What are you listening 2 now?

[Mapman]

Yesterday, in the car:
CPE Bach: Flute Concertos

[Lisztianwagner]

Nice! Great performance from Ashkenazy/Solti. This was actually one of the first recordings of Bartók that I bought. Still a favorite of mine to this day.

It is also my favourite recording for the piano concertos, along with the Boulez/Zimerman/Andsnes/Grimaud.

[Mirror Image]

It is also my favourite recording for the piano concertos, along with the Boulez/Zimerman/Andsnes/Grimaud.

Very nice. Out of curiosity have you heard Kocsis/Fischer? I enjoy this particular cycle, but also Schiff/Fischer on Teldec.

[Todd]

1.  Lots of nifty woodwind detail.  Not bad. 

[Lisztianwagner]

Very nice. Out of curiosity have you heard Kocsis/Fischer? I enjoy this particular cycle, but also Schiff/Fischer on Teldec.

I haven't heard either Kocsis/Fischer or Shiff/Fischer; but I know Kocsis is excellent in Bartók, because I have his box set of Bartók's solo piano works. On second thoughts, I may have a listen to those cycles if you recommend them, as a matter of fact, apart from the recordings I've already mentioned, I only know the Noseda/Bavouzet, plus the Abbado/Pollini for Piano Concertos No. 1 & 2.

[Karl Henning]

I'm hoping to see it performed at the Proms in August.

Nice.

[Mirror Image]

I haven't heard either Kocsis/Fischer or Shiff/Fischer; but I know Kocsis is excellent in Bartók, because I have his box set of Bartók's solo piano works. On second thoughts, I may have a listen to those cycles if you recommend them, as a matter of fact, apart from the recordings I've already mentioned, I only know the Noseda/Bavouzet, plus the Abbado/Pollini for Piano Concertos No. 1 & 2.

Yeah, definitely check those two cycles out for sure. The Pollini/Abbado recordings are excellent, but I didn't care much for the Bavouzet/Noseda recording --- the performances felt too soft for these particular works.

[Traverso]

Richard Strauss

[Linz]

Knappertsbusch Vienna Hoilday with Johann Strauss I Radetzky March, Komzák Bad'ner Mad'ln Waltz, Strauss Sr. Annen Polka Strauss II Accelerations Waltz and Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Ziehrer Wiener Bürger Waltz, Leichtes Blut Galop, Leichtes Blut Polka, Schubert Marche militaire, Weber Aufforderung zum Tanz, Nicolai Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor  Overture

[ritter]

First listen to this new acquisition:


I knew Hélène Bouvier from her appearance as Geneviève in the first Ansermet recording of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, and her appearance in the Markevitch recording of Milhaud's Les Choéphores. She also was the female lead in the first ever studio recording of Samson et Dalila, which I have in the big Warner Saint-Saëns box but haven't listened to yet.

Mme. Bouvier's is not a particularly distinctive or large mezzo voice, but one used with sensitivity and well-projected. Her clear diction is also to be mentioned. In this disc (from two live recitals in the Salle Gaveau from 1959 and 1957), the three selections of old music (Middle Ages and Lully) don't leave much if an impression, but when we get to Debussy and beyond, the singer is in her element and gives us very enjoyable renditions. And what a pleasure it's to hear Ravel's Histoires naturelles sung with such conviction!

[Todd]

1.

[SonicMan46]

 

1.

Hi Todd - assume that your '1.' below the image might be a ranking?  I own the Hough 2-disc recording inserted above but the Schiff certainly piques my interest w/ the period piano and orchestra.  Both come in at <50 mins/CD, but I bought the Hyperion set from the Amazon MP in 2014 for about $16 vs. $27 for the Schiff set on Amazon USA today; only wish this were a '2 CDs for the price of one' deal, but I'll search around?  For those who like to read reviews, see the attachment - the MusicWeb reviewer specifically compares Schiff to the Hough recording.  Thanks for any comments.  Dave

[Brian]

Hi Todd - assume that your '1.' below the image might be a ranking?  I own the Hough 2-disc recording inserted above but the Schiff certainly piques my interest w/ the period piano and orchestra.  Both come in at <50 mins/CD, but I bought the Hyperion set from the Amazon MP in 2014 for about $16 vs. $27 for the Schiff set on Amazon USA today; only wish this were a '2 CDs for the price of one' deal, but I'll search around?  For those who like to read reviews, see the attachment - the MusicWeb reviewer specifically compares Schiff to the Hough recording.  Thanks for any comments.  Dave

He just means Concerto No. 1 is the one he's listening to.

[SonicMan46]

He just means Concerto No. 1 is the one he's listening to.

Thanks Brian - that was my other guess - Dave

[Linz]

Antoni Wit  with Gòrecki Symphony No. 3, Three Olden Style Pieces Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

[kyjo]

I couldn't imagine being without all of RVW's symphonies. They're all incredible in their own individual way. I have no preference for the more gnarly works vs. the more modal, pastoral works. All of these sides of his musical persona give me great pleasure, but they also reveal he wasn't some one-trick pony like a lot composers were around this time.

Actually, I agree John and I may have overstated my preference for RVW's "harder-edged" works - it's only slight. I greatly admire the multi-faced nature of his musical personality and enjoy almost everything the man wrote. And no matter what style he was writing in, it's recognizably RVW.

[kyjo]

Among RVW less hard edged works, I find the 3rd symphony more memorable than the 5th. But I should reserve judgement because I need to find time to listen again, and perhaps will listen to a version other than Boult. Barbirolli is an option, as well as Haitink and the new Brabbins recording. A little surprisingly, I don't seem to be as taken with it now as a remember being when I first encountered it through the Andrew Davis/BBC and Haitink recordings.

To the bolded text: Maybe Boult isn't the definitive recording, then? I enjoy Previn's version of the 5th a great deal, but then again I haven't done a lot of comparison between recordings of this work.

[kyjo]

Gustav Holst
The Cloud Messenger



That's a very beautiful and powerfully evocative piece, I've always thought Holst was really brilliant in composing works for orchestra and chorus.

+1 His (First) Choral Symphony and The Hymn of Jesus are also stunning works. I love the way Holst often evokes exotic/mystical atmospheres in these works.

[SonicMan46]

Russian Piano Trios - 3 CDs - Dave

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Hello Tonight please lLadie's & gentelmen it'S an honor to present you my following lastest  a CD media album, not some darn F streaming  , anyway Ensemble Cappella Romana Music of Byzantium, remain another solid release to there  recordings, the music time lapse 1261 to 156, Great album and performance, really like it a lot.