Solti also recorded Schoenberg's _Moses Und Aron_, a twelve-tone opera and Biblical epic. In the liner notes, written by Solti himself, he points to how Schoenberg's loved the music of Brahms, and so he says, that he instructed his musicians to play Schoenberg as if they were playing Brahms. Since Brahms didn't compose twelve-tone music, and since Brahms never composed an opera, I don't know how one would be expected to do so, but if you're willing to invest the effort, the recording is not that bad given multiple listens and an open mind. Harold Schoenberg theorized that there is something in the character of Moses in _Moses Und Aron_ to which the composer may have identified. Just as Schoenberg was trying to bring the law of God to a people who wanted to dance around a graven image; Schoenberg was trying to bring a new musical language to a world that wasn't ready for it.
> 
> View attachment 181781
> 
> 
> George Solti; Arnold Schoenberg
> 
> View attachment 181784
> View attachment 181783


Didn't know Solti/CSO recorded Schönberg, I need to check it out. My one source for Schönberg is Michael Gielen, and I've been listening to him and his orchestras a lot lately. Time to branch out.


----------



## Knorf

*Paul Hindemith: *Symphony in E-flat
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein 

This is such a great symphony that I cannot understand its neglect. Baffling. 

Anyway, I've loved it for years, especially with such a deeply commited and empathetic performance as this one! Highly recommended; all of the works recorded here are given stellar performances.


----------



## Knorf

Simplicissimus said:


> Didn't know Solti/CSO recorded Schönberg, I need to check it out. My one source for Schönberg is Michael Gielen, and I've been listening to him and his orchestras a lot lately. Time to branch out.


Solti's _Moses und Aron _is top-shelf stuff!


----------



## Bachtoven 1




----------



## Knorf

*Sergei Prokofiev: *Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 100
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

It's been ages since I listened to this recording, and I was wondering whether I still rated it as highly as I once did. Answer: yes. It's excellent, a vigorous and exciting interpretation that absolutely does the work justice. Perhaps I retain one or two others as favorites, so what? This one is a blast!


----------



## Monsalvat

Thrilled I've gotten a discussion about Solti's Schoenberg going! That wasn't my intention, but that Haydn Variations/Schoenberg Variations disc is fantastic and I'll be sure to listen to it again! For now, though, I'm listening to more Pierre Cochereau improvisations from Notre-Dame de Paris:









Prelude, Adagio, et Choral Varié
Pierre Cochereau, organ (27 Feb. 1970)

Really good stuff! And recorded in spectacular sound, from the blaring chamades to the softest flutes and strings.









Improvisation is not a common skill in the classical world, except for the organ. Cochereau could more than hold his own in Bach, Vierne, or anyone else, but he was probably one of the most skilled improvisers of whom we have recorded evidence (at least in the classical tradition, don't want to upset any of you jazz folks!). There's a story about Bach improvising on _An Wasserflüssen Babylon_ before Reincken, who had written a set of variations on that chorale, and the elderly Reincken essentially giving Bach his blessing, saying that while he thought his art would die in him, he saw that it would live on through Bach. This improvisation shares a similar structure to Duruflé's _Veni creator spiritus_ but it is distinctly Cochereau's language here. (It even shares the use of the vox humana stop towards the end of the Prelude as Cochereau transitions into the Adagio; Duruflé's Adagio has a prominent vox humana part.) This improvisation is unique to this particular instrument, at Notre-Dame de Paris, with which Cochereau was so intimately familiar, and in some sense this is really a partnership between man and machine. Circling back to the beginning of this paragraph, the classical tradition of improvisation is unfortunately rather limited. Cochereau may well have been its pinnacle. I'm so glad to have documentary evidence of these concerts, which are so enjoyable to hear.


----------



## sAmUiLc

I don't find her a particularly interesting pianist yet she recorded lots of solo pieces of extreme difficulty. The version she uses here is the nearly-impossible-to-play version which Liszt in his later years touched up to make them more accessible to broader number of pianists, they say.


----------



## Dmitriyevich

Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas Nos. 3, 7 & 8


----------



## starthrower




----------



## Coach G

This afternoon, two by Messiaen:

1. *Messiaen*: _Turangalilia-Symphonie_ (Myung-Wha Chung/Orchestre de la Bastille w/Yvonne Loriod, piano & Jeanne Loriod, ondes martenot)
2. *Messiaen*: _Eclairs sur l'Au-Dela (Illuminations of the Beyond)_ (Myung-Wha Chung/Orchestre de la Bastille)


















Drawing from serial music, bird songs, Catholic mysticism, and Debussy's mysterious French moods; Olivier Messiaen takes us into outer space and unknown worlds of sound.


----------



## Rogerx

Paine: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2

Ulster Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta

Paine: Oedipus Tyrannus Prelude, Op. 35
Paine: Poseidon and Amphitrite - An Ocean Fantasy, Op. 44
Paine: Symphony No. 2


----------



## sAmUiLc

Đặng Thái Sơn is a true poet on the keyboard. He was the rightful winner of the 1980 Chopin Concours regardless of the Pogorelich controversy. Pogo was eliminated in the 3rd round (I don't think he is the competition type - too individualistic), causing lots of controversy, including Argerich storming out from the jury position. I read Argerich personally had apologized to Sơn much later. Too late, woman! The damage was already done to him while it propelled Pogo's career.

The piano used on the recording is a fortepiano & I do not like the sound of fortepiano, but I make allowance for Sơn and his poetry.


----------



## Neo Romanza

starthrower said:


>


The first Ives recording I ever bought. It still holds up incredibly well!


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Shostakovich
String Quartets Nos. 12-14
Shostakovich Quartet*

From this set -


----------



## Rogerx

Rachmaninov Variations

Daniil Trifonov (piano)

Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin


Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
Rachmaninov: Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22
Rachmaninov: Variations on a theme of Corelli, Op. 42
Trifonov: Rachmaniana




Instrumental Choice
BBC Music Magazine
Instrumental Choice
Disc of the Month
Gramophone Magazine
September 2015
Disc of the Month
Presto Recordings of the Year
Finalist 2015
Finalist - Concerto
Gramophone Awards
2016
Finalist - Concerto


----------



## Kiki

*Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov*
_Scheherazade_
*Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan *
Rec. 1967
DG

Glorious!


----------



## Neo Romanza

Faramundo said:


> My favourite Martinu record so far (I've only listened to 7 or 8 ), this one is near perfect for me...
> View attachment 181769


This is certainly one of my favorite Martinů discs for sure. The song cycles _Nipponari_ and _Magic Nights_ are absolutely exquisite. They bear the influence of Debussy (one of Martinů's early influences) and the orchestration is so colorful. _Czech Rhapsody_ is less successful overall, but it's still enjoyable just not as intoxicating as the song cycles that preceded it. All of these works come from Martinů's early period before he arrived in Paris and started working in that characteristic Neoclassical (or Neo-Baroque?) style that he's more known for.


----------



## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Ginastera - Harp Concerto, Estancia Suite, Piano Concerto No 1
Batiz/Orquesta de la Ciudad de Mexico; Allen, harp; Tarrago, piano









Ginastera - String Quartets
Enso Quartet; Shelton, soprano









Chavez - Energia, Soli for Winds, Wind Quintet and Brass Trio, Sonata for Four Horns
Southwest Chamber Music









Villa Lobos - Symphonies 6 and 7
Karabtchevsky/Sao Paulo SO


----------



## Rogerx

Salieri: The 2 Piano Concertos et all

Pietro Spada (piano)

Philharmonia Orchestra


Salieri: Concerto for fortepiano in B flat major
Salieri: Concerto for fortepiano in C major
Salieri: Les Horaces - Overture
Salieri: Semiramide - Overture
Salieri: Twenty-six Variations on 'La follia di Spagna'


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Klavierman

Powerful playing captured in very good sound.


