Pieces that have blown you away recently

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This:

First-Listen Wednesday

Weinberg
Three Psalms, Op. 120
Joanna Freszel, soprano
Silesian Quartet







I'm absolutely BLOWN AWAY by this work. Count this as one of the masterpieces for voice and string quartet. It joins the Schoenberg's 2nd SQ, Barber's Dover Beach, Schoeck's Notturno, Ginastera's 3rd SQ et. al.

[Symphonic Addict]

Each post seems to draw more attention than the previous one. Is there a better offer? 

[Symphonic Addict]

Ok, me'll go! 

Elena Kats-Chernin: The Offering (Piano Quintet)



Instantly appealing and imaginative music. I love those catchy rhythms and poignant pathos in places. A 20-minute-long beauty. One of my favorite living composers.

[Symphonic Addict]

This:

Psalms or Palms?

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Psalms or Palms?

Typo alert! Good catch. I don't know why I was thinking it was Psalms. Anyway, check out the work if you haven't already.

https://www.youtube.com/v/Li8qhNBc3Dw

[Symphonic Addict]

Typo alert! Good catch. I don't know why I was thinking it was Psalms. Anyway, check out the work if you haven't already.

https://www.youtube.com/v/Li8qhNBc3Dw

Sure, John. I'm giving it a listen later. Thanks!

[Rosalba]

Pasquini - Toccata con lo scherzo del cucco (Cuckoo)
Recommended to me by an internet musical friend, and it's full of character.
I am beguiled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XxinVO2QCM

[steve ridgway]

Ives - New England Holidays. How on earth could someone sit in a quiet room and just write this stuff down?

[relm1]

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.

I as well find his works approachable and compelling.  I enjoy each new release in this cycle. 

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Ives - New England Holidays. How on earth could someone sit in a quiet room and just write this stuff down?

A phenomenal piece, steve. You should definitely check out the Bernstein, Ormandy and Tilson Thomas recordings of this work. We're so damn lucky to have several performances of this work.

[Mirror Image]

I'm absolutely blown away by this:

NP:

Yun
Violin Concerto No. 1
Akiko Tatsumi, violin
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
Zdeněk Mácal

As Andre rightfully pointed out about Yun, there is a lyricism that runs through this music that is totally singular. The slow movement in particular I found chilling.

[André]

Indeed. This big concerto is fascinating. I have a different version (Japanese soloist with Russell-Davies and the Bruckner Linz Orchestra)

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Indeed. This big concerto is fascinating. I have a different version (Japanese soloist with Russell-Davies and the Bruckner Linz Orchestra)

I own that one, too.

[Symphonic Addict]

Two wondrous chamber pieces that, even though they're not first listens, managed to delight me once again in a high level:




Matthijs Vermeulen: String Trio

This can be of interest for the other two people who are familiar with his music on this forum. Simply sensational masterpiece. The narrative of the music is organic despite it sounds "episodic". A work of marked gestures, noticeable inventiveness and full of mastery. Recommended.

The whole set of chamber works has plenty of good surprises.





Arnold Krug: Piano Quartet in C minor

Not a first listen either, so I admit to having listened to it before and likewise was I enormously impressed by what my ears perceived today. First-rate stuff, tuneful, bold, sophisticatedly written. IMHO, one of the greatest unknown Piano Quartets. A winner. Kyle, don't miss this!

The String Sextet has no waste either. A fantastic disc.

[Operafreak]

The Britten piece is outstanding ( Suite for harp)

[DavidUK]

Stanley Bate symphonies 3 and 4. 

[kyjo]

Two wondrous chamber pieces that, even though they're not first listens, managed to delight me once again in a high level:




Matthijs Vermeulen: String Trio

This can be of interest for the other two people who are familiar with his music on this forum. Simply sensational masterpiece. The narrative of the music is organic despite it sounds "episodic". A work of marked gestures, noticeable inventiveness and full of mastery. Recommended.

The whole set of chamber works has plenty of good surprises.





Arnold Krug: Piano Quartet in C minor

Not a first listen either, so I admit to having listened to it before and likewise was I enormously impressed by what my ears perceived today. First-rate stuff, tuneful, bold, sophisticatedly written. IMHO, one of the greatest unknown Piano Quartets. A winner. Kyle, don't miss this!

The String Sextet has no waste either. A fantastic disc.

Duly noted, Cesar. These works sound right up my alley!

[kyjo]

Ok, me'll go! 

Elena Kats-Chernin: The Offering (Piano Quintet)



Instantly appealing and imaginative music. I love those catchy rhythms and poignant pathos in places. A 20-minute-long beauty. One of my favorite living composers.

Thank you for this recommendation, Cesar! A wonderfully accessible and joyous work which some might criticize as being too "simplistic" or "predictable", but I find it so appealing. Its quasi-minimalistic style reminded me a bit of Philip Glass but with more variety.

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Kyle, you need to listen to Isang Yun's Cello Concerto. It's certainly a bit more abrasive, but as my Andre has pointed out, there's a lyricism that can be found deep within his music. Oh and if Cesar hasn't heard it, he should check it out, too!

[Symphonic Addict]

Thank you for this recommendation, Cesar! A wonderfully accessible and joyous work which some might criticize as being too "simplistic" or "predictable", but I find it so appealing. Its quasi-minimalistic style reminded me a bit of Philip Glass but with more variety.

Glad you enjoyed it, Kyle!

Wild Swans is another of her works I find thoroughly engaging: