What are you listening to now?

[Kontrapunctus]

OK, this might not rival Bach's Art of Fugue for complexity, but it's enjoyable, well played, and wonderfully recorded.

[Iota]

One of my favorites of his late works

One of mine too, though I'm getting a great deal generally from the music from this period of Stravinsky's life at the moment. Agon and Requiem Canticles also spring to mind as very bright stars in the firmament (the latter as conducted by Robert Craft in particular).





Playing here also, this very fine performance of Dichterliebe by Matthias Goerne, if not quite so fine though perfectly okay, by Ashkenazy.

[André]

Szell concerts with the Cleveland and NYP orchestras. Disc no 2: Weber, Euryanthe Overture; Wagner, Prelude and Good Friday music from Parsifal; Beethoven, symphony no 6, 'pastorale'.

Great performances all from 1957 concerts in Severance Hall. The sound is okay, but there are no soft dynamics at all. A bracing, exhilarating performance. The strings have incredible weight and incisiveness. The storm in the Pastorale must have been heard across Lake Erie !

[SimonNZ]

Dieter Ammann – Piano Concerto ("Gran Toccata") -  Andreas Haefliger (piano), BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo

World Premiere from the 2019 Proms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVTyosdc2Uc

[SymphonicAddict]

Lutoslawski Symphony no. 2 (Salonen)

Apparently this was the piece that solidified Lut's position as musical maverick. I found myself putting my work away and cranking the headphones while listening, really like this piece!

Yes, amazing work and performance. His 1st symphony is another cracker.

[SymphonicAddict]

Martinu - Duo No. 1 for violin and viola 'Madrigals': The more I listen to this gem, the more I get marveled. I can't find any boring part here, it's endlessly engaging and delightful. Witty is a very apt word for this music.




Xenakis - String quartets: Four powerfully impressive works. There was no waste with any of them. I find this music both stimulating and distressing at the same time, but I definitely like it. There were parts that sounded like Bartók on steroids.




Atterberg - Double concerto for violin, cello and orchestra: It's more eloquent, lyrical, expressive than virtuosic. It has a rather serene nature. I found it pretty lovely.

[Karl Henning]

Koechlin
Les heures persanes
Stott

[SimonNZ]

followed by:



and now:

[Kontrapunctus]

OK, this might not rival Bach's Art of Fugue for complexity, but it's enjoyable, well played, and wonderfully recorded.

[Tsaraslondon]

Montsaltvatge's Concierto breve sandwiched between two different arrangements of Albéniz's Rapsodia Española.

[Harry]

Music in Europe in the time of the Renaissance, compiled by Jerome Lejeune.

Disc V.

Flanders & Netherlands: Secular Vocal Works, and instrumental works.
Spain: Secular and Sacred Vocal Works, and instrumental works.

Composers: Flanders & Netherlands.
Alexander Agricola, Josquin Desprez, Benedictus Appenzeller, Andreas Pevernage, Gery de Chersem, Tielman Susato, Emanuel Adriaenssen, Sweelinck.

Spain:
Juan del Encina, Juan Vasquez, Marco Flecha, Alonso Mudarra, Matheo Romero, Antonio de Cabezón, Diego Ortiz, Francisco Correa de Arauxo.

A host of performers, all specialist in their field.

Again a enjoyable journey as in all the previous discs. There is really nothing to fault in recording and performance. As usual I am not a great fan of countertenors, but I must accept that they are everywhere in the Renaissance. But little things that could be better. The end result is always excellent. I learned a lot of this journey.
Only one major snag in the projects of Jerome Lejeune, how well prepared it all is. There are no texts to the music, which is, considering the excellence of the book,  very odd. 

[Traverso]

Bach

[Traverso]

Martinu - Duo No. 1 for violin and viola 'Madrigals': The more I listen to this gem, the more I get marveled. I can't find any boring part here, it's endlessly engaging and delightful. Witty is a very apt word for this music.




Xenakis - String quartets: Four powerfully impressive works. There was no waste with any of them. I find this music both stimulating and distressing at the same time, but I definitely like it. There were parts that sounded like Bartók on steroids.




