What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

Apparently the last time I listened to a Bach cantata was New Year's Day...

Picking up where I left off: BWV 117.

[Harry]

The whole CD once again. The word fun falls short of how completely entertaining these works are.

What a surprise to see a GMG member playing this disc. Its a long time favourite with me, but never saw it posted by another member.

[Madiel]

Beethoven

Gratulations menuet, WoO 3
Zur Namensfeier Overture, op.115



I'm surprised the Overture isn't more widely performed, it would make an excellent 'filler'.

[Madiel]

Beethoven, early dances

WoO 9, 6 minuets for 2 violins and bass (authenticity not certain, but enjoyable in this performance)

[vandermolen]

Currently


First listen.
I don't ever remember hearing the Britten played with this much of an emotional charge.  The Bliss as well (although I have heard the Bliss only a couple of times before this, possibly never before).

Or it might just be my mood, of course.
Recorded in London in January 2020, so before the Lockdowns.

Hope to receive that disc tomorrow. I like the programme of works.

[Harry]

Hope to receive that disc tomorrow. I like the programme of works.

Its also on my order list, so I welcome your findings Jeffrey, if that's alright with you. Plus the fact that I bought an Esoteric SACD player, so there is extra resolution too.

[Harry]

Edouard Franck.

Violin Concerto In D major, opus 57.
Symphony in B flat major, opus 52.

Premiere recordings.

Christiane Edinger, Violin.
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, Hans-Peter Frank.

Few people realize what a fine composer Edouard Franck is, despite the advocacy of the label Audite, it was almost all for nothing, because finally all the recordings with Edouard and Richard Franck are relegated to the OOP bin. In not to long a time they will not be found anymore. Well at least Sonicman and moi bought them in time, and enjoy them most heartily.
The Violin concerto is a fine example of Edouards excellent scoring. His filigree detailing is giving me pleasure, much of it, as is Christiane Edinger interpretation, fabulous in all quarters.
Sound is good.

[Harry]

New acquisition, first listen.

Jaromir Weinberger.

Orchestral Works.
Schwanda, the Bagpiper, ( Overture, Odzemek, Furiant, Prelude to the Second act, Polka & Fuga.
Bohemian Songs and Dances.
Overture "The Beloved Voice".

Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Karl-Heinz Steffens.

This music came as a welcome surprise. I never heard of the composer, so it was all new territory for me. Right away I can say that Schwanda is a stunning work, well calibrated and balanced and very creative. Tonal accesible music with a folk like flavour to it all, intricately orchestrated, it took my breath away several times. The Bohemian Songs and Dances passes like a dreamlike journey, as soft as a spring breeze,
with fine solo contributions of Violin, and Alt violin.
Sound is very good as is the performance.

[vers la flamme]

Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No.5. Bryden Thomson, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Can't recall whether I've ever heard this symphony before. I like it, though. Lots of forward momentum in the first movement, and great use of piano.

[vandermolen]

Its also on my order list, so I welcome your findings Jeffrey, if that's alright with you. Plus the fact that I bought an Esoteric SACD player, so there is extra resolution too.

Of course Harry!

Now playing - Gavriil Popov - Symphony No.2 'Motherland'.
I really like this under-appreciated score. Of course it is much more conventional compared to the extraordinary and subsequently banned 1st Symphony but I find parts of it, especially the slow movement, deeply moving:

[vandermolen]

Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No.5. Bryden Thomson, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Can't recall whether I've ever heard this symphony before. I like it, though. Lots of forward momentum in the first movement, and great use of piano.

That's a great set - I like all the symphonies.

[Madiel]

Beethoven, Piano Concerto no.5



It seems I'm not too allergic to fortepiano in this context, or at least to this particular fortepiano which doesn't have too much of the 'honky-tonk' quality I can find distracting. If anything it's the occasional bit of the string tone I don't like so much! Honestly, I think this is one of the nicer fortepianos I've heard.

What this is demonstrating more than anything, though, is that the 1st movement benefits (to my ears) from a nice crisp tempo that keeps the momentum going. The same conclusion I reached with the Violin Concerto not that long ago. The literal timing of Bezuidenhout's version is not that much quicker than Perahia's over the course of the whole movement, but Perahia tends towards refined and magisterial readings and it turns out I'm more engaged with Bezuidenhout  in this piece because there's lilt and bounce to it.

The 2nd movement, I was less sure about this recording. I could have done with a touch more majesty here.

Much thanks to aukhawk for the tip. I suspect my ideal version might marry the kind of musical approach in this recording's 1st movement with more modern instruments, but this was certainly enlightening.

[vers la flamme]

That's a great set - I like all the symphonies.

They are growing on me. Still having trouble distinguishing one from the next, but that will come with repeated listening.

Now playing:



Richard Wetz: Symphony No.2 in A major, op.47. Werner Andreas Albert, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

Once again with this very good symphony. The work is heavily indebted to Bruckner, but the composer does have certain unique traits of his own style. I have ordered the rest of the CPO cycle from JPC, so in roughly 3 months when it finally arrives I'll explore the other two symphonies 

[Harry]

Pjotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Complete Symphonies, and other Orchestral Works.
CD VI.

Symphony No. 6 in B minor, opus 74.
Francesca da Rimini, Fantasy for Orchestra, opus 32.

Gothenburg SO, Neeme Järvi.

As a whole I am content with the performances on the six discs. I am not always happy with the sound. Michael Bergek is the engineer on all discs. I never was a admirer of his capacities. And that shows on divers discs in this box. Some of them are diffused in the upper frequencies, and detail can be muffled at best. So these recordings are good instead of very good. Funny enough Francesca da Rimini is a peace that is finally "very good".

[Biffo]

William Alwyn: Autumn Legend -  City of London Sinfonia conducted By Richard Hickox - prompted by postings above

[VonStupp]

Ludwig van Beethoven
11 Overtures
Berlin Philharmonic - Karajan (1965 & 1969)

[Madiel]

Mendelssohn, Piano Trio no.2



EDIT: I don't think I've heard this piece before. I'm rather enjoying it.

[Papy Oli]

Good afternoon all,

A first listen to Tchaikovsky's quartets : String Quartet in B Flat and Sring Quartet No.1 in D.

[vandermolen]

Happy Birthday Hilding Rosenberg (born 21st June 1892)
Dance Suite from 'Orpheus in Town', very catchy and with echoes of Nielsen's 6th Symphony in places:

[Undersea]

Now Playing:




Mozart: Symphony #27 in G, K 199