What are you listening to now?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

With those gigantic forces, unless there is a drastic thinning out of how many are singing, playing, or almost no harmonic movement, slow is the name of the game, or the sound gets muddy, blurred and turns to mush :-)

As I recall, the second half -- the "Faust" segment -- is subdued and also a rather ponderous 'slow."  The piece, or the first movement Veni, Creator, anyway, the quintessential GrandDaddy of the truly no-stops barred all out and over-the-top "epic" big sound choral works, later imitated in many somewhat tacky derivative works without the quality or dignity of Mahler, lol.

The recording I stumbled upon where conductor and engineers have managed to keep it all 'clear, a marvel of a recorded performance considering all the forces involved: a huge orchestra, full off-stage brass, pipe organ, double chorus, children's chorus and a multiplicity of vocal soloists:
Philharmonia Orchestra · Giuseppe Sinopoli:
w/ Cheryl Studer · Angela Maria Blasi · Waltraud Meier · Kazuko Nagai · Keith Lewis · Sir Thomas Allen · Hans Sotin · Philharmonia Chorus London · Southend Boys Choir.

P.s. on a tiny pedantic note, has anyone else ever penned a low Contra B-flat for the chorister basses? :-)


Best regards.

Thanks M. Croche! I'll be sure to check out the Sinopoli recording as well

You might find this interesting: http://www.oktavism.com/single-post/2014/11/16/What-is-an-Oktavist

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Schoenberg's Op.47 Phantasy for violin and piano. Phantastic.



[asin]B0000012WL[/asin]

[Monsieur Croche]

Stravinsky : Le Baiser de la Fée (complete)
https://www.youtube.com/v/sB8bPV0a9FQ

... some of the best Tchaikovsky I've yet heard ;-)

Seriously, a lovely score.

[bhodges]

Some older music now, no. 8



I always felt that the first part could have a little bit more contrast, but I do like it as it is

Do give this piece another try, perhaps the Sinopoli that Monsieur Croche mentioned.

I am not fond of Solti's Eighth, even though it was widely celebrated in its day. My theory: it was the first studio recording of the piece in excellent sound (and it really does need the sonics), which made listening to it an experience. Also, there is some overlap with Mahler fans and those who like Wagner, and I suspect people were inclined to like this recording based on Solti's Ring cycle, which is still admired today.

But meanwhile, other approaches to the Eighth began to appear, by conductors who don't "push" the music as much, and let it breathe a little more. The quiet moments are equally important, since they show off the bigger sequences in higher relief.

