What are you listening 2 now?

[Biffo]

I do like Muti's EMI/Philharmonia recordings.  I'm not sure I can think of a duff one in them.  For sure he was much more of a firebrand conductor back then but this suits a lot of the repertoire he recorded with them.  Apart from this blazing Verdi Requiem (one of the fastest Dies Iraes on disc I reckon!) I like:

When I moved to London in 1973 Muti and the Philharmonia were at their peak and I became a subscriber to their concerts. I don't recall a dud concert and some outstanding. Unfortunately, Muti annoyed the orchestra by performing works with them live but recording them in Philadelphia.

When he moved on he was replaced by Sinopoli and I found him the reverse of Muti - every concert a dud and I stopped subscribing.

[VonStupp]

JS Bach
Brandenburg Concerto 3, BWV 1048

Sebastian Breuninger, violin
Gewandhaus - Riccardo Chailly

VS

[aligreto]

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 7 [Brautigam]

[foxandpeng]

Eduard Tubin
Kratt (Complete Ballet)
Sinfonietta
Arvo Volmer
Estonian NSO
Alba

Ages since I've heard this. What on earth is wrong with me, leaving it so long?

Tubin is just fantastic.

[Traverso]

Messiaen

      Le Banquet Céleste   
      
      Diptyque   
      
      Apparition De L'Église Éternelle   
      
      L'Ascension

[Harry]

Frank Bridge.
Orchestral works.
CD V.
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Richard Hickox.

[Roasted Swan]

Claude Debussy.

Orchestral Works.
CD II.

Jeux.
Gigues.
Iberia.
Rondes de Printemps.
Printemps, (Suite Symphonique)

Michael Sedrez & Fabienne Boury, Piano duet, (Suite Symphonique)

Orchestre National de ORTF, Jean Martinon.

Super performances. Martinon is a real Debussyian.

Genuinely classic performances.  Not just because of Martinon but the ORTF orchestra have that French sound that has all but disappeared these days which seems to suit this repertoire so well......

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Martinů
String Quartet No. 2, H. 150
Kocian Quartet



I hate to say but as good as the Panocha Quartet's cycle is of Martinů's SQs, this mixed ensemble series (w/ Kocian, Zemlinsky and Pražák Quartets) on Praga is even better.

[Traverso]

Haydn

CD 8

[aligreto]

Bantock: A Hebridean Symphony [Handley]





This is a wonderfully atmospheric work. It is ominous and gloomy sounding for a large part but it is never dull or boring. On the contrary, I find it to be quite engaging and evocative of the stormy maritime scene it was intended to be and also the power of the sea in general. The orchestration is terrific and it is successful in creating great tension and drama where required. There is great brass scoring throughout. The premise of the work, it appears to me, is the calm and serene sea which whips up into a raging storm and then finally subsides into calm and serenity again. It is wonderfully done.

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Friday

Berio
Chemins V
Pablo Márquez, guitar
WDR Sinfonieorchester
Jean-Michaël Levoie

From this fantastic set -

[kyjo]

Hiroshi Ohguri
*Violin Concerto
Fantasy on Osaka Folk Tune
Legend for Orchestra
Rhapsody on Osaka Nursery Rhymes
*Kazuhiro Takagi, violin
Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra
Tatsuya Shimono
(on Spotify)



This sampling of Japanese composers I've been doing for the last week or so has definitely been a mixed (though largely positive) bag. I've greatly enjoyed a number of works in a wide variety of compositional styles; other works and composers have left me less impressed. But today has been a real revelation; I thoroughly enjoyed Sadao Bekku's Viola Concerto, my reservations about the last movement notwithstanding; I think it belongs on the list of great 20th-century viola concertos. And now with this disc by Hiroshi Ohguri, I was once again very impressed. There are echoes of Stravinsky and Shostakovich throughout, but Ohguri adds a strong influence of Japanese folk music to this style; the result is totally delightful. The quality of all four works is very high; they're all expertly written, superbly crafted, and richly orchestrated.

I've really enjoyed reading your impressions of the Japanese music you've been exploring recently, most of which I'm unfamiliar with so far. Thank you!

[Harry]

Frank Bridge.
Orchestral Works.
CD VI from VI.

Berceuse.
Chant d'Esperance.
Serenade.
The Pageant of London.
A Royal Night of Variety.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Richard Hickox.

This is an excellent series, but the sixth disc is done for me quickly because the first 9 tracks are with divers vocal contributions, and that's not for me. So Five tracks to go. And that's pure enjoyment.

