What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

That is a great performance! One of the reasons I ordered the RCA Chicago Symphony/Ozawa box. Enjoy!

Indeed, but it's not in the Ozawa RCA set. It's in the Ozawa Warner set, but I bought it as a Japanese reissue as I try to avoid conductor box sets as much as I can unless it's a set centered around only one composer.

[kyjo]

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto no. 2



Perhaps the cadenza is the first movement is overlong, but otherwise this is just a superb work. The slow movement is basically a "triple concerto" with its prominent, soulful violin and cello solos, and the finale is irresistibly energetic and catchy.


Casella: Suite in C major



Okay, so the main theme of the first movement may come a little too close to that of Mahler 1, and that of the finale may sound like the opening theme of Sibelius 3 goes to an Italian Renaissance Fair, but that can't prevent me from enjoying this colorful and boisterous work, with a solemn Sarabande at its center.


Bartok: Violin Concerto no. 2



After the easily-assimilated, tonal opening theme, this work soon veers off into much wilder, experimental territory. I'll need a few more listens to make sense of it all, but it certainly receives an excellent performance here by Isabelle Faust!


Ropartz: Prelude, Marine et Chansons and Cello Sonata no. 2



The Prelude, Marine et Chansons is one of those glorious, sunny French works for that lovely combination of flute, harp, and string trio. The Cello Sonata no. 2 is a more dramatic, passionate work that's pretty consistently enthralling.


The entire disc:



My first listen to these works, and they're mostly vintage Sibelius, no doubt! The great Finn's inimitable compositional fingerprints are everywhere throughout these three orchestral suites. Great performances and sound, too!

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Ligeti
Violin Concerto
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin
Ensemble Modern
Peter Eötvös



A brilliant performance!

[Mirror Image]

Casella: Suite in C major



Okay, so the main theme of the first movement may come a little too close to that of Mahler 1, and that of the finale may sound like the opening theme of Sibelius 3 goes to an Italian Renaissance Fair, but that can't prevent me from enjoying this colorful and boisterous work, with a solemn Sarabande at its center.


Bartok: Violin Concerto no. 2



After the easily-assimilated, tonal opening theme, this work soon veers off into much wilder, experimental territory. I'll need a few more listens to make sense of it all, but it certainly receives an excellent performance here by Isabelle Faust!

I don't know the Casella work (I do own that entire Naxos series), but the Bartók is a masterpiece. One of my favorite VCs from anyone. That Faust/Harding performance is excellent. Do give a listen to the Chung/Solti and Kopatchinskaja/Eötvös performances as well. Oh and while you're at it listen to Gertler/Ančerl.

[kyjo]

Grieg: Symphony in C minor and Old Norwegian Romance with Variations



Grieg's early Symphony usually comes in for a bad rap, but I actually enjoy it quite a bit, particularly the first movement and scherzo with their strong themes and dramatic flair. I don't think it's as derivative of Germanic models as others have pointed out. The Old Norwegian Romance with Variations, originally for 2 pianos, also exists in a little-known orchestration by the composer himself. It's vintage Grieg, full of contrast and character.


Villa-Lobos: Sexteto místico for flute, oboe, saxophone, harp, celesta and guitar



Wow! What an absolutely unique and enchanting work! I only wish it were longer than 7 minutes....


Stenhammar: Piano Concerto no. 1



An example of a work where each movement is finer than the previous one. A substantial concerto in four movements, it sports a heroic first movement, a glittering scherzo, a touching, intimate slow movement, and a boisterous finale with a striking main theme.


Bruch: Octet and String Quintet in E-flat



Lovers of Romantic chamber music can't afford to miss out on Bruch's! Thoroughly entertaining stuff, in glorious performances and sound here.


Myaskovsky: Violin Concerto



Though I'm generally quite critical of this composer, I enjoyed this concerto quite a bit with its Harry Potter-esque main theme. There's some passages of haunting lyricism and the folksy, vivacious finale is a nice change of pace from this very serious composer.

