What are you listening 2 now?

[Harry]

Very funny Jan! 
She certainly didn't like Lyatoshynsky's 3rd Symphony at the Barbican recently 'IT'S LIKE WORLD WAR THREE' etcetc.

It must be said she has a funny way of expressing herself  
And for the record, my wife thinks very highly of Lyatoshynsky's third Symphony

[Harry]

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. (1998)
Rituals for Five Percussionists and Orchestra. (2002.
Pamela Frank, violin.
Nexus/Iris Chamber Orchestra, and Saarbrucken Radio SO, Michael Stern.

Zwilich is high on my musical priority list. Once a good female friend living in NY and once member on GMG, pointed me towards her. And she sent me two CDs that were not available in Europe. That was somewhere around 2005=2007. I have lost contact with her, but boy did I connect to Zwilich's music. I simply love every note she composed. She is not widely recorded or noticed, but that doesn't deter me from applauding and recommending her music. This is the first disc of three I have. The Violin concerto is of extraordinary beauty. Played with exceptional feeling for the sound world of Zwilich. Rituals is a technical tour de force in fusing percussion with orchestra. And that's done really well in this performance . Artistically, this is a resounding success that needs to be heard. Recording and performance couldn't be better.

[Mahlerbruck]

One of my favourite Vaughan Williams Symphonies is the second symphony.

Vaughan Williams - Symphony no. 2 "London"
Kees Bakels
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra



I have also recordings of 1913 version and 1920 version.

[vandermolen]

It must be said she has a funny way of expressing herself  
And for the record, my wife thinks very highly of Lyatoshynsky's third Symphony

I'm pleased to hear that Harry!
Especially for you - now playing:
Erkki Salmenhaara: Symphony No.4 (direct from the Fuga Record Shop in Helsinki and its kindly proprietor Hannu  )
This great symphony is conducted by one of my favourite named conductors - Ulf Soderblom with the Finnish RSO.

[vandermolen]

It must be said she has a funny way of expressing herself  
And for the record, my wife thinks very highly of Lyatoshynsky's third Symphony

Indeed, as in 'OMG!!!YOU'RE NOT ONLINE TO YOUR CAT GROUP AGAIN?!!!'
 

[vandermolen]

One of my favourite Vaughan Williams Symphonies is the second symphony.

Vaughan Williams - Symphony no. 2 "London"
Kees Bakels
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra



I have also recordings of 1913 version and 2020 version.

Mine too and it was VW's favourite (of his first eight symphonies at least). I was felt very privileged to be able attend the first performance of the original (1913) version since c.1920 at the Barbican (with Hickox conducting and with Ursula Vaughan Williams in attendance). Afterwards I queued up to get Hickox to sign my concert programme and he agreed with me when I said that I thought that VW has cut out the best bit of the symphony (just before the end). Of course he could have just been trying to get rid of me 

[Harry]

I'm pleased to hear that Harry!
Especially for you - now playing:
Erkki Salmenhaara: Symphony No.4 (direct from the Fuga Record Shop in Helsinki and its kindly proprietor Hannu  )
This great symphony is conducted by one of my favourite named conductors - Ulf Soderblom with the Finnish RSO.

And my wife is as great an admirer of Salmenhaara's music as we both are, that must be a great consolation, for your wife would probably say that this music is the end of humanity.  

[vandermolen]

And my wife is as great an admirer of Salmenhaara music as we both are, that must be a great consolation, for your wife would probably say that this music is the end of humanity.  

HAHA very funny! 
Actually, after the concert, my wife (who does fantastic work as a sign-language interpreter) realised that she'd left her hearing aids on in her ear (she has a very minor hearing loss), so maybe that's why she thought it was 'LIKE WW3' or 'PLANET OF THE APES' (one of my favourite films - original version) as the sound may have been distorted for her. She had her hands over her ears for much of the Lyatoshynsky (were were sitting right at the front). However she loved Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto in the first half of the concert. My other four guests all liked the Lyatoshynsky.

