What are you listening to now?

[jwinter]

I think this is my favorite CD of this work, grand old-school Bach with energy and a sense of rhythm, beautifully clear recording..... 


I listened to Klemperer yesterday, and while I love it too, the sheer scale and slowness of it becomes overwhelming after a while, it's just too much.  Jochum seems just about perfect ..

[kyjo]

Kyle might be interested in this disc. I especially enjoyed 'Orpheus' by William Schuman and Virgil Thomson's Cello Concerto:

Interestingly enough, Jeffrey, I was just recently listening to the delightful Virgil Thomson concerto, which is echt-'Americana' in style but somehow manages not to sound too much like Copland's "populist" works. I have yet to listen to the Schuman and Perry works on that disc.

[kyjo]

Erwin Schulhoff: Symphony 5 (1938/39)
A magnificent work. Written in the shadow of the Munich Agreement of 1938 and the terrible betrayal of Czechoslovakia (by my own country amongst others) it conveys a terrible sense of looming catastrophe but also hopeless defiance. In this sense it reminds me of Honegger's 2nd and 3rd 'Liturgique' symphonies. I was also reminded of the 2nd and 3rd symphonies by Hilding Rosenberg at times. There is a Romain Rolland connection between the Schulhoff and the Rosenberg 3rd Symphony as well. As a Czech, Jewish communist Schulhoff stood no chance at all and perished during the Second World War. My grateful thanks to André for originally introducing me to this despairing but paradoxically inspiriting work:

A very powerful work indeed. I also detected a strong Shostakovich influence in the martial, aggressive passages.

[kyjo]

One of the earliest Sibelius masterpieces IMO. That gentle beginning sounds like the start of a fantastic adventure as it effectively is.

+1 The Wood-Nymph is one of my favorite Sibelius tone poems with its heroic opening, sensuous middle section, and imperiously tragic ending.

[kyjo]

I like all the Schulhoff's symphonies. Too bad the only recording of his symphonies 4 & 6 is out of print as far as I know. Terribly hard to find.

Fortunately, both can be found on YouTube!

[kyjo]

Bainton: Symphony no. 3

[asin]B000NA2PK0[/asin]
Listened to this at Jeffrey's recommendation. This symphony from the 1950s is in a rather post-Elgarian style, though Bainton has a very interesting unique voice. The first movement opens strikingly in the subterranean depths before building to some more declamatory statements. Later on in the movement, there is, unexpectedly, an almost "oriental" passage featuring the flute and harp that is quite beautiful. Also of note is the rather strange second movement which moves disconcertingly between jolliness and anxiety. As Jeffrey has remarked, the triumphant ending of the finale is quite moving. This is certainly a work I will be returning to!


Škerjanc: Slavostna uvertura (Festive Overture)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZheZ__j51U
(live performance in good sound)

Lucijan Marija Škerjanc (1900-73, Slovenian) is certainly a composer who cries out to be represented by modern commercial recordings (of which his music has none). This colorfully orchestrated, majestic overture is really something to treasure!


Shostakovich: Piano Sonata no. 2

[asin]B0000SWNIO[/asin]
Not an oft-discussed work by Shostakovich, but surely a worthy one. It shows a more intimate side to the composer than in his searing, super-dramatic orchestral works.


Bach: Goldberg Variations

[asin]B00004Z3PV[/asin]
It goes without saying that this is a monument of a work, superbly crafted at every turn and radiating joy and exuberance (except for the few variations in minor keys, which are quite touching). Perahia gives a sparkling and heartfelt performance that is so satisfying to listen to.


Magnard: Symphony no. 4

[asin]B00004OCF1[/asin]
This is an absolute masterwork, which makes one regret that Magnard died the next year after completing it (1914) after being shot by a German soldier while defending his home. From the striking upward surge of the opening, through the delightful folk dances of the second movement and the radiance of the slow movement, to the incomparably cathartic, moving, uplifting, glorious ending (it brought tears to my eyes), this is a work that could've only been written by Magnard. To my ears, this performance does full justice to the lucidity and grandeur of this score (though I know others prefer the Plasson or Ossonce versions, which I haven't heard). I'm eager to hear the new Naxos recording...

[Madiel]

In between through plowing through the Vivaldi Naive series, I'm going to make sure I have a listen to the Hyperion Sacred Music box that I already own. It will be an interesting comparison of style (though I'm not aiming to do direct comparisons of individual pieces).

[Que]

Morning listening - the 2nd half of Book I:

[asin]B002F3BQ9O[/asin]
Q

[Andy D.]

Hadn't listened to Scriabin in a long while, and he fits right in with my current Russian composer phase

Symphony no. 1 (Muti)

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony [Previn]





This is a strong but lyrical and contemplative version of this work and I like Previn's vision of the music.

That's as marvellous recording, my favourite I think of the 1936 version. The current edition of BBC Music Magazine features a proms performance of A London Symphony by Andrew Manze as the cover disc. I haven't heard it yet.

[vandermolen]

Louis Glass.

Complete Symphonies, Volume II.

Symphony No. 5, opus 57 in C major.
Fantasy for Piano & Orchestra, opus 47.

Marianna Shirinyan, Piano.
Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, Daniel Raiskin.


