What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

http://www.youtube.com/v/q488mlvhm1Q

[Que]

Listening:

[asin]B017VSJWIE[/asin]
Though they are included in the big complete Locatelli boxset as integrated movements of the violin concertos, I decided to get this 2CD set with the separate Capricci. Wise decision...

Tremendous stuff - maestro Paganini, eat your heart out! 

Q

[Karl Henning]

https://soundcloud.com/klangfarben-1/wither-the-zither

[Mookalafalas]

This from the "Art of Gustav Leonhardt box" (AKA, Legend of Gustav Leonhardt)

[cilgwyn]

The Ohio Light Opera 'complete' recording of Lionel Monckton(1861-1924) & Howard Talbot's The Arcadians (1909). I remember getting rid of this set because of the uneven casting. I decided instead,to make do with the 1960's emi excerpts,which are better sung! Or are they?! Well,yes,but problem! Where is the fun of the piece? Whatever the failings of this recording (many!) it does,at least,capture some of the gaiety and humour of the piece. Also,the women,as in some of the other sets,in these unevenly cast series of recordings are actually very good! For example,cast member,Amy Warchol's lovely rendition of "Erins a spot" ("the dear little girl with a bit of a brogue"). A lovely creamy sound to her voice,and I always think is such a lovely song. I love the way the men join in with the chorus,too! The Arcadians has been described,very well,as operetta meets the (Edwardian) music hall. A very apt description. This is what marks it out from all the other post Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. One minute it's G & S style warbling,then it's like Marie Lloyd,or Burlington Bertie gatecrashed the proceedings!! (Think,Good old Days,with Leonard Sachs and Edwardian gents with Cocker-nee accents! You even get a cockney number "All down Picadilly",performed here,with probably the worst cockney accent since Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins (worse?!!)! So bad it is entertaining! But the rum-ti-tum music hall style chorus is genuinely rousing. You can almost visualise the audience joining in! For my money,the best of all the post G & S operettas (or musical?) The tunes are just great,and it has none of that fey quality that detracts from Edward German's,admittedly,rather charming efforts. There is an earthy,slighly raucous originality here which really does mark it out from the crowd. Sadly,the perfect recording has never been made. And maybe,now,it never will? I prefer some dialogue too;because the plot,is rather fun (Jim's plane crashes in Arcadia.Jim is transformed into shepherd,Simplicitas. Accompanied by two nymphs,returns to London,to preach Arcadian values of truth & simplicity. Londoners prefer romance,horse racing and,fashionable,restaurants!!)

In a perfect world someone would have uploaded a really top-notch off-air BBC radio recording from auntie's glory years. Unfortunately,while it does seem to have been recorded (possibly twice?!) by the BBC in,the seventies,I think (?) and maybe,once again,as excerpts (?) no off air recording seems to be in circulation (not even on Youtube! ) so I'm just happy to have this recording. Although,according,to one (rather)unhappy Amazon 'critic',there are some cuts!! Still,it all sounds pretty enjoyable,to me (easily,pleased?!). I think I will keep it this time?!!

     

[Traverso]

Messiaen



Messiaen: Les Offrandes oubliées (1930)

    Chorus & SWR SO Baden-Baden
    Sylvain Cambreling

Messiaen: L'Ascension (Quatre meditations pour l'orchestre)

    Chorus & SWR SO Baden-Baden
    Sylvain Cambreling

Messiaen: Poèmes pour Mi, books 1 & 2 (complete)

    Chorus & SWR SO Baden-Baden
    Sylvain Cambreling
    Yvonne Naef (mezzo-soprano)

]

[Madiel]

Dabbling in Brahms orchestral-vocal works:

1. Alto Rhapsody, op.53 (Abbado)
2. Schicksalslied, op.54 (Gardiner)
3. Triumphlied, op.55 (Sinopoli)

[Judith]

Glazunov was blotto when he conducted it, an indication that he did not much relish the task.  The combination of artistic disaffection, and intoxication, pretty much sabotaged the premiere.

Maybe if it was a different orchestra, conductor, would have been performed and reviewed differently.

[marvinbrown]

  If there can only be one master of the "keyboard" it would this man......

  Currently playing CD1  BWV 540, BWV 550, BWV 548, BWV 531, BWV 549, BWV 532 and the famous or rather "infamous" BWV 565:

  [asin]B0000041KD[/asin]

  marvin

[Marc]

  If there can only be one master of the "keyboard" it would this man......

  Currently playing CD1  BWV 540, BWV 550, BWV 548, BWV 531, BWV 549, BWV 532 and the famous or rather "infamous" BWV 565:

  [asin]B0000041KD[/asin]

  marvin

If only he would have picked better suited organs... but that's just my tuppence worth.
Enjoy the disc(s)!

[Karl Henning]

Maybe if it was a different orchestra, conductor, would have been performed and reviewed differently.

Indeed!

[Harry]

If only he would have picked better suited organs... but that's just my tuppence worth.
Enjoy the disc(s)!

Agreed!

[Mookalafalas]

Local shop owner raved about this. I bought it, almost just to be polite. Damn! It's great.
Piano is terrific, but quartet for final tracks is almost transcendent...

[asin]B06XC2YY9C[/asin]

Apparently not even available from US Amazon. Too bad for you guys...

[Karl Henning]

Local shop owner raved about this. I bought it, almost just to be polite. Damn! It's great.
Piano is terrific, but quartet for final tracks is almost transcendent...

[asin]B06XC2YY9C[/asin]

Apparently not even available from US Amazon. Too bad for you guys...

I rejoice for thee!

[Que]

[asin]B00GH1X14I[/asin]

Q

[Karl Henning]

Anonymous
Missa Sancta Maria
fr. The Leiden Choirbooks Vol. I

The Agnus Dei of this Mass is exquisite!  There is a reason why it is the final track of the double-CD

Thread Duty:

Chopin
Scherzo № 1 in b minor, Op.20 (B.65)
Ashkenazy

[Karl Henning]

Chopin
Nocturne in b^b minor, Op.9 № 1 (B.54/1)
Arrau

[Karl Henning]

Chopin
Nocturne in g minor, Op.37 № 1 (B.119)
Arrau

[Karl Henning]

Chopin
Mazurkas, Op.24 (B.89)
Andrzej Wasowski

[Mandryka]

If only he would have picked better suited organs... but that's just my tuppence worth.
Enjoy the disc(s)!

I listened to this passacaglia the other week and I thought it was very good. It was when we were talking about one of Koopman's speedy ones. I don't know how it compares to the one in the big box. I must say the organ he uses here in Toronto seems pretty good to me.

https://youtube.com/v/RJ2Hfdawf5Y

There's something a bit neat and tidy about what he does, he's a gentleman, a British gentleman, with gentlemanly swagger, the organ equivalent of Steed in The Avengers, I don't know if it's a strength or a weakness or both or neither.