----------



## Rogerx

Bach: Cello Suites

Richard Tunnicliffe (cello)


Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV1007
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV1008
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV1009
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV1011
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV1012 
Bach, J S: Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV1010


----------



## Art Rock

*Henri Vieuxtemps: String Quartets No. 1-3 (Quatuor Élysée, Continuo Classics, 2 CD's)*

Once more combining the early morning string quartets and re-listening/cataloguing. Vieuxtemps was of course a famous violin player himself, and it was logical he would try his hand on string quartets. Glad he did, because these are wonderful works (especially the second one), all composed in his last ten years. The two last ones are probably from the period after his stroke in 1879 that ended his career as violinist. From Wiki: He spent his last years in a sanatorium in Mustapha Supérieur, Algeria, where his daughter and her husband had settled, and continued to compose, though frustrated by his inability to play or, far from the musical centres of Europe, even hear his music played by others.


----------



## Montarsolo

Mozart, piano concerto 11, Barenboim


----------



## HerbertNorman

After the second symphony yesterday , the masterpiece that is the *4th Symphony *by *Charles Ives* , played by the *Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus * conducted by *Michael Tilson Thomas .*

Astoundingly, a recording I found at a garage sale on holiday some years ago!!!


----------



## Art Rock

*Ralph Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony - 1913 original (London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox, Youtube)*

I don't like posting embedded YT videos, so I made a fake CD cover. Unfortunately I don't have the original version of the second symphony on CD (yet), but I want to hear it, so I'm using YouTube. Listening to a 2003 live rendition (link). It is fascinating to hear the original version, and I'll join the listeners who regret he cut out so much good stuff. I really need to get this on CD.


----------



## Ulalume!Ulalume!

*Arthur Grumiaux with Christiane Jaccottet
Sonatas For Violin And Harpsichord (BWV 1014-1019)*
I'm very fond of the light, shimmering sound of the harpischord on here, so different from the loud clanging you hear on other things


----------



## Chilham

Spending some time getting to know Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit, premiered this day 1909:









Martha Argerich









Bertrand Chamayou









Benjamin Grosvenor









Alice Sara Ott


----------



## HerbertNorman

Neo Romanza said:


> The first Ives recording I ever bought. It still holds up incredibly well!


It most definitely does ! Time permitting , I would like to have a good listen to some of Ives' greatest works this week (Along with the String Quartet of the week).


----------



## Malx

I've recently posted a Brahms/Ligeti concerto disc that is conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya not a well known name but one that I vaguely recognised. I couldn't place where or when the name had come into my knowledge until this morning - still digging through a box of BBC MM discs I came across the disc below on which he is the primary conductor featured.
A satisfying start to the day - simple things make me smile these days .

*Moncayo, Huapango / Ginastera, Estancia ballet suite / De Falla, Seven Popular Spanish Songs* / Piazzolla, Tangazo - Ann Murray*, BBC Concert Orchestra, Miguel Harth-Bedoya.*

Not really an area of music I listen to but I felt an urge to give it a spin.


----------



## Flamme

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music. 9.30 am Kate Kennedy shares some new releases that have caught her attention with Andrew and reveals her 'On Repeat' choice and explains her current preoccupation with it. 10.30 am Building a Library Edward Seckerson chooses his favourite recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 6 in A minor. More often than not, Mahler's symphonies end positively, whether in triumph, exaltation, joyful exuberance, quiet bliss, or resignation and acceptance. But the Sixth is unique in its tragic, minor-key conclusion and this Symphony as a whole is among his darkest music. Intriguingly, he wrote it during one of the happiest periods of his life, the summers of 1903 and 1904. Mahler was convinced that, in his music, he had the ability to foresee and even predict events and, painful though it might be, as an artist he could not avoid doing so. And in 1907, when he looked back on the Sixth Symphony's finale with its 'three hammer blows of fate' he could point to the death of his daughter Maria, the diagnosis of the severe heart disease which would kill him, and the bitter end of his decade as director of the Vienna Opera. Closer to our own times, some have suggested that, as well as tragic autobiography, Mahler was predicting the tragedies of a whole century. 11.20 am Record of the Week An exceptional new release. Record Review - Mahler's Symphony No 6 in Building a Library with Edward Seckerson and Andrew McGregor - BBC Sounds


----------



## Rogerx

Schubert : Symphonies Nos. 8 “Unfinished” & 9 “Great”
Berliner Philharmoniker; Karl Böhm


----------



## Montarsolo

Brahms, variations on a Thema bij Joseph Haydn, Karl Böhm


----------



## Enthusiast

Art Rock said:


> *Ralph Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony - 1913 original (London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox, Youtube)*
> 
> I don't like posting embedded YT videos, so I made a fake CD cover. Unfortunately I don't have the original version of the second symphony on CD (yet), but I want to hear it, so I'm using YouTube. Listening to a 2003 live rendition (link). It is fascinating to hear the original version, and I'll join the listeners who regret he cut out so much good stuff. I really need to get this on CD.


He did cut out some fine music but (I think I'm in a minority here) the result was tighter. I enjoy the Hickox account of the original version but probably not as much as good accounts of the final version. At least those who feel committed to a composer's final intention (for example, with the order of movements in Mahler 6) will presumably side with me! You have to admire VW's discipline in cutting really good music out so as to benefit the whole. 

We also have accounts of earlier (and quite different) versions of a few important Sibelius works (violin concerto, 5th symphony) and again I hear him cutting out some great music but to the overall benefit of whole (i.e. the final versions that we all know and love).


----------



## Rogerx

Mozart: Sonatas For Four Hands

Thomas Beijer, Nicolas van Poucke (piano)

Mozart: Sonata for Piano Four-Hands in B Major, KV 358
Mozart: Sonata for Piano Four-Hands in F Major, KV 497
Mozart: Sonata for Piano Four-Hands in C Major, KV 521


----------



## Malx

*Beethoven, Piano Sonatas Op 109 & Op110 - Richard Goode.*

Great sonatas played to a very high standard, need I say more?


----------



## Rogerx

Armida Quartett play Beethoven & Shostakovich

Armida Quartett


Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1 'Rasumovsky No. 1'
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 10 in A flat major, Op. 118


----------



## Bourdon

Bach


----------



## Art Rock

*Louis Vierne: The Songs of Louis Vierne (Rachel Santesso, Andrew Reid, Roger Vignolles, Hugh Webb, Deux-Elles)*

A CD that focuses on an underexposed part of Vierne's genre: art songs. Four song cycles: Les Angélus (1931) for soprano and organ, Spleens et détresses (1916) and Cinq poèmes de Baudelaire (1919) for soprano and piano, and Quatre poèmes grecs (1930) for soprano and harp. There is also an early song, Extase (1899) for soprano and piano. The switches in accompanying instrument is a nice feature of this CD. If you like the art songs of say Fauré and Hahn, I'd bet you would also enjoy this.


----------



## Lisztianwagner

Coach G said:


> Solti also recorded Schoenberg's _Moses Und Aron_, a twelve-tone opera and Biblical epic. In the liner notes, written by Solti himself, he points to how Schoenberg's loved the music of Brahms, and so he says, that he instructed his musicians to play Schoenberg as if they were playing Brahms. Since Brahms didn't compose twelve-tone music, and since Brahms never composed an opera, I don't know how one would be expected to do so, but if you're willing to invest the effort, the recording is not that bad given multiple listens and an open mind. Harold Schoenberg theorized that there is something in the character of Moses in _Moses Und Aron_ to which the composer may have identified. Just as Schoenberg was trying to bring the law of God to a people who wanted to dance around a graven image; Schoenberg was trying to bring a new musical language to a world that wasn't ready for it.
> 
> View attachment 181781
> 
> 
> George Solti; Arnold Schoenberg
> 
> View attachment 181784
> View attachment 181783


Thank you very much for the feedback on Solti's recording, after looking at the cover now, I remember it isn't the first I've seen it. That's curious that Solti asked his musicians a brahmsian approach to Schönberg's work: Schönberg was certainly influenced by Brahms, but the spirits of their music are very different anyway, I agree it can be hard to figure what to expect; but I may invest the effort, it would be a new performance to discover in any case. _Moses und Aron_ is not my very favourite Schönberg's composition, though I find it a thrilling, meditative work, of tearing contrasts as well as of great musical incisiveness, tension and variety; a very good example of the prodigious richness of the schönbergian languages. It is also very interesting for the complementary polarities, both in the music and in the text, of the characters of Moses and Aron, a unity in contradiction: the first, who is an uncompromising defender of the pureness of the thought, of the idea of one almighty God, but unable to express it (something he regrets), and the latter, who should make the inexpressible absoluteness of the idea accessible with words and actions, but who can only use images at the cost of reductive compromises, weakening that idea; a deep separation which is powerfully represented by the different vocal styles, a harsh Sprechgesang for Moses and a more sweeping, persuasive tenor part for Aron.
Harold Schoenberg's theory is very fascinating, as a matter of fact, there could be similarities, Schönberg’s music has often been considered as puzzling, incomprehensible, little immediate.