[kyjo]

I don't know the Casella work (I do own that entire Naxos series), but the Bartók is a masterpiece. One of my favorite VCs from anyone. That Faust/Harding performance is excellent. Do give a listen to the Chung/Solti and Kopatchinskaja/Eötvös performances as well. Oh and while you're at it listen to Gertler/Ančerl.

Will do, John.

[Mirror Image]

Joining Kyle:

Villa-Lobos
Sexteto místico
Ensemble Musagète

From this set -



Yes, the seven minute duration is disappointing and this is only because I believe it could've gone on for longer. The material hasn't even had a chance to wear itself out yet. It's a lovely work nevertheless.

[Mirror Image]

Closing out the night's listening session with some Villa-Lobos songs:

From this recording -

[Madiel]

There's nothing like home, Monsieur Madiel.

Honestly, I think it's going to take a while to really make this feel like home, but so far so good. The baby (grand) arrived this morning.

[classicalgeek]

Indeed, but it's not in the Ozawa RCA set. It's in the Ozawa Warner set, but I bought it as a Japanese reissue as I try to avoid conductor box sets as much as I can unless it's a set centered around only one composer.

You're totally right about that! Funny that Ozawa didn't make that many recordings with the Chicago Symphony... but he still made them for two different labels!

[Harry]

Johann Gottfried Walther.

Complete Organ Music, Volume IX.

Chorale Settings VIII.

Simone Stella, plays on a Francesco Zanin organ 2006.

Despite the weather storms, two of them, with wind speeds up to 140 kilometres I try yo keep composed.. It is a lot of noise, and always much danger of damage like with a similar storm two years ago when the complete roof of my house blew off, which was really upsetting, saved my equipment in the nick of time. Lets hope that the second storm which is predicted to be very bad will leave things in tact. In the mean time Walther is soothing to my mind, which I need, when living in fear.

[vandermolen]

Goossens: Symphony No.1
This is one of the best symphonies IMO written by someone better known as a conductor. It's quite 'Baxian' and also reminded me at times of Korngold's Symphony. Sadly this was Richard Hickox's final recording before his untimely death aged 60. There are AFAIK three recordings of this fine Symphony, my favourite with David Measham and the Adelaide SO (Unicorn) sadly never made it to CD. Goossens's 2nd Symphony (recorded by Andrew Davis for Chandos) is also well worth exploring:

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

R. Strauss - Vier letzte Lieder and 12 other songs (Szell, Schwarzkopf)

[Tsaraslondon]

Good morning all,

R. Strauss - Vier letzte Lieder and 12 other songs (Szell, Schwarzkopf)

Wonderful! I love the Vier letzte Lieder and have quite a few different performances, all of which I enjoy, but this one is my absolute favourite.

[Tsaraslondon]

I dig this one out every once in a while and this is a very good performance, very well thought of in its day. Lucia Popp is the stunning soprano soloist.

[Papy Oli]

Wonderful! I love the Vier letzte Lieder and have quite a few different performances, all of which I enjoy, but this one is my absolute favourite.

Probably only my second or third listen to this work    I have had this CD for many years but R. Strauss never really worked for me...until last week.

This is stunning. Any alternative versions worth listening to, please?

[Que]

On Spotify:

[Traverso]

Hassler

CD 6

[Tsaraslondon]

Probably only my second or third listen to this work    I have had this CD for many years but R. Strauss never really worked for me...until last week.

This is stunning. Any alternative versions worth listening to, please?

Many would swear by Janowitz/Karajan, which is undeniably beautiful, but I find it just misses some of the deeper meaning of the songs. I mention it because for many it would be a top recommendation. I do enjoy it, but of the others I have in my collection, I personally prefer Norman/Masur, Popp/Tennstedt and Fleming/Thielemann.

[Harry]

Frank Bridge.

Orchestral Works.
CD III.
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Richard Hickox.
Howard Shelley, Piano.

Bridge is a favourite composer in my book, especially with such beautiful performances under the deeply lamented conductor Richard Hickox.