Sid's Music Spot

[Sid]

05.03.11

This week we concentrated on three composers whose music we would hear at a piano trio recital the following day - Copland, Suk, Beethoven - as well as a bit of Ives just for a change. I enjoyed my friend's disc of some of Copland's famous orchestral works, it was a great recording especially in terms of sound. In contrast to those works, which can evoke some of the wide open spaces of America, we listened to my disc of his only Piano Sonata. This work with it's two slow outer movements and jazzy middle movement for me evokes the big cities in America. There's a feeling of loneliness and isolation amongst the crowds of thousands, it reminds me of an Edward Hopper painting. My friend agreed that it had different, perhaps more intimate, things to say than the more extroverted orchestral works.

Then a composer whom neither of us knew much about, the Czech Josef Suk and his Asrael Symphony. This is quite a dark work, written after two people very close to the composer died within a short space of time - Suk's wife and also her father, fellow composer Dvorak. Parts reminded me of Mahler (the big emotions), but my friend was thinking more in terms of Dvorak's influence. We only had time to listen to the last two movements.

Then we revisited, for the third time together, Beethoven's mighty "Archduke" piano trio. This was the main work in the recital the following day. Finally, for something completely different, Ives' Violin Sonata No. 4 and also his song At the River, which was quoted in the third movement. I feel that the song takes me right back to about 1900 to that river in Conneticut, but my friend said he didn't get that feeling. The violin sonata proved to be a good choice to listen to, as the Copland piano trio in the recital was similar in terms of technique. This was a good music night and it was good to hear some orchestral music, since we've mainly been concentrating on solo piano and chamber in recent weeks.

Copland
Fanfare for the Common Man
Rodeo
Appalachian Spring (Suite)
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/Louis Lane
Telarc CD-80078 (released 1982)
(Friend's disc)

[asin]B000003CSW[/asin]

Copland
Piano Sonata
Peter Lawson, piano
EMI (My disc)



Suk
Asrael Symphony (Part II - IV.Adagio; V. Adagio e maestoso)
Helsinki PO/Vladimir Ashkenazy
Ondine
(Library's disc)

[asin]B001N26H0G[/asin]

Beethoven
Piano Trio No. 7, "Archduke"
Chung Trio
EMI (My disc)

[asin]B000NPCMGW[/asin]

Ives

Violin Sonata No. 4 (Children's Day at the Camp Meeting)
Glenn Dicterow, violin/Israela Margalit, piano

"At the River" (song)
Deborah Voigt, soprano/Brian Zeger, piano

EMI (My disc)

[asin]B001G5ZO4U[/asin]

[Sid]

On Sunday my friend & I went to the following recital, which I reviewed in the concerts thread:

Went to this one on Sunday afternoon here in Sydney's northern suburbs:

Trioz "Vitebsk" tour

Kathryn Selby, piano
Natsuko Yoshimoto, violin (as guest)
Emma Jane Murphy, cello

Program:

Joseph Suk - Elegie for piano, violin & cello,Op. 23 (1902)
Aaron Copland - Vitebsk, study on a Jewish Theme,for piano trio
Claude Debussy - Piano Trio, L.3
Ludwig v. Beethoven - Piano Trio in B flat major, Op.97 "Archduke"

I like Trioz's recitals because they always include some things off the beaten track, as well as standard repertoire. We were familiar with the Debussy & Beethoven, but not the Suk or Copland. The Suk was a great opener, a quite dark and melancholic piece, dominated by the solo violin a bit. Debussy's only piano trio is from his younger years, but still has suggestions of those unique harmonies which would come later. It was first recorded only in 1984, and as the program notes show, it has a relaxed salon feel. Even the final movement marked appassionato doesn't take itself too seriously. The most surprising piece in the program was the Copland trio fragment. It had loud dissonant sections flanking some more lyrical melodic parts. Copland was influenced by Bloch in his use of Jewish sounding themes. This piece was written in 1929 and it used microtones and the two string players playing out of tune (deliberately) a bit like Ives before & Cage & Xenakis after. The ten minute piece really had a visceral impact on me. After the interval, we were treated to a superlative performance of the Beethoven "Archduke" trio, the king of piano trios. The playing was so good, it was of recording quality. I plan to go to more of Trioz's series this year, they are one of my favourite ensembles.

[Sid]

12.03.11

This week my friend brought along Canteloube's Songs of the Auvergne sung by Kiri. I enjoyed the lush orchestration and the songs which - though by no means easy to sing - were not as virtuosic as some in the repertoire.

