What are you listening 2 now?

[Florestan]

Medtner sounds nothing like Brahms. Juon and Taneyev only very occasionally do. I think such labels are pretty stupid, tbh.

Agreed.

If anything, I'd say Medtner is the Russian Schumann.  Not that it sounds much like Schumann but his love of literature and his taking much inspiration from it is similar to Schumann's.

[VonStupp]

Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Wasps

Henry Goodman, narrator
Hallé Orchestra & Chorus - Sir Mark Elder (rec. 2005)

Listening over the lunch hour.

VS

[DavidW]

Exceptional performances.

[Symphonic Addict]

As for Korngold's Symphony I agree. I also like the pioneering Kempe recording.

I don't know that performance, Jeffrey. A pity it hasn't been re-issued yet.

[Symphonic Addict]

Desert-island stuff..

And excellently performed in great sound.

[Florestan]

And excellently performed in great sound.

Precisely why I called it desert island stuff. 

[Brian]

This recording was made in 2012-13 and lay in Naxos' vault for a decade before the label released it. Indeed, it was recorded so long ago, the booklet says that the Rome Symphony Orchestra has been disbanded! Francesco La Vecchia does not have a separate biography provided, so I don't know what he is doing these days.

Unfortunately, I suspect the reason that this recording languished so long was that it is technically not that good. The recorded sound is okay, but not especially good; the solo violin particularly has a bit of glare. The string basses sound good but bass drum is muffled. Moreover, it sounds like there was not sufficient rehearsal time. Violin Concerto No. 2 was recorded over two days, while the other two works were recorded in a single day each. In the first movement of the First Concerto, soloist Paolo Chiavacci produces some pretty sour tones and what I think, but can't prove, are wrong notes. His tone, in general, is thin, raspy, and not flattered by the acoustic. The music seems interesting enough that I will seek out other recordings - looks like there are discs by Domenico Nordio and Andre Gertler.

[Mandryka]

It strikes me how many posts of yours are somehow related to (your and others) meals and their influence on the music 

Hotter must have a great meal or imagining to have one 

This afternoon I don't think it was the food (risotto and broad beans), but it may well have been the chianti.

[Lisztianwagner]

Arnold Schoenberg
Piano Concerto

[Sergeant Rock]

Rachmaninoff The Isle of the Dead Op. 29, Andrew Davis conducting




Sarge

[Brian]

This recording was made in 2012-13 and lay in Naxos' vault for a decade before the label released it. Indeed, it was recorded so long ago, the booklet says that the Rome Symphony Orchestra has been disbanded! Francesco La Vecchia does not have a separate biography provided, so I don't know what he is doing these days.

Unfortunately, I suspect the reason that this recording languished so long was that it is technically not that good. The recorded sound is okay, but not especially good; the solo violin particularly has a bit of glare. The string basses sound good but bass drum is muffled. Moreover, it sounds like there was not sufficient rehearsal time. Violin Concerto No. 2 was recorded over two days, while the other two works were recorded in a single day each. In the first movement of the First Concerto, soloist Paolo Chiavacci produces some pretty sour tones and what I think, but can't prove, are wrong notes. His tone, in general, is thin, raspy, and not flattered by the acoustic. The music seems interesting enough that I will seek out other recordings - looks like there are discs by Domenico Nordio and Andre Gertler.

Now listening to "Per un favola cavalleresca." This is a world premiere recording, no competition, and it is a very charming early piece where Malipiero lives in the romantic tone-painting sound world of people like Josef Suk (think A Summer's Tale) or Debussy (Nocturnes). The pieces are episodic and fleeting, like many of Malipiero's early works. I wish the motoric climax of the second movement had built up to something bigger, but that's not the point of what he's doing here. It's almost like incidental music for a theater, just painting quick little pictures and moving on. Some of them are quite atmospheric. Definitely a nice background listen while working.

[Tsaraslondon]

These performances of Tchaikovsky's final three symphonies have been a top recommendation for many years ago and they still take a lot of beating. This is great music making, no doubt about it.

[Lisztianwagner]

Now:

Arnold Schoenberg
Klavierstücke Op. 11, Op. 19

[vandermolen]

These performances of Tchaikovsky's final three symphonies have been a top recommendation for many years ago and they still take a lot of beating. This is great music making, no doubt about it.

+1

[vandermolen]

I don't know that performance, Jeffrey. A pity it hasn't been re-issued yet.

This might interest you Cesar:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/june11/korngold_lace.htm

[vandermolen]

Morton Gould as a conductor - let alone composer! - is seriously underated

His recording of Miaskovsky's 21st symphony with the Chicago SO (who commissioned the work) is one of the best - a most eloquent and poetic performance, appropriately coupled with Miaskovsky's 'Antar' Symphony (they share a theme in common).

[Linz]

Bruckner symphony No. 6 in A Major and von Weber overtures to The Ruler of the Spirits and Abu Hassan

[Todd]

[prémont]

Do you think it's just my imagination when I say that his style is quite lyrical, longish phrases?

It's certainly true that when I listened to AoF I first, I said to myself that the reason Brilliant haven't run with this is the sound. (Ironically, given that some of their own organ sound engineering is hardly the bee's knees.)

Yes, phrases are relatively long adding to the feeling of unity of the music (not to confuse with articulation which is rather detached). But lyrical, I don't know. I don't think he tells stories with the music, rather that he displays the affect of the music.

Relistening to AoF CD I at a higher volume made the organ sound a bit more present, but the sound is still unsatisfying, the plenum pieces the most (eg. Cpt. X and XI bordering the ugly). It is surprising but fortunate that the Passacaglia on CD II (played with plenum too) sounds very well in comparison.

As to CÜ III I also think that it's the plenum pieces (eg. second Kyrie and the pedal version of Aus tiefer Not) which fares the worst. Bad engineering surely, and the situation that the acoustics elude the organist. Thinking of how superprofessional the recordings by Beekman are, I find it amazing that Kooiman accepted the recording he got.

[Brian]

First listen to this particular recording of Krommer's wind partitas, and possibly first ever listen to two of the three specific works:



God, this music is endlessly delightful! It's a pure endorphin rush of happiness and charm. Although formally Krommer is clearly inspired by Haydn, the best comparison in terms of what it feels like to listen to this music is Rossini. Just endless charming invention and wit.

Krommer's symphonies are comparatively more complex and Haydnish, but also less instantly catchy and hummable. This is 100% pure fun.