What are you listening to now?

[Irons]

I have planned a Nielsen symphonic cycle listening session in the near future.

Knowing of your liking for the black stuff - records not Guinness I hasten to add, a chance that Ole Schmidt may feature?

I'm with vandermolen in being a fan of the 6th and Ormandy's recording of the work.

[Irons]

String Quartet #1.  The Barchet sound stylistically old-fashioned and conservative, but they play nicely enough.  MP3 sound is perfectly fine for 50s/early-60s cycle.  It'll probably end up the best one buck Mozart string quartet cycle I ever buy.

I have that set downloaded to my phone which I listen during holidays. I have found that the early quartets and all quintets are in better sound then the late quartets.  Reinhold Barchet was concertmaster of Munchinger's Stuttgart band.

[Mandryka]

My understanding of the poly-textual motets is that the additional texts in the vernacular were not secular but religious in nature, embellishing and adding commentary on, the Latin verse(s).  The idea of including a secular text, and not just any secular text but one celebrating a armed soldier, into the mass setting is impossible to believe during Ockeghem's time.  The exclusion of anything secular from a church service held for more than a century after Ockeghem's time.  If merely using instruments was prohibited how can you credibly suggest the text of a drinking song would be allowed?

Fitting the words of the prayers was established by tradition - if syllables were left out in the cantus firmus it would not be unheard of, since the complete text is sung in the other voices.  But I am willing to bet there is a way to sing it with the complete text.

Not quite the same, but it turns out that Cut Circle use the words of the cantus firmus in a couple of their Dufay masses, rather than the ordinary text -- in this case the cantus firmus is undeniably sacred, but still, it's more grist to the mill. From their booklet essay by Jesse Rodin

The sources for the Missa Ecce ancilla Domini
suggest that the tenor should sing the cantusfi rmus texts as opposed to the words of the
Mass Ordinary. We have opted for this solution
both here and in the other mass on Disc 2,
where both lower voices sing the text of the
parent chant.

I haven't looked at the sources yet.

Erhardt is going to some length to defend his decision with this speculation, unconvincingly, imo.  Over 40 masses used the song as a basis - it was a very popular tune that was familiar to the congregations of the time.  For the generally illiterate populace, using this song would render the polyphony easier to absorb.

Honestly! the words of the cantus firmus are so changed in the masses, whether Dufay or Ockeghem or whatever, that I think it becomes unrecognisable, especially by the "illiterate populace." Something else was going on when these composers used popular songs in the cantus firmus -- it may have been just they liked the tune, but my suspicion is that it goes rather deeper than that, in this time of ubiquitous allegory.

[prémont]

Reinhold Barchet was concertmaster of Munchinger's Stuttgart band.

Only until 1952 when the seat was given to Werner Krotzinger. Barchet died 4.7.62 only 42 years old from heart attack, probably caused by heavy overweight. He was told to having eaten lots of chocolate all the time during rehersals. Considering that his recording career lasted for only 12 years, he left a relatively large discography (Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart). The acme of his recordings is IMO the six harpsichord/violin sonatas BWV 1014 - 17 with Robert Veyron-Lacroix.

[pjme]

Konx-Om-Pax

Discovered this recording recently. Thought that it might interest you. It is quite fascinating to see how conductors & musicians cope with the technical demands (the set up) of this score.

https://www.youtube.com/v/XgFlNB3QeOo

[Irons]

Only until 1952 when the seat was given to Werner Krotzinger. Barchet died 4.7.62 only 42 years old from heart attack, probably caused by heavy overweight. He was told to having eaten lots of chocolate all the time during rehersals. Considering that his recording career lasted for only 12 years, he left a relatively large discography (Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart). The acme of his recordings is IMO the six harpsichord/violin sonatas BWV 1014 - 17 with Robert Veyron-Lacroix.

Aware of early death but not being overweight. I own the Bach set you mention on WRC LP which is readily available. On the same label I also like his set of Bach violin concertos with The South-West German Chamber Orchestra. With the Barchet Quartet there is also Beethoven and I think Schumann.

[Mandryka]

I think she has got too much imagination, but why not judge for yourself?

https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Category:Composers&from=Ph

The problem is that once she's put the idea in your head it's tempting to see it! That curvy fluid way he connects the notes to make 1/16th notes . . .

Anyway I think it's good for a performer to have a vivid imagination, but insofar as the idea of waves impacts on  Shaghajegh Nostrati's performance, it's possible, in a subtle way in Cpt1. But But Cpt 2 is more stiff than fluid.  Maybe once she puts the idea in your head you start to hear it too!

(I should tell you I'm very suggestible, hypnosis works really well with me.)

[prémont]

That curvy fluid way he connects the notes to make 1/16th notes . . .

Yes he sometimes does that, but as well as not in the manuscript of the so called original version of AoF.

[cilgwyn]

The Gibson are pretty good, but Bernstein is my man in Nielsen, although his Inextinguishable isn't as good as Blomstedt/SFSO. As for recent cycles, Gilbert/New Yorkers and Oramo/Royal Stockholm are particular favorites.

