What are you listening to now?

[Harry]

New arrival.

Perle del Piemonte, Violin music in the 18th century Italy.

Giovanni Lorenzo Somis, Sonata in A minor for Violin & BC, opus 1, No. 1.
Giovanni Battista Somis. Sonata in C major, opus 6, No. 4, for Violin & BC.
Gaspare Giuseppe Chiabrano. Sonata III in F major for Cello and BC.
Felice Giardini, Sonata II, opus 31 in G major for Harpsichord and Violin.
Giovanni Battista Canavasso.  Sonata II in D minor for Cello & BC.
Gaetano Pugnani, Sonata opus 6, No. 1 in B flat major for Violin & BC.

Enrico Gatti, Violin.
Antonio Mosca, Cello.
Giorgio Tabacco, Harpsichord.

Most of these concertos are unknown to me, but they sure are of a high level. A very enjoyable CD with music you do not often hear, and in such good performances and recordings. This is quite wonderful to start the morning with.
Most of them are Violin sonatas in the best Italian tradition, and every one of them a gem.
This is very recommendable. Sample the music and your sold, that's a fact.

[listener]

SCHOENBERG, SHILKRET, TANSMAN, MILHAUD, CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO, STRAVINSKY, TOCH
The Genesis Suite (1945)
Edward Arnold, narrator  The Janssen Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles (and chorus)
Werner Janssen, cond.
Probably each movement is now with a different publisher making another performance difficult to arrange
Not a tough listen when you're in the mood for it.

[Harry]

New Arrival.

Aurelio Bonelli, (c.1569-after 1620)
Complete Keyboard Music.

Federico del Sordo, Organ and Harpsichord.

Thanks to Del Sordo's, performing copies are made of this music, which is widely unknown. I certainly never heard of this composer, thus by what I hear that is an omission we cannot afford. It is the second CD I bought from Federico del Sordo, a scholar and an erudite man. He may not be the most flashy performer you can imagine, but therefore he gives you an unique insight in the music of a composer lost, until now that is, in the archives of a library.
His use of two instruments is a very interesting one in my opinion. Let's start with a very unique organ situated in the Abbazia Di San Magno, Amelia, Umbria. The oldest part of the instrument dates back between 1500 and the early 1600. In 1781 the organ was expanded and modified, although fortunately without an alteration to the original timbre. Restoration work was done in 1996 by Riccardo Lorenzini. Pitch is A4=429 Hz, Temperament 1/6  comma meantone. The Harpsichord used is a Francesco Marini copy of a anonymous 17th century instrument strung with iron wire rather than brass. Two of the eight canzoni were performed on a fretted clavichord built by Michele Chiaramida and based on an illustration in Praetorius's Syntagma Musicum 1620.
About the music I can be short. I was more than pleasantly surprised about the quality of Bonelli's compositions. They fit completely in their time frame, and this organ gives a excellent impression of how it sounded in it's time, remember, it still has its original timbre. I am overjoyed hearing this organ for the first time. The works for Clavichord and Harpsichord are equally in line with the organ works.
The recording blooms, due to a perfect acoustic. A very successful acquisition.

[Florestan]

String Quartet in C-sharp minor: There is an early String Quartet by this composer, but it's not as interesting as this one. There is some inventive music here, with a very personal touch.

That Piano Quintet is not bad, either. Sgambatti is that rarest of the rare birds: a 19C Italian who focused on chamber and orchestral music. His piano music (4-CD worth performed by the indefatigable Pietro Spada) is excellent too.

[Harry]

New arrival.

Albert Dietrich.

Sonate fur Pianoforte & Violoncello, opus 15.
Einleitung und Romanze, opus 27.
Sechs Klavierstücke, opus 6.
Vier Klavierstucke, opus 2.

Alexander Will, Violoncello.
Friedrich Thomas, Piano.

Albert Dietrich is a composer largely forgotten, whilst he was once in the inner circle of such luminaries like Johannes Brahms, and Robert Schumann. That is not to say that his compositions are on the same level, but they come close. His compositional style is cheerful and accessible, and makes it thus easy to comprehend his music fully. The opus 15 is one of his most powerful and poetic work. Intense expression and a deeply felt romanticism engulfing your attention totally. As mesmerizing as many a Brahms work, but differently portrayed. And that goes for all the other works too, to my ears very satisfying music in every respect. I already have two CD'S filled with his orchestral works, also highly valued, so this chamber music comes as a Godsend. He had in part a tragic life, very much so, for when he died he was instantly forgotten, but we can now hear that this was not justified.
The performance and recording could not be better.

