What are you listening 2 now?

[Traverso]

Mahler


Symphony No.4


It is a pity that Haitink was not allowed to complete these recordings with the Berliner Philharmoniker. The recording quality is first class, as is the Berliner's playing, perhaps not a first choice but no doubt interesting as a never ending exploration  for the deeper stirrings of Mahler's work.

[j winter]

Two works that I honestly don't spin that often, but do enjoy...  Grieg PC, followed by the Franck symphony...

[Todd]

[Karl Henning]

Two works that I honestly don't spin that often, but do enjoy...  Grieg PC, followed by the Franck symphony...

My guess is that Muti and Philly do a good job with the Franck 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Pancho Vladigerov: Bulgarian Rhapsody, etc.

[Lisztianwagner]

First listen to Dallapiccola's music, I'm quite curious since I've read interesting things about this composer; I've read he was one of the first Italian composers to use dodecaphony, but as a method to discipline the creative inspiration with a more lyrical, softer approach than Schönberg, anyway without losing the strictness; then he also used a more webernian style, barer and more angular. Fascinating.

Luigi Dallapiccola
Quaderno musicale di Annalibera

Pianist: Roberto Prosseda

[Traverso]

Ravel



Always surprising how many musical treasures there are, this is certainly one of them.

[Todd]

I bought this cycle a dozen years ago this month.  I have not listened to the entire cycle since 2012, so I decided to try to do so now.  Starting with #1.  Nice enough, but hardly a top five choice.

[Mapman]

Last night,
Mozart: Harmoniemusik from Die Zauberflöte (Arr by ?)
Budapest Wind Ensemble

This is wonderful! Some of the best parts of The Magic Flute, for winds (roughly the same ensemble as in Mozart's Serenades for winds). It's beautifully played, too.

[Symphonic Addict]

Two supremely enchanting, graceful, warm symphonies that lack neither excitement nor profoundness. A good part of both works (mostly in the slow movements) possess a moving sense of nostalgia. There is a tune in the 1st mov. from the Symphony No. 1 that has a strong similarity with one from the 2nd mov. of Finzi's Cello Concerto.

I saw myself enjoying these works very much. Loved them.

[JBS]

Two more new-to-me symphonies from this set, the Fifth (1960) and Sixth (1961)


The Fifth, for soprano (no text, only vocalise) and orchestra, is titled Drammatica; the Sixth, for clarinet and orchestra, is titled Concertante, but the soprano's part in the Fifth is so extensive, and the music is so tempestuous and tumultuous in both, that either title could fit either of these symphonies.

In fact listening to both together was a bit too much, so something completely different is starting now, a repeat listen to the second CD of this duo

K 542 in E
K 548 in C
K 564 in G
(all three date to 1788)

[JBS]

Apparently I don't want to get too much work done this afternoon 

How is it?

ETA:
Never mind...I just saw your post in the Mahler thread.

[Symphonic Addict]

Brian: Symphonies 22-24

[Symphonic Addict]

These sonatas exceeded my expectations, they're more than merely good. I was particularly grabbed by the energy, eloquence and directness of the No. 1 in A minor. I'd say it's a masterpiece or very close to be one.

[SimonNZ]

Op.111


followed by:



Op.111

[Roasted Swan]

A few years back Universal dug through their extensive back catalogues (mining DG/Decca/Phillips etc) to produce 2-disc collections of individual composers and called these twofers rather optimistically "Panorama".  The packaging is bland and the notes non-existant so they are the kinds of things that turn up online and in Charity Shops for pence.  But under the bonnet of blandness hide some fine and interesting performances even if most of the time it is pretty standard repertoire.  Anyway I picked up the "Dvorak Panorama" a day or so ago for £1.  Disc 1 combines the Karajan/BPO "New World" with the Beaux Arts Trio's "Dumky".  Disc 2 has some of Kubelik's Slavonic Dances Op.46 and Carnival Overture with the Bavarian RSO plus Marriner's Serenade for String with his Academy of St. Martin's.



Interesting how little Karajan has to say about the New World in this 1960's DG performance.  The work did get the obligatory late digital remake which I have not heard and in the light of this version won't!  Of course everything is beautifuly played but the music making itself is about as routine and generic as it could be.  Compare that to the "lesser" Slavonic Dances which are given wonderfully flexible and vibrant performances.  Hard not to come to the conclusion (stating the obvious here!) that Kubelik loved Dvorak and Karajan was really not fussed.  Apart from this work and a successful No.8 I'm not sure he recorded any other music by him did he?

[Que]

Morning listening:

[Madiel]

Earlier today at work thanks to Olivier's prompting/reminder, and I might very well put it on for another spin now at home:



I love that voice, and this first album (of four) has the advantage of containing two of my favourite Debussy collections.

How Dietschy has not recorded 3 or 4 times more albums, I do not know. I'm glad they at least used her recordings in one of the big Debussy box sets.

[SimonNZ]

Debussy: Preludes

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

JS Bach - Trio Sonatas No.1 & 2 (complete works by Isoir - CD11)