What are you listening to now?

[Mirror Image]

It's probably just me, but that's worst cover material. Brrrr.

Well, Danacord aren't exactly known for that highly inventive cover art, but that's neither here nor there as the music is what matters the most and Holten's Delius has really impressed me.

[Brian]

Well, Danacord aren't exactly known for that highly inventive cover art,

Speaking of which

[Mirror Image]

Speaking of which

Hah! Well there you go.

[aligreto]

Now:



A new acquisition. Listening to Also Sprach Zarathustra. Sounds absolutely fantastic in this new, remastered sound. I may just be coming around to Kempe's Strauss, but I think a lot of it had to do with when I was listening to his Strauss last year, I really didn't understand the composer too well. So the problem was obviously with this listener and not with Kempe.

That is interesting on the remaster. I have the EMI box set I bought many years ago. I personally have always liked Kempe in Strauss; I always thought that he interpreted the music well. I have come across a few people who have taken some time to warm to R Strauss. I always say that a little effort in this regard will reap rich dividends; but then I am biased in that direction 

[aligreto]

My first time to hear this work. I thought that it was really lovely and wonderfully played and sung.

[North Star]

Sibelius
Symphonies nos. 6 & 7
BBCSO
Storgårds

[Karl Henning]

Sibelius
Symphonies nos. 6 & 7
BBCSO
Storgårds

Considering my recent Pärt-scapades, you are welcome to as much time as you may require, Karlo . . . but I am interested in your impressions, whenever you may be ready to share them 

[North Star]

Considering my recent Pärt-scapades, you are welcome to as much time as you may require, Karlo . . . but I am interested in your impressions, whenever you may be ready to share them 

Recent? 
I like the recordings a fair bit, although as what I'm listening to are from radio broadcasts before the set was released, I assume that they have edited out the occasional thuds from what I hope is not an instrument falling.. Listening to no. 6 again now as I was interrupted by a phone call before.
Storgårds' experience with more modern music does seem to shine through, in a positive way, as an Amazon reviewer wrote. The playing & sound are very good, and the low strings are heard. 

[Karl Henning]

Recent? 

Leave us say late, then 

[North Star]

Leave us say late, then 

Better late than never.

[Mirror Image]

That is interesting on the remaster. I have the EMI box set I bought many years ago. I personally have always liked Kempe in Strauss; I always thought that he interpreted the music well. I have come across a few people who have taken some time to warm to R Strauss. I always say that a little effort in this regard will reap rich dividends; but then I am biased in that direction 

Yes, I think I just needed to get into Strauss' sound-world a bit more. I remember I started off listening to classical with Strauss very much at the forefront of composers I listened to pretty regularly, but I'm not sure exactly where I lost my way with his music, but I started to listen to the naysayers and I began to take on their opinions instead and thinking these naysayers had a point about calling his music 'bombastic garbage' or whatever other negatives they spewed out of their mouths. Never again will I listen to a critic, because a critic is only giving an opinion and there's a saying "opinions are like assholes, everyone has one." Stepping off my soapbox now, I'm really enjoying Kempe's Strauss more now than I ever did.

[Todd]

[Karl Henning]

Thread Duty:

“Papa”
String Quartet in A, Op.55 № 1 (H.III/60)
Amadeus Quartet

[North Star]

Liszt
Années de pèlerinage
Grimwood
[asin]B001O3MLN6[/asin]

[Wanderer]

.[asin]B004MKND6C[/asin]

Mahler Sym 8 in E Flat Major

Try Segerstam (if you can find it).

Agreed with vehemence.

Medtner: Skazki ('Fairy Tales'), op.51, as played by Geoffrey Tozer split across these 2 discs.

[asin]B000000AP7[/asin]

[asin]B000000ARI[/asin]

Seriously good music. I've been listening online to Medtner's opuses in fits and starts, and the Skazki seem to be getting more and more substantial.

Tozer was a great Medtner interpreter and his loss was tragically untimely.
By saying "getting more substantial", do you mean in your appreciation as you listen to them more or as the opus numbers increase? As a genre, the Skazki (best translated as Tales or Legends, not the quaintly incorrect Fairy Tales) do span the entirety of his career.

[listener]

Music from the Courts of Philip II and Elizabeth I
(BYRD, PARSONS, CABEZÓN, etc.)   performed by Fretwork   Michael Chance, c-tenor  Paul Nicholson, harpsichord
and vocal duets by BRAHMS, CORNELIUS, SCHUMANN, MENDELSSOHN, LISZT and RUBINSTEIN
Brigitte Fassbaender, Hidenori Komatsu, Kurt Moll   ms/bar/b   Cord Garben, piano

[Karl Henning]

No surprise!:

"Papa"
String Quartet in f minor, Op.55 № 2 « Rasiermesserquartett » (H.III/61)
String Quartet in B^b, Op.55 № 3 (H.III/62)
Amadeus Quartet



I was going to omit the nickname, but then I thought to check my copy of Haydn: His Life and Music ...

Haydn's letter to John Bland of 12 April 1790 was rediscovered in 1982 and, amongst other things, contains proof that Haydn did sell music to the publisher in return for some razors (the quartet op. 55 no. 2 is known as the 'Razor'): Bland also supplied a watch ....

[Mirror Image]

Revisiting some Koechlin after a hiatus from his music:



Listening to Le buisson ardent Parts I & II. Completely magical.

[Brian]

Getting better-acquainted with one of the most thoughtful, distinctive, idiosyncratic pianists of the last few decades.

[Karl Henning]

Face it!  Blizzard or no, who can just listen to three Haydn quartets?

"Papa"
String Quartet in B^b, Op.71 № 1 (H.III/69)
String Quartet in D, Op.71 № 2 (H.III/70)
String Quartet in E^b, Op.71 № 3 (H.III/71)
Amadeus Quartet