Come to think of it;buying a s/h copy of the Chandos reissue of the old RCA recording of Nielsen's Fourth,was,actually,what,initially,got me interested in Nielsen again. I was going to buy a copy of his recording of the Fifth,then (and may still do,at some point?).........but it was reading your post about Bernstein's recording of 3 & 5,which led to my buying the Sony set. With regard to Bernstein's recordings. I would honestly say that they are better than anything I have heard,previously. There is just no comparison,to anything I have heard before! Although,I've got to give a nod to Gibson,for getting me to love the Fourth! As to Ormandy's recordings of No's 1 & 6. I understand the Bernstein recordings are the most highly regarded of this set;although Ormandy's recordings are well regarded by some. I usually like Ormandy,though. I only really knew No's 1 & 6,from the Ole Schmidt set;and,I'm afraid,they did little for me. I don't know what you think of Ormandy's recordings of 1 & 6,MI;but this is the first time those symphonies have really "clicked" with me! I don't want to knock Ole Schmidt's recordings,because he was the first to record a complete cycle,apparently;and I know some people enjoy them;but they don't seem to have helped! At least,not in my case!! Oh,and Blomstedt's earlier emi recordings (I had,1-4) don't seem to have helped much,either (I'd forgotten I had those!)!

[vandermolen]

Come to think of it;buying a s/h copy of the Chandos reissue of the old RCA recording of Nielsen's Fourth,was,actually,what,initially,got me interested in Nielsen again. I was going to buy a copy of his recording of the Fifth,then (and may still do,at some point?).........but it was reading your post about Bernstein's recording of 3 & 5,which led to my buying the Sony set. With regard to Bernstein's recordings. I would honestly say that they are better than anything I have heard,previously. There is just no comparison,to anything I have heard before! Although,I've got to give a nod to Gibson,for getting me to love the Fourth! As to Ormandy's recordings of No's 1 & 6. I understand the Bernstein recordings are the most highly regarded of this set;although Ormandy's recordings are well regarded by some. I usually like Ormandy,though. I only really knew No's 1 & 6,from the Ole Schmidt set;and,I'm afraid,they did little for me. I don't know what you think of Ormandy's recordings of 1 & 6,MI;but this is the first time those symphonies have really "clicked" with me! I don't want to knock Ole Schmidt's recordings,because he was the first to record a complete cycle,apparently;and I know some people enjoy them;but they don't seem to have helped! At least,not in my case!! Oh,and Blomstedt's earlier emi recordings (I had,1-4) don't seem to have helped much,either (I'd forgotten I had those!)!

I like Gibson's performance of the Faroes Islands tone poem on that CD with Symphony 5 and I like his version of Helios coupled with Symphony 5.

[Biffo]

Berlioz: Harold en Italie – Les Siècles conducted by Francois-Xavier Roth with Tabea Zimmermann (viola) - I previewed this album on Spotify before buying it as a lossless download - excellent stuff.

[Traverso]

Bach


Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen, BWV 215

Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208

[NikF]

Prokofiev: String Quartets - Pavel Haas Quartet.

[asin]B002ZF2IQW[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Discovered this recording recently. Thought that it might interest you. It is quite fascinating to see how conductors & musicians cope with the technical demands (the set up) of this score.

https://www.youtube.com/v/XgFlNB3QeOo

Very cool. A demanding work, indeed.

[Mirror Image]

Come to think of it;buying a s/h copy of the Chandos reissue of the old RCA recording of Nielsen's Fourth,was,actually,what,initially,got me interested in Nielsen again. I was going to buy a copy of his recording of the Fifth,then (and may still do,at some point?).........but it was reading your post about Bernstein's recording of 3 & 5,which led to my buying the Sony set. With regard to Bernstein's recordings. I would honestly say that they are better than anything I have heard,previously. There is just no comparison,to anything I have heard before! Although,I've got to give a nod to Gibson,for getting me to love the Fourth! As to Ormandy's recordings of No's 1 & 6. I understand the Bernstein recordings are the most highly regarded of this set;although Ormandy's recordings are well regarded by some. I usually like Ormandy,though. I only really knew No's 1 & 6,from the Ole Schmidt set;and,I'm afraid,they did little for me. I don't know what you think of Ormandy's recordings of 1 & 6,MI;but this is the first time those symphonies have really "clicked" with me! I don't want to knock Ole Schmidt's recordings,because he was the first to record a complete cycle,apparently;and I know some people enjoy them;but they don't seem to have helped! At least,not in my case!! Oh,and Blomstedt's earlier emi recordings (I had,1-4) don't seem to have helped much,either (I'd forgotten I had those!)!

Ormandy's 1st and 6th are pretty good, but not favorites of mine as, IMHO, he's been bettered by the sheer technical facility of orchestras today and recording technology. I would say Sakari Oramo opened my ears to the Sinfonia semplice like no other conductor has done. This is quite an achievement as I've heard this symphony so many times prior to the Oramo, but no performance had really done it for me. Aside from Oramo's 6th, I would say Gilbert with the New Yorkers and Blomstedt with the San Francisco SO are also noteworthy. In the 1st, I really have never heard a terrible performance. Since it's my least favorite Nielsen symphony and one I don't really listen to much, I don't have as critical of an opinion on the performances I've heard of it.

[Mirror Image]

Prokofiev: String Quartets - Pavel Haas Quartet.

[asin]B002ZF2IQW[/asin]

Thumbs up!

[NikF]

Prokofiev: Violin Sonatas - Kremer/Argerich.

[asin]B0013816EW[/asin]

[kyjo]

Dukas - Symphony in C major

After my reacquainting with La Péri, I decided to play the Symphony too. It's unquestionably one of the greatest French symphonies ever, at least for me it is!!!

I listened to this symphony for the first time a couple months ago (in the Jean-Luc Tingaud recording on Naxos) and was rather disappointed by it. I liked the first movement quite a bit, but the second and third struck me as rather unmemorable and diffuse. I must have another listen, perhaps to the above Slatkin recording this time!

[aligreto]

Mahler: Symphony No. 2 [Bernstein]

[aligreto]

I've always rather liked Alexander Gibson's Nielsen recordings (symphonies 4,5 and tone poems).

Interesting as I do not have any Gibson in Nielsen but I do like his Sibelius.