What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

Morning listening:



Music for Saint Katherine of Alexandria.
Anoher collection of of 15th century English music by the Binchois Consort, built around the Missa Nobilis et pulchra by Walter Frye and a religious theme depicted by alabaster sculptures.

Amazing performances, recommended.

https://earlymusicreview.com/music-for-saint-katherine-of-alexandria/

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Jun/Katherine_Alexandria_CDA68274.htm

AllMusic Review by James Manheim

Saint Katherine of Alexandria may or may not have actually existed, but the tale of the imprisoned 17-year-old Christian martyr was catnip to medieval Christians, and the English cult of devotion to this saint (ca. 287-ca. 305) was in full swing in the era of Dunstaple and his contemporaries. This puts it right in the sweet spot of England's Binchois Consort and its conductor, Andrew Kirkman. Katherine was represented in quite a number of alabaster sculptures of the time, and Kirkman takes the unusual step of employing a "sculptor in residence," Sarah Danays, to add to this body of work.

The music is the main attraction, however, and it's gorgeous. The very small Renaissance vocal group has its pros and cons, but here, in music of a highly devotional mood, it works very well. Dunstaple is represented, but more of the program is devoted to the likes of Walter Frye (d. 1475), Thomas Byttering (active 1410-1420), and Robert Driffelde (active mid-15th century). There are also examples of the faburden or fauxbourdon technique, a semi-improvised form of singing that cultivated composers took up and used to expand the palette of vertical harmonies in polyphony with the all-important third. Sample Virgo flagellatur to hear this unique effect, which is mentioned in music history books but not so often performed.

The presence of this album on British classical charts (where several previous Binchois Consort albums had already landed) is unsurprising, for no matter how scholarly Kirkman's approach may be, he gets a sensuous tone from his six singers. Hyperion contributes superb engineering in the entirely appropriate Ascot Priory in Berkshire. Highly recommended.

Q

[Madiel]

Mendelssohn, A Midsummer Night's Dream.



I hadn't actually known until now that he put the existing overture into the incidental music.

[Christo]

Symphony No. 7

An expertly, cogently written composition. It sounds rather clear to me that Sibelius was an influence.

Kinsella's finest, IMHO. Great to learn that you discovered it too!

[Maestro267]

Pettersson: Symphony No. 2
BBC Scottish SO/Francis

New purchase, arrived today, so this is my first listen.

[Harry]

Eugen d' Albert.

Symphony opus 4 in F major, for large orchestra.

Osnabrücker Symphonieorchester, Hermann Bäumer.

A really fine Symphony.

(JPC does not list it anymore, so it will be soon OOP)

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The best of Menuhin's later recordings.

You brought back many memories of the Commonwealth Institute, Jeffrey. A forest of flags/poles of the Commonwealth nations at the front area. It was pulled down and the Design Centre built in it's place. I did large job at the block of flats to the left of the Institute. The flat had at one time belonged to Alma Cogan who held many parties there, one of which she and a young John Lennon........ Big age difference, but he was reportedly most upset at her death.

I hadn't heard of her before now.  I see that she did some covers of Beatles' songs including a somewhat boogie-woogie style of "She's Got a Ticket to Ride". 

PD

[Biffo]

Martinu: String Sextet -  Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble

[Traverso]

Scarlatti

CD 14

Sonatas KK 217-229

[Christo]

[Harry]

Boris Papandopulo.

Concerto for Piano & String orchestra, No. 2.
Sinfonietta for String orchestra, opus 79.
Pintarichiana for String orchestra.

Oliver Triendl, Piano.
Zagreb Soloists, Sreten Krstic.

Very interesting music.

[springrite]

Finn Mortensen: Symphonie Op. 5

Wow! I love this work!!!

[springrite]

Damase: Symphonie

This one is sounding good as well...

[Harry]

Finn Mortensen: Symphonie Op. 5

Wow! I love this work!!!

We, a few....all do dear Paul.

[Harry]

Damase: Symphonie

This one is sounding good as well...

Yes Damase is a treat too...

[Irons]

I hadn't heard of her before now.  I see that she did some covers of Beatles' songs including a somewhat boogie-woogie style of "She's Got a Ticket to Ride". 

PD

Lionel Bart, P? Who wrote the hit musical "Oliver". He had his heart set on Alma but she didn't want to know. He had a massive fall from grace. I well remember Alma Cogan as a child and shocked to discover how young she was when died. A tragic story which would make a good film for television maybe.

[Traverso]

 Paschal De L'Estocart

[Florestan]

First listen to this, I started with the Rhapsody.

Wow! No, I mean W.O.W!!! This is a superlative performance and a spectacular recording. I didn't know what to admire first: Wild's crackerjack playing, Horensstein & the RPO's superb accompaniment or the crystal-clear, exceptionally realistic spatial stereophony, every section of the orchestra and every solo or ensemble vividly and distinctly captured on record --- and to think it was 1965! My God, this is mind-blowing, desert island stuff of the highest caliber.

[Harry]

Robert Fuchs.

Symphony No. 1 in C major & No. 2 in E flat major.

WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Karl Steffens.

A forgotten composer, who writes very melodious music.

[Florestan]

Saint-Saens, Tarantelle for flute, clarinet and orchestra, op.6.

A total charmer.

Ain't it? 

[Florestan]

It seems that Taneyev loved and admired Bach and Mozart above any other composers. Consequently he aimed at expressing beauty through naturalness and simplicity. This can be heard in these trios. Using only three voices from instruments close to the human voice was both a delight and a challenge to the polyphony-oriented composer. The music is very melodic, with a distincly 'vocal' quality. The whole disc is a delight.

Ahem!... I thought that was Chopin. 

Honestly, naturalness and simplicity are the last attributes that comes to my mind when speaking about Taneyev, but those trios are indeed the closest he got to melodiousness and charm. 

(I have the Northern Flowers version).