What are you listening 2 now?

[Harry]

Hi Harry - have that CD, too - enjoy the Benda Brothers and own about 12 recordings presently (list attached) - have not looked recently on Amazon to see what 'new' may have been added - Franz Benda in particular seems to have written a lot, esp. for violin.  Any other recommendations in your collection that I could add?  Thanks - Dave

No Dave not really, you have pretty much what is recorded, and that is not much, you have even more as is in my collection. Benda is as I said neglected on a grand scale. But what new there is recorded I will most probably buy.

[Karl Henning]

Arnold Schönberg
Kammersymphonie No.1

For me this morning:

Arnold Schönberg
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23
Suite for Piano, Op. 25
Piano Piece Op. 33a
Piano Piece Op. 33b
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 42
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado

[Karl Henning]

Those are works I don't know (not having much explored Mendelssohn). I read the Varations sérieuses are among the composer's finest works.

Now, the Canal Grande label ought to pay more attention to their production standards; Variations sërieuses, really? 

Hah! Oops. Good day, Rafael! I do love the Variations sérieuses.

[Harry]

John Ireland.
Orchestral Works.
Satyricon.
A Downland Suite.
Mai-Dun.
The Forgotten Rite.
A London Overture.
The holy Boy.
Epic March.
Sinfonia of London, John Wilson.

Hat Tip to Jeffrey, (van der Molen) for this wonderful recording. More of it I say. Really perfect performances of these works.

[Lisztianwagner]

For me this morning:

Arnold Schönberg
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23
Suite for Piano, Op. 25
Piano Piece Op. 33a
Piano Piece Op. 33b
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 42
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado

An excellent choice, the Pollini recordings are outstanding!

[Karl Henning]

An excellent choice, the Pollini recordings are outstanding!

That they are, Ilaria!

[Todd]

Went for more Boulanger, with Stravinsky tagging along.  I'm not really partial to this Stravinsky piece, but it comes off well enough.  In the Boulanger, though, Gardiner crushes it.  The Tortelier sounded nice enough, but the pieces here (including overlap) come off as slower, more powerful, more substantive.  Too bad a physical disc comes in at $80 new.  A download purchase may be in order.

[Karl Henning]

For me this morning:

Arnold Schönberg
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23
Suite for Piano, Op. 25
Piano Piece Op. 33a
Piano Piece Op. 33b
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 42
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado

I'd be curious to know Andrei's response to the Op. 42 ....

[Todd]

Sticking with Boulanger.  Three short pieces over in five minutes.  They sound nice enough, and now I have another pianist to listen to.

[Lisztianwagner]

I'd be curious to know Andrei's response to the Op. 42 ....

Yeah, if I'm not wrong, he's not a great fan of the Second Viennese School; but maybe he could appreciate this work.....

[Lisztianwagner]

Speaking of Schönberg:

Arnold Schönberg
Suite for Piano, Op. 25

Anton Webern
Variations, Op. 27

[Symphonic Addict]

Verdi: Ernani

[Karl Henning]

Just a hodgepodge:
"Wolferl's" Cantata Davidde Penitente, K. 469
Bloch's Sinfonia breve, of which I'm a great fan, and Butterworth's Banks of Green Willow, whereof honestly I do not remember a note.

[Todd]

Finishing up an impromptu mini-Boulanger binge with a recording of a sub-genre I almost never listen to: works for chorus and piano.  The works all compel, and all sound informed by early 20th Century French composers, with the name Debussy popping into mind all the time.  This is not to write that Ms Boulanger aped her older countryman's style, just that the influence is there to hear.  The final piece gives the disc its name, but it is surely the Vieille prière bouddhique that steals the show.  I heard an orchestrated version earlier today, and I must say that this version may just be better.  The ancient dance of death tune makes a transformed appearance.  A couple solo piano interludes also appear.  Overall, most satisfying.

Sound is efficient and clear rather than maximally pleasing.

[JBS]

Extraordinary to see that those Strauss performances were "first recordings" - such lovely music by a great composer how come it had to wait so long!?

These recordings were done in the mid-1970s, so that makes it a 30 year gap for the "Happy Workshop" Symphony
It is possible that only the Serenade was a premiere recording, since it was a relatively early work.

TD
Finishing off the NWE set with Stravinsky and Antheil. The latter is a very short CD (36 minutes) even though it includes the Second Violin Sonata and the final movement of the First Violin Sonata.

[vandermolen]

Sinfonia del Mare (Nystroem)

[JBS]

No Dave not really, you have pretty much what is recorded, and that is not much, you have even more as is in my collection. Benda is as I said neglected on a grand scale. But what new there is recorded I will most probably buy.

I'm waiting for a Presto order to show up in my mailbox that includes this

[Harry]

I'm waiting for a Presto order to show up in my mailbox that includes this

Saw that, but its Franz Benda, and I was listening and writing about Jiri Antonin Benda. But that CD is on my list anyway!

[JBS]

Saw that, but its Franz Benda, and I was listening and writing about Jiri Antonin Benda. But that CD is on my list anyway!

I forgot there were two of them!

Reverting to my actual listening

TD
Finishing off the NWE set with Stravinsky and Antheil. The latter is a very short CD (36 minutes) even though it includes the Second Violin Sonata and the final movement of the First Violin Sonata.

I think this my first listen to Antheil. Nothing unpleasant about it....but nothing strikes me as wanting to be heard again.

[Irons]

Holst: The Planets.

William Boughton conducting Philharmonia.

Fresh as new paint, lighter and more effervescent then recordings I'm used to. The GMG composer thread has two entry's, Planet Holst and non-Planet Holst which makes perfect sense as being so unlike it as if two composers. Broughton brings them closer together and I could hear echoes of the latter in his Planets. Probably not, but the orchestra appeared as if reduced forces to my ears, even a chamber feel at times which increased clarity and for me enjoyment. "Saturn" is fabulous, in this recording the heart of the work. I wasn't expecting too much from a performance that turned out to be rather excellent.