What are you listening to now?

[Que]

The latest addition to my harpsichord music collection:

[asin]B00005J71L[/asin]

Q

[jlaurson]

A message of hope and longing. The duets are not all as wonderful as the (Italian) ones with Jacobs, but the choral moments are unbeatable. What a disc!


W. Gluck (+ Berlioz)
Orphee et Eurydice
John Eliot Gardiner
A.S.von Otter, B.Hendricks, B.Fournier
Orchestre de 'lOpera de Lyon / Monteverdi Choir
EMI
German link - UK link

Gooooooorgeous recording, indeed. And sentimental value, too.

[Wanderer]

You must not be in Atlanta, the further into Fall we get the hotter if feels. 

Not unless by Atlanta you mean Athens; the first glimpses of winter are definitely here (yay!). 

Why do you say 'chilly' when clearly you mean Chailly?   

Speaking of Chailly, I did order his new Brahms cycle today, as if I needed another one (or as if I needed much persuasion;-).

Listening to:

[asin]B00008NRJ5[/asin]

[Sergeant Rock]

Haydn Symphony #46 B major, Goodman conducting the Hanover Band




Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

Haydn Symphony #46 B major, Goodman conducting the Hanover Band



Sarge

Ah yes, Sarge. Must be Haydn Friday. Just drove to work with Haydn's 99 by Harnoncourt.

[jlaurson]

A message of hope and longing. The duets are not all as wonderful as the (Italian) ones with Jacobs, but the choral moments are unbeatable. What a disc!


W. Gluck (+ Berlioz)
Orphee et Eurydice
John Eliot Gardiner
A.S.von Otter, B.Hendricks, B.Fournier
Orchestre de 'lOpera de Lyon / Monteverdi Choir
EMI
German link - UK link

Did I say "hope and longing"? How silly of me. Forgot this bit:

"Euridice takes this to be a sign that he no longer loves her, and refuses to continue, concluding that death would be preferable. Unable to take any more, Orfeo turns and looks at Euridice; again, she dies."

That's no good.

So for something different:



R. Wagner (
Lohengrin
M.Janowski
K.F.Vogt, A.Dasch, G.Groissboeck et al. / RSO Berlin
Pentatone SACDs
German link - UK link

(Wait... they die, too!???!? Aw, crimeny...)

[The new erato]

Langgaard: String Quartet No. 2
Kontra Quartet

I have that disc, and as painful as it may be to you - the new recording by the Nightingale Quartet on the same label is far superior.

[Octave]

"Euridice takes this to be a sign that he no longer loves her, and refuses to continue, concluding that death would be preferable. Unable to take any more, Orfeo turns and looks at Euridice; again, she dies."

SPOILER

[Sergeant Rock]

SPOILER

Jens ruined Lohengrin too 

Sarge

[marvinbrown]

  It's time to listen to an opera........an ITALIAN opera.  It's time for Verdi, it has to be Verdi.....it MUST be Verdi:

  I Vespri Siciliani from this MEGA boxset (a real treasure trove):

  [asin]B00AFOS8A0[/asin]

  I have Levine's Vespri  but the one featured in this boxset is the Muti recording Zancanaro, Capuano, Studer, Barbacini and the La Scala Chorus and Orchestra. 

  marvin

  I sadly report that the Muti I Vespri featured in this boxset proved less than satisfying.  This is a live recording with applause et al. heard intermittently throughout the performance.  Not that that irritated me, but the sound engineering is quite appalling!!  Single vocals could hardly be heard in any clarity at all. Turning up the volume proved fruitless as the choral sections that followed were excessively loud.  It was difficult to enjoy the performance. One of the very few recordings in this boxset that disappointed me. 

  Currently revisiting this opera in the best version available:

  [asin]B00000JMH7[/asin]

  The Levine I Vespri is the best on record.  So why oh why? why? why?? is the CD version so expensive, almost on its way to getting out of print??  I am listening to a 256 AAC variable bitrate version. I would have appreciated the CD version.

  marvin

[Octave]

  Currently revisiting this opera in the best version available:

  [asin]B00000JMH7[/asin]

  The Levine I Vespri is the best on record.  So why oh why? why? why?? is the CD version so expensive, almost on its way to getting out of print??  I am listening to a 256 AAC variable bitrate version. I would have appreciated the CD version.

