What are you listening 2 now?

[Lisztianwagner]

Allan Pettersson
Violin Concerto No.2

Ida Haendel (violin)
Herbert Blomstedt & Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

[Symphonic Addict]

Along with his Sonatae violino solo, these sonatas represent some of the pinnacles of Baroque instrumental music IMO.

[Linz]

Biber Requiem
Steffani Stabat Mater
Koor & Barockorchest van de Nederlandse Bachvereniging
Gustav Leonhardt

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Godfried Devreese: Tomblene. Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra, Frederic Devreese.

[Bachtoven]

Superb playing and sound.

[Bachtoven]

I'm guessing when guitarist Kazuhito Yamashita decided to transcribe "Pictures at an Exhibition," he probably thought, "This is a very difficult piano piece. Let's see how it works on the guitar."  Since his ground breaking transcription, which requires learning many new techniques, others have taken up the challenge including Marko Topchii, my favorite guitarist of the current generation. Here's a live performance of it. (He plays it a little slower in places than does Yamashita, but it sounds more musical and less like a stunt.)

[Symphonic Addict]

d'Indy: The three string quartets

Great to hear these delectable works in such sensitive, heartfelt performances.

[DavidW]

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Continuing on with the Pettersson Complete Edition on BIS ---

NP:

Symphony No. 7
Norrköping SO
Leif Segerstam

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Allan Pettersson
Violin Concerto No. 2

Ida Haendel (violin)
Herbert Blomstedt & Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Very nice, @Lisztianwagner. What do you think of this work? It's a bit strange to see @Karl Henning like your post as I thought he wasn't a fan of Pettersson.

[Karl Henning]

Very nice, @Lisztianwagner. What do you think of this work? It's a bit strange to see @Karl Henning like your post as I thought he wasn't a fan of Pettersson.

You're right, I'm not, particularly, but I do think well of this disc. I've found both that I like the odd Pettersson piece, and that I've no inclination to that rabbit hole.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

You're right, I'm not, particularly, but I do think we'll of this disc. I've found both that I like the odd Pettersson piece, and that I've no inclination to that rabbit hole.

I wouldn't have gone down this rabbit hole either if it weren't for being exposed to his 7th symphony, which is the work that lured me into his oeuvre. I certainly understand that his musical aesthetic doesn't mesh well with your own. I am, however, glad to know that there are a few works you do like from Pettersson.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Well, my Pettersson phase has officially ended. That didn't take long. That is quite enough doom and gloom for me for awhile.

[kyjo]

Arnell: Symphony No. 1 and Sinfonia quasi Variazioni

Ready to start revisiting this cycle. In general, these are entertaining, but also rather generic. IIRC, his better symphonies begin from the 3rd on.

Amongst 20th century British composers, Arnell is generally not one of my favorites and I rather agree with your "generic" comment regarding his music. I recently tried his 2nd Symphony which I found quite dull - however, the Piano Concerto which it's coupled to on a Dutton CD is a more interesting work worth hearing. The epic wartime 3rd Symphony is a bit overlong but has some very fine moments. I need to revisit nos. 4-6 and explore some of his non-symphonic works perhaps.

[kyjo]

Tippett: Piano Concerto

A piece that feels by turns strangely-proportioned, free-roaming, thematically rich in connection and shot through with radiant outbursts of beauty and endless invention. What wonders Tippett spun. Excellent from all involved.

This concerto is nothing if not intriguing, unique, and often magical. Parts of it are rather enigmatic to me (especially in the slow movement), however more often than not I'm fully engaged by Tippett's inventiveness. And that's a great recording of it, too!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Muffat: Apparatus Musico-Organisticus. Rene Saorgin.

[kyjo]

And now a palette cleanser ---

NP:

Yoshimatsu
Symphony No. 2, "At terra"
BBC Philharmonic
Sachio Fujioka



To me, Yoshimatsu sounds like what if you combined Vasks with Rautavaara and mixed in some Japanese exotica.

That's a pretty good description, John! I'd throw in some Sibelius, Bernstein, and John (Coolidge) Adams for good measure. Yoshimatsu's style can be wildly eclectic, but it usually works surprisingly well. His 2nd and 3rd symphonies are my two favorite works of his, and two of my favorite symphonies by a contemporary composer!

[kyjo]

Well, my Pettersson phase has officially ended. That didn't take long. That is quite enough doom and gloom for me for awhile.

Didn't your doctor tell you to take your Pettersson in small doses, or else you may start experiencing suicidal thoughts?

[Le Buisson Ardent]

That's a pretty good description, John! I'd throw in some Sibelius, Bernstein, and John (Coolidge) Adams for good measure. Yoshimatsu's style can be wildly eclectic, but it usually works surprisingly well. His 2nd and 3rd symphonies are my two favorite works of his, and two of my favorite symphonies by a contemporary composer!

That's true. His style is rather all-over-the-map. I need to dig a bit further into his oeuvre, because I have many discs that I don't think I've even listened to yet.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Didn't your doctor tell you to take your Pettersson in small doses, or else you may start experiencing suicidal thoughts?

Good point. Next time I won't be so manic in my listening.