What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[bhodges]

Last Wednesday night:

The Jack Quartet

Xenakis: Tetora (1990)
Xenakis: ST/4 - 1,080262 (1956-62)
Xenakis: Ergma (1994)
Xenakis: Tetras (1983)

Loved ST/4-1,080262, which the group introduced as "computer-generated chaos."  And Tetras is one of my favorite string quartets.  Both are quite virtuosic and filled with interesting effects.  Tetora and Ergma I hadn't heard before and are quite different from the other two.  (A friend said "Messiaen on a bad day.")  Great to hear all four at once, though. 

--Bruce

[Opus106]

And enjoying it?

Yes. I would call it pleasant listening.

Currently, the first suite by Telemann (Quartet No. 5), performed by the same musicians.

[karlhenning]

[ image of Blomstedt/Sibelius box deleted ]

How do you like it, Keemun!?

Yes. I would call it pleasant listening.

That's fair.

Xenakis: Tetora (1990)
Xenakis: ST/4 - 1,080262 (1956-62)
Xenakis: Ergma (1994)
Xenakis: Tetras (1983)

"Messiaen on a bad day" is great!

[Keemun]

How do you like it, Keemun!?

So far, I like it a lot.  I'm listening to the symphonies in order and I'm on the second movement of Symphony No. 2.

[The new erato]

How do you like it, Keemun!?

That's fair.

"Messiaen on a bad day" is great!

I don't even like him on a good day.

[karlhenning]

On his good days, he's one of the best.

[Keemun]

I don't even like him on a good day.

Symphony No. 1 was very good.  I'll have to listen to Symphony No. 2 again to make a decision about it.  I just started Symphony No. 3, so no comments yet. 

[Opus106]

I just finished listening to a Sibelius symphony for the first time. (#2 - I didn't listen to the Vanska the other night.) I liked the beginning and I liked the ending. Not sure about the stuff in between.

This was the RCO download, BTW; Jansons was conducting. 

[Keemun]

I just finished listening to a Sibelius symphony for the first time. (#2 - I didn't listen to the Vanska the other night.) I liked the beginning and I liked the ending. Not sure about the stuff in between.

This was the RCO download, BTW; Jansons was conducting. 

I listened to that recording the other night as well, but I didn't really care for it. 

[Opus106]

I listened to that recording the other night as well, but I didn't really care for it. 

I was forewarned about the quality of this rendition by fellow member Kuhlau. (And it didn't get high marks from one Mr. Hurwitz, either. ) I'll find another recording to re-sample this symphony.

[ChamberNut]

Holst

The Planets*

Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
James Levine
DG

*Surprisingly, my first full listen of The Planets.  I'm also attending the live performance tomorrow night at my local Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.   

[Keemun]

I was forewarned about the quality of this rendition by fellow member Kuhlau. (And it didn't get high marks from one Mr. Hurwitz, either. ) I'll find another recording to re-sample this symphony.

I assume we're both referring to the Jansons/RCO recording?  Try the Vanska/Lahti SO recording that you have, it should be better. 

[Dundonnell]

I promised to report back once I had listened to this new disc.

Now that I have I can openly disagree with Gustav Mahler who told Walter "Unfortunately, it means nothing to me" by suggesting that it is certainly worth hearing

Botstein conducted only its third performance since 1907 in Avery Fisher Hall in New York on October 15, 2004 with the American Symphony Orchestra and evidently believes in the piece. It is undoubtedly too long at 59 and a half minutes, the first movement(19'48) sprawls rather unmemorably but is followed by a fine Adagio(heavens, those Germans knew how to compose adagios!). The third movement is a waltz but with a distinctive(if not clearly unique) Mahlerian landler flavour with some more advanced sounding twists. The symphony is crowned with an exultant, grand, triumphant finale.

The Walter Symphony(the cover simply says Symphony in D minor but there was, apparently, a second symphony) is a much better work than some others of CPO's issues of German/Austrian symphonic pieces from the first couple of decades or so of the 20th century-in my opinion. Better than Bischoff or Thuille, for example(sorry, Harry!) but if you like grand romantic music of the period you should try it out....despite its length

[donaldopato]

A thread in the Composer Discussion section has prompted me to dig out the Egon Wellesz Symphony #s 4 , 6 and 7 disc Gotfried Rabl Vienna Radio SO CPO 999808.

Fine and interesting music.Wondering.... is this the music Mahler would have composed if he lived a few more years??

[mn dave]

Chopin's Polonaises

Ashkenazy

[mn dave]

Mozart

P Cto #14 in E-flat major, k. 449

Collard & Quatuor Muir

Are there many recordings of Mozart's piano concertos using a quartet?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

[Opus106]

I assume we're both referring to the Jansons/RCO recording? 

Yes, sir.

Try the Vanska/Lahti SO recording that you have, it should be better. 

I don't have it yet. Will listen to the tracks on BIS's website. 


Currently listening to

D'Indy
Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 98   
Prunyi/New Budapest Quartet members

This is the first time I'm listening to a work by D'Indy. Sounds great!

P.S.: Ray(alias CN), you'll have to check it out if you haven't already done so. 

[Wanderer]

Good morning, everyone! 

[Harry]

I promised to report back once I had listened to this new disc.

Now that I have I can openly disagree with Gustav Mahler who told Walter "Unfortunately, it means nothing to me" by suggesting that it is certainly worth hearing

Botstein conducted only its third performance since 1907 in Avery Fisher Hall in New York on October 15, 2004 with the American Symphony Orchestra and evidently believes in the piece. It is undoubtedly too long at 59 and a half minutes, the first movement(19'48) sprawls rather unmemorably but is followed by a fine Adagio(heavens, those Germans knew how to compose adagios!). The third movement is a waltz but with a distinctive(if not clearly unique) Mahlerian landler flavour with some more advanced sounding twists. The symphony is crowned with an exultant, grand, triumphant finale.

The Walter Symphony(the cover simply says Symphony in D minor but there was, apparently, a second symphony) is a much better work than some others of CPO's issues of German/Austrian symphonic pieces from the first couple of decades or so of the 20th century-in my opinion. Better than Bischoff or Thuille, for example(sorry, Harry!) but if you like grand romantic music of the period you should try it out....despite its length

Its already on my list, that much your review has done. And I will readily accept that there are different composers than Bischoff and Thuille, that wrote also excellent music!