Thanks for mention of this, Marvin.  I don't suppose another toy-dog kennel will do you any good, but it looks like your preferred VESPRI is available in this:

[asin]B00BI7EY88[/asin]
Verdi: THE GREAT RECORDINGS (Sony, 30cd)  [discs 13-15]

Contents listing in an Amazon review and also at Presto:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88883703692

I have been a bit Verdi mad but mainly chained to the Decca box.  If you know a number of the Sony box recordings and have an opinion, maybe speak up about it in the Verdi thread.

[jlaurson]

A message of hope and longing. The duets are not all as wonderful as the (Italian) ones with Jacobs, but the choral moments are unbeatable. What a disc!


W. Gluck (+ Berlioz)
Orphee et Eurydice
John Eliot Gardiner
A.S.von Otter, B.Hendricks, B.Fournier
Orchestre de 'lOpera de Lyon / Monteverdi Choir
EMI
German link - UK link

Did I say "hope and longing"? How silly of me. Forgot this bit:

"Euridice takes this to be a sign that he no longer loves her, and refuses to continue, concluding that death would be preferable. Unable to take any more, Orfeo turns and looks at Euridice; again, she dies."

That's no good.

So for something different:



R. Wagner
Lohengrin
M.Janowski
K.F.Vogt, A.Dasch, G.Groissboeck et al. / RSO Berlin
Pentatone SACDs
German link - UK link

(Wait... they die, too!???!? Aw, crimeny...)

SPOILER

Jens ruined Lohengrin too 

Sarge

Ooops. Sorry guys. I should have known better, after being chided for spoiling Titanic in the "Movie" thread. 

Janowski's Wagner cycle is amazing, actually. Nothing like the forgettable Brahms and Bruckner.

[Sergeant Rock]

Haydn Symphony #47 G major, one of the horniest Haydn symphonies 




Sarge

[The new erato]

Ooops. Sorry guys. I should have known better, after being chided for spoiling Titanic in the "Movie" thread. 

I'll scuttle over there to see how that sheenanigan ended!

[marvinbrown]

Thanks for mention of this, Marvin.  I don't suppose another toy-dog kennel will do you any good, but it looks like your preferred VESPRI is available in this:

[asin]B00BI7EY88[/asin]
Verdi: THE GREAT RECORDINGS (Sony, 30cd)  [discs 13-15]

Contents listing in an Amazon review and also at Presto:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88883703692

I have been a bit Verdi mad but mainly chained to the Decca box.  If you know a number of the Sony box recordings and have an opinion, maybe speak up about it in the Verdi thread.

  WOW...good eye Octave  ! I do not know how you spotted that!...well done and thank you so much.  The Decca box is indeed a delight! I have been working my way through it and 95% of it is superb.  I will have to see if it is possible to get that I vespri off of Sony separately. Trouble is I vespri recordings are quite hard to come by, but there is some great music in there.  Pity!

  marvin

[Willow Pattern]

Bach: Partita For Solo Violin No. 2 In D Minor, BWV 1004

[Cato]

I have heard this CD now several times with the Symphony #3 by Kalliwoda along with 3 other works: an overture, an Introduction and Rondeau for Clarinet and Orchestra, and Introduction and Variations for Horn and Orchestra.



My first impression (listening while driving, not the best) had some disappointment, but I recalled going through a certain cycle before. Kalliwoda fits neatly into the post-Beethoven era of Schumann and Schubert, yet when one listens more carefully, one hears that he distinguishes himself not with a Bohemian folk-style (although there are occasional whiffs of it), but with a subtlety of expression in the melodies and often in the orchestra.

The Clarinet work is a good example: a rather mysteriously somber opening leads to the clarinet sympathizing with the orchestra, and then gradually persuading it to become more optimistic, rather than obsessing over whatever had troubled it.  The orchestra responds at one point with a little march, almost a folk-dance, as if prepared to follow behind the clarinet's lead.

A completely subjective explanation, but I hope one understands the point: what on the surface might seem like something derived purely from the style of von Weber or Schumann does have its distinguishing characteristics and is most charming.

[Sergeant Rock]

Haydn Sinfonia Concertante B flat, Fey and the Heidelbergers




Sarge

[Drasko]

  Trouble is I vespri recordings are quite hard to come by, but there is some great music in there.  Pity!

  marvin

I agree. Try streaming this one. It's mid 50s live recording and it's bit cut I believe, but Cerquetti and Christoff sing up a storm.

http://www.operatoday.com/content/2006/09/verdi_i_vespri_.php

or direct streaming link: http://www.operatoday.com/Vespri1.m3u

[Brahmsian]

Ray is ChamberNut our resident Winnipegian (correct term?).

Winnipegger is the proper term.   

Franco-Manitobain is another one.