What are you listening to now?

[Madiel]

These songs are sung by Shara Worden, also the lead singer of My Brightest Diamond. Her voice is stirring, and fits Lang's vision perfectly. She was featured on an album by The Decembrists as well, and I saw her in concert with them. she's a great performer.

I know her from another recording I think I've previously mentioned, Penelope

[asin]B0040Y7F50[/asin]

In fact it was while I was obsessed by Penelope that I came across mention of Death Speaks. I don't remember being immediately grabbed by it however. I couldn't tell you for sure how much of it I listened to.

[Madiel]

One of my favorite HvK recordings. His Verklarte Nacht is the best I've heard.

It's the one recording that I own, and it drives me nuts because it's orchestral. Hearing the original sextet version, live, was a revelation and has forever left the orchestral version in the dust.

[Wanderer]

Streaming:

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[The new erato]

It's the one recording that I own, and it drives me nuts because it's orchestral. Hearing the original sextet version, live, was a revelation and has forever left the orchestral version in the dust.

I have forever left the "bigger is better" school of thought.

[Karl Henning]

Streaming:

[asin]B000005X13[/asin]

Cool!

[Karl Henning]

It's the one recording that I own, and it drives me nuts because it's orchestral. Hearing the original sextet version, live, was a revelation and has forever left the orchestral version in the dust.

I am entirely in sympathy with preference for the sextet (I am exactly the same with Jn Adams's Shaker Loops—I just cannot bear to hear the "big band" version, for musical reasons. I understand that it is marketing, pure and simple; and Adams has long been all about the marketing.)

But the string orchestra version of the Schoenberg is a pleasure of its own.  I agree that HvK is (and in this, true to himself) much, much too whooshy.

[Madiel]

But the string orchestra version of the Schoenberg is a pleasure of its own.  I agree that HvK is (and in this, true to himself) much, much too whooshy.

Shrug. It's entirely possible that another performance of the orchestral version would be something I respond to. I just don't know if anyone will get the chance...

Pelleas and Melisande on the same album is, I seem to recall, something I liked better.

I've had a recording of the sextet on my shopping list for quite a while (sometime last year), I just haven't pulled the trigger yet. This year's shopping has been dictated by what I could find in a real-life physical store on two trips to Melbourne, partly because I found so much of what I wanted! The next time that I do some online purchasing, I expect to be purchasing the sextet.

[Drasko]

[Karl Henning]

Schoenberg
Verklärte Nacht, Op.4 (string orchestra version)
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

[Karl Henning]

Shrug. It's entirely possible that another performance of the orchestral version would be something I respond to. I just don't know if anyone will get the chance...

It won't surprise you that I find both Boulez and Craft much better in the Op.4 than HvK.

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, too, give a committed and thoroughly engaging performance.

[Mirror Image]

It's the one recording that I own, and it drives me nuts because it's orchestral. Hearing the original sextet version, live, was a revelation and has forever left the orchestral version in the dust.

I like both versions. It doesn't matter which version I hear because it's the music that I most care about.

[Mirror Image]

I am entirely in sympathy with preference for the sextet (I am exactly the same with Jn Adams's Shaker Loops—I just cannot bear to hear the "big band" version, for musical reasons. I understand that it is marketing, pure and simple; and Adams has long been all about the marketing.)

But the string orchestra version of the Schoenberg is a pleasure of its own.  I agree that HvK is (and in this, true to himself) much, much too whooshy.

[Raises quivering hand] Ummm...I actually like Adams' orchestration of his Shaker Loops.

Thread duty -



Listening Hungarian Sketches. A fun work expertly performed by Fischer/Budapest Festival Orchestra.

[Karl Henning]

[Raises quivering hand] Ummm...I actually like Adams' orchestration of his Shaker Loops.

YMMV of course 

[Mirror Image]

YMMV of course 

[Madiel]

I like both versions. It doesn't matter which version I hear because it's the music that I most care about.

There's a whole philosophical discussion to be had there about what "the music" consists of. I take a firmer view than many about the choice of instrument being part of it.

[Drasko]

[Madiel]

Proper thread duty: it's Haydn E flat symphony night here. No.99 earlier in the evening, and now enjoying No.103. Davis and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in both cases.

I seem to have a considerable fondness for Haydn symphonies in either E flat or B flat. Keys did of course mean a bit more in that era than they did later on, as for some instruments it significantly affected their use... and it created associations between certain keys and certain moods.

I'm half minded to explore whether the association holds with some other composers. There's also the possibility that I'm just responding to the particular set of London symphonies that I've owned for a lengthy time... maybe it's Davis that has a fondness for symphonies in E flat or B flat.

Or maybe I should just go back to watching Olympics. Or maybe it's time for bed.

[North Star]

Bach
Chaconne
Andrés Segovia (guitar)
https://www.youtube.com/v/zcGt9AFlIPY

[aligreto]

Brahms: German Requiem [Herreweghe] -





Herreweghe does choral music wonderfully as a rule and this is no exception. The choral singing is divine with a wonderful ethereal texture in the chorus. We also have wonderful, ominous sounding timpani and the brass section deserves special mention too. The pacing is just right, allowing the music to breathe and the emotion to exude. The beauty of this performance carries one along. A superb performance.

[aligreto]

Now:



Listening to the 3rd. Sometimes there's just nothing like some Late-Romantic lushness.

I have that one on my List. Nothing wrong with lush but is it lush mush? I have heard nothing of it yet.