What are you listening to now?

Started by Dungeon Master, February 15, 2013, 09:13:11 PM

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vandermolen

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on January 13, 2019, 04:37:41 AM
I took a chance yesterday and exposed a friend of mine to a piece of Vaughan Williams music; one that I love in particular.  It was the Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis on this LP.  I'm delighted to report that, in his words, "It was a religious experience"!   ;D  He listens to mostly baroque music (in terms of classical music) and some earlier music too (loves the Tallis Scholars), so I thought the connection might help it to be a good fit.  He also told me that he knows that he has one album of VW's music but not certain which one it is though now that he's heard and enjoyed this work, he's tempted to try other pieces of music by Vaughan Williams [Yippee!].



Best wishes,

PD
The composer Herbert Howells (aged c.19) was at the first performance, conducted by VW in Gloucester Cathedral in 1910. He was in such a state of spiritual excitement after hearing it that he spent the rest of the night pacing the streets.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Cato

Quote from: pi2000 on January 13, 2019, 07:27:43 AM
Silvia Marcovici Bruch Violin Concerrto
from here

[asin]B07MDK3K3Q[/asin]
:-*

Svetlanov!  How old is that recording?


Quote from: Mirror Image on January 13, 2019, 07:02:10 AM
This whole disc:



Late pre-serial Stravinsky (Concerto in D) gives hints at times of his future interest, which arises (I have thought, most curiously arises) after Schoenberg's death.  0:)
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

pi2000

Quote from: Cato on January 13, 2019, 07:37:14 AM
Svetlanov!  How old is that recording?


Late pre-serial Stravinsky (Concerto in D) gives hints at times of his future interest, which arises (I have thought, most curiously arises) after Schoenberg's death.  0:)

live recordings from 1981 (she was 29..!) The sound is very good
Just started Brahms :-*)

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on January 13, 2019, 07:35:32 AM
A wonderful CD!

It certainly is, Jeffrey!

Quote from: Cato on January 13, 2019, 07:37:14 AMLate pre-serial Stravinsky (Concerto in D) gives hints at times of his future interest, which arises (I have thought, most curiously arises) after Schoenberg's death.  0:)

Stravinsky's serial phase is a curious one, indeed, but I do believe that Craft had a hand in whispering the praises of The Second Viennese School in ol' Igor's ears.

aligreto

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 [Previn]





This is a strong, assertive and taut performance with plenty of power behind the delivery when required.

Mirror Image

#128066
Quote from: aligreto on January 13, 2019, 07:52:01 AM
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 [Previn]





This is a strong, assertive and taut performance with plenty of power behind the delivery when required.

I need to revisit Prokofiev's symphonies. I remember the 2nd, 5th, and 6th really being the strongest. What's your take on them?

SonicMan46

Quote from: aligreto on January 13, 2019, 12:46:36 AM
Did you enjoy the performances Dave?

Hi Aligreto - really enjoyed and a keeper for me - loved the Horn Quintet which is probably a more polished Mozart composition - take a look at the reviews attached (2 excellent and 1 less so) - currently listening on Spotify to the Dennis Brain recording w/ Karajan made in 1953 but wonderfully remastered - a smoother more 'laid back' performance but nothing really to criticize except for its age, I guess; the Pyatt recording is from 1996 and the sound is better.  All in all, I still like my valveless PI recordings better - :)  Dave

 

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

#128068
D'Indy, String Quartet #2, Prat Quartet on Naive.



I recently listened to the first movement, but have now had time to listen to the entire work twice through. Unlike the other d'indy chamber music I've listened to, this is a serious work, and very skillfully constructed. There is a single four-note motif that seems to tie the work together. It is introduced in the first movement in unison, then becomes the subject of a sort of slow fugue. Finally it is transformed into the lively main theme of the music. There is a compact scherzo, a sensuous slow movement, and a finale which also returns to the fundamental motif. Strikes me as a first class string quartet. I'll have to find the rest of them. I have the first quartet on a Hyperion release, only the third is missing from my collection.

I should revisit the series of orchestral works released by Chandos (Gamba). I listened to several and found them very good, then got derailed. I also have various EMI France recordings of d'Indy orchestral music.

cilgwyn

I'm enjoying Miklós Rózsa's Violin Concerto! :) More spiky than the Korngold,that precedes it,but still tuneful! I find this quite,rewarding music!





aligreto

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 13, 2019, 07:55:39 AM



I need to revisit Prokofiev's symphonies. I remember the 2nd, 5th, and 6th really being the strongest. What's your take on them?

I actually like all of the Prokofiev symphonies I must admit. I like the musical language and the scoring in these works. I admire the Kitajenko performances.

aligreto

Quote from: SonicMan46 on January 13, 2019, 08:01:20 AM
Hi Aligreto - really enjoyed and a keeper for me - loved the Horn Quintet which is probably a more polished Mozart composition - take a look at the reviews attached (2 excellent and 1 less so) - currently listening on Spotify to the Dennis Brain recording w/ Karajan made in 1953 but wonderfully remastered - a smoother more 'laid back' performance but nothing really to criticize except for its age, I guess; the Pyatt recording is from 1996 and the sound is better.  All in all, I still like my valveless PI recordings better - :)  Dave

 

Cheers Dave. I have, and enjoy both of those versions. Thank you for the reviews.


amw



Op. 106.

It's good. Honestly the whole set is good so far. This may end up becoming my go-to modern piano recommendation. (Composers always seem to have good results playing Beethoven, I'm not sure why.)

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Quote from: aligreto on January 13, 2019, 08:39:17 AM
I really like that image.

I had taken for granted that it was d'Indy

The credit reads: Henri Cartier-Bresson/Magnum: Ivry sur Siene, France, 1956.

D'Indy died in 1931, so it aint him...

Mirror Image

Quote from: aligreto on January 13, 2019, 08:35:54 AM
I actually like all of the Prokofiev symphonies I must admit. I like the musical language and the scoring in these works. I admire the Kitajenko performances.

Excellent. I find Litton's traversal of most of the symphonies (I do hope he finishes his survey) to be some of the best I've heard and with the BIS engineering, it's a win/win all across the board. Of earlier performances, I'm one of those people who likes the Järvi cycle on Chandos. I was less impressed with Kitajenko's cycle as I felt it to be a bit underpowered and some of the details in the recording seem to be obscured.

Mirror Image

Barber's Violin Concerto:



So heartbreakingly beautiful.

Harry

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 13, 2019, 09:27:30 AM
Of earlier performances, I'm one of those people who likes the Järvi cycle on Chandos. I was less impressed with Kitajenko's cycle as I felt it to be a bit underpowered and some of the details in the recording seem to be obscured.

Agreed both on Jarvi and Kitajenko.
Quote from Manuel, born in Spain, currently working at Fawlty Towers.

" I am from Barcelona, I know nothing.............."

Mirror Image

Quote from: "Harry" on January 13, 2019, 09:42:26 AM
Agreed both on Jarvi and Kitajenko.

8) Good to see that you're still around here, Harry.

Todd

The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya