What are you listening to now?

[Madiel]

A great CD. The Piano Trio in A major is not recorded that much, something I don't understand because the work is terrific.

But there's considerable doubt about whether it is by Brahms.

[Madiel]

Schoenberg, Suite for piano, op.25

[asin]B000001G8X[/asin]
Yeah, this is a bit better. More expressive. And I can hear the dance rhythms more clearly.

[Karl Henning]

Pollini's Schoenberg recordings are the ones for me, but do think that the solo works are rather mixed - they dont really push the instrument and seem more like compositional studies.

I agree that they don't push the instrument, but I don't think that's a demerit. 

[André]

From the EMI Icon box, these works, all performed with the Berlin Phil:



So far Keilberth's recorded legacy as presented in this box is uneven. Some of the Mozarts heard here with the Bambergers seem interpretively excellent, but suffer from curiously uneven, diffuse sound, bordering on distortion like when listening to a radio station slightly off the signal. That's the case in particular with the disc of symphonies 28, 30, 35 and 36.

These Berliner Philharmoniker interpretations however are outstanding and fully justify the abused adjective « legendary ». There is a grandeur, a mastery of textures and articulation, a pulsation that silence all criticism. This Till's demise is frightening in its ferocity. The Mendelssohns breathe like no version I've heard. The two overtures sound as imposing, grandiose and propulsive as a Brahms symphony. Just splendid.

[Daverz]

Quincy Porter: Symphony No. 1

https://www.youtube.com/v/AHvHR_2toT0

Rosner: Symphony No. 5

[asin] B0012CJ772[/asin]

[Kontrapunctus]

Very powerful playing with excellent sound. (Piano Sonatas Nos. 1, 6 and 7; Toccata, Op. 11; Etude Op.2 No.1)

[Alek Hidell]

I was one of those who jumped on the bandwagon when this set was remarkably cheap (actually, it still is available at very reasonable prices - see amazon.co.uk, for example). Started listening today:



I've been unable to really connect with Schumann's piano music until very recently, when I heard one of the major pieces - I'm embarrassed to admit that I can't remember which one it was, but I believe it was the Fantasie, op.17 - and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm hoping this set will increase my appreciation. So far - only partly through Disc 1 - it is.

(Speaking of solo piano music: where's Todd lately?)

[Que]

Morning listening - came in yesterday:

[asin]B000FG4KCI[/asin]
I was looking forward to this one, but at 1st listening it is well below expectations.
Whether it is the recording of the instrument, or both, but the sound is incredibly dry and brittle, (almost) like an old banjo... 
And I noticed some tuning issues as well...

Things improve somewhat further into the disc, but this is not very appealing. Hard to say something about the playing under these circumstances... it is quite brisk in any case.

Q

[vandermolen]

Quincy Porter: Symphony No. 1

https://www.youtube.com/v/AHvHR_2toT0

Rosner: Symphony No. 5

[asin] B0012CJ772[/asin]

I like the Rosner Symphony. I had a nice email exchange with the composer and he talked about meeting up if he came to London but sadly he passed away not so long ago.

[The new erato]

Bad karma, eh?

[amw]

Well I quite like what Rosen does, I like his seriousness, and I like the music too. I can see why you say it's one of the great 20th century piano works.

I can't remember whether the one i like is Peter Serkin or Pi-hsien Chen but it was the first piece by Schoenberg that I enjoyed. V "neoclassical" dehumanised music though.

[Traverso]

A great CD. The Piano Trio in A major is not recorded that much, something I don't understand because the work is terrific.

The chamber music of Brahms is wonderful.I have also the Florestan recordings in the complete Brahms box.

[Traverso]

Brahms

Trio in B major Op.8
Trio in E flat major Op.40

The Florestan Trio

[Madiel]

Dvorak - String Quartet No.11 in C (B.121)

[asin]B00002DEH4[/asin]
I commented last time that I didn't really get why Dvorak abandoned his string quartet in F (B.120) after the 1st movement, as it seemed pretty enjoyable.

The answer appears to have been that he knew, at this stage of his career, that he could do better. I'd forgotten how gloriously expansive the 1st movement of the quartet in C is. Somewhat Schubertian.

[Mandryka]

I can't remember whether the one i like is Peter Serkin or Pi-hsien Chen but it was the first piece by Schoenberg that I enjoyed. V "neoclassical" dehumanised music though.

The intermezzo is unusual. Gould is interesting in it.

[Karl Henning]

Well, Gould is always "interesting."

[Karl Henning]

Schoenberg, Suite for piano, op.25

[asin]B000001G8X[/asin]
Yeah, this is a bit better. More expressive. And I can hear the dance rhythms more clearly.

Bene.

I am unsure whether (a) I have simply not yet listened to the Schoenberg disc in the Rosen box, or (b) I have, but it made no impression.  (b) would reinforce your "meh."

[Karl Henning]

LvB
Symphony № 9 in d minor, Op.125
Melanie Diener, sop
Petra Lang, mezzo
Endrik Wottrich, t
Dietrich Hensel, b
La Chapelle Royale
Collegium Vocale Gent
Orchestre des Champs-Élysées
Herreweghe

[asin]B0743X369G[/asin]

I forget just where I read of somebody's being disappointed with this, so I thought I should hear for myself.

[Mahlerian]

LvB
Symphony № 9 in d minor, Op.125
Melanie Diener, sop
Petra Lang, mezzo
Endrik Wottrich, t
Dietrich Hensel, b
La Chapelle Royale
Collegium Vocale Gent
Orchestre des Champs-Élysées
Herreweghe

I forget just where I read of somebody's being disappointed with this, so I thought I should hear for myself.

I liked it personally.  What did you think?

[Mahlerian]

Because you're a Schoenberg advocate of the highest order. I'm not familiar with your ranking of particular pieces, but it's hardly surprising that of 20th century piano composers, you'd put Schoenberg right up there.

I wouldn't consider myself an advocate, merely an enthusiast who is interested in correcting the misinformation that's rampant about Schoenberg's works.  I'm even more enthusiastic about Mahler, Mozart, and others, but they're less often subject to the same kind of nonsense that Schoenberg is on a daily basis.

I only get a reputation for being a Schoenberg defender because others make it their mission to use their ignorance to take him down a notch.  I don't actually listen to him any more than the composers I mentioned above, or Debussy, or Takemitsu, or Bach, or many others.  I consider him on the level of these composers, for sure, and to some that looks like bias or favoritism.