Pieces that have blown you away recently

[kyjo]

CPO does a great job of recording works of obscure composers.

Amen to that, brother!

[Mapman]

There are two pieces I encountered recently.

First, Beethoven's String Quartet #11, Op. 95. It's surprisingly modern sounding, and made me listen to it again. (I am only starting to listen to Beethoven's quartets; I've also heard great things about his late quartets.)

Second, I found this CD at a library sale last month. The Poulenc Concerto for 2 Pianos is a lot of fun! I'm somewhat surprised that it isn't better known.

[Symphonic Addict]

Feldman: Cello and Orchestra



It has a disruptive nature and an incredible suspense atmosphere. Disturbing!

[Mirror Image]

Feldman: Cello and Orchestra



It has a disruptive nature and an incredible suspense atmosphere. Disturbing!

And for me, one of Feldman's best works. I can't get into his later pieces --- you know the ones where they last like 4 hrs. or some ridiculous amount of time. I find the shorter Feldman pieces work better for me. Rothko Chapel is also a solid favorite.

[Florestan]

Albeniz - Concierto fantastico for Piano and Orchestra



An unabashedly Romantic/romantic work, passionate, nostalgic and frolicsome by turns, featuring some gorgeous tunes.

Carl Loewe - Grand Trio Op. 12



Loewe was first and foremost a composer of vocal music, especially ballads, and it shows. This piece has a distinct story-telling feeling, the music unfolds like the action of a tale. Very good.

In both cases the performances are excellent, the sonics ditto and the other works very good as well.

[Roasted Swan]

Pretty much anything played by Aaron Rosand blows me away.  I love his combination of awesome technique, expressive range and willingness to take risks.  Take for example some pretty straight forward salon/Kreisler pieces.  You can hear these knocked out with faceless perfection by any number of modern virtuosi.  But it takes a Rosand to make essentially "slight" music seem profound and stunningly beautiful......

https://www.amazon.co.uk/music/player/albums/B00283UX5Y?ref=sr_1_4&s=dmusic&keywords=aaron+rosand&crid=3U1TZ0YL4SWBC&sprefix=aaron+rosand%2Cdigital-music%2C65&qid=1649498163&sr=1-4

[Symphonic Addict]

And for me, one of Feldman's best works. I can't get into his later pieces --- you know the ones where they last like 4 hrs. or some ridiculous amount of time. I find the shorter Feldman pieces work better for me. Rothko Chapel is also a solid favorite.

I'm eager to hear similar works to that [Cello and Orchestra] (oh, so much music to explore...). Haven't heard a recording of Rothko that engages me yet. And yes, the length of the piece is particularly important regarding some of his works.

[Mirror Image]

This work from Maki Ishii:

https://www.youtube.com/v/9OK2GHhuE4s

From this all-Ishii recording:



Wow...is all I can say about it. The textures and general atmosphere drew me in from start to finish.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

John, I don't know his music, but JFYI.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E7%9F%B3%E4%BA%95%E7%9C%9E%E6%9C%A8%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E9%9B%86-%E3%82%AA%E3%83%A0%E3%83%8B%E3%83%90%E3%82%B9/dp/B000ZNTPIK

https://ishii.de/maki/en/profile/artistic-profile/

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/%E5%B0%8F%E6%BE%A4%E5%BE%81%E7%88%BE/dp/B00YNO24CQ/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1649625306&s=music&sr=1-3

[Mirror Image]

John, I don't know his music, but JFYI.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E7%9F%B3%E4%BA%95%E7%9C%9E%E6%9C%A8%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E9%9B%86-%E3%82%AA%E3%83%A0%E3%83%8B%E3%83%90%E3%82%B9/dp/B000ZNTPIK

https://ishii.de/maki/en/profile/artistic-profile/

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/%E5%B0%8F%E6%BE%A4%E5%BE%81%E7%88%BE/dp/B00YNO24CQ/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1649625306&s=music&sr=1-3

Thanks, Dry Brett. The first recording linked is OOP and difficult to find. The last link is a recording I already own. As for the middle link, I'll have to give it a read. Much appreciated, my friend!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Thanks, Dry Brett. The first recording linked is OOP and difficult to find. The last link is a recording I already own. As for the middle link, I'll have to give it a read. Much appreciated, my friend!