The second volume already. It is a mysterious and philosophical journey. Music influenced by the theosophy of Madame Blavatsky, a rather silly society. She wrote books that are hardly understandable, with a load of nonsense. I can imagine what the influence on Glass was, and how this translated to both works on this disc, but tis marginal. Glass is a hard figure to get a grip at, and his music escapes a clear definition, but it is interesting enough to keep listening. Sometimes the brass blurts out in a very sophisticated way, albeit rather loud, and at other times he makes his melodies very beautiful, so my liking it, is a work in process. I will eventually get there, were the secret of his compositions are buried. In the meantime I am enjoying it.
Namaste!
Sound is excellent, as is the performance.

That's a great disc - one that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

[vandermolen]

Interestingly enough, Jeffrey, I was just recently listening to the delightful Virgil Thomson concerto, which is echt-'Americana' in style but somehow manages not to sound too much like Copland's "populist" works. I have yet to listen to the Schuman and Perry works on that disc.

Good to know Kyle. I really liked the Virgil Thomson as well - it is possibly my favourite work by him and I agree with your interesting 'echt-Americana' comment.

[vandermolen]

Bainton: Symphony no. 3

[asin]B000NA2PK0[/asin]
Listened to this at Jeffrey's recommendation. This symphony from the 1950s is in a rather post-Elgarian style, though Bainton has a very interesting unique voice. The first movement opens strikingly in the subterranean depths before building to some more declamatory statements. Later on in the movement, there is, unexpectedly, an almost "oriental" passage featuring the flute and harp that is quite beautiful. Also of note is the rather strange second movement which moves disconcertingly between jolliness and anxiety. As Jeffrey has remarked, the triumphant ending of the finale is quite moving. This is certainly a work I will be returning to!


Škerjanc: Slavostna uvertura (Festive Overture)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZheZ__j51U
(live performance in good sound)

Lucijan Marija Škerjanc (1900-73, Slovenian) is certainly a composer who cries out to be represented by modern commercial recordings (of which his music has none). This colorfully orchestrated, majestic overture is really something to treasure!


Shostakovich: Piano Sonata no. 2

[asin]B0000SWNIO[/asin]
Not an oft-discussed work by Shostakovich, but surely a worthy one. It shows a more intimate side to the composer than in his searing, super-dramatic orchestral works.


Bach: Goldberg Variations

[asin]B00004Z3PV[/asin]
It goes without saying that this is a monument of a work, superbly crafted at every turn and radiating joy and exuberance (except for the few variations in minor keys, which are quite touching). Perahia gives a sparkling and heartfelt performance that is so satisfying to listen to.


Magnard: Symphony no. 4

[asin]B00004OCF1[/asin]
This is an absolute masterwork, which makes one regret that Magnard died the next year after completing it (1914) after being shot by a German soldier while defending his home. From the striking upward surge of the opening, through the delightful folk dances of the second movement and the radiance of the slow movement, to the incomparably cathartic, moving, uplifting, glorious ending (it brought tears to my eyes), this is a work that could've only been written by Magnard. To my ears, this performance does full justice to the lucidity and grandeur of this score (though I know others prefer the Plasson or Ossonce versions, which I haven't heard). I'm eager to hear the new Naxos recording...

Glad you thought highly of the Bainton Symphony 3 Kyle. Do you know the Chandos CD with the Symphony No.2 and Clifford's defiant 'Symphony 1940' - a great CD IMO which has given me great emotional pleasure. +1 for Magnard's 4th Symphony. His tragic death robbed us of a great composer. I have a soft spot for the Plasson recording as it was how I discovered the work on LP and also for its marvellous coupling, the very moving 'Chant Funebre'.

[Tsaraslondon]

Fabulous Bax from the LPO under Sir Adrian Boult. I've never heard a better version of Tintagel or The Garden of Fand. Splendid Lyrita analogue sound too.

[aukhawk]

Thankfully prompted by a conversation between amw and aukhawk, I had never been so immediately hooked by any Faust project. Maybe it's time to listen to again those two Rilling disks on Hässler.

J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos, Sinfonias, Overture and Sonatas

[asin]B07MF43WRB[/asin]

^^^^ my top Issue Of 2019 so far.

Though I did enjoy listening to this new release yesterday:
Messiaen: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité



Especially the 4th Méditation entitled - Je suis, je suis!  (shades of Popeye the sailor man  )

[Harry]

Johann Gottfried Walther.
Complete Organ Works.
CD 6. Chorale settings V.

Simone Stella plays on a Zanin organ 2006.

Walther wrote a lot of these Chorale settings. Short pieces, but powerful in expression, often deeply emotional and touching. His contrapuntal abilities, and his genius to colour intensely in a short time has me awed. I deeply respect his music, and to my ears he is a genius. He died in poverty this wonderful composer and human being. That is very unsettling to me. The pain and shame he must have felt.
But most of his organ music survived thank God. At least the chorale settings.
The Zanin organ is also a marvel, I could not distinguish it from an old one, so he has done a good job in building such a fine instrument.

[Madiel]

^^^^ my top Issue Of 2019 so far.

Though I did enjoy listening to this new release yesterday:
Messiaen: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité



Especially the 4th Méditation entitled - Je suis, je suis!

Don't know anything about the music, but I do know that church.

In Reykjavik. And I checked that he did record there. One of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen.

[aukhawk]

   
Krista's Photoblog

[Madiel]

I do remember seeing the organ.

But really you need photos of the rest of the building, inside and out.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hallgrimskirkja

[Mandryka]

[asin]B000028CL1[/asin]

This Vatican manuscript arrived this morning, and it is indeed good to have,, absolutely the  sort of feel I associate with St Peters! Big, rich, lavish, confident, classy, sweet, poised and beautiful.