What are you listening to now?

[Traverso]

Dufay

I spoil myself again with this beautiful music.

[Irons]

Melancholy and understatement are not the first things that come to mind for Janacek. He shows this side of his personality in the two cycles for piano of "On the Overgrown Path". The first five pieces of cycle one depict happy holidays - Twittering swallows etc. The next five, the death of his only daughter, Olga - Unfinished Talk etc. The music is not greatly different, only darker. Ivan Klansky plays to perfection.

[Que]

Time to gear up towards the Christmas repertoire!   
And if you are, like me, into Early & Baroque Music, there's loads of it...

Starting off with Bach's Advent cantatas:



Q

[Roasted Swan]

Melancholy and understatement are not the first things that come to mind for Janacek. He shows this side of his personality in the two cycles for piano of "On the Overgrown Path". The first five pieces of cycle one depict happy holidays - Twittering swallows etc. The next five, the death of his only daughter, Olga - Unfinished Talk etc. The music is not greatly different, only darker. Ivan Klansky plays to perfection.

If you enjoy this piano cycle and also Janacek's string quartets can a strongly recommend this version of Book I of "On an Overgrown path" transcribed and played quite brilliantly.  Its like discovering a new major work by him.  The playing is sensational the recording a tad harsh.

[asin]B01H66ZIUW[/asin]

[cilgwyn]

Roy Harris Symphony No 7. Part way into the second movement of Tubin's First Symphony I was beginning to see (hear) what the Ghost of Baron Scarpia meant! Rather than rush into the nearest equivalent of an air raid shelter,I decided to put on Kuchar's recording of Roy Harris' Seventh. The orchestration and slowly,unfolding logic of this symphony,was like a draught of cool liquor after the onslaught on my ears and mind of Tubin's First!! I even started to (quite) enjoy his Ninth. So much so that,half way through,I bought a s/h copy of the Albany recording of 8 & 9;which I used to have! I'm listening to this recording,now. I'm starting to feel that Keelan's more leisurely approach to this symphony has it's virtues. Less urgency,means less histrionics! Suddenly,I find myself  enjoying the slowly,unfolding pace of Harris' thought processes and,long term logic;enjoying the more reflective,'pastoral',passages,rather than being diverted by the more crowd pleasing,noisy bits.........and the sound quality is just great. For the first time all those bass lines seem to come out. The Ormandy recording is in mono,which can be improved with the help of some boosting from the bass control. The Kuchar is in good stereo,but still feels a little cramped at times. Roy Harris symphonies are (at least in part) inspired by his surroundings. The Big country. When you listen to his best music you'll see (in your minds eye) vast plains and prairies and;unsurprisingly,if you've watched cowboy films,places like monument valley. (This may,or may not seem relevant,but if like me,you've never been to,or,actually lived in America! ) His symphonies tend to be big statements,sometimes a little brash. In short they need space;and he gets that here! Not the best recording (and they're aren't many) but I think it's enhanced my understanding of this composer. In that respect,I'm glad I heard it! Question? Do I wish Keelan had gone onto record more Harris? Particularly,the Sixth?! Hm?!! Maybe,not?!! This is a very interesting recording,offering a different perspective on this symphony. Having said that,I'd be loathe to say it was actually,good! Which might seem a bit wierd after writing all this!!

[cilgwyn]

Roy Harris Symphony No 7,conducted by Ormandy.

[aligreto]

Vivaldi:





Concerto per Violino Principale, et altro Violino per eco in lontano
Concerto con Viola a'amor, e Leuto, e con gl'Instromenti sordini

I remember the first time that I heard that "echo" concerto on a good HiFi system. I was as though the Echo Violinist was appropriately sitting in a far corner of the room.

[cilgwyn]

Roy Harris Symphony 1933 (No 1). This one has been growing on me recently. Not literally,like that sebaceous cyst,which decided to,suddenly,become much larger and a bit painful,because it was Xmas!!! I think this an interesting example of Harris' before he got caught in the trap of trying to recreate the success and impact of his third! I'm listening to the second movement now. This has a nice,reflective pastoral quality to it,quite different to his later output. It could very well be one of his best movements? These old Louisville recording were good. Nice and atmospheric. The sound is very clear and detailed. I'm going to listen to the Koussevitsky recording after I finish this cd (I might skip the Violin Concerto?).

[Traverso]

Chopin

CD 3 Mazurkas

[aligreto]

Haydn: Piano Sonatas Hob. XVI: 52 & 40 [Brendel]





Two fine works given an engaging performance here.

[Que]

Just in:

[asin]B0794M5MBB[/asin]
Arias and concertos inspired on bird songs, coupling Nuria Rial with Maurice Steiger on flautino & recorder.
Singing by Nuria Rial is jaw droppingly gorgeous.... might make it on my 2018 favourites list. 

Q

[Harry]

Just in:

[asin]B0794M5MBB[/asin]
Arias and concertos inspired on bird songs, coupling Nuria Rial with Maurice Steiger on flautino & recorder.
Singing by Nuria Rial is jaw droppingly gorgeous.... might make it on my 2018 favourites list. 

Q

It's time for me to start collecting the CD'S of Nuria, she is indeed a fine sopranistin

[Ciaccona]

NP:

[asin]B000FTWAB8[/asin]

Walton: String Quartet in A Minor

Coull Quartet

[Traverso]

Collegium Musicum Pragense ‎

There was no other way to get this music than to  purchase this LP 

[aligreto]

Holst: The Planets [Boult]





A good one.

[Harry]

Christmas is Icumen, so I start this afternoon with a brand new Christmas CD First listen.

[Traverso]

Chopin

CD 4  Mazurkas

[aligreto]

Brahms: Double Concerto [Kremer/Maisky/Bernstein]





Strong, robust performances in the outer movements with a charming and somewhat poignant middle movement performance.

[king ubu]

Embarking on a major F. Couperin sprawl ... played the Meyerson late last night, and today, before and after final x-mas (and groceries) shopping, the Rannou - both mighty fine discs! Meyerson plays ordres no. 22, 26, 20 and 25 from the fourth book, while Rannou uses the eight préludes from "L'Art de toucher le Clavecin" to structure her selection of pieces from all four books.



Also, to change pace a bit, listened to the above disc again, the sonatas (all of them) by Les Dominos/Florence Malgoire ... and I saw that there's another recent Couperin disc on Ricercar that I somehow missed, Les Muses naissantes by Brice Sally/La Chambre Claire, whom I don't know at all. Recommended?

Started to read the book by Jane Clark/Derek Connon alongside ("The Mirror of Human Life: Reflections on François Couperin's Pièces de Clavecin", Keyword Press, 2nd/expanded edition from 2011) ... and just got the new Cuiller set from the mailbox.

[aligreto]

Chopin: Mazurkas, various [Michelangeli]