You're welcome. Have a great week!

[Mirror Image]

You're welcome. Have a great week!

You, too!

[The new erato]

There are two pieces I encountered recently.

First, Beethoven's String Quartet #11, Op. 95. It's surprisingly modern sounding, and made me listen to it again. (I am only starting to listen to Beethoven's quartets; I've also heard great things about his late quartets.)

Second, I found this CD at a library sale last month. The Poulenc Concerto for 2 Pianos is a lot of fun! I'm somewhat surprised that it isn't better known.

Totally agree. And you are in for a wondeful journey with late Beethoven.

[Symphonic Addict]

Braunfels: Hexensabbatt for piano and orchestra, Op. 8

Holy smokes! I had given this work a listen some months ago, but this time I was bowled over. It's an exhilarating di bravura work, yet not devoid of more-haunting passages. A knock-out of a piece!

[kyjo]

Albeniz - Concierto fantastico for Piano and Orchestra



An unabashedly Romantic/romantic work, passionate, nostalgic and frolicsome by turns, featuring some gorgeous tunes.

Carl Loewe - Grand Trio Op. 12



Loewe was first and foremost a composer of vocal music, especially ballads, and it shows. This piece has a distinct story-telling feeling, the music unfolds like the action of a tale. Very good.

In both cases the performances are excellent, the sonics ditto and the other works very good as well.

Thanks for sharing, Andrei. Must listen to these!

[kyjo]

Lately, it has been these:

Malipiero: Impressioni dal vero (3 parts) and Pauze del silenzio



I had waited far too long to hear these remarkable compositions by a composer who I had, up to this point, not really given his proper due. Written in the 1910s when Malipiero was still quite young, these extraordinarily colorful, evocative, and distinctive works already have his personal stamp all over them, and show a keen awareness of different musical trends of the times. And fortunately, the performances and sound here do total justice to the music (unlike the Marco Polo recordings of the symphonies) - if only La Vecchia and his band could be persuaded to go on and record some of his symphonies now! If nothing else, sample the first movement, Colloquio di campane (a depiction of bells) of the second part of Impressioni dal vero - pure genius and imagination: https://youtu.be/I9_ds_kxHWE


Schubert: Schwanengesang



It's not for nothing that Schubert is considered perhaps the greatest composer of songs ever. This cycle, from the very end of his life, covers the entire emotional gamut from bubbling joy to dark, bleak introspection, with inventive, daring use of harmony around every corner. Bostridge and Pappano successfully convey the expressive variety of this great cycle.


Kurka: Symphony no. 2, Julius Caesar, Music for Orchestra, Serenade for Small Orchestra



The sadly short-lived Robert Kurka (1921-57) wrote in a big-boned neoclassical style which should appeal to admirers of Piston, Diamond, W. Schuman etc, though his music doesn't really sound like any of them. The 2nd Symphony is rhythmically propulsive and exciting in the outer movements, with a movingly reflective slow movement. The finale is an absolute corker - one of the most tightly-written and enjoyable symphonic movements I've heard recently. And damn, the Music for Orchestra - what a piece! It's written in a darker, slightly more modern style than the other works on the disc, and has an impressively compelling, doom-laden atmosphere. The other two works are just wonderful as well, as are the performances and sound. Carlos Kalmar once again proves himself to be an excellent advocate of American music, and the Grant Park Orchestra is clearly relishing the music, specifically the timpanist with his/her very active part in these works. Now, let's hear Kurka's 1st Symphony, 5 string quartets, amongst other works! (P.S. pay no attention to the Amazon reviewers who call the music on this disc "mildly interesting" and "derivative".)


