What are your listening plans for the next year?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I've heard only 3 Bach cantatas more than once!

[Mirror Image]

I also would like to spend 2016 coming to terms with Rachmaninov whose music is a taste I'm still acquiring

Do you know The Bells or Three Russian Songs? Do acquaint yourself with these two works. They'll make a believer out of you.

[Karl Henning]

Do you know The Bells or Three Russian Songs? Do acquaint yourself with these two works. They'll make a believer out of you.

I'll be the loyal contrarian. As one who, although a fan of the composer, was a while warming to The Bells, I shouldn't recommend it early on.

The songs, though, are all exquisite.

[Mirror Image]

I'll be the loyal contrarian. As one who, although a fan of the composer, was a while warming to The Bells, I shouldn't recommend it early on.

The songs, though, are all exquisite.

Well, we're certainly all different and what one warms to quickly another is subject to frostbite. Personally, I think The Bells is as good of a place to start as any, but I suppose it also depends on what the uninitiated has already heard.

[Mirror Image]

I suppose I do have a plan and that's to reacquaint myself with Finzi, Moeran, Howells, and Rubbra. I also need to divert my attention back to Weinberg at some point (possibly February).

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Do you know The Bells or Three Russian Songs? Do acquaint yourself with these two works. They'll make a believer out of you.

I don't know either, but thanks for the recommendation.

A good friend of mine lent me a copy of Svetlanov's Rachmaninov symphonies....what do you think of that?

[71 dB]

I just realised I should explore the music of Charles Ives as I know nothing about it. Sounds like a plan.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I just realised I should explore the music of Charles Ives as I know nothing about it. Sounds like a plan.

He has such a diverse oeuvre that I'm sure you will find the exploration fascinating even if you don't find it all enjoyable.

[71 dB]

He has such a diverse oeuvre that I'm sure you will find the exploration fascinating even if you don't find it all enjoyable.

Diverse in what way?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Diverse in what way?

Genre and aesthetic I suppose. Like, the massive differences between his large and small scale works, polytonality, atonality, romanticism and post-romanticism, real Americana contrasted with otherworldly sounds.....that's what I mean by diverse.

[The new erato]

..or all over the place as I categorized it.....

[aligreto]

Having now got my Need List down to approximately 20 titles [as opposed to my Want List you know] I hope to have more focus in my listening in the future. Hitherto I have concentrated my efforts in building my relatively modest collection and listening to everything at least once. What I would like to do now is to concentrate on one work by each of the "major" composers at a time [e.g. Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 or Dvorak's Cello Concerto] or a variety of works by one of the "minor" composers at a time [e.g. the music of Cannabich or Kraus]. I would also like to educate myself in musical form and theory by further reading on the subjects.

[Mirror Image]

I don't know either, but thanks for the recommendation.

A good friend of mine lent me a copy of Svetlanov's Rachmaninov symphonies....what do you think of that?

You're welcome. Now, what set of Svetlanov's symphonies are you borrowing? He recorded two cycles of Rach's symphonies.

[71 dB]

Genre and aesthetic I suppose. Like, the massive differences between his large and small scale works, polytonality, atonality, romanticism and post-romanticism, real Americana contrasted with otherworldly sounds.....that's what I mean by diverse.

Ok. I have listened to two Naxos CDs of Ives on Spotify. I have liked so far everything except "Country Band March" which I found annoying. Ives has got a Delius-like soft and lyric style. Sounds like music for strings orchestrated for full orchestra.

[Mirror Image]

More Moeran:



Listening to Serenade in G major. Gorgeous work.

[Mirror Image]

Ok. I have listened to two Naxos CDs of Ives on Spotify. I have liked so far everything except "Country Band March" which I found annoying. Ives has got a Delius-like soft and lyric style.

But have you heard Symphony No. 4, Three Places in New England or Symphony: New England Holidays, yet? You should definitely explore these three works next.

[71 dB]

But have you heard Symphony No. 4, Three Places in New England or Symphony: New England Holidays, yet? You should definitely explore these three works next.

Naxos 8.559370 contains excerpts of Holidays Symphony. I'm now listening to Three Places in New England. I liked Symphony No. 3.

[Maestro267]

I'd like to get more Ginastera into my collection ahead of the centenary in April. So far I've only heard the two piano concertos. Also, more American symphonies! Plus the usual additions to my Havergal Brian and George Lloyd cycles.

[Mirror Image]

I'd like to get more Ginastera into my collection ahead of the centenary in April. So far I've only heard the two piano concertos. Also, more American symphonies! Plus the usual additions to my Havergal Brian and George Lloyd cycles.

Do check out Ginastera's Estancia and Panambi on the Naxos label (conducted by Giselle Ben-Dor). Really great stuff.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

You're welcome. Now, what set of Svetlanov's symphonies are you borrowing? He recorded two cycles of Rach's symphonies.

It's a 2cd issue on Melodiya with an orchestration of Vocalise op. 14 as a bonus. USSR Symphony Orchestra and Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra.