What are you listening to now?

[Mookalafalas]

Gliere was, of course, a much loved Soviet composer and wrote rather old-fashioned music that appeased Stalin and the Soviet music committee. This was 'music for the people'. Another composer that wrote in this manner was Kabalevsky, but I think he could, on occasion, dig much deeper than Gliere. Anyway, this isn't to say it's bad music, it's just not something I personally jump up and down about.

  Happily, it has improved dramatically. It turns out the first track is called "Wandering Pilgrims" and last over 23 minutes.  No doubt the theme has much to do with the frustrating sense of stasis.  The second track is also over 20 minutes long, and about half way through starts to come to life. 3 and 4 are filled with sustained drama.  Perhaps the whole beginning really is just a sustained prelude. As the whole disc (and symphony) is just over 80 minutes long, perhaps an exaggeratedly long intro is not unreasonable.   I am becoming a fan.   

[amw]

Nobody told me the blind listening game was over.

Hmm.

I haven't listened to the 6th since the last one I commented on in detail (a week ago, maybe?). I remember queueing up Nagano and Chailly at one point and not being able to tell them apart in any meaningful sense. Maybe I just have a lower tolerance for repetition.

(*cough*check out DRD and Rozhd*cough*)

[Moonfish]

Verdi: Rigoletto   Fischer-Dieskau/Scotto/Bergonzi/Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala/Kubelik

Excellent recording. Definitely in my top tier. 

[asin] B0000012V4[/asin]

[RebLem]

OK, so here's what I've been listening to in the last few days.

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, S. 988 (76;44)--Jacqueline Ogeil, harpsichord--ABC (Australian Broadcasting Co) Discovery label, rec. date unknown  P 2004  C 2009.

Ogeil is a very fine Australian harpsichordist and conductor whose work has appeared on a number of Australian labels, including ABC and Tall Poppies.  This is a CD I have had for quite a while, but I listened to it again in the car yesterday as I went about a number of errands.  I love this record.  She is, perhaps, a bit too metronomic, but that does not mean she has no sensitivity to the role that phrasing plays in music.  This is a fine recording, well worth getting.

CD 3 of the  4 CD deutsche harmonia mundi set of Haydn's London Symphonies performed by Le Petite Bande conducted by Sigiswald Kuijken.   Sym. 96 in D Major "The Miracle"  (22:05)  |   Sym. 97 in C Major (26:55)  |   Sym. 98 in B Flat Major (27:41).  Rec. 29 JAN-2 FEB 1993. 

As with the previous CDs in this set, these are easily the finest performances of these works I have ever heard.  Not much more to say after that.

CD 9 in the 10 CD harmonia mundi set of the Beethoven piano sonatas performed by Paul Lewis.    Sonata 15 in D Major, Op. 28 "Pastorale"  (26:22)   |   Sonata 19 in G Minor, Op. 49/1 (8:31)   |   Sonata 20 in G Major, Op. 49/2 (8:36)   |   Sonata 25 in E Flat Major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux" (17:01).  Rec. 2006-7.

These are fine performances by a young British pianist, well up to the standard of all but the very best.

Mahler: Sym. 1 in D Major "Titan" (57:59)--Manfred Honeck, cond., Pittsburgh Sym. Orch.--Exton Hybrid SACD.  Rec. live 26-28 SEP 2008, Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh. 

A magnificent performance superbly recorded.

CD 1 of an 11 CD Sony set entitled "Boulez conducts Schoenberg."  This CD consists of  performances of 3 works by the Ensemble Intercontemperain, and recorded @ Ircam, Centre Pompidou, Paris.    Suite for 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano, Op. 29 (29:25), rec. 14 JUNE 1982   |   Verklarte Nacht--Sextet for violins, violas, and cellos in pairs (29:16), rec. 6 NOV 1983   |   Three Pieces for Chamber Orchestra (2:15), rec. 15 DEC 1979.

The Verklarte Nacht is the centerpiece here, both literally and artistically.  This work in other hands sounds severe and forbiding, but here, it is so lushly sensual and liltingly beautiful, I felt I was committing a sin by enjoying it so much!  Whether it is because of Boulez's conducting or the instrumentation of this original version that is responsible for this, I as yet know not, but I may find out in a few days as the 1943 string orchestra revision is on CD 3 of the set. 

