What are you listening 2 now?

[prémont]

I wonder why a picture of a nipple is that indecent. We all know what it looks like, and actually it's the first thing almost all of us see immediately after we are born. Do newborns have to be blindfolded when they suck?  ?

[Traverso]

Debussy

Préludes Livre 1 and 2

[Karl Henning]

TD:
Karl Amadeus Hartmann 
Concerto for Viola and Piano

[Todd]

As in her fantastic Debussy in Resonance recording, Ms Goodale here mixes some of her own works and transcriptions of Sufi composers with works by Bach and famous transcriptions of Bach by Busoni, Siloti, and Kempff, as well as one transcription of Marcello by Bach.  The results sound fantastic.

The artist's stated goal in her own works is to take Bach's themes and infuse them with Sufi rhythms.  (She also goes into short technical detail about how it is impossible to do so using a piano given that Turkish makams have 1/9th tone intervals, so only approximations can be used.)  Her playing in the straight Bach pieces focuses on rhythm above all, though she also coaxes nothing but gorgeous sounds from her instrument.  In her pieces, she ventures much farther afield.  Part of this comes from her occasional use of prepared piano, though not in the John Cage sense; the preparation means to evoke eastern sounds directly.  At its most extreme, the opening to the Sufi Chaconne, electronically altered, creates a dreamy soundscape that transitions to the famous Chaconne, before fading out.  She then switches to an almost absurdly beautiful BWV974 as the follow up.  Think of it as Bach infused with the spirit of Debussy, Mompou, and minimalism.  A few pieces later, Goodale's After Bismillah blends beautiful middle and upper register playing with mysterious accompaniment in a beguiling way.  The recording ends with Goodale's transcription of Shahram Nazeri's Man Che Danam, where Goodale boogies, adds in some more prepared piano playing and percussion in a one woman mini-band.  It's a perfect closer.

Ms Goodale has essentially joined the ranks of Isabel Bayrakdarian, Marie-Luise Hinrichs, and David Greilsammer for me.  All of them are artists who pursue their own things, their own visions, and bring moving insight and often  unyielding beauty to the mix.  I will follow Ms Goodale with some interest.

[vandermolen]

Depends on where you work, I suppose.

Any fans of Ansermet's Le Sacre du Printemps here? (I won't post it, but you can find it yourself.)

Yes!
I greatly enjoy this set:

[Cato]

TD:
Karl Amadeus Hartmann
Concerto for Viola and Piano

For those who do not know this excellent work:

And thanks to Karl, I have been listening to a 1920's ballet by Vladimir Dukelsky (a.k.a. Vernon Duke *), Zephyr et Flore'.  Check CHANDOS for a download.

One hears echoes of Stravinsky and Prokofiev at times, but only echoes.  Otherwise, it is worthwhile listening to this elegant work.

YouTube offers the Symphony #2 of Dukelsky.

* Dukelsky found more success as a composer of popular songs (e.g. April in Paris), and Anglicized his name to "Vernon Duke."  In one of his Robert Craft books, Stravinsky unpleasantly saw fit to mock both the name change and the success of Duke Dukelsky.

[JBS]

James MacMillan
Tuireadh
Emperor String Quartet
BIS

Simply brilliant, despite my wife's assessment of this as 'a Concerto for Nails and Chalkboard'.

Macmillan is superb.

The first piece on the CD attracted my attention (Why is this night different). Given the cover image I'm guessing it is Passover related (so you're a week late  ) (ie the Four Questions of the Seder). Is the music also nails-and-chalkboard?

[vandermolen]

Bax: Piano Quintet
I usually play the Chandos recording of this great work (Bax's chamber music masterpiece IMO) but following a post from Roasted Swan (I think) I decided to listen to the Naxos recording again and I can see what RS means. Much as I like the earlier recording the Naxos has a slightly greater urgency, although both performances are marvellous. This is also desirable because of the inclusion of the fine Bridge work:

[Cato]

Debussy

Préludes Livre 1 and 2

What do you think of the sound quality of those older performances?

For those who do not know:

https://ijm.education/piano/marcelle-meyer-a-perfect-pianist/

[Mandryka]

Since there appears to be an insistence on beating this dead horse:

This isn't about pietistic US prudery. The guidelines are courtesy of the Dungeon Master who (last I checked) is no Yank. I expressed my objection to the objet d'art in exactly this way: that picture was certainly worth three words. Historically GMG'ers periodically speculate, "Gee, why do so few women participate here?" My wife, an artist and a Russian, wouldn't think much of the puerile glee in titty pics.

