What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

Thanks for the feedback, Madiel. What do you think of the series on Signum Classics with Malcolm Martineau?

[Madiel]

Thanks for the feedback, Madiel. What do you think of the series on Signum Classics with Malcolm Martineau?

I'll have to remind myself. I've sampled a little bit but not really listened to it properly.

[Mirror Image]

I'll have to remind myself. I've sampled a little bit but not really listened to it properly.

Martineau also recorded an earlier series with Sarah Walker and Tom Krause, but I haven't heard any of that set. The Signum performances I've heard (so far) have sounded rather good.

[Madiel]

Music this simple is hard. Duparc was apparently amazed.

https://www.youtube.com/v/zxvyBE113-8

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Well well well, I'm listening to awesome CPO(German) label, brewed in Germany of course, all there release of early to late renaissance, I crave, I really like what I hear, Morales, De Rore, Collonna, Regnart (amazing) and ETC did CPO ever displease you in the past, early to late Renaissance or may I say quasi Baroque.Please Heil CPO and do yourself a favor Jacques Arcadelt on this label is a keeper a favorite of mine.

[Ken B]

Well well well, I'm listening to awesome CPO(German) label, brewed in Germany of course, all there release of early to late renaissance, I crave, I really like what I hear, Morales, De Rore, Collonna, Regnart (amazing) and ETC did CPO ever displease you in the past, early to late Renaissance or may I say quasi Baroque.Please Heil CPO and do yourself a favor Jacques Arcadelt on this label is a keeper a favorite of mine.

CPO is probably the sentimental favorite here at GMG actually, for their huge repertoire and high quality. For early music there are a number of great labels. Glossa.

TD Music From Versailles, in this case some Rameau

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Glad to hear it Neato I should say, They do put out incredible releases, quality product has a wide variety of offerings from various era, thanks for sharing Ken, Glossa fantastic as well I'm a devotee La Venexiana ensemble myself , dear sir your intervention are more than welcome on my post.

[Alek Hidell]

Volume 1 of what appears to be three. I also have volume 2, but I haven't listened to it yet. Because of the length of these pieces, the discs are DVD-audio. The label, Matchless, was founded by drummer Eddie Prévost, with whom John Tilbury worked for many years in the group AMM.

Also:



I know not everyone thinks especially highly of Saint-Saëns (but then again, of what composer is that not true?), but every time I've listened to his music I've enjoyed it quite a bit. He and Britten were two composers who pleasantly surprised me when I began listening seriously to classical music several years ago, and I continue to get enjoyment out of both. This recording is no exception.

[Mirror Image]

Speaking of Britten...

Britten
Nocturne, Op. 60
Peter Pears (tenor), William Waterhouse (bassoon), Alexander Murray (flute), Gervase de Peyer (clarinet), Roger Lord (cor anglais), Osian Ellis (harp), Barry Tuckwell (horn), Denis Blyth (timpani)
London Symphony Orchestra
Benjamin Britten

From this set:



Absolutely exquisite.

[SimonNZ]

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Goudimel, L'escocart, Le Jeune are great favorite of mine , exponant of French protestant of Renaissance of course of era of Queen Margot,  trought Ludus Modalis I find Le Jeune psalms  quite good , all they do is good to me, they are fascinatingly talented, may I subject them to you SimonNZ, thanks for sharing this album seem a gem. Goodnight sir.

[Madiel]

Resolved to listen to the whole album. And over the coming days will alternate the Hyperion series with the Signum one. They both basically take a chronological approach within each album so this could be instructive.

[kyjo]

Universally? Not by me. I prefer the 2nd  .

I'll have to revisit the 2nd. On first listen, it struck me as one of those works that doesn't quite live up to the wonderful promise of its first movement. The fugal finale, in particular, struck me as rather heavy-handed, bordering on academic.

[vandermolen]

Good?

I have these works (symphony and Mater Dolorosa interludes) on a Marco Polo disc, but it's probably much older. I should give them a listening.

Yes,yes,yes. A dark, angry and mournful work with an element of 'triumph-against-the odds' defiance which I've always liked. It starts with highly memorable jagged chords and I'm gripped throughly the work. I think that Sternefeld spent the war in hiding from the Nazis in occupied Belgium and the symphony tends to reflect those worrying and turbulent times. The slow movement sounds, at the start, rather like Ravel. I have the Marco Polo release as well. Both are excellent IMO. The 'Variations on 'Frère Jacques' is fun, on the Klara disc.
The Symphony No.1 on YouTube if anyone wants to sample it:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fEIFYjObxKA

[vandermolen]

Again, two symphonies that I found much better than the often negative reviews had suggested. But you might think otherwise, of course. 

I agree. They tend to be described as boringly academic but I disagree. The very moving slow movement of No.1 is especially fine - in memory of his brother I think who was killed in WW1. My favourite work by him is the Piano Concerto for Three Hands. No CD infuriatingly - but it's recently appeared on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rtkjuNVYFyg

[Irons]

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 [Barenboim/ECO]

Nice set.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B000079BAK[/asin]
Q

[Harry]

Morning listening:

[asin]B000079BAK[/asin]
Q

Can you tell me a little about this recording Que?

[Irons]

Howells: Elegy for Viola, String Quartet and String Orchestra.



Coincidental or not but I seem to listening to a lot of works featuring a string quartet with string orchestra lately. Clearly based on RVW Thomas Tallis - when hearing the Fantasia for the first time Howells said "neither he or Ivor Gurney could not sleep the night after hearing it".

[Que]

Can you tell me a little about this recording Que?

It's my first listen! 
But I definitely warmed up to this pan European Basel-based ensemble. I like their style & sound: precise, sober but not too cool, with just the right amount of blending. Excellent recording from 1999 by the WDR.

This is my 1st recording by them, to my embarrassment. High time to get those boxsets on ARCANA that other members frequently parade around with... 

Anyway, here is the content & liner notes:
http://www.sonusantiqva.org/i/F/Ferrara/1999NortherneWynde.html

The recording gets a poditive but qualified recommendation by E.L. Wisty, one of the better Early Music reviewers on Amazon. David Vernier, on the other hand, has nothing but high praise: https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-8995/

The Ferrara Ensemble did another disc with Frye, Dunstable et. called " The Whyte Rose". Wishlisted that. 

Q