What are you listening to now?

[Iota]

Ravel, Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé, Chansons madécasses

Felicity Palmer, The Nash Ensemble, Rattle



These poems seem to breathe this music into existence. Magical.

[Karl Henning]

"Papa"
Symphonies 59 in A, "Fire" & 65 in A
AAM
Hogwood

[Kontrapunctus]

Spectacular playing and sound.

[Karl Henning]

I don't like HIP either, for the most part ... seems reactionary to me and makes far too many assumptions

Historical inquiry is not reactionary!

"Essentially, during much of his life, Haydn wrote for an ensemble that would now be defined as a chamber orchestra. More specifically, according to Webster's conclusions [Professor James Webster of Cornell University, whom Christopher Hogwood consulted in preparing his Haydn performances] until the 1780s the orchestra was quite small in size, with 13 to 16 members until the end of 1767, from 16 to 18 until 1775, and with a maximum of 24 in the 1780s. Only in London did the forces available to Haydn reach sizeable proportions, with 40 musicians in the years between 1791 and 1794, and 60 in 1795 ...."

These, at least, are not assumptions, they are facts.  What assumptions did HvK make in the absence of these facts, do you suppose?

[jwinter]

Oldie but a goodie as the rain falls and thunders outside, an outstanding Pastoral Symphony

[André]

Spectacular singing from the principals, excellent choral and orchestral performances, all captured in beautiful sonics (from the Amsterdam Concertgebouw). All that's missing is a touch of daring and imagination from Orgonasova. Ah non giunge is sung almost timidly, as if this Amina couldn't believe her good luck. I miss the rythmic exuberance and vocal spunk of Callas here (Mado Robin too, but I know her take on italian coloratura roles is an acquired taste  ). Orgonasova became a favourite singer of Harnoncourt's and Gardiner's, notably in mozartian roles. She is caught here in her early prime, the voice beautiful and the coloratura impeccable. Gimenéz, a Rossini specialist, is sweet toned and flawless as Elvino. Lisa is sung by the Uyghur diva Dilber Yunus, giving Orgonasova a run for her money in the vocal pyrotechnics department.

This is a live performance from 1992. The normally well-behaved Amsterdamers go wild after each act. Other than this sign of enthusiasm, not a peep or a sneeze is heard from the audience - purrrrfect. A most satisfying release, possibly the best opera set ever issued on that label.

[Que]

Oldie but a goodie as the rain falls and thunders outside, an outstanding Pastoral Symphony

Oh yes, of of my top favourites! 

Q

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B013XHKH8G[/asin]

This recording is the most succesful from the set IMO.
(Art of the Fugue: nice, but not indispensable/ Golberg Variations: just odd, transcriptions don't work)

Q

[Mandryka]

Floris de Rycker is part of the Bjorn Schmelzer scene, and someone like Harry, who's interested in what Schmelzer is up to, will probably be entertained by this CD. The tracklist is here

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/ossesso-ram1808/tracks

Where they differ from Graindelavoix is that they use some instruments, not specially imaginatively IMO, but it's not offensive. They're singing responsively and expressively and intensely,  when they sing in ensemble they are like Graindelavoix, maybe the phrasing is less fluid than with Schmelzer, I'm not sure.

[Harry]

Floris de Rycker is part of the Bjorn Schmelzer scene, and someone like Harry, who's interested in what Schmelzer is up to, will probably be entertained by this CD. The tracklist is here

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/ossesso-ram1808/tracks

Where they differ from Graindelavoix is that they use some instruments, not specially imaginatively IMO, but it's not offensive. They're singing responsively and expressively and intensely,  when they sing in ensemble they are like Graindelavoix, maybe the phrasing is less fluid than with Schmelzer, I'm not sure.

Thank you, I will definitively investigate this disc.

[Madiel]

My chamber music plans...

Mozart: String Quartet No.18
Bridge: Violin Sonata (No.2)
Nielsen: Wind Quintet
Dvorak: String Quartet No.13

[Irons]

Just acquired for a measly 3 dollars... 

Money well spent!

[Harry]

Good morning all. Before a heatwave starts in the Netherlands of a expected 40 degrees celsius, I use the Monday for listening. It is now 18 degrees so a perfect temperature for diving into some music I already have for 2 years or more.

