Topic: What are you listening to now?

[André]

For a quarter of a century Herbeck was a towering figure in Vienna’s musical life, until his death in 1877. He didn’t compose much, but some of his works are original as well as deeply felt. His lasting claim to fame is his work as a tireless promoter of the viennese musical life. He conducted the premiere of Schubert’s Unfinished symphony, founded the Wiener Singverein and conducted the concerts of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. Berlioz admired his conducting skills. A fervent supporter of Bruckner, he was scheduled to conduct the premiere of the 3rd symphony in Vienna, but died a few weeks before the concert. The hapless composer took over and led the orchestra in one of the biggest fiascos on record. Maybe Bruckner’s compositional career would have been different if Herbeck had conducted it ?

[aligreto]

Stanford: Irish Rhapsody No. 4 [Braithwaite]





This is a very lyrical and richly orchestrated work. This performance is very fine indeed and it has great weight and presence. The only other version that I have is under Handley, on Chandos, which is also a very fine, if different version in that there is far more emphasis on the brass [in particular] and timpani scoring.

[milk]

Listening to RV 336 Violin Concerto No. 3. I have to admit that half the time I listen to Vivaldi, my brain is a bit switched off. He has so many concertos. Today I noticed how beautiful this one is. And the performance by Guglielmi is lively.

[Daverz]

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8176078--blackwood-symphony-no-1-haieff-symphony-no-2

I'm familiar with this recording of the Blackwood Symphony from a Çedille CD (coupled with Blackwood's Symphony No. 5).  The first movement is real he-man stuff, loud and a bit obnoxious (think Ruggles).  But there is repose in the following Andante Comodo.  The third movement Allegretto is a Mahlerian scherzo, perhaps via Shostakovich,  and the finale is a pensive Andante sostenuto that ends quietly.

On to the Haieff... [Haieff is pleasant if forgettable American neo-Classicism]

DSD download.  A bit of a waste for evening listening when I can't really crank up the sound.  This has a huge dynamic range.  Some great choral singing here, the closing pages are truly magnificent.

[JBS]

First listen, and very much liking what I hear.
Aggressive Mozart might be a good description. Strikes me as much better than, say, Harnoncourt's recording of the trilogy.
Herzog was one of the original members of Quatour Ebene. Now he's gone to be a conductor, and founded this ensemble. They play "reorchestrations" in concert but stick to the original score for recordings.

[TheGSMoeller]

First listen, and very much liking what I hear.
Aggressive Mozart might be a good description. Strikes me as much better than, say, Harnoncourt's recording of the trilogy.
Herzog was one of the original members of Quatour Ebene. Now he's gone to be a conductor, and founded this ensemble. They play "reorchestrations" in concert but stick to the original score for recordings.

I agree, Jeffrey, it's a great album.

[Daverz]

Comparing this new remaster of the Ludwig/Berry/Beethoven Des Knaben Wunderhorn (via Tidal, CD resolution) with the old one I have.


https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8389786--mahler-des-knaben-wunderhorn-lieder-eines-fahrenden-gesellen-remastered



The old one sounds rather dull and dry in comparison, the new remastering really opens up the sound, you get a real sense of space now, there is much greater clarity overall, and the orchestra is more present.  What sounds rather restricted before now sounds like a fine recording.

[Que]

Morning listening to this recent arrival:



A recording from 1990 of 16th c. Italian madrigals, some are performed with (subtle) instrumental accompaniment.

Q

[king ubu]

first spin last night:



need I say I like it? it's Sabine Devieilhe after all 

[2dogs]

Think of it this way: at any given time during the 20th century, there were a lot of composers (arguably a majority of them, even) writing in a more or less tonal, melodic, "romantic" idiom. The bulk of concert programmes and recordings consists of precisely their music; and last but not least, the top 10 most popular 20th century composers in any given country are to be found amongst them. The narrative promoted and propagandized by the post-WWII avantgarde and academia, that only atonality, serialism, concrete music etc count as "modern" and "20th century-ish" and all others are just "relics of the past", is a counterfactual and self-serving fiction given a lie daily by millions of music lovers. In this historical and factual context, Bax and Moeran are truly and genuinely important for the 20th century music; it's the 2nd Viennese School, serialism, the Darmstadt School and other ejusdem farinae who have always been on the fringes.

It's just that atonality, serialism, concrete music etc were those things invented and duly added to the relics of the past in the 20th century.

[Irons]

It's all good my friend.
It is a fact for me, based on what I hear, reading his scores, and read about the composer and his role in the classical world. All what I write is my personal opinion, not necessarily based on literal criteria, of experts.
So yes it is an opinion and a fact for me.
Hopefully this answers your question.

