What are you listening to now?

[Orpheus]

Albéric Magnard

Hymne à la Justice Op. 14

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

...first ever listening...wow!

[Kontrapunctus]

Electrifying performances captured in vivid sound. It includes the 2 standard Cello Concertos and a transcription of the Viola Concerto.

[Todd]

Disc 1.  Sonatas 2 & 1.  Hot dog!  Couteau's versions I listened to were well played and passionate in an elegant way, but Guy's is passionate and vibrant and potent and colorful and symphonic in scope and scale.  I believe these 2016 recordings are studio efforts, but they display the energy of live performances.  Disc 2 is in the queue.  Apparently, Guy is planning a long term Brahms projects that will include other solo piano, chamber works, and the PCs.  Can't wait.

[SimonNZ]

Haydn's Symphony No.44 - Ferenc Fricsay, cond.

[Todd]

Disc 4.  Rachmaninoff's two piano sonatas.  Weissenberg's playing is industrial strength, with the pianist manhandling both works.  The effect is thrilling.  Low on nuance, high on power.  Some of the pianist's best work.

[kishnevi]

Now streaming:

[asin]B00DW7OQ1C[/asin]

I've decided that a recording of The Execution of Stepan Razin is something I would like to add to my collection at some point. This one seems to get pretty good reviews.

Before deciding try this one first, which I found more demented than the Ashkenazy.  (And this is one of those DSCH pieces in which demented is a necessary quality.)
[asin]B000EBEGZ0[/asin]

TD
Before dinner
[asin]B019RNDXCW[/asin]
Great sonics.  Not sure if I have heard this music before, but it is a reminder I have too little Albinoni on my shelves.

And now
[asin]B00NVY8V6M[/asin]
CD 9
A bunch of French chevals de guerre
Chausson Poeme
Saint Saens Introduction et Rondo Cappricioso
Saint Saens Havanaise
Ravel Tzigane

[André]

Carmen as I had never heard it, not even under Cluytens. Every word is truly and elegantly sung. Simoneau is a Don José for the ages. A visceral reading where refinement of utterance vies with authenticity of feeling. Very good sound.

[HIPster]

Another spin of this recent mp purchase ~

[asin]B00027LD5M[/asin]

Splendid!   

[Todd]

Disc 5.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Disc 5.

Love that set.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Disc 4.  Rachmaninoff's two piano sonatas.  Weissenberg's playing is industrial strength, with the pianist manhandling both works.  The effect is thrilling.  Low on nuance, high on power.  Some of the pianist's best work.

+1 for the Rach sonatas.

[Madiel]

Before deciding try this one first, which I found more demented than the Ashkenazy.  (And this is one of those DSCH pieces in which demented is a necessary quality.)
[asin]B000EBEGZ0[/asin]

Thanks, will do, that is another one of the versions I was interested in.

Now listening:

[asin]B01E6B19IA[/asin]

Even twisted and fractured Nørgård like the 4th symphony somehow sounds more purposeful to me than many modern composers. I can't swear to anyone that I like it on a first hearing, but it's interesting. I don't want to switch it off after a few minutes.

There's movement and direction. There's colour, especially when you have the kind of excellent modern recording Da Capo pulls off nowadays. No matter how 'noisy' it's getting, it still feels like music.

EDIT: Now starting on the 5th symphony, and within the first couple of minutes there's one of the most amazing uses of silence I've ever heard.

[Mirror Image]

Pressing on in my exploration of Dvorak's somewhat underrated symphonies (Symphonies 1-6):



Symphonies 3 & 4

Really enjoying this music a lot and Dvorak is becoming an absolute favorite of mine. After my full exploration of his orchestral, chamber, and choral works there's no telling where he'll end up in my 'Top 10', but I can assure you someone will be bumped out of the order.

[listener]

Martin Joseph MENGAL  (1784-1851)  Wind Quintets
on themes of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Rossini
Das Reicha'sche Quintett
Quite charming and enjoyable    Detailed notes on Mengal and the works sourced.
TELEMANN: Concertos for 4 Violas - in C, G   BARTOK: 9 Duos    PIAZZOLA: Four for Tango 
York BOWEN: Fantaisie Quartet for 4 Violas  Max von WEINZIERL¨(1841-1898) Nachtstück
Christopher NORTON (*1953) Steering Wheel Blues
Tertis Viola Ensemble

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Symphony No. 5 in F major, Op. 76, B. 54
Symphonic Variations, Op. 78, B. 70

More outstanding works and performances. I believe Symphonic Variations is a first-ever listen.

[Mandryka]

Chopin: Piano Sonatas #2 & 3

Very elegant playing there, at least if it's the same as his Denon recording.

[springrite]

Disc 1.  Sonatas 2 & 1.  Hot dog!  Couteau's versions I listened to were well played and passionate in an elegant way, but Guy's is passionate and vibrant and potent and colorful and symphonic in scope and scale.  I believe these 2016 recordings are studio efforts, but they display the energy of live performances.  Disc 2 is in the queue.  Apparently, Guy is planning a long term Brahms projects that will include other solo piano, chamber works, and the PCs.  Can't wait.

I have his earlier effort on a disc called "Veiled Symphonies" of the Brahms piano sonatas. Great stuff!

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B001BLP64C[/asin]
Q

[Que]

Finally I got Marc Antoine Charpentier's "Les Arts Florissants" performed by William Christie's Les Arts Florissants....

[asin]B01BGXXBU0[/asin]
It is kind of mind boggling to realize that this recording is now 35 years old!

Q

[aligreto]

Pressing on in my exploration of Dvorak's somewhat underrated symphonies (Symphonies 1-6):



Symphonies 3 & 4

Really enjoying this music a lot and Dvorak is becoming an absolute favorite of mine. After my full exploration of his orchestral, chamber, and choral works there's no telling where he'll end up in my 'Top 10', but I can assure you someone will be bumped out of the order.

Nielsen, obviously