What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Two pieces I might never have heard of, let alone listened to, had I not reeled in the box:

CD 8

Jan Klusák
Variations on a Theme by Gustav Mahler for Large Orchestra

Vítězslav Novák
Autumn Symphony for Large Orchestra, Male & Female Chorus, Op. 62

How interesting, Karl! I didn't know that the Novak was in this set. The Klusak looks enticing too.

[Sergeant Rock]

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 1 n F sharp minor and the Rhapsody, Jansons/Rudy




Sarge

[SonicMan46]

Next up:

Bartok, Bela (1881-1945) - Piano Music (8-discs) w/ Zoltan Kocsis (1952-2016) - don't love all of this music so will do 2-discs a day; and Piano Concertos w/ Donohoe/Rattle and Bavouzet/Noseda - a LOT of competition here and sure others have their favorites; would like to here Anda and Kocsis, both available on Spotify.  Dave

   

[classicalgeek]

My pleasure, CG!

I'm looking forward to more!

TD: last night, returning to Turina, this time on piano:

Joaquin Turina
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Danzas fantásticas
from Danzas andaluzas - Zapateado
from Danzas gitanas - Sacromonte
Alicia de Larrocha, piano

from this stunning box:



Perfectly styled and authoritative performances! I can't imagine anyone topping Larrocha.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony 9 Barenboim BP

[Tsaraslondon]

Interesting. My favorites are Schwarzkopf/Szell, Janowitz/Karajan and Studer/Sinopoli, but I also really enjoyed Piau/Verdier (on Alpha) and I've actually been listening to this particular version the most lately.

I should try to hear it. I've liked Piau in Handel, but I wouldn't have thought she'd have enough voice for these songs. Happy to be proved wrong.

I'm looking forward to one from Elsa Dreisig. She's recorded the closing scene from Salome (in French) and recorded the songs with piano accompaniment for her recital, called Morgen. She is about to play Salome on stage apparently and is planning a recording with orchestra.

[Karl Henning]

I'm looking forward to more!

TD: last night, returning to Turina, this time on piano:

Joaquin Turina
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Danzas fantásticas
from Danzas andaluzas - Zapateado
from Danzas gitanas - Sacromonte
Alicia de Larrocha, piano

from this stunning box:



Perfectly styled and authoritative performances! I can't imagine anyone topping Larrocha.

Love this box!

[Brian]

Influenced by other GMGers of good taste.

[André]

Quartet no 3. I recently listened to the Molinari SQ playing this huge work. It's hard to compare versions in such a big, sprawling piece. I know that the Silesians were much less involving in SQ 1 and 2, but they seem to have the measure of Gorecki's last quartet.

[Linz]

Mozart Symphonies 36 & 38 From CD 1 of this 2 CD set of Carl Schuricht conducting Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris

[prémont]

Next up:

Bartok, Bela (1881-1945) - Piano Music (8-discs) w/ Zoltan Kocsis (1952-2016) - don't love all of this music so will do 2-discs a day; and Piano Concertos w/ Donohoe/Rattle and Bavouzet/Noseda - a LOT of competition here and sure others have their favorites; would like to here Anda and Kocsis, both available on Spotify.  Dave

   

My favorites as to the piano concertos are Anda. Sandor and Schiff. As to the solo piano music it is Sandor and Foldes.

[Traverso]

Appreciate your feedback, Tsaralondon.

I'll see how they all fare in the remaining songs in the coming days. A superb set of songs to explore in any event.

Hi Olivier, try this one.

https://youtu.be/-odXYLs-iE4

[Karl Henning]

How interesting, Karl! I didn't know that the Novak was in this set. The Klusak looks enticing too.

The Klusák is exquisite, Cesar!

[classicalgeek]

Love this box!

This is my first foray into this box (which I just received recently) and I was very impressed!

