What are you listening 2 now?

[Papy Oli]

[Bachtoven]

[VonStupp]

George Dyson
In Honour of the City (1928)
RPO & RCM Choir - Sir David Willcocks

William Walton
In Honour of the City of London (1937)
Philharmonia & The Bach Choir - Willcocks

These short cantatas share a medieval text by William Dunbar. The liner notes of the Chandos recording allude to Walton's version paling in comparison to Dyson's previous one.

So, I thought I would do a little comparative listening:

 

[Spotted Horses]

Got through three movements of the Weinberg Piano Quintet (before I got interrupted by the babies).



This is an adaption for piano and chamber orchestra. So far, fantastic piece!

[Karl Henning]

https://www.youtube.com/v/F_fnM5JfJm8

[Brahmsian]

Dmitri Shostakovich
Hamlet
King Lear
Yablonsky
Jurowski

Film scores by DSCH. New territory for me, but excellent so far.

That is one I have not heard before (music to the film King Lear).

[SonicMan46]

Bach, JS - Viol Transcriptions, Art of the Fugue, & Goldberg Variations on 4-discs w/ Fretwork.  Dave

[classicalgeek]

Highlights from this week's listening (all on CD):

Mahler
Symphony no. 1
London Symphony Orchestra
James Levine



Berlioz
Romeo et Juliette
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Charles Munch


My first serious listen to one of Berlioz's big choral works (aside from the Requiem) - aside from the final scene with Friar Lawrence going on a bit too long for my liking, I really enjoyed it. And I can't imagine a better performance.


Lloyd
Violin concerto no. 1 (concerto for violin and strings)
Violin concerto no. 2 (concerto for violin and winds)
Cristina Anghelescu, violin
Philharmonia Orchestra
David Parry


Not as memorable and instantly winning as Lloyd's best symphonies, but quality works nonetheless. I especially liked the first movement of the Concerto for Violin and Strings. The Concerto with winds was fine as well, but I think maybe it could have benefitted from some added percussion!


Brahms
Symphony no. 4
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Eugen Jochum



Barber
School for Scandal Overture
Symphony no. 2
First Essay for Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Marin Alsop


This Barber box set has been a revelation! I'll admit I didn't take to his Second Symphony on initial hearing, but I do like the slow movement a lot. School for Scandal is always a winner (the second theme in the oboe, and later the English horn, is meltingly beautiful!), and I also enjoyed the First Essay quite a bit.


Nielsen
Symphony no. 4 'Inextinguishable'
New York Philharmonic
Alan Gilbert


What a performance! I see know why Gilbert's Nielsen cycle has drawn so much praise. Exquisitely and passionately played, in phenomenal sound as well. One of many highlights for me: the gorgeous woodwind playing in the second movement. I can't wait to listen to the rest.


Haydn
Symphony no. 96
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis

[Karl Henning]

CD 6:

Copland
Sextet
David Oppenheim, cl
Leonid Hambro, pf

Ellis Kohs (1916-2000)

Chamber Concerto for Viola and String Nonet
Ferenc Molnar, solo va
Robt Mann, Robt Koff, Francis Chaplin & Ralph Shapey, vns
Raphael Hillyer & Spinoza Paeff, vas
Chas McCracken & C. Ziegler, vcs
Stuart Sankey, cb

[Mirror Image]

NP:

[André]

RL would be Republika Ludowa, People's Republic.
So Polish People's Republic (which is what you probably expected).
When I asked Google to translate the English phrase into Polish, it returned, very simply, PRL.

Yes, indeed I expected something like that  .

Another bit of info about Czaikovsky (known as Andre Tchaikovsky, virtuoso pianist in the US). When he died, his will revealed that he had bequeathed his cranium to the Royal Shakespeare Company to be used as Yorick's skull in Hamlet... .

Here actor David Tennant uses Czaikovsky's skull in that scene in a 2008 production at Stratford-upon-Avon:

[classicalgeek]

More of the late Nelson Freire, this album on Spotify:



Really enjoyable and full of infectious rhythms!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Listened today to some of the music from Shutter Island.    "Lontano" by Ingram Marshall and "Fog Tropes" by John Adams.  And Nam June Paik's  "Hommage à John Cage".  Also, an incredibly moving track by Dinah Washington called "This Bitter Earth".

PD

[Linz]

I am listening to Bruckner's Second Symphony with Paavo Järvi conducting

[André]

[Mirror Image]

NP:

[classicalgeek]

More Vaughan Williams with Boult conducting (on Spotify):



Other than the Serenade to Music, which I've never really warmed up to, this is delightful and charming music!

[Symphonic Addict]

Dmitri Shostakovich
Hamlet
King Lear
Yablonsky
Jurowski

Film scores by DSCH. New territory for me, but excellent so far.

+1

[Symphonic Addict]

NP:

The most satisfactory and eloquent performance of the 4th IMO. The 6th, on the other hand, doesn't seem well driven. Järvi on Chandos is my go-to.

[Mirror Image]

More Vaughan Williams with Boult conducting (on Spotify):



Other than the Serenade to Music, which I've never really warmed up to, this is delightful and charming music!

I'm not too fond of Serenade to Music either. What do you think about Flos campi? If you haven't heard this work, then you should definitely think about remedying this!