What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

Interesting - Mahler's First is one of my favorite Mahler Symphonies, just so full of life! I haven't warmed up to Dvorak 1 yet (and I just adore most of his music), and I like but don't love Tchaikovsky 1. I really like most of the other first symphonies you mention - Shostakovich 1 is a really fine piece, Walton's First is one of my favorite 20th-century symphonies, I think Nielsen's First is a really original work, and who doesn't love Brahms 1? Rachmaninov's First is a better work than it gets credit for... Elgar's First is another I really enjoy, with a really moving final apotheosis... I delighted in Stenhammar's First, even though it's not the most original work... and there's Arnold Bax... and Brian's Gothic...

I could go the rest of my life without hearing another Bax work. Sorry Bax enthusiasts! The same applies to Havergal Brian. Elgar's 1st is pretty good, but his 2nd is my favorite (and one of my favorite British symphonies). I should revisit the Rachmaninov --- I seem to recall this is a favorite of Cato. Have you heard the Martinů 1st? If not, rectify this soon! How about the Roussel?

[André]

A short disc (just under 40 mins) but some seriously serious music, worth investigating if you are not in a depressed mood already.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Disc two. Three facets of Mravinsky. Outside of the russian repertoire Mravinsky conducted relatively few works on a regular basis. But those he chose were played in a strikingly different manner that what his western contemporaries or predecessors did. Most of the time the results were breathtaking, often revelatory. At other times it was hard not to feel he was a total stranger to the idiom - as in his Mozart performances, devoid of warmth to an alarming degree. I never took to his Bruckner either.

In Brahms, Beethoven and Wagner the whole concept of germanic sound, with its emphasis on a firm, sometimes fluctuating bass foundation ran counter to the sonic palette he elicited from his Leningraders. But in Bartok, Honegger, Hindemith, Sibelius or the neo-classical works of Stravinsky his interpretations were simply stupendous. To hear The Swan of Tuonela and the 7th symphony from Sibelius under his baton is to experience a stunning mix of dry ice and molten lava. 'Chilling' does not begin to describe the desolate, forlorn quality he brings to the tone poem. In the symphony he brings passion and controlled fury to the torrent of sound generated by the strings and brass (stunning braying trombones). Over the years this has become my go-to version - the absolute opposite of Bernstein WP.

The Wagner were encores (all these works were performed live in Moscow). Mravinsky obviously wanted to wow the audience with brilliant, sizzling, cymbal crash-dominated performances of these popular potboilers. Mravinsky registers at the exact opposite of that repertoire's masters like Furtwängler or Knappertsbusch.

Sounds very interesting. I want the box! 

[Symphonic Addict]

I could go the rest of my life without hearing another Bax work. Sorry Bax enthusiasts! The same applies to Havergal Brian.

Uhh, I couldn't!! Above all for Bax. Brian is a cult composer, like many with Mahler or those who prefer Bruckner.

His music has some distinctiveness, but I think he used percussion too much IMO, or he didn't know how to make it more "memorable". Frankly, I could live without his music, except some symphonies (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 16).

[Symphonic Addict]

Speaking of Bax:

November Woods

How good it feels because of knowing and perceiving that we all have different ears.   

[Symphonic Addict]

Alwyn: String Quartet No. 12

Very close in style to those by Bridge and Britten. Succinct, with lots of particular gestures. These Alwyn's late quartets are a thing of wonder. Music that rewards the listener with each successive listen.

[Symphonic Addict]

A Trikofiev : three-Symphony Session tonight:

Symphony No. 3 - Chailly




Symphony No. 4 - Rostropovich




Symphony No. 5 - Karajan

[bhodges]

Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (Rattle / National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain / a s***load of great soloists, live from Prom 30, Aug. 11, 2002) - Finally listening to this, recommended by JBS, and it is spectacular. If performances these days don't quite include 1,000 people, this one does quite well with what looks to be around 500. Rattle has a great vibe for this piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKof4e_7cYA&t=158s

--Bruce

[bhodges]

A Trikofiev : three-Symphony Session tonight:

Symphony No. 3 - Chailly




Symphony No. 4 - Rostropovich




Symphony No. 5 - Karajan

OK, that is quite the marathon!

--Bruce

[Symphonic Addict]

OK, that is quite the marathon!

--Bruce

An unequally genius like him, it deserves it!

[Madiel]

Unexpectedly back to working from home as Covid rips through the country (without any help from tennis players...), so back to the Naive Vivaldi edition.

Couldn't remember whether I'd finished Teuzzone so I put it on again.

[Symphonic Addict]

Shostakovich 10th and Roussel Suite in F

[Mirror Image]

Last work of the night and a first-listen also:

Saint-Saëns
La Muse et le Poète, Op. 132
Antje Weithaas (violin), Natalie Clein (cello)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Manze

[Madiel]

Mozart, Divertimenti aka "Salzburg symphonies", K.136 to 138

[Harry]

Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi.

The Complete unpublished Works for Harpsichord and Organ.
Volume V.

Roberto Loreggian plays on a F. Gazzola 1989 Harpsichord, copy of a Italian anonymous instrument of the 17th century.

I keep repeating myself about this release, which is good news for the performances in this box. Loreggian plays with an inner conviction which I find a very rare commodity these days. The 1989 Harpsichord sounds terrific with a beguiling sonority. And the recording captures it all very well.

[Mandryka]

Inspired by Loreggian's outstanding new Frescobaldi I though I'd revisit his Andrea Gabrieli. It is not as well recorded, far from it, so in a real sense it's a seriously missed opportunity and a great disappointment.

The music is much more introspectively presented, much less swaggering than in Frescobaldi. And what wonderful music it is! That only compounds the sense of disappointment.

[Harry]

Inspired by Loreggian's outstanding new Frescobaldi I though I'd revisit his Andrea Gabrieli. It is not as well recorded, far from it, so in a real sense it's a seriously missed opportunity and a great disappointment.

The music is much more introspectively presented, much less swaggering than in Frescobaldi. And what wonderful music it is! That only compounds the sense of disappointment.

I agree with you about the recording, it came as quite a shock to me really.

[Que]

Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi.

The Complete unpublished Works for Harpsichord and Organ.
Volume V.

Roberto Loreggian plays on a F. Gazzola 1989 Harpsichord, copy of a Italian anonymous instrument of the 17th century.

I keep repeating myself about this release, which is good news for the performances in this box. Loreggian plays with an inner conviction which I find a very rare commodity these days. The 1989 Harpsichord sounds terrific with a beguiling sonority. And the recording captures it all very well.

Is his playing similar or different in comparison to the Complete Frescobaldi set (also Brilliant)?

[Harry]

Is his playing similar or different in comparison to the Complete Frescobaldi set (also Brilliant)?

Similar, but he allows himself a bit more emotional involvement, never overdoing it though.

[Que]

Morning listening:



Last time I visited this set, I lost interest in the music and never got to the end of this set.
While the instrument is nice and the playing is excellent. I guess what did me in, was the sheer endless supply of chorale settings (9 out of 12 discs) - all in similar style.

Now, listening with "fresh ears", these are quite charming for what they are. And still in excellent performances and well recorded. A keeper on 2nd thought, for an occasional dip.