What are you listening 2 now?

[San Antone]

[Traverso]

Stravinsky


The Fairy's Kiss


The Cleveland Orchestra

Oliver Knussen

[Karl Henning]

"Wolferl"
Symphony № 39 in E^b, K. 543
Cleveland
Szell

JSB
BWV 30: Cantata № 30, « Freue dich, erlöste Schar »

[Karl Henning]

Stravinsky


The Fairy's Kiss


The Cleveland Orchestra

Oliver Knussen

Superb, Jan! Goedendag!

[Que]

Delightful.

Absolutely.

[Traverso]

Superb, Jan! Goedendag!

Ha Karl, I really needed this,however in French it sounds more appealing 

Le Baiser De la Fée  ......

[Karl Henning]

Ha Karl, I really needed this,however in French it sounds more appealing 

Le Baiser De la Fée  ......

(* chortle *)

[Brian]

First full listen to "Play", the intimidatingly attention-deficit-afflicted, insanely virtuosic concerto for orchestra by Andrew Norman.



This sounds so wildly hard but fun to play. It's really a testament to modern orchestra skill that anyone can get through this in concert. Once my brain adjusted to the frenetic pace of ideas and changes, I am really, really digging this piece. Bet TheGSMoeller is a fan.

[SonicMan46]

Bach, JS - Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012 w/ Pascal Monteilhet on theorbo - 'used' purchases from the Amazon MP on two different labels.  Dave

 

[Karl Henning]

First full listen to "Play", the intimidatingly attention-deficit-afflicted, insanely virtuosic concerto for orchestra by Andrew Norman.



This sounds so wildly hard but fun to play. It's really a testament to modern orchestra skill that anyone can get through this in concert. Once my brain adjusted to the frenetic pace of ideas and changes, I am really, really digging this piece. Bet TheGSMoeller is a fan.

Nice! Local band. Love 'em!

[pjme]

It is raining! Time for some serious music while cooling ...

https://www.youtube.com/v/pjK2UTX-L1k

Olly Wilson : this is the 3rd time I listen. A big, brash symphony that swings, groans and wheeps... fabulous.
https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/hold-on-a-celebration-of-the-life-of-olly-wilson/

[Traverso]

Richard Strauss

Aus Italien

The Cleveland Orchestra

Vladimir Ashkenazy

[vandermolen]

I love it. Have a great week, Jeffrey!

You too Manabu!

[Brian]

Nice! Local band. Love 'em!

Their repertoire commitment is extraordinary! As is the volume of work they are able to produce in that chosen field.

I have this coming up on my playlist from them as well:



But in between, needed a palate cleanser of a little bit older-fashioned music. Trying this:



All first listens except Biber's "Battalia a 10". Have not heard any of the Piston either.

[Spotted Horses]

Agreed!
You remember right, if the two Karajan versions are compared, as a matter of fact the Philharmonia recording has a clearer, more defined sound for the brass, while the BPO recording shows a more nuanced brass tone.

I wouldn't say one or the other was more nuanced, and I love them both. It struck me as contrast in style. You read things, then can't remember where, but I remember reading somewhere that Legge would proudly boast that his Philharmonia orchestra had no style, it could play in whatever style the music or conductor demanded. Liszt was so eclectic that you can find many things in his music, and in the Philharmonia recording with Karajan I would say they brought out the French influence, with lighter brass lines, whereas Berlin definitely has a default central European style which Karajan luxuriated in, with heavier, more legato brass sound and a more sensuous sound overall.

I guess, it gives me the impression that Karajan wasn't as much a control freak as people think he was. Working with a different orchestra, he could bring out the most convincing performance that was compatible with their natural style of performance.

[Spotted Horses]

After making my way through Ciccolini's recording of Liszt's Annees de pelerinage, I decided to dip into Cziffra, listening just to the first of the Petrarch Sonnet pieces.



I must say, I am impressed with the charisma that Cziffra brings to the music, a contrast to Ciccolini. Maybe I'll listen through Cziffra.

[Linz]

Handel: Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne HWV 74, Anthem for the Foundling Hospital HWV 288 and Mass No. 2 Hob.XXII Simon Preston

[Traverso]

Ligeti

[ritter]

I seldom revisit the music of Óscar Esplá, a secondary figure in 20th century Spanish music. He must have been an interesting figure, as he seems to have obtained degrees in engineering and in philosophy, was mainly self-taught in composition (but took lessons with Reger and Saint-Saëns), was certainly a fixture of the intellectual milieu in Spain in the pre-civil war years (he set texts by renowned poets such as Rafael Alberti and Gerardo Diego), suffered self-imposed (well, kinda) exile during and after the civil war, but returned to Spain in 1951 to achieve a notable position in the country's musical life until his death in 1976 at the age of 89. He seems to have known and befriended everyone who was anyone, but now is lapsing into oblivion.

His music can be described as Spanish nationalism with a cosmopolitan (partly Gallic, partly Hollywoodesque  ) twist in style but an inward-looking, provincial spirit (if that makes sense at all). It's pleasant enough, not groundbreaking by any means, and has a strong nostalgic component to it (which might only be appreciated by natives).

The first CD of this twofer has the "scenic cantata" La Nochebuena del diablo ("The Devil's Christmas Eve", with soprano Isabel Penagos singing the texts by Alberti) and the Sonata del Sur (with the great Marcelle Meyer as piano soloists). In both works the Spanish National Orchestra is conducted by the composer. Then we get the Impresiones Musicales for solo piano, played by Pilar Bayona.

I wouldn't mind getting a recording of what seems to be Esplá most important orchestral work, the Sinfonía Aitana (the title refers to a mountain range in Esplá's birthplace Alicante), as it has the revealing subtitle "tonal music in memoriam".

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Hindemith: Sonatas for Viola and Piano. Nobuko Imai.