----------



## vincula

Came back early from work today and I'm enjoying some time alone -with Mozart. Spinning an old album on my rig:










Regards,

Vincula


----------



## Rogerx

Ives: Symphony No. 2

New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein


Ives, C: A Set of Three Short Pieces
Ives, C: Central Park in the Dark
Ives, C: Hallowe'en
Ives, C: Hymn for Strings 
Ives, C: The Gong on the Hook and Ladder
Ives, C: The Unanswered Question
Ives, C: Three Outdoor Scenes
Ives, C: Tone Roads No. 1


----------



## Enthusiast

This morning's opera.


----------



## jim prideaux

Sibelius-3rd Symphony.

Saraste and the Finnish RSO recorded live in St Petersburg 1993 ( Finlandia)

This is an impressive performance and recording of what for me is my second personal favourite of the Sibelius symphonies ( the 5th being first)

Whenever I am fortunate enough to encounter an effective performance of the 3rd I am yet again left wondering why it so frequently appears to e overshadowed in the affections of many listeners by others in the cycle.


----------



## Bourdon

Monteverdi

A recording that does not deserve to be forgotten.Intimate and heartwarming


----------



## Lisztianwagner

On youtube:

*Arnold Schönberg
Moses und Aron

Georg Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra*


----------



## haziz

Played through this 'album' a couple of times over the weekend:


----------



## Anooj

View attachment 181745








CD3: The piano concerti by Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, Jules Massenet, and Gabriel Pierne. Sourced from old Vox recordings (aside from Pierne, the sound is decent)


----------



## haziz

Will be playing through this intermittently during the day:


----------



## Art Rock

*Robert Volkmann: Works for Piano (István Kassai, Hungaroton)*

A nice selection of piano compositions by the German romantic composer. Souvenir de Maróth is a short Impromptu to start off, but the next work is substantial: Visegrad (opus 21) is a cycle of 12 Musical Poems for the piano, with great variety. After this set, we still get the Ungarische Lieder Op.20, and Au tombeau du Comte Széchenyi Op. 41. Solo piano is not my favourite genre, but I really enjoy this CD, which I picked up in Budapest around 2008.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Nielsen, Symphony No. 5*

Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. This is my first encounter with the 5th, so I don't know if this recording is good or bad other than the engineered sound is good and the orchestra plays in tune.


----------



## HerbertNorman

String Quartet of the Week: *Johannes Brahms - String Quartet no. 2 (Op. 51) *played here by the* Belcea Quartet *


----------



## Neo Romanza

Some early morning *Janáček*:

*The Cunning Little Vixen Suite
Czech Philharmonic
František Jílek*











*Otce náš
Jamie MacDougall, tenor
Christopher Bowers-Broadbent, tenor
Hugh Webb, harp
New London Chamber Choir
James Wood*










*Pohádka
Tomáš Jamník, Ivo Kahánek








*


----------



## Rogerx

Carl Stamitz: Sinfonies & Concertos

Ulrich Koch (viola)

Collegium Aureum, Franzjosek Maier


Stamitz, C: Concerto in D major for Viola and Orchestra
Stamitz, C: Sinfonia Concertante in A major
Stamitz, C: Sinfonia in E flat major


----------



## Bourdon

Beethoven

String Quartet Op.131


----------



## Vasks

_LPs_

*Samuel Barlow - Overture to "Mon Ami Pierrot" (Cornman/CRI)
Aaron Copland - Statements for Orchestra (compoer/CBS)
Wayne Barlow - Dynamisms for Two Pianos (Yarbrough & Cowan/Mirrosonic)
Samuel Barber - Medea's Meditation & Dance of Vengence (Schippers/Odyssey)*


----------



## Enthusiast

Two Beethoven symphonies from a set that is (IMO) one of the best available. Not to be confused with Norrington's earlier set. That was radical (and well worth hearing). This one is less radical and seems to care more for the music but it is still Norrington! Both may be essential.


----------



## allaroundmusicenthusiast

Before: Lachenmann's Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern. Didn't like it. Lachenmann, for the most part, still evades me.










Now, Beethoven's complete SQ's, played by the Alban Berg Quartett


----------



## Manxfeeder

Arvo Part, Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten

Metzmacher with the Philharmonisches Staatsorcherter Hamburg

A long time ago, the LA Chamber Orchestra played this piece with such a sense of pathos and sensitivity that I've been looking for a recording to match it ever since. This doesn't do it, but at least it comes closer than the recording on ECM.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Faure. Piano Quintets 1 and 2. Domus w/Marwood violin. Hyperion.


----------



## Rogerx

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5

Stefan Vladar (piano), Jenö Jandó (piano)++

Capella Istropolitana, Barry Wordsworth


Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 'Emperor'
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale'++


----------



## Art Rock

*Tomás Luis de Victoria: Ave Maria, Missa O magnum mysterium, Missa O quam gloriosum
Alonso Lobo: Versa est in luctum
(Oxford Camerata, Jeremy Summerly, Naxos)*

In the nineties, the CD's in the Naxos series with the Oxford Camerata were my introduction to the renaissance period. This is mainly Victoria (the Lobo is only 5 minutes), and it was an excellent introduction. In the end though, I prefer the Hyperion/Helios series of Victoria CD's over this one, as good as it is.


----------



## Neo Romanza

allaroundmusicenthusiast said:


> Before: Lachenmann's Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern. Didn't like it. Lachenmann, for the most part, still evades me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, Beethoven's complete SQ's, played by the Alban Berg Quartett


I love a lot of avant-garde music (mainly from the post-war generation --- nothing particularly "contemporary"), but I feel similarly with you about Lachenmann. I haven't "cracked the code" for him so to speak, but I'm not really interested in making the effort either, which is no slight on him, it's just that his music isn't really "my thing" I suppose.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Ginastera
Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 28
Xiayin Wang, piano
BBC Philharmonic
Juanjo Mena*










Next up:

*Brahms
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
Leon Fleisher, piano
Cleveland Orchestra
Szell*


----------



## haziz




----------



## Neo Romanza

haziz said:


>


OMG! You're listening to Bartók?!?!? Excellent! I hope to see more of this composer's music in your listening future.


----------



## eljr

*Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K626*

Sophie Karthäuser (soprano), Marie-Claude Chappuis (mezzo), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor, Johannes Weisser (baritone)
Freiburger Barockorchester, RIAS Kammerchor, René Jacobs


> Choir members are the virtuosos here. Their flexibility enables them to enrich or bleach vocal colour, and flood or dry up volume levels, to the subtlest degree. Jacobs plays the choir like an... — BBC Music Magazine, January 2018, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 27th Oct 2017
*Catalogue No:* HMM902291
*Label:* Harmonia Mundi
*Length:* 45 minutes










Presto Recording of the Week
3rd November 2017









Presto Recordings of the Year
Finalist 2017









BBC Music Magazine
January 2018
Choral & Song Choice


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> I love a lot of avant-garde music (mainly from the post-war generation --- nothing particularly "contemporary"), but I feel similarly with you about Lachenmann. I haven't "cracked the code" for him so to speak, but I'm not really interested in making the effort either, which is no slight on him, it's just that his music isn't really "my thing" I suppose.


That's a circle: you don't like his music because haven't cracked the code and you won't try to crack it because you don't like his music! I have found quite a lot of Lachenmann very rewarding and would urge those interested to give him a go. My method of trying without concentration and then leaving it until I feel it calling to me - cracked the code for me with considerable ease.


