What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

Cheers Jeffrey. The Symphonies were, obviously, my main focus with regard to this purchase and listening to them is relatively close in my schedule.

The Berglund recording of Symphony No.4 was the top choice of BBC Record Review. His sibelian recording of Symphony No.6 was the first one I bought other than the two Boult versions in the days of LP (when I actually possessed a record player  ) I like Gibson's recording of Symphony 5 which I think has been underrated. I'll be interested to read your views Fergus.

[Harry]

I like the First Symphony more than the more famous second. It shows the influence of his teacher Miaskovsky, which I consider a bonus.

Well yes my friend, I know and hear the influence, but I have to say I like both symphonies very much.

[aligreto]

The Berglund recording of Symphony No.4 was the top choice of BBC Record Review. His sibelian recording of Symphony No.6 was the first one I bought other than the two Boult versions in the days of LP (when I actually possessed a record player  ) I like Gibson's recording of Symphony 5 which I think has been underrated. I'll be interested to read your views Fergus.

Cheers, Jeffrey. I will no doubt post my thoughts in due course.

[pjme]

Superb sound for a very beautiful concerto.

[staxomega]

Very nice!

Thanks Karl! Festetics convinced me that Seven Last Words works very well for string quartet. I've been playing that CD often.

Last night Saint-Saens Symphony 3 (Dutoit, Peter Hurford, Montreal Symphony), now starting the Piano Quintet and First String Quartet (Lucchesini, Quartetto di Cremona)

Ravel
Concerto for the left-hand
Bavouzet
Tortelier
BBC SO

[img width=480 height=480]https://img.discogs.com/Cq9-rEQMka6PlO5xG95lDYMCMa0=/fit-in/500x500/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2774398-1300664904.jpeg.jpg

How are the performances on this CD?

[Karl Henning]

Martinu, Symphony #1 and String Quartet #1.  See what happens when I hang out with y'all....

You knew the risks!

[Karl Henning]

Brahms: String Sextets Nos.1 & 2
The Nash Ensemble

Very nice... but...are those penguins?!

[San Antone]

Very nice... but...are those penguins?!

I have no idea why they chose that cover art, but the music-making is first rate.

TD



Ensemble Contraste - Miroir(s)

[Traverso]

Schönberg

Kammersymphonie [Chamber symphony] no. 1, op. 9 (1906)

[steve ridgway]

Very nice... but...are those penguins?!

A sextet of penguins yes. Possibly the string is behind them.

[Mirror Image]

Martinu, Symphony #1 and String Quartet #1.  See what happens when I hang out with y'all....

Thomson's not my first-choice Martinů's symphonies, but I hope you enjoyed the music nonetheless. The Stamitz Quartet do a good job in the SQs the best I can remember. I still haven't checked out the Martinů Quartet's recordings on Naxos. I own the Panochas and Stamitz cycles.

[Mirror Image]

Superb sound for a very beautiful concerto.

Very nice! All great works on that recording.

[Mirror Image]

Schönberg

Kammersymphonie [Chamber symphony] no. 1, op. 9 (1906)

Pounds the table! Great stuff.

[Karl Henning]

I have no idea why they chose that cover art, but the music-making is first rate.

TD



Ensemble Contraste - Miroir(s)

Of course,which is what matters.

[Karl Henning]

Schönberg

Kammersymphonie [Chamber symphony] no. 1, op. 9 (1906)

Great piece!

[Harry]

It is a sad thing, when a composer undeservingly vanishes into thin air, while his works are of a high quality. Armas Jarnefelt is such a composer. A Finnish composer who fits right into his time, but was severely hampered by the fact that his sister Aino married another towering giant, namely Jean Sibelius. That was a tall order for Jarnefelt, standing in his shadow, and barely could find his way out of this conundrum. When he wrote the Symphonic Fantasy from 1895, which is a very good work, superb even, he did not expect what was coming at it. Admitting freely that his work was influenced by Richard Wagner, immediately caused a reaction of resentment, against this work with the Finnish critics, called it obscure musical philosophizing! Which is a lot of bull! The influence is marginal, and the work is magnificent in its expression and musical worth. From thereon he never mentioned Wagner again, and kept writing gorgeous music, like the suite in E flat major from 1897, and the Serenade from 1893. Major works which are every bit as worthy as what Sibelius wrote. And the Berceuse for Violin and orchestra which he wrote in 1904, after watching his daughter sleeping with a high fever. He did write it down in one go. Deeply moving it is, and rather famous. Sadly Jarnefelt concentrated on conducting, instead of composing, and I consider that a great loss.
He could not have been treated better as by this orchestra and conductor. They have combined themselves in unisono to create the best possible performance. And BIS added State of the Art sound.

[j winter]

Thomson's not my first-choice Martinů's symphonies, but I hope you enjoyed the music nonetheless. The Stamitz Quartet do a good job in the SQs the best I can remember. I still haven't checked out the Martinů Quartet's recordings on Naxos. I own the Panochas and Stamitz cycles.

Yes, I'm very much enjoying them both; I'm particularly enjoying the SQ.  In both cases, I picked these up several years ago when I was getting into Janacek, and for whatever reason never really got around to giving them a fair hearing.  After seeing all of the enthusiasm from you and others here, I figured it was time. 

If I were to supplement the Thomson at some point, what would you recommend as a set that would provide a good contrast?  Feel free to just point me to the Martinu thread if that's been covered ad infinitum...

Thanks!

[Karl Henning]

It is a sad thing, when a composer undeservingly vanishes into thin air, while his works are of a high quality. Armas Jarnefelt is such a composer. A Finnish composer who fits right into his time, but was severely hampered by the fact that his sister Aino married another towering giant, namely Jean Sibelius. That was a tall order for Jarnefelt, standing in his shadow, and barely could find his way out of this conundrum. When he wrote the Symphonic Fantasy from 1895, which is a very good work, superb even, he did not expect what was coming at it. Admitting freely that his work was influenced by Richard Wagner, immediately caused a reaction of resentment, against this work with the Finnish critics, called it obscure musical philosophizing! Which is a lot of bull! The influence is marginal, and the work is magnificent in its expression and musical worth. From thereon he never mentioned Wagner again, and kept writing gorgeous music, like the suite in E flat major from 1897, and the Serenade from 1893. Major works which are every bit as worthy as what Sibelius wrote. And the Berceuse for Violin and orchestra which he wrote in 1904, after watching his daughter sleeping with a high fever. He did write it down in one go. Deeply moving it is, and rather famous. Sadly Jarnefelt concentrated on conducting, instead of composing, and I consider that a great loss.
He could not have been treated better as by this orchestra and conductor. They have combined themselves in unisono to create the best possible performance. And BIS added State of the Art sound.

Interesting, thanks!

[Papy Oli]

Good afternoon all,

Listening to De Leidse Koorboeken Vol. VI CD1

[asin]B00YJKUZ1Q[/asin]

Stunning boxset.

[Biffo]

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique - Les Siècles conducted by François-Xavier Roth - fine period instrument performance though it doesn't displace Davis, Martinon and others in my affections