What are you listening to now?

[North Star]

That one might be my favorite, Karlo.

Recording, symphony (out of the cycle) or both, Karl? It's certainly great, the recording and the piece itself, of course. I'm not sure I want to place one of Shosty's cycle ahead of all the others, though.

Hmm, I still need to swallow my red Shostakovich pill. I have had Jansons' set for a while, but for some reason I tend to always avoid Shostakovich sessions.      I know that many here at GMG are great fans, so I guess I should read the S thread. How do the Jansons performances compare with Barshai's?

You already have the Jansons, so go with it (the Jansons). Karl doesn't care for the Barshai (ensemble issues IIRC, I don't know the recordings myself), but MI John likes it more than the Jansons.

[Karl Henning]

Hmm, I still need to swallow my red Shostakovich pill. I have had Jansons' set for a while, but for some reason I tend to always avoid Shostakovich sessions.      I know that many here at GMG are great fans, so I guess I should read the S thread. How do the Jansons performances compare with Barshai's?

In general, I prefer J. to B..  I suggest the Eighth, Tenth & Fifteenth as initial points of comparison.

[lisa needs braces]

[Karl Henning]

Recording, symphony (out of the cycle) or both, Karl?

Perhaps my favorite recording of the Tenth, Karlo (you're right, I was unclear) 

[ritter]

We should all have an opera day!!!!   Hmm, perhaps we should run a thread called "The Opera of the Week" where we collectively tackle the morsels of the operatic realm?   

Seconded! 

[North Star]

That Elmira theme always sounds to me like it's a reference to Proky's Alexander Nevsky.

[DavidRoss]

What do you think of this? I had it on my wishlist for ages, but never got it for some reason. Then one day I ended up getting a box with the Dvorak concerto and I really enjoyed the piece (in the Steinberg Icon box). I wondered then if I should get a more modern version in modern sound.

Hi, Neal!

For a big, brawny, sprawling, Romantic violin concerto, it's a bit spare. My go to for quite some time has been Fischer/Budapest/Suwanai. 


However, Sarge's recommendation (salt seldom required, except perhaps in connection with a certain wolf-loving pianist) combined with my own admiration for Ms Mutter's exquisite romantic sensibilty, Honeck's impressive Mahler, and the BP's reliable virtuosity, sent me scurrying to Spotify posthaste.

What a dazzling partnership!

Less than halfway through the first movement I added the disc to my shopping cart.

[Wakefield]

Musique a Versailles: Marais, D'Anglebert, A. Forqueray       S. Kuijken/ W. Kuijken/Leonhardt

A peaceful day in Versailles......

Oh, yes, but not just that: also one of the greatest single disks built on this repertoire.

[Moonfish]

Oh, yes, but not just that: also one of the greatest single disks built on this repertoire.

Ah, but lots of competition, don't you think?  The ensemble did a fantastic performance in the Marais piece!    (but I am also a Marais maniac  )

[Wakefield]

Ah, but lots of competition, don't you think?  The ensemble did a fantastic performance in the Marais piece!    (but I am also a Marais maniac  )

Who knows, it's maybe right... but I don't worry about different versions if I discover some disk which I judge perfect and this one is just perfect.

In other words, when I find (what I consider) a perfect version, there is no room in my mind for comparative thoughts. Of course, I know other people react other way.   

[SonicMan46]

Well, I've spent the day & early evening going through the box below - varied & excellent performances - highly recommended to fans of the Red Priest - Dave

New arrival today from the Amazon MP:

Vivaldi, Antonio - Concertos 2 - 6 CD Naive box - now listening to the Flute & next the Oboe Concertos - Dave

 

[Wakefield]

Beethoven: Irish & Scottish Songs
Sophie Daneman, soprano; Paul Agnew, tenor; Peter Harvey, baritone; Jerome Hantai, pianoforte; Alessandro Moccia, violin; Alix Verzier, cello.
Astrée, recorded June 2001.

sin]B00005RCZ0[/asin]

Delightful. 

[EigenUser]

Currently, listening to Messiaen's Des Canyons aux Etoiles. And I am just listening (other than taking time to type this). I really, really like this piece. Is anyone else here a fan of it? I suppose it is "difficult" Messiaen.

[Moonfish]

Marais: Pieces en Trio        Ricercar Consort/Pierlot

Had to get a larger dose of Marais after the Versailles recording....

[asin] B003PN5UFY[/asin]

[Todd]

[SonicMan46]

Ah, that does sound very tempting Dave!  The Naive series seems endless, but these compilations are attractive. Are you enjoying the Flute Concertos?

Hi Peter - well, I've bought into both the Naive 'Concerto' boxes and enjoy all 12 CDs!  I'm a 'nut' for Baroque woodwinds - on the flute recording,  Bathold Kuijken uses a reproduction flute by Rudolph Tutz (Innsbruck, 2000) after I.H. Rottenburgh, Brussels ca. 1735 - tried to find a pic on the web of Kuijken w/ that flute but no luck - below is Tutz in his workshop playing a flute - Dave

[André]

Maxwell Davies: Symphony no 2. Plus the tone poem (?) St-Thomas Wake.

Cherubini: Requiem in c minor. Toscanini, NBC Symphony and Chorus. The sound is surprisingly good.

[Wakefield]

Marais: Pieces en Trio        Ricercar Consort/Pierlot

Had to get a larger dose of Marais after the Versailles recording....

[asin] B003PN5UFY[/asin]

I decided to listen to this one:

[asin]B000GLKRVU[/asin]

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Currently, listening to Messiaen's Des Canyons aux Etoiles. And I am just listening (other than taking time to type this). I really, really like this piece. Is anyone else here a fan of it? I suppose it is "difficult" Messiaen.

I have the Esa-Pekka Salonen recording with Paul Crossley and enjoy it very much, though it is not my fave Messiaen.  Would like to hear the Yvonne Loriod performance, of course.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Seconded! 

Thirded!