What are you listening 2 now?

[DavidW]

Good morning all,

Saw his name mentioned in the Hovhaness thread as one of the greatest American symphonists, thought I'd give him a go:

Howard Hanson - Symphony No.6

This was my introduction to Hanson:

It has been awhile.

[Que]

[foxandpeng]

Gents and @Karl Henning , just in case, an article written by Gerard Schwarz on USA composers is below. You may already know.


https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/forgotten-symphonies-the-hidden-giants-of-american-music

Thank a lot for this. Reading with interest.

[foxandpeng]

Listened to the first movement of the 6th symphony. Baffled. That is normal.

Normal, indeed. Baffled is a good word; particularly in relation to PMD. I like it!

[vandermolen]

Honegger: Symphony No.1 Hardly know this work - very enjoyable:

[DavidW]

Back in the saintly days of yore, pre-gmg, even pre-cmg... I think I was posting on rmcr back then... I checked out Celibidache Bruckner from the library and immediately hated it for being slow.

Fast forward to today when inspired by a post on the Bruckner thread (which sad to say I don't recall who posted it now)... I tried again.  And WOW!  He finds meaning in passages that sound routine in the hands of other conductors.  And I didn't find it to be slow.  Sometimes measured, sometimes even quicker.  Never dull.  Just incredible, need to hear more Celibidache Bruckner.



Beethoven Piano Sonatas #8, 12-14 performed by Badura-Skoda on a 1790 Anton Walter.  Badura-Skoda is imho under-appreciated, and his Beethoven is top shelf.

[Brahmsian]

Back in the saintly days of yore, pre-gmg, even pre-cmg... I think I was posting on rmcr back then... I checked out Celibidache Bruckner from the library and immediately hated it for being slow.

Fast forward to today when inspired by a post on the Bruckner thread (which sad to say I don't recall who posted it now)... I tried again.  And WOW!  He finds meaning in passages that sound routine in the hands of other conductors.  And I didn't find it to be slow.  Sometimes measured, sometimes even quicker.  Never dull.  Just incredible, need to hear more Celibidache Bruckner.

I find his deliberate and slow approach hit and miss in Bruckner.  I love some of it and loathe some of it. 

The 4th is enjoyable in his approach, I found. 

[foxandpeng]

Nicolai Miaskovsky
Complete Symphonies
Symphony 22 and 23
Svetlanov
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia


22 is very much a quality piece of work, which even after only a few traversals, seems likely to be amongst my initial favourites. First time through for 23, but on first hearing this is very much my sort of thing too.

[Florestan]

[Papy Oli]

Worth remembering that at the moment nearly all of the Schwarz/Seattle recordings were reissued on Naxos and therefore can be bought as lossless downloads via the Chandos store currently for £2.30 each - tremendous value and a great way to discover this repertoire.....

Even cheaper in this particular case, the 5-CD set of Schwarz/Hanson symphonies can be had as FLAC for £5.83 on Presto :

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8160080--hanson-complete-symphonies

[Traverso]

Hapsburg is my favorite monarchy!!

I understand Manabu,really....I do.......

[foxandpeng]

Gents and @Karl Henning , just in case, an article written by Gerard Schwarz on USA composers is below. You may already know.


https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/forgotten-symphonies-the-hidden-giants-of-american-music

This is an excellent article. Although I know almost all of the works mentioned, it makes me want to go away and revisit both those and the other works referenced. I love so many American symphonies and this has encouraged me to give them a new attention once I get a fuller grip on the Miaskovsky.

[Karl Henning]

Gents and @Karl Henning , just in case, an article written by Gerard Schwarz on USA composers is below. You may already know.


https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/forgotten-symphonies-the-hidden-giants-of-american-music

Thanks @Dry Brett Kavanaugh 

[Harry]

Some Schumann mixed with Brahms, and quite successfully i might add.

[Luke]

Listened to the first movement of the 6th symphony. Baffled. That is normal.

I had a very interesting explanation of how best to listen to this symphony from an extremely authoritative source the other day. Trouble is, he's about the only person who is able to understand it!

[SonicMan46]

Nearly 2 weeks since my last post below in this thread and doing a second listening today - actually, I've been 'culling out' some of my non-classical collection (except for jazz, I don't spend much time anymore spinning these discs - so to a local charity donation!) - Dave

Some more recent arrivals from JPC:

Schubert, Franz - Piano Works w/ Andras Schiff on fortepiano (works recorded in bottom row below); both 2-disc sets - a restored Franz Brodmann (Vienna, c. 1820) fortepiano w/ 4 pedals is used; recordings made in 2014 & 2016 in the Beethoven-Haus, Bonn; Schiff now owns the piano which is on loan to the Bonn house; reviews attached if interested.  Dave

 

 

[Karl Henning]

CD 15

Pf Cto № 1, Op. 1
Pf Cto № 4, Op. 40
Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
Volodya Ashkenazy, pf
LSO
André Previn

[vandermolen]

Nicolai Miaskovsky
Complete Symphonies
Symphony 22 and 23
Svetlanov
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia


22 is very much a quality piece of work, which even after only a few traversals, seems likely to be amongst my initial favourites. First time through for 23, but on first hearing this is very much my sort of thing too.

No.23, based on Caucasian folk tunes, is one of the most approachable, but still deeply-felt, composed when NYM was evacuated, along with his friend Prokofiev, during World War Two.

[Linz]

Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major K218, Johanna Matzy violin Kammerorcheter des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor op. 54, Monique Haas piano, Berliner Philharmonker

[Spotted Horses]

I had a very interesting explanation of how best to listen to this symphony from an extremely authoritative source the other day. Trouble is, he's about the only person who is able to understand it!

Maybe the joke's on him and we are not supposed to understand it. In any case, carved out enough time to listen to the brief middle movement. Something is starting to diffuse into my brain. Arresting harmonies and sonorities.