What are you listening to now?

[Zeus]

Albanian Memories
Klaidi Sahatçi and Dhurata Lazo
self-published



Enjoyable, interesting Albanian music for violin and piano; mostly written within the last 50 years, but in a romantic (or gypsy?) style.

Recommended !!

[Mandryka]

Lonquich's second recording of Schubert 959/I. He says

It proceeds by interruptions and harmonic digressions, including the second theme, which begins in gentle, questioning fashion, but whose concluding section, after various unexpected vicissitudes, has something stagnant about it. As in the previous sonata, the coda is a metaphorical figure of the acceptance of an insoluble situation, creating, this time, a complex layer of rhythms, at once mobile and static; the concluding arpeggios lead to an intense silence.

I find these comments indispensable for listening to the performance, I listened at first without them and what he does  seemed self conscious and pointless and annoying. However the comments are helpful and I can follow his vision as reported pretty well in what he does, and so I can see better what he's doing, and better speculate why. This intellectual engagement is good, much better than letting it just wash over you in an animal way or dismissing his ideas in a boorish way.

It still seems self conscious and pointless and annoying though. Maybe I'm not really sympathetic to the sonata.

I don't know if these notes, and my need for them, is a weakness , I am very glad to have access to the music and the notes. In truth I wish more pianists would articulate their ideas like Lonquich, the music doesn't speak for itself necessarily, it's more complex than that.

It makes me think of the complex titles and commentaries some artists give to their paintings.

I'll  listen to his first recording of 959/I tomorrow.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Wellesz, Symphony No 2 again.



My initial impression that it is a work of great depth and beauty is confirmed. It has a first movement of Brucknerian grandeur, a scherzo featuring pervasive counterpoint, a sensuous slow movement alternative a lyrical theme and another theme which has the rhythms of a funeral march. The finale alternates contrapuntal and lyrical sections. If the work has a weakness it is that the closing doesn't have quite the weight necessary to bring such an ambitious work to a completely satisfying conclusion.

[kyjo]

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jakub Hrusa - concert given 13 October 2018

Dvorak: The Golden Spinning Wheel, Op 109
Martinu: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No 1 with Frank Peter Zimmermann
Janacek: Taras Bulba Rhapsody for Orchestra

Taras Bulba doesn't always work for me but this was a very moving performance with a magnificent Apotheosis

What a great, unhackneyed program!

[Zeus]

Anastasis-Messe
Frederik Magle
self-published, 2017



First listen.  So far quite good.

Update – I think it's quite good.  Reminds me a bit of Golijov and even more of Olafur Arnolds in how it tries to mix traditional and contemporary musical styles.  This kind of hybridization can fail miserably if done badly.  I think Magle succeeds here.

I'll have to play it again in a week or two to see what I think on second listen.

[cilgwyn]

This opera has an entertaining story line,which appeals to me;due to my love of legends and folklore. The score is colourful and has plenty of vigour,where required. I like it very much. This is a mono recording from 1957,but the sound is allot better than I expected,from some of the posts I have read on Amazon. The singing,and contributions from the chorus,sound excellent to my ears and,I'm getting towards the finale now,which is,appropriately,dramatic. A very enjoyable opera. I'm impressed!

[aligreto]

Music from the Sammartini brothers





G Sammartini: Recorder Concerto
GB Sammartini: Sinfonia

This is delightful music that is very engagingly played.

[aligreto]

I like them because they more-or-less span the performance traditions, Germanic to French. You can tell they're going to be very different just from hearing the opening violin solo. In the Berlin recording it is all legato, in the Ansermet it is all spizzicato.

It's not a piece I feel I need oh-so-many different interpretations of.

Thank you for that.
I agree with you one does not really need multiple versions of the work, even though it is interesting music. The reason that I have a number of versions is that it is included on far more of the older vinyl compilations than on those on CD that own.

[aligreto]

This opera has an entertaining story line,which appeals to me;due to my love of legends and folklore. The score is colourful and has plenty of vigour,where required. I like it very much. This is a mono recording from 1957,but the sound is allot better than I expected,from some of the posts I have read on Amazon. The singing,and contributions from the chorus,sound excellent to my ears and,I'm getting towards the finale now,which is,appropriately,dramatic. A very enjoyable opera. I'm impressed!

