What are you listening 2 now?

[Maestro267]

Chavez: Symphony No. 5 (for string orchestra)
London SO/Mata

The ending of the first movement of this is extraordinary. It sounds like harmonics, but the orchestra is reduced so that they sound like solo instruments rather than the full body. Some incredible sounds from it.

[Karl Henning]

C major?

Oops. Fixed. Thanks! In my defense, I posted before putting the CD on

[Mirror Image]

Strauss
Don Juan, Op. 20
Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Tod und Verklärung, Op. 24
LSO
Abbado

[vandermolen]

I've been chuckling to myself reading about 'The Case of the Missing Miaskovsky Boxed Set' - thanks for making me smile. I'm totally innocent as it happens, although I can't vouch for my wife or the cat (although he is usually asleep). Might I suggest that if your Warner box (with useless notes) has gone AWOL you should then purchase the Alto box (see below) with informative notes (mostly not written by me). But you then have to buy the three Alto releases of the shorter works which were not included in the Alto symphonies box set.
Hope that's clear 

[Mirror Image]

I've been chuckling to myself reading about 'The Case of the Missing Miaskovsky Boxed Set' - thanks for making me smile. I'm totally innocent as it happens, although I can't vouch for my wife or the cat (although he is usually asleep). Might I suggest that if your Warner box (with useless notes) has gone AWOL you should then purchase the Alto box (see below) with informative notes (mostly not written by me). But you then have to buy the three Alto releases of the shorter works which were not included in the Alto symphonies box set.
Hope that's clear 

I had the older Myaskovsky set on Warner, but noticed there were some quality control issues with it (i. e. digital glitches throughout the set --- I have no idea where those glitches were now as it's been too long). So as I was getting back into Myaskovsky's music again last year, I bought the Alto box set, which, so far, I haven't had any issues with plus those three orchestral recordings of material that didn't make it to the that box set as you mentioned.

[Karl Henning]

Schumann
Symphony № 1 in B^b, Op. 38 « Spring non Appalachian »
Symphony № 2 in C, Op. 61
NY Phil
Lenny

When I heard the First, initially via Zinman, and then live by a good community orchestra here in Lexington (okay, so it wasn't "the Schumann heard 'round the world") I liked it okay. I don't call that "damning with faint praise," but simply faint praise.  I don't say that Lenny moved the needle at all.  It was nice to be reminded that I think the 3rd and 4th movements signally stronger than the first half of the symphony.

Just one man's opinion.

[Mirror Image]

When I heard the First, initially via Zinman, and then live by a good community orchestra here in Lexington (okay, so it wasn't "the Schumann heard 'round the world") I liked it okay. I don't call that "damning with faint praise," but simply faint praise.  I don't say that Lenny moved the needle at all.  It was nice to be reminded that I think the 3rd and 4th movements signally stronger than the first half of the symphony.

Just one man's opinion.

Orchestral music just wasn't Schumann's forte, IMHO. I think of him as a better composer of piano music, lieder and chamber music --- more intimate forms. His orchestral music is muddled with heavy orchestration that didn't really do the music any favors as it wasn't terribly interesting to be with. Just my two measly cents.

[vandermolen]

Dag Wiren: Symphony No.4
My favourite of the Wiren symphonies, although I like them all (especially No.3)
This is better recorded but less atmospheric, especially in the 'approaching storm' introduction, than the earlier recording conducted by Sixten Ehrling:

[Karl Henning]

Chavez: Symphony No. 5 (for string orchestra)
London SO/Mata

The ending of the first movement of this is extraordinary. It sounds like harmonics, but the orchestra is reduced so that they sound like solo instruments rather than the full body. Some incredible sounds from it.

I do need to revisit the Chávez symphonies!

[vandermolen]

I do need to revisit the Chávez symphonies!

+1

[Traverso]

Heinrich Isaac

[Stürmisch Bewegt]

I've been chuckling to myself reading about 'The Case of the Missing Miaskovsky Boxed Set' - thanks for making me smile. I'm totally innocent as it happens, although I can't vouch for my wife or the cat (although he is usually asleep). Might I suggest that if your Warner box (with useless notes) has gone AWOL you should then purchase the Alto box (see below) with informative notes (mostly not written by me). But you then have to buy the three Alto releases of the shorter works which were not included in the Alto symphonies box set.
Hope that's clear 

Thanks, Jeffrey, the Vandermolen household is off the hook.  It's the damndest thing; the Ms are among my favoritest letters in the classical composer alphabet, so that letter is usually in tip top order.  BTW, I think the notes in Olympia's recording of the 6th by Robert Matthew-Walker are first rate.  Do you concur?

[steve ridgway]

Kagel - String Quartet II. Very scratchy but interesting, some thought has gone into it, and there are a few notes in places.

[Stürmisch Bewegt]

I have an alibi: I acquired the box in 2008. You can take me off the list of suspects 

Sarge

Sorry, Sarge.  You say it was 2008, but it's widely known you've a Chrono-Synclastic Infundibulator, prob. Army surplus, rendering time pretty much irrelevant.  I'll cross you off the list on your own recognizance, but add a question mark. Best I can do.   

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 9 in E-flat, Op. 117
Borodin Quartet



I'm trying to listen to at least two Shostakovich SQs everyday (I'm currently on a mini-vacation of sorts) as I felt it was time to reacquaint myself with these works. I've also been squeezing in a symphony here and there along the way.

[MusicTurner]

Bloch - Violin Concerto etc. /Schiff,Serebrier /naxos

A fine selection of works and probably one of the best CDs dedicated to this composer.

[Karl Henning]

Orchestral music just wasn't Schumann's forte, IMHO. I think of him as a better composer of piano music, lieder and chamber music --- more intimate forms. His orchestral music is muddled with heavy orchestration that didn't really do the music any favors as it wasn't terribly interesting to be with. Just my two measly cents.

It is, I think, not any great discredit to Schumann that orchestral wasn't his forte. Offhand, I don't think my quarrel with the 1st & 2nd mvts is a matter of the scoring.  I think the scoring in the C Major Symphony serves the material well, e.g. The orchestration for the Cello Concerto (while I do love Shostavovich's re-scoring) is fine.  Is the scoring for the Pf Concerto heavy?  Maybe, but every pianist I've heard can hold his own.

[Karl Henning]

Schumann
Symphony № 3 in E^b, Op. 97 « Rhenish »
Symphony № 4 in d minor, Op. 120
NY Phil
Lenny

Earlier, my feeling was that I wanted to like the Rhenish better than I did, although there is no denying that it starts out far stronger than (say) the First. Gotta hand it to Lenny, I genuinely love the symphony now.

[Mirror Image]

It is, I think, not any great discredit to Schumann that orchestral wasn't his forte. Offhand, I don't think my quarrel with the 1st & 2nd mvts is a matter of the scoring.  I think the scoring in the C Major Symphony serves the material well, e.g. The orchestration for the Cello Concerto (while I do love Shostavovich's re-scoring) is fine.  Is the scoring for the Pf Concerto heavy?  Maybe, but every pianist I've heard can hold his own.

I think my own fondness for his chamber, solo piano and lieder have tainted my view on his orchestral music, but I always thought the symphonies were uneven and not always up to the task or, at least, if we were to look at his contemporaries and their own achievements in the symphonic form. Anyway, I'm trying not to knock Schumann's music as I do think rather well of the concerti.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Mahler
Kindertotenlieder
Ludwig
Berliners
HvK