What are you listening to now?

[amw]

Cortot Schumann on Dante—recordings from the 1920s and 1930s.

Very few technical issues & also much better interpretations than most modern recordings. The sound does make it impossible to hear some of the details of the piano writing though.

[ritter]

Now this would be cause for celebration, indeed!

Good to see you back in GMG, John. 

[Maestro267]

Some wonderful choices, on this page and the last one.

Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
London SO/Tilson Thomas

[Mirror Image]

Good to see you back in GMG, John. 

Thanks a lot, Rafael!

[aligreto]

Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 [Walter]

[Mirror Image]

Ravel: Shéhérazade

From this set:

[Madiel]

https://www.youtube.com/v/qdsFLIo9l88

Chopin Preludes, late 19th century Bechstein, unequal temperament, what's not to like?

Who was using unequal temperament in the 19th century?

[kyjo]

I promise you that once you've spent more time with the Rubbra symphonies, you'll come away with a great appreciation for his composing style. He was brilliant with counterpoint and a lot of his music, or, at least, in many of his symphonies, the melody leads the way while more melodies and rhythms present themselves. It's kind of a stream-of-conscientious type of compositional style, but one that I believe will reward the listener if, again, you allow it the necessary time to get under your skin.

Good to see you back John, and I totally agree. Rubbra is a wonderful composer.

[Mirror Image]

Good to see you back John, and I totally agree. Rubbra is a wonderful composer.

It feels good to be back, Kyle! Thanks!

Thread duty -

Copland: Violin Sonata



Aside from the Bernstein piece, which I find uninspiring and unmemorable, this is a fantastic disc.

[aligreto]

Vivaldi: Four Seasons, Spring & Summer [Marriner]





When I started listening to Classical Music I bought a box set of cassette tapes of Vivaldi's music featuring the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Neville Marriner. That was an inspirational set for me as the music was played with a very light touch and with great musicality. And so it is here; the textures of the music are light and both the orchestra and the soloist play very well. A number of decades later and with a lot more critical listening behind me I find that I still enjoy these performances with their great clarity of lines even if the tempi now appear on the slow side. The sound of the orchestra is full and warm and this also lends weight to the sound especially in the storm scene. The music making here has good drive and forward momentum in each of the outer movements, positively sweeping along in places, with languid and atmospheric slow movements.

Vivaldi: Four Seasons, Autumn & Winter [Scherchen]





Another "Old School" performance here. The music is very well played by all concerned. In terms of interpretation, listening to it with today's ears it sounds full but slow, staid and stately. It is still an interesting listen for a fifty year old recording.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Reminds me my first "Four Seasons" was an LP with this widely reviled version.



Still have a soft spot for it.

[Cato]

Reminds me my first "Four Seasons" was an LP with this widely reviled version.



Still have a soft spot for it.

Not possible!      What was supposed to be so wrong-headed about it?

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Not possible!      What was supposed to be so wrong-headed about it?

Probably that he made it sound like Brahms. It was probably my third or forth classical record, so I didn't know better at the time.

I'll tell you a secret, it is the only version of the Vivaldi Four Seasons I have ever listened to.

[Kontrapunctus]

This volume seems to be very hard to find, so I had to go for a Presto Classical CD-R, with audio files supplied by the label. Anyway, it sounds great and is a wonderful performance.

[North Star]

It feels good to be back, Kyle! Thanks!

Thread duty -

Copland: Violin Sonata


Aside from the Bernstein piece, which I find uninspiring and unmemorable, this is a fantastic disc.

Welcome back to GMG, John!

Thread-duty - First-listen Friday
Holmboe
Sinfonias III & IV
Danish National Chamber Orchestra
Hannu Koivula
[asin]B07B6FP2QN[/asin]

[Cato]

Probably that he made it sound like Brahms. It was probably my third or forth classical record, so I didn't know better at the time.

I'll tell you a secret, it is the only version of the Vivaldi Four Seasons I have ever listened to.

Right there is a recommendation! 

YouTube offers Side 2:

https://www.youtube.com/v/G37R2zyKPCs&t=22s

[aligreto]

Chopin: Sonata No. 2 Op. 35 [Ousset]

[aligreto]

Probably that he made it sound like Brahms. It was probably my third or forth classical record, so I didn't know better at the time.

I'll tell you a secret, it is the only version of the Vivaldi Four Seasons I have ever listened to.

That is both a tragedy and a travesty.

[Mirror Image]

Quiet City from this set:

[SymphonicAddict]

An American Place

It's the first work I listen to from this composer, and it's turning out an inspiring piece. The music is unpretentious in scope, rather carefree and optimistic. Fortunately there are composers that are creating music in a tonal language, like Fuchs.