What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Today was one of those days where all what I heard was remarkable, including Korngold's magnificent The Sea Hawk, and this extremely fantastic disc with chamber works by André Mathieu. ALL the works on it are nothing short of engaging and wonderfully written, with tinges of late-Romanticism and some quirky gestures. Even the shorter works like Fantaisie-Ballade for violin and piano and Fantaisie brésilienne for violin and piano too have memorable music. The meatier works are the Piano Trio, Piano Quintet and Violin Sonata. In spite of being rather short as well, they pack quite attractive ideas. All in all, an unquestionably winning disc, and of course, another great discovery in this year.

[kyjo]

Tippett - Symphony no. 2 (LSO/Colin Davis)



The opening of this symphony is so arresting that it proves a hard act to follow! I found that the first movement contains the most engaging music of the work - the slow movement, in particular, is very elusive. The ending of the work is quite unique and effective, though. Tippett is, on the whole, more of a "intellectual" than an "emotional" composer, with two notable exceptions - the Concerto for Double String Orchestra and A Child of Our Time (both great favorites of mine).


Rautavaara - Symphony no. 8 The Journey



A very atmospheric work which attains an epic feel at times. Rautavaara's use of tone clusters (often given to the massed violins) often becomes a bit wearisome to me, though I recognize that it's an integral element of his style.


Bortkiewicz - Symphony no. 2



I know this composer has his fans here, but I must say I found this work in particular to be simply too derivative of previous Russian Romantic composers for me to enjoy. I certainly don't mind music that is conservative for its time, as long as it exhibits somewhat of an individual voice. IMHO, Bortkiewicz doesn't, though the music is undoubtedly attractive and well-written.


Hoddinott - Symphony no. 6



A nocturnal, atmospheric, and quite accessible symphony. I should investigate more of this composer's music.


Voříšek - Symphony in D



The first movement is rather generic, but the slow movement and finale contain music of considerable imagination and distinction. Certainly worth hearing if you're looking for new late Classical/early Romantic symphonies to check out.

[kyjo]

Today was one of those days where all what I heard was remarkable, including Korngold's magnificent The Sea Hawk, and this extremely fantastic disc with chamber works by André Mathieu. ALL the works on it are nothing short of engaging and wonderfully written, with tinges of late-Romanticism and some quirky gestures. Even the shorter works like Fantaisie-Ballade for violin and piano and Fantaisie brésilienne for violin and piano too have memorable music. The meatier works are the Piano Trio, Piano Quintet and Violin Sonata. In spite of being rather short as well, they pack quite attractive ideas. All in all, an unquestionably winning disc, and of course, another great discovery in this year.

I recall the Piano Trio and Piano Quintet being really remarkable works - concise and packed with engaging and luscious music.

[Mirror Image]

Dipping my ears into this new arrival:

Dvořák
The Water Goblin, Op. 107, B 195
Polish National RSO
Wit

[kyjo]

Bainton: Symphony no. 2



Wow, what a stupendous, epic work! It may be a bit episodic, but such reservations are soon swept away in the ebb and flow of this surging music. Anyone who likes, say, Bax ought to hear this - it's not much inferior to Bax's finest symphonies, either. It receives a magnificently full-bodied performance and recording here. Bainton's 3rd Symphony is also superb (I know Jeffrey (vandermolen) will agree ).


Lalo: Symphony in G minor and excerpts from Namouna



The Symphony is not a wholly convincing work, with a particularly ungainly and overwrought first movement. Though there are some delightful and attractive moments in the scherzo and finale, for sure. However, the excerpts from his ballet Namouna are on a completely different level. This is astonishingly colorful and often hypnotic music - displaying a keen ear for orchestration (largely absent from the Symphony) which creates an "exotic" sound world which is completely individual from, say, Rimsky-Korsakov and other composers who worked in that mold. I'm greatly looking forward to hearing the whole ballet if I can find it!


This entire disc:



Three significant mid-20th century works for string orchestra, though the Britten Variations are the standout for me. A work of knockout brilliance and genius which shows Britten's wizardry with handling a diverse array of stylizes and forming them into a cohesive whole. The Bartok Divertimento is notable for its nightmarish slow movement and exuberantly folksy outer movements; the Hartmann Concerto funebre, while a bit depressing for my tastes, is certainly an effective work.