----------



## Enthusiast

eljr said:


> *Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K626*
> 
> Sophie Karthäuser (soprano), Marie-Claude Chappuis (mezzo), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor, Johannes Weisser (baritone)
> Freiburger Barockorchester, RIAS Kammerchor, René Jacobs
> 
> 
> *Release Date:* 27th Oct 2017
> *Catalogue No:* HMM902291
> *Label:* Harmonia Mundi
> *Length:* 45 minutes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Presto Recording of the Week
> 3rd November 2017
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Presto Recordings of the Year
> Finalist 2017
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBC Music Magazine
> January 2018
> Choral & Song Choice


A wonderful account of the requiem: I don't think I know a better one.


----------



## Enthusiast

Some Elgar from Oramo - including and excellent 2nd symphony. I didn't care so much for Oramo's account of the 1st symphony which was disappointing after this one.


----------



## eljr

Rogerx said:


> Ives: Symphony No. 2
> 
> New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
> 
> 
> Ives, C: A Set of Three Short Pieces
> Ives, C: Central Park in the Dark
> Ives, C: Hallowe'en
> Ives, C: Hymn for Strings
> Ives, C: The Gong on the Hook and Ladder
> Ives, C: The Unanswered Question
> Ives, C: Three Outdoor Scenes
> Ives, C: Tone Roads No. 1


seems we all influence one another here.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> That's a circle: you don't like his music because haven't cracked the code and you won't try to crack it because you don't like his music! I have found quite a lot of Lachenmann very rewarding and would urge those interested to give him a go. My method of trying without concentration and then leaving it until I feel it calling to me - cracked the code for me with considerable ease.


I've tried for quite some time to get into Lachenmann's music. I'm just tired of making the effort and would rather invest my precious time into music that I do get and love. For me, it always comes back to being initially allured or being intrigued by the music and Lachenmann hasn't done it for me. Sorry, but not sorry!


----------



## eljr

Enthusiast said:


> A wonderful account of the requiem: I don't think I know a better one.


As a matter of fact, locating this gave me fits this morning. I ran across a good dozen performances but refused to compromise and kept at it till I found this one.


----------



## Rogerx

Schumann: Cello Concerto & Chamber Works

Gautier Capuçon (cello), Martha Argerich (piano), Renaud Capuçon (violin)

Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Bernard Haitink



Schumann: Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70
Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
Schumann: Fantasiestücke in A minor for Piano Trio, Op. 88
Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
Schumann: Stücke im Volkston (5), Op. 102


----------



## Neo Romanza

Rogerx said:


> Schumann: Cello Concerto & Chamber Works
> 
> Gautier Capuçon (cello), Martha Argerich (piano), Renaud Capuçon (violin)
> 
> Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Bernard Haitink
> 
> 
> 
> Schumann: Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70
> Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
> Schumann: Fantasiestücke in A minor for Piano Trio, Op. 88
> Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
> Schumann: Stücke im Volkston (5), Op. 102


This surely must be one of Haitink's last recordings.


----------



## eljr

Neo Romanza said:


> I've tried for quite some time to get into Lachenmann's music. I'm just tired of making the effort and would rather invest my precious time into music that I do get and love. For me, it always comes back to being initially allured or being intrigued by the music and Lachenmann hasn't done it for me. Sorry, but not sorry!


as long as one tries, they are to be respected for their opinion.


----------



## Neo Romanza

eljr said:


> as long as one tries, they are to be respected for their opinion.


Well, I'm always concerned about _time_, which we don't have a lot of during our lifetime. This is more important to me than listening to Lachenmann again when it's clear his music gives me no pleasure whatsoever.


----------



## eljr

Neo Romanza said:


> Well, I'm always concerned about _time_, which we don't have a lot of during our lifetime. This is more important to me than listening to Lachenmann again when it's clear his music gives me no pleasure whatsoever.


Yes, the hour glass makes clear time is short.


----------



## ericshreiber1005

Shostakovich. Symphony No.4 West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Koln. Cond. Barshai. Alto. From a 6 Cd box set entitled:The Great Symphonies 4,5,7,8, 10 and 15.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> I've tried for quite some time to get into Lachenmann's music. I'm just tired of making the effort and would rather invest my precious time into music that I do get and love. For me, it always comes back to being initially allured or being intrigued by the music and Lachenmann hasn't done it for me. Sorry, but not sorry!


Fair enough, I guess. But perhaps it is the effort (i.e. that you have put in) that is the problem.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> Fair enough, I guess. But perhaps it is the effort (i.e. that you have put in) that is the problem.


No. The problem is I don't like his music --- just like there are composers you have tried and have come to the conclusion that they're not for you.


----------



## Malx

I've been on a bit of a Beethoven spree the last couple of days which has not yet reached its conclusion.
*Beethoven, String Quartet Op 135 - Leipziger Streichquartett.*

The Leipziger quartet are up to their usual high standard of interpretation, technically sound although I do detect occasional little signs of stress in the faster parts of their vivace movement but that aside an excellent version.


----------



## Neo Romanza

And now for a palette cleanser:

*Gubaidulina
Piano Sonata
Débora Halász, piano*

_*Sotto voce*_
*Hariolf Schlichtig (viola), Jacob Kellermann (guitar), Lucas Brar (guitar), Philipp Stubenrauch (double bass)*










*Kodály
Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7
Barnabás Kelemen (violin), Marc Coppey (cello)*


----------



## Neo Romanza

ericshreiber1005 said:


> Shostakovich. Symphony No.4 West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Koln. Cond. Barshai. Alto. From a 6 Cd box set entitled:The Great Symphonies 4,5,7,8, 10 and 15.


Quite a fine set of Shostakovich from Barshai, although this is one I'm referring to:


----------



## sAmUiLc

Hatto's 24, or her husband's or John Browning's..? They are Rachmaninov's 24, that is for sure.


----------



## Enthusiast

Neo Romanza said:


> No. The problem is I don't like his music --- just like there are composers you have tried and have come to the conclusion that they're not for you.


OK. That doesn't happen with me except when music is sentimental or lacking in invention. There are, or course, many composers who I haven't found a way into yet. Generally, if a composer is strongly recommended by someone who has tastes close to mine or whose taste I respect I will keep open about. I feel strongly that, regardless of any challenges, contemporary music is vitally important and feeling that has led me to some of the most rewarding musical experiences of the last ten or so years - I was probably closer to your view before that.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Enthusiast said:


> OK. That doesn't happen with me except when music is sentimental or lacking in invention. There are, or course, many composers who I haven't found a way into yet. Generally, if a composer is strongly recommended by someone who has tastes close to mine or whose taste I respect I will keep open about. I feel strongly that, regardless of any challenges, contemporary music is vitally important and feeling that has led me to some of the most rewarding musical experiences of the last ten or so years - I was probably closer to your view before that.


As I said, I love a lot of the post-war avant-garde (Boulez, Ligeti, Xenakis, Scelsi, Berio et. al.), but not everything is worth my time. You and I operate much differently and have opinions that we feel strongly about. I'm sorry to say I'm not budging on my current opinion since I'm not willing to invest _my time_ into a composer with whom I have tried for years to enjoy. It's just not worth it, IMHO.


----------



## eljr

*
Wagner: Opera Excerpts*

Petra Lang (soprano)
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer


> [Fischer] and his Budapest Festival Orchestra certainly acquit themselves rather well. Their tempos are sometimes slow enough to please Klemperer and Goodall fans, but they're lightened by the... — BBC Music Magazine, August 2013, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 10th Jun 2013
*Catalogue No:* CCSSA32713
*Label:* Channel
*Length:* 64 minutes










Presto Recording of the Week
24th June 2013









Gramophone Magazine
August 2013
Editor's Choice


----------



## Enthusiast

Well, this got added to my "to play" pile. A while back Lachenmann seemed to garner more interest on the forum and that encouraged me to explore his music. He is mentioned far less at the moment. Anyway, it was good to be reminded and this is one Lachenmann CD that I have always enjoyed a lot. The three pieces are: _Mouvement (-vor der Erstarrung)_; _Schwankungen am Rand _and _...zwei Gefühle..., Musik für Leonardo.








