What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

Just finished Le Docteur Fabricius:



Phenomenal. There's no one quite like Koechlin... though I really do hear some early echoes of Messiaen (and not just because the piece uses an Ondes Martenot!) This is simply great music, though.. and in parts (like Le ciel étoilé and Réponse de l'Homme) are just breathtakingly gorgeous!

Great to see you enjoying Koechlin. Such an underrated composer, IMHO. I'll have to revisit some of his music today. Do give his SQs and other chamber works a listen as well. And if you haven't heard Le livre de la jungle in its entirety, then please make you sure you do! For me, one of the greatest works of the early 20th Century.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Hindemith Cello Concerto. Poltera, Sao Paulo SO.

[Spotted Horses]

Just finished Le Docteur Fabricius:



Phenomenal. There's no one quite like Koechlin... though I really do hear some early echoes of Messiaen (and not just because the piece uses an Ondes Martenot!) This is simply great music, though.. and in parts (like Le ciel étoilé and Réponse de l'Homme) are just breathtakingly gorgeous!

I think of Koechlin as a fascinating combination of genius and idiot. He had huge talent, but often managed to sabotage himself. You may not agree. But there are been numerous times when I put on a piece, and it is pure bliss, and then the idiotic Ones Martenot comes it and I turn it off in frustration. I've given up on Koechlin.

[Mirror Image]

Continuing on with this recording, which is a 2-CD set:



Contents -

Disc One:

1. Two Pianos (1957)                     
John Tilbury & PhilipThomas, pianos

2. Four Instruments (1965)
John Tilbury piano, Anton Lukoszevieze cello, Mira Benjamin violin, Rodrigo Constanzo chimes

3. Vertical Thoughts 1 (1963)
John Tilbury & Philip Thomas, pianos

4. Between Categories  (1969)
John Tilbury & Philip Thomas pianos, Anton Lukoszevieze & Seth Woods cellos, Mira Benjamin & Linda Jankowska violins, Rodrigo Constanzo & Taneli Clarke chimes

5. Piece for Four Pianos   (1957)
John Tilbury, Philip Thomas, Catherine Laws & Mark Knoop, pianos

6. Piano Four Hands  (1958)
John Tilbury & Philip Thomas piano

Disc Two:

1. Intermission 6  (1953)   
John Tilbury & Philip Thomas, pianos

2. De Kooning  (1963)
Philip Thomas piano and celesta, Anton Lukoszevieze cello, Mira Benjamin violin, Taneli Clarke percussion, Naomi Atherton horn

3 - 4. Two Pieces for Three Pianos  (1966)
John Tilbury, Philip Thomas and Catherine Laws, pianos

5. Piano Three Hands   (1957)   
John Tilbury & Philip Thomas  piano

6. False Relationships and the Extended Ending  (1968) 
John Tilbury, Philip Thomas, Catherine Laws pianos, Anton Lukoszevieze cello, Mira Benjamin violin, Rodrigo Constanzo chimes, & Barrie Webb trombone

7. Two Pianos  second version  (1957)
John Tilbury & Philip Thomas, pianos

[The new erato]

Still rediscovering discs from my collection.

[Mirror Image]

Still rediscovering discs from my collection.

Same here. I find myself stumbling upon composers I haven't heard in ages only to find that I have many of their recordings. For me, this is the greatest benefit of owning a large classical collection. I'm in constant surprise when start to dig through what I own.

[The new erato]

Since I scaled down buying I'm discovering all the wonderful music I own and haven't heard for years. And often better than some of the obscure stuff I've been buying in quantity.

[Spotted Horses]

Bliss, Oboe Quintet



A very engaging work. It invites comparison with the many clarinet quintets that are familiar with us. The nasal tone of the oboe isn't as forceful as a clarinet, making it more challenging to create a balanced texture, I think. A very successful piece by Bliss, well performed and recorded.

[Mirror Image]

Since I scaled down buying I'm discovering all the wonderful music I own and haven't heard for years. And often better than some of the obscure stuff I've been buying in quantity.