Hindemith: String Quartets no. 2 and 3



Two substantial and satisfying quartets which show Hindemith transitioning from his early, late-Romantic style to his mature one. The 2nd quartet in F minor is often quite witty and boasts a drop-dead-gorgeous secondary theme in the finale which almost sounds like Borodin, of all people! The 3rd quartet, despite being in C major, is a much more troubled work, charting a progression from a densely chromatic first movement through an anguished slow movement to a hard-won triumph in the finale. It's quite a compelling journey! Splendidly involved performances by the Amar Quartet.


Brahms: Piano Concerto no. 1



It had been a while since I'd heard this work, and what better way to revisit it than in this gripping, fiery performance. The young Brahms must've been wrestling with some demons to write a first movement like that!

[Traverso]

Alban Berg
Kammerkonzert (For Piano, Violin And 13 Wind Instruments)
Member Of The Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana
Piano – Nicholas Angelich


Bach
Violin Sonata In C Minor, BWV 1017
Piano – Martha Argerich
Violin – Tedi Papavrami

Debussy
Prélude À L'Après-Midi D'Un Faune
Arranged By [For 2 Pianos] – Claude Debussy
Piano – Martha Argerich, Stephen Kovacevich

[Traverso]

Ravel

Ma Mère L'Oye
Pascal & Françoise Rogé

Frontispice
Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky

Habanera
Entre Cloches
Jacques Février piano

Rapsodie eapagnole
La Valse
Vladimir & Vovska Ashkenazy

Debussy
Trois Nocturnes
Anne Shasby & Richard McMahon  piano

[Roasted Swan]

Tippett - Symphony no. 2 (LSO/Colin Davis)


The opening of this symphony is so arresting that it proves a hard act to follow! I found that the first movement contains the most engaging music of the work - the slow movement, in particular, is very elusive. The ending of the work is quite unique and effective, though. Tippett is, on the whole, more of a "intellectual" than an "emotional" composer, with two notable exceptions - the Concerto for Double String Orchestra and A Child of Our Time (both great favorites of mine).


Bortkiewicz - Symphony no. 2

I know this composer has his fans here, but I must say I found this work in particular to be simply too derivative of previous Russian Romantic composers for me to enjoy. I certainly don't mind music that is conservative for its time, as long as it exhibits somewhat of an individual voice. IMHO, Bortkiewicz doesn't, though the music is undoubtedly attractive and well-written.


Hoddinott - Symphony no. 6

A nocturnal, atmospheric, and quite accessible symphony. I should investigate more of this composer's music.

Spot on re Tippett and Bortkiewicz.  I would add the Corelli Fantasia to former's "emotional" music - almost sensuous in the string writing.  I keep returning to his music trying to find a way into his musical/intellectual sound world.  To be fair the opportunities to play these scores is almost zero - no-one in the freelance professional world programmes him much and I've never studied/worked on any of his scores for my own 'use'.  So it really is just as a listener that I engage (or not!) with him.

In the light of recent mentions here I listened to that Bortkiewicz Symphonies disc again and I must say my mind wandered.  As you say perfectly well manufactured but - for me - lacking the melodic memorability or emotional directness of so many other Russian composers from around the same time.  I didn't get to the end of the disc - perhaps I wasn't in the right mood!

Definitely search out more Hoddinott - he can be quite severe but he has a powerful and individual voice

[Mandryka]

Listening to it now...

This Basel based ensemble already has already quite a discography: https://www.quintaprofeti.com/cd-releases

Yes, but going back to the Verdelot I felt it was a bit bland, ultimately a pleasant enough thing but not really special. It could be the music of course, I really have only ever heard these songs before in Willaert's enhancements. I much prefer the recording on Stradivarius.

[Harry]

Georges Onslow.

String Quintets Nos. 23 & 31.
Volume IV.

Elan Quintet.

I would say that these performances are a safe bet. Onslow is an interesting composer, never boring, ultimately inventive, and always finds harmonious solutions that please the ear and heart.
Sound quality is excellent, but with Phil Rowlands at the buttons that is to be expected.

[Que]

Morning listening on Spotify:



The madrigals are here sung by a single voice with accompaniment, all is explained in the review by Johan van Veen.
He and I have a different take away. I have no objection per se against this kind of treatment/tinkering, but you need a great singer. Van Veen thinks Clara Coutouly does a wonderful job, I find her interpretation too mellow and languid.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Mar/Madrigali_diminuiti_RIC371.htm

[vandermolen]

Tippett - Symphony no. 2 (LSO/Colin Davis)



The opening of this symphony is so arresting that it proves a hard act to follow! I found that the first movement contains the most engaging music of the work - the slow movement, in particular, is very elusive. The ending of the work is quite unique and effective, though. Tippett is, on the whole, more of a "intellectual" than an "emotional" composer, with two notable exceptions - the Concerto for Double String Orchestra and A Child of Our Time (both great favorites of mine).


