Top 5 Favorite Martinů Works

Started by Mirror Image, July 30, 2016, 09:13:46 AM

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North Star

Quote from: vandermolen on November 08, 2017, 02:32:15 AM
Ok, clearly I need to hear the Nonet  :o
Any recommended recording?

John is right I don't listen to a great deal of chamber music, or opera for that matter. Having said that I'm currently greatly enjoying the string quartets 1 and 2 by Kabalevsky and some chamber music by Roslavets.

PS I do own a CD including the Nonet  ::) (Kocian Quartet).
No idea where it is - must find it.
This marvelous collection of Martinů's chamber works.
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"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

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vandermolen

Quote from: North Star on November 08, 2017, 02:46:59 AM
This marvelous collection of Martinů's chamber works.
[asin]B000007NE9[/asin]
Many thanks for the recommendation.
:)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: North Star on November 08, 2017, 02:46:59 AM
This marvelous collection of Martinů's chamber works.
[asin]B000007NE9[/asin]

I can only second this recommendation. A superb set all-around.

NikF

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 05:40:32 AM
I can only second this recommendation. A superb set all-around.

I'll hijack those two recommendations as an excuse for me to order it.
"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

Mirror Image

As expected, my list is different again:

Trio for Flute, Violin, & Piano, H 254
Viola Sonata, H 355
The Parables, H 367
Le raid merveilleux, H 159
The Spectre's Bride, H 214

Mirror Image

Quote from: NikF on November 08, 2017, 05:42:40 AM
I'll hijack those two recommendations as an excuse for me to order it.

8) Excellent, Nik. Are you familiar with Martinu's music in general?

NikF

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 05:48:30 AM
8) Excellent, Nik. Are you familiar with Martinu's music in general?

Indeed, I am, although I only have these -

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I've only listened to the PC disk once and so have yet to form an opinion. But of the symphonies I particularly enjoy 2 and 4. And although there's obviously more to them than just this, overall I find them a thrill. What's yer own favourite of them, bro?
"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

Mirror Image

Quote from: NikF on November 08, 2017, 06:00:36 AM
Indeed, I am, although I only have these -

[asin]B004Y9DFN2[/asin]

[asin]B0000262OH[/asin]

I've only listened to the PC disk once and so have yet to form an opinion. But of the symphonies I particularly enjoy 2 and 4. And although there's obviously more to them than just this, overall I find them a thrill. What's yer own favourite of them, bro?

Ah very good. Not my favorite cycle of the symphonies, but I'm glad that you own them (and the PC set, too). Of the symphonies, I'd say the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th are my favorites. Of the piano concerti, I like Piano Concertos Nos. 2-4 the best. Although, admittedly, I need to revisit the cycle as it's been too long since I've heard any of them with the exception of Piano Concerto No. 4, "Incantations", which I revisited not too long ago. I don't want to turn this into a recommendation thread, but if you enjoy concertos in general, then Hogwood's series on Hyperion titled Complete Music for Violin and Orchestra, which is in four volumes, will be right up your alley. Lots to enjoy there. But we've barely scraped the surface of Martinu's oeuvre.

NikF

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 06:08:58 AM
Ah very good. Not my favorite cycle of the symphonies, but I'm glad that you own them (and the PC set, too). Of the symphonies, I'd say the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th are my favorites. Of the piano concerti, I like Piano Concertos Nos. 2-4 the best. Although, admittedly, I need to revisit the cycle as it's been too long since I've heard any of them with the exception of Piano Concerto No. 4, "Incantations", which I revisited not too long ago. I don't want to turn this into a recommendation thread, but if you enjoy concertos in general, then Hogwood's series on Hyperion titled Complete Music for Violin and Orchestra, which is in four volumes, will be right up your alley. Lots to enjoy there. But we've barely scraped the surface of Martinu's oeuvre.

Hogwood - haven't even seen that before. I'll give it a try. Cheers, oor MI!
"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

Mirror Image

Quote from: NikF on November 08, 2017, 06:22:35 AM
Hogwood - haven't even seen that before. I'll give it a try. Cheers, oor MI!

You're welcome, Nik. The series in question:




NikF

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 06:26:14 AM
You're welcome, Nik. The series in question:





Yeah, I checked it out and the first volume currently nestles in my basket!
"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

Mirror Image

Quote from: NikF on November 08, 2017, 06:41:39 AM
Yeah, I checked it out and the first volume currently nestles in my basket!

Great, Nik! 8)

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: NikF on November 08, 2017, 06:00:36 AM
Indeed, I am, although I only have these -

[asin]B004Y9DFN2[/asin]

As is well documented by now (;D) I'm of a different mindset than MI about Belohlavek. To me Belohlavek's Martinu cycle is tops, so I'd say you're batting a thousand.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Parsifal

#53
Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on November 08, 2017, 03:16:53 PM
As is well documented by now (;D) I'm of a different mindset than MI about Belohlavek. To me Belohlavek's Martinu cycle is tops, so I'd say you're batting a thousand.

