What are you listening to now?

[Zeus]

Worked my way through this set:

A Baroque Feast
Tafelmusik / Alalekta

Builds character, I guess.

Character which I need to get through this disc:

Purcell: Fantazias & In Nomines
Sit Fast

[André]

Max Reger: piano variations op. 81 and 134 (Bach and Telemann). Powerful, inventive and not a second too long (I was afraid I'd be bored, but no).

[Mirror Image]

More of Boulez's later Bartok on DG:



Listening to the Viola Concerto. Quite good, but not top-drawer Bartok.

[TheGSMoeller]

Skrowaczewski's Fifth.  This performance has the strengths of Gielen - clarity and structural cohesion - and adds more devotional impact to the mix.  This is my clear favorite of the recent three versions I've heard, and ranks with the best.  Hell, it might be the best.  I think I may have to explore the Fifth a bit more after I'm done with Barenboim's latest cycle.

This is a special 5th for me. Skrowaczewski reveals details in the score that I was unaware of from previous recordings. An interesting side note, near the beginning of the finale's coda (at 22:18 to be exact) the two Horns that play in unison take their part an octave higher. My other dozen or so recordings of the 5th I don't hear that change, I'd like to think it was Skrowaczewski that made that tweak.

[Mirror Image]

Now Berg's VC from this masterful recording:

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Quite a lot of music on this.........will be listening for a while I think

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Listening to Sud

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Variations for Orchestra, Op. 31. I'd love for someone to do an analysis of this work on YouTube. It's quite complex, but, as with so much of Schoenberg's music, it's not inaccessible and can very much be enjoyed without any kind of musical training whatsoever.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Orchestral Set No. 2 and then off to bed. This Sinclair performance offers a nice contrast to the MTT/Concertgebouw (my favorite performance of this particular work).

[Madiel]

Now streaming Tubin's Balalaika Concerto.

[asin]B000027EPG[/asin]
Frankly I don't know what to make of it.

[Que]

Morning listening is volume V of the Leiden Choirbooks:

[asin]B00KBEXZ52[/asin]

[asin]B00YJKUZ1Q[/asin]

Surely they can't keep this up .....
By Stephen Midgley

..... or can they? Renaissance enthusiasts who have already been following this fabulous series will no doubt have high expectations, as I did, for this recording of the fifth Choirbook in the set of six. Well, fear not, for there's not the slightest chance that you'll be disappointed. "The diversity of works in Choirbook E is so great", states booklet-essay writer Eric Jas, "that, if we are to do justice to the rich variety of the collection, it is practically impossible to compose a coherent programme from its contents". Well, maybe so, but they've done it anyway because this is an absolutely beautiful programme, varied in mood, pace and texture and full of lovely things, almost none of them ever heard before on disc.

This two-CD selection from the fifth rediscovered Leiden Choirbook consists of around eighteen items - ranging in time from around 1480 to 1570 - including motets, settings of more substantial works such as Salve regina and Magnificat, and a splendid Mass [...]

Q

PS The entire set of 6 volumes of 2 discs each is currently available at Italian Amazon for €48,63, which is the best price I've ever seen....

https://www.amazon.it/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00YJKUZ1Q/?tag=goodmusicguideco

[The new erato]

Making headway with this superb (but sadly nondocumented) set. Disc 3, with symphonies 3&4:

[asin]B01B17C4TK[/asin]

Superb playing, glorious recorded sound!

[Mandryka]

Outstanding recital of Neapolitan music here by Margret Koll, focusing on the Spanish influence. I'd noticed before in Veronique Musson-Gonneaud's CD how well Cabezon sounds on harp, better than on keyboard IMO, and that's conformed here. It's something to do with the colours and the gentleness, the refinement, of the instrument.

There are some impressive large toccatas by Mayone and Trabaci - I was more impressed by the Mayone here than on any other recital I've heard, but that could be just me - I'll revisit Chritopher Stembridge's Mayone soon.

There's a lovely piece by a composer I can't remember coming across before called Francesco Lombardo.

[king ubu]

Last night the "Watts Recital" (amongst other things with Haydn's Hob. XVI:52, which I pretty much enjoyed) and then the Chopin disc (with Sonata No. 2). Four discs in - all solo ones - I don't think Watts is the most distinguished and distinctive pianist I've heard by a measure, but there's nothing wrong about any of what I heard, either. Looking forward to exploring the discs dedicated to Liszt and Schubert next, and then dipping into some of the concertos (looking forward most to Brahms 2 with Bernstein there).



Now finishing my first, slow run through the Haydn box by Ekaterina Derzhavina - consider me a fan! She plays these pieces in such a fitting style and with such a modest "music first" attitude, I really love the results! I guess you could say she uses the steady sound of the modern instrument, but she never overdoes it, rarely makes the piano roar, and if so only for those few moments when, were it played on a fortepiano, you'd be afraid the instrument would fall apart any moment now.

[Turner]

Gubaidulina: Concertos for Percussion & Violin, No.2 / BIS

Well played, good sound. The Percussion work is, perhaps, less captivating, though I might revise my opinion later.

[Autumn Leaves]

Today's listening:



Continuing with various works by Stravinsky - Too lazy to list them all so here's what's included in the box (click to enlarge):



Petrouchka currently playing (2 versions of this work in the box - listening to the earlier account which is in Mono).

[Spineur]

Also listening to some Haydn keyboard works, waiting for Francesco Corti Harpsicord CD to show up

Right now CD 1 from Brendel 4 CD box

[asin]B001JJX7ME[/asin]

[aligreto]

Philip Martin: Beato Angelico [de Roo]....





This short work was inspired by a visit by the composer to see some Fra Angelico paintings in Italy.

[aligreto]

I got this cycle recently! Didn't have a Bruckner complete set before. Plan to report on it when it arrives.

I, for one, look forward to that 

[Autumn Leaves]

Now playing:



Symphony #16 (Aviation Symphony)
Symphony #18