What are you listening 2 now?

[JBS]

The Warner Andsnes set landed today. Decided to start in media res with a CD I've never heard (Rachmaninov) and a CD I have heard (Schubert).

CDs 23 and 24 of

[VonStupp]

Frederick Delius
Summer Evening
Dance Rhapsody 2
On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring
Summer Night On The River
A Song Before Sunrise
Fennimore And Gerda: Intermezzo
Irmelin: Prelude
Songs of Sunset

Maureen Forrester, contralto
John Cameron, baritone

Beecham Choral Society
Royal PO - Thomas Beecham

For tonight and tomorrow:
I've been very much looking forward to the 2nd part of Beecham's stereo Delius.

I have long cherished Janet Baker and John Shirley-Quirk in Songs of Sunset. I am interested to hear another.
VS

[Symphonic Addict]

[Symphonic Addict]

Poot: Symphonies 4-7

These symphonies have been a sort of nice discovery lately and they're not too long. The first two feature good vibes and some neoclassical gestures + American rhythms, but the next five are gritty, menacing, dynamic, very engaging indeed. Some are better recorded than others (in the 5th the orchestra sounds a tad distant).

[AnotherSpin]

Op. 106 (Andrew Willis)

[Que]

[Harry]

Lute Music of the Netherlands.
See details back cover.

Anthony Bailes, Lute.
Recorded: St. Marien Kirche Schönemoor, Germany, 2011.

Wonderfully done! Composers not often recorded, like Vallet, Huwet and especially van den Hove. In the hands of Bailes one savours the articulation and subtle treatment of dynamics, which allows his mastery to shine in all its glory, and above all it shows the cultural richness of the Netherlands at that time. I do not know which Lute he is using, but it's a clear and clean instrument. Recording is more than excellent. A good start in the morning.