What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

Max Richter 'Sarah's Notebook' from 'Sarah's Key'.
Heartbreakingly beautiful, especially if you've seen the film which is about the round up of Jews in Vichy France.
Forgive me for posting it here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MD8OAmlnQ1I



Maybe sentimental - but, so what?

[Mirror Image]

Excellent John!
There is something very hypnotic about his music - unlike any other composer, notwithstanding echoes of Debussy.

Great to read, Jeffrey. One reason why Szymanowski is so important to me stems from a work called Litany to the Virgin Mary. You may have heard it or not, but I heartily recommend checking it out. If you can listen to the Elzbieta Szmytka/Simon Rattle recording on EMI (Warner Classics) as, for me, this is the best performance I've heard of it.

[vandermolen]

Great to read, Jeffrey. One reason why Szymanowski is so important to me stems from a work called Litany to the Virgin Mary. You may have heard it or not, but I heartily recommend checking it out. If you can listen to the Elzbieta Szmytka/Simon Rattle recording on EMI (Warner Classics) as, for me, this is the best performance I've heard of it.

Hi John,
Yes, it's on the CD I just bought. The Litany to the Virgin Mary is exquisitely beautiful. That is such a nice double CD set because not only does it feature the Litany but also the two violin concertos but also my favourite symphony 'The Song of the Night'. One of my happiest recent purchases and successfully smuggled into the house in current lockdown conditions. 

[Mirror Image]

Hi John,
Yes, it's on the CD I just bought. The Litany to the Virgin Mary is exquisitely beautiful. That is such a nice double CD set because not only does it feature the Litany but also the two violin concertos but also my favourite symphony 'The Song of the Night'. One of my happiest recent purchases and successfully smuggled into the house in current lockdown conditions. 

Very nice, indeed. Do you own Rattle's Szymanowski set?

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Very nice, indeed. Do you own Rattle's Szymanowski set?

I have a single CD John which is terrific. Off the top of my head it features the 'Litany...' and 'Song of the Night' and/or the Stabat Mater -  I'm no great fan of Rattle but that is a very special disc.

My brother once saw Rattle arrive at a Round House Prom in London dressed in a conventional sports jacket and then change into a velvet T-Shirt for the concert. This strikes me as summing him up.

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Raff is one of my all time musical heroes, and have most of the stuff that is recorded.

I'm not a great fan of Raff but I'm a great fan of his 5th Symphony, especially that last movement and have multiple recordings of it.

This one is very special:

[Irons]

Frank Martin: 6 Monologues from "Jedermann".



The cover image sums up the subject matter (Text: Hofmannsthal).

[Harry]

I'm not a great fan of Raff but I'm a great fan of his 5th Symphony, especially that last movement and have multiple recordings of it.

This one is very special:

That's a pity, but there is no accounting for taste, now is there? 
Raff has a few dimensions, or lets say layers in his music, sort of a magical mirror, which is not easy to find.
He was a great orchestrator and a fine human being, who deserved a better faith as he had.
But then I admire a lot of composers, which some members call trash, or second rate, I guess its my role to keep those second raters alive buy buying their music.
Ohh well time for bed.
Cheers all.

[Mirror Image]

I have a single CD John which is terrific. Off the top of my head it features the 'Litany...' and 'Song of the Night' and/or the Stabat Mater -  I'm no great fan of Rattle but that is a very special disc.

My brother once saw Rattle arrive at a Round House Prom in London dressed in a conventional sports jacket and then change into a velvet T-Shirt for the concert. This strikes me as summing him up.

Yes, Rattle's discography is hit/miss (mostly miss), but he's done some great things --- his Britten is top-notch sans the War Requiem, which has been performed better elsewhere (i. e. the composer's own classic recording on Decca). Good to see you have this great disc.

Thread duty:

Rachmaninov
Isle of the Dead, Op. 29
Svetlanov
USSR State SO

[Pohjolas Daughter]

This coming month as my focus, have chosen
Kabalevsky Cello Sonata.   Listened today performed by Steven Isserlis and Olli Mustonen. Wanting to discover more of this composers works because I have already heard the Cello Concerto  no 2 and more than impressed🎼🎼

Hi Judith.

I haven't listened to the Kabalevsky one is some time, so must revisit!  From what I recall, I have at least one recording of it--with Rostropovich.  I expect that there's a thread on him himself or if not, probably one on Russian composers in general.  I suspect that there are others here who know his works well and could help to guide you to some other special/notable works....much better than myself!   

Do you play any instruments yourself?  Or just enjoy music? 

Best wishes,

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Excellent John!
There is something very hypnotic about his music - unlike any other composer, notwithstanding echoes of Debussy.

TD
A symphony that has meant a great deal to me for decades and decades:

Do you have a favorite recording of the Schedrin?  I don't know it.

