What are you listening to now?

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

I have, apparently, chosen my Planets unwisely...I only have one in the Top 10  

Versions I own with PPP's ranking

5   HOLST LSO
12 BERNSTEIN NEW YORK
32 BOULT LPO
37 KARAJAN VIENNA PHIL
38 RATTLE PHILHARMONIA
43 PREVIN   RPO
44 STEINBERG BOSTON
51 GARDINER PHILHARMONIA
59 MEHTA NEW YORK
71 MAAZEL    O NAT FRANCE
78 HERRMANN LSO


Sarge

I've heard all of those Planets (I'm surprised I don't see the DG Karajan/BPO and the Dutoit on your list ).

I like the Levine/CSO the best since it has the most heroic and animated reading- but I really love the DG Karajan/BPO and the Herrmann/LSO for the "Neptune" cut- but for totally different reasons: the Karajan just takes me to the realm of Olympus and the Herrmann is like a great science fiction film score.

[The new erato]

Making a stab at the MDG complete sonatas by playing the piano sonatas disc:

[asin]B0000061YO[/asin]

[Papy Oli]

Some maiden works from the Argerich boxset :

Tchaikosvky - Piano Concerto No.1 Op.23
Mendelssohn - Double Concerto
Dutoit / Royal Phil. orch.

[asin]B00VXMUETQ[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

Stravinsky
Symphony in three movements
Symphony of Psalms
Symphony in C
Rundfunkchor Berlin, BPO, Simon Rattle

I have avoided Stravinsky a bit over the years I've been listening to the classical music of the 20th century - I'm not sure quite why. I've been impressed by this disc of three neo-classical works recently.

That is one terrific CD!    Great recording.

[Maestro267]

Mahler: Symphony No. 8 in E flat major
Far too many soloists and choirs to list here 
Chicago SO/Solti

[North Star]

Fresh from the mail
Rakhmaninov
The Bells, Op. 35
Natalia Troitskaya (S), Ryszard Karczykowski (T), Tom Krause (Bt)
Ashkenazy & Concergebouw
[asin]B00KZ73VDG[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Supreme 'in what way'?- certainly not on the battlefield.

The Levine blows away any other performance of the Planets in terms of power and majesty: in reading, in orchestral response, and in engineered sound.

I disagree about the Levine. We all have our favorites. I don't look at The Planets as this 'sonic blockbuster' kind of thing that people seem to pigeonhole it into. It's much more than this of course. Boult's way with this masterpiece is fully measured, deeply felt, and contains almost a lifetime of understanding. He lived with this work certainly longer than any conductor on Peter Power Pop's list. His Mars may not be the take-no-prisoners approach that Bernstein takes, but it's not lacking in excitement, it's just understated, more brooding. The other movements are given just as much of attention and I never heard a more satisfying interpretation of Saturn (possibly my favorite movement of the whole suite).

[Sergeant Rock]

I've heard all of those Planets (I'm surprised I don't see the DG Karajan/BPO and the Dutoit on your list ).

I don't recall why I chose K's Vienna over Berlin. I do have a general preference for K's analogue recordings; and Culshaw's production is superb. Maybe that's why. The Dutoit recording I should own, I suppose, but I've been so often disappointed by him I've ignored all the recommendations.

I like the Levine/CSO the best since it has the most heroic and animated reading

Many of my Planets were acquired after reading favorable reviews here (e.g., Greta on Bernstein; M forever on Maazel; Monkey Greg on Mehta). Following in that tradition I should grab Levine    By the way, M (surprisingly, given his usual negativity towards the Chicago) liked it too:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,2387.msg66603.html#msg66603


Sarge

[Que]

One of my favourite Dvorak discs:

[asin]B00000358J[/asin]
Q

[aligreto]

Brahms: Symphony No. 2...





Grand, sweeping melodies and wonderfully rich harmonies pack this work.

[Brahmsian]

Fresh from the mail
Rakhmaninov
The Bells, Op. 35
Natalia Troitskaya (S), Ryszard Karczykowski (T), Tom Krause (Bt)
Ashkenazy & Concergebouw
[asin]B00KZ73VDG[/asin]

*Pounds the table!    Enjoy, Karlo! 

[Turbot nouveaux]

Harrison Birtwistle
The Tree of Strings
9 Movements for String Quartet
Arditti Quartet [Aeon, 2012]

Birtwistle's two fine works for string quartet are impassioned and striking, and the Arditti Quartet are persuasive advocates for them - these are firm favourites.

[Turbot nouveaux]

Making a stab at the MDG complete sonatas by playing the piano sonatas disc:

[asin]B0000061YO[/asin]

That looks interesting, The new erato. Do you know the Markus Becker recording?

[Sergeant Rock]

Sarge could you please tell me what you like about Lloyd's music? Would you say he's a unique composer? I have many of these Lloyd recordings on Albany but haven't listened to any of them in years. Thanks in advance.

I think he is unique. I can't think of any other symphonist who sounds quite like him (although you can hear Holst's influence, occasionally Sibelius, some Korngold). He was a Romantic in an un-Romantic age. His music is unabashedly emotional (sometimes sounding like Hollywood in the golden age), chockfull of gorgeous, often haunting melodies, and brilliantly orchestrated. Keep an open mind and give him another try.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

I think he is unique. I can't think of any other symphonist who sounds quite like him (although you can hear Holst's influence, occasionally Sibelius, some Korngold). He was a Romantic in an un-Romantic age. His music is unabashedly emotional (sometimes sounding like Hollywood in the golden age), chockfull of gorgeous, often haunting melodies, and brilliantly orchestrated. Keep an open mind and give him another try.

Sarge

Will do, Sarge. Thanks for the feedback. Looking at my Lloyd collection --- I own more than I thought.

[Todd]

[North Star]

*Pounds the table!    Enjoy, Karlo! 

Yes I did, Ray, and will. 

First Listen
Rakhmaninov
Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31
Alexander Ranne, Sergey Tsipcalo, Natalia Kornieva
St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
Nikolai Korniev

[The new erato]

That looks interesting, The new erato. Do you know the Markus Becker recording?

The Hyperion disc? No. I have the cpo recording, Glenn Gould (I think), as well as this. I plan on revisiting more of the discs in the MDG series.

[André]

A great compilation of contemporary, modern polish music (not all contemporary music is modern).



A big, full voice (she sings Aida, Leonora (Trovatore), Gioconda, Rezia (Oberon). From middling to thrilling. Aida calls for more delicacy, Elvira (Ernani's) more fluency in the coloratura, Leonora for more disciplined passion. At her best (Tannhauser, Oberon) she trumps the competition.

The recital is completed by 10 American songs with piano (Edward MacDowell, Ernest Gold etc) where she is perfect.

[Mirror Image]

Now:





Listening to En Saga, Op. 9 (Original Version, 1892). Great stuff.