What are you listening to now?

[Traverso]

Satie

[SymphonicAddict]

I really like Shebalin's music. Do you know symphonies 1 or 5 Cesar? Both are excellent IMO.

Sure, Jeffrey, I know his symphones, although I have few memories of them. I think my favorite was the 3rd if my memory serves.

[SymphonicAddict]

Symphony No. 3 Delle campane

One of my favorites by him. Its beginning should be counted as one of the most gentle and beautiful ones in existence.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Kinsella: Symphony No. 9 [Marwood]





I really like the musical language in this exciting work. There is great forward momentum throughout. The central Largo is a wonderful contrast to most of the music around it. It is emotionally laden and expressive without being oppressive. This is a very engaging and dynamic and I think that it is given a compelling performance here; one which has great presence to it.

Oh, I want that! Kinsella is very worth exploring. Regularly available?

[André]

Oh, I want that! Kinsella is very worth exploring. Regularly available?

Yes, through the Irish Chamber Orchestra webstore. 10€, including shipping 

[aligreto]

Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony [Hickox]





This was a difficult work for me to understand and comprehend for quite some time. This Hickox version played a big part in solving that problem for me with its lighter textures and its resulting cleaner lines which allowed for greater listening space for me and ultimately to greater comprehension on my part.

[aligreto]

Hi Aligreto - wife and I are not opera fans so own none, but there certainly is a LOT of beautiful British choral music - I do have a dozen or so discs of this music (Elgar, Britten, VWilliams, and a few others) but not a big collector (just no storage space - ) - now my wife is a singer and has done much choral work over the decades, and last night we watched another new arrival on Vaughan Williams shown below - she really enjoy his choral music, so may have to explore some she likes - will probably start w/ some Spotify listening.  Dave
.

Cheers Dave. I am embarking on something of a Vaughan Williams odyssey myself at the moment so if you both come across something interesting I would be interested to hear fro you.

[aligreto]

Oh, I want that! Kinsella is very worth exploring. Regularly available?

Yes, through the Irish Chamber Orchestra webstore. 10€, including shipping 

I have just posted my positive reaction to Symphony No. 9 and, whatever else follows, that work alone is worth the entrance fee. This is a highly recommended work, performance and recording in my opinion.

[Traverso]

Bruckner

Symphony No.7

[vandermolen]

What works, Jeffrey?

Sorry Karl I should have made that clear:
Prayer of St. Gregory
The Rubiyat of Omar Khayam (unintentionally hilarious with Michael York's cloyingly reverential spoken contribution - and yet the work has a peculiar appeal)
Symphony No.2 'Mysterious Mountain' (with its echoes of VW's Tallis Fantasia)

TD
Bax: Symphony 7 Bryden Thomson, LPO.

CD version.

[vandermolen]

I have been listening to and enjoying some Gershwin recently but the Piano Concerto is probably my least favourite work. That is just a personal thing obviously but I do agree that the music is still fresh and good.

An American in Paris and Variations on 'I Got Rhythm' are my favourites.

[vandermolen]

Symphony No. 3 Delle campane

One of my favorites by him. Its beginning should be counted as one of the most gentle and beautiful ones in existence.

My favourite of the Marco Polo Malipiero series and the only one that I play frequently, although I also like No.7.

[aligreto]

Ian Wilson: String Quartet No. 3 "Towards the Far Country" [Vanbrugh Quartet]





The quite dissonant and discordant nature of this work lends to an exciting and interesting musical landscape; it is an interesting and engaging challenge. There is a forlorn atmosphere and tone to the work which is very engaging.

[aligreto]

An American in Paris and Variations on 'I Got Rhythm' are my favourites.

More love for Gershwin.

[SonicMan46]

Cheers Dave. I am embarking on something of a Vaughan Williams odyssey myself at the moment so if you both come across something interesting I would be interested to hear fro you.

Hi again Aligreto - reading the last chapters of the Kindle edition of the book shown below on RVW - as in the excellent Amazon comments, the book is more 'biographical' but well done (I could have had less quoted letters and personal detail, e.g. how many times Adeline fell down or stumbled got tiresome) - the music is discussed and well placed w/i Ralph's timeline as the chapters progress; however, there is not a detailed 'musicological' analysis of his compositions w/ a lot of score sheets shown - in all honesty having read dozens of composer bios, I tend to skip over this type of discussion, just not my thing (or my understanding) - SO, if you want a good bio of Vaughan Williams, this one qualifies in my opinion - but if you want more musical assessment, then checked out VW's Veranda, Jeffrey in particular discusses the available books quite well w/ his recommendations.  Dave

[aligreto]

Hi again Aligreto - reading the last chapters of the Kindle edition of the book shown below on RVW - as in the excellent Amazon comments, the book is more 'biographical' but well done (I could have had less quoted letters and personal detail, e.g. how many times Adeline fell down or stumbled got tiresome) - the music is discussed and well placed w/i Ralph's timeline as the chapters progress; however, there is not a detailed 'musicological' analysis of his compositions w/ a lot of score sheets shown - in all honesty having read dozens of composer bios, I tend to skip over this type of discussion, just not my thing (or my understanding) - SO, if you want a good bio of Vaughan Williams, this one qualifies in my opinion - but if you want more musical assessment, then checked out VW's Veranda, Jeffrey in particular discusses the available books quite well w/ his recommendations.  Dave

Thank you very much for that Dave; much appreciated.

[NikF4]

Gershwin - I remember finally getting a CD of the Porgy & Bess OST (Previn) after years of only having heard a couple of pieces.The best way I can think of to describe it, was I listened all the way through and as soon as it finished I started at the beginning again. I can't think of any other music I've done that with.

[SonicMan46]

Thank you very much for that Dave; much appreciated.

Well, I just took Jeffrey's advice and ordered the book shown below by James Day - used but only an $8 USD purchase (hope that it does not contain a lot of musical scores - ) - now I played accordion as a teen and can read music, but I'm at the bottom of the food chain trying to figure out complex scoring and how the music would sound 'in my head' (reminds me of the scene in Amadeus when Salieri was looking at Mozart's scores and could hear the music in his head - I'd love to have that innate skill, but won't happen!).  Dave

 

[Kontrapunctus]

[SymphonicAddict]

My favourite of the Marco Polo Malipiero series and the only one that I play frequently, although I also like No.7.

I rather enjoy all of them, the last ones a little less so because of their astringency.