What are you listening 2 now?

[Traverso]

Monteverdi

Madrigali Libro VII  (conclusion)

[Symphonic Addict]

Myaskovsky: Symphony no. 25



The warmly elegiac first movement is one of Myaskovsky's finest creations IMO, attaining considerable breadth and nobility. The second movement functions as a brief intermezzo before an epic, heroic finale which comes to a memorable, almost defiant conclusion.


Schumann: Piano Sonata no. 2



I must be the only person in the world who overall prefers Schumann's piano sonatas to his character pieces (but then again, I'm not always the biggest fan of piano character pieces). This dramatic, tightly structured, exciting work was a fine discovery for me.

Myaskovsky's 25th is one of his noblest symphonies, and it's in the key of D flat major, which makes it even more special. I also have Schumann's piano sonatas in high esteem.

[Symphonic Addict]

Two recordings on Russian Disc + MP/Naxos and Chandos.

Good to know, Jeffrey. Thank you.

[Symphonic Addict]

I've listened to this set very recently and I was blown away by the performances. Desert island stuff.

Oh yes. I certainly perceived an extremely fine playing by this quartet. They do justice to these works.

[Symphonic Addict]

String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 18

Such an elegant and fluent work. Being an early work it's pretty good.

[Symphonic Addict]

The Bridge Piano Quintet is a gorgeous work. And I'm glad you tried the Damase album, but of course I disagree. FWIW I infinitely prefer both Poulenc and Damase over Francaix (whose music I generally find annoyingly devoid of substance).

Françaix wrote some delightful and incredibly witty music and he was so prolific, so I also prefer him over Damase any day of the year. 

[vandermolen]

The Bridge Piano Quintet is a gorgeous work. And I'm glad you tried the Damase album, but of course I disagree. FWIW I infinitely prefer both Poulenc and Damase over Francaix (whose music I generally find annoyingly devoid of substance).

+1
I greatly admire the Bridge Piano Quintet and especially the Damase 'Symphonie' which I regard as a most inspiriting score.

[pjme]

The Bridge Piano Quintet is a gorgeous work. And I'm glad you tried the Damase album, but of course I disagree. FWIW I infinitely prefer both Poulenc and Damase over Francaix (whose music I generally find annoyingly devoid of substance).

My feelings aswell.
I do like Françaix' mini piano concertino however (a very early discovery from my youth)
https://youtu.be/y8bd2fn_TDw
and on YT this exquisitely sung fragment (Diana Damrau) from his oratorium l'Apocalypse de saint Jean.
https://youtu.be/WEUvYxH4IK4

The Damase symphony is a very lovely work.

[Symphonic Addict]

My first complete listen to this ultra popular opera. I already knew the suites of it. It's frankly impressive how tuneful this work is. When it was over I ended up humming several passages I couldn't get out from my mind. And that tragic ending couldn't be more striking, a bit like Salome albeit much less wild.

[Brian]

My first complete listen to this ultra popular opera. I already knew the suites of it. It's frankly impressive how tuneful this work is. When it was over I ended up humming several passages I couldn't get out from my mind. And that tragic ending couldn't be more striking, a bit like Salome albeit much less wild.

Isn't it astonishing that after the premiere, there were negative reviews saying the opera would fail because it had no melodies? One critic called the music "dull and obscure"...although at least Tchaikovsky saw it and recognized it as a masterpiece.

[Mandryka]

The Skempton preludes are really disconcerting - the music sounds as though it's going to be familiarly tonal, but all expectations of cadences and resolutions are subtly subverted, and there are some beautiful, distinctive, chromatic inflections.  It's definitely growing on me, but maybe not enough to listen to all 24.

[Todd]

[Symphonic Addict]

Isn't it astonishing that after the premiere, there were negative reviews saying the opera would fail because it had no melodies? One critic called the music "dull and obscure"...although at least Tchaikovsky saw it and recognized it as a masterpiece.

Being Tchaikovsky a stunning melodist I wouldn't expect less from him. It is a masterpiece for sure.

[Symphonic Addict]

This recent release has proved to be quite entertaining, and the music is so exciting and colourful, something Massenet made flow effortlessly. Les Érinnyes is perhaps the highlight on the CD, but all of the works are worth listening. I also came to realize Massenet shares a similar style with Saint-Saëns. Sadly the former never wrote any symphony.

[André]

Very positive comments from Amazon Customers, but I won't join the chorus of praise. Gurrelieder is a problematic work, and everything needs to be tops if it's going to work - for me at least. The recording is rather blasty, which makes it hard to get a satisfactory listening level. Tenor Thomas Moser and soprano Deborah Voigt who share the brunt of the solo work are overparted IMO (Moser especially). No match for McCracken and Brouwenstijn on the incandescent Stokowski recording. This is the only disappointment of the Teldec set which is otherwise warmly recommended.

[JBS]

WTC
In this set the last third of Book I is on the same CD as the first third of Book II, so I decided to listen to the whole thing in one evening. A very nice way to spend 4 hours.

[Daverz]

Working thru the Hurwitzer's "ideal" Mozart piano concerto selection:

8: Kempff/Leitner
9: Andsnes
12: Zacharias/Maksymiuk

and an old favorite, Annie Fischer, the Philharmonia, and Sawallisch is No. 21.  9 is such a fine work, and the Andsnes is very good.  I'm impressed with Zacharias's playing in 12.  The Annie Fischer is just heavenly, and is recorded in very fine vintage stereo.



Following up with "Night" from Goberman's "Morning, Noon & Night".  These are very lovely recordings.

[kyjo]

Myaskovsky's 25th is one of his noblest symphonies, and it's in the key of D flat major, which makes it even more special. I also have Schumann's piano sonatas in high esteem.

Indeed, I wish composers had written more symphonies in this key. Hanson's 2nd and Rangstrom's 3rd are the only other examples I know (they're excellent, of course). And regarding Schumann, good to know!

[kyjo]

Françaix wrote some delightful and incredibly witty music and he was so prolific, so I also prefer him over Damase any day of the year. 

One of the few instances where we disagree, then! What are your favorite works by Françaix? The guy wrote so much music, it's hard to know where to start!

[kyjo]

This recent release has proved to be quite entertaining, and the music is so exciting and colourful, something Massenet made flow effortlessly. Les Érinnyes is perhaps the highlight on the CD, but all of the works are worth listening. I also came to realize Massenet shares a similar style with Saint-Saëns. Sadly the former never wrote any symphony.

This release caught my eye; good to know you enjoyed it!