Johann Jacob Froberger.
Complete Music for Organ and Harpsichord.
CD 1 from 16.

Libro secondo, 1649.
Seconda parte.
Terza parte.

Simone Stella play on a Onofrio Zeffirini da Cortona organ, in cornu epistolae (1558), Badia, Fiorentina, Florence.
Temperament meantone 1/4.
Pitch: A=443 Hz.

This is such a fine project initiated by Simone Stella, who is using fantastic instruments throughout the complete set, marvelously recorded. As to CD I, I can say that Froberger is in good hands, especially if you have such a fine organ at your disposal. Froberger belongs to my top composers in this era, so I am glad to say that nothing disappoints, but all is as I wish it to be.  Fantastically recorded too.

[Harry]

French Organ Masters, from Louis XIII to Louis-Philippe.

CD 1, Ricercare and Fantasies. Liberté et Austère grandeur du Siècle de Louis XIII.

Works by: Louis Couperin:
Fantaisie de Violes par M' Couperin in D minor Fantasie par M'Couperin; Fantaisie, sur la tierce du Grand Clavier avec le tremblant lent; Duo in G minor; Symphonie par M' Couperin in D minor; Chaconne in G minor; 5 Fantasien

Charles Racquet:
Fantasie (1636)

Jehan Titelouze:
Magnificat in the 1. Ton

Francois Roberday:
Fugues Nr. 9-12.

Organ: Jean Boizard (1714) Saint Michel en Thierache.
Organists: Andre Isoir, Frederic Desenclos, Davitt Moroney.
Ensemble de Violes Fretwork.
Recorded:  1986/1995/2000/2006

Really well done on this beautiful Boizard organ, and played by excellent organists, aided in style by Fretwork. Especially the Titelouze and Roberday caught my imagination.
Superb recorded too.

[Traverso]

 Beethoven

Diabelli Variations

[Maestro267]

Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet
Russian National Orchestra/Pletnev

Bruckner: Symphony No. 3
Berlin PO/Karajan

[Andy D.]

Mahler 3rd

Still my go to recording.

[Harry]

British String Concertos.

Roberto Gerhard, Violin Concerto 1942-45.
Yfrah Neaman, Violin.
BBC SO, Colin Davis.

Peter Racine Fricker, Concerto for Violin and small orchestra, opu 11. 1950.
Yfrah Neaman, Violin.
Royal PO, Norman Del Mar.

Elizabeth Maconchy, Serenata Concertante for Violin and Orchestra. 1962.
Manoug Parikian, Violin.
London SO, Vernon Handley.

All three concertos impressed me by their technical skill, and the excellence of the performers. I found many beautiful moments that touched me, especially in the Gerhard and Maconchy concertos. But what irked me somewhat, is that I often admired the technical aspect of the works, more so as the emotional content, as with Fricker for instance. Not that it worries me, but it shows that this music is on the border of what is acceptable for my ears and what not.
The sound is absolutely top notch.

[Harry]

Thomas D.A. Tellefsen, The complete Works for Piano solo, CD III.

Bruraslaaten op. 26; Valse op. 27; Ballade op. 28; Marche triomphale op. 29; Grande Valses Nr. 5 & 6; Mazurka op. 33; Au travers d'un songe op. 34; Capriccio appasionato op. 36; Impromptu op. 38; Melodies ecossaises op. 42; Exercice en sixtes op. 43; Pavane de la Reine Elisabeth op. 44;

Einar Steen Nokleberg, piano.

He is a brilliant composer. I simply love all what I hear. Every piece has a dedication mostly to the nobility, but not exclusively, a lot of princesses and Duchesses, so I try to find some images of those persons, and see if I can relate the music to the people it was dedicated too. Well no I could not, so maybe it was just a financial decision to do that. Anyway the music sounds a lot like Chopin but with a different twist. His melodies are worked into the other side of the musical spectrum. But that's a very personal impression.  I am a great admirer of Nokleberg, and more so because he plays on an Erard grand piano from 1853.
Superb recording.

[Traverso]

Beethoven & Schubert

Beethoven Octet
Schubert Octet