What are you listening to now?

[Harry]

I actually share your ambivalence on Leonhardt, Harry ... 

Particularly on the harpsichord, less so on the organ. And I definitely like him as a (Bach) conductor.

Q

Right, well that makes it a bit easier for me, feeling guilty about criticizing the old master.

[aligreto]

Veracini: Concerto a otto stromenti in D major for violin and orchestra [Martini] -





The music is exciting and unpredictable. One just does not know where it is going but not in a haphazard way. It is well played here.

[SimonNZ]

on the radio:

Prokofiev's Winter Bonfire - Ronald Corp, cond.

[HIPster]

On a first listen ~

[asin]B00LJGV986[/asin]

Very fine Telemann!

Most enjoyable.

[Mirror Image]

[Quietens down the crickets]

Now playing:



Listening to Polyptyque. Great stuff.

[André]

Symphonies 2-5. An important document, no doubt (recorded in 1953 in Vienna's fabled Musikverein).

That being said, I think the real Bruckner is to be found elswhere. These are enervated, enervating performances. Blatty brass, explosive climaxes. This conductor didn't believe in the notion of pauses in Bruckner. They don't have to separate paragraphs, they can be welcome whenever there is a need for breathing.

Still, I understand some may cherish these performances. Jochum certainly learned from them (esp. in the symphonies he never performed publicly).

[ludwigii]

Dmitri Shostakovich
Violin Concerto no.2 op.129

Arabella Steinbacher
Andris Nelsons

[asin]B000M4RF20[/asin]

[ludwigii]

Berg: Wozzeck (Zurich Opera / Fabio Luisi) - Excellent production on Arte, with Christian Gerhaher in the title role. Again, for the umpteenth time, incredible what is available online.

http://concert.arte.tv/de/wozzeck-aus-dem-opernhaus-zuerich

--Bruce

Thanks, Bruce.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Scriabin, various Poèmes, Amoyel.

[SimonNZ]

Bach's mass in B Minor 

Which recording?

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Schnittke's Piano Concerto. This is an excellent performance from Krainev.

[ludwigii]

Listening to Alfred Schnittke's First Violin Concerto.

Mark Lubotsky, vl
Eri Klas

Goosebumps at the end of the first movement   

[asin]B0000016GL[/asin]

Hi, John 

[Mirror Image]

Listening to Alfred Schnittke's First Violin Concerto.

Mark Lubotsky, vl
Eri Klas

Goosebumps at the end of the first movement   

[asin]B0000016GL[/asin]

Hi, John 

Hello, ludwigii. Of the four VCs from Schnittke, the first is probably my favorite, but it's an early work and not quite written in Schnittke's mature idiom, but this doesn't make it any less enjoyable. Nagasaki is another early work that I still find to be quite good.

[ludwigii]

Hello, ludwigii. Of the four VCs from Schnittke, the first is probably my favorite, but it's an early work and not quite written in Schnittke's mature idiom, but this doesn't make it any less enjoyable. Nagasaki is another early work that I still find to be quite good.

Outstanding work !
But feel so much of the following Schnittke, atmospheres, orchestration that will be in later fourth violin concerto or Peer Gynt.

The central part of the slow movement reminded me of the cadence (visual) of the fourth concert, the obstinacy of the violin.
The use of percussion to create atmospheres "magical" and suspended, prefigures in some passages the intensive use which will make in the ballet.

The composer already has its own strong personality in this work.
It is always exciting to listen to Schnittke's music, like entering an amusement park

[Mandryka]

Does anyone know what Leonhardt thought about Buxtehude? This CD has a prelude, and there's one other, but really he probably recorded more Handel than Buxtehude. The prelude is played with bravura and coherence. The reason I dug the CD out was for a piece by Sweelinck called Ich ruf zu dir herr JC. It's a long piece and Leonhardt makes it come off the page, gives it  life.

[listener]

MOZART l'Égyptien    (newly arrived, first listen)
arrangements/cross-overs with the Symphony Orchestra of Bulgaria and Egyptian folk instruments
conceived by Hughes de Courson and  Ahmed al Megreby
and Amy BEACH: Piano Concerto in c#, Symphony in e (Gaelic)  - more folk, this time Irish tunes
a coincidence not planned and not unpleasant
Alan Feinberg, piano   Nashville S.O.    Kenneth Schermerhorn, cond.

[Autumn Leaves]

Today's listening:



Symphonies #1 & 4

I await your report!

Listened to Rattle's 4th with the CBSO again - I think this is an excellent version and the Orchestra manage the many shifts in pace and mood with aplomb. It sounds like a "weighty" version if that makes sense and is certainly not lacking in comparison to Jansons and Barshai's 4ths.
I don't think Rattle is quite as good as Kondrashin or Haitink (who are my current favourites for this Symphony) at the moment but we will see what happens in future.
The 1st is with the BPO - I also own Jansons Cycle which has a BPO 1st and this one is just as good, by which I mean it's of a very high standard.
I have yet to hear how the BPO manage in Rattle's version of the 14th but I am saving that for another time.



Symphony #4

This version of the 4th has been my favourite for a while now.



Symphony #2

Can't decide whether I prefer Bernstein's 1st or 2nd Mahler Cycle - doing some (fun) work to find the answer.

[Florestan]

CD 2: Piano Sonatas 5-10

More "mystical" than the early ones, certainly, but also more boring.

Now playing, something indeed otherworldly mystical:

[The new erato]

CD 2: Piano Sonatas 5-10

More "mystical" than the early ones, certainly, but also more boring.

Surprising, nos 2, 5 and 9 being my favorites of the cycle with no 5 being one of the most "exciting" piano sonatas I know (competing with the Liszt and some by Prokofiev and Beethoven)

[Florestan]

I didn't know Florestan liked Scriabin! Hey man, we vaguely know of eachother from that other forum....hi 

Florestan likes Romantics in general.

Hi to you too, but you must be confusing me with someone else. This is the only musical forum I post on a regular basis.