_


----------



## Bourdon

Brahms / Schubert

The first time I heard Brahms ballads was a recording played by Gilels. Some time later I heard them performed even more beautifully with Michelangeli.

This recording is from 1981 and played on a piano that was more than 60 years old at the time.


----------



## elgar's ghost

After all the recent Edward Elgar I thought I'd stay on home turf.
Benjamin Britten - various non-orchestral choral works part one.

_Thy King's Birthday (Christ's Nativity)_ for soprano, contralto and unaccompanied mixed choir
WoO [Texts: Henry Vaughan/anon. English from the late 16th-early 16th century _William 
Ballet's Lute Book_/Christ Church manuscript/_The Book of Romans_/_The Book of James_/
Robert Southwell/Charles William Stubbs] (1931)

with the BBC Singers









_A Boy Was Born_ - choral variations for men's, women's and boys' voices op.3 [Texts: anon.
14th-16th century English/Christina Rossetti/Thomas Tusser/Francis Quarles] (1932-33):

with Michael Hartnett (treble), the Purcell Singers, Boys' Voices of the English Opera
Group and the choristers of All Saints of Margaret Street/Benjamin Britten









_A Hymn to the Virgin_ - anthem for unaccompanied double mixed choir WoO
[Text: anon. medieval English] (1930):
_Te Deum_ in C for treble voice, mixed choir and organ WoO
[Text: _The Book of Common Prayer_] (1934): a)

a) with treble soloist William Goldring









_A Wealden Trio: Christmas Song of the Women_ for unaccompanied female voices (with
optional chorus) WoO [Text: Ford Maddox Ford](1929 - rev. 1929-30 and 1967): a)
_Three Two-Part Songs_ for boys' (or women's) voices and piano WoO
[Texts: Walter de la Mare] (1932): b)
_Friday Afternoons_ - cycle of twelve songs for children's voices and piano op.7
[Texts: anon. English/William Makepeace Thackeray/Jane Taylor/Nicholas
Udall/Izaak Walton/Eleanor Farjeon] (1933-35): c)

a) with Catherine Hopper (sop.), Emily Attree (sop.) and Anna Kenyon (alt.)
b), c) with Alexander Wells (pf.)


----------



## Lisztianwagner

*Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony No.5

Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker*


----------



## Malx

*Sibelius, Symphony No7 & Tapiola - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä.*

I've now completed my first listen to each symphony in this box.

*Neo Romanza* asked if I would share my thoughts - first impressions on one run through are just that first impressions - so all I'll say is like all complete cycles you get some performances better than others. I thought symphonies 2, 3, 7 & Tapiola were of a very high standard, 4, 5 & 6 lacked that little something special and only symphony No 1 did I feel wasn't that great.
As always that is likely to change a little as I get to know them better. If anything Mäkelä might lack a little warmth in comparison to others but offers a clarity in sound and interpretation - but given he is such a young conductor this is definitely better than I may have expected, by no means perfect but then what cycle is.


----------



## eljr

*Mozart: The Prussian Quartets*

Chiaroscuro Quartet

*Release Date:* 2nd Dec 2022
*Catalogue No:* BIS2558
*Label:* BIS
*Length:* 86 minutes










Record Review
12th November 2022
Record of the Week


----------



## Merl

A very nice recording. I have others to hear.


----------



## Art Rock

*Pēteris Vasks: Distant Light, Piano Quartet, Summer Dances (Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu, Vadim Gluzman et al, BIS)*

More Vasks is always welcome. Even duplications - this is I the fourth version of the violin concerto "Distant Light" from 1997 that I am replaying/cataloguing. Never mind, it is a brilliant piece, for me the best violin concerto since Shostakovich. Summer Dances is a recent piece (2017) for two violins, played by Vadim Gluzman and Sandis Šteinbergs. It is a fun joyful piece, which sounds like it has some folk influences.The final 38 minutes of the CD are for the impressive Piano Quartet (2001), played by Angela Yoffe, Vadim Gluzman, Ilze Klava and Reinis Birznieks.


----------



## Bourdon

Louis Couperin

What to say that hasn't already been said countless times by others about this exquisite recording.
Leonhard with his almost detached approach, but appearances can be deceiving. This is not a narcissistic outward display, but touches deeper layers of melancholy and musings that transport you to a world of order and unadorned splendour.


----------



## Floeddie

Claude Debussy : Complete Orchestral Works Box Set CD3











This 9 disc box set is an actual delight to own, highly recommended!


----------



## Neo Romanza

Floeddie said:


> Claude Debussy : Complete Orchestral Works Box Set CD3
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 181828
> 
> This 9 disc box set is an actual delight to own, highly recommended!


Some of the orchestrations are interesting, but, as a whole, I prefer Debussy's original solo piano versions. Despite these reservations, I largely agree with you. A worthwhile set that offers another view on the composer.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Ravel
Miroirs
Anna Vinnitskaya*










One of my favorite works of all-time performed beautifully.


----------



## Floeddie

Neo Romanza said:


> Some of the orchestrations are interesting, but, as a whole, I prefer Debussy's original solo piano versions. Despite these reservations, I largely agree with you. A worthwhile set that offers another view on the composer.


I also have a full set of Debussy piano solos that I enjoy from time to time as well, but I was in the mood for full orchestrations on this go around.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Floeddie said:


> I also have a full set of Debussy piano solos that I enjoy from time to time as well, but I was in the mood for full orchestrations on this go around.


Which Debussy solo piano box set do you own? There are so many available nowadays. I own many of them of them of course --- I'm a Debussyian after all!


----------



## haziz




----------



## Enthusiast

This series is _so _good!


----------



## Floeddie

Neo Romanza said:


> Which Debussy solo piano box set do you own? There are so many available nowadays. I own many of them of them of course --- I'm a Debussyian after all!


The Solo Piano Works performed by Noriko Ogawa. I guess a revisit of her work is in order, Debussy is clearly in my top 5 composer list. I may reconsider my top 10 CM composer list, due to the growth of my collection. I expect that Debussy will stay in my top 5 group.


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Heitor Villa-Lobos* (1887-1959): *Bachianas Brasileiras, no.4 for piano or orchestra* (1942), as recorded in 2004 by the *Nashville symphony orchestra,* conducted by *Kenneth Schermerhorn*.

No.4 of his "Bachian" suites is known for its beautiful opening theme ("Preludio"), and it was indeed a delight to experience it this afternoon.


----------



## Bachtoven 1

Bach's Orchestral Suites sound great on 4 guitars. Brilliant playing and superb sound.


----------



## sAmUiLc

Debra Kitabjian Every, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Sixten Ehrling, Montsalvatge, Respighi, Mozart - Cinco Canciones Negras, Aretusa, Ch'io Mi Scordi di Te? K505,


View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1997 CD release of "Cinco Canciones Negras, Aretusa, Ch'io Mi Scordi di Te? K505, " on Discogs.




www.discogs.com


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Samuel Coleridge-Taylor *(1875-1912): *Songs from Hiawatha's Wedding Feast, op.30* (1898), as recorded in 1962 by the *Philharmonia Orchestra* and the *Royal Choral Society,* conducted by Sir *Malcolm Sargent.*

Until this week I only had the mediocre-sound quality mono version of Sargent's inspired recording of this work. This reissue (?) is in stereo sound with amazing quality given its age. To me, another clear example of what professional sound engineering can do for the experience of a work of music.


----------



## HenryPenfold

earlier...

*Mahler* - Das Lied Von Der Erde
Janet Baker, James King, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink

Lunch

now....

*Mahler* - Symphony No. 9
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink

As of today, this is my favourite DLVDE and IMHO, the best of them all. As for the Symphony No. 9, it is and always has been, one of the best performances out there (IMHO).


----------



## janwillemvanaalst

*Franz Schubert* (1797-1828):* Octet in F, D.803* (1824), as recorded in 1998 by the *Berlin Philharmonic Octet.*

Schubert's Octet somehow always sounds fresh and original, every time I hear it.


