What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Berg: Violin Concerto

The 1st mov. sounded somewhat monotonous, yet I was caught by the 2nd mov. the most. Sounds gnarly and fragile at times.

[Bachtoven]

For some reason Parry has never been on my radar, but after seeing this posted I thought I'd check it out. I liked it enough to buy the 24/96k download. It's wonderful!

[Symphonic Addict]

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

Nothing like meeting again an old good friend. Simply exultant!

[classicalgeek]

Nice lineup!

It was! Especially the Chausson - it had been a while since I'd heard it, and no one does it better than Munch and the BSO. The Shostakovich 5 with Jansons was OK, but roundly outdone by this performance, which I listened to on the way home from work today:

Shostakovich
Symphony no. 5
Berlin Symphony Orchestra
Kurt Sanderling
(on Spotify)


Followed by this:

J.S. Bach
Goldberg Variations
Murray Perahia, piano
(on CD)


A phenomenal performance of one of the most iconic keyboard works of all time!

[Karl Henning]

It was! Especially the Chausson - it had been a while since I'd heard it, and no one does it better than Munch and the BSO. The Shostakovich 5 with Jansons was OK, but roundly outdone by this performance, which I listened to on the way home from work today:

Shostakovich
Symphony no. 5
Berlin Symphony Orchestra
Kurt Sanderling
(on Spotify)

The "competition" is certainly stiffest with the Op. 47. I haven't heard Perahia in the  Goldbergs.

[vandermolen]

Looks interesting. I will check the recording. As for the Naxos reissues of Marco Polo, I was always wondering if the Naxos remasters and improves the Marco Polo recordings or just issues the same recordings without mastering/modification.

I read a review Manabu which commented that the sound on the Naxos release was better than on the original Marco Polo. I have both so I should sample them. However, I was more impressed by the sound on the Naxos release of Bantock's Hebridean Symphony.
(see below)
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2001/June01/Bantock.htm

[Operafreak]

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos.  21 & 22

Murray Perahia (piano/direction)

English Chamber Orchestra

[vandermolen]

Copland: Symphony for Organ and Orchestra

[Harry]

A secret Labyrinth.
CD 15. Last recording in this box.

Joao Lourenco Rebelo.
Lamentations for Maundy Thursday.
Vesper Psalms.
Huelgas Ensemble, Paul van Nevel.

I never heard from this composer before, and did not see any recordings of his music, but this is extremely beautiful music, helped by the performance of course, which is perfect, and well captured in sound. The care and attention in shaping the music is something hard to be bettered, and thus it is a fantastic close of this iconic set, one every connoisseur should have. Its the base of all things musical.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[Harry]

British Music for Strings.
Volume II.
Christopher Wilson.
Suite for String Orchestra.

Granville Bantock.
Serenade for String Orchestra, "In the Far West".
Scenes from the Scottish highlands-Suite for Strings.
Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, Douglas Bostock.

A delightful disc. For me Bostock is a important conductor. And CPO obviously also thinks that is the case.

[aligreto]

Love and Death in Venice: LeBlanc/Ragin/Stubbs]





Merula: Canzoni Overo Sonate Concertate - La Treccha
Manelli: Musiche Varie, Op. 4 - Ti Lascio Empia, Incostante
Merula: Canzoni Overo Sonate Concertate, Op. 12 - Ciacona
Hasse: Cleofide - Se Mai Più Sarò Geloso
Handel: Tanti Strali Al Sen Mi Scocchi, HWV 197
Sartorio: Orfeo - Orfeo Tu Dormi?
Cavalli: Calisto - Lucidissima Face
Cavalli: Calisto - Qual Sopor Repentino

[Mookalafalas]

Harry and Que's Van Nevel inspired me to put this on. Actually, two days in a row...


Earlier played this, with great pleasure:

[Maestro267]

Brahms: Violin Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3
Gyorgy Pauk (violin), Roger Vignoles (piano)

Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1
Derek Han (piano), Isabelle Faust (violin), Bruno Giuranna (viola), Alain Meunier (cello)

[Madiel]

Protecting Veil is an absolute masterpiece. It's also the only Tavener piece I've ever wanted to listen to more than once. In general he's just not my thing.

It also inspired one of the greatest dance works I'm ever likely to see. The long-term director of the Sydney Dance Company, Graeme Murphy, was a master choreographer and what he did with The Protecting Veil led a local reviewer to compare Murphy to Mozart. Frankly after I got to see it, the comparison didn't seem all that overblown because of the way the movement developed so logically and seemed so tied to the music.

[Madiel]

Barber: Knoxville: Summer Of 1915, Op. 24
Gauvin: Alsop: RSNO

This was my first experience with this work. I enjoyed it, especially the beautiful woodwind parts (which are excellently performed here).




Sibelius: Symphony #3
Sanderling: Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester

A mostly excellent recording. It's slightly let down by the bassoonist. (Some of the solos felt weak compared to the rest of the woodwinds.) But Sanderling leads an excellent performance, with natural feeling tempo changes.

I think Knoxville is one of Barber's finest moments. I encountered it from the same recording.

[Madiel]

Antonín Dvořák
23 Moravian Duets, op. 20, Op. 32, Op. 38

Stanislav Bogunia, piano
Kühn Mixed Chorus - Pavel Kühn (rec. 1986)

I don't know how many repeat listenings they will receive, but these are beautiful works. Dvořák keeps them simple, but there are enough (gentle) harmonic left turns to hold my attention.

I was very happy with this chorus; not overbearing with vibrato, and an endearing, folksy ruddiness to their tone.

As I was listening, I thought Lutosławski's 20 Polish Christmas Carols would be an excellent pairing with the Moravian Duets, at least in their choral guise.

VS



The album is also found on YouTube: Moravian Duets

I personally shied away from hearing these done by a chorus because they weren't originally written for one. There was an album released on Supraphon a few years ago which is marvellous to hear them as actual duets. It even made me happy to hear a period piano, which for me is highly unusual.

[Lisztianwagner]

Antonín Dvořák
String Quartet No.14

Prager Streichquartett

[Florestan]

[aligreto]

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23, Op. 57 "Appassionata" [Ogdon]





This is another very strong and powerful presentation from Ogdon. The playing in the outer movements can often be thunderous! The slow movement is lyrical but also assertive in nature.