What are you listening to now?

[André]

Right now:



Later tonight or maybe tomorrow I'll listen to this other version:



In 45 years of record collecting I've never had this work in my collection, although I know it from radio broadcasts. One of my friends figured I couldn't continue to live without it, so he gave me copies of these discs and awaits my ok to burn me 2 other ones  .

It's a typical Second Empire work. Composed in 1855, when Napoléon III launched great infrastructure works, inaugurated the Exposition universelle in Paris and battled the Russians in the Crimean War. IOW, the gallic rooster was crowing high and loud for all to hear.

The Messe solennelle is redolent of that context, an era of authoritarian rule coupled with surging national pride and huge economic activity (immense fortunes were built). Jansons' version consequently ends, not with the Agnus Dei, but with the Domine Salvam, a trio of short chest-thumping hymns: Prière de l'Église, Prière de l'Armée and Prière de la Nation.

Stylistically this is echt-Gounod, with all that entails. The rousing choruses of the Credo are cut from the same cloth as the Soldiers' Chorus from Faust (Gloire immortelle de nos aïeux). The incense-laden Sanctus is very well done, too. All told, a tuneful, dignified, tasteful, artfully crafted work. On to the Hartemann.

[Madiel]

Faure, La Chanson d'Eve

[asin]B000BJ7BMA[/asin]
I'm getting something out of this, but I really do need to find another version, because Jennifer Smith's voice on this recording (or on her contributions to this set in general) is not nice to listen to.*** There must surely be singers who do a better job.

***Members of the public seem to feel this way. Some of the professional reviews think she's good. What she undoubtedly does NOT sound like is a young singer, and I really don't think Eve should come across as getting on a bit.

Listening again, with the words and translation in front of me. And Smith's wobbly vocal tone can't quite distract from how superb Faure's music is, and the quality of van Lerberghe's poetry. Especially the first 2 and last 2 songs, and especially the epic opener Paradis. Haunting stuff.

But I'll still be hunting for a better vocal performance.

[North Star]

Listening again, with the words and translation in front of me. And Smith's wobbly vocal tone can't quite distract from how superb Faure's music is, and the quality of van Lerberghe's poetry. Especially the first 2 and last 2 songs, and especially the epic opener Paradis. Haunting stuff.

But I'll still be hunting for a better vocal performance.

Have you heard Upshaw's recording?
[asin]B0002JNR4U[/asin]

https://www.youtube.com/v/PssCjOK58a0



Thread-duty - another new arrival
Sospiri d'amanti - arias and concertos
Nuria Rial
Artemandoline
[asin]B00QXYWBG8[/asin]

[Madiel]

Have you heard Upshaw's recording?
[asin]B0002JNR4U[/asin]

https://www.youtube.com/v/PssCjOK58a0

So far I've only sampled briefly, but yes, that is one of the ones that sounded the most promising when I first went hunting the other night. Upshaw has the kind of tone that seems apt for a song cycle about the garden of Eden.

It's time to go to work now, but I'll be listening to the whole of that version later.

[SymphonicAddict]

[Kontrapunctus]

This new Matsuev/Gergiev recording is now my definitive version! White-hot playing and fantastic sound. (A 192khz/24 bit download--the SACD doesn't come out in the US until Feb.18.)

[Josquin13]

Today's listening--Ars Nova motets by Philippe de Vitry, excellently performed by the Orlando Consort:



Then, another favorite CD from the Orlando Consort, and one of my all-time favorite recordings of the motets of Josquin Desprez:

[San Antone]

Today's listening--Ars Nova motets by Philippe de Vitry, excellently performed by the Orlando Consort:



Then, another favorite CD from the Orlando Consort, and one of my all-time favorite recordings of the motets of Josquin Desprez:

The Orlando Consort is a reliable group in this repertory.  Have you listened to their on-going Machaut series being released on Hyperion?  There are four volumes so far.  The aim is to record his entire body of songs, etc.  I've enjoyed them.

[Todd]

Disc one.

[Pat B]

This new Matsuev/Gergiev recording is now my definitive version! White-hot playing and fantastic sound.

Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, or both?

[kishnevi]

Goldarnit &c.

Will it help if I say the Martinu is much more interesting and probably more essential than the Saint Saens?

Tonight's agenda

Beginning a traversal of Haitink's set with my least favorite RVW symphony


First encounter with this composer. Interesting, but I am not sure what I think of these quartets, so no comment for the moment.


Now, from the Menuhin Century box

The Andante of Op. 18 is probably my favorite ten minutes of Brahms.

[Mirror Image]

Merciless Beauty and Four Hymns:

[Spineur]

Michelangeli at the pinacle.  As if these Chopin Mazurkas were the only things left of the ruins of the world.

[asin]B00000E2VC[/asin]

[Que]

Morning listening - just in:



Q

[San Antone]

Bernat Vivancos – REQUIEM
Latvian Radio Choir
Sigvards Klava, conductor

[Mandryka]

Today's listening--Ars Nova motets by Philippe de Vitry, excellently performed by the Orlando Consort:

It's alright, that one, demanding in a good way, slow and nuanced. To be honest I rarely listen to it, I think I listen to Sequentia's CD more, so I was glad to see you mention it because it prompted me to dig it out.  I like Almifonis Melos very much and the soaring Firmissime Fide,  basically I like all the isorhythmic stuff and I appreciate the way Orlando relish the dissonances.

My favourite Orlando CD at the moment is called The Toledo Summit - later music than Ars Nova.

[Madiel]

Mozart: Piano Concerto No.6

[asin]B006XOBFB0[/asin]
Barber: Capricorn Concerto

[asin]B003VC51S0[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Will it help if I say the Martinu is much more interesting and probably more essential than the Saint Saens?

In confirming that the former is a necessity, yes 

I may pull the trigger on both tomorrow.  (Of course, I still have something of a backlog of Martinů recordings to catch up with.)

Thread Duty:  this here countercultural classic

http://www.youtube.com/v/kz4_lrpu_K8

[Harry]

New acquisition, first listen.
Delightful afternoon music.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2017/12/haydn-michael-1737-1806-complete-string.html?spref=tw

[North Star]

First-listen Thursday
Firminus Caron
composite mass, chansons
Huelgas Ensemble
[asin]B01B8PTGEQ[/asin]


Mozart
Flute Concertos K. 313 & K. 314
Andante K. 315
Barthold Kuijken
La Petite Bande
Sigiswald Kuijken
[asin]B00DNVIWKI[/asin]