What are you listening 2 now?

[vers la flamme]

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite. Mstislav Rostropovich, Berlin Philharmonic.

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Mondays -

Bernstein
Halil - nocturne for flute, percussion and piano or orchestra
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein



The beginning of this work has some Takemitsu-like phrases that I find quite fascinating, but then it goes into this lush, sensuous but subdued melodic section that I find intoxicating. I might have to repeat this work again. I liked it that much.

"Halil is formally unlike any other work I have written, but it is like much of my music in its struggle between tonal and non-tonal forces. In this case I sense that struggle as involving wars and the threats of wars, the overwhelming desire to live and the consolations of art, love, and the hope for peace." - Leonard Bernstein

[staxomega]

CD 1, Vivo arditamente from Sorabji's Piano Sonata 4 (Jonathan Powell). Earlier I was streaming some of Sequentia Cyclica.

[Symphonic Addict]

Best performance of that fine score I think.

Possibly it is, though I stick with Rasilainen. 

[Symphonic Addict]

Disc 2. Two large scale tone poems and two shorter works. This music equals anything written by de Falla, Granados and Albeniz. The themes Gómez comes up with are gorgeous and his orchestration clever, even intoxicating.

The label Verso has issued discs devoted to the 'lost generation' of spanish composers, who were against Franco during the Civil War. Just like the German musicians that went into 'internal exile' in 1933-1945, they were blotted out of any official positions and their compositions banned from performance. This lasted until the death of the Caudillo (1975), by which time many were dead, too old, or entirely forgotten. Also, the times had changed radically and the 'nationalist-impressionist' school of composing had become passé.

I strongly recommend this set, one of the best in the series.

Very interesting to read, André. Never heard of him. For now I only know the Tomás Bretón's symphonies on this series.

[André]

Try to get hold of that Gómez set, it's a real find!

[André]

Disc two. Rubbra's Soliloquy redeems a rather plain disc. The Busch and Moeran works have their moments but are unmemorable IMO.

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Mondays:

Bernstein
Clarinet Sonata
Todd Palmer (clarinet), Carol Archer (piano)

[JBS]

Schubert being mediocre ( Six Big Marches and a Rondo), Gesualdo being great (Third Book of Madrigals)
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[asin]B00E3ISIAO[/asin]

[San Antone]

[asin]B00E3ISIAO[/asin]

That Gesualdo by Marco Longhini set is really good, IMO.

[Mirror Image]

Some late Tippett for me:

String Quartet No. 5
Heath Quartet



Followed by:

The Rose Lake
Davis
LSO





Interesting video on Tippett's last work, The Rose Lake:

https://www.youtube.com/v/cm-BERrH5mY

[JBS]

That Gesualdo by Marco Longhini set is really good, IMO.

Three CDs in, I am inclined to agree with you.

[vandermolen]

Disc two. Rubbra's Soliloquy redeems a rather plain disc. The Busch and Moeran works have their moments but are unmemorable IMO.

Holst's 'Invocation', Finzi's 'Introit' and especially David Morgan's Violin Concerto are my favourites although I don't have that set.

TD
Early morning listening (Symphony No.7 again):

[Traverso]

Seems like yesterday that Pogo was the latest enfant terrible, but he and I are both old now. 



TD:

Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 - Ormandy

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Really interesting to hear Ormandy with a different orchestra.  A fine Sibelius 7, in very good sound.

I'm old too but still have all my hair.

[Traverso]

Schubert

CD2

Karl Engel klavier

[Florestan]

Disc 2. Two large scale tone poems and two shorter works. This music equals anything written by de Falla, Granados and Albeniz. The themes Gómez comes up with are gorgeous and his orchestration clever, even intoxicating.

The label Verso has issued discs devoted to the 'lost generation' of spanish composers, who were against Franco during the Civil War. Just like the German musicians that went into 'internal exile' in 1933-1945, they were blotted out of any official positions and their compositions banned from performance. This lasted until the death of the Caudillo (1975).

Except that none of those applied to Gomez himself, who held numerous academic positions during Franco's regime, including Chief Librarian of the Madrid Conservatory Library and  the Chair of Composition at the Madrid Conservatory and was nominated member of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

[Irons]

Elgar's 1st Symphony does suffer from little memorability in the inner movements. Moreover, the work is one of those cases where the last movement is the best of the whole piece. It's really striking. As for Introduction & Allegro, it may sound a bit academic, but I find it very nice. I'm crazy about works for string orchestra that sound dense and intense.

The weird power of music! It breaks me up every time when the opening theme of the first movement returns in the finale. I have no idea why this should have such an affect.

Thanks to Ken Russell whenever I hear I & A in my imagination I'm galloping over the Malvern Hills, forgetting the fact I have never sat on the back of a horse in my life!

[Madiel]

Cello concertos of Barber (1945) and Holmboe (1974).

[Tsaraslondon]

Symphony no 5 in B flat major

Never performed or published during Bruckner's lifetime, the 5th is not a symphony I had ever heard until buying this set.

Incidentally, people will no doubt tell me that there are better versions of the various symphonies out there, but, for someone like me, who is relatively new to Bruckner, this set is an incredible bargain. The playing is, as you would expect, superb and, as far as I can tell, the performances excellent, much more than that in certain instances. As an inexpensive way of discovering the music, you can't really do better.

[Madiel]

Sibelius, Symphony No.7