I do not know or own the work but I would have assumed that Cluytens would have been a good bet here.

[mc ukrneal]

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade [Mackerras]





For me, this is a strong, powerful performance from the opening bars. This performance is packed with many elements: dream like lyricism, powerful picture painting and storytelling abound in a rich tapestry of sound. The playing is wonderful and evokes the mood of the various tales rather well.

I love this version. One of the best....

[JBS]

You're probably right, but on the other hand, my experience is that when you're just going to listen it's not that bad. There are a few tough notes like that piano sonata, but on the whole it's certainly not inaccessible.
As has been said before it is like learning a new language and are you prepared to do so ?

one must sow before you can reap

I found that set illuminating and rewarding.  I should note that for much of the music, I have no other recordings, and about half of it I had never heard before I listened to the set.   
My reaction to Boulez is essentially, he got better as he got older.  At least, the later the date of composition, the more I like the piece.  The arrangement of the set, in chronological order,  helped confirm that as I listened to it.  And it's not a matter of getting used to Boulez's style as I listened more.  I still dislike Marteau sans Maitre, and the recording of it that I least dislike was actually one in which Boulez did not participate.

I suppose the most important factor in that set is the question of how much of Boulez on DG do you already have?

[aligreto]

Haven't listened to it for many years, but I remember that one did not do it for me. My favorites are Karajan and Ansermet

I love this version. One of the best....

The diversity of opinion is great 

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

The diversity of opinion is great 

The thought occurred to me to revisit the Mackerras, but it is gone. Sold to some used-CD shop at some point...

I found I have several others that I forgot about, Reiner and Kondrashin. Probably several more lurk in all those ICON boxes I have.

[Karl Henning]

I found that set illuminating and rewarding.  I should note that for much of the music, I have no other recordings, and about half of it I had never heard before I listened to the set.   
My reaction to Boulez is essentially, he got better as he got older.  At least, the later the date of composition, the more I like the piece.  The arrangement of the set, in chronological order,  helped confirm that as I listened to it.  And it's not a matter of getting used to Boulez's style as I listened more.  I still dislike Marteau sans Maitre, and the recording of it that I least dislike was actually one in which Boulez did not participate.

I suppose the most important factor in that set is the question of how much of Boulez on DG do you already have?

Most interesting.

[North Star]

Listening to the essence of Ralph...

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 6
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Handley

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Bournemouth Symphony
Silvestri
[asin]B00156ZWV0[/asin]

[Traverso]

I found that set illuminating and rewarding.  I should note that for much of the music, I have no other recordings, and about half of it I had never heard before I listened to the set.   
My reaction to Boulez is essentially, he got better as he got older.  At least, the later the date of composition, the more I like the piece.  The arrangement of the set, in chronological order,  helped confirm that as I listened to it.  And it's not a matter of getting used to Boulez's style as I listened more.  I still dislike Marteau sans Maitre, and the recording of it that I least dislike was actually one in which Boulez did not participate.

I suppose the most important factor in that set is the question of how much of Boulez on DG do you already have?

I agree with that

[aligreto]

Reicha: Wind Quintet Op. 91 No. 5 [Academia Wind Quintet of Prague]





This is a wonderful performances of this captivating music. The music is played with such grace but also with assertion in a great recording.

[aligreto]

The thought occurred to me to revisit the Mackerras, but it is gone. Sold to some used-CD shop at some point...

I found I have several others that I forgot about, Reiner and Kondrashin. Probably several more lurk in all those ICON boxes I have.

Kondrashin is also one of the versions that I also own.

[Jo498]

Also a bit pricey. $60!

I was lucky, I put the Mackerras anthology on my watch list because it tended to be cheaper than the single Suk disc which was mainly what I wanted. I would have to look up how much I finally ended up paying, but certainly not more than around one full priced disc (i.e. about 15 EUR), probably less. (I am poor and thrifty and I can wait.)

[listener]

DOHNÁNYI: Symphony no.1 in d, op. 9
London Philharmonic Orch.    Leon Botstein cond.
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Concertos 1 & 2,  Capriccio Brillante op. 23
Anton Kuerti, piano   London Philharmonic Orch. again,  Paul Freeman cond.
Concerto 2 sounds new to me, #1 must be the popular one picked for concerts.