I've found myself beset by too many Martinu symphony cycles! I want to listen to the symphonies again in a coherent cycle and I keep getting drawn into comparisons of recordings. I have to pick one cycle. I have determined that Thomson and Jarvi do not appeal to me, and Belohlavek does although the audio engineering irritates me (I seem to be alone on that). Now it is down to listening to Valek again (which I liked a lot the first time) or listening to Neumann. I think it will be Neumann.


Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Scarpia on November 08, 2017, 03:38:25 PM
I've found myself beset by too many Martinu symphony cycles! I want to listen to the symphonies again in a coherent cycle and I keep getting drawn into comparisons of recordings. I have to pick one cycle. I have determined that Thomson and Jarvi do not appeal to me, and Belohlavek does although the audio engineering irritates me (I seem to be alone on that). Now it is down to listening to Valek again (which I liked a lot the first time) or listening to Neumann. I think it will be Neumann.

Neumann is certainly worthwhile. Gets my vote for one of the best. I haven't hard Valek but at this point I think I'm pretty sated.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Mirror Image

#55
Quote from: Scarpia on November 08, 2017, 03:38:25 PM
I've found myself beset by too many Martinu symphony cycles! I want to listen to the symphonies again in a coherent cycle and I keep getting drawn into comparisons of recordings. I have to pick one cycle. I have determined that Thomson and Jarvi do not appeal to me, and Belohlavek does although the audio engineering irritates me (I seem to be alone on that). Now it is down to listening to Valek again (which I liked a lot the first time) or listening to Neumann. I think it will be Neumann.

My problem with the Belohlavek/BBC SO cycle sonically speaking is the dry acoustic. The orchestra just sounds hollow. Is this your problem with it, too?

Actually, we're not alone in our disappointment with the audio quality of the Belohlavek/BBC SO set:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Oct11/Martinu_symphonies_onyx4061.htm

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 04:56:40 PM
My problem with the Belohlavek/BBC SO cycle sonically speaking is the dry acoustic. The orchestra just sounds hollow. Is this your problem with it, too?

Actually, we're not alone in our disappointment with the audio quality of the Belohlavek/BBC SO set:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Oct11/Martinu_symphonies_onyx4061.htm

And here is Gramophone's extremely positive review of Belohlavek's/BBC set:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/martinů-symphonies-nos-1-6-0

No mention of "hollow". And I concur.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Mirror Image

#57
Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on November 08, 2017, 06:31:48 PM
And here is Gramophone's extremely positive review of Belohlavek's/BBC set:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/martinů-symphonies-nos-1-6-0

No mention of "hollow". And I concur.

In my link, there are two reviews via MusicWeb that mention the less-than-ideal audio quality, plus your linked Gramphone review didn't even mention Turnovsky's supreme performance of the 4th symphony when they were spouting off other great performances of Martinu symphonies, so I'll go ahead and void that reviewer's entire testimony. ;) ;D

One of the main problems with the Belohlavek/BBC SO cycle from an audio standpoint is the whole cycle was recorded at the Barbican, which would constitute for the dry acoustic I hear. I plan on revisiting Belohlavek's cycle over the weekend (perhaps sooner) to see if my opinion has changed. Hopefully, it has as I do quite like the performances and have no complaints regarding his interpretative choices (they pretty much haven't changed all that much from his earlier performances on Chandos and Supraphon).

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 06:38:45 PM
In my link, there are two reviews via MusicWeb that mention the less-than-ideal audio quality, plus your linked Gramphone review didn't even mention Turnovsky's supreme performance of the 4th symphony when they were spouting off other great performances of Martinu symphonies, so I'll go ahead and void that reviewer's entire testimony. ;) ;D

Sigh..........

QuoteOne of the main problems with the Belohlavek/BBC SO cycle from an audio standpoint is the whole cycle was recorded at the Barbican, which would constitute for the dry acoustic I hear. I plan on revisiting Belohlavek's cycle over the weekend (perhaps sooner) to see if my opinion has changed. Hopefully, it has as I do quite like the performances and have no complaints regarding his interpretative choices (they pretty much haven't changed all that much from his earlier performances on Chandos and Supraphon).

I see.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Mirror Image

Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on November 08, 2017, 07:22:47 PM
Sigh..........

I see.

Don't you go sighing my friend or at least not just yet. ;)

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 08, 2017, 07:24:11 PM
The 2nd:



I want to formally apologize to Dancing Divertimentian for my negative comments on the sound quality of this set. Right away, I was drawn in and it also helps that the performance itself is so engaging. I fully disagree with Scrapia in his negative comments about the audio quality.

I'm pretty much with Dancing Divertimentian, this Bělohlávek cycle and Neumann's are the way to go when it comes to Martinů's symphonies. Third place, for me, would go to Thomson on Chandos.