What are you listening to now?

[Andy D.]

I do like the Baudo cycle - but then I love the Czech PO!  Was listening this afternoon to the wonderful Hanson Symphonies 1&2.  I'm sure you must know them - they have such cinematic sweep and Romantic flair.  Great performances for Gerald Schwarz in Seattle.  I wonder when either work was last programmed in a professional UK concert?  Such easily accessible and appealing works - marvellous!

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Checking out and liking Symphony no. 1 by Hanson! (Schwarz)

[Tsaraslondon]

Two contrasting works from John Adams.

[Traverso]

Bach

[Harry]

Angelo Maria Fiore.

Complete Cello Sonatas & 17th century Italian arias.

Trattenimento da camera op. 1 Nr. 11-14; Sinfonia for Cello & Harpsichord C Major; Sinfonia for Cello & Bc B flat major
Anonymous (Angelo Maria Fiore): Cello Sonata A Major
Ziani: Chi serve al dio d'amor
Monza: Allemande-Double C minor; Allemande D major.
Anonymous: Amo il regno et amo il figlio
Magni: E caro il tormento soave il dolor
Ballarotti: Stelle avverse in cielo armatevi
Pollarolo: Per godervi o labra amate
Sabadini: Amar e non mirar

Elinor Frey, Baroque cello.
Suzie LeBlanc Soprano.
Lorenzo Ghielmi, Harpsichord.
Esteban La Rotta, Theorbo.

The dialogue between Cello and Soprano is one to treasure, especially when it is done with so much taste as on this record. The ornaments which are provided in the score for the cello are are beautiful melodies, and sublimely reflecting the noble character in the music, thus expertly integrated into the context. Each passage in the music is dovetailed and intensified by Suzie LeBlanc's narrative.  "Pleasant melodies which are almost naive in their clarity and affect, which you especially hear to fine effect when the cello participates in call and response with the voice, sometimes combining to provide a countermelody, or briefly jumping down to join the continuo, allowing greater autonomy to the soprano".
As to the instrumental attributions there is no doubt about the excellence of it, but Suzie LeBlanc is not doing well in this recording. Her voice is often strained, and out of breath. The high tessiture is to my ears faulthy in many places, and tiring to listen to. She is not in good voice I might say, and that is a first for me, considering the many recordings I have from her.
So not an unqualified recommendation, but a cautious one.
Sound is very good, but put the volume two notches down when Suzie comes in, better for your ears anyway.

[Harry]

Checking out and liking Symphony no. 1 by Hanson! (Schwarz)

Yes those Symphonies are very rewarding in their musicality, I like them a lot, although its a long time I have listened to them.

[Tsaraslondon]

Still sounding terrific 26 years after it was recorded.

[Traverso]

Very good, I dug it out when I saw you were listening to it and I'm enjoying the vigorous singing a lot.

Glad that you like it too,yes indeed,vigorous singing.
I always loved this recording.

[Harry]

Alexander Utendal & Philippus de Monte.

The resonance of Polyphony.

Motets

Capilla Flamenca.
Oltremontano.
Bart Demuyt, Artistic director.

"The extraordinary resonance of the musical repertoire known as Flemish or Netherlands polyphony knew virtually no bounds during the Renaissance, extending from Portugal to the eastern frontiers of the Habsburg empire and from England to Southern Italy".
"The unique synthesis of rationality and emotionality was realized in exemplary fashion" in the motets on this recording. Compositional virtuosity and madrigalistic expression abound in this interpretation. Both instrumental and vocal contributions are exemplary.
I very much like what I hear. Not entirely satisfied with the choir balance, but it doesn't bite me that much.

[Mandryka]

Glad that you like it too,yes indeed,vigorous singing.
I always loved this recording.

Maybe you were an Englishman in a previous life, just like I was a Dutchman.

I have that one. I guess you may not fully understand what I'm about to say about it - it reminds me of school. Those were the sorts of songs they made us sing at junior school!

[Harry]

Aurelio Bonelli.

Complete Keyboard Works.

Federico del Sordo plays at the organ (1680) of The abbazia di San Magno, Amelia, Umbria.
Pitch: A 4=429 Hz & Temperament: 1/6 comma meantone.
Harpsichord: is by Francesco Marini, and a copy of an 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 a illustration in Praetorius's "Syntagma Musicum, (1620).

This is one of the finest organ discs I bought this year, and very much recommended.
The organ sounds fantastic, plus you do not want to miss the music of this fine unknown composer, all so well played by Del Sordo.

[vandermolen]

Another +1 for the Karajan coupling of the 2nd/3rd symphonies.  Must be one of the best records he ever made.

+2 and a thumbs up for Howard Hanson.

[vandermolen]

Howells - String quartet No. 3 In Gloucestershire: The only quartet I know by Howells. Thoroughly charming, melancholy, of touching nature. Some traces of Ravel and VW are heard here. Wonderful music.

How come I don't know this CD? Must investigate.

[Roasted Swan]

How come I don't know this CD? Must investigate.

Perhaps check out this relatively new naxos disc first

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It includes the wonderful (early) Lady Audrey Suite for String Quartet as well as the gorgeous piano quartet as well as "In Gloucestershire".  At Presto currently you can get Studio Master quality downloads of this and many other Naxos discs for under £4 each - this one sounds excellent like that......

FWIW - the 2nd violinist of the Britten quartet and I had the same violin teacher when we were growing up in Liverpool!

[Maestro267]

Arnold: Symphony No. 4
NSO Ireland/Penny

[Andy D.]

Arnold: Symphony No. 4
NSO Ireland/Penny

Arnold is  a composer I found through his excellent Kammermusik for winds. Now I'm really interested in  his  symphonies.

I once again was disappointed by Petrenko's take on Shostakovich's 8th symphony. Weird, because I'm a big fan of what he did with the 4th, 10th, and 11th.

The 8th is easily my fave symphony by Dmitri, but Petrenko seemed to drop the ball here, especially in  the all-important first movement, which overall sounded somewhat castrated to me. Both the fierceness and intense dissonance seem downplayed here...an erroneous, performance-tactical error imo.

I still need to check out the Jarvi conducting of the 8th, since by most accounts the things l love about the symphony (see above) are much in evidence there.

My faves remain the Mravinsky and Barshai.

[Andy D.]

Inspired by AndyD, I fired up Shostakovich 8 for my commute this morning...




I'm awake!  I'm awake!       

Seriously, if this recording and a cup of coffee can't get you through the morning, you're dead...

I have only heard the Kondrashian 15th. which I really liked!

I'm actually thrilled to share that none other than our ever estimable maestro Karl Henning is getting a package together that includes that cycle. Very psyched!!

[Madiel]

Faure: the tortured, twisting Nocturne No.7



The problem with listening to this piece is that it was one of my favourite pieces to actually play. Stott does a pretty good job in my opinion, but inevitably there are places where in my head I'm placing an emphasis that she doesn't replicate. I think I wallowed in it more than she does...

But even with that caveat, she's making me feel a heck of a lot of this magnificent music.

[Harry]

Scordato, Habsburg Violin music, from Manuscript XIV of the Minoritenkonvent in Vienna.

Gunar Letzbor, Violin.Ars Antiqua Austria.

Well I have written enough of this series by Letzbor, all very positive, and in the repeat modus I stand to which I said.
The sound is good, and the music is an adventure.

[Madiel]

Faure, La bonne chanson



EDIT: Twice. Because it's one of Faure's most complex works.

[Brian]

Trying out Tetzlaff's new Beethoven Sibelius combo.



The Beethoven is pretty much as I expected: Tetzlaff is totally engaged, tonally beautiful, and technically fabulous; Ticciati alternates raw Beethovenian strength with occasional nods in the direction of HIP (the violins could offer a little more vibrato in tutti passages).

The first movement cadenza is the big one with timpani marching. As Tetzlaff says in the booklet interview: "as a result the seriousness or solemnity sometimes surrounding the work is also completely suspended. He has nothing but nonsense in the cadenzas."