Rautavaara - Symphony no. 8 The Journey



A very atmospheric work which attains an epic feel at times. Rautavaara's use of tone clusters (often given to the massed violins) often becomes a bit wearisome to me, though I recognize that it's an integral element of his style.


Bortkiewicz - Symphony no. 2



I know this composer has his fans here, but I must say I found this work in particular to be simply too derivative of previous Russian Romantic composers for me to enjoy. I certainly don't mind music that is conservative for its time, as long as it exhibits somewhat of an individual voice. IMHO, Bortkiewicz doesn't, though the music is undoubtedly attractive and well-written.


Hoddinott - Symphony no. 6



A nocturnal, atmospheric, and quite accessible symphony. I should investigate more of this composer's music.


Voříšek - Symphony in D



The first movement is rather generic, but the slow movement and finale contain music of considerable imagination and distinction. Certainly worth hearing if you're looking for new late Classical/early Romantic symphonies to check out.

An interesting selection Kyle. I agree with your comments about Tippett and enjoy the first two symphonies and (IMO) his masterpiece, the Concerto for Double String Orchestra. Hoddinott's 6th Symphony is surprisingly approachable. I've come to admire the more gritty No.5 as well.

[vandermolen]

William Wordsworth.

Orchestral Music, Volume I.

Divertimento in D.
Symphony No 4 in E flat.
Variations on a Scottish Theme.
Symphony No. 8 "Pax Hominibus".

Liepaja SO, John Gibbons.

Since I bought a Lyrita disc with music by this composer, I was hungry after more, and in time Toccata Classics released already three volumes. Today the first was in line, and I must confess that I am mightily impressed. All the works have such an individual stamp, and are masterly orchestrated, but the work that made an huge impact on me was his last symphony, "Pax Hominibus", No 8. Especially the first movement " ♪= 69 Animato" moved me deeply, very deeply, but also the following " Allegro-Meno mosso" made it clear to me, how good this almost forgotten composer is. To this symphony there are two different endings, in which I by far preferred the original one, which ends in the silence in which it started. It may not have a clear definite ending, but in the context its very apt. The alternative ending stops with a cymbal clash, also brilliant, but....
The performance is sublime, and the recording State of the Art.

Wordsworth's 8th Symphony sounds like a must. I think highly of No.2 as well.

[Mandryka]

Morning listening on Spotify:



The madrigals are here sung by a single voice with accompaniment, all is explained in the review by Johan van Veen.
He and I have a different take away. I have no objection per se against this kind of treatment/tinkering, but you need a great singer. Van Veen thinks Clara Coutouly does a wonderful job, I find her interpretation too mellow and languid.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Mar/Madrigali_diminuiti_RIC371.htm

Sprezzatura: "a type of studied nonchalance that gives the impression that all one's deeds are without apparent effort and almost without conscious thought".

This sounds very British to me -- what the French call phlegme brittanique.  Like one of my heroes -- this man

[Traverso]

Dvořák

Serenade for strings

Grieg

Holberg Suite

Tchaikovsky

Serenade for strings

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

JS Bach
Flute Sonata in E Flat, BWV 1031
Flute Sonata in E, BWV 1035

(Musica Antiqua Köln)

[Harry]

Edouard Franck.

String Quartets in C minor, & E flat major.

Edinger Quartet.

I really love these SQ by Franck, to my ears they are perfect in form and message. Sound is good coupled with musicians that are dedicated in the matter of Edouard and Richard Franck compositions, thus harmony is guaranteed.

[aligreto]

Alwyn: Conducted by the composer





Derby Day
The Magic Island
Four Elizabethan Dances

[Biffo]

You didn't ask me, but I really enjoy Muti:

An excellent set - the only blemish is having the 4th Symphony split over two discs, and worse between the 3d and 4th movements. I would gladly have paid more to have all the symphonies on separate discs and dispensed with the ballet suites and the tone poems.

[vers la flamme]

Alfred Schnittke: String Quartet No.3. Pacifica Quartet

I haven't heard this in ages, but man, what a brilliant work. This is the piece that got me hooked on Schnittke.