What are you listening 2 now?

[Tsaraslondon]

Bidú Sayão - soprano
Symphony of the Air and Chorus
Heítor Villa-Lobos - conductor
Recorded 1959

Forest of the Amazon has its roots in the film music Villa-Lobos wrote for Green Mansions, with colourful evocations of the sounds of the jungle. It may betray its origins but it is thrillingly exotic music.

[San Antone]

The three volumes of these masses by Sergio Vartolo are among my favorites of any Palestrina recordings.

[prémont]

Yes: 4, 5 & 6 but with a modern work for cello and electronics placed in the middle.
I am not sure if I could recommend the recording, her playing was somewhat disjointed.

Something like Monica Huggett?

[Madiel]

Decided to try Beethoven's super-early piano quartets.

I've just been listening to the D major quartet, and I think it was the best of the lot. Truly outstanding music from a teenage Beethoven.

[San Antone]

Something like Monica Huggett?

Possibly, but in Teztlaff's recording there is a sense of not having command of the music (but I hate to make that assumption), whereas with Huggett I did not get that, hers sounded more than an interpretive choice.

TD

[Madiel]

Stravinsky

The Flood
Abraham and Isaac



I enjoyed The Flood more than some other late Stravinsky. I'll have to compare this at some point to the original performance, but this is very dynamic and energetic. Stravinsky's technique for when God speaks to Noah is very effective.

Also, on other albums (streaming):

Arrangement of Sibelius' Canzonetta
Elegy for JFK

[ritter]

Bidú Sayão - soprano
Symphony of the Air and Chorus
Heítor Villa-Lobos - conductor
Recorded 1959

Forest of the Amazon has its roots in the film music Villa-Lobos wrote for Green Mansions, with colourful evocations of the sounds of the jungle. It may betray its origins but it is thrillingly exotic music.

Hah! Green Mansions...one of the bizarrest films I've ever seen . TBH, I don't much care for Villa-Lobos's score either. Exotic, as you say, but rather devoid of substance IMO. Still, this is the great Bidú Sayão's last recording (she came out of retirement to make it), so on that count at least it has a place in my heart (albeit a small one  ).

Stravinsky

The Flood
Abraham and Isaac



I enjoyed The Flood more than some other late Stravinsky. I'll have to compare this at some point to the original performance, but this is very dynamic and energetic. Stravinsky's technique for when God speaks to Noah is very effective.

...

That's one if the most succesful compiltaions of late Stravinsky on disc IMHO. Good to read you're enjoying it. The Huxley Variations come alive here as in no other recording I know.

THREAD DUTY:

Charles Mackerras conduct's Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Act IV):



Included in this set, which I bought for a pittance here in Madrid some years ago:

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Only Mozart could start an act with a heratbreaking aria by one of the minor characters, Barbarina's "L'ho perduta, me meschina"...and Susanna's "Giunse al fin il momento...Deh vieni, non tardar" (one of the graatest moments in opera ever) is yet to come . Es lebe Mozart!!!!

[Tsaraslondon]

Hah! Green Mansions...one of the bizarrest films I've ever seen . TBH, I don't much care for Villa-Lobos's score either. Exotic, as you say, but rather devoid of substance IMO. Still, this is the great Bidú Sayão's last recording (she came out of retirement to make it), so on that count at least it has a place in my heart (albeit a small one  ).

I've never seen the movie, but I do rather like Villa-Lobos. Forest of the Amazon may be little lacking in substance, as you say, but I do enjoy the colourful sounds.

[Tsaraslondon]

I don't normally like classical artists singing popular music, but Baltsa adapts her tangy, resinous mezzo well to the idiom and this sunny record of Greek music is the perfect antidote to a damp, grey day in London town.

[Traverso]

Dowland

[San Antone]

[Karl Henning]

Nice!

[Karl Henning]

My copy was lost in the mail.  :'

Ugh!

[Karl Henning]

Shostakovich
Cello Sonata
Harrell/Ashkenazy

Pf Quintet in g minor
Ashkenazy/Fitzwilliams

Not my first choice for either piece, perhaps, but very good!

[prémont]

Possibly, but in Teztlaff's recording there is a sense of not having command of the music (but I hate to make that assumption), whereas with Huggett I did not get that, hers sounded more than an interpretive choice.

This was none-the-less  my impression of Huggett (even if I also hate to think so). I need to re-listen to her set soon.

I do only recall but a handful recordings of the cello suites by technically deficient musicians, but I have ordered the Tetzlaff to find out. Your remark about her beautiful cello sound attracts me.

[San Antone]

This was none-the-less  my impression of Huggett (even if I also hate to think so). I need to re-listen to her set soon.

I do only recall but a handful recordings of the cello suites by technically deficient musicians, but I have ordered the Tetzlaff to find out. Your remark about her beautiful cello sound attracts me.

"Disjointed" may not have been the right word. 

In the Prelude to Suite no. 4, e.g., her articulation is very staccato, with each note bowed separate from the next, robbing the music of a sense of flow.  Except for the fastest passages, she continues in this manner throughout the rest of the movement.  But then the Allemande is played legato.  She must have made an aesthetic choice that some movements would be played staccato in the extreme.

In reviewing the recording again, her interpretation is more nuanced than I had thought at first.  I do think she has command of the music, but made some questionable interpretive choices in some movements, favoring staccato, too much for my taste.

But her instrument does sound beautiful.

[ritter]

And now, for some Igor Fyodorovich: Robert Craft conducts the Danses concertantes, Epitaphium, Double Canon, Abraham and Isaac, the Huxley Variations, and the Requiem Canticles.

CD 22 of this set:

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This time I left out the Chant du rossignol which opens the disc (not really a favourite among Starvinsky's works as far as I am concerned  ).

[San Antone]

Second listen; closer this time.  This recording is very interesting. Tetzlaff appears to be trying to offer some new ways of playing this much recorded music, and along with the inclusion of some new works for cello and tape (programmed in between Suites 4/5 and 5/6), her goal would seem to have hers stand out from the pack.

It remains to be seen if most listeners will fully embrace her more radical interpretive choices, but there is enough here to warrant at least a listen for anyone who is interested in the Bach Cello Suites. 

Programming the contemporary works with tape, was an interesting choice.  For sure, listening non-stop to the Bach suites can be trying on the ear, and these particular works are not jarring.  But they do present a radical juxtaposition to Bach.  Saving grace, they are short.

Pros: beautiful sounding instrument, much of the playing is inspired and enjoyable
Cons: some of the staccato playing just does not work, IMO; and the works for tape may be a non sequitur in extremis for most listeners.

[Mandryka]

Re flow in Tanja Tetzlaff's Bach, she says that she thinks the music suggests a number of natural movements: flowing water, or the swaying of trees. She also says that she aimed to highlight articulation and phrasing.

[Mirror Image]

Enescu
Piano Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 30
Schubert Ensemble



I need to listen to Enescu's Oedipe again rather soon as I think it's one of the great operas of the 20th Century. Of course, his chamber works, especially the late works are incredible as are his works for solo piano and much of the later orchestral works. Enescu really has become one of my favorite composers.