----------



## HenryPenfold

Enthusiast said:


> He did cut out some fine music but (I think I'm in a minority here) the result was tighter. I enjoy the Hickox account of the original version but probably not as much as good accounts of the final version. At least those who feel committed to a composer's final intention (for example, with the order of movements in Mahler 6) will presumably side with me! You have to admire VW's discipline in cutting really good music out so as to benefit the whole.
> 
> We also have accounts of earlier (and quite different) versions of a few important Sibelius works (violin concerto, 5th symphony) and again I hear him cutting out some great music but to the overall benefit of whole (i.e. the final versions that we all know and love).


I'm in agreement. Vaughan Williams was right to make the cut. I've had the Hickox since its first release over two decades ago and never felt it was as 'right' as Vaughn Williams' revision.


----------



## eljr

*Beethoven & Stravinsky: Violin Concertos*

Vilde Frang (violin), Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Pekka Kuusisto


> Frang’s exquisite tonal subtlety and enhanced range of dynamics allows her to weave in and out of Beethoven’s carefully graded orchestral textures, with a profound sense of listening and responding... — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2022, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 14th Oct 2022
*Catalogue No:* 9029667740
*Label:* Warner Classics
*Length:* 65 minutes










BBC Music Magazine
Christmas 2022
Concerto Choice









International Classical Music Awards
2023
Nominated - Concerto


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Shostakovich, Preludes and Fugues. 

After having listened last month to another recording which put me to sleep and thinking these weren't worth hearing again, I'm finding that Levitt puts something extra into these pieces to make them interesting. *


----------



## MJSymphonist




----------



## jim prideaux

Continuing to 'investigate' the symphonies that are currently available from the new Luisi/Danish National S.O. Nielsen cycle.

3rd is really impressive and the 1st is performed and recorded with appropriate commitment......too frequently it can appear to be regarded almost as a prelude to what was to come.

Now the 4th and 5th.

Hanging on to my hat as the 4th makes it's entrance.


----------



## cybernaut

Although I love Brahms, I'm not super familiar with this work. I avoided it for a long time because I did not like choral music (aside from Bach).
Time to get to know this piece:









Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem
conductor - Otto Klemperer
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - soprano
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - baritone
Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## deangelisj35

vincula said:


> Came back early from work today and I'm enjoying some time alone -with Mozart. Spinning an old album on my rig:
> 
> View attachment 181806


I'm coveting your audio setup!


----------



## Neo Romanza

cybernaut said:


> Although I love Brahms, I'm not super familiar with this work. I avoided it for a long time because I did not like choral music (aside from Bach).
> Time to get to know this piece:
> View attachment 181844
> 
> 
> Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem
> conductor - Otto Klemperer
> Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - soprano
> Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - baritone
> Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra


A fine choice, indeed!


----------



## sAmUiLc




----------



## Lisztianwagner

* Leoš Janáček 
Taras Bulba

Mariss Jansons & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra*


----------



## Neo Romanza

And now for a teacher/student lineup of works:

*Harrison
Seven Pastorales
Brooklyn Philharmonic
Davies*










*Adams (JL)
The Farthest Place
Robin Lorentz (violin), Marty Walker (bass clarinet), Barry Newton (double bass), Amy Knoles (marimba), Nathaniel Reichman (keyboards), Bryan Pezzone (piano)*


----------



## Art Rock

*Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concertos No. 1 and No. 2 (Philharmonia Orchestra, Heinrich Schiff, Nikolai Demidenko, Hyperion)*

When the weather is reasonable I often take the bicycle in the afternoon and go to a local thriftshop (15 minutes each way) for exercise. Most of the time there is nothing of interest, but today I got a CD of the two Chopins concertos by Nikolai Demidenko and the Philharmonia Orchestra under Heinrich Schiff on Hyperion (not the Helios reissue shown above) for 1 euro. I like these concertos, and I always thought that the CD of them in my collection (István Székely, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Gyula Németh, Naxos) could be improved upon. Spinning it now. Excellent.


----------



## Chilham

Brahms: String Quartet No. 2
Leipziger Streichquartett


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Britten, Serenade for Horn, Tenor, and Strings*

Giulnii and the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus


----------



## Neo Romanza

Manxfeeder said:


> *Britten, Serenade for Horn, Tenor, and Strings*
> 
> Giulnii and the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus
> View attachment 181848


There isn't a chorus in this Britten work.  Also, who's the tenor?


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Piano Sonata No. 29* in B flat major, Op. 106, “Hammerklavier”
Murray Perahia, piano (2016)

Wonderful, assertive playing from Perahia; he has a beautiful tone and it's recorded really well. Not as introverted as Kempff or others, which I think works in service of the outer movements. One of my favorite recent Beethoven recordings for sure.


----------



## eljr

Following in the footsteps of our esteemed poster @Neo Romanza 











*
Anna Vinnitskaya plays Ravel*

Anna Vinnitskaya (piano)


> Vinnitskaya achieves an unforgettable shimmering play of light and shade (though with a powerful undertow when required). Her 'Ondine' from Gaspard is as scintillating and seductive as you could... — Gramophone Magazine, September 2012 More…



*Release Date:* 8th May 2012
*Catalogue No:* V5284
*Label:* Naive
*Length:* 57 minutes










Gramophone Magazine
September 2012
Editor's Choice


----------



## Neo Romanza

eljr said:


> Following in the footsteps of our esteemed poster @Neo Romanza
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Anna Vinnitskaya plays Ravel*
> 
> Anna Vinnitskaya (piano)
> 
> 
> *Release Date:* 8th May 2012
> *Catalogue No:* V5284
> *Label:* Naive
> *Length:* 57 minutes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gramophone Magazine
> September 2012
> Editor's Choice


Vinnitskaya's disc of Ravel and Prokofiev PCs is also top-notch. 

P. S. I wonder whatever happened to her? She was recording a good bit and then it seems like she disappeared.


----------



## Monsalvat

Neo Romanza said:


> There isn't a chorus in this Britten work.  Also, who's the tenor?


According to Deutsche Grammophon: (link) see CD 13.

Dale Clevenger was the horn, and Robert Tear was the tenor. It was recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in April 1977. Les Illuminations, the other half of this disc, was recorded in September 1978 with Robert Tear and the Philharmonia Orchestra.


----------



## 13hm13

Emil Gilels – Emil Gilels Plays Beethoven (Piano Concertos. Piano Sonatas)


----------



## 13hm13

Samuel Barber – The Best Of Barber


----------



## 13hm13

Emilie Mayer, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Jan Willem de Vriend – Symphonies 3 & 7


----------



## eljr

*
Weinberg: Works for Cello & Orchestra & Chamber Symphony No. 4*

Pieter Wispelwey (cello), Felicia Bockstael (musicdirector), Jean-Michel Charlier
Les Métamorphoses, Raphaël Feye


> Wispelwey inflects the solo cello part with tremendous artistry, sculpting Weinberg’s melodic lines with a wonderful sense of colour and imagination yet without succumbing to indulgent emotion... — BBC Music Magazine, May 2022, 5 out of 5 stars More…



*Release Date:* 1st Apr 2022
*Catalogue No:* EPRC0045
*Label:* Evil Penguin
*Length:* 68 minutes










International Classical Music Awards
2023
Nominated - Assorted Programs


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Kodály
Peacock Variations
Hungarian Radio Symphony
Ádám Fischer*










*Martinů
Estampes, H. 369
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Tomáš Netopil*


----------



## Manxfeeder

Monsalvat said:


> According to Deutsche Grammophon: (link) see CD 13.
> 
> Dale Clevenger was the horn, and Robert Tear was the tenor. It was recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in April 1977. Les Illuminations, the other half of this disc, was recorded in September 1978 with Robert Tear and the Philharmonia Orchestra.


Thanks for clearing that up. I'm listening to this as a download, so the track before it is Rossini's Stabat Mater with the Philharmonia, and I wrote the info for the wrong track. I guess that now I need to be reported to the Ministry of Disinformation.


----------



## eljr

Neo Romanza said:


> P. S. I wonder whatever happened to her? She was recording a good bit and then it seems like she disappeared.


She seems to be keeping busy although her last release was two years ago.


----------



## Neo Romanza

eljr said:


> She seems to be keeping busy although he last release was two years ago.


Great to read. She's a first-rate pianist. Hopefully, she'll continue releasing albums on the Alpha label.