Enescu: Piano Quartet no. 1



This work stands at a wonderful crossroads between Enescu's early and late styles, possessing the Romantic passion and vigor of the former as well as the harmonic subtlety and individuality of the latter. In the first movement, passages of delicate, impressionistic beauty build to eruptively passionate climaxes. The slow movement is mysterious and troubled, and best of all is the thrilling finale in which Enescu's love of Romanian folk music comes to the fore. The ending builds up a raucous head of steam not to be believed!! I also listened to the 2nd Piano Quartet, a typically elusive work from Enescu's maturity - it didn't "blow me away", but it's an intriguing work which will be worth further listens. The performances by the Tammuz Piano Quartet are as attuned to Enescu's unique idiom as one could possibly wish.


Villem Kapp: Symphony no. 2



Quite simply, this tuneful, dramatic, and conservative-for-its-time (1955) symphony is perfectly suited to my tastes. I detected echoes of some of my favorite composers (Atterberg, Lloyd, Kabalevsky, etc.), and was utterly seduced by the gorgeously inspired, touchingly simple melodies that are the second theme of the 1st movement and the main theme of the slow movement. There's just enough harmonic "spice" in Kapp's musical language to keep the work from sounding like Romantic pastiche. A pity that he wasn't more prolific!

[Symphonic Addict]

Good, Kyle! I know all the pieces, except for Kurka's pieces (minus the 2nd Symphony).

[André]

Both works. Tabakov has the knack and gumption to not let go of an idea until he's beaten it black and blue. This may be off-putting on first hearing, but the thing is: his ideas are excellent, even brilliant and his talent as an orchestrator is astonishing. In the end one must succomb to the sheer accumulation of originality and dynamism.

The character of the music is almost uniformly disquieting and disturbing (add 3-4 variants from the Thesaurus here), a bit like Pettersson, but where the Swedish composer revels in a gloomy, defiant kind of lyricism, the Bulgarian is in constant attack mode. The 2nd symphony is in 2 movements lasting 24 minutes and is remarkably well-balanced, while the big, 51 minute 6th symphony is cast in 4 substantial movements. It covers much the same terrain, but in a more systematic way. Tabakov's trademark maddeningly pounding ostinati are on display in 2:I and 6:IV. Amazing stuff.

[Mirror Image]

Enescu: Piano Quartet no. 1



This work stands at a wonderful crossroads between Enescu's early and late styles, possessing the Romantic passion and vigor of the former as well as the harmonic subtlety and individuality of the latter. In the first movement, passages of delicate, impressionistic beauty build to eruptively passionate climaxes. The slow movement is mysterious and troubled, and best of all is the thrilling finale in which Enescu's love of Romanian folk music comes to the fore. The ending builds up a raucous head of steam not to be believed!! I also listened to the 2nd Piano Quartet, a typically elusive work from Enescu's maturity - it didn't "blow me away", but it's an intriguing work which will be worth further listens. The performances by the Tammuz Piano Quartet are as attuned to Enescu's unique idiom as one could possibly wish.

Interesting as I was more blown away by the 2nd PQ than the 1st. I should revisit this disc. It's a good one.

[foxandpeng]

Both works. Tabakov has the knack and gumption to not let go of an idea until he's been it beaten black and blue. This may be off-putting on first hearing, but the thing is: his ideas are excellent, even brilliant and his talent as an orchestrator is astonishing. In the end one must succomb to the sheer accumulation of originality and dynamism.

The character of the music is almost uniformly disquieting and disturbing (add 3-4 variants from the Thesaurus here), a bit like Pettersson, but where the Swedish composer revels in a gloomy, defiant kind of lyricism, the Bulgarian is in constant attack mode. The 2nd symphony is in 2 movements lasting 24 minutes and is remarkably well-balanced, while the big, 51 minute 6th symphony is cast in 4 substantial movements. It covers much the same terrain, but in a more systematic way. Tabakov's trademark maddeningly pounding ostinati are on display in 2:I and 6:IV. Amazing stuff.

Thanks for the helpful commentary. Tabakov is a firm favourite of mine.