What are you listening 2 now?

[vers la flamme]

Johann Sebastian Bach transcribed by Ferruccio Busoni: Toccata & Fugue in D minor, BWV 565; Chorale Prelude in F minor, BWV 639, "Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ". Nikolai Demidenko, piano

I bought this disc on the strength of the badass album artwork, and on my enjoyment of the only other Demidenko disc in my library with works by Nikolai Medtner. This is a very different kind of repertoire, baroque filtered through the late Romantic, but Demidenko seems to find himself equally at home here. I like it! I need to hear more Busoni, in the form of Bach transcriptions or otherwise.

[JBS]

Membra Jesu Nostri
And 2 Cantatas
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Hannover Knabenchor
Soloists
[asin]B07VCMMZ93[/asin]
I think this is the first time I've actually listened to this work.
Originally there were two separate CDs, one with MJN and the other with 5 cantatas. Three cantatas were omitted in this set.

[Madiel]

Streaming Debussy offcuts, and I'm not certain that I've heard any of them before:

1. The Saxophone Rhapsody
2. The Devil in the Belfry (which is mostly Orledge imitating Debussy)
3. King Lear incidental music

Debussy sure did leave a lot of bits and pieces lying around.

[Symphonic Addict]

Conrad Baden - Symphony No. 6 Sinfonia Espressiva

A succinct and somewhat angry symphony by the Norwegian Conrad Baden. It's a shame there are no more recordings of his symphonies because this 6th sounded more than convincing.




Pierre-Octave Ferroud - Symphony in A

There is much French flavour with modern touches pointing to Milhaud and Stravinsky. A remarkable work.

[JBS]

Now this (both CDs)
[asin]B017AMFI4S[/asin]
Which landed in the mail today.

[Madiel]

Bartok, String Quartet No.1



Half the point of beginning a chronological journey through Bartok's music was to get a better grip on the string quartets, which I haven't heard for a couple of years and probably that was when I first got this set. I'm definitely going to have to listen to this a couple of times, at least.

[vandermolen]

Jumping on the Bax bandwagon...:



Arnold Bax: Symphony No.5. David Lloyd-Jones, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

On first listen, this might be the best Bax I've heard yet. Much more angular and motivic than the sometimes amorphous feel of the first two symphonies, but still deeply Baxian. I have only heard Lloyd-Jones Naxos recordings of Bax. I will have to seek out some of the Bryden Thomson or Vernon Handley recordings, if I can find them cheap. The Lyrita stuff seems interesting but rather more expensive.

I think that No.5 is the most integrated of the seven (although I love them all). The ending, especially in Leppard's recording, is magnificent IMO. It has, rightly I think, been described as demonstrating an affirmitive sense of home-coming. I like those pine trees as well!

[Papy Oli]

Myaskovsky - 3rd Symphony

[Traverso]

Bach

CD XXIX

[vandermolen]

Myaskovsky - 3rd Symphony

The best of the early ones IMO Olivier.

[Biffo]

Cardoso: Missa pro defunctis a 4  - Cupertinos directed by Luís Toscano

[Todd]

[Madiel]

Beethoven op.127

[vandermolen]

Ippolitov-Ivanov
Caucasian Sketches No.2 'Iveria'
I enjoy this atmospheric work just as much as the better known No.1

[pjme]

Maurice Emmanuel: symphonies



Emmanuel was born in 1862 - like Debussy, whom he met at the Conservatoire in 1880.
I definitely enjoyed these works - after a long time of ignoring them. They are (surprisingly) short: the first clocks in at ca.21 minutes, the second at hardly 16 minutes!
Emmanuels music is poetical and refined - I was reminded of Magnard, Debussy,(early) Roussel and a pinch of Milhaud. The first (1919) is dedicated to 'Gabriel Pierné' and is a (often melancholy) reflection on the death of a "jeune combattant", a young soldier.
The second is dedicated to "Paul Paray", dates from 1930 and is an hommage to Brittany/Bretagne. According to Jean Gallon, who wrote liner notes, Emmanuel was inspired by the legend of Ys (cfr. Lalo/Le roi d'Ys or Paul Leflem/ Magicienne de la mer). Lovely!



And good "moustaches"!

[Biffo]

Rubbra: String Quartet No 2 in E flat, Op 75 - Maggini Quartet

[Traverso]

Korngold-Krenek-Goldschmidt

Violin Concertos

[Biffo]

Purcell: Ode for St Cecilia's Day Hail! Bright Cecilia - Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & Soloists directed by John Eliot Gardiner - fine performance from Gardiner and his forces but Mackerras is my long-standing favourite in this, my favourite Purcell work

[bhodges]

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Haitink / Concertgebouw / Carolyn Watkinson, live recording Dec. 25, 1983) -- Just what the doctor ordered, after last night's shout-fest. Though I'd heard this recording on disc, I had no idea there was video available as well. Both audio and video are very good for the time period.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a7b4oeQQ0Y

--Bruce

[kyjo]

String Quartet No. 7 in D major Die schöne Müllerin

I had listened to the complete quartets (except the No. 5 which has not been recorded yet) several years ago. I had good memories of them and how pleased I was to confirm that with this thoroughly elegant piece. The work is imbued with fine writing and tunes throughout. The work concludes with the most coruscating peroration, a bit similar like Dvorak finishes some of his works, in the most absolute hilarity. I wonder if Kyle knows these works.

I'm a big Raff fan but haven't gotten around to his SQs yet. I'll be sure to give the 7th a spin soon. I see there are more recent recordings on CPO as well.