Then we got into some Stravinsky, which was my friend's choice from my small Stravinsky collection. My friend said he enjoyed the Violin Concerto the most on the disc, he had never heard this work before. It was also interesting to hear the 1947/1967 revised version of The Rite of Spring. It sounded more restrained than other recordings I've heard (my friend agreed), but I'm not sure if the reason is the conductor's interpretation or simply the sound of the different version. It doesn't really matter, we both enjoyed this disc & it had been about a year since I'd heard it last.

To finish up, Beethoven's Ghost piano trio. My friend had never heard this before either. The ghostly middle largo movement made him think of church music. We kind of agreed that this isn't a particularly scary ghost - but of course it was not Beethoven who gave the work this name. I love the dissonance of this work, it sounds so natural in Beethoven's hands.

Canteloube
Songs of the Auvergne (Series 1-3)
Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano
English Chamber Orchestra/Jeffrey Tate
Decca CD (Friend's disc)

Stravinsky
Violin Concerto
Zvezdoliky, cantata for male chorus and orchestra
Symphonies of Wind Instruments
The Rite of Spring (revised 1947/1967 version)

Jennifer Frautschi, violin
Philharmonia Orch./Robert Craft
Naxos (My disc)

[asin]B000Q6ZUXA[/asin]

Beethoven
Piano Trio No. 5 "Ghost"
Chung Trio
EMI (My disc)

[asin]B000NPCMGW[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Then we got into some Stravinsky, which was my friend's choice from my small Stravinsky collection. My friend said he enjoyed the Violin Concerto the most on the disc, he had never heard this work before. It was also interesting to hear the 1947/1967 revised version of The Rite of Spring. It sounded more restrained than other recordings I've heard (my friend agreed), but I'm not sure if the reason is the conductor's interpretation or simply the sound of the different version. It doesn't really matter, we both enjoyed this disc & it had been about a year since I'd heard it last.

Stravinsky
Violin Concerto
Zvezdoliky, cantata for male chorus and orchestra
Symphonies of Wind Instruments
The Rite of Spring (revised 1947/1967 version)

Jennifer Frautschi, violin
Philharmonia Orch./Robert Craft
Naxos (My disc)

[asin]B000Q6ZUXA[/asin]

Yes, this is a fine recording. The Violin Concerto is very well performed. Frautschi, who is still making a name for herself, plays really well. Everybody will have their favorite performances of The Rite of Spring, but this reading wasn't bad, but it wasn't one of the better versions I've heard either. One of the most savage performances I've heard, and one that still remains a top choice for me, is Yoel Levi's recording with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra:

[asin]B000003CXF[/asin]

[Sid]

Yes, this is a fine recording. The Violin Concerto is very well performed. Frautschi, who is still making a name for herself, plays really well. Everybody will have their favorite performances of The Rite of Spring, but this reading wasn't bad, but it wasn't one of the better versions I've heard either. One of the most savage performances I've heard, and one that still remains a top choice for me, is Yoel Levi's recording with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra:...

Thanks for replying. Not many people have, but I know people have been reading my posts (from the post count) so I've persisted with posting every week.

I also have enjoyed what I've heard from the Atlanta Symphony, my friend has brought along a number of their earlier Telarc recordings from the 1980's over the years. I haven't heard them in action under Levi, that would be interesting. They are a very fine orchestra.

My friend & I agreed that Stravinsky's Violin Concerto was the standout performance on the disc. But I listened to it again last night & I think the whole disc is pretty well done. I have a feeling that the relative restraint of The Rite of Spring is more an issue of the revised version than Craft's conducting. Do you know whether most orchestras tend to play the original version or the revised version these days? It's a bit confusing because some recordings don't say which version is being performed. But listening to the recording again, I realised how good the sonics were. I'll probably get more Stravinsky on Naxos as a result.

Funny how the Telarc disc you posted has Pulcinella as a coupling, that's a work I really want to hear at some point. I really enjoy Stravinsky's Neo-classical period, because it's good quality music, but doesn't whack you over the head like the Rite. Maybe my tastes are mellowing somewhat. But the friend & I discussed the view of some people that Stravinsky's Neo-classical period was inferior to music of his other periods and we both highly disagree with that view (expressed on this forum by some people, but not that many)...

[Mirror Image]

Thanks for replying. Not many people have, but I know people have been reading my posts (from the post count) so I've persisted with posting every week.

I also have enjoyed what I've heard from the Atlanta Symphony, my friend has brought along a number of their earlier Telarc recordings from the 1980's over the years. I haven't heard them in action under Levi, that would be interesting. They are a very fine orchestra.

