What are you listening 2 now?

[Iota]

First listen from the big Szell set, Barber Piano Concerto, Szell, Cleveland, Browning.



A fascinating work. Begins with a searching passage for piano, then a dramatic orchestral tutti, then continuing with passages of widely varying moods. The second movement is based on a sentimental-sounding melody where the harmony seems to keep going off the rails. The finale is a vigorous toccata. A very engaging piece that I've not heard before.

I read somewhere that Barber wrote the piece for Browning, who claimed that final movement was unplayable. Barber resisted making revisions until Horowitz reviewed the piano part and concurred that it was indeed unplayable. Barber relented. I wonder if the original piano part survives, and if anyone has ventured to play it.

After reading the above I was interested to hear that and managed to stream the recording. I blew hot and cold about the concerto, some bits appealing, others (on a not entirely focused first hearing) seeming a bit overblown, but will certainly give it another go. What I also wanted to say was how impressed I was with Browning's pianism, not having heard him before. There was a moment in the last movement, where I got a genuine shock from the intensity of the delivery of the Szell/Browning pairing - a weaker heart and the end might have been nigh!

I don't know if you know the Barber Piano Sonata, which I like very much. I had it as a teenager on the flipside of a much listened to Horowitz LP of Prokofiev's 7th sonata. If not, it's a piece well worth hearing.


Also playing earlier this week:



Satie: Gymnopedies

The first time I've knowingly listened to Reinbert de Leeuw playing Satie ( ) and am somewhat gobsmacked. The slowness and extreme stillness of his playing is utterly entrancing, and seems to open a whole other dimension to the music. I had the curious but very visceral impression of every note being a gentle indentation in the fabric of reality, or my mind, or something (). Weird but nice.

[Daverz]

Zowie!

There is also a Requiem Canticles waiting for a listen.

[Madiel]

Faure, Preludes op.103



First listen to this particular opus for many years. Listening to it in the context of songs from the same time period is certainly instructive.

[SimonNZ]

[JBS]

Almost directly from the mailbox to my CD player

Haydn Symphony 63 "La Roxolana"
             Symphony 43 "Mercury"
Bartok Romanian Folk Dances Sz 68/BB76
Anonymous Sonata Jucunda (Ms Kromertz c 1673-1680)
Haydn Symphony 28

The linkage here is the use and/or influence of Hungarian and Balkan folk music on FJH.

[Karl Henning]

Almost directly from the mailbox to my CD player

Haydn Symphony 63 "La Roxolana"
             Symphony 43 "Mercury"
Bartok Romanian Folk Dances Sz 68/BB76
Anonymous Sonata Jucunda (Ms Kromertz c 1673-1680)
Haydn Symphony 28

The linkage here is the use and/or influence of Hungarian and Balkan folk music on FJH.

Sweet!

[Karl Henning]

John Cage
Concert for piano & orchestra (1957-8)

[Daverz]

Kalabis: Violin Concerto No. 1, twice

Vaclav Snitl, violin



Peter Skvor, violin

[asin] B00APVPCLG[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Well, Pizzettii is a rather curious figure. Although considered part of the "Generazione dell'80"  along with (among others) Casella, Malipiero and Respighi, he eschewed the "Mediterranean neoclassicism" of the first two, and harked back to an  earlier, pre-classical idiom. This led to a style (which I believe is very personal) that can be described as ascetic, and which on occasion which can appear as bland.  But, he also felt transalpine influences (Debussy, R. Strauss), and at times his music oscillates between its inherent asceticism and downright exuberance. His operas offer an interesting and original contribution to the genre (possibly the early Fedra—based on d'Annunzio—is the most attractive, with a really sumptuous, long prelude).

In any case, within his style, this Symphony in A today sounded to me like a major achievement.

Thanks for the feedback, Rafael. I need to learn to quit being so dismissive, but I suppose it's the music snob coming out in me that has been rearing its' ugly head for quite some time now.

[San Antone]

Bernstein : An American in Paris - Harold in Italy
Orchestre National de France in the 1970s

Disc: 1
  1. Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: I. Rêveries - Passions
  2. Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: II. Un bal
  3. Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: III. Scène aux champs
  4. Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: IV. Marche au supplice
  5. Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat

Disc: 2
  1. Harold en Italie, Op. 16, H. 68: I. Adagio - Allegro ma non troppo (Harold in the mountain)
  2. Harold en Italie, Op. 16, H. 68: II. Allegretto (Procession of Pilgrims)
  3. Harold en Italie, Op. 16, H. 68: III. Allegro assai - Allegretto (Serenade)
  4. Harold en Italie, Op. 16, H. 68: IV. Allegro frenetico (Orgy of the Brigands)

Disc: 3
  1. La Création du monde, Op. 81
  2. Saudades do Brasil, Op. 67: VII. Corcovado
  3. Saudades do Brasil, Op. 67: IX. Sumaré
  4. Saudades do Brasil, Op. 67: VIII. Tijuca
  5. Saudades do Brasil, Op. 67: XI. Larenjeiras
  6. Le Boeuf sur le toit, Op. 58

Disc: 4
  1. Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129: I. Nicht zu schnell - By Mstislav Rostropovich
  2. Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129: II. Langsam - By Mstislav Rostropovich
  3. Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129: III. Sehr lebhaft - By Mstislav Rostropovich
  4. Schelomo - By Mstislav Rostropovich