[Harry]

HAHA very funny! 
Actually, after the concert, my wife (who does fantastic work as a sign-language interpreter) realised that she'd left her hearing aids on in her ear (she has a very minor hearing loss), so maybe that's why she thought it was 'LIKE WW3' or 'PLANET OF THE APES' (one of my favourite films - original version) as the sound may have been distorted for her. She had her hands over her ears for much of the Lyatoshynsky (were were sitting right at the front). However she loved Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto in the first half of the concert. My other four guests all liked the Lyatoshynsky.

That is a consolation, afterall!

[vandermolen]

That is a consolation, afterall!

Thanks Harry!
I love this photo of our friend Salmenhaara - stony-faced, attended by his cat.

[Florestan]

HAHA very funny! 
Actually, after the concert, my wife (who does fantastic work as a sign-language interpreter) realised that she'd left her hearing aids on in her ear (she has a very minor hearing loss), so maybe that's why she thought it was 'LIKE WW3' or 'PLANET OF THE APES' (one of my favourite films - original version) as the sound may have been distorted for her. She had her hands over her ears for much of the Lyatoshynsky (were were sitting right at the front). However she loved Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto in the first half of the concert. My other four guests all liked the Lyatoshynsky.

Which proves that an unabashedly sentimental crowd pleaser sounds good even in distorted sound. 

[Mahlerbruck]

Gustav Mahler - Das Lied Von Der Erde*

Hans Rosbaud - conductor
Ernst Haefliger - Tenor**
Grace Hoffmann - Mezzosoprano
Kölner Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchestra
Live recording 18 april 1955



* This is not the 1958 recording with Helmut Melcher and Grace Hoffmann and Baden-Baden
**Ernst Haefliger , i have also  Das Lied recordings with Van Beinum - RCO(56),Walter - New York(60) and Jochum - RCO (63)

[Harry]

Newly arrived today.

Christian Erbach.
Complete Organ works.
CD I.
Manuel Tomadin plays on a Lorenzo di Giacomo da Prato organ,1471-1475.
San Petronio Church, Bologna.
The Transmission is original.
Pitch: A= c.465 Hz. Temperament: Meantone.
Its the oldest monumental organ existing in Italy.
Recorded in 2020

This Church has a reverb time of almost 9 seconds, but that does not hamper the recording. How this is managed I have no idea, but the result is pretty good. Its is visually a beautiful organ, and sounds the works. Currently the oldest working organ in Italy, it sounds amazingly good. Erbach is not Bach, but what he has composed is of a high level altogether. Tomadin is a thoughtful organist, and taking this quest into Erbach's music quite serious. Well chosen tempos, rich in expressing details, and performing without fault in every respect.
The first CD in this box is recommended.

[vandermolen]

Moeran: Symphony in G Minor
One of my favourite symphonies

[Karl Henning]

Lyatoshynsky: Grazhyna

Beautiful score. Probably I've just said that somewhere.

[Mandryka]

Schumann Etudes and sonata op 11 -- amazing performances!

[Lisztianwagner]

Carl Nielsen
Symphony No.4

Herbert Blomstedt & San Francisco Symphony

[Florestan]

HAHA very funny! 
Actually, after the concert, my wife (who does fantastic work as a sign-language interpreter) realised that she'd left her hearing aids on in her ear (she has a very minor hearing loss), so maybe that's why she thought it was 'LIKE WW3' or 'PLANET OF THE APES' (one of my favourite films - original version) as the sound may have been distorted for her. She had her hands over her ears for much of the Lyatoshynsky (were were sitting right at the front). However she loved Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto in the first half of the concert. My other four guests all liked the Lyatoshynsky.

Actually, this reminds me that 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninoff so this year I should manage to listen to his whole oeuvre, preferably in chronological order.

[Karl Henning]

Carl Nielsen
Symphony No.4

Herbert Blomstedt & San Francisco Symphony

Love it!

[Linz]

Beethoven Symphonies 4 and 7 Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Royal Concertgebou Orchestra