----------



## Manxfeeder

*Mahler, Symphony No. 9*

Giulini with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. There's something about this interpretation that I'm not connecting with. Maybe it's too gelatinous, if that's a proper description; the contrasts seem to stick together rather than pull apart.


----------



## Merl

This got some really good reviews when released but I'm not sure I can hear what the fuss was about. Not bad but I've heard a lot better today.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Merl said:


> This got some really good reviews when released but I'm not sure I can hear what the fuss was about. Not bad but I've heard a lot better today.


Do check out the Escher String Quartet's Mendelssohn if you haven't already --- it's fantastic.


----------



## Andrew Kenneth

*Gustav Mahler* - Symphony nr. 3
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Manfred Honeck

SACD


----------



## sAmUiLc

Nos. 30, 31, 32









Divine!


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> Vinnitskaya's disc of Ravel and Prokofiev PCs is also top-notch.
> 
> P. S. I wonder whatever happened to her? She was recording a good bit and then it seems like she disappeared.


she has been recording:





Anna Vinnitskaya - Media - Discography


Welcome to the official website of the pianist Anna Vinnitskaya!




annavinnitskaya.com


----------



## Knorf

*Franz Schubert: *Symphony No. 8 (9) in C major, D. 944 "Great"
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall

New arrival. (I think I'm using this as a trial run in consideration of getting Savall's Beethoven symphony cycle.)

Wow, is this an interesting performance! It is vividly detailed, with plenty of imagination and heaps of gusto. Yet somehow it's coming across to me as a bit mannered, or overly studied. I'm enjoying the performance nonetheless very much, and the ideas may well grow on me. The recording quality is top shelf, as almost always for Alia Vox. 

I will say it's a pity the disc with the "Unfinished" Symphony didn't include some more Schubert, especially something such as his incidental music to _Rosamunde. _An opportunity missed, I say.


----------



## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Koechlin
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 57
Ardeo Quartet*










*Hahn
String Quartet No. 2 in F major
Quatuor Tchalik*


----------



## Hogwash




----------



## cybernaut

*Steve Reich* - Double Sextet
Commissioned by and performed by *eighth blackbird*


----------



## Neo Romanza

Hogwash said:


> View attachment 181855


Composer?


----------



## Neo Romanza

@cybernaut, what did you think of Klemperer's performance of Brahms' _Ein deutsches Requiem_?


----------



## eljr

cybernaut said:


> she has been recording:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anna Vinnitskaya - Media - Discography
> 
> 
> Welcome to the official website of the pianist Anna Vinnitskaya!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> annavinnitskaya.com


Yes, this is the disc from 2 years ago.


----------



## eljr

Neo Romanza said:


> Composer?


Found it


----------



## HenryPenfold

Neo Romanza said:


> Composer?


Mozart, Debussy, Mendelssohn & Beethoven are the composers on this 3 disc set.


----------



## Neo Romanza

I'll go ahead and post this, but this will be some listening for later tonight --- all *Strauss*:

*Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64
São Paulo Symphony Orchestra
Frank Shipway*










*Act II* of *Der Rosenkavalier* (w/ *Solti et. al.*) from this OOP set -


----------



## HenryPenfold

Manxfeeder said:


> *Mahler, Symphony No. 9*
> 
> Giulini with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. There's something about this interpretation that I'm not connecting with. Maybe it's too gelatinous, if that's a proper description; the contrasts seem to stick together rather than pull apart.
> View attachment 181849


I listened to that last week and I thought it was a bit meh. I've had the CD in my collection a long time and I only remember it positively. Maybe I've heard so many recordings over the years that this has now 'slipped down'. Strange.


----------



## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> @cybernaut, what did you think of Klemperer's performance of Brahms' _Ein deutsches Requiem_?


For my first listen I found it quite enjoyable and compelling. I definitely need to listen to it several more times for it to start sticking in my head. It's rather long. Not Bach Mass long but still about 70 minutes.

Re-listening now and the opening is quite glorious.


----------



## prlj

*Bacewicz Symphony No. 4 WDR/Borowicz*

Still new-to-me composer and work. I listed to her Third a few nights ago, and really enjoyed it. I think I will need a few more spins of the Fourth before I really dig all of it.


----------



## prlj

*Jadassohn Symphony No. 1 Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt/Griffiths*

Another "new to me" work and composer. Published in 1861, this beautifully serviceable work is just fun from start to finish. I look forward to exploring the rest of his symphonies. (He only wrote 4, but was rather prolific overall, as well as being a renowned educator.) He lived from 1831-1902.


----------



## Neo Romanza

@prlj, how's your journey with Martinů going?


----------



## prlj

Neo Romanza said:


> @prlj, how's your journey with Martinů going?


I finished the Meister set, and I've been slowly going through Belohlávek. I don't want to burn out, as I tend to when I dive into new composers, so I'm on a "one or two at a time" pace with a few at the moment. I really like his works, though, and I definitely am already preferring the Belohlávek set!


----------



## Neo Romanza

prlj said:


> I finished the Meister set, and I've been slowly going through Belohlávek. I don't want to burn out, as I tend to when I dive into new composers, so I'm on a "one or two at a time" pace with a few at the moment. I really like his works, though, and I definitely am already preferring the Belohlávek set!


Very nice, indeed. And don't forget this composer has a MASSIVE oeuvre, so you're in a for real treat.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Neo Romanza said:


> I'll go ahead and post this, but this will be some listening for later tonight --- all *Strauss*:
> 
> *Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64
> São Paulo Symphony Orchestra
> Frank Shipway*


I don't like bringing up that troll David Hurwitz here (or anywhere), but for the life of me, I don't understand why he gave this Shipway recording of _Eine Alpensinfonie_ such a low rating. I guess when Shipway was alive he told him off or snubbed him. So this is Hurwitz's revenge, but the reality is Hurwitz must've had cloth in his ears when listened to this performance, because it's OUTSTANDING! And I say this as someone who has heard his fair share of _Alpinesinfonie_ performances on disc. I am a hardcore Straussian after all.

The review in question:

Shipway's Bad Day in the Alps


----------



## Monsalvat

Ludwig van Beethoven: *Piano Sonata No. 21* in C major, Op. 53, “Waldstein”
Claudio Arrau, piano (1963)

Quite a dynamic, exciting recording. I prefer a more restrained approach like Pollini or Brendel, but this is a worthy counterweight to that style. Arrau follows Beethoven's pedaling indications in the finale, which creates such a cool, modern effect. He makes the finale sound easy, a depressing thought for me since I've struggled so much with it! Next:









Johannes Brahms: *Symphony No. 1* in C minor, Op. 68
John Barbirolli: Wiener Philharmoniker (1967)

A beautiful Brahms cycle. I see it as a predecessor to later Giulini's Brahms, in terms of the slowness and beauty of the string playing, a comparison I made earlier in this thread. Giulini was a violist, and Barbirolli a cellist, so perhaps this is where they gained the insight or ability to conjure such a wondrous sound. Barbirolli's sound is heavy, thick, almost lush. While the Vienna Philharmonia plays wonderfully, Barbirolli's focus is not ensemble perfection, but rather the emotive subtext; his approach is subjective and Romantic. Despite taking the first movement at an unusually slow tempo, for example, Barbirolli makes an absolutely gripping performance out of it.


----------



## Kiki

*Robert Schumann*
_Symphony No. 3 Op. 97 'Rheinische'_
*Swedish Chamber Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard *
Rec. 2007
BIS

Agile with the right speed in my opinion. Reasonably good transparency despite being a modern band. The bass line is thick instead of crisp but I can still hear the cello/double bass. In fact, the whole set is great!


----------



## Kiki

Neo Romanza said:


> I don't like bringing up that troll David Hurwitz here (or anywhere), but for the life of me, I don't understand why he gave this Shipway recording of _Eine Alpensinfonie_ such a low rating. I guess when Shipway was alive he told him off or snubbed him. So this is Hurwitz's revenge, but the reality is Hurwitz must've had cloth in his ears when listened to this performance, because it's OUTSTANDING! And I say this as someone who has heard his fair share of _Alpinesinfonie_ performances on disc. I am a hardcore Straussian after all.
> 
> The review in question:
> 
> Shipway's Bad Day in the Alps


Isn't that yet another case that proves that web celebrity's reviews are often GREAT indicators for good recordings - whatever he trolls, there's a very good chance that it is a great recording.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Kiki said:


> Isn't that yet another case that proves that web celebrity's reviews are often GREAT indicators for good recordings - whatever he trolls, there's a very good chance that it is a great recording.


