What are you listening to now?

[Harry]

The third instalment in this series and a excellent one too! Totally neglected composer.

New acquisition.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2016/02/zador-eugene-1894-1977-orchestral-works.html?spref=tw

[aligreto]

Bax: String Quartet No. 1....

[HIPster]

That one has my approval, its a gorgeous disc. Macon is really in his element here.

Yes, indeed Harry.   

Thanks for the recommendation a while back, my friend.

I look forward to collecting others in the series too.   

[SonicMan46]

A couple of new arrivals in today's mail:

Pleyel, Ignaz - Wind Serenades, i.e. Octets & Sextets w/ Consortium Classicum.

Bach, JS - Concertos Two Harpsichords w/ Trevor Pinnock & Kenneth Gilbert and the English Concert - Dave

 

[SimonNZ]

Palestrina's Missi Viri Galilaei - Philippe Herreweghe, cond.

[listener]

on LP, all 20th century
Richard YARDUMIAN    Chorale-Prelude, Symphony no.1, Symphony no.2 (Psalms) for medium voice and orchestra
Lilli Chookasian, contralto     Philadelphia Orch.,    Ormandy, cond.
MUSGRAVE: Monologue for piano  Excursions for piano duet
R.R. BENNETT: 8 Studies for Piano. Capriccio for Piano Duet
WILLIAMSON: Sonata for piano  n.2  Sonata for 2 pianos
Richard Rodney Bennett, Thea Musgrave, Malcolm Williamson    pianist(s)

[aligreto]

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique [van Otterloo]....





A first listen to a recent purchase. A good listen but nothing extraordinary.

[Brian]

The Carnival of the Animals!



Oh man, the "Pianists" section is HILARIOUS. Louis Lortie and Helene Mercier play as badly as possible, which is pretty freaking bad. They may not be in sync for even a single bar (and one of them also mistimes one of the tutti chords). It's a truly great evocation of a bad performance, right up there with Harold Lloyd playing football in The Freshman, the various characters in Ed Wood, or, in the world of classical music, the Tapiola brass's playing on this amazing Ibert recording.

[Brian]

The Carnival of the Animals!

Oh man, the "Pianists" section is HILARIOUS. Louis Lortie and Helene Mercier play as badly as possible, which is pretty freaking bad. They may not be in sync for even a single bar (and one of them also mistimes one of the tutti chords). It's a truly great evocation of a bad performance, right up there with Harold Lloyd playing football in The Freshman, the various characters in Ed Wood, or, in the world of classical music, the Tapiola brass's playing on this amazing Ibert recording.

I've listened to the "Pianists" track three times now and I swear it sounds like a Luciano Berio pastiche. It's brilliant.

[SimonNZ]

Etienne de Liège's In Festi Sanctisissimae Trinitatis - Psallentes

[prémont]

Pierre DuMage Premier livre d'orgue played by René Saorgin on the historical organ of l'eglise de Notre Dame, St. Etienne, FR. (Vox ca. 1965)

Commemorating René Saorgin (31.10.1928 - 17.12.2015).

[prémont]

J S Bach: Kunst der Fuge played by Schaghajegh Nosrati, Steinway D. (Label Genuin)

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/bach-j-s-the-art-of-fugue/hnum/8302077

This is a surely a romanticized and passioned interpretation. The long legato lines and other non baroque articulation, the tendency to hyperhighlight the fugal subjects when they occur in the middle parts (alto, tenor), the free and unlimited use of dynamic effects. But despite fast and sometimes too fast tempi and a stunning dexterity there is nothing self-indulgent or ostentative about this interpretation. Instead Nosrati communicates a fascination of the music - listen how wonderful this music is - in a genuine and captivating way, and it is indeed gripping. Not being a fan of Bach on piano I nevertheless recommend this recording wholeheartedly. A must I would say.

[SimonNZ]

"Manuscrit De Tours" - Diabolus in Musica

[André]

From the Levine big box: continuing apace the exploration of its riches, this afternoon was devoted to Berlioz, namewly the Requiem, the Fantastique and sundry Overtures, all with the Berlin Philharmonic.

The Requiem does not shake my allegiance to Munch (the 1959 Boston concert with Simoneau, way wilder than the same team's commercial RCA recording) or McCreesh. but it's mighty fine in itself. I was surprised to actually enjoy Pavarotti's contribution here. No pp singing, but the Big Guy's heady tones are simply glorious.

Wild orchestral rides in the form of the jolly overtures to Corsaire, Benvenuto Cellini and Carnaval romain.

A uniquely expressive and implacable Fantastique. Following Karajan's own 1975 Berlin recording, this 1990 interpretation with the same orchestra features some turns of phrase and details of execution that are absolutely identical. this is quite eerie. As if the interpretation heard in 1975 and 1990 belonged to the orchestra, not its conductors.

[SimonNZ]

"Manuscrit de Bayeux" - Ensemble Conviviencia



Dowland's Second Booke Of Songs - The Schoole Of Night

[Todd]

First listen to Via Crucis.  Serious and devout, and in its choir and piano version, the often austere sound world of late Liszt is evident.  I may have to investigate the choir and organ version to see what the king of instruments adds.  Engerer knows her Liszt.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

More Sibelius orchestral songs. Mattila/Oramo. Absolutely golden.



[asin]B000050K9B[/asin]

[SimonNZ]

Peter Maxwell Davies' Ebb Of Winter - Michael Francis, cond.

Live: December 16, 2015, Salford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TfWq9fILuc

[Wanderer]

.[asin]B001VPJZP4[/asin][asin]B017TBVQL4[/asin]

Some delectable Ravel performances to start the day.

[Maestro267]

Bax: Symphony No. 3
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Lloyd-Jones