What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Composer : Jean Sibelius
Recording : Symphony No. 2 (Karajan - 1970)
Performers : Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Wow. I am (as some may have observed!) not a natural Karajanite. However, this performance is blasting its way through my synapses, it's incredibly exciting and I paused to idly wonder who on Earth was the conductor. Well... there you go. Brilliant performance, I think.

Kamu conducted Nos. 1-3, Karajan the next four.

[Brahmsian]

Kamu conducted Nos. 1-3, Karajan the next four.

The Kamu 2nd is fantastic!

[Symphonic Addict]

Myaskovsky: Symphonies 24 and 25 (Titov, St. Petersburg State Academic S.O.)

It's nice to have alternative interpretations of some of these symphonies, they're satisfyingly performed here.

[Lisztianwagner]

A lovely, endearing, voluptuous work. The opening melody never fails to melt my heart.

Agreed, it starts so delicately and poetically, but with the impression there's something restless and tense behind too; such an enchanting, metamorphic, persuasive composition anyway, I've found the second movement with the pizzicato particularly compelling, very enthralling.

[foxandpeng]

Myaskovsky: Symphonies 24 and 25 (Titov, St. Petersburg State Academic S.O.)

It's nice to have alternative interpretations of some of these symphonies, they're satisfyingly performed here.

Nice.

Nicolai Miaskovsky
Complete Symphonies
Symphonies 1 - 6
Svetlanov
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia

Today has been a lovely day with Miaskovsky. I'm surprised just how much of these I remember, to be honest. All of the first 6 symphonies have something enjoyable, and none receded to wallpaper. I'm going to try and traverse them chronologically, I think, just to redefine my grasp on them and get to know all those I don't.

Has been such a good day listening. 3, 4 and 6 in particular. The others were also enjoyable too, mind. Relistening to 6, for the second time as we speak.

[Lisztianwagner]

To complete Schönberg's piano repertoire:

Arnold Schönberg
Piano Concerto

Maurizio Pollini (piano)
Claudio Abbado & Berliner Philharmoniker



Then:
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Piano Concerto for the left hand

Howard Shelley (piano)
Matthias Bamert & BBC Philharmonic Orchstra

[Karl Henning]

CD 4: Saison 1910

Robt Schumann
Carnaval, Op. 9 (variously orchestrated by some 11 composers from Arensky to Tcherepnin)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Robt Irving

Igor Stravinsky
L'oiseau de feu
BSO
Seiji Ozawa

[Karl Henning]

CD 4: Saison 1910

Robt Schumann
Carnaval, Op. 9 (variously orchestrated by some 11 composers from Arensky to Tcherepnin)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Robt Irving

Igor Stravinsky
L'oiseau de feu
BSO
Seiji Ozawa

It may be argued (successfully) that he "bribed" me by assigning the tune to the clarinet, but I especially enjoyed Glazunov's scoring of "Chopin" (# 12)

[Madiel]

Antonín Dvořák
Silent Woods, op. 68 no. 5
Suite in A Major 'American', op. 98b
Seven Interludes for small orch., B15
Five Prague Waltzes, B99
Nocturne in B Major, op. 40
Mazurka for violin and orch., op. 49
Polka in B-flat Major, op. 53A/1
Rondo for cello and orch., op. 94
Polonaise in E-flat Major, B100

Alexander Trostianski, violin
Dmitry Yablonsky, cello
Russian PO - Dmitry Yablonsky

A bunch of orchestral and concertante miniatures I do not know.
VS

I think for some of these, it might be the only recording available. Or at least readily available.

[Madiel]

Currently partway through listening to Florian Uhlig's Schumann piano works, volume 3 (which is called "Character Pieces 1").

It's a bit of a mixed bag. Papillons has a fair amount of colour, but it's also somewhat staid. Other things on the disc generally strike me better.

[Symphonic Addict]

Sculthorpe: String Quartets 10 and 11

A huge improvement over the previous four quartets in terms of approachability and quality I reckon (there is no any complete recording of the first five quartets, only some movements of them). I like the touches of indigenous influences that appear here.

[Brian]

Next I am trying this but based on negative comments so far, I may abandon the concerto fairly quickly:



After that, I am trawling through the Naxos back-catalogue again!

The Teddy Abrams piece was as tawdry a pastiche as advertised. The Kraus "Symphonie funebre" is quite striking, like Sturm und Drang Haydn in its formal creativity and interesting orchestration (it begins with funeral march timpani strokes and ends quietly). There is a 45-second chorale movement leading into the finale. The Sor and Boccherini I found forgettable, while the Karlowicz is a longtime favorite.

[Brahmsian]

I think for some of these, it might be the only recording available. Or at least readily available.

Also available in this box, which is an excellent box of goodies. @VonStupp

[Karl Henning]

CD 8

Piano Piece in A^b
Morceaux de salon, Op. 10
3 Nocturnes (1888/9)
Song Without Words in d minor
Canon in e minor (1890/1)
Fugue in d minor (1890/1)
4 Pieces (originally numbered Op. 1)
Prelude in F (1899)
Morceau de fantaisie (1899)
Fughetta in F (1899)
Oriental Sketch (1917)
Sad is the night (Ночь Печальна) Op. 26 № 12 (arr. Ashkenazy)
Nunc dimittis from All-Night Vigil, Op. 37 (arr. Rakhmaninov)

Vladimir Ashkenazy

[Keemun]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 (Wand/Berlin Philharmonic, 2001)



Continuing my informal survey of Bruckner's 7th and 8th symphonies with this recording.  So far, it's quite good. 

[Symphonic Addict]

Catoire: Piano Concerto

A new work to me from this Russian composer (1861-1926).

[Karl Henning]

Shostakovich
Symphony № 12 in d minor, « 1917 » Op. 112
Royal Phil
Vladimir Ashkenazy

[San Antone]

Elliott Carter : Esprit rudeesprit pour flute et clarinet

[Karl Henning]

Elliott Carter : Esprit rudeesprit pour flute et clarinet

Nice!

[Mapman]

Pavel Vranický: Symphony in D, Op. 52
Gregor: Dvořák Chamber Orchestra

An excellent Classical symphony. It reminds me of Haydn, especially how the main theme enters a beat late near the end of the 1st movement.



Stravinsky: The Firebird
Rattle: CBSO

I forgot that I had a recording of the complete Firebird. I wasn't particularly impressed by this recording; some of the woodwind solos weren't the best. But the ending of the Firebird is great in any performance!