[Mirror Image]

Listening to two different performances of Nielsen's enigmatic 6th:



I still love this composer's music so much --- there's such an elemental force behind this music much like in Sibelius but in a completely different manner altogether. I often think of Nielsen's music like a lightning strike. It really does come at you with this severe force and if you're unequipped to handle it, then you'll be struck down. He really is one of the more misunderstood 20th Century symphonists, but I think this is with good reason. He doesn't always register the first, second or third time around, but I think those that do finally get this composer have found the music to be fulfilling and rewarding.

[vandermolen]

That's a pity, but there is no accounting for taste, now is there? 
Raff has a few dimensions, or lets say layers in his music, sort of a magical mirror, which is not easy to find.
He was a great orchestrator and a fine human being, who deserved a better faith as he had.
But then I admire a lot of composers, which some members call trash, or second rate, I guess its my role to keep those second raters alive buy buying their music.
Ohh well time for bed.
Cheers all.

Goodnight Harry!
I'm still up here listening to Shchedrin's First Symphony (again). Ok, so other than No.5 which other Raff symphony would you recommend?

[vandermolen]

Do you have a favorite recording of the Schedrin?  I don't know it.

There are only two as far as I know. May be difficult to get hold of but the blue one (Anosov) is available as a download and amazingly I managed to burn it to make a hard CD copy. Both are VG as far as I'm concerned PD. The LP, (cond. Anosov), coupled with Miaskovsky's 23rd Symphony, was one of the great classical discoveries of my youth.

[vandermolen]

Listening to two different performances of Nielsen's enigmatic 6th:



I still love this composer's music so much --- there's such an elemental force behind this music much like in Sibelius but in a completely different manner altogether. I often think of Nielsen's music like a lightning strike. It really does come at you with this severe force and if you're unequipped to handle it, then you'll be struck down. He really is one of the more misunderstood 20th Century symphonists, but I think this is with good reason. He doesn't always register the first, second or third time around, but I think those that do finally get this composer have found the music to be fulfilling and rewarding.

Totally agree with this analysis John. I wonder if his greatest symphony is actually the tragic No.6

[Mirror Image]

Totally agree with this analysis John. I wonder if his greatest symphony is actually the tragic No.6

You know I have been pondering this myself for many years now or, rather, what would I consider his greatest symphony, but if backed into a corner and forced to choose, I would go with the 5th. One of the more incredible features of this symphony is its structure --- highly unusual, but in a lesser composer's hands, it would fall apart easily. Somehow Nielsen made it all come together rather well and feel so cohesive. Again, the sheer elemental power is overwhelming and this internal struggle seems to always be happening in Nielsen's music. It is like he's at war with himself most of the time whether he's pitting two timpanists against each other or an orchestra pitted against a snare drummer. It's all too suggestive of what it's like to walk in Nielsen's psyche. There really is nothing like the 5th in the symphonic repertoire.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

There are only two as far as I know. May be difficult to get hold of but the blue one (Anosov) is available as a download and amazingly I managed to burn it to make a hard CD copy. Both are VG as far as I'm concerned PD. The LP, (cond. Anosov), coupled with Miaskovsky's 23rd Symphony, was one of the great classical discoveries of my youth.

Thanks for the images and thoughts Jeffrey.

And what do you mean "managed to burn it"!  You don't give yourself enough credit!      There's also the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention"...e.g., do what you bloody well have to to get your music!   

Best,

PD

[vandermolen]

You know I have been pondering this myself for many years now or, rather, what would I consider his greatest symphony, but if backed into a corner and forced to choose, I would go with the 5th. One of the more incredible features of this symphony is its structure --- highly unusual, but in a lesser composer's hands, it would fall apart easily. Somehow Nielsen made it all come together rather well and feel so cohesive. Again, the sheer elemental power is overwhelming and this internal struggle seems to always be happening in Nielsen's music. It is like he's at war with himself most of the time whether he's pitting two timpanists against each other or an orchestra pitted against a snare drummer. It's all too suggestive of what it's like to walk in Nielsen's psyche. There really is nothing like the 5th in the symphonic repertoire.

I find it difficult to choose between No.5 and 6 John. No. 4 rates very highly as well, but I much prefer the two outer movements to the inner two.

[vandermolen]

Thanks for the images and thoughts Jeffrey.

And what do you mean "managed to burn it"!  You don't give yourself enough credit!      There's also the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention"...e.g., do what you bloody well have to to get your music!   

Best,

PD

Well PD, I like hard copy CDs rather than downloads or listening on 'Spotify'. My wife says that I should put my entire collection on an 'iPod' (whatever that is) and get rid of all the CDs and LPs. Can you imagine?

[Mirror Image]

I find it difficult to choose between No.5 and 6 John. No. 4 rates very highly as well, but I much prefer the two outer movements to the inner two.

Yes, indeed. Truth be told, I love all of Nielsen's symphonies and find something incredibly rewarding about all of them. I used to feel the 1st and 2nd were the weakest of the six, but as time has marched on, I feel differently and consider these works great.