What are you listening to now?

[Mirror Image]

Now:





I haven't listened to this recording in ages. All I have to say is WOW!!!! Unbelievably great performance. Might shoot up into my top rankings for The Planets.

[André]

Bruckner: symphony no 4, version from 1874. Tokyo  Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, cond. by Chitaru (son of Takashi) Asahina. JVC Recording.

ATTENTION FOLKS:  just in case you didn't notice, this is NOT your regular 'Romantic' symphony, but its forebear, predecessor, avatar or first incarnation, from 1874. A totally different animal. Just imagine a 45 minute Beethoven 5fth, with all the trimmings, and then some. In other words, 15 minutes of unnecessary connecting tissue.

Bruckner rulz. The dude knew what he was doing after all.

[not edward]

Because I haven't actually overlistened to the pieces on this disc:

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[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Toute une mer de larmes qu'il faut naviguer.

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[EigenUser]

Because I haven't actually overlistened to the pieces on this disc:

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That's because it is impossible to do!

Seriously, though, I think I have heard the PC enough to last the rest of my life and then some. I've gone through phases where I play it every morning.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Egdon Heath. Such a fine work. If I recall, I could be wrong of course, but Holst said this was his favorite of his orchestral works.

[Mirror Image]

That's because it is impossible to do!

Seriously, though, I think I have heard the PC enough to last the rest of my life and then some. I've gone through phases where I play it every morning.

How predictable of you, Nate.

[Todd]

Charles Rosen.  Disc 2.  Chopin.  Well played.  Not my thing at all.   

[Mirror Image]

Now:



I haven't listened to this Planets in quite some time. The audio quality is a bit on the harsh side. Enjoying the energy in Mars so far but there seems to be a lack of clarity. I might blow this Planets into space dust.

Edit: Okay, I've had it. I may mistaken but the VPO are playing out of time towards the middle part of Mars. Can't have this!

[Mirror Image]

Time to go back to a Brit conductor:





Mars sounds fantastic so far. We'll see how the rest follows.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Symphony No. 6. Man, I'm loving this! I think too often I give Davis a hard time when it comes to Sibelius. He really is a natural Sibelian.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Symphony No. 2. Great performance of a, dare I say, enjoyable work. Khachaturian is a composer I rag on sometimes because some of his music sounds a bit trashy and like he's note-spinning, which many other composers are guilty of, but with this symphony, I gained a new respect for him. Could this be one of the best things he's composed? Possibly.

[Mirror Image]

I was listening to this Davis performance of Symphony No. 1 and I turned it off in disgust. I simply do not understand why he chose to tackle these symphonies? I mean the only thing that comes to mind that he brings to the music is refined playing from the LSO, but he seems like he dissects every little moment. Then there's the tempi, especially in the first movement, where there needs to be a forward momentum and some electricity. Davis conducts this work at a snail's pace. I liked his recording of Introduction & Allegro and Enigma Variations and his first performance of Symphony No. 1 with the Dresden Staatskapelle was a barnburner. What in the world happened here? Both performances of the symphonies fail to move me. Also, the recorded sound is dreadful. So dry and lifeless. Agh...I hope to never listen to this recording again.

Now playing:



Listening to In The South (Alassio). I'm not completely sold on Slatkin's conducting, but I think he's a pretty good Elgarian. This is a solid performance and has that feel to it that I know my fellow Elgar fans know about.

[Que]

Morning listening with this set:

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Q

[Harry]

Some Victoria this morning!

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2015/01/from-my-collection-november-2011.html?spref=tw

[Harry]

Bach, Organ works. For those interested in the Aeolus box, maybe worth reading.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2015/01/from-my-collection-bach-js-complete.html?spref=tw

[Sergeant Rock]

Mozart Misericordias Domini K.222




Sarge

[Florestan]

Interesting bio of Weichlein here: http://www.hoasm.org/VIE/Weichlein.html. A brawling Benedictine monk, now that´s quite a rarity. 

Short review here: http://laquintademahler.com/shop/detalle.aspx?id=48600

Fans of Biber and Schmelzer will certainly like Weichlein, too.

[Karl Henning]

Bach, Organ works. For those interested in the Aeolus box, maybe worth reading.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2015/01/from-my-collection-bach-js-complete.html?spref=tw

Thanks for the review. G'day, Harry!

[Harry]

Thanks for the review. G'day, Harry!

And to you Karl.