My friend & I agreed that Stravinsky's Violin Concerto was the standout performance on the disc. But I listened to it again last night & I think the whole disc is pretty well done. I have a feeling that the relative restraint of The Rite of Spring is more an issue of the revised version than Craft's conducting. Do you know whether most orchestras tend to play the original version or the revised version these days? It's a bit confusing because some recordings don't say which version is being performed. But listening to the recording again, I realised how good the sonics were. I'll probably get more Stravinsky on Naxos as a result.

Funny how the Telarc disc you posted has Pulcinella as a coupling, that's a work I really want to hear at some point. I really enjoy Stravinsky's Neo-classical period, because it's good quality music, but doesn't whack you over the head like the Rite. Maybe my tastes are mellowing somewhat. But the friend & I discussed the view of some people that Stravinsky's Neo-classical period was inferior to music of his other periods and we both highly disagree with that view (expressed on this forum by some people, but not that many)...

I would say that all periods of Stravinsky's development: Russian, Neoclassical, and serial all have their strong points as well as each of them contain some of the most inspired, heartfelt, and dynamic music I've ever heard. Anyone who calls the Neoclassical period inferior hasn't really paid that much attention or really surveyed this period of his output. Pulcinella, Apollo Masagete, The Fairy's Kiss, Scenes de Ballet, Jeu de cartes, Dumbarton Oaks, Violin Concerto, Orpheus, Symphony in Three Movements, among others are some of the finest of his output in my opinion. These works have an immediate appeal for me especially in his always unique treatment to rhythm.

If you haven't heard any of these works mentioned above then all can be acquired rather cheaply through Robert Craft's series on Naxos. The finest recording of the series, in my opinion, is his performances of the three Greek ballets: Apollon Masagete, Agon, and Orpheus, but the whole series is worth picking up.

[Sid]

...Pulcinella, Apollo Masagete, The Fairy's Kiss, Scenes de Ballet, Jeu de cartes, Dumbarton Oaks, Violin Concerto, Orpheus, Symphony in Three Movements, among others are some of the finest of his output in my opinion. These works have an immediate appeal for me especially in his always unique treatment to rhythm...

Yeah, rhythm is the thing with Stravinsky - that's what makes his music stand out for me as well. I haven't heard all of those works, I will get to them, but I would add Oedipus Rex to the list (a marvellous work, imo, & it's a pity that Orff's Carmina Burana which it influenced, kind of overshadowed it for much of the c20th, although it's being revived now)...

...Robert Craft's series on Naxos. The finest recording of the series, in my opinion, is his performances of the three Greek ballets: Apollon Masagete, Agon, and Orpheus...

Yes, that recording has been on my to-get list for some time. I'm particularly interested in hearing Agon, since it's been a while since I've heard anything in the serial style from Stravinsky. I'll have to order it soon...

[Mirror Image]

Yes, that recording has been on my to-get list for some time. I'm particularly interested in hearing Agon, since it's been a while since I've heard anything in the serial style from Stravinsky. I'll have to order it soon...

Agon is an unbelievable work. I love all the knotty rhythms, counterpoint, and dissonances. It is still Stravinsky, but projected through a Schoenbergian lens. It is also Stravinsky's last ballet.

[Sid]

19.03.11

PROKOFIEV
Romeo & Juliet Suites 1 & 2
National SO, Washington DC/Mstislav Rostropovich
DGG (1983) - 410 519-2
(Friend's disc)

DVORAK
String Quartets 10 & 12 "American;" Four Cypresses (selections)
Australian String Quartet
ABC Classics
(My disc)

GUBAIDULINA
In tempus praesens, concerto for violin & orchestra (2006/7)
Dedicated to Anne-Sophie Mutter
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin/London SO/Valery Gergiev
DGG
(City of Sydney library disc)

I had never heard Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet to this extent before (although there is a 3rd suite). I have been more familiar with his more experimental & modernistic works, so it was interesting to hear something that had more obvious connections with the Romantic tradition. Rostropovich personally knew the composer, and the disc notes say that they even lived together in the same house during the early 1950's. The interpretation & sound of this disc was excellent.

