What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

[Traverso]

Schütz

CD 1

Palms of David

 

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Indeed, I've been raving about it for years: there was a lot of conversation about The Spirit of England back in 2009, when I wrote about this particular performance:

It sounds like hyperbole, but the fact is that I haven't changed my mind since. Teresa Cahill sings it as no one else can.

I knew I hadn't misremembered your thoughts on this performance of The Spirit of England. Great that it still holds a special place for you.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Continuing on with the Nielsen symphonies --- now playing Symphony No. 4, FS 76, Op. 29, "The Inextinguishable" from this set:

[Cato]

See the March Madness/Russian Symphonies topic for the three Borodin symphonies!

This appeared via YouTube: Pavel Chesnokov's Do Not Reject Me in My Old Age for a counter-bass voice, here played via a "Tubax," i.e. a Contrabass Saxophone.

[SonicMan46]

Mozart, WA - Keyboard Works w/ Kristian Bezuidenhout on a variety of fortepiano replicas, several by Paul McNulty - there are 9 discs so much more that just the sonatas.  Dave

[Traverso]

Bach

This box is OOP.

 


 

[ritter]

On the day of the centenary of the birth of Pierre Boulez, two early cantatas on texts by René Char: Le Visage nuptial and Le Soleil des Eaux. Phylis Bryn-Julson, soprano (in both works), Élisabeth Laurence, contralto (in Le Visage...), BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (conductor).

On CD 2 of this set:

[Harry]

Bach

This box is OOP.

 


 



[

I feel fortunate to have it!

[Traverso]

Bach

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, 1887/90 Mixed Versions. Ed. Robert Haas, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Takashi Asahina

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP:

Yun
Chamber Symphony I
Korean Chamber Ensemble
Piotr Borkowski



One of the great composers of the 20th Century. I've been thoroughly impressed with everything I've heard from Yun over the years.

I believe that only @André and I are the resident Yun listeners. A shame more listeners don't know his music.

[Symphonic Addict]

@Der lächelnde Schatten @foxandpeng @ChamberNut much appreciated, guys!

[Brian]

I decided to travel northwards today and yesterday. The Klami Aurora Borealis and short cello work are very enjoyable and colorful; the cello piece has folk colors that almost remind me of the Caucasus and Weinberg. Madetoja's Kullervo is a fun tone poem, somewhat episodic but with the same beefy brass and bold color we know from works like Pohjola's Daughter. (Plus: maracas!) Okon Fuoco is a ballet set in Japan; Hurwitz says the complete score gets somewhat repetitive, but this 13-minute suite certainly whets the appetite for more. You have to love the atmospherics of a suite that starts and ends with tam-tam thwocks!

Einar Englund's Violin Concerto has clear folk fiddle influences and a pastoral bent; it's not as modern-sounding (or concise) as his piano concertos or some of the symphonies. The violin concerto by Klami is decidedly weirder and has chase-scene energy at times.

But the real gem of the week was the complete Madetoja symphony cycle, which I had never heard before. Madetoja's First Symphony, in a glowing F major, reminds me a little bit of Svendsen in its mood but its 20th century romanticism is a little more like Atterberg or Dag Wiren. Especially in the mysterious nocturnal slow movement, with mildly spooky doings and a haunting cor anglais solo. Interesting stuff.

His Second starts out with chirping pastoral flutes, but after only 45 seconds, we're already on notice that this is a turbulent soundworld that can change like the weather. Written from 1916-1918, the symphony's moods were affected by the Finnish Civil War, in which Madetoja's brother died. The first movement flows naturally into the second, with what sounds like an offstage oboe solo. Shades of Vaughan Williams' own wartime symphonies. There are more birdcalls, and a brief moment that sounds quoted from Sibelius 1 or 2, but really it's impressive how un-Sibelian the score is given that composer's huge shadow over Finnish music at the time. War really erupts with the arrival of the powerful, turbulent, violent third movement. The traumatized, shattered quiet postlude ends a remarkable piece that could be seen as a precursor to Vaughan Williams 6, or a wartime epic, or just a one-of-a-kind late romantic masterpiece.

The Third Symphony is a very strange piece, but in a fascinating way. It is as laid-back, pastoral, and peaceable as the Second is not; I am completely stumped in trying to name other composers it sounds like. The booklet says it is "Gallic," but clearly not impressionistic. It has been described as neoclassical, but not in the rhythmic, exaggerated manner of Roussel, Wiren, or Martinu. It's softer and fuzzier than Sibelius' Third, but more conventional than Vaughan Williams' Third. The frisky scherzo is the longest movement and the work's centerpiece. Maybe Nielsen offers a point of reference? Or even someone like Gounod? This is completely original and I am intrigued. What is he trying to say? Cool!

I suspect ultimately the Second might stick in my memory longest, but I will have to relisten to all of them a few more times to make sure 

[Karl Henning]

On the day of the centenary of the birth of Pierre Boulez, two early cantatas on texts by René Char: Le Visage nuptial and Le Soleil des Eaux. Phylis Bryn-Julson, soprano (in both works), Élisabeth Laurence, contralto (in Le Visage...), BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (conductor).

On CD 2 of this set:

You remind me it's time I heard this (Boulez conducting Livre pour cordes):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omeOdqO05W4

Good evening, Rafael!

[Karl Henning]

@Der lächelnde Schatten @foxandpeng @ChamberNut much appreciated, guys!

Welcome home!

[JBS]

CD 5
O.Klemperer "Merry Waltz" from the opera Das Ziel
RVW Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Ravel Rapsodie Espagnole
Brahms Symphony No. 4
O. Novacek Perpetuum mobile Op 5 no 4 orchestrated by Stokowski

The Novacek is with the LSO, the rest with New Philharmonia.

At the moment the Vaughan Williams is playing, and is turning out to be one of the best performances of that piece I've ever heard.

[Brian]

Such a first listen, I don't even know who Elizalde is or what their first name is!

It sounds kind of like the Korngold violin concerto, but with a very light Spanish accent.

EDIT: Oh, and the conductor is named Chicken.

[Karl Henning]

Such a first listen, I don't even know who Elizalde is or what their first name is!

It sounds kind of like the Korngold violin concerto, but with a very light Spanish accent.

EDIT: Oh, and the conductor is named Chicken.

C'est vrai!

[JBS]

Such a first listen, I don't even know who Elizalde is or what their first name is!

It sounds kind of like the Korngold violin concerto, but with a very light Spanish accent.

EDIT: Oh, and the conductor is named Chicken.

Federico


While looking for that, I stumbled over a family of Mexican pop musicians named Elizalde. Most famous was Valentin, who was murdered at the age of 27, supposedly because one of his songs' lyrics angered a cartel leader, and his father, Everardo, who died in a dead-man's-curve car crash. Both were nicknamed "El Gallo", but no obvious connection to the Spanish composer or Poulet the conductor.