What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Rautavaara
Piano Concerto No. 3, "Gift of Dreams"
Olli Mustonen (piano)
Lahti SO
Dalia Stasevska

[Symphonic Addict]

Tansman's guitar music, CD 2 from this twofer:



As a whole, I found Cavatina, Inventions, Sonatine, Ballade, Pièce en forme de passacaille, Pièces breves and Quattro tempi di Mazurka truly outstanding. I remembered that Tansman also composed a guitar concertino, but I don't have recollections of it.

[Mirror Image]

Playing yet again:

Rautavaara
Piano Concerto No. 3, "Gift of Dreams"
Olli Mustonen (piano)
Lahti SO
Dalia Stasevska



I'll move onto the Martinů eventually. This Rautavaara PC is so alluring and ear-fetching that I'm actually having a difficult time moving in general. Amazing performance, too.

[Mirror Image]

Tansman's guitar music, CD 2 from this twofer:



As a whole, I found Cavatina, Inventions, Sonatine, Ballade, Pièce en forme de passacaille, Pièces breves and Quattro tempi di Mazurka truly outstanding. I remembered that Tansman also composed a guitar concertino, but I don't have recollections of it.

I haven't heard nor own any of Tansman's solo guitar music, but I do rather enjoy this composer's music. A recording I highly recommend if you haven't already checked it out is this one:

[JBS]

I've been listening to this almost every night.
Perfect for the late evening.

[Symphonic Addict]

I haven't heard nor own any of Tansman's solo guitar music, but I do rather enjoy this composer's music. A recording I highly recommend if you haven't already checked it out is this one:

I will get there at some point as I intend to listen to all of his chamber works (the available stuff) over these days.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Rautavaara
Cello Sonata No. 2
Tanja Tetzlaff (cello), Gunilla Süssmann (piano)



I'm becoming rather impressed with the range of Rautavaara's style. This is a rather terse work, but not without its moments of lyricism.

[Mirror Image]

Last work for the night:

Villa-Lobos
Danças características africanas
Sonia Rubinsky (piano)

From this set -



As far as I'm concerned, a Villa-Lobos collection doesn't exist without his solo piano music. This box set is full of one gem after another. There's a competing series on BIS (I forget who the pianist is, but I know she's also Brazilian), but Rubinsky's is more complete overall. Another point I want to make, while Villa-Lobos wrote some nice solo guitar music, he wrote far more substantial works for the piano whether it be concerti, chamber or solo instrumental. Anyway, an essential acquisition and one-stop shop if you're interested in this part of his oeuvre.

[Harry]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Piano Sonatas.
Disc II.
No. 6-8.
Mitsuko Uchida, Piano.
Recorded, Henry Wood Hall, London.

The second CD of this set affirms the excellence of this set. Uchida shows again that these sonatas can be played on a grand without missing the context. And to be honest, it sounds authentic for me. I like the sound of her instrument and her style in projecting Mozart's music. The left, right hand melodies are so evenly spread, it makes it possible to follow every line of melody with great clarity. The second movement of the Eight sonata, " Andante cantabile con espressione" shows that abundantly. The Grand is sublimely recorded in a great ambiance. This set makes an impression of sorts.

[Harry]

Robert Schumann.
The complete solo Piano works.
CD 7 & 8.
Schumann and the Counterpoint.
Florian Uhlig, plays on a Steinway D.
Recorded,2013, Menuhin Hall, Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d'Abernon, Cobham, Surrey.

What a small wonder these Fugues, Canons, Preludes & Fugato's are. And how a talented composer can make magic with counterpoint. Listening to both CD's I frequently sank into reverie and admiration to hear such a sublime workout of notes and connections. The Passion Schumann had for fugues is translated into a marvelous set of expertly crafted masterworks, as if he worked his way systematically through all the musical styles and genres, and stopped at every crossroad to create something new and exciting. All of it is carefully done, honed to perfection and made it his signature label. No one has quite done it like him, which I now hear clearly through the well articulated playing of Florian Uhlig. With him the balance between the left and right voice is amazing, it makes it easy to follow this complicated constructed music quite easily. Melancholy, graceful, lyrical and flowing it is. Tony Faulkner build this musical monument into a perfect registration in which every detail is heard down to the softest of pianissimo's. Perfect booklet! Well worth reading.

[Harry]

Joseph Haydn.
Complete Piano Sonatas.
CD II.
Ekaterina Derzhavina, Piano.
Recorded, 2003, at the Saarländischer Rundfunk Studio, Germany.

The second CD of this set, and it convinced me already at the first notes. Derzhavina"s playing is articulate, with very clean lines, no discernable pedal, and an sense for musical continuity that makes the performance one of great beauty. The notes tumble out like tiny bubbles, well spaced out in to tiny blocks. Unagitated and yet inspiring. Her command of these sonatas, played with a clear purpose, and no cluttering up the context, is riveting. A sublime recording, and a Steinway D model makes the picture complete.

[Fëanor]

Yesterday evening ...

Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13, Op.113, 'Babi Yar' ~ Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony & Chorus; Alexey Tikhomirov

I have multiple versions of this 'choral' symphony but haven't listened very often ... because I don't speak Russian.  Not a particularly good reason because English translations of the Russian lyrics are readily available, e.g from Naxos  In fact the lyrics encompass a wide range of insights.

[Cato]

Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov: Oratorio Sergius of Radonezh.

Not available on YouTube:

Ovchinnikov: Sergius of Radonezh

I believe you can listen for free, but to download it you must make a "donation."   

[Madiel]

Haydn: 12 Lieder with piano (First set, 1781)



It looks rather like Ameling and Demus are the only people to ever record this stuff systematically - originally on 3 LPs though it's been reissued on CD a few times. Maybe it's not earth-shattering music, but it's very pleasant.

[PaulR]

Elgar: Cello Concerto

[Traverso]

Bach

Vol.4 CD 5

[Harry]

FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY.
COMPLETE WORKS FOR PIANO SOLO.
CD II, Works of his youth,  1820-1823.
Ana-Marija Markovina, Piano.
Recorded, Haus der Klaviere, Gottschling, Dülmen, Germany.

I said my thing about the performance and sound already. The only thing I will add is that we still listen to a composer of 11-13 years, and already writing as he is able, and that is quite awesome. Good sound.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

William Walton
Sinfonia Concertante

Kathryn Stott, piano
Royal PO - Vernon Handley

I've recently listened to, and enjoyed, all of Walton's string concertos, but this one for piano is a whole lot of fun too!
VS

Nice!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Moriz Rosenthal - The complete recordings.

[Traverso]

Ida Presti

Alexandre Lagoya