[Traverso]

Bach

Cantatas BWV 7-8-9

[Traverso]

Bach

CD 3

[Harry]

New arrival.

Dmitri Kabalevsky.

String Quartets No. 1, opus 8 in A minor, & No. 2, opus 44 in G minor.

Stenhammar Quartet.

Already very familiar with Kabalevsky at an early age, these string quartets sound as if an extension of all the orchestral works I have. He is not underrated, but neither much respected, whatever reason for this, his musical qualities are not into question. I love the intensity and passion in the SQ. It's powerful, energetic and with a forward trust that makes you admire the composer behind it all. And the melodies are fitting to my mood at all times.
The Stenhammar's played them as if their life depended on it. Precise as a razor, driven on perfection, and felt with a vengeance.
Excellent recording too.

[Cato]

Concerning Richard Strauss: only one word is necessary!

Elektra!


https://www.youtube.com/v/8pqWSKty5FI

[ritter]

Concerning Richard Strauss: only one word is necessary!

Elektra!
...

"Ist doch ihre Stunde...." 

[Traverso]

Berg  Lyric Suite

Webern five movements.six bagatelles,string quartet op.28

Urbanner string quartet No.3

[HIPster]

Morning listening:

[asin]B0000AQRYN[/asin]

First listen to my home system after a ten day holiday. 

Cheers to all!   

[Harry]

New arrival.

Edvard Grieg, Works for Cello and Piano.

Sonata opus 36.
Intermezzo
Seven Songs, arranged for  cello and piano by Jaffe & Frolich.
Allegretto, opus 45.

Ramon Jaffe, Cello.
Andreas Frolich, Piano.

The sonata is strangely enough almost free of folk influences, but romantic expression is the drive of the piece. The first movement, Allegro agitato is really it, agitato!. The drive and energy is amazing for the likes of Grieg, but that is also due to both musicians. They drive a hard bargain, and maybe even a bit too much. We always have to remember that Grieg excelled in small forms, and intimate approaches. The balance and softness of the piece is a bit compromised by this energized playing, and we get little relax time from the second movement, for the molto tranquillo is out of reach most of the time.
In the intermezzo I recognize Grieg again, it's just much more relaxed. And what to say about the arrangements of 7 songs by the performing musicians on this disc.
First of all I am not at all into the songs by Grieg, or by any other composer from the 18th century onwards, so in theory this should be my cup of tea, for in that way I at least taste the melodic context of these songs otherwise lost on me. Well the soft spokenness of much of Grieg's music is primarily there, so that's good in my book. The arrangements are tastefully done and in character, or so I feel it to be.
The recording from 2006 is good but a tad to close, which may also account for the excessive loudness in the sonata.
As to the performance half of it I like and the rest could give me potentially a headache.

[André]

From 1987, this is the first of an eventual series that would reach some 10 albums of american pop ballads (Johnny Mercer, Alec Wilder and other masters of the genre). I own 8 of them and treasure every single track. Farrell's mastery of word-pointing, perfect diction and incredible control of soft dynamics (very hard to achieve for such a huge voice) are a pure delight. Everything is so clear that there is no need for the texts, they can be written down straight from her singing them. One of the most surprising career twists among the legendary operatic divas.

[Karl Henning]

"Papa"
Op. 71 Quartets
The Amadeus Quartet

[Florestan]

[vandermolen]

My Mother Persia: Symphonic Poem No. 3:
Children's Prayer.

Should appeal to admirers of Kamran Ince and Hovhaness.

[aligreto]

Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier, Act 2 [von Karajan]

[aligreto]

Mono, I assume?  How's the sound quality?

Mono indeed. The sound quality is not great; it is a bit thin. However it is a very good performance which is adequate compensation for me.

[aligreto]

This is a really fine one,the playing under Haitink is  exemplary , the Philips recording is full of bloom

Yes, indeed, it is what you might call a sumptuous presentation. It is a very good combination of all of the forces that you mention.