It's always a great thing to revisit recordings from your collection that you haven't though about in years.

Now playing more Sibelius from hell:

Sibelius
Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 82
Moscow RSO
Rozhdestvensky

[Karl Henning]

Since I scaled down buying I'm discovering all the wonderful music I own and haven't heard for years. And often better than some of the obscure stuff I've been buying in quantity.

I feel ya!

[Karl Henning]

TD
CDs 10 & 11:
Fauré Nocturnes and the c# minor Variations

[Traverso]

Since I scaled down buying I'm discovering all the wonderful music I own and haven't heard for years. And often better than some of the obscure stuff I've been buying in quantity.

I think that many members will recognize themselves in your  thoughts. 

[Tsaraslondon]

The Dream of Gerontius is a work one doesn't come across as often now as one used to. This Boult performance is very fine, though for me it doesn't displace the Barbirolli with Baker superb as the Angel. Gedda was perhaps a controversial choice for Gerontius and his slightly operatic treatment of the role won't be to everyone's taste. Robert Lloyd gives an excellent performance as the Priest and the Angel of the Agony and Helen Watts is also very fine, though I find it hard to get Baker's voice out of my head.

Happily Baker is the wonderfully radiant soloist in the coupling of The Music Makers.

[Traverso]

Brahms

CD 2

Wolgang Sawallisch piano


Some of these songs are among the most beautiful ever made.
Brahms is an excellent lieder composer, sehnsucht,scheiden und Leiden, von ewiger liebe and ich schell meine horn ins jammertal are fine examples of the rich legacy that Brahms left us in songs.

[André]

That's the 8th symphony (Haas version). Nagano's bruckner is spacious and packs a lot of weight while maintaining a good level of energy. The playing is beautiful. Not for the first time I have the feeling that the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (and its previous avatars) is a more sympathetic Bruckner orchestra than the Berlin Phil.

[mahler10th]

I think of Koechlin as a fascinating combination of genius and idiot. He had huge talent, but often managed to sabotage himself. You may not agree. But there are been numerous times when I put on a piece, and it is pure bliss, and then the idiotic Ones Martenot comes it and I turn it off in frustration. I've given up on Koechlin.

That's one composer I've never heard anything by.  At all.  Not even on Classical radio stations.  I cannot believe I am missing out on an idiot genius, sounds like my kind of composer!  Anyway, just put this on, Symphony 2 The Four Temperaments.  I just searched for the cover to display, and I see Blomstedt did a later cycle with the SFSO. Blomstedt is one of my favourite conductors, he's still at it at 94!!   Interesting...has anyone heard the SFSO and might it be a superior set?
Listening: 

[SonicMan46]

Some more inexpensive additions to my 'early music' collection - Farr a used copy and the Orlando Consort discs from BRO - reviews attached for those interested.  Dave

   

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Berg
Der Wein
Jessye Norman, soprano
New York Philharmonic
Boulez

From this set -

[Tsaraslondon]

I think of Koechlin as a fascinating combination of genius and idiot. He had huge talent, but often managed to sabotage himself. You may not agree. But there are been numerous times when I put on a piece, and it is pure bliss, and then the idiotic Ones Martenot comes it and I turn it off in frustration. I've given up on Koechlin.

I love the ondes martenot and in fact had a friend who played it on many film scores and under Boulez at the Proms (in Messiaen's Turangalila). The Greta Garbo movement in Koechlin's Seven Stars Symphony, which uses the ondes martenot, is my favourite in that work.

[Mirror Image]

I think of Koechlin as a fascinating combination of genius and idiot. He had huge talent, but often managed to sabotage himself. You may not agree. But there are been numerous times when I put on a piece, and it is pure bliss, and then the idiotic Ones Martenot comes it and I turn it off in frustration. I've given up on Koechlin.

You talk like the ondes Martenot is in every work. It's not and the pieces that do employ it, Koechlin uses the instrument to beautiful effect.