What are you listening 2 now?

[SonicMan46]

Chopin w/ Pietro De Maria - finishing up the 13-disc box below by the afternoon - Dave

[Traverso]

Bach


Partita 1,2 & 6

[Papy Oli]

You reminded me, Olivier, that I had scheduled this work for a listen but had not done so until now.

Strauss: Oboe Concerto [Holliger]





The Strauss Oboe Concerto is always a beguiling and interesting work. It is, for me, a cohesive and an organic whole as far as composition is concerned. This particular presentation of the work is definitely one to be recommended. The slow movement is particularly beguiling and engaging. The work, as a whole, and this presentation in particular, is vibrant and expansive, energetic and exciting. It is also very well driven where appropriate. This is, perhaps, the finest version that I have heard of this work so far; most definitely one of them! The playing throughout is supreme.

This work was indeed really entertaining, Fergus. Another big tick against Strauss' name for me.

Slowly building up to Salome 

[Traverso]

You reminded me, Olivier, that I had scheduled this work for a listen but had not done so until now.


Strauss: Oboe Concerto [Holliger]





The Strauss Oboe Concerto is always a beguiling and interesting work. It is, for me, a cohesive and an organic whole as far as composition is concerned. This particular presentation of the work is definitely one to be recommended. The slow movement is particularly beguiling and engaging. The work, as a whole, and this presentation in particular, is vibrant and expansive, energetic and exciting. It is also very well driven where appropriate. This is, perhaps, the finest version that I have heard of this work so far; most definitely one of them! The playing throughout is supreme.

Glad to hear that you like this recording,it is indeed a very fine recording. 

[vers la flamme]

Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in D major, op.76 no.5, the "Largo". London Haydn Quartet

Love this set

[Karl Henning]

Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in D major, op.76 no.5, the "Largo". London Haydn Quartet

Love this set

Sweet!

[VonStupp]

Frederick Delius
Sea Drift
Songs of Farewell
Songs of Sunset

Sally Burgess, mezzo
Bryn Terfel, baritone
Waynflete Singers
Southern Voices

Bournemouth SO & Chorus - Richard Hickox

For this afternoon:

Not much of a Delius fan, but thought I would give this recording a go. I last heard Janet Baker & John Shirley-Quirk in Songs of Sunset.

VS

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. Frederica von Stade, Andrew Davis, London Philharmonic

This is really an excellent performance of these Lieder. I want the rest of Frederica's recordings of Mahler Lieder with Andrew Davis.

[Karl Henning]

JSB
BWV 18: Cantata № 18, « Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt »

[LKB]

You reminded me, Olivier, that I had scheduled this work for a listen but had not done so until now.


Strauss: Oboe Concerto [Holliger]





The Strauss Oboe Concerto is always a beguiling and interesting work. It is, for me, a cohesive and an organic whole as far as composition is concerned. This particular presentation of the work is definitely one to be recommended. The slow movement is particularly beguiling and engaging. The work, as a whole, and this presentation in particular, is vibrant and expansive, energetic and exciting. It is also very well driven where appropriate. This is, perhaps, the finest version that I have heard of this work so far; most definitely one of them! The playing throughout is supreme.

I've always wished l could have performed the work back when l was playing... and yet, the regret is tempered by the slightest sense of having ( possibly ) dodged a bullet, because of what happened to Bill Bennett, the long- time principal oboe of the San Francisco Symphony:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bennett_(oboist)

The first phrase for the soloist is fifty-seven bars in length, with no written breaks. Most oboists simply insert breaths at natural points, though Holliger employed circular breathing in his first recording ( l haven't heard the present recording ).

Of course, it is probable that Mr. Bennett would have eventually met the same fate, while tending his garden, or shopping, or playing something utterly undemanding. But since l had to stop playing back in the '90's because of pain in my head, l've always wondered if l wouldn't have had something similar occur had l performed the Strauss...

[Todd]

Revisiting Previn's RVW cycle, starting with A Sea Symphony.  I dislike it as much now as I did before.

[Karl Henning]

No surprise:

JSB
BWV 19: Cantata № 19, « Es erhub sich ein Streit »

[aligreto]

I have always liked that set very much, Jan.

[aligreto]

Slowly building up to Salome 

I think that you should be relatively OK with Salome, Olivier. Elektra is the "interesting" one 

[aligreto]

Glad to hear that you like this recording,it is indeed a very fine recording. 

Yes, I believe that it is one of the better versions of this work that I have heard, Jan.
I will, some time in the future, do an A/B comparison between this Holliger version and that one with him under the baton of de Waart.

[Karl Henning]

I think that you should be relatively OK with Salome, Olivier. Elektra is the "interesting" one 

I need to familiarize myself with them both. Good day, Fergus!

[Karl Henning]

"Papa"
String Quartet in G Op. 33 № 5, Hob. III:41
Quatuor Mosaïques

[aligreto]

I've always wished l could have performed the work back when l was playing... and yet, the regret is tempered by the slightest sense of having ( possibly ) dodged a bullet, because of what happened to Bill Bennett, the long- time principal oboe of the San Francisco Symphony:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bennett_(oboist)

The first phrase for the soloist is fifty-seven bars in length, with no written breaks. Most oboists simply insert breaths at natural points, though Holliger employed circular breathing in his first recording ( l haven't heard the present recording ).

Of course, it is probable that Mr. Bennett would have eventually met the same fate, while tending his garden, or shopping, or playing something utterly undemanding. But since l had to stop playing back in the '90's because of pain in my head, l've always wondered if l wouldn't have had something similar occur had l performed the Strauss...

This is a work that I particularly like. I have only heard it once in a live recording [soloist forgotten at this stage] and it was a wonderful experience. I can readily understand any oboist wanting to play this work live despite Mr. Bennett's unfortunate demise [of which I was not aware until now; thank you for the link].

I have no doubt that you would have performed it admirably. 

[aligreto]

I need to familiarize myself with them both. Good day, Fergus!

The Strauss operas Salome and Elektra are not necessarily for the faint of heart, Karl. 

Good day to you too, good sir. It is a good one here. I hope that you are doing well. I will be in contact with you, privately, soon. 

[aligreto]

Barry: The Importance of Being Earnest, Act 1 [Ades]