What are you listening to now?

[kishnevi]

Earlier this evening:
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Puts a perspective on how much Wagner drew from German opera of the period 1820 and later: Wolfram's serenade to the Evening Star from Tannhauser is one of two selections which are obviously arias; the other selections much less so,  being as much dramatic monologues as arias.

Music included:  two selections from Tannhauser (the above mentioned serenade and Wolfram's recitation at the Song Contest),  two by Schubert (from a modern reconstruction of Graf von Gliechen and Alfonso und Estrella), one each by Schumann (from Genoveva), Nicolai (Heimkehr des Verbannten) and Weber (Euryanthe--the other "obvious" aria).

Not sure if this is a CD that will bear repeated listening, but worth listening to at least once for the musical perspective, and also because, face it,  of the operas from which the music is drawn, only Tannhauser is very well represented on disc, with Euryanthe probably running a distant second.

Note: I got my copy from Amazon MP;  order this direct from Amazon and you will receive a CD-R.

Currently
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Very striking presentation of the Berg suite;   the Schoenberg for which I really got this has not yet started.   Berg completists at least will need this recording, since it includes a transcription for string orchestra of the three movements of the Lyric Suite  Berg did not transcribe from the string quartet version;  Harmonia Mundi very cautiously says it's the world premiere recording of the completed transcription ("first recording, as far as we are aware").

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Rachmaninoff's second piano sonata. Kocsis. Funny how the front of this disc says Rachmaninoff but the back actually has it Rachmaninov. Where do we go from here...

Anyway, the piece itself is very imaginative but it's not hard to see why it's an "under the radar" type of work: it lacks the overall cohesive feel of a "standard" sonata, such as Liszt's, Beethoven's, etc. It's more a vignette-type of piece that could almost be broken up and rearranged as, well, preludes, which actually round out this disc.

But purely as a listening experience it's definitely grade-A(-) stuff.



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[Todd]

But purely as a listening experience it's definitely grade-A(-) stuff.


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Kocsis' playing is so freakin' awesome on that disc.


Thread duty: a different kind of keyboard music.

[kishnevi]

Currently
[asin]B00G6OJXHU[/asin]
Very striking presentation of the Berg suite;   the Schoenberg for which I really got this has not yet started.   Berg completists at least will need this recording, since it includes a transcription for string orchestra of the three movements of the Lyric Suite  Berg did not transcribe from the string quartet version;  Harmonia Mundi very cautiously says it's the world premiere recording of the completed transcription ("first recording, as far as we are aware").

Update: 
The Schoenberg was okay;  perhaps the performance will grow on me, but it seemed a darker approach, less luminous and not so transfigured as other performances I've heard.  The Berg was far more interesting, but of course I'm less familiar with the Lyric Suite.  Sonics of the entire CD was excellent.

Currently:
from the DRD/Stuttgard Cube
CD 17, the last of the "Sturm und Drang" segment
FJ Haydn
Symphony 47 in G "Palindrom"
Symphony 45 in f sharp minor  "Farewell"
Symphony 46 in B "Nicknameless"

[Mirror Image]

Speaking of Arnie, now listening:



Listening to Five Pieces for Orchestra. I love how this work just envelops you into a world of hysteria and eeriness.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Kocsis' playing is so freakin' awesome on that disc.

Yes, he has such a big, rounded tone and quicksilver technique. Great for Rachmaninov's many turns.

Pity Kocsis didn't record more.

[TheGSMoeller]

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to From the House of the Dead. Such a great opera.

[Mirror Image]

I halted Janacek's From the House of the Dead (I won't be able to finish tonight anyway) for this:



I don't know but I just got a strange hankering for some Harmonielehre. Well I'm glad I did because it's a marvelous work anyway.

[TheGSMoeller]

[Mirror Image]

I suppose I'm on an Adams kick now:



Love The Dharma At Big Sur. I imagine this work would be thrilling to witness in a live performance. Tomorrow, I'm thinking of tackling El Nino again hopefully with better results this time around.

[Harry]

This is actually quite good, note to Que, Hipster, Neal, and other lovers of this music.


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[Que]

Interesting, Chen.


For the day opening:

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My fiancée expressed some reservations on the vocal contribution of the lead soprano (dessus) Claire Lefilliâtre, which are not entirely unfounded.

But that doesn't detract from the fact that this a remarkable recording.

Q

[ritter]

Back to modern times (from yesterday's Haydn  ) and to Wuorinen..

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Listened to the delightful Blue Bamboula and Ave Christie of Josquin on the way to work today...

Amazon.es is taking ages to deliver the On Alligators disc (which includes the 3rd Piano concerto)...I'm getting impatient here! 

[listener]

committing myself to cello concertos this morning:
d'ALBERT:  ...in C, op. 20
Christoph Henkel, cello   Berlin Radio S.O.,  Jíři Stárek, cond.
VOLKMANN: ... in a, op33¨
Jörg Baumann, cello  BRSO again, Miltiades Caridas, cond.
KABALEVSKY: ... in d, op. 77
PROKOFIEV: ... in g, op.132     and Sonata for solo cello op.133
Steven Isserlis, cello    London Philharmonic    Andrew Litton, cond.

[Que]

Next up from this set:

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Q

[Harry]

I like Fritz Brun's music.

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[Harry]

This is sublime music, a top 10 CD of the year 2014 for me. I am mightily impressed.


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[Karl Henning]

Good morning/day, all!

I just may have a go at listening to all 15 today . . . .

Дмитрий Дмитриевич [ Dmitri Dmitriyevich (Shostakovich) ]
Струнный квартет № 1 До мажор, соч. 49 [ String Quartet № 1 in C, Opus 49 (1938) ]
The Emerson String Quartet

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[Lisztianwagner]

Good day, Karl!

Franz Schubert
Symphony No.8

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