What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

If you read back across my comments over the years you will see that I praised his Korngold and his Respighi.  So sadly your perception of my "incessant criticisms" is quite inaccurate.  However, if Chandos (and other media) are choosing to place him on a pedastal of implied greatness then it is only fair that people can take a moment to judge for themselves.  As I wrote at the beginning of my comment on the Ireland disc I made it clear that this was my response.  If others respond more positively to Wilson's work then that's fine by me.  Not sure I used the phrase "plumb the depths" re the Ireland disc - I can't go back on this here to check.  Sure - you are right but better try that than scratch the surface and in any case there are always nuances that can be applied to music of any style.

As a performer you will understand that there must be an intent behind any musical gesture - "just" short for shortness sake (for example) is self-defeating.  I played frequently in a professional orchestra once that was obsessed with short articulations to the exclusion of nearly everything else.  It became exhausting and frustrating and ultimately easier not to play at all so you couldn't be blamed for playing too long.

If you complained about John Wilson every other day, I wouldn't complain.

Thread duty -

Now playing Elgar Introduction & Allegro, Op. 47 with Boult conducting the London Philharmonic from this set:



Simply a gorgeous piece of music. One of Elgar's best, IMHO. The English really knew how to write for strings.

[ritter]

Good evening, John!

To finish off tonight's listening, Ernest Bour conducts the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra in two favourite Ravel works, Valses nobles et sentimentales and Le Tombeau de Couperin.

From disc 2 of this 4 CD set:


This anthology, along with its companion covering the Second Viennese School and Bartók (also 4 CDs), are superlative. Pity they've never been reissued.

[Mirror Image]

Good evening, John!

To finish off tonight's listening, Ernest Bour conducts the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra in two favourite Ravel works, Valses nobles et sentimentales and Le Tombeau de Couperin.

From disc 2 of this 4 CD set:


This anthology, along with its companion covering the Second Viennese School and Bartók (also 4 CDs), are superlative. Pity they've never been reissued.

And a good evening to you, too, Rafael. Ravel is always a fine choice. I prefer the solo piano version of Le Tombeau de Couperin, but the orchestration of the selected four movements is nicely done nevertheless.

[bhodges]

Bruno Maderna conducting the Swingle Singers and the Orchestre National de l'ORTF in the European première of Luciano Berio's Sinfonia in Royan on April 4th, 1969.


A historic event, in excellent sound. Pity that the fifth movement had not yet been composed at the time.

What a piece, the Sinfonia (and not only the In ruhig fliessender Bewegung movement)!

Heavens, what a find! I had no idea this even existed. And the original recording with the Swingle Singers and the New York Philharmonic is THE recording that jumpstarted my love of contemporary music.

And yes, what a piece, for sure! I was just talking about it this weekend with some pals, noting with some amusement that I heard the Berio long before hearing the Mahler 2.

Thanks a bunch.

--Bruce

[Mirror Image]

Bruno Maderna conducting the Swingle Singers and the Orchestre National de l'ORTF in the European première of Luciano Berio's Sinfonia in Royan on April 4th, 1969.


A historic event, in excellent sound. Pity that the fifth movement had not yet been composed at the time.

What a piece, the Sinfonia (and not only the In ruhig fliessender Bewegung movement)!

Yeah, I dig some Berio. I should revisit Sinfonia. I like this piece a lot. I think the work that has hit me the hardest is the Folk Songs.

Now playing Berio Sinfonia with Boulez/Swingle Singers/Orchestre National de France from this set:

[ritter]

Yeah, I dig some Berio. I should revisit Sinfonia. I like this piece a lot. I think the work that has hit me the hardest is the Folk Songs.

Now playing Berio Sinfonia with Boulez/Swingle Singers/Orchestre National de France from this set:

Another splendid (and complete) recording of that fabulous work! That's the one I got to know the piece with some 35 years ago....

[Mirror Image]

Another splendid (and complete) recording of that fabulous work! That's the one I got to know the piece with some 35 years ago....

Hugely enjoyable, indeed.

[Lisztianwagner]

Arnold Schoenberg
Variations for Orchestra

[Karl Henning]

On youtube:

Aaron Copland
Sextet for Clarinet, String Quartet and Piano
Violin Sonata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzdrzthODFw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP41ifj7oZ4

I've played the Sextet. Great piece!

[Lisztianwagner]

I've played the Sextet. Great piece!

Really? How marvelous!
Agreed, I listened to it some hours ago for the first time and it was absolutely beautiful.

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.8 in E-flat major. Antoni Wit, Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir

A stellar performance of my current favorite Mahler symphony.

[Mirror Image]

I've played the Sextet. Great piece!

+1 One of my favorites from Copland.

[classicalgeek]

Urged by Vandermolen and others to give Atterberg a second chance - I once started with Symphony No. 7, but found it 'over-Romantic'. Now playing: Symphony No. 3:

I have never liked Symphony No.7 (premiered in Nazi Germany I think) but No.3 is a completely different kettle of fish ( ). I have been playing it incessantly recently. It has a most beautiful opening and an inspiriting ending. I'm still waiting for the discounted CPO set to arrive. Let us know what you think of No.3 Johan. Best of all (IMO) is Symphony No. 5 'Funebre'.

The Third has easily been my favorite of Atterberg's that I've heard. So full of beautiful tunes! But really, 'full of beautiful tunes' describes Atterberg as a whole.

TD:
William Mathias
Helios
*Oboe Concerto
Requiescat
Symphony no. 3
*David Cowley, oboe
BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra
Grant Llewellyn
(on Spotify)

[Mapman]

Stenhammar: Serenade, Op. 31; Excelsior! Symphonic Overture, Op. 13

Unfortunately, the recorded sound isn't great: the strings sound a bit harsh. I wasn't so impressed with the Serenade at first, the orchestration wasn't particularly interesting, and the mediocre sound didn't help. The last 3 movements were more interesting, though. The overture Excelsior! is also nice.

[Mapman]

Beethoven: Symphony #7, arranged for winds
Netherlands Wind Ensemble

The arrangement is mostly successful; I think the Scherzo works best. It's all fun, though!

[Operafreak]

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Russian Easter Festival Overture

Rainer Honeck (violin)- Wiener Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Wednesday

Reger
String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 54, No. 1
Mannheimer Streichquartett

[Mapman]

First-Listen Wednesday

Reger
String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 54, No. 1
Mannheimer Streichquartett

Any thoughts? That's one of the CDs I bought recently.

[Mirror Image]

Any thoughts? That's one of the CDs I bought recently.

I just started the work, but it's beautiful so far. Seems like an excellent performance, too.

[MusicTurner]

Reger - 4 Sonatines etc. /Becker /nca CD

Some immediately pleasant works, yet also with typical Regeresque 'leaping' / inquietude (?) in the melodic ongoings ...