What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

Mozart: Violin sonatas 3 and 4.



The commitment to playing these super-early sonatas is impressive. Yes, some movements have relentless Alberti bass, but Tiberghien is going to play the heck out of that Alberti bass.

Number 4 is quite extensive, at 15 minutes it's the lengthiest of the early sonatas.

I have a column on my classical spreadsheet for noting what album a work is on if that's helpful. I'm just going to have to resort to colours here. So sonata number 3 is forever going to be an orange sonata, and number 4 is blue...

[Traverso]

Gregorian Chant

Disc 1  Advent

Choralschola der Wiener Hofburgkapelle

P.Hubert Dopf S.J


Although I am an agnostic, I sang in a Gregorian choir for several years.

[Madiel]

Dvorak: Piano Quartet no.2, op.87



I've nearly finished this particular pattern of Dvorak listening (which people might or might not have worked out). His music is just so readily digestible. I should be heading for bed, but I can stay awake for this.

[Florestan]

Well, and how about Mozartiana? Even more underplayed than the Third but just as magical. Tchaikovsky's homage to Mozart is every bit worthy of the dedicatee.

I must say I enjoyed these performances more than Marriner's and the AOSMF.

[Irons]

There was certainly some coming from this direction. It's been quite while, so probably time for a refresher.

Here:



String Quartet No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 138

An extraordinary thing. I must say I've never seen a cover photo of a composer quite so perfectly express the character of a piece contained within. Bleakness pertains throughout, weighing like a gravity on everything, the unflinching clarity only intensifies the effect. A brilliant recording recommended on the thread bearing the quartet's name.

I set myself a challenge (idle minds) to find a cover on my shelves of a Shostakovich smile. This is the nearest I came up with.  

[Kalevala]

Cheap as chips on eBay.

Spinning - Nielsen: Symphony No.3 "Espansiva"

Planets aligned when Bernstein recorded "Espansiva". Thrilling!

Interesting cover...is there a story behind it that you know of?

K

[Harry]

Russian Dances.
See back cover for details.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi.
Recorded in January 1984-1991 at various locations.


A real gem for me. Was a long time since I listened to it but boy what a sublime collection of music. Jarvi is rather good at this, especially with this fine orchestra. Enjoyable and rewarding in its very essence. The sound is in general excellent but varies. At times the violins are a tad too bright, and the orchestra right in your face. It simply means that you have to adjust the volume somewhat. It does not dampen the pleasure . A remastering would have done wonders though!

[Brian]

The slow movements are the real gems of these two Hailstork symphonies.

[Florestan]

I set myself a challenge (idle minds) to find a cover on my shelves of a Shostakovich smile.

Much easier task in Rachmaninoff's case --- and that's saying a lot. 

[AnotherSpin]

I set myself a challenge (idle minds) to find a cover on my shelves of a Shostakovich smile. This is the nearest I came up with.

[Harry]

Adrian Willaert.
Missa Ippolito.
Dionysos Now, Adriano 3.
See back cover for more details.
Recorded in 2022,

Very good, and a pristine recording. Voices are in balance with each other. The choir sounds as one voice without losing individuality. That quite a feat, and not easily accomplished. Willaert gets a Royal treatments by these guys.
 

[kyjo]

Wilhelm Stenhammar
Serenade in F Major
Gothenburg SO - Neeme Järvi

VS

A great work! I love the optimism and "freshness" it exudes, especially in the wonderful first movement. I appreciate that Järvi's recording includes the Reverenza movement which Stenhammar later discarded.

[Cato]

Far too many years have gone by since I last visited the Second Symphony of Alexander Scriabin!

and so, on to #3!  😇

[Roasted Swan]

Russian Dances.
See back cover for details.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi.
Recorded in January 1984-1991 at various locations.


A real gem for me. Was a long time since I listened to it but boy what a sublime collection of music. Jarvi is rather good at this, especially with this fine orchestra. Enjoyable and rewarding in its very essence. The sound is in general excellent but varies. At times the violins are a tad too bright, and the orchestra right in your face. It simply means that you have to adjust the volume somewhat. It does not dampen the pleasure . A remastering would have done wonders though!

For me Jarvi with the SNO (and the parallel recordings he made for BIS in Gothenburg) remain his finest legacy

[Symphonic Addict]

Most of Brun's symphonies that I know (I haven't heard No. 1) don't quite satisfy me in the memorability department, but there's usually enough interesting development and "quirkiness" to keep my interest. I do wonder if a finer orchestra than the Moscow Symphony could make a better case for these works, but to be fair they sound better than they did in the Malipiero symphony cycle on Marco Polo/Naxos, for instance.

You're missing the best of his symphonies then!

Those Guild recordings are more recent than those on Marco Polo containing the Malipiero symphonies, so yes, it seems that the playing of that orchestra got better over the years, something that benefitted Brun's pieces enormously.

[Symphonic Addict]

I had forgotten just how marvelous the Third Suite is, what with its overall quirkiness and humor and that final movement which resembles a mini-ballet. Great stuff, greatly underplayed.

That's precisely my favorite of his orchestral suites (with the 1st one in the second place).

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, 1873 Original Version Ed. Leopold Nowak, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Markus Poschner

[Cato]

For me Jarvi with the SNO (and the parallel recordings he made for BIS in Gothenburg) remain his finest legacy

Allow me to recommend his recordings of suites from operas by Rimsky-Korsakov!

[Florestan]

That's precisely my favorite of his orchestral suites (with the 1st one in the second place).

I love them all and it's difficult for me to choose a favorite. Each has its own charm and all contains some of the most beautiful and well-crafted music Tchaikovsky (or indeed any composer) ever wrote. They are overshadowed by the symphonies and Manfred and it's a pity.

Do you have any favorite performance of them? I have only Dorati/NPO and Marriner/AOSMF, which are goldies but oldies. Something more modern you (or anyone else) would recommend me? TIA.

[Florestan]

Allow me to recommend his recordings of suites from operas by Rimsky-Korsakov!

That's a crackerjack.