This is true. Whenever a critic trashes a recording --- it's worth taking note.


----------



## Klavierman

Manxfeeder said:


> *Shostakovich, Preludes and Fugues.
> 
> After having listened last month to another recording which put me to sleep and thinking these weren't worth hearing again, I'm finding that Levitt puts something extra into these pieces to make them interesting. *


Who is the pianist in the other one?


----------



## sAmUiLc

Nothing spectacular. Just the music! 🥰


----------



## Klavierman

A new composer for me, and I like what I hear. The Concerto Barocco sounds like Bach/Vivaldi on LSD, the Cello Concerto is Neo-Romantic and quite beautiful, and the Recorder Concerto is a bit more contemporary. Excellent sound. (Qobuz 24/96)


----------



## Becca

Enthusiast said:


> He did cut out some fine music but (I think I'm in a minority here) the result was tighter. I enjoy the Hickox account of the original version but probably not as much as good accounts of the final version. *At least those who feel committed to a composer's final intention (for example, with the order of movements in Mahler 6) will presumably side with me!* You have to admire VW's discipline in cutting really good music out so as to benefit the whole.
> 
> We also have accounts of earlier (and quite different) versions of a few important Sibelius works (violin concerto, 5th symphony) and again I hear him cutting out some great music but to the overall benefit of whole (i.e. the final versions that we all know and love).


No! There is a world of difference between re-ordering a symphony and making substantial cuts that mean the loss of gorgeous music. Having said that, I will respect his intent that the 1933/36 version be definitive, but I will continue to listen to the 1913 version for the pleasure it gives.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Becca said:


> No! There is a world of difference between re-ordering a symphony and making substantial cuts that mean the loss of gorgeous music. Having said that, I will respect his intent that the 1933/36 version be definitive, but I will continue to listen to the 1913 version for the pleasure it gives.


I also like the original 1913 version of _A London Symphony_. I like the 1920 version, too. Of course, the final version is excellent and is the version that has been recorded the most, but this doesn't mean the earlier versions aren't without merit.


----------



## Becca

Manxfeeder said:


> *Nielsen, Symphony No. 5*
> 
> Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. This is my first encounter with the 5th, so I don't know if this recording is good or bad other than the engineered sound is good and the orchestra plays in tune.
> View attachment 181810


The 5th was my introduction to Nielsen when in my teens, and it made a substantial impression that hasn't faded. I can't speak to the Saraste recording but would strongly recommend the Blomstedt/SFSO recording or, even better if you have access, his concert with the Berlin Phil. which is available in the Digital Concert Hall.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Becca said:


> The 5th was my introduction to Nielsen when in my teens, and it made a substantial impression that hasn't faded. I can't speak to the Saraste recording but would strongly recommend the Blomstedt/SFSO recording or, even better if you have access, his concert with the Berlin Phil. which is available in the Digital Concert Hall.


Bernstein is still my definitive performance of Nielsen's 5th. I can think of no other performance that captures the mayhem, chaos, but also the rugged beauty better than him. Just my two cents.


----------



## Becca

Neo Romanza said:


> Bernstein is still my definitive performance of Nielsen's 5th. I can think of no other performance that captures the mayhem, chaos, but also the rugged beauty better than him. Just my two cents.


That was my introduction to the work. I have also had the pleasure of hearing in the concert hall where it made an even more powerful impact.


----------



## Mannheim Rocket

From over the weekend.










*Giacomo Puccini

Turandot

Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Montserrat Caballe, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Sir Peter Pears, et al.

John Alldis Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Zubin Mehta*

I have neglected Puccini for too long and listening to this wonderful recording has inspired me to listen to the rest of the major operas soon.


----------



## Kiki

*Anton Bruckner*
_Symphony No. 4 (1878,80 Version. Rev. Bruckner 1881. Ed. Haas 1936) _
*Berliner Philharmoniker 
Herbert von Karajan *
Rec. 1975 
DG

Those Berlin brass from yesteryears are truly awesome!


----------



## Mannheim Rocket

*Igor Stravinsky

L'Histoire du soldat, suite for clarinet, violin, and piano
Septet
Pastorale, transcription for violin and piano
3 Pieces for Clarinet Solo
Suite italliene, arrangement for cello and piano from Pulcinella

Tashi
Peter Serkin, Richard Stoltzman, Ida Kavafian, Fred Sherry

Daniel Phillips, Robert Routch, Bill Douglas*

A great Stravinsky collection.


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## Neo Romanza

Three back-to-back *Diamond* works:

*String Quartet No. 3
Potomac String Quartet*










*Rounds for string orchestra
Symphony No. 3
Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Schwarz*


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## cybernaut

Neo Romanza said:


> @cybernaut, what did you think of Klemperer's performance of Brahms' _Ein deutsches Requiem_?


Ok, back to listening. Currently on the second movement and it is WILD! It gets so HUGE at times. Almost scary. And then there are all the softer, pretty parts. So much music in each of these movements.


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## Rogerx

Massonneau: 3 Quartets for Oboe & String Trio

Ensemble Più


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## sAmUiLc

Wholesome! 🥰


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## Mannheim Rocket

*Igor Stravinsky

Apollon musagete (1947 version)
Capriccio for piano and orchestra

John Ogdon, piano
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Neville Marriner*

Continuing on a very Stravinskian evening.


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## Rogerx

Saint-Saëns Quatuors à Cordes



Quatuor Tchalik


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## Neo Romanza

Rogerx said:


> Saint-Saëns Quatuors à Cordes
> 
> 
> 
> Quatuor Tchalik


A fantastic disc!


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## Neo Romanza

NP:

*Brahms
Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87
The Florestan Trio*

From this OOP set -


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## LudwigvanBeetroot

Today’s listening 

Mahler - Symphony 9
Ancerl/Czech Phil









Golijov - Oceana, Tenebrae, Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra
Spano/Atlanta SO; Kronos Quartet, Upshaw, Souza









Beethoven - Sonatas Opp 101 and 106
Gilels









Berlioz - Les Troyens
Nelson/Strassburg Philharmonic; DiDonato, Spyres, Lemieux et al


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## Knorf

*Hans Rott: *Symphony No. 1 in E major
*Gustav Mahler: *Andante allegretto "Blumine"
*Anton Bruckner: *_Symphonic Prelude _in C minor
Bamberger Symphoniker, Jakub Hrůša

New arrival. The Rott symphony I've heard about but never listened to before; I learned somewhere that Mahler held this work in very high esteem. I'll need another listen or two before I'll know whether I agree. 

Speaking of Mahler, I'm pretty sure I've heard "Blumine" before, years ago, but I couldn't remember a note of it. I think Mahler was right to cut it from the First Symphony, but it's an attractive work in its way. And of course the Bruckner is a piece hardly anyone knows anything about at all, seeing as it was only published with Bruckner's name officially attached in 2022.


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## Neo Romanza

Last work of the night:

*Berlioz
Les nuits d'été
Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Nagano*










Harmonia Mundi already has several great performances of this song cycle in their catalog, but I think this Fink/Nagano performances shoots straight to top. As nice as Stéphane Degout's performance is (w/ François-Xavier Roth), I prefer a mezzo in this work. The other recording on HM is with Brigitte Balleys and Philippe Herreweghe and this performance is excellent by all accounts. If you're a fan of this song cycle all of these recordings are worth owning, but if I could only choose one it would be Fink/Nagano. Her sumptuous voice is never strident and the way she can soar above the orchestra without losing the sense of line is truly mesmerizing. Of course, Nagano's accompaniment is gorgeous, too.


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## sAmUiLc




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## Rogerx

Max von Schillings: Meergruss & Seemorgen

Robert Worle (tenor)

Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stefan Soltesz


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