[ritter]

First-Listen Friday

Berio
Chemins V
Pablo Márquez, guitar
WDR Sinfonieorchester
Jean-Michaël Levoie

From this fantastic set -

I really, really like that piece, John. AFAIK, this is the first (and so far only) recording that's been made of it. That whole set of Chemins is quite fantastic...

A great composer, Luciano Berio. 

Good day to you...

[Mirror Image]

I really, really like that piece, John. AFAIK, this is the first (and so far only) recording that's been made of it. That whole set of Chemins is quite fantastic...

A great composer, Luciano Berio. 

Good day to you...

Yeah, I've thoroughly been enjoying Berio over the last couple of days. This is the only set of Chemins to be released, so that within itself makes it an absolute must for any fans of this composer. And a good day to you, too.

[Papy Oli]

A first listen:

Wagner - Wesendonck Lieder (Studer, Sinopoli, Staatskapelle Dresden)

[Traverso]

Resurrexit

Easter

[Harry]

All lovers of French Renaissance music for Lute and Guitar, need not hesitate, this is a must buy!

In the Garden of Polyphony.

Pierre Attaingnant
Albert de Rippe
Adrian Le Roy
Guillaume Morlaye
Pierre Phalèse
Jean-Paul Paladin
Simon Gorlier
Julien Belin

Pierre Attaingnant
- Fortune laisse moy
- Dont vient cela (Sermisy)
- Gaillarde "Dont vient cela" (Arr. Israel Golani)
- Dolent départ
- Basse dance "Beurre frais"
- Branle gay "C'est mon amy"
- Basse Dance "Aupres de vous" (Arr. Israel Golani)

Albert de Rippe
- Pleurez mes yeux (Sandrin)
- Un jour le temp
- Fantasie quatriesme

Adrian Le Roy
- Fantasie premiere
- Fantasie seconde
- Pimontoyse
- Branles de Bourgogne

Guillaume Morlaye
- Est-il douleur cruelle (Arcadelt)
- Pleurez mes yeux (Sandrin)
- Gaillarde

Pierre Phalèse
- Auprès de vous (Sermisy)
- Ung gay bergier (Crecquillon)
- C'est grand plaisir (Attaingnant)
- Allemande
- Branles de Bourgogne
- Gaillarde Milanoise
- Paduane

Simon Gorlier
- Il ne se trouve en amitié (Sandrin)

Jean-Paul Paladin
- De trop penser (Jacotin)

Julien Belin
- Trio

Clément Janequin
- C'est mon amy (Arr. Israel Golani)

Anonymous
- Amy souffrez (MS. F.IX.56)
- Premier branle d'Escosse (Ms. 412)

6-course lutes - Martin Shepherd, Alfonso Marín
Renaissance guitar - Alfonso Marín

Israel Golani, Lute and Guitar.

[aligreto]

Glazunov: Symphony No. 7 [Serebrier]





The opening movement is very lyrical and expansive and Serebrier presents the music well. The scoring augments the buoyant atmosphere. The opening tone of the slow movement is quite different to that of the first movement. It is led by the lower register brass. The movement is also very lyrical and expansive and has a sense of poignancy to it. The Scherzo is wonderfully energetic and animated and it is well driven here. The final movement is ardent, assertive and it is also well driven.

[Que]

Well, I only have 4 Missa Papae Marcelli, so if you've got any suggestions for a non-culturally appropriated version, I'm all ears (literally, I guess!)
But there are worse things in the world than being culturally-appropriated by choirs that actually know how to sing in a liturgically-literate manner, I feel!

Oh yes, the singing is as such of examplary quality. But it doesn't sound like Italian Renaissance.

On the Missa Marcelli:



With 19 male singers the ensemble is on the largish side, I would have preferred OVPP, but the singing is exemplary.
A gorgeous performance.

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/odhecatons-exemplary-palestrina/

I am curious which you think do this. 

I like Sergio Vartolo's three recordings of the nine Messe Mantovane; the recordings by Pro Cantione Antiqua (under both Mark Brown and Bruno Turner), Marco Longhini's recordings. 

The Vatican choir's recordings are not very good since they use too large a choir and did not represent the kind of vocal sound Palestrina had available to him, which was something like 12 singers.

I'm not a fan of Vartolo, but it does sound as Italian Renaissance. I really love the Longhini recordings (on Tactus)! 
I agree on tbe Vatican recordings - dissapointing.