What are you listening 2 now?

[Todd]

Here's a recording that's equal parts annoying and fascinating.  While I have heard plenty of solo piano concept recordings blending single works or movements by different composers, I've not heard a string quartet concept recording do that.  Well, here's sixteen tracks of works composed by twelve composers, with only a handful of complete works, and only one complete well-known quartet, Janacek's First.  In such a case, the bleeding chunks should not work, but here, the Kuss sound so distinctive and stylized that they make some movements sound fresh as heck. 

The recording opens with the first movement to Haydn's Seven Last Words, which sounds adequately somber, and that is followed by the magnificent Hasta pulverizarse los ojos commissioned by the Kuss from Franceso Ciurlo, with some of the music barely hovering above an abstract whisper.  The fifth movement from Seven Last Words follows, and it sounds stylistically different from the first, and rather different from the few other versions I've heard.  The Scherzo from Death and the Maiden is one of the lightest, tightest, most dance-like takes I've heard, while the opening to Bartok's Sixth sounds more transparent, lighter, and more forward looking, almost like Bartok looking forward to Ligeti looking back to Bartok.  The DSCH Eighth Largo has the darkness and tension it needs, but it lacks excess heaviness.  Some of the cello playing sounds especially effective, and when the movement trails off, Birke Bertelsmeier's commissioned title track arrives in place of the anticipated Allegro molto.  It emerges from silence well enough, and then displays hints of Gloria Coates, but with more tension.  The first weak spot is the third movement from Steve Reich's WTC/911, with the taped voices detracting from the decent music.  Komitas' Spring returns to pure music, in a tuneful, lamenting, haunting, compact way.  The Adagio to Mendelssohn's Sixth sounds pitch perfect, and the Vivace from Smetana's First sounds light and transparent, though somewhat anonymous.  It's not Czech quartet playing.  Janacek's First benefits from extremely clean, clear playing, with the second violin and viola uncommonly clear throughout.  The playing seems to trade expressivity for precision, but that's fine.  The recording closes with the third and final Kuss commission from Oscar Escudero, entitled Post.   It begins with an ambient noise/electronic sound/spoken word (performed by the violist) that then segues into three fragments composed by an "algorithm", with electronics interspersed throughout.  It's a high-tech mishmash of classical style compositions, a post-post-avant-garde style work that has a few moments of success but is really just a gimmick.  At least it doesn't offend the senses like Xenakis.

One of the main outcomes of listening to this is that I now want to hear the complete versions of every work the Kuss extracted movements from.  That's the annoying part.  And I want to listen to Ciurlo and Bertelsmeier some more.  A heckuva concept disc, this.  That's the fascinating part.   

[Linz]

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat Op. 83 Stephen Kovacevich piano, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch

[Brahmsian]

Penderecki: A Polish Requiem (inc. Chaconne)
Soloists, Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir
Warsaw PO/Wit

A beauty! 

[Linz]

CD5 From Beecham English Music with the conclusion of A Village Romeo and Juliet composed by Delius Concluding with Sea Drift Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 2. Anton Dikov, Dimiter Manolov/Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra.

[Lisztianwagner]

The recording of Verklärte Nacht was very marvelous, and very well played too; the arrangement for violin, cello and piano doesn't have exactly the same overwhelming passion and enveloping beauty of Schönberg's work, nonetheless it is very intense and compelling anyway, and the orchestration effectively evokes the restless chromaticism of the original composition.

Now, on youtube:
Arnold Schönberg
Chamber Symphony No. 1 (arr. Webern)

Prometheus Ensemble

[Bachtoven]

He certainly plays well, but the metallic tone of his piano gets a little tiring after a while.

[aligreto]

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 12 [Fitzwilliam Quartet]





I originally bought this cycle because it was apparently recorded in consultation with the composer [if my memory serves me correctly] so I felt that it would be interesting to hear the resultant interpretations as it should lend something of an air of authenticity and a direct link, in a way, to Shostakovich himself. The performance of this work is terrific; it is very intense, assertive and focused. The recording quality is also excellent.
From the opening bars of the first movement one immediately understands that the tone is both dark and bleak but, in this case, there is a strong element of lyricism to counteract total depression here. It is a wonderful and curious combination, I find.
The second, slow movement opens with a wonderfully aggressive tone. The assertive intensity and levels of tension are just wonderful throughout the movement as is the emotional intensity level. The instrumentalists are in full flow here producing an excellent performance. The conclusion of this movement is particularly spectacular and stunning. This ensemble really gives a superb performance of this really wonderful music.
I really like the element of harmonic discord in the musical language of the final movement and it is very well presented here. The tones of the lower register strings in this case are wonderful and create a bleak and dark hued but very full toned atmosphere. One can only commend the quality of the intensity in the performance and interpretation of this music. 

