What are you listening to now?

[Mirror Image]

I've been playing a CD a day for the last three days of this set

The works with opus numbers, in order of opus number, filled out by the orchestral version of  Five Movements for String Quartet, the orchestration of the Ricercar from BWV 1079, and the orchestration of Schubert's German Dances D 820, conducted by Webern himself (in 1939).

I guess the best way of putting it is to say Webern's music made no connection with me.  It is not as ugly as some Schoenberg (I really dislike Pierrot Lunaire and Erwartung),  but there is none of the splashes of beauty which show up from time to time throughout Schoenberg's output, and none of the lyricism which is present in Berg.  I probably will not come back to this set for quite some time.

And now to much more familiar territory, a new to me Mahler set, starting with CD 1,  Symphony 1

Per usual, I can't see your images, Jeffrey. On another note, I really like Webern's music, but only the orchestral works. It took me some time to appreciate his jewel-like compositional brilliance. Do I rank him highly? Not really. Do I listen to him much? No, I've always got other things I want to listen to more, but when I'm actually in the mood for his music --- it is quite striking.

[Brian]

Per usual, I can't see your images, Jeffrey.

I can see them. I just checked - they are from Amazon, so he is just copying the Amazon images. Not sure why they would not display on your system...

[kishnevi]

Per usual, I can't see your images, Jeffrey. On another note, I really like Webern's music, but only the orchestral works. It took me some time to appreciate his jewel-like compositional brilliance. Do I rank him highly? Not really. Do I listen to him much? No, I've really got better things to listen to, but when I'm actually in the mood for his music --- it is quite striking.

In order,  the Sony 3CD budget box of Webern's "Complete" Works, compiled from their archives with a whole mix of performers, and Maazel/VPO set of the Mahler symphonies.

(If anyone else has that problem, please signal so I know!)

[Todd]

(If anyone else has that problem, please signal so I know!)

I can't see it, but if I remove the QL70_FMwebp_ bit it shows up fine.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I will be curious if this works:



I can't see Jeffrey's images either (just little boxes with an X in them), but Todd's solution works.

[kishnevi]

I will be curious if this works:



I can't see Jeffrey's images either (just little boxes with an X in them), but Todd's solution works.

I edited my original post per Todd's comment.   I see your image fine.  I am guessing an earlier incarnation of my set?

ETA
Thread duty
Mahler 4 from the Maazel set.

[The new erato]

I can see them. I just checked - they are from Amazon, so he is just copying the Amazon images. Not sure why they would not display on your system...

IE 11 don't show them on my system either. Asins would be better.

[Mandryka]

David Trendell & King's (London) choir play John Taverner's Missa Corona Spinea.  The climaxes are particularly impressive due to the slower than normal tempos: there's a sense of each movement ineluctably rolling forth to the crest of the wave. The balances are less dominated by treble, which has the effect of making  the polyphony more discernible. I'm no expert on the art of singing, but the low voices seem particularly impressive. It is a revealing performance, disorienting in a good way.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I've been playing a CD a day for the last three days of this set

The works with opus numbers, in order of opus number, filled out by the orchestral version of  Five Movements for String Quartet, the orchestration of the Ricercar from BWV 1079, and the orchestration of Schubert's German Dances D 820, conducted by Webern himself (in 1939).

I guess the best way of putting it is to say Webern's music made no connection with me.  It is not as ugly as some Schoenberg (I really dislike Pierrot Lunaire and Erwartung),  but there is none of the splashes of beauty which show up from time to time throughout Schoenberg's output, and none of the lyricism which is present in Berg.  I probably will not come back to this set for quite some time.

And now to much more familiar territory, a new to me Mahler set, starting with CD 1,  Symphony 1

I could be that you don't find yourself enjoying Webern's composition....

But it could be that your listening to the old Boulez set of Webern. Perhaps try the Webern complete works on Deutsche Grammophon. A lot of people say that they prefer the later recordings of Webern by Boulez in terms of the phrasing, the musicality and the overall sound.

[jlaurson]

I could be that you don't find yourself enjoying Webern's composition....

But it could be that your listening to the old Boulez set of Webern. Perhaps try the Webern complete works on Deutsche Grammophon. A lot of people say that they prefer the later recordings of Webern by Boulez in terms of the phrasing, the musicality and the overall sound.

I second that. Having two sets, I don't see myself reaching for the Sony for any reason, really. Not the least because Boulez only ever became a better conductor... but also for the other reasons stated, including sound quality. Also: Many of the works I *emotionally* like and respond to of Webern's are among the non-opus numbers... and Webern without "Langsamer Satz", I mean... really!  [Link to a little video I and my colleague Carlos Suárez made of it with the Belcea Quartet]

[Tsaraslondon]

Callas's Lady Macbeth is hors concours and absolutely required listening. No other singer, not even the excellent Verrett on the Abbado recording, matches her achievement in the role. Every aspect of the character is realised in a commanding sweep; stunningly accurate coloratura, a rich and powerful middle and lower voice, gleamingly solid top, all allied to a characterisation of deep psychological complexity. There is no doubt, in this performance, that it is Lady Macbeth who drives the drama. Her success is all the more staggering when you realise that this was the first time she was singing the role. Unfortunately, after this series of performances, she never sang the role again, though she did get to record Lady Macbeth's three main arias on her Verdi recital in 1958.

Next to her Mascherini might seem a relatively weak presence, but isn't that the point? Macbeth is weak and easily manipulated by his wife. Mascherini is certainly not inadequate. Penno, a much underrated tenor, makes a strong Macduff and Tajo a splendid Banquo, but the other star of the performance is Victor De Sabata, whose symphonic approach to the score reaps dividends.

The sound on this Myto edition is a good deal better than the murky EMI, which was barely listenable.

Whatever studio recording of Macbeth one goes for (my favourite would be the Abbado) this live performance from 1952 is required listening.

[SimonNZ]

Debussy's Preludes - Cecile Ousset, piano

[NikF]

Schubert: Piano Sonata D960  - Pollini.

[asin]B00000E4DI[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Good to see that I wasn't the only one to experience problems last night with seeing Jeffrey's images. I knew I hadn't gone mad! Anyway, what usually always works for me unless Amazon has a problem on their end, is to go to Amazon, click on the image in enlarged view, and then right click "Copy Image Address". From there, you can copy-and-paste it and wrap the address with an [ img ] [/ img ] (minus the spaces in-between).

[bhodges]

Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (eighth blackbird / Third Coast Percussion / Meehan/Perkins Duo / additional guests, on Youtube) - An excellent version (of about 6 or 7 on YouTube), beautifully filmed. Some think this is Reich's masterpiece - it's certainly one of his best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXJWO2FQ16c

--Bruce

[Florestan]

A few first listenings ever:



Symphony No. 1 in E Major op. 42 (1927)
Piano Concerto No. 1 op. 12 (1918-19)

I enjoyed the PC more than the Symphony and of the latter I enjoyed more the infamous percussion-only scherzo, not least becasuse is the shortest movement. The PC is quite Romantic, the symphony is way too modernist for my ears. Do I want to hear the rest of the set? Definitely.




Symphony No. 1 op. 112 (1916)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1945)

These are right up my alley. 

Now playing PC 1 from this set:

[Brian]

[Florestan]

Visions fugitives op. 22 (1917)

[Maestro267]

Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur
Naji Hakim, Organ of the Church of La Trinité, Paris

[Florestan]