What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

I will continue with Handley Symphonies 6 and 9 both in E minor and Fantasia on Greensleeves

A very good recording - especially those harps at the end of No.9!

[vandermolen]

What a spot-on summation of both the work and that particular performance, though Adrian's 1958 recording on Everest is probably just, very slightly, my preference.

I was impressed with the performance (and I wasn't expecting to be: I get very picky about my Tallis Fantasias!): I wouldn't hesitate to get it if you can.

Anyway:

Antonín Dvořák's
Zypressen [Liebeslieder]

Stamitz Quartet

Thank you! I'm also very fond of that Everest performance as well as the one conducted by Stokowski (who was a fellow student with Vaughan Williams at the Royal College of Music in London).

[Linz]

Vaughan Wiiliams A Pastoral Symphony with Andrew Manze

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: 'Epithalamion'
Lovely late-night listening:

[classicalgeek]

I love Ozawa's Ravel. I have this double-CD set:

I found everything on that one disc very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to Ozawa's complete 'Daphnis and Chloe'.

Villa-Lobos

Disc 5

Bachianas Brasileiras  Nos.2,3 & 4

One of my favorite collections! Villa-Lobos is such an excellent composer.

TD:
Dag Wirén
Symphony no. 2
Symphony no. 3
Concert Overture, op. 2
Concert Overture, op. 16
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard
(on Spotify)

[Pizzicato-Polka]

The Lark Ascending from:



First time listening to this piece and it made quite an impression, so please bear with my ramblings.

The title is well chosen, it truly sounds like a bird song, and a very calming one. I confess that when the first piano notes resounded, I was annoyed as I thought it would only distract from what would otherwise be a wonderful violin solo piece. However, my opinion changed within seconds, and soon I was blown away by how perfectly the two instruments intertwined. What a pure and beautiful music this is! The violin parts - so delicate, and the piano ones - full of pathos, but also in a gentle way. I said they went great together, but truth to be told, for me the piano in fact stole the show at times, which really says something (violin is my favorite instrument while I'm generally not too fond of piano). It sounds really smooth and warm on this recording...

Also at the beginning I mentioned that I found this piece calming, but maybe it would be more accurate to say that it's comforting, and satisfying. It made me think of an old man on his deathbed, looking back at his whole life, and able to go peacefully, with the knowledge that his time here was beautiful and well-lived.

Ps. After looking up the album reviews, I saw that people were saying that the Lark played only with violin and piano is not the most popular/main version of this work, and it surprised me! I can't imagine another version for this piece, the two instruments one is already perfect to me (I now noticed it says on the CD that it's the  "original version", so that's good to know).

[Symphonic Addict]

The Lark Ascending from:



First time listening to this piece and it made quite an impression, so please bear with my ramblings.

The title is well chosen, it truly sounds like a bird song, and a very calming one. I confess that when the first piano notes resounded, I was annoyed as I thought it would only distract from what would otherwise be a wonderful violin solo piece. However, my opinion changed within seconds, and soon I was blown away by how perfectly the two instruments intertwined. What a pure and beautiful music this is! The violin parts - so delicate, and the piano ones - full of pathos, but also in a gentle way. I said they went great together, but truth to be told, for me the piano in fact stole the show at times, which really says something (violin is my favorite instrument while I'm generally not too fond of piano). It sounds really smooth and warm on this recording...

Also at the beginning I mentioned that I found this piece calming, but maybe it would be more accurate to say that it's comforting, and satisfying. It made me think of an old man on his deathbed, looking back at his whole life, and able to go peacefully, with the knowledge that his time here was beautiful and well-lived.

Ps. After looking up the album reviews, I saw that people were saying that the Lark played only with violin and piano is not the most popular/main version of this work, and it surprised me! I can't imagine another version for this piece, the two instruments one is already perfect to me (I now noticed it says on the CD that it's the  "original version", so that's good to know).

Nice to read your impressions. One of the quintessential English works. I've never heard this original version with piano, though.

[Symphonic Addict]

Following with the birthday boy:

Symphony No. 2

A rather serviceable performance, albeit I didn't feel it special. The slow parts were interpreted better methinks.

[Todd]

from



A wholly satisfactory rendition of both works, with the only minus being a plummy low end.  This disc equivalent alone justified the $0.99 price tag.

Alas, the Bach Guild offers only 24 bit MP3 downloads, so I can only drool at what aural magnificence the full 32 bit sound could generate!

[vandermolen]

Following with the birthday boy:

Symphony No. 2

A rather serviceable performance, albeit I didn't feel it special. The slow parts were interpreted better methinks.

Although at least it's the 1920 version Cesar!

[prémont]

Mozart Piano Sonata KV310, Brautigam.



To be honest, it gave me little pleasure. He is banging too hard and the sound of the instrument is too clamorous for my taste.

I liked Brautigam's Beethoven (on fortepiano) a lot, so I was surprised by my reaction.

My reaction (to both his Mozart and his Beethoven) was precisely similar.

[aligreto]

Poulenc: Eric Le Sage Plays Poulenc





From CD 5:

Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon [Audin/Meyer]

This is a terrific, sparkling work. The clarinet shines through as it dances through the first movement and it is very ably accompanied by the bassoon. Both voices are on a more equal footing in the central movement which is more restrained but no less interesting than the opening movement. The final movement is a really terrific depiction of the wonderful sonorities that this scoring is capable of.

[JBS]

My reaction (to both his Mozart and his Beethoven) was precisely similar.

A lot of people seem to think his Mozart is inferior to his Haydn and Beethoven. I have the latter two but not the former. Van Oort is more than satisfying in Mozart for me.

TD

[Karl Henning]

I found everything on that one disc very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to Ozawa's complete 'Daphnis and Chloe'.

One of my favorite collections! Villa-Lobos is such an excellent composer.

TD:
Dag Wirén
Symphony no. 2
Symphony no. 3
Concert Overture, op. 2
Concert Overture, op. 16
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard
(on Spotify)

Nice! Good to "see" you, James!

[aligreto]

Personally, I think you are right on!

I hate to disagree, but I think the Lalo Symphony is lovely.

I always find it fascinating how different people hear a musical work differently.

[aligreto]

More from the big Boccherini Edition on Brillant. CD 34: six Sonatas for solo cello played by Luigi Puxxedu and Federico Bracalente.

Boccherini wrote much wonderful music in many different formats.

[Daverz]

I hate to disagree, but I think the Lalo Symphony is lovely.

I've always enjoyed it, particularly the Beecham recording.  I was surprised to find that it has so many detractors.



Now playing: Vaughan Williams Symphonies 5 (Brabbins) and 4 (Berglund)





A belated happy birthday to Ralph Vaughan Williams.

[Todd]

[Lisztianwagner]

First listen to this particular composition:

Ralph Vaughan Williams
Oboe Concerto

https://youtube.com/v/T1cbDmtRDAI

[VonStupp]

Vaughan Williams
The Wasps
Henry Goodman, narrator
Hallé Orchestra & Chorus - Sir Mark Elder

A Cotswold Romance
Rosa Mannion, soprano / Thomas Randle, tenor
London SO & LPO Chorus - Sir Richard Hickox

Not much time for casual listening nowadays, but for RVW, The Wasps puts me in a jolly mood, as does his A Cotswold Romance. A distinct pleasure every listen.

VS