What are you listening 2 now?

[Brian]

Keeping it light this afternoon with a 90 minute ballet by Adolphe Adam. The introduction, and only the introduction, has a chorus, which makes it impractical to stage 

This has some unusual features after the chorus, right now (in Act III) I am listening to a long, quiet bass clarinet solo. The orchestra is rag-tag but enthusiastic in a way that evokes a real opera or ballet pit orchestra. Recommended.

[ritter]

Ormandy's Missa is very energetic. The Et vitam venturi fugue in the Credo is hair raising in its intensity. The only problem I find with the recording is that the soloists (superb) are recorded a bit close - as is the solo violin in the Sanctus. Some may think the chorus too large, but its numbers are in relation to the rest of the forces (the full might of the Philadelphia Orchestra can be intimidating). All told, this Missa is better than Karajan's (except maybe his last), Klemperer's, Solti's and many others using a full symphony orchestra and large choral forces. I still prefer two Concertgebouw versions above all others (Jochum and Bernstein), but Ormandy runs them close.

How odd that Sony thought that the tenor (Richard Lewis) didn't deserve mention on the cover 

[foxandpeng]

More Nordic music:

Holmboe: String Quartets 1 and 2 (Nightingale SQ)

It must have been ages since my last listen to the entire body of these works. I didn't remember how striking the first two quartets are, and excellently played to boot. Succulent music.

I prefer this recording over the long-enduring Kontra Qt versions - both have their own positives, but the Nightingale pips it for me.

[Linz]

Ahmet Adnan Saygun Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5
Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Ari Rasilainen

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Nielsen Saga-Drøm, Op. 39, FS 46



One of my favorite Nielsen works. Completely mesmerizing.

[foxandpeng]

William Alwyn
String Quartets 1-3
Maggini Quartet
Naxos

More Alwyn string quartets. Seems to be a decent skillset for the man.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Rachmaninov Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, 1873 Original Version Ed. Leopold Nowak
London Classical Players, Roger Norrington

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Rachmaninov The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29



One of the greatest pieces of music ever conceived.

[Symphonic Addict]

I prefer this recording over the long-enduring Kontra Qt versions - both have their own positives, but the Nightingale pips it for me.

Yes, the first two quartets on their hands made a favourable impression.

[Symphonic Addict]

Now playing Rachmaninov The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29



One of the greatest pieces of music ever conceived.

It certainly is. It took me some time to appreciate it. Now it's a firm favorite tone poem of mine.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Ahmet Adnan Saygun Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5
Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Ari Rasilainen

Nice!

[Symphonic Addict]

Henze: Sieben Boleros, L'Heure bleue and Ouvertüre zu einem Theater

This will be the last disc in my traversal of his works with orchestra or ensemble, and a fine ending it turned out to be.

[VonStupp]

Benjamin Britten
Gemini Variations
     Zoltán and Gábor Jeney
Two Insect Pieces
     Heinz Holliger & András Schiff
A Birthday Hansel
Six Hölderin Fragments
     Peter Pears & Benjamin Britten
Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac
     Norma Proctor & Peter Pears
The Poet's Echo
     Galina Vishnevskaya & Mstislav Rostropovich
Cantata Academica
     LSO - George Malcolm
Cantata Misericordium
     LSO - Benjamin Britten
Children's Crusade
     Wandsworth Boys Choir
Russian Funeral
     Philip Jones Brass Ensemble


A wide variety of large-scale choral/orchestral works, song cycles, and instrumental duets I've been listening to over the weeks from Britten. I don't know if I will ever truly enjoy oddities such as Britten's Gemini Variations for piano duet, where the pianists curiously double on solo flute and violin, but what a treasure trove of old recordings.

While I was unaffected by Hickox's performance of Cantata Misericordium on Chandos, Britten's own performance is really something, turning me around on the piece. Of course, I will push Cantata Academica on anyone who enjoys a raucous choral-orchestral work.
VS

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Jacques Duphly – Pièces De Clavecin. Joseph Payne.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Benjamin Britten
Gemini Variations
     Zoltán and Gábor Jeney
Two Insect Pieces
     Heinz Holliger & András Schiff
A Birthday Hansel
Six Hölderin Fragments
     Peter Pears & Benjamin Britten
Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac
     Norma Proctor & Peter Pears
The Poet's Echo
     Galina Vishnevskaya & Mstislav Rostropovich
Cantata Academica
     LSO - George Malcolm
Cantata Misericordium
     LSO - Benjamin Britten
Children's Crusade
     Wandsworth Boys Choir
Russian Funeral
     Philip Jones Brass Ensemble


A wide variety of large-scale choral/orchestral works, song cycles, and instrumental duets I've been listening to over the weeks from Britten. I don't know if I will ever truly enjoy oddities such as Britten's Gemini Variations for piano duet, where the pianists curiously double on solo flute and violin, but what a treasure trove of old recordings.

While I was unaffected by Hickox's performance of Cantata Misericordium on Chandos, Britten's own performance is really something, turning me around on the piece. Of course, I will push Cantata Academica on anyone who enjoys a raucous choral-orchestral work.
VS

The Cantata Academica is a splendid work and I believe this is still the only recording of it --- actually, no, I'm wrong. There's a recording of it on Supraphon, but I don't think it was ever issued on CD. I also agree with you in regards to the Cantata Misericordium. Of the other works listed, Six Hölderin Fragments and The Poet's Echo are superb. Of course, I enjoy all of the Canticles and the Children's Crusade is quite good.

It's been great seeing you dive into the crevasses of Britten's oeuvre. I'm not quite doing that right now (although I certainly have in the past) as the operas seem to have captured my attention for the time being.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

[André]

How odd that Sony thought that the tenor (Richard Lewis) didn't deserve mention on the cover 

Ha ! He's actually the only one to sing well but no more on the set. Arroyo and Siepi are superb and Forrester is simply out of this world (the alto is usually the black hole in most Missa Solemnis reordings).

[André]

Symphonies 3 and 4. The third is a modern recording from the MDR (Mitteldeutsche Rundfunk, Leipzig), recorded in 2003. The 4th is with the Berlin Philharmonic under Celibidache and dates from 1950. Obviously the recorded sound is dated, but still very clear. Both are very impressive works. Celibidache is obviously convinced the work is a masterpiece. That's how his dedication and intensity come across anyway. This set is a wonder to behold.

[Cato]

Thanks to comments from fellow members on the Szymanowski/Composer Topic:

Sure it has a Scriabinian feel: and it is a wonderful work!