What are you listening to now?

[Sergeant Rock]

Nielsen Symphony No.6 "Sinfonia Semplice" ...Kuchar conducting the Janacek Phil




Sarge

[listener]

a collection of organ music played on 7 different organs in Newburyport, Mass.
Several sets of variations to show off the different stops, IVES "America", WESLEY "God Save the King", WHITE: "Yankee Doodle", ZUNDEL: "Home, Sweet Home", BUCK: "The Star Spangled Banner", RUHL: "Ein Schifflein sah ich fahren", SHEARING: "Amazing Grace"
Marian Ruhl Metson, organist
pictures and stoplists come with this well-conceived program.

[Sergeant Rock]

One of my favorite symphonies in one of my favorite performances.

One of my favorites too: Haitink, Sanderling, Kondrashin, Rozhdestvensky.

Sarge

[The new erato]

One of my favorites too: Haitink, Sanderling, Kondrashin, Rozhdestvensky.

Sarge

Don't know the Rozhdestvensky, but the other three are those I would list. I've had the Haitink since it was released on vinyl.

[Moonfish]

Haydn: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 24, 32 & 46             Sviatoslav Richter

[Sergeant Rock]

Don't know the Rozhdestvensky

Worth seeking out IMO. Here's what a Gramophone comparison of the 15th had to say:

"Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, recorded in 1983, has the advantage of the superior USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra. A nimble opening movement adds demented menace to the droll surface and the percussionists take full notice of Shostakovich's fastidious articulation markings — for example that bass drum player at 3'33", he's sparing no prisoners. As Shostakovich sets off a chain of irrational rhythms in the strings (eight quavers superimposed over sixes and quintuplets) Rozhdestvensky achieves an intriguing sensation of rhythmic snow-blindness where Mravinsky finds only mud. The wrong-side-of-the-mirror psychology of the second movement is probed forensically as the full throttle of the movement's huge climax section is contrasted brilliantly with the microscopic, disjointed string gestures of only a few pages previously. The divisi string passage and celesta/vibraphone dialogue is heralded by a woodblock that ticks ominously. Rozhdestvensky's most problematic movement is the Scherzo. Perhaps he's attempting to capitalize on the already sardonic nature of the writing by crawling at a snail's pace (a slow scherzo — geddit?), but the music loses its idiomatic shape. The finale has that same magnificent structural inevitability that so commends the second movement. Rozhdestvensky's performance is as knowingly eccentric as it is wise."

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

Nielsen Symphony No.6 "Sinfonia Semplice" ...Kuchar conducting the Janacek Phil




Sarge

How is Kuchar's cycle, Sarge? I own it of course, but I haven't listened to any of it in years.

[Sergeant Rock]

How is Kuchar's cycle, Sarge? I own it of course, but I haven't listened to any of it in years.

One of the best I think despite having a second-string orchestra. I love the detail the recording engineers (and the conductor?) exposed.

Sarge

[ritter]

Listening to Bartók's The Wooden Prince. Antal Dorati conducts the London Symphony Orchestra. From this set bought today:

[asin]B00035VV78[/asin]

[Moonfish]

Bantock:
Pagan Symphony
Fifine at the Fair
Cuchullan's Lament
Kishmul's Galley

Royal PO/Handley

Bantock's music is better than the last time I heard it!      Very dreamy and beautiful works. Perfect for these days of summer!

[Sergeant Rock]

Havergal Brian Symphony No.5 "Wine of Summer"




Sarge

[Mirror Image]

One of the best I think despite having a second-string orchestra. I love the detail the recording engineers (and the conductor?) exposed.

Sarge

Thanks for the feedback, Sarge. What do you think of Rozhdestvensky's cycle? This is another one I haven't heard in years.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

First (classical) music of the day :

[asin]B000002ZZ1[/asin]

[The new erato]

First real listen to this:

[asin]B000Q7ZKHU[/asin]

Pleasant stuff in a Dvorakian way. Just what I needed.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



The Espansiva yet again. I just can't help myself. It's really a fantastic work and this performance from Bernstein/Danish Royal Orchestra is revelatory.

[TheGSMoeller]

I think Thielemann truly finds the right tone and pacing for Parsifal. Very fine playing and singing. Biggest negative is the massive amount of stage noise that is audible, which is not an issue if you can see it live, but when just listening it's a little distracting, but the music and performance are so special and are placed in the foreground of this recoding.

[asin]B000EPFDP8[/asin]

[aligreto]

Handel: Fireworks & Water Music / Szell....

[The new erato]

I've started working my way yet again through Lawrence Powers extremely fine Hindemith viola series on Hyperion:

[asin]B0049BX080[/asin]

Some real gems here.

[Moonfish]

Sibelius: Svanevit (Swanwhite), Op. 54 (1908)

Delicious!

from

[Mirror Image]

Sibelius: Svanevit (Swanwhite), Op. 54 (1908)

Delicious!

from

Certainly is, Peter. Great work.

Now:



Listening to Der Schwanendreher. So damn good. A fine performance as well.