What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

Listening to Weinberg before work? Brave man! 

It generates a sense of looming catastrophe,  so sets me up nicely for the school day.

[SonicMan46]

Bach, Wilhelm Friedemann (1710-1784) - Keyboard & Orchestral Works on the discs shown below - about half of my collection of JS Bach's oldest son, possibly Papa's favorite and arguably most gifted of the male offspring?  Friedemann apparently was brilliant at improvisation, but his compositional output varied and was dwarfed by that of CPE & JC Bach; many of his works were unpublished and/or lost.  His life was often in disarray, occasionally in debt, and likely afflicted with alcoholism - he died alone and in poverty.  Dave

P.S. reviews of the performances below attached, for those interested.

     

[Ratliff]

The remasters in that Szell set last year were generally very well done and improved the sonic picture... I only hope any music lover will investigate the accomplishments of the man and his orchestra and give their ears a chance to adjust ... but I understand different strokes and all that

They certainly improved the Bernstein recordings in the latest remastered release. (I have the Mahler box.) I got the Szell box but haven't cracked it open yet.

[ChopinBroccoli]

They certainly improved the Bernstein recordings in the latest remastered release. (I have the Mahler box.) I got the Szell box but haven't cracked it open yet.

Definitely

[Karl Henning]

It generates a sense of looming catastrophe,  so sets me up nicely for the school day.

(* chortle *)

[Christo]

Thanks to continuous sales at JPC & Chandos, even Dutton Vocalion, more to play than I'll ever manage even to listen to, but some real finds are happily included. Now playing in a row:

[Maestro267]

Buckley: Organ Concerto
Sweeney (organ)/NSO Ireland/Pearce

MacMillan: The Confession of Isobel Gowdie
BBC PO/MacMillan

MacMillan: Symphony No. 1 ("Vigil")
BBC Scottish SO/Vänskä

[Karl Henning]

Hindemith
Kammermusik, Op. 36 # 4
Brett Dean, va
Queensland Symphony
Albert

[vandermolen]

Thanks to continuous sales at JPC & Chandos, even Dutton Vocalion, more to play than I'll ever manage even to listen to, but some real finds are happily included. Now playing in a row:

Great choices. I'm especially fond of the Koch CD.

I've become a bit obsessed with Weinberg's 5th Symphony and have listened to all three versions during the past couple of days. Its sense of looming disaster seemed very suitable for UK election night listening. I think that the best version is conducted by Kondrashin and the Melodiya has better sound that its original CD manifestation (good as that was) on Russian Disc. However I've also enjoyed the newish version conducted by Gabriel Chumbra with the Polish Sinfonia Juventus. The opening of the symphony has a searching/visionary quality which I found a bit lacking in the Chandos version:
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[Florestan]

Sincerely,

The Tedious Cretin

You're not a tedious cretin, John, although sometimes you seem to be (especially to those who don't know you yet). 

Please report on Chopin! I can hardly wait for it --- and don't you dare let me down. 

[Florestan]

I'm starting to believe Hindemith is the most underrated composer that ever breathed. 

Tough competition, though. 

[ChopinBroccoli]

Tough competition, though. 

He's so seldom advocated for... to me he's clearly one of the greats

[Florestan]

He's so seldom advocated for... to me he's clearly one of the greats

Just like I said: tough competition. 

[San Antone]

He's so seldom advocated for... to me he's clearly one of the greats

Hindemith's music seems better when I don't listen to it.   

TD

[Iota]

It generates a sense of looming catastrophe,  so sets me up nicely for the school day.

Excellent, that seems particularly apt for the moment. I may try it tomorrow.

[kyjo]

Two Finnish piano trios: Kuula and Englund



Toivo Kuula's monumental Piano Trio, Op. 7, lasting 50 minutes. I'd dare to say it's worth each minute. An impassionate creation, rather romantic in idiom. Great work.

The Englund is more compact, more piquant, reminding me a bit of Shostakovich, Bartók and Bloch. A substantial piece.

The Kuula is a magnificent work, comparable in scope and emotional intensity to the piano trios of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff (no. 2). I don't know the Englund.

[Madiel]

If people could understand the difference in tone between saying "I like / love / don't like composer / conductor /piece X" and expressing it in terms like "X is a great conductor", that would be helpful.

If pressed we all know that what we are expressing in these situations is our subjective opinion about the music or the performance.

But when one person expresses their opinion in subjective form and they're met with a counter-opinion that is EXPRESSED as if it was a fact, it sets up a dynamic where someone is not just being told that their opinion is different but the choice of words suggests their opinion is objectively wrong.

[kyjo]

People who play Chopin as if he belongs in a polite ladies' drawing room somewhere do him a massive disservice. Chopin is dramatic.

+1

[prémont]

Hindemith's music seems better when I don't listen to it.   

Good to know, that I shall listen to it when you don't. 

[San Antone]

The Ockeghem Collection - The Clerks' Group



Listening to this on random play mode.