I think it much better to accept something written as a fact to be an opinion. Saves the tiresome IMO or worse still IMHO attached to every sentence.

I seem to be the only person here who has never heard of Tansman!

["Harry"]

Corelli and Friends "In Rome". 2 CD'S.
Works by: Corelli, Locatelli, Della Ciaia, Valentini,Muffat, Montanari.
Apart from three works, all are world premiere recordings/or Complete world premiere  recordings.
Jonathan Guyonnet, Baroque Violin, Stefano Molardi, Harpsichord and Organ.

I wrote good things about this set on the 30th of october this year, and can after a second hearing only confirm my favourable impression. Performance and sound is superb. What made quite an impression on me, was the composer Azzolino Della Ciaia, and his Sonata III, opus IV for Harpsichord. A really excellent work that begins with a gorgeous Toccata, as I did not hear it before in such a manner.

["Harry"]

Johann Ludwig Krebs. Complete Organ Works, CD 7.
Manuel Tomadin plays on a Giovanni Pradella organ, 2007 in the Santuario del Divin Prigioniero, Valle di Colorina, Sondrio, Italy.
Pitch: 415 Hz at 20 degrees celsius.
Temperament: Unequal

The last CD of this box is a goner I am afraid, due in part to this very anonymous sounding organ, and the indifferent style of playing. The organ has no characteristics to serve old music at all. Colouring is flat, all sounds the same, there is no distinction between the compositions. This will do as a organ for accompanying church singing, but not as an instrument for Krebs or for that matter any other Renaissance/Baroque composer.
Very boring, I could barely listen to the end. You have 6 CD's with beautiful instruments, and that's it. The 7th disc is in my opinion not worth listening.
Sound is good.

[Maestro267]

Lloyd: Symphony No. 12
Albany SO/Lloyd

["Harry"]

William Schuman. Orchestral Works.
Symphony No. 8. (1962)
Night Journey (1947)
Charles Ives arr. Schumann: Variations on "America", 1891-1964)

Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz.

At the time all this music was released of William Schumann, I bought every single disc with his music, and connected with it in every way. When after many years I did return to the 6th symphony I could not believe my ears, it left me stone cold, literally. Now I return to the 8th symphony, and can be more precise about what I hear, and did not hear years ago, when it greatly appealed to me.
What irks me first of all is the dense scoring, the absence of melodic material, and the general aural landscape. The colours are black and white to me. I get visions of the North Pole, the white and cold outlook of snow, almost giving me frostbite. Desert strewn with rocks and pebbles, bare and shiny surfaces that blind my vision, an impression of impeccable technical prowess, but at all times chaos to me, in which there is no true North.
It is just to modern for my taste, what else could it be. Maybe my musical mind is not as flexible as in past?
So they go unloved back in my collection. On a positive note, I like the Ives arrangement greatly, and appreciated the sonics of this disc, it's superb.

[Florestan]

First listen to these superb works. Hat tip to vandermolen.

[Brian]

Let's see how this is:

["Harry"]

Constant Lambert.
Romeo and Juliet, A ballet in two tableaux.
Pomona, A ballet in one act.
Music for orchestra, two movements.
King Pest: Rondo Burlesca.

The two ballets performed by: English Chamber orchestra, Norman Del Mar.
Music for orchestra, London PO, Barry Wordsworth.
King Pest: Royal PO, Simon Joly.

I am a great fan of the music composed by Constant Lambert, who tragically died very young. He was a genius in writing ballet music, and for this I adore him. He is so well equipped to understand the world of ballet, and could shape the music around any story given, in that, you might be hard pressed, to find a better musical choreographer in the 20th century. Both ballets prove his skill abundantly, and it is a virtual pleasure to be part of his sound world. It is so rich in colours and deeply expressive. Such was his love for ballet.
The music for orchestra and the Rondo burlesca open up a totally different sound world but not less fascinating. This mystical and the poetical composer showed me what other creativity he had, and I heard that is much. Long fiestas of pastoral music deeply embedded in the English tradition of the best sort. It's actually stunning in its conception.
The sonics are absolute State of the Art, as are the performances by three different orchestras and conductor. I am so spoiled.
 

["Harry"]

Let's see how this is:

I am waiting for that one..will be delivered soon. Would like to know your opinion. The samples sounded very good to me.

[Judith]

Beethoven String Quartet opus 95 "Quartetto Serioso"

Endellion String Quartet

From the Beethoven String Quartet Box Set.

This work was mentioned on Twitter and was curious. First movement is very sublime. The rest is beautiful also🎼🎼