What are you listening 2 now?

[VonStupp]

Johannes Brahms
A German Requiem, op. 45

Sylvia McNair & Håkan Hagegård
NYPO - Kurt Masur

A breath of fresh air at the time, Masur's German Requiem comes in at 60-minutes flat. That was compared to my bloated 75-minute Karajan, although Klemps remains very solid.

What really elevates this recording are the soloists McNair & Hagegård who had the same positive effect on Slatkin's Carmina Burana on RCA. Otherwise, Masur underplays the Requiem a bit, in favor of an unsettled, urgent flow. The New England collegiate chorus led by the late Joseph Flummerfelt is outstanding, however.

Otherwise, this is the last of my Brahms survey I have spent over the last few weekends. I have some thoughts I will put on the Brahms thread when I get time next.

[JBS]

I know a Chandos and a CPO discs devoted to his music and I do find them quite attractive. Lush music that doesn't sound necessarily derivative from other related composers.

I agree with your general description, but I remember the music as being too lush.

The set I posted has a bunch of church music that IIRC is not available in other performances.

TD
Spurred by a recent post from Ritter

I remember this CD as rather dreary and boring, and haven't listened to it in years.
Now that I am listening to it, I can't figure out why I didn't like it.
So a thank you goes to Ritter for prompting this.

[Symphonic Addict]

Thank you for the suggestion - I actually have Firkusny's DG recording queued up on Spotify! And I really like Moravec's Chopin, so I'll see if I can find his Janacek too.

Just finished listening to this (on Spotify):


Great stuff! There are few composers as distinctive as Janacek - once you hear one of his pieces, you just *know* who wrote it!

These Naxos suites have proved to be more than successful! All the suites sound natural, almost nothing forced, and the orchestration feels natural too, so is the rendition. The opening from From the House of the Dead is a real worm. What a haunting and compelling tune. Unmistakably Czech and Janacekian. Oh man, I love this composer. I can't live without him.

[Symphonic Addict]

And speaking of Naxos, its deep series about composers and works is astonishing. A proof: the utterly magnificent recordings of Ginastera's chamber music. The String Quartet No. 1 for now, and now. This does blow me away!!! Ginastera is a hell of a composer. The "Argentinean" Bartók, and it's not a dismiss to either composer. What it has of insane virtuosity, it has of sheer Pampean poetry and scenery-evoking. A masterpiece.

Oh, there is something about Ravel in the fourth movement. Terrific, just terrific.

[Madiel]

Brandenburg no.1. How unadventurous of me. Even worse, I might listen to all 6 in order.

[classicalgeek]

I have a CD of him "Live in Prague" which I love in which he has certain pieces/movements from his works there--along with other works.  I truly love this CD (on Hänssler).
Hope that you enjoy Firkusny's recordings....looking forward to your comments here.

And, yes, like you, I love Moravec's Chopin!   

Thank you again for the recommendation! Just listened to all the major piano works (On An Overgrown Path, In The Mists, and the Piano Sonata '1.X.1905', along with the early Theme and Variations) with Firkusny on DG:


Very nice performances as a whole. What strikes me is how the mood in the piano music contrasts with that of the orchestral music. There are moments, in the Sinfonietta and the Glagolitic Mass in particular, that are almost celebratory. Not so in the piano music - very ruminative, introverted, almost sad in spots. I'll definitely explore the piano music further, so I can compare recordings.

[André]

Twice tonight. More exposure will be needed to really get these works under the skin. Jones' symphonies blend a direct language with a cerebral construction.

[Symphonic Addict]

Quattro Pezzi Sacri

This is a more restrained and spiritual Verdi. I'm enjoying this.

[Symphonic Addict]

And speaking of Naxos, its deep series about composers and works is astonishing. A proof: the utterly magnificent recordings of Ginastera's chamber music. The String Quartet No. 1 for now, and now. This does blow me away!!! Ginastera is a hell of a composer. The "Argentinean" Bartók, and it's not a dismiss to either composer. What it has of insane virtuosity, it has of sheer Pampean poetry and scenery-evoking. A masterpiece.

