What are you listening to now?

[SonicMan46]

New 'small box' arrival from BRO - just went through the MDG label (a favorite of mine) and selected 7 items (2 double-CD sets) - first up:

Bach, JS - Goldberg Variations w/ the Aulos Quartett (shown below), including a 'tenor oboe'; the instrument is not described in the liner notes and there appears to be some confusion in the naming of these lower pitched oboes (e.g. bass, baritone, or tenor) - some interesting discussion HERE, for those interested - for me, love the sound of the lower instrument and this excellent performance.

Bach, CPE - Berlin Symphonies w/ Christian Zacharias & Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne - well, I do have some 'duplication' in my collection so will need to do some comparisons - review attached - Dave

   

[North Star]

Messiaen
Visions de l'Amen
Osborne & Roscoe
[asin]B00030EROC[/asin]

[San Antone]

[Brian]

Missa brevis
Schopfungsmesse

[Mahlerian]

Haydn: Symphony No. 101 in D, "Clock"
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Bernstein

[André]

La Gioconda is a favourite with audiences. It's one of the rare opera to cast roles for all 6 types of voice: soprano, mezzo, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass. There was a Met broadcast a few years ago. It's still performed when a suitable dramatic soprano sets her sights on the role. The only remaining task is to find 5 other singers of the first rank to sing and act the demanding parts Ponchielli and his librettist Boïto devised for this operatic extravaganza.

I like this version a lot. There is not a weak link in the cast. 5 of the 6 principals were operatic superstars at the time (1957) and they are all up to the ambitious project, the first stero recording of the work. Apparently there are small cuts, but I've never identified them.

[Baron Scarpia]

Bric-a-Brac from

[asin]B00004TDGW[/asin]

Witty and delightful, but at 37 uninterrupted minutes of music, it taxed my attention. A case where I might have preferred a symphonic suite adaption.

[SymphonicAddict]

Piano quartet no. 2



and



Simply a perfect performance.

[Spineur]

Isbé Mondonvile
CD3 act IV and V.  Immediate repeat of act V

[asin]B01N7D3F8E[/asin]

So much musical beauties at the closing of this heroic pastorale.  I wish I could post the final duet Isbé-Coridon. C'est irresistible

[Wakefield]

Bach: Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord
Erich Höbarth
Aapo Häkkinen

[asin]B015GH035S[/asin]

Probably, the set I have heard the most this year.

IMO, a master interpretation by both performers. A match in heaven. 

[San Antone]

French Suites

[Mirror Image]

Folk Songs of the Four Seasons:



Utterly enchanting.

[Karl Henning]

La Gioconda is a favourite with audiences. It's one of the rare opera to cast roles for all 6 types of voice: soprano, mezzo, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass.

Curious, that that is so rare!

[Kontrapunctus]

No. 7 today. Excellent all around. (I do think they could have come up with a more attractive cover, though!)

[SymphonicAddict]

Cello concertos 1 & 2. Very relaxing and delectable.




Symphonies 1 & 2



Interesting music, above all the 2nd symphony. It has a sort of cataclysmic mood, I perceive something transcendent there. I liked so much.

[Todd]

Disc four.  Starting in on Op 9.

[Kontrapunctus]

Superb playing and very clean sound—just a trace of early digital brightness. And for $1.98, it was quite a bargain!



While this LP certainly sounds good, I would expect a direct-to-disc recording to have a greater sense of presence and realism. I'm pretty sure this is my only recording made on a Mason & Hamlin piano—a Steinway or Bosendorfer would be my preference. Mayorga's playing is good if not revelatory.

[Mirror Image]

Revisiting Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 from this Davis set:



Not bad, but not fantastic either. I don't feel the music like I do in Boult's and Previn's performances. Excellent audio quality, though.

Special note: My box set of this Davis set is much different than what's pictured from above. First of all, it's in black & white and not blue. Secondly, it has the Teldec label in the lower right-hand corner. Lastly, the actual photo shows a landscape and not just the sky with clouds.

[mc ukrneal]

Revisiting Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 from this Davis set:



Not bad, but not fantastic either. I don't feel the music like I do in Boult's and Previn's performances. Excellent audio quality, though.

Special note: My box set of this Davis set is much different than what's pictured from above. First of all, it's in black & white and not blue. Secondly, it has the Teldec label in the lower right-hand corner. Lastly, the actual photo shows a landscape and not just the sky with clouds.

It's been re-issued a couple of times. Quite interesting how they kept the cover quite similar:

[Mirror Image]

It's been re-issued a couple of times. Quite interesting how they kept the cover quite similar:

Interesting indeed, Neal.