My friend chose the Dvorak disc from my disc purchases of the past three months. Most of these are of chamber music. My friend had heard the "American" quartet on radio years ago, and he had never heard the other works on the disc. The 10th quartet, written in Europe, is typically Czech, and the 12th was written during the composer's stay in the Czech community in Spillville, USA. It sounds a bit like Czech music combined with the open-air feel of the prairies. I'm pretty sure it would have influenced guys like Ives and Copland later. The 12 Cypresses (of which there is a selection of 4 here) were originally songs for voice and piano, later transcribed for string quartet. I get a sense of the patterns of the Czech language transformed into instrumental music, a bit like Janacek was to do later. This recording was from about 6 years ago, the personnel of the Australian String Quartet has changed since then, but the level of artistry and craftsmanship remains the same. A superb disc which only cost me $10 brand new!!! Needless to say, both my friend & I enjoyed this disc. We both disagree with people who say that Dvorak was just a weak imitation of Brahms. Utter rubbish, imo - there are so many harmonic innovations in this music.

Then the Gubaidulina, which I borrowed last week from the library. My friend had never heard the music of this contemporary Russian composer. He liked it more than I did. He said he liked the darkness and lyricism. It took him back to the feelings he felt when he lost his brother in a tragic accident 6 years ago. I agree that there is a sense of tragedy and forboding underlying this work. In my humble opinion, the work is a very effective vehicle to show off the talents of the dedicatee, Anne-Sophie Mutter. In terms of violinistic and orchestral technique, this is a very assured work. But I just felt that it was too kind of "new age" for my tastes. I won't compare it to other composer's violin concertos, because there's no use in doing that. Ditto Gubaidulina's more experimental and out-there earlier chamber works which I have been familiar with for a few years. Despite all of its merits and complexity, I felt that this violin concerto offered me little real meat to chew on. My friend disagreed, so this just shows that we are not carbon copies of eachother when it comes to opinions on classical music (& that's a good thing, otherwise it would be quite boring!!!). Unfortunately, we ran out of time & couldn't listen to the Bach concertos, which we will listen to together sometime soon...





[asin]B001EBSV2I[/asin]

[Sid]

26.03.11

RAVEL
Bolero
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Daphnis & Chloe Suite No. 2
Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
SLSO Chorus/Thomas Peck, director (in Daphnis)
Telarc CD 80052
(Friend's disc)

REGER
Clarinet Quintet
Philharmonia Quartet Berlin/Wenzel Fuchs, clarinet
(Naxos)
(My disc)

RAVEL
Piano Trio
Joachim Trio
(Naxos)
(My disc)

PIAZZOLLA
Zum (arr. for piano trio by Quentin Grant)
Macquarie Trio
(ABC Classics)
(My disc)

J. S. BACH
Violin Concertos in A minor & E minor
Trondheim Soloists
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin/conductor
DGG
(Library disc)

A varied musical evening, taking in orchestral and chamber from various composers. We started with Ravel's ever popular orchestral works, on a Telarc disc which had great sound.

Then my friend chose the Reger Clarinet Quintet from my recent chamber purchases. It reminded my friend of Mozart's work in the same genre. Since listening to this work by Reger, I have felt that it sounds very much like vocal music, the clarinet being like a voice accompanied by the other instruments.

Then Ravel's Piano Trio, which my friend had not heard before (like the Reger). The last movement of this work makes me think of being at the beach - the seagulls, the sun, the surf, the beautiful people! But when I heard this work live played by another group at the Sydney Conservatorium last year, I didn't get that feeling - obviously that performance was done differently, which is interesting.

Then a short tango by Piazzolla as a break. My friend commented how this music changes mood in a short space of time, the blink of an eye. I've been listening to this disc a lot lately as I find that I have tired a bit of the more "serious" music. But although Piazzolla may be light, I don't think he's lightweight, his music has much substance, imo.

To finish, two of J. S. Bach's violin concertos, played on modern instruments but with imitation Baroque bows by Anne-Sophie Mutter and her cohorts. We tend not to listen to Baroque together, I'm basically clueless about much of it, so I've been trying to listen to some at least lately.

[Sid]

2.4.11

BRAHMS
Double Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor, Op. 102
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

Gidon Kremer, violin
Mischa Maisky, cello
Vienna Philharmonic Orch./Leonard Bernstein
DGG 410 031-2
(Friend's disc)

RAWSTHORNE
Practical Cats - An entertainment for speaker & orchestra (1954)
Text: Verses from 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T. S. Eliot

Simon Callow, narrator
Royal Liverpool PO/David Lloyd-Jones
Epoch
(Library disc)

Robert BEASER
From 'Mountain Songs'

Virginia Taylor, flute
Timothy Kain, guitar
ABC Classics Discovery series
(My disc)

PIAZZOLLA
Le Cuatro Estaciones Portenas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) arr. piano trio by Jose Bragato