Oh, there is something about Ravel in the fourth movement. Terrific, just terrific.

I cherish these recordings so much. I have to come to grips with the 3rd Quartet, so I'm not giving up either.

[Symphonic Addict]

Twice tonight. More exposure will be needed to really get these works under the skin. Jones' symphonies blend a direct language with a cerebral construction.

Should it go to the Hurwitz's section "Tough symphonists"? An interesting figure. His string quartets are wonders.

[Karl Henning]

I cherish these recordings so much. I have to come to grips with the 3rd Quartet, so I'm not giving up either.

An outstanding disc.

[Mirror Image]

Last work of the night:

Ives
Orchestral Set No. 2
Concertgebouw
MTT

[Madiel]

I'm on my 5th Brandenburg. Each of them has been a double dose.

[Symphonic Addict]

An outstanding disc.

It is. Superlative music!

[Symphonic Addict]

String Quartet No. 3

I can't get enough of string quartets lately, it seems. Masterful composition.

[Roasted Swan]

And speaking of Naxos, its deep series about composers and works is astonishing. A proof: the utterly magnificent recordings of Ginastera's chamber music. The String Quartet No. 1 for now, and now. This does blow me away!!! Ginastera is a hell of a composer. The "Argentinean" Bartók, and it's not a dismiss to either composer. What it has of insane virtuosity, it has of sheer Pampean poetry and scenery-evoking. A masterpiece.

Oh, there is something about Ravel in the fourth movement. Terrific, just terrific.

++1 for the music and especially these performances - staggeringly fine.  I have to say I don't like the actual sound Lucy Shelton makes but that's my own problem.  A Wow disc with an added side order of wow.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

These Naxos suites have proved to be more than successful! All the suites sound natural, almost nothing forced, and the orchestration feels natural too, so is the rendition. The opening from From the House of the Dead is a real worm. What a haunting and compelling tune. Unmistakably Czech and Janacekian. Oh man, I love this composer. I can't live without him.

I haven't heard that CD, but will keep an eye out for it. 

You might consider getting this 2-CD set at some point in time; Sir Charles Mackerras was a big champion of Czech music and his recordings of it are well-thought of.  https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-us/music/audio-cd/sir-charles-mackerras-conducts-janacek/0099925373924?msclkid=ee719488a4f71962563ef5b385d79d9b&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=S2%20-%20Media%20-%2016.99%20-%20Bing&utm_term=4575342763658734&utm_content=16.99#DVDB00008UEF1VG

Thank you again for the recommendation! Just listened to all the major piano works (On An Overgrown Path, In The Mists, and the Piano Sonata '1.X.1905', along with the early Theme and Variations) with Firkusny on DG:


Very nice performances as a whole. What strikes me is how the mood in the piano music contrasts with that of the orchestral music. There are moments, in the Sinfonietta and the Glagolitic Mass in particular, that are almost celebratory. Not so in the piano music - very ruminative, introverted, almost sad in spots. I'll definitely explore the piano music further, so I can compare recordings.

So glad that you have been enjoying them!  I know that Firkusny rerecorded Janacek for RCA (I want to say in the 1980's?) and I want to hear those.

As an aside, I don't know whether or not you knew this, but Firkusny started off his musical studies with Janacek.    Here's a bit of information about him here:  http://journal.juilliard.edu/journal/1202/rudolf-firkusny

PD

p.s.  And yes, Janacek's solo piano music is something special.  I find that I need to be in a rather quiet, contemplative kind of mood to listen to it.  Love it!

[milk]

[Roasted Swan]

This is an exceptionally fine disc



I much prefer the symphony performance here to the only other version from Hickox on Chandos.  The Concerto di Chiesa is a really forgotten gem of British String Music - up there with the RVW Tallis and Tippett Corelli Fantasia and Howells Double Concerto.  But in all my years of playing I've never encountered it once.  It sounds as if it must be a joy to play and receives a warm and glowing performance here.  Some echoes of Respighi too I thought......?

[Traverso]

Sweelinck

Cantiones Sacrae

CD 2