Disc: 5
  1. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30: I. Allegro ma non tanto
  2. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30: II. Intermezzo (Adagio)
  3. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30: III. Finale (Alla breve)
  4. Miroirs, M. 43: IV. Alborada del gracioso (Rehearsal Session)
  5. Shéhérazade, M. 17 (Rehearsal Session)
  6. Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83 (Rehearsal Session)
  7. La Valse, M. 72 (Rehearsal Session)

Disc: 6
  1. Miroirs, M. 43: IV. Alborada del gracioso
  2. Shéhérazade, M. 41: I. Asie
  3. Shéhérazade, M. 41: II. La Flûte enchantée
  4. Shéhérazade, M. 41: III. L'Indifférent
  5. Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: I. Allegramente
  6. Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: II. Adagio assai
  7. Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: III. Presto
  8. Tzigane, M. 76

Disc: 7
  1. La Valse, M. 72
  2. Boléro, M. 81
  3. On the Waterfront: I. Andante - Presto barbaro
  4. On the Waterfront: II. Adagio - Allegro molto agitato - Alla breve
  5. On the Waterfront: III. Andante largamente - More flowing - Lento
  6. On the Waterfront: IV. Moving forward - Largamente - Andante come prima
  7. On the Waterfront: V. Allegro non troppo, molto marcato - Poco più sostenuto
  8. On the Waterfront: VI. A tempo (Poco più sostenuto)
  9. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": I. Prologue (Allegro Moderato)
  10. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": II. "Somewhere" (Adagio)
  11. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": III. Scherzo (Vivace e Leggiero)
  12. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": IV. Mambo (Meno Presto)
  13. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": V. Cha-Cha (Andantino Con Grazia)
  14. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": VI. Meeting Scene (Meno Mosso)
  15. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": VII. "Cool", Fugue (Allegretto)
  16. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": VIII. Rumble (Molto Allegro)
  17. Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story": IX. Finale (Adagio)

[Ratliff]

After reading the above I was interested to hear that and managed to stream the recording. I blew hot and cold about the concerto, some bits appealing, others (on a not entirely focused first hearing) seeming a bit overblown, but will certainly give it another go. What I also wanted to say was how impressed I was with Browning's pianism, not having heard him before. There was a moment in the last movement, where I got a genuine shock from the intensity of the delivery of the Szell/Browning pairing - a weaker heart and the end might have been nigh!

I don't know if you know the Barber Piano Sonata, which I like very much. I had it as a teenager on the flipside of a much listened to Horowitz LP of Prokofiev's 7th sonata. If not, it's a piece well worth hearing.

I've not heard it, but I do have a recording on EMI from Peter Lawson. I'll try to find time to listen soon. In the mean time I've listened to the three Essays for Orchestra by Barber (Slatkin/St Louis) and have been very impressed. Barber is becoming a favorite.

Barber reminds me of John Ireland, a combination of conservative and craggy/edgy.

[Que]

This morning, I'm continuing my lute music survey at Spotify:



A recording of which I didn't know it existed!

Q

[Irons]

RVW
A Pastoral Symphony
Symphony # 4
LSO Thomson






Many a day, the Pastoral is my favorite of the 9!

I feel much the same.

[Irons]

Kalabis: Violin Concerto No. 1, twice

Vaclav Snitl, violin



Peter Skvor, violin

[asin] B00APVPCLG[/asin]

Interesting. I know the composer but not the work.

[Irons]

Bartok: 1st String Quartet.



After long hiatus returning to this set.

[Daverz]

Interesting. I know the composer but not the work.

I recommend both the Supraphon and the MSR Kalabis boxes.

[asin]B003L15KVO[/asin]
[asin]B00APVPCLG[/asin]

[vandermolen]

Kalabis: Violin Concerto No. 1, twice

Vaclav Snitl, violin



Peter Skvor, violin

[asin] B00APVPCLG[/asin]

Do you know the 'Sinfonia Pacis' (Symphony No.2) by Kalabis - a great work IMO?

[vandermolen]

New composer for me, Kamran Ince - I became interested from recent posts on GMG.



Passion & Dreams

Very interesting; some parts very beautiful and evocative.  He is on the faculty of University of Memphis, not far from me.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of that disc (added later: oh sorry, I realised that you did write that you found  'some parts very beautiful and evocative'). For what it's worth I found a review I wrote on Amazon UK for the Naxos CD featuring 'Fall of Constantinople':

This is quite extraordinary music. Ince (born 1960) is a Turkish composer who has lived in America since 1980. These two influences (Turkish/American) can be heard in his dynamic music. As has been suggested elsewhere, the Symphony No 2 'The Fall of Constantinople' can perhaps be seen better as a collection of tone poems rather than a true symphony. The music, at times, shows the influence of minimalist American composer but in the Concerto for Orchestra there is much use of traditional Turkish instruments. There is an element of american minimalists meets the Whirling Dervishes, mixed in with the soundtrack to 'Conan the Barbarian'(a fine score, by the way) about the music, but I loved it. Very powerful and noisily dramatic, but interspersed with some lovely lyrical moments, such as 'Haghia Sophia' in the Symphony No 2. The music is tonal and kept my attention throughout. As soon as the CD ended I wanted to play it again. Striking cover imagery and, unusually for Naxos, the booklet contains some photos from the recording session. Well worth investigating (especially at Naxos prices)if you fancy something different.

[vandermolen]

Must be an interesting listen. "The New York Stadium Orchestra," eh?

I thought that it was a fine, intense performance only let down by the rushing of the coda. I found it taken too quickly to have the full impact but that's just my view.

TD
Malipiero: Symphony No.6 'degli archi' for strings.

[Que]

Q