Macquarie Trio
ABC Classics Discovery series
(My disc)

SCHOENBERG
Pierrot Lunaire, melodrama for voice & ensemble

Christine Schafer, speech-song
Ensemble Intercontemporain/Pierre Boulez
DGG
(My disc)

A varied musical evening. We enjoyed my friend's recording of the Brahms works, I especially like the Hungarian sounding ending of the Double Concerto. There was plenty of humour and lightheartedness in the Rawsthorne, the music has a decidedly Bergian lushness, a bit of the fun like Prokofiev & there is even a part that sounds very much like Elgar's Land of Hope and Glory. Then we finished off with some chamber music, the decidedly Celtic sounding Mountain Songs of contemporary American composer Robert Beaser, the tango-inspired world of Piazzolla's Four Seasons, & finally Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire which evokes the world of the cabaret (my friend & I plan to go to a concert of this Saturday week)...

[mc ukrneal]

2.4.11
RAWSTHORNE
Practical Cats - An entertainment for speaker & orchestra (1954)
Text: Verses from 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T. S. Eliot

Simon Callow, narrator
Royal Liverpool PO/David Lloyd-Jones
Epoch
(Library disc)

I wish my library had such interesting choices as this!

[Sid]

I wish my library had such interesting choices as this!

Yeah, well Sydney City Library has some interesting stuff. Some of it is newish, like the Rawsthorne or Mutter discs I posted above, some of it is old (a lot of out of print stuff there). I'm actually thinking of not buying any discs for a while & just borrowing more stuff from them instead. They've got a lot of repertoire which I have never heard, or maybe heard only once on radio. I've already dramatically slowed down my rate of buying cd's in the last 3-6 months, so borrowing may prove to be a good alternative if I still want to listen to new stuff...

[Sid]

I have now continued this diary of my listening & concert going on a blog on another site. It can be accessed by clicking the green globe icon under my name and avatar on the left. Everyone is welcome to visit and comment...

[mc ukrneal]

I have now continued this diary of my listening & concert going on a blog on another site. It can be accessed by clicking the green globe icon under my name and avatar on the left. Everyone is welcome to visit and comment...

Glad you aren't stopping (if nothing else you will have a record of your thoughts on the pieces for yourself). Thanks for doing it!

[Sid James]

Just "re-booting" this thread, as I still want to contribute what I've been listening to on this forum, I just don't want to visit the "what are you listening to" thread for various reasons. This thread, "Sid's music spot" was originally set up to list what things a friend & I listen to when we get together on weekends to listen to eachother's recordings. I will begin to add that content as well, but also some of my own private listening during the week.

So feel free to comment here, not necessarily about the specific recordings I list, but just generally about the composers or pieces or even performers. I'm more of a generalist, & I'm more interested in general discussion than the specifics. You can go off-topic here as much as you want!!! (but negativity is definitely out, I don't need that in my life, I'll probably just stick to this & the concerts thread, also maybe some specific threads)

So, this morning before getting the day under way, I made time for this -

MANTOVANI (arrangements, conductor)
Album: Mantovani & his orchestra - A Night in Vienna
Die Fledermaus Overture - Merry Widow Waltz - Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Perpetuum Mobile - The Skater's Waltz - Light Cavalry Overture - Tales from the Vienna Woods - Eine Kliene Nachtmusik - Monti Csardas - Radetzky March

Some of these are originals, others arrangements by Mantovani. I like his trademark "cascading strings" sound, which sounds as if it was recorded in a cathedral, but I think he did it in a recording studio. The arranged works have added touches that are interesting. There's an accordion in the Merry Widow Waltz - which is more like a fantasy on themes from the operetta rather than just a simple arrangment of the famous waltz. The Skater's Waltz starts with the cascading strings coming at you very quickly, I don't think that Waldteufel thought of that! Tales From The Vienna Woods doesn't have the zither, but has some interesting effects - eg. muted trumpets in one small bit, which kind of gives a jazzy feel. The arrangement of the Monti Csardas is the best one I've heard - the quick part even has a bit of percussion. I also enjoyed some of the other pieces, which are played "straight." I remember hearing Light Cavalry at a pops concert here in Sydney when I was a kid. With the second theme, the slow and mournful one, Suppe captured the tragedy of Hungary's history, even though he wasn't Hungarian. Then we have the Radetzky March, dedicated to the man who suppressed the Hungarians and others in the Hapsburg Empire. Anyway, this is a great album, both performance and sound are excellent...