What are you listening 2 now?

[Lisztianwagner]

I have not heard Solti's 'In The South' but would imagine music ideally suited to him.

It certainly does, in Elgar's In the South there's such a passionate energy and a vivid intensity starting from the vigorous straussian outburst at full orchestra in the introduction that his style really fits the composition. A splendid work anyway.

[Harry]

Malcolm Arnold.
Symphony No.9,
National SO of Ireland, Andrew Penny.

And again this performance of the 9th symphony proves again what marvelous interpretations these are, indeed, if not the best on the market. The first movement starts at such a promising point of venture into what is to come, that for this alone it were enough to say, the fiesta is such as to sit and listen into eternity. A feeling of magnificence and ultimate grandeur, and of gazing at the enormity of Arnold's output. I love this work to bits! So very well recorded and performed!

Some history behind this work!
The Ninth Symphony was eventually completed, by then several years behind schedule, on 5th September 1986, at Wymondham in Norfolk. Embarrassment then ensued, as first the BBC -where there had been a change of management, both in Manchester and in London -and Arnold's then publisher, Faber Music, took fright at the score, which was radically different from the composer's previous symphonies. The BBC's original commission was still not renewed. Sir Charles Groves meanwhile conducted a run-through of the symphony for the composer's benefit in early 1988 in Greenwich, by the Orchestra of the National Centre for Orchestral Studies (now disbanded). Sir Charles believed in the piece, and at his insistence efforts to secure a first professional and public performance elsewhere continued, without success. It was not until the showing of a film about Malcolm Arnold in the 'Omnibus' series of BBC-1's, timed to co-incide with his seventieth birthday, that the tide began to turn. The film included Arnold conducting the closing pages of the symphony. When Sir Malcolm Arnold came to Manchester to hear the Halle and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras perform several of his earlier symphonies as part of an Arnold- Haydn Celebration in November, 1991, in which Sir Charles conducted a memorable account of the Seventh, a happy combination of circumstances led to the eventual unveiling of the new symphony on a very cold Manchester night in January the following year: over five years having elapsed since its completion.
Ever since Beethoven, writing a Ninth Symphony has been for a composer something akin to climbing Mount Everest -the summation of a lifetime's achievement. In addition there has come to be something fatalistic about the very idea of a Ninth Symphony. To take two nearer examples, Bruckner died before he could complete what would have been the longest of his symphonies, while Mahler's Ninth was written in the shadow of his fatal illness. Shostakovich -much admired by Malcolm Arnold -was so over-awed by the burden of this musical tradition that he deliberately stood it on its head and wrote a lightweight piece. Arnold himself has admitted to being daunted by the weight of musical history; not surprising when we discover that it was written after a five-year period when the composer had, in his own words, "been through hell".

[Florestan]

A book written by Thomas Browne, Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, Alwyn Admired this man enormously,

Thanks, Harry.

[Harry]

Hearing Alwyn conduct this work on the radio c.1980 led to me writing him a fan letter c/o Lyrita telling him how much I enjoyed the broadcast and listening to his other symphonies on Lyrita. He sent a charming reply.

Jeffrey my friend you inbox is full, it will not accept PM'S anymore

PM could not be sent to 'vandermolen' as their inbox is full.

[Florestan]

[Harry]

Richard Arnell.
Symphony No. 3, opus 40.
The New Age-Overture, opus 2.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Martin Yates.

The Third symphony is a marvel in conception and expression, which always surprised me in its wholeness. In this Martin Yates takes a carefully structured approach, unsentimental and yet not drained of warmth, just as well judged is the coordination of textural layers, and one could go on and on with praise for this fine work. Superb recording.

[vandermolen]

Jeffrey my friend you inbox is full, it will not accept PM'S anymore

PM could not be sent to 'vandermolen' as their inbox is full.

OK thanks Harry - odd, because as a subscriber I thought that I had unlimited PM space.

[Harry]

OK thanks Harry - odd, because as a subscriber I thought that I had unlimited PM space.

Well you should have, but obviously not I have a PM waiting for you, so you would oblige me by making a bit of space.

[San Antone]

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora & Aion
Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Eva Ollikainen

[Spotted Horses]

Second half of Pettersson Symphony No 6.



Really a satisfying work. A lot or rich, pensive music. Lovely use of the orchestra.

[Harry]

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora & Aion
Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Eva Ollikainen

I saw that one in the new releases on Qobuz, so what do you make of it?

[Florestan]

Maiden listen to these delightful works. I will certainly explore more of Pierne's music.

[Karl Henning]

Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No.13 in B-flat minor, op.113, "Babi Yar". Vasily Petrenko, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, w/ Alexander Vinogradov (baritone)

This symphony has taken a long time to get to know. But I'm starting to really admire it. This is such a damn good Shostakovich cycle; I'm completely satisfied with it.

Very nice!

TD: Birthday Boy I

[Harry]

The High Road to Kilkenny.
Gaelic Songs and Dances of the 17th and 18th Centuries.
Works by, O'Carolan, Peacock, Thomas & William Connellan, Murphy, Oswald.
Robert Getchell (Tenor), Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Francois Lazarevitch.

Thoroughly delightful music, well performed and recorded.

[Karl Henning]

Edward Elgar
Cockaigne Overture
In the South

Georg Solti & London Philharmonic Orchestra

I enjoy this two-fer very much!

[Karl Henning]

Birthday Boy II

[Karl Henning]

The convo in the composer's thread is to blame:

[vers la flamme]

Second half of Pettersson Symphony No 6.



Really a satisfying work. A lot or rich, pensive music. Lovely use of the orchestra.

I felt the same way yesterday as I listened to this recording.

[classicalgeek]

Lutoslawski
Livre pour orchestre
*Cello Concerto
Novelette
Chain III
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Antoni Wit
*Andrzej Bauer, cello
(on CD)

[Lisztianwagner]

For Nielsen's birthday anniversary:

Carl Nielsen
Symphony No.4

Fabio Luisi & Danish National Symphony Orchestra