What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

On Spotify:



I really like Claire Antonini's style. This will be hard to resist....

[Harry]

On Spotify:



I really like Claire Antonini's style. This will be hard to resist....

Well it will be for a long time on Spotify

[Harry]

The Leiden Choirbooks,
Volume II-CD I.
Egidius Kwartet & College.

Works by: Anonymous, Hollander, Clemens non Papa, Baston, Lupi, de Monte, Appenzeller, Verdelot, Richafort.

The music possesses a beauty for which there are hardly words to describe, it goes directly to your heart and translates into bliss.

[owlice]

Lupu: Brahms Intermezzi Op. 117 and Schubert Sonata in A minor, D 784

[Harry]

Alexander Glazunov.
Complete Symphonies & Concertos.
CD V.
Symphony No. 6 in C minor.
La Mer.
Introduction and Dance from Salome.

Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Jose Serebrier.

[Operafreak]

Johann Sebastian Bach - Víkingur Ólafsson

[Traverso]

Schubert


Piano Sonata in A minor D845

Piano Sonata in G major D894

[Biffo]

Haydn: Symphony No 100 in G major Military - Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner - my favourite Haydn symphony

[Harry]

Joseph Joachim Raff.

Symphony No. 5, "Lenore"
Suite No. 1 for Orchestra.

Bamberger Symphoniker, Hans Stadlmair.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

[DavidW]

First listen to Britten's work.  I like it!

[Spotted Horses]

After being an avid listener to Roussel for so many years I didn't think he could surprise me. But I found myself astonished by the Roussel Piano Concerto, which I listened to for the first time yesterday.

It is a very succinct work, and more of a sinfonietta with piano than concerto. But it is a work of great intensity and beauty. The first movement is a convulsive movement of four and a half minutes. The second features meditative, rhapsodic melodies from the piano with shimmering harmonic accompaniment from the high strings. The finale returns to the quick tempo of the opening movement, but with more grace and a brightened spirit. I was taken aback by the quality of this rarely heard music.

I listened to the Danielle Laval recording with the Orchestre de Paris directed by Jean-Pierre Jacquillat. The recording dates to 1969, but the audio is very good. (The recording is in the Roussel Edition from Warner, as well as in the release shown below.) I find that I also have a recording of the piece by Alexandre Tharaud, conducted by David Stern.

[Florestan]

In memoriam

[foxandpeng]

George Antheil
Symphony 2 '1942'
Symphony 5 'Joyous'
John Storgårds
BBC Philharmonic
Chandos

Antheil rarely fails to be a positive mood shifter. I often wonder whether his are my favourite American symphonies.

[Mandryka]

Very good, tone good, lovely when quiet, jaw dropping speed at times. One of the better Iberias.

Franco Flemish Iberia, but the region has a connection with Spain of course, going back to Philip and the 100 Years War.

Can't get enough of this one. I'm tempted to say "best Iberia ever" but obviously that's nonsense. However this is true: it makes me forget all the other Iberias - it is an utterly captivating performance. Beautifully recorded and this guy Block could play piano, he could make it sound pretty nice.

[Traverso]

Brahms


This is a really great recording

[Operafreak]

Albéniz: Iberia, books 1-4 & Suite española No. 1, Op. 47- Alicia de Larrocha (piano)

[Harry]

Giuseppe Martucci.

Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor.
La Canzone dei Ricordi.

Francesco Caramiello, Piano.
Rachel Yakar, Soprano.
Philharmonia Orchestra, Francesco D' Avalos.

A fine but bold piano concerto in the D minor key, which is my favourite. Caramiello is a robust pianist, and he takes no prisoners, that's for sure. I have conscientious objections in regard to vocal utterings by soprano's that seem to think that yelling, endless vibrato's, and what's more, belongs to the instruments of a true soprano. Natural vibrato is okay, but Yakar thinks the more the merrier.

[Todd]

[Florestan]

Has a more illustrious line up ever been assembled for a single recording?

[vandermolen]

Earlier: Bliss Violin Concerto
Now: Bliss Piano Concerto (Boult, Solomon)