What are you listening 2 now?

[JBS]

Bax
String Quartets 1 and 2
[In G Major (1918) and a minor (1924/25), respectively]
Maggini Quartet

From the Naxos British String Quartet box

[jess]

Eva Reiter (*1976)
Wächter, for bass flutes and pipe orchestra (2019)

Michael Schmid (flute)
Eva Reiter, Susanne Fröhlich (paetzold-flute)
Deutscher Kammerchor
SWR Symphonieorchester
Tito Ceccherini (conductor)

World Premiere, 20 October 2019, Donaueschinger Musiktage 2019

https://www.youtube.com/v/lEXhWF0A78k

A richly sonorous work with great use of air sounds and sustained chords that grow and swell like waves out on the ocean. There's a really good sense of pacing that works with the forward propulsion the composition has, and the performance is polished and has an emotional drive that takes the listener into the unique aural universe Reiter creates without any blemishes that removes one from the total experience. I do think the piece seems to sag around the 12:40 mark with the introduction of what sounds like a drum kit used in a totally conventional way. It isn't an idea which is picked up later in the piece or has a huge amount of precedence in what Reiter has already managed to set up. But the piece overall is really attractive.

[jess]

did I do the flash youtube player wrong? help!

EDIT: got it!

[André]

The 6 Racconti ('tales', or 'accounts') feature 3-5 players. They were written individually over a period of 14 years (1935-1949) in the spirit of Hindemith's kammermusiken. Each one lasts around 10 minutes, is cast in a single movement and displays a different instrumentarium. Bentzon (cousin to the better-known Niels Viggo Bentzon) was a pupil of Nielsen and Karg-Elert. In 1931 he founded the Copenhagen Popular (or People's) School of Music. This is accessible, ingenious music. Although the composer never intended them to be played as a set, they make fine discmates on their own.

[mc ukrneal]

Quote me to see how I did it...

https://www.youtube.com/v/lEXhWF0A78k

[Karl Henning]

Back to Beethoven the past couple of days:

Symphonies 3, 5, and 6

I do enjoy that set.

[André]

Brahms, symphony no 1 and Haydn Variations. RSO Leipzig.

It is a sad fact that nowadays performances of the great classics that deviate from the norm are stoned by critics and listeners. A Brahms first such as this one (or one by Furtwängler or Mengelberg), with its frequent and drastic tempo changes, turbocharged allegros, jaw-dropping rallentandos and unabashed emotional climate would offend the purist no end. Our era has become very emotionally constipated.

Stepping down from the soap box, I spent a fabulous 45 minutes with Brahms and a contingent of superb musicians giving their all for this 1949 studio recording. The sound is clear, detailed and wide-ranging considering the date.

[Madiel]

Schumann, Märchenbilder (Fairytale Pictures) for viola and piano



A very nice work.

[Madiel]

More Schumann, my first listen (via streaming) to Der Königssohn.

[Introverted]

.
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From the Box-Set:


[asin]B00159679S[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Cheers John, I may do the same approach with Sibelius soon. I have the same feelings and reactions to him as I used to have with RVW. Funnily enough, only Sibelius' 2nd clicked as well.

Oh? That's quite interesting you have had a similar experience with Sibelius. I'm definitely interested in how you get on with Sibelius since he's obviously one of my favorites. The 2nd is one of the most popular Sibelius symphonies, but I believe the 5th is equal footing as far as popularity goes, then there's the well-known tone poems like Finlandia and Tapiola. One thing to keep in mind about Sibelius' music is how it doesn't really align itself with Late-Romanticism or Modernism --- he created his own idiom, IMHO. Something that is quite unique about his orchestral writing, in particular his string writing, is how it doesn't really strive for this lushness like that found in Late-Romantic, there's almost like an astringent element to it. It can sound quite raw as well whereas the woodwinds get all of these almost Impressionistic type of parts but the woodwinds can turn around and be brooding and piercing. The brass always have some biting parts, especially in the more tutti sections. Percussion is reserved for tutti sections as well, but occasionally you'll hear a part that shines it's way through the other textures like in the last movement of the 4th symphony. Anyway, I look forward to reading your impressions about Sibelius' music.

[dissily Mordentroge]

Listening on Youtube to J.S.Bach - Cantata Der Herr denket an uns BWV 196 - Van Veldhoven | Netherlands Bach Society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNjAHgMMsFs

Thus far I haven't found a single inferior recording (many of them live) from this group apart from a few idiosyncratic
interpretations of the organ works. Seeing as how I have more than enough recordings of the organ works I've decided to
buy the complete N. B. S. Bach collection having borrowed some of the CD's already released finding the recordings are all technically superb
(apart from one or two where the audience were obviously in the throws of a flue epidemic) I'll buy the complete set when it's finished.

[Que]

Morning listening:

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This music by Florentine composer Francesco Corteccia (1502-1571) is largely homophonic and straight foward.
The performance is atmospheric but some small rough edges. All in all, nice but not very exciting....

Q

[Harry]

The Time of Monteverdi. CD VI.

This CD starts with a magnificent performance of a composition by Tarquinio Merula. "Hor che tempo di Dormire" sung by Maria Cristina Kiehr. I honestly listened with my heart fully open. What a fine voice this woman has, and what emotion so delicately brought to the fore, its enough to say yes to all she would ask! Well this CD is filled with mostly goodies, so I am in for a treat. I look forward to a composition by Biagio Marini, "Miserere a tre voci" again sung by Kiehr. Apart from vocal music there is also a selection of instrumental music, Canzoni, sonate & Balli. I bet a lot of you guys are jealous that you are not able to listen in

[Tsaraslondon]

John Holloway, Davitt Moroney and Tragicomedia are superb in Biber's Mystery Sonatas.

[Harry]

The Time of Monteverdi. CD VII.

Again a delightful CD filled with beautiful pieces in fine performances. Instrumental music with composers such as Marini, Frescobaldi, Monteverdi, Rossi, Farina, Salaverde, Castello, Merula, Legrenzi, Uccellini, & Cavalli.
Superb.

[Madiel]

It felt like a Mozart evening. Piano Concerto No.23 in A.

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

Listening to the below again.

Wagner - Tristan und Isolde - Prelude und Liebestod
Celibidache / Munich Phil.

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[Traverso]

Josquin Desprez

[Madiel]

Apparently I've put myself in the mood for piano concertos.

So going for Rachmaninov 2nd, which I haven't heard for almost exactly 3 years.