What are you listening to now?

[Mirror Image]

Out of spite (for Ken)?

Not really, I was just in the mood to hear the work.

Thanks!

I listened to the BIS one because I recognized the "abstract art" cover Schnittke cycle from your posts when I was looking on Spotify.

You're welcome, Nate! Do give those other works a listen.

[Mirror Image]

Maiden-Listen Mondays!

Britten
Phantasy Quartet, Op.2
Gareth Hulse, ob
Members of the Endellion String Quartet

I need to listen to more of Britten's chamber music, too, Karl. Let me know what you think of this work. Funny this work is Op. 2 as I love the Op. 1 which is Sinfonietta. Do you know this work? Surprisingly mature piece.

[Karl Henning]

The quartet is charming, and of an assurance belying the composer's youth.  I am sure I have heard the Sinfonietta, but it was a while ago;  time to give it another go!

[Mirror Image]

The quartet is charming, and of an assurance belying the composer's youth.  I am sure I have heard the Sinfonietta, but it was a while ago;  time to give it another go!

Wonderful! I'll have to listen to this Quartet. The Sinfonietta has a slow movement that just hypnotizes me.

[Mirror Image]

Now from the Boulez Complete Columbia mega set:





Listening to Ma mère l'oye. Incredible performance.

[torut]

Alvin Curran - Inner Cities (currently a bit over 1 1/2 hours in)

I'm finding this music very appropriate to my emotional state at the moment, whether as mirror or contrast. Really long, minimalist piano works seem to be becoming a weakness of mine.

Update: I listened right through to the end. Was not expecting that. (It's 2:30 AM.) Though the concluding 'blues' is very much on the slow/meditative side, I feel oddly energised by the experience. The music seems to have 'recharged' me somehow. Don't have anything more substantive to say.

Definitely recommended.
[asin]B000852G3G[/asin]

Very interesting. I am going to check it out.

I am listening to Delphine Dora these days, and got interested in Curran because a couple of his albums are recommended by her.

Currently listening to A Stream Of Consciousness. Containing minimalistic, impressionistic pieces, and even an abstract piece that almoust sounds like a work of the complexity.

https://delphinedora.bandcamp.com/album/a-stream-of-consciousness

[The new erato]

Fine disc of some underappreciated works!

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[Harry]

Fine disc of some underappreciated works!

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Hmmmm, that disc has been for ages on my list, I will have to look for the right price.....

[André]

Closing the box with disc 14 of the Chapuis JS Bach integral set of the organ works.

Eduard Franck: Symphony op. 47. No relationship with Cesar. The Saarbrückne Orchestra is conducted by one felllow named Frank (!).

Almost closing the box of Puccini operas with Tebaldi. Right now: Turandot, with Tebaldi as Liu, Del Monaco (Calaf) and Inge Borkh (title role). Excellent recording, very good playing and competent conducting. The singing is quite magnificent, right down to the uncredited Prince of Persia. What an opera !!!

[PaulR]

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First listen to this.

[SonicMan46]

Couple of new arrivals today:

Kuhlau, Friedrich (1786-1832) - Flute Quintets w/ Ginevra Petrucci & the Kodály Quartet - despite the cover art showing a period wooden flute, Petrucci plays a modern instrument; now these works were written in 1823 and Boehm was working toward the 'modern' flute and adding keys - see quote below (Source).  Although not a flautist, Kuhlau apparently wrote over 60 works for this instrument - these Quintets use 2 violas along w/ one violin & cello w/ the flute acting as the 'first violin' - delightful performances.

Weiss, Silvius (1686-1750) - Flute & Lute Sonatas w/ period instruments - have just a handful of Weiss discs w/ just lute - Dave

Theobald Boehm (1794-1881) was born in Munich. He was a talented goldsmith and skilled at the mechanical arts. An avid flute player, he also served as a Royal Bavarian Court Musician. His workshop was in his own home and he worked with a partner, Greve, to design and build his flutes. The Boehm flute is the accepted standard today and Boehm's discoveries were truly revolutionary. His key system was adapted to all other woodwind instruments as well.

 

[EigenUser]

Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians.

As usual, I didn't expect to actually finish the whole piece, as much as I love it. But, I did. It is very tiring to listen to due to its repetitive nature and time commitment. It is like agreeing to be put in a trance for over an hour.
[asin]B009ZYAFQ6[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians.

