What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

Hers is a pretty face; but does she have the musical nerve to carry off Henningmusick? 

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

Got a fair bit of Sibelius planned for today, the 150th anniversary of his birth.

Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite
Lahti SO/Vänskä

Hail Sibelius!

"Lemminkäinen and the Maidens of Saari" all the way!!!!! . . .



I just got the Oramo/Birmingham Luonnotar, incidentally, and I have to say that I'm disappointed in his (shocking and counter-intuitive, I know) slack and slow conducting. Karita Mattila has neither the legato nor the more fierce expressivity that I like to hear with this piece, either. Oramo's build-up to the climax was weak as well.

I was, I'm afraid to say, entirely put off by the entire encounter.

When it comes to Luonnotar, the Gibson/SNO with Phyllis Bryn-Julson on Chandos is still my standard.

 

[Mookalafalas]

Probably, there is no place for surprise if classical music adopts the same values prevailing in pop music

  Actually, there is faaaar more nudity on classical covers than any other genre (of course usually--but not always--from close ups in paintings).  I wonder if there are actual charts that show how many more discs are sold if there is a nipple showing on the cover?

   TD:


  From the big Westminster symphony box (Korean Issue).   

[Florestan]

I find deeply provocative - and "provocative" isn't a random word - this relationship among image, sexual appeal and artistic values.

Probably, there is no place for surprise if classical music adopts the same values prevailing in pop music; after all, their owners and executives are the same, at least if we talk about corporations like Sony.

Honestly, I find nothing wrong with that cover. 

[North Star]

Hail Sibelius!

"Lemminkäinen and the Maidens of Saari" all the way!!!!! . . .

I just got the Oramo/Birmingham Luonnotar, incidentally, and I have to say that I'm disappointed in his (shocking and counter-intuitive, I know) slack and slow conducting. Karita Mattila has neither the legato nor the more fierce expressivity that I like to hear with this piece, either. Oramo's build-up to the climax was weak as well.

I was, I'm afraid to say, entirely put off by the entire encounter.

I have heard other similar opinions of those Oramo recordings. I'm sure he has improved a lot since then, but I'm not keen to hear the oldies. As for Mattila, well, she's no Soile Isokoski or Helena Juntunen, both do better in the work IIRC.

(I don't see any reason not to translate 'saari' to 'the island', BTW)

[Brian]

BIRTHDAY PARTY

Starting with a first listen to Sibelius' first string quartet, in E flat (1885):



It sounds very Mendelssohnian. But it's pretty good.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40. Great stuff.

[Karl Henning]

Saari, Charlie.

[Karl Henning]

Honestly, I find nothing wrong with that cover. 

Agreed.

[Karl Henning]

Hers is a pretty face; but does she have the musical nerve to carry off Henningmusick? 

Fair disclosure:  There are pretty faces in Triad, and they do just with Henningmusick.  Just fine.

[North Star]

Honestly, I find nothing wrong with that cover. 

+2

Hers is a pretty face; but does she have the musical nerve to carry off Henningmusick? 

Well, she does alright in Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann and Stravinsky.



Thread duty

Sibelius
Malinconia, Op. 20
Torleif Thedéen, vc
Folke Gräsbeck, pf

[Brian]

BIRTHDAY PARTY

Starting with a first listen to Sibelius' first string quartet, in E flat (1885):



It sounds very Mendelssohnian. But it's pretty good.

BIRTHDAY PARTY

First-ever listens to "Adagio in D minor" (1890) and string quartet in B flat (1890):



I'm planning to go all chronological, all day. 

[North Star]

BIRTHDAY PARTY

First-ever listens to "Adagio in D minor" (1890) and string quartet in B flat (1890):

I'm planning to go all chronological, all day. 

Very nice. How far do you think you'll get?

[Karl Henning]

Well, she does alright in Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann and Stravinsky.

The last may be most helpful . . . I've been guilty of "Stravinsky tricks" lately . . . .

[Brian]

Very nice. How far do you think you'll get?

Well, we shall see. I'm going to a movie in the evening, so everything needs to be finished by 5.

I think an overview, like:
10:30 - Kullervo (1892)*
11:30 - Symphony No. 1 (1899)
12:15 - Swanwhite (1908)*
12:45 - Night Ride and Sunrise (1909)
1:15 - Voces intimae (1909)
1:45 - Luonnotar (1913)
2:00 - Symphony No. 5 (1915-19)
2:45 - Andante festivo, quartet version (1922)*
3:00 - Symphony No. 6 (1923)
3:30 - Symphony No. 7 (1924)
encore - Andante festivo, orchestra version (1938)
*will be first-ever listens for me, and Voces intimae will be a first-listen-since-college

And with time remaining, Folke Grasbeck's 2015 recital of Sibelius piano music on the Ainola piano??

[Sergeant Rock]

If there is ever a compact disc with my music, heaven help my sales if the cover should have a photograph of the composer!

I'm sure Maria could come up with an attractive and a provocative cover for your first CD, Karl. You just have to explain to the label that the music and artwork are a package deal 


Sarge

[Karl Henning]

I'm sure Maria could come up with an attractive and a provocative cover for your first CD, Karl. You just have to explain to the label that the music and artwork are a package deal 


Sarge

Just so!

[Sergeant Rock]

Sibelius En saga op.9, Ashkenazy conducting the Philharmonia




Sarge

[Brian]

I'm sure Maria could come up with an attractive and a provocative cover for your first CD, Karl. You just have to explain to the label that the music and artwork are a package deal 


Sarge

Beards are in right now!

[North Star]

Well, we shall see. I'm going to a movie in the evening, so everything needs to be finished by 5.

I think an overview, like:
10:30 - Kullervo (1892)*
11:30 - Symphony No. 1 (1899)
12:15 - Swanwhite (1908)*
12:45 - Night Ride and Sunrise (1909)
1:15 - Voces intimae (1909)
1:45 - Luonnotar (1913)
2:00 - Symphony No. 5 (1915-19)
2:45 - Andante festivo, quartet version (1922)*
3:00 - Symphony No. 6 (1923)
3:30 - Symphony No. 7 (1924)
encore - Andante festivo, orchestra version (1938)
*will be first-ever listens for me, and Voces intimae will be a first-listen-since-college

And with time remaining, Folke Grasbeck's 2015 recital of Sibelius piano music on the Ainola piano??

That's a lot of Sibelius. 
You've never heard Kullervo before? That explains why you only scheduled 60 minutes for it...


Thread duty
Sibelius
Sonata in F major, JS 178 (1889) for violin and piano
Jaakko Kuusisto
Folke Gräsbeck