The lyricism and intensity levels in this presentation are simply too good to be missed. The level of the quality of the playing is superb in this recording. I do wonder how much the advice on interpretation from the composer influenced the quality of this presentation. What a magnificent presentation!

[aligreto]

I thought it was Gerhard Herwig.

Indeed I did post about the Herwig presention but prior to that I did post regarding the Thomas performances on vinyl.

[aligreto]

The recording of Verklärte Nacht was very marvelous, and very well played too; the arrangement for violin, cello and piano doesn't have exactly the same overwhelming passion and enveloping beauty of Schönberg's work, nonetheless it is very intense and compelling anyway, and the orchestration effectively evokes the restless chromaticism of the original composition.

Now, on youtube:
Arnold Schönberg
Chamber Symphony No. 1 (arr. Webern)

Prometheus Ensemble

I am pleased that you enjoyed this presentation of Verklärte Nacht.
I would also be curious to know what you thought of their interpretation of the Chamber Symphony No. 1 (arr. Webern).

[Brahmsian]

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 12 [Fitzwilliam Quartet]





I originally bought this cycle because it was apparently recorded in consultation with the composer [if my memory serves me correctly] so I felt that it would be interesting to hear the resultant interpretations as it should lend something of an air of authenticity and a direct link, in a way, to Shostakovich himself. The performance of this work is terrific; it is very intense, assertive and focused. The recording quality is also excellent.
From the opening bars of the first movement one immediately understands that the tone is both dark and bleak but, in this case, there is a strong element of lyricism to counteract total depression here. It is a wonderful and curious combination, I find.
The second, slow movement opens with a wonderfully aggressive tone. The assertive intensity and levels of tension are just wonderful throughout the movement as is the emotional intensity level. The instrumentalists are in full flow here producing an excellent performance. The conclusion of this movement is particularly spectacular and stunning. This ensemble really gives a superb performance of this really wonderful music.
I really like the element of harmonic discord in the musical language of the final movement and it is very well presented here. The tones of the lower register strings in this case are wonderful and create a bleak and dark hued but very full toned atmosphere. One can only commend the quality of the intensity in the performance and interpretation of this music. 

The lyricism and intensity levels in this presentation are simply too good to be missed. The level of the quality of the playing is superb in this recording. I do wonder how much the advice on interpretation from the composer influenced the quality of this presentation. What a magnificent presentation!

Another set I really enjoy. Love the Fitzies here! Quite a contrast to the "Bovine Borodin" set.

[Karl Henning]

George Frideric Handel's
Water Music

Trevor Pinnock, The English Concert

Classic!

TD: because I don't remember it ...

Ibert
Divertissement

[aligreto]

Another set I really enjoy. Love the Fitzies here! Quite a contrast to the "Bovine Borodin" set.

Yes, the Fitzwilliam cycle is truly a wonderful set of performances.

[stingo]

Free America!
The Boston Camerata, Anne Azéma

I am so used to seeing Joel Cohen's name on these projects. I had to do a little research to find out he's now the Boston Camerata's Music Director Emeritus, and his wife, Anne Azéma is now the MD. But really, I'm just happy they continue to be made.

[aligreto]

TD: because I don't remember it ...

Ibert
Divertissement

Good man, Karl. 

[Karl Henning]

Good man, Karl. 

It's charming, Fergus. The Valse especially made me smile!

[aligreto]

It's charming, Fergus. The Valse especially made me smile!

OK, I must reacquaint myself with that music. It has been quite a long time since I have listened to this music.

[Karl Henning]

First-Listen Friday!

Ibert
Symphonie marine
Bacchanale

[Karl Henning]

The evening appears to have evolved into an Ibert-a-thon:

Louisville-concert
Bonstoniana

[Bachtoven]

I just listened to the Brouwer Concerto. Interestingly, the Frank Martin piece was originally written for guitarist Andres Segovia titled "Quatre Pieces Breve," but Segovia rejected it. Martin then transcribed it for piano, then Ansermet requested that he orchestrate them.