What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

Сергей Сергеевич [ Sergei Sergeyevich (Prokofiev) ]
Шестая соната для ф-п. Ля Мажор, соч. 82 [ Piano Sonata № 6 in A, Opus 82 ]
Matti Raekallio

[asin]B004TWOXGC[/asin]

Just the right balance of bluster and forward motion in the Allegro moderato, and contrasting with lovely tenderness in the second theme.  Reminding me why this was a keeper right out the gate!

[North Star]

Сергей Сергеевич [ Sergei Sergeyevich (Prokofiev) ]
Шестая соната для ф-п. Ля Мажор, соч. 82 [ Piano Sonata № 6 in A, Opus 82 ]
Matti Raekallio

Joining in the Prokofiev party with this. (the good kind of party, that is - although president Prokofiev would be nice...)

[Ken B]

Despite that reservation, I do think it's a great set and a fantastic value.

I was about to speculate about oral examination of complimentary equines ... 

[Karl Henning]

Сергей Сергеевич [ Sergei Sergeyevich (Prokofiev) ]
Шестая соната для ф-п. Ля Мажор, соч. 82 [ Piano Sonata № 6 in A, Opus 82 ]
György Sándor

[asin]B000001K71[/asin]

[Ken B]

When in Rome

[asin]B000001GXV[/asin]

[North Star]

When in Rome

How is that disc? It certainly looks mouthwatering.

[Brian]

Now that's a program I can appreciate.  Thoughts?

"Very good but". The Beethoven arietta is especially good - hushed, reverent, magical, like entering a sacred space. The boogie variation is played straight, without booging. The two "buts" are (a) I very very clearly need to hear this in better sound quality, because the compression and my crappy office headphones are doing huge damage to an obviously great colorist; and (b) there are some eccentric touches in the Schubert finale that will take a few listens to process.

[bhodges]

Dan Visconti: Fractured Jams (Scharoun Ensemble Berlin) - High modernism meets the blues, quite interesting. Love one of the comments on Amazon: "Too much screeching and banging." 

[asin]B00A80SHJ8[/asin]

--Bruce

[Ken B]

How is that disc? It certainly looks mouthwatering.

Excellent. Superb sound, and Maisky's warm intimate tone suits the Miaskovsky perfectly (pace the Amazon review).

[listener]

another pair of discs from Hyperion
FRANÇAIX: Symphony in G
Sérénade    Ouverture anacréontique    Scuola di ballo
Pavane pour un Génie vivant
The Ulster Orch.    Thierry Fischer, cond.
not a composer who easily comes to mind at the mention of a symphony
LISZT:  Arabesques    vol.35 from the Leslie Howard series
Russian and Hungarian transcriptions

[Que]

Re: Loeki Stardust:
This drives me crazy!  I keep almost buying this and then remembering the warning about the Newton Classics set.  It's like you are saying, "Look but don't touch." 

I know...sorry.....   I don't if there might be a good batch? Perhaps others could tell us..

Re: Handel/OrganCtos/Koopman
Unless these are different recordings, I think there should be three discs [...]

You are quite right! I counted them all: 

Yes, there is just one disc in the Erato box. Sad how the companies split up these recordings (I feel similar for highlights/excerpts from operas). However, that Handel box looks intriguing..... and Scott Ross as well.... hmmmm....   

How do you think these Organ Concertos compare with the competition?

Get it.... There might be some fans of Egarr in the concertos, but for me Koopman is top choice. And Baumont is super.

Q

[HIPster]

After listening to Bach, it's hard to go back

Very wise words!

I'm of the same mind. . .  Monteverdi is certainly one to whom I find that I can turn to after listening to Bach.

Which leads me to thread duty:
[asin]B0056JO17S[/asin]

Talkin' Handel Organ Concertos, Que?  I haven't heard Koopman, but Halls is my first choice:
[asin]B0007RUSZ8[/asin]
Editorial Reviews
Monica Huggett and her ensemble Sonnerie scored a hit on Avie with their recording of Handel's Trio Sonatas, Op. 2. They continue their traversal of Handel's chamber works with the Organ Concertos, Op. 4, featuring soloist Matthew Halls, a brilliant young soloist who spins out Handel's endlessly tuneful works with an improvisatory flair that the composer - himself a virtuoso organist - would surely have approved of. On this CD, he plays a replica of a Baroque style chamber organ, built by Jaap Fama and Henk Klop, and owned by the Dutch Bach Society.

[Ken B]

Melartin, Symphony 5 on Ondine, a new arrival
Update: which is fine

[Pat B]

I was about to speculate about oral examination of complimentary equines ... 

Fair enough. I think my comments, even with that last line, may not reflect my enthusiasm for the set so far.

Thread duty:
Earlier, finished up this subset of Haydn Symphonies.


Next, joining the Prokofiev party.
[asin]B000001HCY[/asin]

[Todd]

"Very good but". The Beethoven arietta is especially good - hushed, reverent, magical, like entering a sacred space. The boogie variation is played straight, without booging. The two "buts" are (a) I very very clearly need to hear this in better sound quality, because the compression and my crappy office headphones are doing huge damage to an obviously great colorist; and (b) there are some eccentric touches in the Schubert finale that will take a few listens to process.

Interest piqued even more.  Added to cart.

[Willow Pattern]

Poulenc: Laudes De Saint Antoine De Padoue, FP 172

I listened to a Disc of Poulenc sacred works for the first time - lovely!, I will definetely listen to these works again. I also finished ripping the newly arrived Ernest Ansermet box and have been playing selected works already - this morning it was the Symphonie Fantastique and it was very enjoyable. Next up I want to listen to something from the Dutilleaux set - I heard this a couple of times already but thought it wasnt really my kind of thing. I will give it another shot today:

[DavidW]

Mahler 9 Gielen: usually I love this but I've been very sick and it's just a haze, a symphony that never seems to end.

Recovering I played Haydn's 44th symphony from the Dennis Russell Davies set.  Blandly played, sad to say.

Haydn's String Quartets Op. 20 #1-3 lyrically played by the Angeles Quartet.  This is wonderful stuff.

[asin]B007CW2FGG[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

First listen. I like this.

Ah yes, Vivier one of the premier Spectralists of his day. I need to get that disc at some point, but I know it's OOP, which is unfortunate.

[Ken B]

When in Rome

[asin]B000001GXV[/asin]

Second spin.
I have not heard Slava do it, and don't think Gregor played it, but I can't easily imagine anyone else doing a better job of the Miaskovsky than Maisky does here.

[Brian]

First listen to this joy:[asin]B00005QST4[/asin]

Interest piqued even more.  Added to cart.

Over the next week I'm hoping to catch more Zhu Xiao-Mei as NML adds her recitals. I will keep you posted.