TD: another unknown (before today) Japanese composer:

Saburo Moroi
Sinfonietta
Symphonic movements
Symphony no. 3
National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland
Takuo Yuasa



I really enjoyed the neoclassical Sinfonietta, especially the first movement, and the more weighty Symphonic movements. I wasn't quite as impressed with the Third Symphony, though it did have its moments; it reminded me of Shostakovich and even Mahler (there's a tune in the finale that first makes an appearance at about 7:46 that wouldn't be out of place in late Mahler.) It was very pleasant to listen to, but I guess I wanted something more. Still, I look forward to exploring more of this series - Sadao Bekku has been a really nice discovery!

[Linz]

CD2 of the hd Schuricht set

[ritter]

Back home from Barcelona, dipping my toes into my purchases at Disco100 with the Honegger works on this CD (I have loads of stuff to listen —or even re-listen— to before approaching the Ibert  ):



It turns out that the Prélude pour Aglavine et Sélysette is the first orchestral piece of the composer (he was 25 at the time). It's based on a work by Maeterlinck, and unsurprisingly the shadow of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande looms over the piece. But still, it is quite accomplished for such a young composer.

The Suite archaïque, from 1951, is one of Honegger's last orchestral compositions, and is typical ohpf his Spätsil. The titles of the movements are neoclassical (Ouverture, Pantomime, etc,) but the style is not. The sound world is that if the Deliciae Basiliensis symphony, and the work is very enjoyable.

The Prélude is conducted by Jorge Mester, and the Suite by Robert Whitney.

[aligreto]

Hi Olivier, try this one.

https://youtu.be/-odXYLs-iE4

ooooohh....I will certainly watch that one!

[Mandryka]

IMHO ...
I only have Suzuki to compare him (Esfahani) with, in the Partitas on harpsichord.

   

Assuming Esfahani is playing the same instrument as in his Toccatas recording, it sounds a bit sweeter here.  That could be more about the music though, his no-holds-barred Toccatas I find quite a difficult listen.  Here the instrument has a lot of top end, almost glassy-sounding.  It's a modern instrument (2018) with a carbon fibre soundboard (!)
Suzuki's instrument actually sounds quite similar to me, but less analytically recorded.  I'm no expert on harpsichords though.

Suzuki plays it very straight, sort of respectful sounding, satisfying to listen to but slightly soporific.

Esfahani has a lot of tempo variation, at both micro and macro levels.  His articulation in the faster passages is of course stunning.  Elsewhere he is very legato, to bell-like effect. It's an interesting listen, but I find it gets a bit mannered quite quickly.  Something midway between the two would suit me better, I think, although in any case I'm always going to prefer this music on a piano, Philistine that I am.

Yes I'm listening to Esfahani for the first time now and I think it's an important recording in this sense - it's a real encounter of man, score and performance tradition, and special instrument - not a sweet sounding one, but special. It reminds me of Verlet's partitas for Philips and Astree - and maybe Tilney and Rübsam too. And of course the harpsichord makes me think of Landowska. All very personal and unique and expressive and a bit reactionary. Verlet reacted against Leonhardt, Esfahani reacting against Egarr maybe.

It is probably unfair to say that Esfahani is coarse - but the words I want to use are related: heavy and forceful and tough. He makes these suites into big theatrical concert hall music. I imagine Pluto, the giant in Popeye, playing.

[Mirror Image]

Influenced by other GMGers of good taste.

I'm not sure about "good taste", but I rather enjoyed this Roussel/Dukas recording.

[Mirror Image]

I should try to hear it. I've liked Piau in Handel, but I wouldn't have thought she'd have enough voice for these songs. Happy to be proved wrong.

I'm looking forward to one from Elsa Dreisig. She's recorded the closing scene from Salome (in French) and recorded the songs with piano accompaniment for her recital, called Morgen. She is about to play Salome on stage apparently and is planning a recording with orchestra.

Yes, do give the Piau recording a listen. The Berg and Zemlinsky on the Piau recording are also well-done.