All this kerfuffle reminds me of a discussion we had in 2017 about this CD



I said it was pornographic, not because of the breasts but because of her gaze, which I thought made her seem passive. You said honi soit qui mal y pense and @Harry said it was only pornographic if your mind is so attuned.  I still think I was right, by the way.

The discussion was mature and involved all genders on the forum, apparently that sort of thing is now streng verbotten.  I can't quote it for some reason -- if you search the word "pornographic" under my forum name then you'll find it, complete with uncensored image.

Anyway, that's what I'm listening to now. I find it slightly  too slick and luxurious for my tastes, which probably explains why I haven't gone back to it in six years. But it is very good nonetheless.

(Your word "piety" made me think of a thing I read about how some American Christian school had banned showing 12 year old kids Michelangelo's David.)

[Karl Henning]

Bax: Piano Quintet
I usually play the Chandos recording of this great work (Bax's chamber music masterpiece IMO) but following a post from Roasted Swan (I think) I decided to listen to the Naxos recording again and I can see what RS means. Much as I like the earlier recording the Naxos has a slightly greater urgency, although both performances are marvellous. This is also desirable because of the inclusion of the fine Bridge work:

Love this disc! I listen to it frequently.

[foxandpeng]

The first piece on the CD attracted my attention (Why is this night different). Given the cover image I'm guessing it is Passover related (so you're a week late  ) (ie the Four Questions of the Seder). Is the music also nails-and-chalkboard?

I'm now playng the SQs in order, so am currently listening to SQ #1 from the recording, "Visions of a November Spring", and depending on how you feel about contemporary music that doesn't emphasise tunes, I guess some of the glissando strings could appear that way. Lots of pizzicatos, lots of plaintive sliding one note while shifting rhythmically into frenzied strings... it isn't a difficult listen, but if you are looking for folk tunes and development into some sort of clear melody, you won't find it here.

Haven't heard SQ #2 'Why is this Night Different' yet, but I read that it is indefinably 'Jewish' at times, as hinted at by the title. Seems to be based on the flight from Egypt, but can't tell you my reflections at this point 😁. If his previous work is anything to go by, I'm not holding my breath for Bloch or Shostakovich. He is more dissonant and atmospheric than tuneful.

I do very much like it, however.

James MacMillan
SQ 1 'Visions of a November Spring'
Emperor String Quartet
BIS

[Karl Henning]

* Dukelsky found more success as a composer of popular songs (e.g. April in Paris), and Anglicized his name to "Vernon Duke."  In one of his Robert Craft books, Stravinsky unpleasantly saw fit to mock both the name change and the success of Duke Dukelsky.

I love Stravinsky's music without reservation, but there's no denying that he could be quite the prig.

[DavidW]

Spotted Horses is totally right, what transparency!  I really need to buy this set.

[Brahmsian]

Don't worry, I was just joking. Of course I won't post them.

Your mailbox is full.

[Que]

It's a varied bunch of albums for sure, seems that 5 out of 12 are chiefly solo guitar and others feature either a singer or a singer and a larger ensemble. Maybe those have a chance of growing on you..

For me it's a perfect match, loving the vihuela (Spanish lute) and guitar, as well as Spanish songs from Renaissance and Baroque. In terms of quality of performances, this is top shelf.

[Traverso]

What do you think of the sound quality of those older performances?

For those who do not know:

https://ijm.education/piano/marcelle-meyer-a-perfect-pianist/

In general the recordings are of excellent quality considering their age. Of course everything is mono but more importantly Marcelle Meyer's piano playing pushes back all reservations if any. I listened to her Rameau and I was so touched that I  prefer her recording instead of the original on harpsichord played by Rousset. Its unadorned sophistication and musicality make all objections futile. There is a cheap edition which is not from EMI but otherwise I think identical, a must for piano enthusiasts I think.

[Florestan]

Your mailbox is full.

Not anymore.

[Que]

When I got into listening to classical music it seemed like Kurt Masur was all the rage.  Now seeing someone post about a Masur recording is so rare that it feels odd.  He is a strangely unpopular conductor.

Agreed, but his Mendelssohn is a perfect match IMO! 

[North Star]

For me it's a perfect match, loving the vihuela (Spanish lute) and guitar, as well as Spanish songs from Renaissance and Baroque. In terms of quality of performances, this is top shelf.

Agreed, varied bunch only in terms of ensemble, not quality.