What are you listening 2 now?

[Cato]

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 1 in G minor °Winter dreams", op. 13, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti

That was a fine old LP!

Frank Martin was fairly big when I was younger: one work, in particular, was often used as an example of his genius:

The classic performance is by Ernest Ansermet and the Suisse Romande Orchestra, but it is broken apart and hard to find on YouTube.


Not to be forgotten:

[Cato]

Rachmaninoff: Symphony #2
Ormandy: Philadelphia

There are numerous cuts in the 1st movement. I stopped following the score after that, so I don't know how many there are in the rest of the symphony.

I am guessing that the cuts were done so that it would fit better on 78 RPM records, or on early 33 1/3 records.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No, 3 in D Minor, 1889 Version (aka 1888/89) Ed. Leopold Nowak, Lorin Maazel

[DavidW]

I am guessing that the cuts were done so that it would fit better on 78 RPM records, or on early 33 1/3 records.

Nope!  The second was highly criticized and conductors made huge cuts for both performances and recordings until the great and glorious Previn and Weller recordings of the early 70s.  After that point the symphony was well respected and started being recorded without cuts.  Here is an interesting survey of the history of recordings:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/rachmaninov-s-symphony-no-2-which-recording-is-best

[Mapman]

Nope!  The second was highly criticized and conductors made huge cuts for both performances and recordings until the great and glorious Previn and Weller recordings of the early 70s.  After that point the symphony was well respected and started being recorded without cuts.  Here is an interesting survey of the history of recordings:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/rachmaninov-s-symphony-no-2-which-recording-is-best

Thanks for sharing the history! I knew that older performances generally had cuts (and was expecting them in Ormandy's performance), and it's nice to know more about them.

[Brian]

Ah, so glad you are getting around to it! It changed the way I listen to Liszt. It changed the way I think about Liszt, in fact. I hope it tickled your ears, as well!

Thanks for quoting this to remind me - I only listened to Years 1 and 2 but they were extraordinary. Definitely the piano (combined with Grimwood's totally flawless rapport with it) does much to correct Liszt's reputation as a soulless banger and I wish there was much more HIP Liszt now. Very excited for Year 3 as it seems even more suited to his style.

[Cato]

Nope!  The second was highly criticized and conductors made huge cuts for both performances and recordings until the great and glorious Previn and Weller recordings of the early 70s.  After that point the symphony was well respected and started being recorded without cuts.  Here is an interesting survey of the history of recordings:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/rachmaninov-s-symphony-no-2-which-recording-is-best

I recall seeing the claims about "Here is the COMPLETE Symphony," and had never suspected that cuts had been made.

The complete symphony sounded rather odd for some time!

Thanks for that link.

[Bachtoven]

For a composer who didn't like the cello, Henze certainly wrote some fine works for it. Very good playing and sound. (I posted the cellist's excellent Bach Suites recording a few days ago.)

[JBS]

Johann Christian Bach, from the Decca Haebler Legacy set

Opus 1 corresponds to W.C49-54, Opus 7 to W.C55-59 and W.C60a

The final movement of Opus 1 Number 6 uses God Save The King as its theme.

Ms Haebler used her bespoke fortepiano for these recordings.

Alternate LP cover:

[Que]

Love the Haitink Concertgobouw cycle from the 60s and 70s. I should listen to some of this.

I find his his later Bruckner recordings in München and Dresden very worthwhile indeed.

[steve ridgway]

Penderecki: A sea of dreams did breathe on me...

[Que]

Morning listening:



http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/feb03/Byrd_Cantiones.htm

[Spotted Horses]

Thanks for quoting this to remind me - I only listened to Years 1 and 2 but they were extraordinary. Definitely the piano (combined with Grimwood's totally flawless rapport with it) does much to correct Liszt's reputation as a soulless banger and I wish there was much more HIP Liszt now. Very excited for Year 3 as it seems even more suited to his style.

Liszt has a reputation as a soulless banger? That's news to me. There are certainly the flamboyant show pieces like the Hungarian Rhapsodies, but Annees de Pelerinage is almost universally regarded as high poetry for the piano. If Liszt suffers it is from a reputation as a lily-livered romantic. I am anxious to hear Grimwood, given the praise I've read, but you can't convince me the Bolet, Cziffra, Ciccolini, Arrau, didn't know how to play Liszt.

[Que]

I expected something nice, but this is exceeding my expectations.

[ritter]

First listen to this recent purchase:



I find much to enjoy in the music of Elisabeth Lutyens. A Schoenbergian sound world, but with affinities to, e.g., Luigi Dallapiccola.

[Que]

Liszt has a reputation as a soulless banger? That's news to me. There are certainly the flamboyant show pieces like the Hungarian Rhapsodies, but Annees de Pelerinage is almost universally regarded as high poetry for the piano. If Liszt suffers it is from a reputation as a lily-livered romantic. I am anxious to hear Grimwood, given the praise I've read, but you can't convince me the Bolet, Cziffra, Ciccolini, Arrau, didn't know how to play Liszt.

I'm sure they all very well knew how to play Liszt. What a period instrument does is show that the poetry is not just in the notes, but also in the sound. Plus it will provide the quicker action beneficial to performing Liszt's virtuosity.

[Traverso]

I expected something nice, but this is exceeding my expectations.

This is a great recording,glad that you like it. 

[Cato]

Visiting these works again: Mathilde Kralik von Meyrswalden!


She was a contemporary of Mahler and a student of Bruckner's:

[Traverso]

Erbach

CD 7

It is a pleasure to listen to these recordings, good musicianship, fine organs and well recorded, a must for every organ lover especially if they also love Sweelinck.

[Que]

A recent purchase I believe I haven't posted before:



An absolute peach of a recording with some wonderful singing and playing that I got for just a couple of euros, shipping included (!). I guess there is not much love for this repertoire... Still, Sandrine Piau here gives the best performance of Händel's Laschia ch'io pianga (Rinaldo) I've ever heard. Worth the price of admission alone.

Anyway... 

This is a great recording,glad that you like it. 

Love it!