What are you listening 2 now?

[Mandryka]

Debussy,Beethoven, Mozart, Palestrina, Haydn, Clementi and Fux.

Well, I think this one shows that Jean Rondeau has turned into a formidable musician. It has to be heard.

[Harry]

Eyvind Alnæs. (29 April 1872 – 24 December 1932)
Symphony No.1 in C minor.
Symphony No.2 in D major.
Latvian National SO, Terje Mikkelsen.
Recorded in 2009.

He studied in Leipzig with Carl Reinecke, and this you hear in the music. In 1900 Johann Halvorsen performed the first Symphony, and overall it received an enthusiastic welcome, as did the second. Influences of Tchaikovsky you can clearly hear, and even Brahms figures in some way in the first and second symphony. Many beautiful solo parts in both works, and overwhelmingly romantic in nature. Despite the quality of the Symphonies, they were quickly forgotten, until Sterling recorded both , in which Alnæs shows himself  a good orchestrator.
Pretty good sound, SACD no less, and performance.

[Florestan]

[aligreto]

Cimarosa: Oboe Concerto [Rothwell/Barbirolli]





A wonderfully lyrical work that is played with great poise and fluidity by all concerned. The opening movement is wonderfully beguiling. The second movement is simply delightfully perky and buoyant. The slow movement is wonderfully lyrical with a wonderful hint of poignancy to it. The final movement is bubbly and effervescent. Rothwell is wonderful here.

[Tsaraslondon]

Discs 7 & 8

All Schubert. Baker was a great Schubert singer, as is shown on these two discs, which bring together the two LP set she made with Gerald Moore in 1970 and the single LP she made with Geoffrey Parsons ten years later, as well as some more songs from a 1968 recital, also with Gerald Moore. Baker's control of dynamics is extraordinary and her breath control stupendous, her legato line beyond reproach. Two very well filled CDs of Schubert Lieder played all in one sitting might seem a bt much, but not here. Baker sustains interest from beginning to end.

Original covers below.

[aligreto]

JC Bach: Sinfonias Op. 6 Nos. 1-3 [Zinman]

[Harry]

Malcolm Arnold.
Symphonies No. 1 & 2.
National SO of Ireland, Andrew Penny.

An iconic series with the imprimatur of the composer himself. I favour these recordings above all others because of that. Good sound and performances.

[aukhawk]

What can I say, Ray, other than state the obvious that the problem lies with me and not the music. I absolutely agree that there is certainly nothing wrong with the Kertesz presentation. ...

But there is.  Not with Kertesz of course who was always very good, but with the sound recording.  The 8th was the earliest recording of this cycle, by some margin, and IMHO it shows.  It was recorded in February 1963 while most of the others were recorded in late '65 or late '66.  The distinctive sound signature which is present in all these recordings - which I would charecterise as good, but with a metallic edge to the strings - is greatly exaggerated in this first recording of the cycle.

[Roasted Swan]

Delius: Violin Concerto.

I purchased for the enigmatic Violin Concerto, a work I find intriguing. As it turned out the whole disc is a delight. Mackerras hardly features in my collection of recordings which going by this disc is not ideal. That a Janacek specialist can shape a phrase with the delicacy of Beecham took me completely by surprise.

All of Mackerras' Delius for Argo/Decca were very good but his recording on EMI Eminence with the RLPO and Little with Walfisch in the Double Concerto is lovely too.  Delius could do with a committed 'young' (or at least alive!!!) interpreter.  Elder is excellent but apart from him no-one currently seems that fussed - in the recording studoi at least.

[Harry]

Hendrik Andriessen.
Vocal Works.
Sonnet. (1917)
Missa "Sponsa Christi" in festo dedicationis Ecclesiae. 1932)
Omagio a Marenzio. (1926)
Missa in festo Assumptionis Beatae Mariae Virginis. (1926)
Koorproject Rotterdam, Maarten Michielsen.
Albert de Klerck, Organ.
Recorded in 1992.

Special to say the least. And again fine artwork!

[aligreto]

Beethoven: Lieder [Schreier/Olbertz]





Beethoven: Aus Goethes Faust, Op. 75/3
Beethoven: Urians Reise Um Die Welt, Op. 52/1
Beethoven: Trinklied, WoO 109
Beethoven: Punschlied, WoO 111
Beethoven: Der Zufriedene, Op. 75/6

I had originally meant to sample this 3 CD set with a view to culling it. However, I have enjoyed listening to it so much that now I am not so sure now about the cull. A very fine delivery from both artists throughout.

[aligreto]

But there is.  Not with Kertesz of course who was always very good, but with the sound recording.  The 8th was the earliest recording of this cycle, by some margin, and IMHO it shows.  It was recorded in February 1963 while most of the others were recorded in late '65 or late '66.  The distinctive sound signature which is present in all these recordings - which I would charecterise as good, but with a metallic edge to the strings - is greatly exaggerated in this first recording of the cycle.

I thank you for your opinion. I, unlike most people, do not get hung up on sound quality when enjoying my listening. I let others worry about that. I prefer to focus on the performance of the music I am listening to. Otherwise I would have missed out on many fine presentations. 

[Brahmsian]

I thank you for your opinion. I, unlike most people, do not get hung up on sound quality when enjoying my listening. I let others worry about that. I prefer to focus on the performance of the music I am listening to. Otherwise I would have missed out on many fine presentations. 

Sound quality does matter to some degree for me.  However, I really don't notice anything wrong with the Kertesz 8th (sound quality wise).

[Todd]

[vandermolen]

Malcolm Arnold.
Symphonies No. 1 & 2.
National SO of Ireland, Andrew Penny.

An iconic series with the imprimatur of the composer himself. I favour these recordings above all others because of that. Good sound and performances.

Very much agree - great set!

[pjme]

I don't know this recording of Mennin 3. I will check it out!

Mitropoulos/NYPhO was my introduction to Mennin and his beautiful third symphony.
Interesting comments on Mennin and the Schwarz/Seattle SO : Mennin/Schwarz

"The slow movement counts as one of the glories of American music. In the liner notes, Jim Svejda comments that "Unlike many American composers of Italian descent – from Walter Piston... and Paul Creston... to Nicolas Flagello and John Corigliano – an Italianate lyricism was not a defining factor in Mennin's art." Perhaps true of an "Italianate" lyricism (although where Svejda finds this in Piston, I have no idea), but not of song – Mennin succeeds in writing one extremely moving and his own. The idiom owes nothing to the slow movements of Copland or Harris (the two composers most ripped-off by other Americans). If it reminds me of anyone, it's Vaughan Williams, and that's a matter of mood rather than anything technical."

[DavidW]

Haydn's 46-48th symphonies.



A nice way to begin the day.

[aligreto]

Brahms: Symphony No. 3 [Sanderling]





The playing is very fine in this presentation. The interpretation of the opening movement is very expansive. I feel that Sanderling is trying to let the music breathe. For me, it is too slow. I have not checked or compared timings but that is my perception.
There is no doubt that the lyricism in the second movement is well served here but, once again it feels just a tad too slow for me.
The final movement is, on the other hand, powerful, assertive and thrilling. It has great drive, drama and tension and the playing is wonderful. Sanderling throws all that he has into the presentation and it comes off very well, for me.

[aligreto]

Sound quality does matter to some degree for me.  However, I really don't notice anything wrong with the Kertesz 8th (sound quality wise).

You certainly would not want to hear a version of Beethoven 5 I was recently listening to from 1913, Ray. 

[Brahmsian]

You certainly would not want to hear a version of Beethoven 5 I was recently listening to from 1913, Ray. 

Definitely not.