What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

Well, it's a rum thing, this music . . . .

[Mirror Image]

Punkhausen

Hehe...clever play on words. I almost spit out my ginger ale when reading this!

[EigenUser]

Maiden-Listen Mondays!

Punkhausen
Zeitmaße, Op.5 (1956)
Jacques Castagnier, fl
Claude Maisonneuve, ob
Paul Taillefer, cor ang
Guy de Plus, cl
André Rabot, bn

I actually enjoyed Zeitmaße, if I remember correctly. Well, maybe enjoyed isn't the word. The feeling was more like ducking in anticipation of a punch, but (to your relief) only getting a whoosh of air.

Currently, LvB Emporer.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht and then his Variations. Great stuff.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Excellent, Zauber. What do you think of the Leningrad so far with Rozhdestvensky at the helm?

I heard the Seventh entire - the only one I had time for - and came away with renewed respect for Rozhdestvensky.  Some of his musicians are challenged here, but he manages to pull this live performance off, from '68.  It has a fragility about it - perhaps not as large a force as we're accustomed to in this work? - or perhaps because the many missed notes render its heroism peculiarly, astonishingly effective.  It's decidedly not as dynamic a performance as we're accustomed to.  Engineering is better, more up front than anticipated but playing and recording both may disappoint listeners with less tolerance.  Looking forward to the other works here, recorded later in his career. 

[Mirror Image]

I heard the Seventh entire - the only one I had time for - and came away with renewed respect for Rozhdestvensky.  Some of his musicians are challenged here, but he manages to pull this live performance off, from '68.  It has a fragility about it - perhaps not as large a force as we're accustomed to in this work? - or perhaps because the many missed notes render its heroism peculiarly, astonishingly effective.  It's decidedly not as dynamic a performance as we're accustomed to.  Engineering is better, more up front than anticipated but playing and recording both may disappoint listeners with less tolerance.  Looking forward to the other works here, recorded later in his career.

Very nice. Thanks for the feedback. I actually own this set, but have yet to give any of it a spin. I'm pretty spoilt when it comes to the Leningrad and the reason I am is Bernstein's performance with the CSO on Deutsche Grammophon has been ingrained into my mind. Another great Leningrad is Masur's, but I find Bernstein the most emotional performance on record. Petrenko has a good one as well.

[Karl Henning]

I actually enjoyed Zeitmaße, if I remember correctly. Well, maybe enjoyed isn't the word. The feeling was more like ducking in anticipation of a punch, but (to your relief) only getting a whoosh of air.

Yes, it's all right.  No better, and no worse, then all right.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, it's all right.  No better, and no worse, then all right.

A typical reaction from an anti-Punkhausen listener. You're actually doing better than I am, I don't think I could get enough courage to take a listen.

[king ubu]

.
[asin]B004CHURRS[/asin]

"Cleopatra" - Natalie Dessay, Le Concert d'Astrée/Emmanuelle Haïm
Arias from Händel's "Giulio Cesare"

[ritter]

How is that performance, Ritter? I listened to Ansermet's rendition of Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien a while ago and was completely enchanted by Debussy's composition. I am not familiar with Mercier at all..   
How is that Debussy set?

Well, the set has the advantage of being veeery cheap. You have Casadesus for the piano works (including both books of Préludes), the Julliard doing the SQ, Munch in orchestral pieces, and then this Martyre. This recording has received generally good reviews in France, and it isn't bad, but I find it strangely old-fashioned (i.e., too operatic for my taste). I think it's a recording that doesn't stress the modernity of this music (this is, after all, a rather late piece by Claude de France). And then, if you don't happen to speak French (I luckily do), the recitation can become a nuisance (even if Michael Lonsdale is rather good at it)...

Sorry for the delayed response, Moonfish ...I've been away on business all day in Barcelona.

[Ken B]

Yes, it's all right.  No better, and no worse, then all right.

We still discussing La Mer??

[Brian]

I couldn't spend the WHOLE day listening to George Lloyd's Fifth Symphony.



So I moved on to Carl Nielsen's Fourth.

[ritter]

Long time no hear:

[asin]B000002C0J[/asin]

[Moonfish]

Franck: Sonata for Violin and Piano (transcribed for Orchestra)     Leonid Kogan/State Academic Symphony O/Pavel Kogan
Schubert: Fantasie   D934       Kogan/Alumian
Schumann: Fantasie  Op 131      Kogan/Mytnik

cd 67 from
[asin] B000T2ONOI[/asin]

[Ken B]

Brahms, Symphony 2, Levine

[TheGSMoeller]

Good Evening, friends.
My CDs for the early evening, featuring Orff and Rangstrom..

[asin]B0000E5NQ6[/asin]
[asin]B00004TTK8[/asin]

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Very nice. Thanks for the feedback. I actually own this set, but have yet to give any of it a spin. I'm pretty spoilt when it comes to the Leningrad and the reason I am is Bernstein's performance with the CSO on Deutsche Grammophon has been ingrained into my mind. Another great Leningrad is Masur's, but I find Bernstein the most emotional performance on record. Petrenko has a good one as well.

I have Lenny in the Leningrad, too. and of course favor it, though haven't heard Petrenko's. Our public library has Gergiev's newest recording and I should listen to that soon.  I'll be interested to see what you think of Rozhdestvensky's - bet you that you come away with the same impression.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

We still discussing La Mer??

Uh, oh, the genius award committee saw that. Not good. Did I mention that their names are crawling with é's and è's and à's and î's and ç's and ô's?

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Single digit temps here factoring windchill.  I'm gonna toughen myself up with music from Iceland. Metamorphoses for piano trio

[asin]B004RCMJ1U[/asin]

[Ken B]

Uh, oh, the genius award committee saw that. Not good. Did I mention that their names are crawling with é's and è's and à's and î's and ç's and ô's?

Ñö.