--Bruce

[Monsieur Croche]

~~~~~[Re: bass chorister Contra B-flats :-) ]

You might find this interesting: http://www.oktavism.com/single-post/2014/11/16/What-is-an-Oktavist

Fun and cool article, thank you! 
Of chorus (course) I should have said, '...other than in the Russian a cappella choral tradition ;-)

[Harry]

Sure do enjoy these two works, John would also, I think.[asin]B0006SGES8[/asin]

Harry does too. 

[SimonNZ]

Ligeti's Horn Trio - Rolf Schulte, Alan Feinberg, William Purvis

[Wanderer]

.[asin]B00LEZP6B8[/asin]

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

.[asin]B00LEZP6B8[/asin]

Original scoring or reorchestrated?

[Monsieur Croche]

Igor Stravinsky ~ The Rake's progress
~ film of a production in ~
Aix-en-Provence, 1992.  cond. Kent Nagano / director: Alfredo Arias
Tom Rakewell - Jerry Hadley / Ann- Dawn Upshaw / Nick Shadow - Samuel Ramey / Baba the turk - Victoria Vergara
Trulove - John Macurdy / Mother Goose - Joan Khara / Selem - Steven Cole

https://www.youtube.com/v/DdJw86l22JA&spfreload=10
The culmination, apex, of Stravinsky's fluent, rich and harmonically lush neoclassical period, both an engaging and beautiful an opera it is. 

{My most preferred recording:  The 1964 recording now on Sony [orig: Columbia],
Stravinsky conducting The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sadler's Wells Opera Chorus, et alia.}

[Autumn Leaves]

I think that set still holds up very well.

This was my first set of the Quartets and I still think really highly of it - listening to some more from the ABQ and also the Quartetto Italiano who I also think are great .

[Mandryka]

I was inclined to listen to Glen Wilson's WTC2 because his Froberger has been released on Naxos today, though I'll wait till it comes to spotify unless someone tells me it's interesting enough to buy.

This WTC is astonishingly original for its ethos of tough love, or maybe the ethos of the Spanish Inquisition, it makes me think of clichés like "force of nature." I have reservations about his style, he sometimes seems to pound out chords to accentuate the pulse and I don't like that, though it's not ubiquitous. And he's not much of a colourist, or a creator of varied textures. But I don't want to quibble because this is a visionary performance.

[Wanderer]

Original scoring or reorchestrated?

Schumann's original scoring, of course. Chailly has done a good job with Mahler's reorchestrations, if you're interested in that kind of meddling.

[Que]

Well here it goes:

[asin]B00004VXDK[/asin]

On the left the cover of my copy, that judging from an old sticker came from the left over stock of the now defunct last classical music store in my home town.
On the right the reissue that is currently in circulation.

Dig it, man!  Nice scores. 

Ever since Florestan recommended the group Alla Francesca, I have been quite curious about them. 

Looking forward to reading your impressions, Que.

I was coincidental that I bumped into this and decided to give it a chance because this group came up.
Even though this disc focuses on early repertoire I 'm less comfortable with: Medieval songs with instrumental accompaniment.

Found some information on the ensemble:
Alla Francesca was founded in 1989, by members of Ensemble Gilles Binchois. The central members of Alla Francesca are Brigitte Lesne (voice, harp), Emmanuel Bonnardot (voice, fiddle) and Pierre Hamon (winds), and each of the three continues to perform with Ensemble Gilles Binchois as well as their own projects. Lesne directs the female vocal ensemble Discantus, Bonnardot directs the vocal ensemble Obsidienne, while Hamon works as a recorder soloist in a broad range of repertory. As of 2002, Alla Francesca is directed by Hamon alone.

A discography HERE

Q

[Autumn Leaves]

Tonight's listening - Part 1:



Piano Trio #5, "Ghost"



Random Violin Sonatas - this recording does it for me.

[Que]

I was inclined to listen to Glen Wilson's WTC2 because his Froberger has been released on Naxos today, though I'll wait till it comes to spotify unless someone tells me it's interesting enough to buy.

This WTC is astonishingly original for its ethos of tough love, or maybe the ethos of the Spanish Inquisition, it makes me think of clichés like "force of nature." I have reservations about his style, he sometimes seems to pound out chords to accentuate the pulse and I don't like that, though it's not ubiquitous. And he's not much of a colourist, or a creator of varied textures. But I don't want to quibble because this is a visionary performance.

It is one of my favourite recordings of these pieces. No quibbles...

Though love? Leonhardt's puritan approach, now that's though love.....

Q

PS For those interested:

[asin]B00004WIJC[/asin]

[asin]B00004WIJB[/asin]

[Florestan]

followed by



Mysterious and impressionistic poetry and then ethereal beauty and serenity. Perfect pairing.

[Wanderer]

Streaming:

[asin]B01J1Y6AP4[/asin]

Released today. Very idiosyncratic - and slower than average -  playing from Mustonen (which doesn't always seem justified by the results); however, his approach does seem to work well in the final pages of the Third Concerto.

[jlaurson]

#morninglistening to #Bach's #GoldbergVariations w/Christine Schornsheim then & now. On @S... http://ift.tt/2cpNt7r

[Que]

Straight onto another recent purchase:



Vols. 1 & 2  Menno van Delft

I'd love to have another harpsichord version (for which I think the music was intended) next to Robert Hill's awesome interpretation (Hänssler Bach Edition).

Q