What are you listening to now?

[André]

Listened to this disc of Beethoven 4 and 7:




Then compared Bell's 7th to Kempe's in this version:

.

In the notes to his disc, his first as MD of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Bell writes that he's been in love with Beethoven's symphonies ever since his early teens, often slipping into the hall after his concerto for the second half of the concert, watching the conductor perform a symphony. His is a smart, informed and lickety split pair of performances, very well played by the small orchestra (38 by the booklet's count) and superbly recorded (excellent use of the wide stereophonic spectrum of the hall). In a way it reminds me of other english orchestra performances like those of Tilson Thomas (ECO) or Haitink (LPO). Strong on smartness and refinement, short on gruffness and irascibility. Of course it's not an « english » thing, as recordings by Barbirolli or Morris attest.

To hear for myself what I felt was lacking, I put on Kempe's early seventies 7th with the Munich Philharmonic. Right from the start the difference couldn't be clearer: the first movement's introduction is powered by strong accents, firm shaping and unabashedly grand deployment of the all-important brass section and timpani. Horns whoop lustily while retaining a beautiful golden hue. I don't know if the instruments are different from those used by the ASMF, but the difference in timbre of the horn section is startling, even more so in the finale. Despite Kempe's hell-bent tempo everything is clear as a bell  and perfectly articulated, with the last 2 minutes taken at a presto possibile clip that left me breathless.

Despite Bell's superb musicianship, I miss the dirt under the nails and the occasional roughness that this music demands. Still, if they record more Beethoven I'll be curious to hear it.

[Kontrapunctus]

No.4 today--also very impressive.

[listener]

REGER: 10 Pieces for Organ op. 69   3 Preludes and Fugues op. 85  in c#, G, F
Bernard Haas, organ of the Evangelical Church, Giengen an der Brenz
BACH: Concerto after Vivaldi BWV 596    Chorales BWV 600-617
BOËLY: Recueils de Noël op. 15
Robert P. Girard, Guilbaut-Thérien organ of the Église de la Purification, Repentigny, Québec      with Richard Dugay, tenor in the Boëly

[ritter]

Two late 20th century French symphonies tonight chez ritter:

[asin]B000027JCE[/asin]Gilbert Amy's 35 minutes long Orchestrahl from 1986 is a symphony in all but name, with the traditional 4 movements. A very appealing post-serial work, with echoes of Boulez in some moments, but with some very engaging orchestral effects and what to me, in the end, appears like an individual and interesting voice. Even if the first movement ("Praeludium") takes up almost half of the work's duration, this piece is formally very balanced and convincing. Among the most attractive Amy works I know.

[asin]B00004UYO6[/asin]Paul Le Flem's late (1972) Symphony No. 4 is also very interesting, even if it comes through as a bit eclectic. Some jagged, jazzy rhythms and the presence of a saxophone in the first movement make one think of music by Honegger,  Milhaud or even Koechlin. The second music is very atmospherically nocturnal, and the concluding modérement animé (same marking as the first movement) brings matters to a lively conclusion, with a continuous exchange between different sections of the orchestra. Quite pleasant.

[RebLem]

Right now, I am listening to a Mahler Resurrection--the Simpn Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela conducted by Gustavo Dudamel @ the 2011 BBC Proms.  The choir and vocal soloists are Brits.  They work well together.  This is one of the finest performances of this work I have ever heard.  And most of the players are VERY young.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKrsEbjXYX8

[Kontrapunctus]

Beautifully played and recorded.

[Traverso]

Ferras/Karajan  Brahms Violin Concerto
[asin] B000001GJJ[/asin]

Ferras, one  of the  great violin players.

[SymphonicAddict]

Prelude, Theme and Variations for solo violin, Op. 48
Preludio e Presto per violino solo, Op. 52



More surprises from Nielsen! Two highly appealing solo works played with virtuosity and accuracy. The playing of this guy is impressive. Completely delightful!

[André]

For some reason, what attracts me most on this disc is the sound. Singer and orchestra are superbly caught, with great immediacy and transparency. Lively, rythmically alert singing by the great Maria Bayo, and beautifully pointed orchestral commentary. This Baïlèro is the most seductive, spellbinding I've heard.

[SymphonicAddict]

Hekla



Oh my goodness, I think loud is short to describe this pandemonium!!!    Incredibly exhilarating and overwhelming. The woofer sounded just shattering. This work would be a real experience in a concert hall. Leifs was a master about percussion.

This post should go to the Pieces that have blown you away recently thread 

[André]

Hekla



Oh my goodness, I think loud is short to describe this pandemonium!!!    Incredibly exhilarating and overwhelming. The woofer sounded just shattering. This work would be a real experience in a concert hall. Leifs was a master about percussion.

This post should go to the Pieces that have blown you away recently thread 

A few months ago I heard Geysir in concert with the Montreal Symphony under John Storgårds. It was quite something !

[Karl Henning]

Langgaard
Organ music
Ulrik Spang-Hanssen

Even the (what must be super-early) Fantasia patetica (BVN 19) is assured, masterly, perfectly gauged.

[TheGSMoeller]

Ormandy, Philly, DSCH's 15th on vinyl, great stuff.

[SymphonicAddict]

A few months ago I heard Geysir in concert with the Montreal Symphony under John Storgårds. It was quite something !

A real treat indeed! With Leifs we must be careful with our ears. You are very lucky

[SymphonicAddict]

Langgaard
Organ music
Ulrik Spang-Hanssen

Even the (what must be super-early) Fantasia patetica (BVN 19) is assured, masterly, perfectly gauged.

I need to investigate his oeuvre for organ. Messis is his longest work for that instrument and sounds enticing too.

[SymphonicAddict]

After that cataclysm of Hekla, I'll need something more pastoral and quiet.

Wind Quintet in A major, Op. 43



Yes, this is perfect 

[Zeus]

Hildegard von Bingen: Ordo Virtutum  (1151)
Vox Animae
Etcetera

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B00C87ON7Y[/asin]
"This recording shows that Zarlino's motets are beautiful and compelling, and that there is no reason to ignore them."

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/May14/Zarlino_modulationes_OC873.htm

Q

[Harry]

Morning listening:

[asin]B00C87ON7Y[/asin]
"This recording shows that Zarlino's motets are beautiful and compelling, and that there is no reason to ignore them."

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/May14/Zarlino_modulationes_OC873.htm

Q

Agreed, a beautiful recording and superb music.

[ritter]

Some Reynaldo Hahn this morning:

[asin]B000A7XJPQ[/asin]
Venezia is a delightful cycle of six songs (on texts in Venetian dialect), famously first performed on a gondola (how they managed to get an upright piano on to a gondola beats me), during the trip that Hahn, Proust and other members of the Parisian glitzy set undertook to the city on the lagoon in 1900–a trip that is evicated in À la recherche... . This is the recording to have, as all the other ones I know either omit the sixth song (the joyful La primavera), which requires several voices, or arrange it for a solo voice.

[asin]B00015U6BC[/asin]
Portraits de peintres was Hahn and Proust's only artistic collaboration, a set of four piano pieces written by the 20 year old Hahn to accompany Proust's four prose poems on Cuyp, Potter, van Dyck and Watteau. Here they are beautifully performed by Ronald Brautigam sans récitation.