As usual, I didn't expect to actually finish the whole piece, as much as I love it. But, I did. It is very tiring to listen to due to its repetitive nature and time commitment. It is like agreeing to be put in a trance for over an hour.
[asin]B009ZYAFQ6[/asin]

Yeah, I used to enjoy this work, but I'm becoming less and less impressed with Reich's music as the months press on.

[Moonfish]

Couple of new arrivals today:


Weiss, Silvius (1686-1750) - Flute & Lute Sonatas w/ period instruments - have just a handful of Weiss discs w/ just lute - Dave
 

Dave,
I am a great fan of SL Weiss, but I have never heard the flute/lute cd you listed in your post. How is it? I am not familiar at all with D'Agosto....

[Moonfish]

Holst: The Planets      Boston SO/Ozawa

Great piece (of course), but I was a bit disappointed with the performance. It did not seem to hold together very well.

[asin] B0009N2VDM[/asin]


Elgar: Symphony No 1         London PO/Boult

Elgar's 1 always hooks me with its melancholic theme and complexity.  So far I keep replaying Boult's performance every time I want to hear E1.

from
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[Moonfish]

Haydn: String Quartets  Nos 20.2 & 20.4        Quartetto Esterházy

I simply adore this performance of part of Haydn's Op 20 and wish that Quartetto Esterházy had recorded many more of Haydn's SQs. Is there even anything else accessible from this ensemble in terms of Haydn?  This is now my most favored Haydn recording!

[asin] B0000029VW[/asin]

from
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[jfdrex]

Holst: The Planets      Boston SO/Ozawa

Great piece (of course), but I was a bit disappointed with the performance. It did not seem to hold together very well.

[asin] B0009N2VDM[/asin]

You were expecting to hear a stunning performance under the baton of Ozawa?

For an out-of-this-world performance, try the Bostonians in their pre-Ozawa incarnation:

[asin]B000056TKD[/asin]

[Moonfish]

You were expecting to hear a stunning performance under the baton of Ozawa?

For an out-of-this-world performance, try the Bostonians in their pre-Ozawa incarnation:

[asin]B000056TKD[/asin]

Ozawa is indeed a mixed bag, so I generally do not expect anything as I listen to his recordings. I am still very interested in his legacy in one of my many listening projects (a bit curious about the Mahler cycle atm).  Did Ozawa maul the Boston SO when he took over?
I haven't  heard the Steinberg recording (so many "Planets" out there). Thanks for the recommendation jfdrex!   

[SonicMan46]

Dave,
I am a great fan of SL Weiss, but I have never heard the flute/lute cd you listed in your post. How is it? I am not familiar at all with D'Agosto....

Hi Moonfish - I enjoy my Weiss solo lute recordings, so took a chance (actually ordered the 15 CD Vol. 5 Bach Cantata set w/ Suzuki from MDT 'across the pond' for me, so had to add some additional discs just to justify the shipping - SO, put on a bunch of Brilliant offerings).  Well, I did a first listening today and was not that thrilled - some of the music had to be reconstructed, likely an issue, and the playing at times is rather lethargic - I'll need to listen a few more times, but would suggest that if you can, listen to some online examples before purchasing - I plan to add some more solo recordings of Weiss to my collection, though.  Dave

[Wakefield]

Haydn: String Quartets  Nos 20.2 & 20.4        Quartetto Esterházy

I simply adore this performance of part of Haydn's Op 20 and wish that Quartetto Esterházy had recorded many more of Haydn's SQs. Is there even anything else accessible from this ensemble in terms of Haydn?  This is now my most favored Haydn recording!

[asin] B0000029VW[/asin]

from
[asin] B00KXJD58M[/asin]

It's an old favorite of mine, too. Actually, 15 years the Quartetto Esterhazy was the first string quartet playing period instruments that I heard performing a Haydn's quartet and was a total revelation. Sadly, as you say, they didn't record more Haydn, but recorded these two sets (maybe of your interest):

[asin]B000000SON[/asin]
(my copy has a different cover, the ugly usual Elatus cover)


http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Haydn-Quartets-387-421/dp/B00000E4VW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1419907704&sr=8-4&keywords=esterhazy+quartet

Both of them are excellent, I suspect you would especially love the latter, an excellent  3-CD set.