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all !

Mozart - Symphonies 16/17/18/19/26 (Pinnock / English Concert).

[Harry]

Good morning all that are awake!
Nothing better as starting the day with Bach Organ Works. (CPO edition)

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/11/bach-js-complete-organ-works-cd-21-22.html?spref=tw

[Papy Oli]

More from the Vivaldi/Hogwood boxset :

[asin]B00E57KC3E[/asin]

CD 8
LA CETRA 12 CONCERTOS, OP. 9
CONCERTO NO. 1 IN C MAJOR, RV 181A
CONCERTO NO. 2 IN A MAJOR, RV 345
CONCERTO NO. 4 IN E MAJOR, RV 263A
CONCERTO NO. 5 IN A MINOR, RV 358
CONCERTO NO. 6 IN A MAJOR, RV 348

[Karl Henning]

This is extraordinary: beautiful, haunting, and even thought-provoking. Thank you for this!

Many thanks!

[Karl Henning]

CD 1 of an 11 CD Sony set entitled "Boulez conducts Schoenberg."  This CD consists of  performances of 3 works by the Ensemble Intercontemperain, and recorded @ Ircam, Centre Pompidou, Paris.    Suite for 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano, Op. 29 (29:25), rec. 14 JUNE 1982   |   Verklarte Nacht--Sextet for violins, violas, and cellos in pairs (29:16), rec. 6 NOV 1983   |   Three Pieces for Chamber Orchestra (2:15), rec. 15 DEC 1979.

The Verklarte Nacht is the centerpiece here, both literally and artistically.  This work in other hands sounds severe and forbiding, but here, it is so lushly sensual and liltingly beautiful, I felt I was committing a sin by enjoying it so much!  Whether it is because of Boulez's conducting or the instrumentation of this original version that is responsible for this, I as yet know not, but I may find out in a few days as the 1943 string orchestra revision is on CD 3 of the set. 

That's a great set, firstly.  And secondly, I am especially keen on that original sextet version.  Good on ya!

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

It's Friday Favorites Day today!  First, Les Nuits; puis ensuite : Poulenc's Gloria.

[asin]B005GBIM8U[/asin]

[asin]B00ENZUULC[/asin]

[Sadko]

Verdi: Rigoletto   Fischer-Dieskau/Scotto/Bergonzi/Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala/Kubelik

Excellent recording. Definitely in my top tier. 

[asin] B0000012V4[/asin]

+1

[North Star]

http://www.youtube.com/v/OnLYQ748aEg

Time to give this another go. Some percussive accompaniment at around 1½ minutes   0:)

[Karl Henning]

Time to give this another go. Some percussive accompaniment at around 1½ minutes   0:)

It will be interesting to learn just how much of the ambient noise became part of the recording of the Atlanta performance!

[North Star]

It will be interesting to learn just how much of the ambient noise became part of the recording of the Atlanta performance!

That aeroplane / train close to 13 minutes, a camera shutter at 14 minutes. 

[Karl Henning]

Dallapiccola
Partita
BBC Phil
Noseda

[asin]B002VFCE7Y[/asin]

[ritter]

Hello, Karl! A bit of a coincidence...I was lisrtening to another 20th century Italian master some moments ago:



Bruno Maderna: Serenata No.2 for 11 instruments - Ex-Novo Ensemble, Andrea Molino (cond.)

[Karl Henning]

Cheers!  I need to listen to more Maderna (and . . . I just chimed in on the Malipiero thread)!   

[Ken B]

Hello, Karl! A bit of a coincidence...I was lisrtening to another 20th century Italian master some moments ago:



Bruno Maderna: Serenata No.2 for 11 instruments - Ex-Novo Ensemble, Andrea Molino (cond.)

This seems like a good choice for FLF. So I am listening on Spotify.

Update. Very Bartok.  Quotations too I think. Recommended for prime-numbered Dragons, Nate and Mirror Image.
Pre-serialism.

[Harry]

A composer totally unknown to most....apart from me

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/11/goossens-eugene-1893-1962-orchestral_21.html?spref=tw

[Karl Henning]

Happy Friday, mijn vriend!