What are you listening 2 now?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Count me in, but from this set...



Apart from Fidelio, I've neglected Toscanini's Beethoven for quite a while. Well, this Seventh tells me that neglect was unjustified. It's a driven, almost manic performance, but a superb one...

Good to hear that you're revisiting his performances...it's been a while for me, but I remember enjoying what I heard.

[JBS]

CD 20 of the Heinrich Schiff box

For which Decca decided to slice and dice recordings from three different CDs
Lutoslawski conducting his own Cello Concerto

Lourie's Concerto da Camera from here. The box does not credit Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie: instead it lists Schiff's co-soloists: Gidon Kremer and Annette Bik violins, Isabelle van Keulen viola, Alois Posch double bass

And finally Schnittke's String Trio from here

[Symphonic Addict]

30 miniatures that encapsulate Norwegian tales and folklore in such a quirky way. Quite entertaining. Looking forward to listening to the another CD of these suites.

[Karl Henning]

[Karl Henning]

[JBS]

Finishing off the Schiff set with something completely different.


Never heard this concerto before. It's definitely eclectic.
Opening movement is big band jazz.
Second movement is Mozartean changing to Beethoven-ish.
Third movement is combines 19th century high Romantic virtuoso, Ligeti, and a hint of jazz.
Fourth movement is a minuet with hints of Mozart, Beethoven, and janissaries.
Finale seems to be a circus style march overlaid by the cello part, but changing back to big band mode at times.

[Karl Henning]

Finishing off the Schiff set with something completely different.


Never heard this concerto before. It's definitely eclectic.
Opening movement is big band jazz.
Second movement is Mozartean changing to Beethoven-ish.
Third movement is combines 19th century high Romantic virtuoso, Ligeti, and a hint of jazz.
Fourth movement is a minuet with hints of Mozart, Beethoven, and janissaries.
Finale seems to be a circus style march overlaid by the cello part, but changing back to big band mode at times.

Eclectic!

[Karl Henning]

[Karl Henning]

[Symphonic Addict]

Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 2

This concerto is a complete delight and rather tuneful to boot, relatively little known if compared to the more popular 3rd one.

[JBS]

The compositions included seem to be works composed for the Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt when Telemann was in his mid 80s; most of the manuscripts for these works come from the musical archive of the composer's grandson, Georg Michael Telemann (1748-1831), who served as Kantor/music director of Riga from 1773 to 1828. He had been raised and given his musical training by his grandfather.

Quality wise, this recording matches Le Stagione Frankfort's previous Telemann sets.

[AnotherSpin]

Op. 106

[steve ridgway]

Messiaen: Oiseaux Exotiques

[classicalgeek]

George Lloyd
Symphony no. 4
Albany Symphony Orchestra
Lloyd conducting
(on CD)



Such wonderful music, tuneful and lush and expertly crafted. Only minor complaint is the quality of the orchestra, who do give it their all.

[Harry]

Codex 457 - Musik des Mittelalters aus Tirol.
See details on back cover.


A very impressive performance I must say! Codex 457 is one of the earliest examples of polyphonic chants from the Tyrolean region. The collection, created at the end of the 14th century, is particularly impressive due to its rich melismatics and particularly dramatic interpretation of the text. The instrumental parts are on the same footing as the vocal parts. This selection is well chosen, and recorded in SOTA sound.

[Roasted Swan]

Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 2

This concerto is a complete delight and rather tuneful to boot, relatively little known if compared to the more popular 3rd one.

part of a fine set.  Hoelscher was a really good player - I remember his Korngold (one of the 1st stereo versions after the pioneering Heifetz) was very good too.

[DaveF]

Messiaen: Oiseaux Exotiques

Great disc! I once put together a compilation CD for a friend born in 1955 of pieces composed that year and decided, on the basis of that performance, that Oiseaux exotiques was the best of the lot (and it wasn't a bad year, either, whose output included the Canticum sacrum, Le marteau sans maître, Gruppen and Carter's Variations).

[Madiel]

Earlier today.



But to be honest I was fairly distracted (making decisions about buying a digital camera), and I'll have to give it another spin.

[mahler10th]

It is morning, so to cheer me up and get going into the day...Berlioz Requiem....like THATS going to cheer me up!  Anyway, it's the Dies Irae and Tuba Mirum of this work which knocks me out, it is such a wakeup call!  This version recorded live in St.Pauls cathederal is one of the most mighty SOUNDING, though there are definitely issues with clarity when things get ramped - so much echo.  Still, it is a true wonder of a Requiem!

[Harry]

Ethel Smyth.
Chamber Music.
See back cover for details.

This disc is a highlight in my CD collection and I treasure it. Ethel Smyth deserves to be heard. Your in luck, this is one of the best recordings to be had! There is much to be admired, and nothing to dislike. Performance and sound are exemplary.