What are you listening 2 now?

[André]

Kraus' take at Rameau-like french divertissement. There are some really good numbers, notably those with turkish music.

[SimonNZ]

RIP

[vers la flamme]

Arnold Schoenberg: Begleitungsmusik zu einer Lichtspielszene (try saying that one 3 times fast ...), op.34; A Survivor from Warsaw, op.46; Chamber Symphony No.1, op.9. Giuseppe Sinopoli, Staatskapelle Dresden. From the recently released box set.

[Daverz]

Eroica - Monteux/Concertgebouw

[asin] B013HFUAHC[/asin]

[Que]

Eroica - Monteux/Concertgebouw

[asin] B013HFUAHC[/asin]

A cycle with fhe RCO.... tempting.... 

Q

[Daverz]

A cycle with fhe RCO.... tempting.... 

Q

Only this Eroica is with the RCO.  The others are with the LSO and the VPO, including another Eroica with the VPO.

However, Jochum did a cycle all with the RCO.

TD: Penderecki: Clarinet Concerto

[André]

Last week (or the one before?) I listened to this same work on the Naxos label. I was perplexed by the music's language and I knew something more could be done with it (the solo singers are very ordinary, including a Pilates that sounds like the octogenarian Emperor Altoum in Turandot).

Well, this is it: an interpretation that zeroes into the work's spiritual message by virtue of a perfect musical rendering. The all-important part of Jesus is sung by the firm, black, densely focused voice of finnish bass Jorma Hynninen. And the part of Pilatus is sung by the much more pleasant and youthful-sounding tenor Topi Lehtipuu. The four evangelists (singing singly or together) have pure, well-focused voices.

Vocal issues being out of the way, I was able to focus on Pärt's musical construction. What he achieved in his Passion is a detached, half-levitating delivery that musically parallels the rythm and speech patterns of the St John gospel (one of my very favourite books from the Bible), with its use of metaphors, symbolism, alliteration, irony, misunderstanding (the appearance before Pilates is replete with those traits) that distinguish it from the more strictly narration-based synoptic gospels. It was a totally different experience from the Naxos issue, where I had the feeling of having to find the work's meaning and value by myself, without much help from the musicians.

[André]

Eroica - Monteux/Concertgebouw

[asin] B013HFUAHC[/asin]

One of my top 3 Eroicas.

[Daverz]

One of my top 3 Eroicas.

What are the other two? 

TD: Penderecki Violin Concerto No. 1

[asin] B000002A8N[/asin]

[André]

What are the other two? 

TD: Penderecki Violin Concerto No. 1

[asin] B000002A8N[/asin]

Furtwängler WP (1943)
Janowski and the Orchestre de la Suisse romande.

Plenty of remarkable ones of course (Giulini LAPO, Collegium Aureum, Konwitschny), but I think these have something that is unique.

[André]

Kraus' 4 cantatas on texts by Metastasio, with the overture and orchestral interludes from Olympie before and in between the vocal works.

Striking music, very clever programming and remarkable performances from Kermes (what a singer!) and L'Arte del mondo. Fiendishly difficult music for the singer. Almost taking second place to the vocal pyrotechnics is the incredibly elaborate and heartfelt music here, as good as most vocal music by Mozart (think Popoli di Tessalia or Ma che mi vi fece) or Haydn (Scena di Berenice, also on a text by Metastasio). This is a stunning disc.

[vers la flamme]

Last week (or the one before?) I listened to this same work on the Naxos label. I was perplexed by the music's language and I knew something more could be done with it (the solo singers are very ordinary, including a Pilates that sounds like the octogenarian Emperor Altoum in Turandot).

Well, this is it: an interpretation that zeroes into the work's spiritual message by virtue of a perfect musical rendering. The all-important part of Jesus is sung by the firm, black, densely focused voice of finnish bass Jorma Hynninen. And the part of Pilatus is sung by the much more pleasant and youthful-sounding tenor Topi Lehtipuu. The four evangelists (singing singly or together) have pure, well-focused voices.

Vocal issues being out of the way, I was able to focus on Pärt's musical construction. What he achieved in his Passion is a detached, half-levitating delivery that musically parallels the rythm and speech patterns of the St John gospel (one of my very favourite books from the Bible), with its use of metaphors, symbolism, alliteration, irony, misunderstanding (the appearance before Pilates is replete with those traits) that distinguish it from the more strictly narration-based synoptic gospels. It was a totally different experience from the Naxos issue, where I had the feeling of having to find the work's meaning and value by myself, without much help from the musicians.

You've piqued my interest. I have the Naxos Pärt Passio but never really got "hooked" by it. I ought to check out that one you mention.

[JBS]

Listening to an opera by Wagner I never heard before
[asin]B0094BDOCM[/asin]

Honestly, this sounds nothing like the Wagner we know. Much more like an early Verdi opera sung for no obvious reason in German. A rather mediocre  Verdi opera, I might add.

[vers la flamme]

Morton Feldman: Intermission 6; De Kooning; Two Pieces for Three Pianos; Piano Three Hands. John Tilbury, Philip Thomas, et al.

Plus...:



Morton Feldman: The King of Denmark. Max Neuhaus.

This piece is amazing. Does anyone know if Feldman left behind any other works remotely similar to it?

[Daverz]

Furtwängler WP (1943)
Janowski and the Orchestre de la Suisse romande.

Plenty of remarkable ones of course (Giulini LAPO, Collegium Aureum, Konwitschny), but I think these have something that is unique.

Was the Janowski a broadcast?  I can't find it.

[André]

Was the Janowski a broadcast?  I can't find it.

Yes, it's a broadcast. It was posted here some years back in a blind test thread. Well, either here, or at CMG, I can't recall for sure  . I'll check the details tomorrow.

[SimonNZ]

[Que]

Only this Eroica is with the RCO.  The others are with the LSO and the VPO, including another Eroica with the VPO.

Oops, thanks for pointing it out. 

However, Jochum did a cycle all with the RCO.

I have that, and love it! On of my favourite Old School performances.

Q

[Tsaraslondon]

Disc 1

Organ Concerto - Maurice Duruflé (organ), Orchestre de la Societé des Concerts du Conservatoire - Georges Prêtre
Litanies à la Vierge noire - Henriette Roget (organ) - Maitrise d'enfants de la Radiodiffsion Française - Jacques Jouineau
Piano Concerto in C sharp minor - Gabriel Tacchino (piano) - Orchestre de la Societé des Concerts du Conservatoire - Georges Prêtre
Concert champêtre in D - Aimée Van de Wiele (harpsichord) - Orchestre de la Societé des Concerts du Conservatoire - Pierre Dervaux

A wonderful set, which I bought initially for the Aubade on disc 2, as I already recordings of the piano concertos and the organ concerto under Dutoit. Though those performances are indeed excellent, these have a tang of authority with Duruflé, the original soloist in the Organ Concerto.

Late 1950s early 1960s recordings might not be quite up to the standard of the digital recordings for Dutoit but sound well enough to me.

[Tsaraslondon]

Disc 1

Mephisto Waltz
Les Préludes
Fanfare on Hungarian Folk Melodies with Shura Cherkassky (piano)
Hungarian Rhapsody no 5

The first disc of this excellent Liszt collection by the Berlin Phil under Karajan.