Atterberg - Double concerto for violin, cello and orchestra: It's more eloquent, lyrical, expressive than virtuosic. It has a rather serene nature. I found it pretty lovely.

Well,I think I have to look at these.

[Traverso]

followed by:



and now:

A fine collection I must say,the Monteverdi recording is one of the best.

[Harry]

Music in Europe at the time of the Renaissance. Compiled by Jerome Lejeune.

CD VI.

Spain: Sacred Music.
Germany: Secular vocal Works, and Sacred music.

One of the works that impressed me most was, de Victoria's "Missa pro defunctis ( Introites & Kyrie) performed by Collegium Vocale Gent, Philippe Herreweghe directing. Well balanced singing with a impressive gravitas. The Germany Secular vocal Works did not leave such an impression. Works by Isaac, Senfl, Lurkemann, and Utendal, were nice but not really my thing. Too jolly for me I am afraid. The Sacred music from Germany begins with an impressive organ piece by Heinrich Isaac, it's a praeludium (Improvisation in the style of Hofhaimer) played by Wim Diepenhorst on the Ebert organ 1556-61 in Innsbruck. Short but very expressive.
The following vocal compositions by Isaac, "Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christie", and  "Missa paschale" (Kyrie) interspersed with short organ pieces, performed by Cappella Pratensis, Rebecca Stewart conducting made me gasp in admiration. Again such poise and well balanced, with a deep spiritual expression.
I like what I hear, well most of it. It goes too far to get into detail, but this is a acquisition well worth the investment.

[Traverso]

Webern

   Passacaglia For Orchestra Op. 1    
   5 Movements Op. 5 - Version For String Orchestra    
   6 Pieces For Orchestra Op. 6    
   J. S. Bach: Fuga (Ricercata) A 6 Voci - From "The Musical Offering"    
     Sehr Mäßig    
   Franz Schubert: German Dances Op. Post. D 820    
   Im Sommerwind - Idyll For Large Orchestra    
 
Berliner Philharmoniker



Pierre Boulez

[Harry]

Music in Europe at the time of the Renaissance. Compiled by Jerome Lejeune.
CD VII.

Germany: Instrumental music.
England: Secular vocal and instrumental music

This CD is interesting for me, lots of English music. Not too keen on the tracks with Alfred Deller and his gang, but it is not to be avoided. People still think highly of these pioneers. But the CD starts with an organ piece by Simon Lohet, "Nun welche Hoffnung". Bernard Foccroulle plays on a anonymous 17th century instrument situated in Thorembais les Beguines, Eglise St. Martin. Liked that very much. A ricercar played by Leon Berben on a Franciscus Paravinus harpsichord (1561) is a real joy. It's a piece by Hans Leo Hassler. Superb. The contributions by La Bande de Violons du Ricercar Consort and the Flanders Recorder Quartet made me sit up too, in works by Praetorius and Schein.
As to the English section, there is much to enjoy!
Vox Luminis, directed by Lionel Meunier, kicks it off with 3 pieces, one by Robert Fayrfax and two by the cultural barbarian Henry VIII. Good performances, quite charming songs! Who could not be moved by "Ah Robin" by Fairfax?
I tried the Dellers, I really did, but it lasted for me only 30 seconds, which must be a record. Not for me I am afraid.
James Bowman, an old fav with me is a bit under the water with William Byrd's "O, death, rock me asleep". He clearly has issues with his voice, for his well rounded and clean pronunciation of old and falthering steadiness of voice is obvious. No such problem with Susan Hamilton, when she sings: "When Daphne from fair Phoebus did Fly"or "Fortune my foe" (Anonymous) A voice as clear as a bell.
From there on it's clear sailing with fine instrumental music from England, all gracefully done.

[Madiel]

Holmboe, Sinfonia II

[Cato]

Over 800 "Guests" online here: this is the 4th time I have tried this!   

Avenir de Monfred was a 20th-century Russian-French composer, who created a theory of composition called The New Diatonic Modal, which he hoped would become a counterbalance to the New Vienna School.

https://www.youtube.com/v/JyOcvl54NXQ

[Traverso]

Boulez

Eclat/Multiples
Domaines clarinette solo
Domaines clarinette et groupes instrumentaux
Improvisé - pour Dr Kalmus