What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

Britten
Four Sea Interludes & Passacaglia from "Peter Grimes"
Previn
LSO

[asin]B00LO2KJ5O[/asin]

A stunning performance! I don't listen to these works too often, but I have to concur with Roasted Swan that they do make a rather nice orchestral suite. This is a 24-bit remaster Japanese issue and it sounds superb.

[Mirror Image]

One more work before ending tonight's listening session:

Britten
Nocturne, Op. 60
Bostridge
Rattle
Berliners



Damn, surprisingly I'm really enjoying this. Jeffrey (JBS) was certainly right about Bostridge in Britten. One of my favorite Britten discs of all-time is Bostridge's recording of Hunting Fathers and other works with Daniel Harding (also on EMI). But there's no denying the magnificence of this performance.

[SimonNZ]

Bostridge also did a very good live performance of Les Illuminations at one of the Proms.

[Mirror Image]

Bostridge also did a very good live performance of Les Illuminations at one of the Proms.

Very nice. While I do think there are many tenors with a better voice, he does bring much character to Britten's music. Les Illuminations is a great work.

[Que]

Clementi, Muzio (1752-1832) - Keyboard Sonatas this afternoon - Shelley on modern piano vs. Mastroprimiano on a variety of fortepianos - own 7 2-CD sets w/ Shelley and the 18-CD PI box - I've gone through both in the past on initial purchase, now doing some side-by-side listening - is this duplication necessary?  Does one need both MI/PI performances?  Both are well done - Dave

 

I've been very happy with the Mastroprimiano set on fortepianos.
For the later sonatas, which are really interesting, I might look for recordings by other performers.

Considering the way the music is written, I think you need instruments with "Viennese action".

Q

[Madiel]

Ravel/Ozawa, volume 2 streaming.



It turns out I do like the orchestral version of Le Tombeau de Couperin. This is the first time that Ozawa surpasses Martinon, big time. There's such zip and sparkle in this. EDIT: Possibly a little too much zip in the Rigaudon, to be honest!

[Irons]

1st listen to those works :

Moeran
Violin Concerto
Lonely waters
Whythorne's shadows
Cello Concerto

[asin]B00013BOF6[/asin]

I read a post here recently of the opinion that the Moeran VC isn't up to much. Coincidently the night before I played the Lyrita recording and enjoyed it very much. Neither view is right or wrong, all down to taste. A work ideal for Mordkovitch I would think.

[Tsaraslondon]

Really wonderful disc of Copland favourites from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

[vers la flamme]

Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No.1 in D major, op.25. Maggini Quartet. I am really impressed with both music and
recording so far. Nice work from everyone involved.

@Madiel, I knew you'd come around on the orchestral Tombeau

[Madiel]

@Madiel, I knew you'd come around on the orchestral Tombeau

Whereas frankly I'm surprised.

Not least because in a great many cases Martinon impressed me, so when his Tombeau didn't do much for me I thought it was the piece not the performance. But Ozawa is excellent.

None of which negates that I consider Ravel's piano music to be one of the great gems of the whole classical canon and I've played Pascal Roge's recording of the Prelude several times over the last 2 days because I can't get it out of my head. But I accept one of the great orchestrators also knew how to orchestrate his own music pretty well.

[Harry]

Cipriano de Rore.
Vieni, dolce Imeneo-Madrigali.
La Compagnia del Madrigale.

This ensemble is by far my most admired entity if it comes to Renaissance music. They are almost symbiotic to perfection, and never overstep the boundary of ultimate beauty in singing all those fine Madrigali. For me they are perfect in every sense, and this is clearly heard in their thoughtful approach of the compositions by Cipriano de Rore. This is how I want to hear them, this intimacy within close boundaries, making the colours even brighter as they already are. The recording is superb. You cannot go wrong with the interpretations.

[Traverso]

Schubert

Symphonies 8,5 & 3

Hannover Band  Roy Goodman

[Madiel]

Beethoven

Op.54, and I expect I'll continue straight on to op.57.



EDIT: Hmm. On a first listen I'm still looking for my sweet-spot Appassionata.  I've got Kovacevich, and that's one sonata where his dramatic flair is so extreme as to become a bit uncomfortable. But my initial impression of Goode is that the first movement is rhetorically underpowered.

SECOND EDIT: Whereas I like the second and third movements much more.

THIRD EDIT: Trying the opening movement again, and I'm liking it somewhat better. Gah. I don't know, I really don't trust my own ears at the moment for various reasons. I'll have to come back to this when I'm feeling healthy and sane.

[Maestro267]

Bax: Symphony No. 2
RSNO/Lloyd-Jones

Stanford: Piano Concerto No. 2
Binns (piano)/London SO/Braithwaite

[Madiel]

Schubert, Sonata in D, D850.

[Harry]

Les Maîtres de L'Orgue François, de Louis XIII a la Monarchie de Juillet.
CD V. Tribunes et Salons. La Tentation des séductions du monde.

Louis Marchand, Premier Livre, edition 1740. (Frederic Desenclos on the J.F. Lepine organ, 1752, Sarlat)
Louis Nicolas Clerambault, Suite du 2e ton, 1710. (Jean Boyer on the Jeain Boizard organ, 1714, Saint Michel en Thierache)
Louis Antoine Dornel, Suite d'orgue en Re, Sonate en trio No. 6 en la mineur, livre de 1713.
Gilles Harle on the Boizard organ. La Simphonie du Marais, Hugo Reyne.

An excellent musical picture of a few composers that are high on my list if it comes to the organ. The Sonate by Dornel is gorgeously performed by Reyne and his band, and added the organ as a welcome bonus.
The recording is superb, as are the organs.

[Harry]

Hans Werner Henze.
Symphonies No. 1,5 & 6.

Berliner Philharmoniker & London SO, Hans Werner Henze.

I am still mightily impressed by Henze's early symphonies, in such authoritative performances by the composer himself. The input by him makes this a document of his ability in projecting successfully his expression of these works in a lucid and definitive way. Henze is one of the few modernist composers I can stomach.
The sound is superb, considering their age.

[Traverso]

Hans Werner Henze.
Symphonies No. 1,5 & 6.

Berliner Philharmoniker & London SO, Hans Werner Henze.

I am still mightily impressed by Henze's early symphonies, in such authoritative performances by the composer himself. The input by him makes this a document of his ability in projecting successfully his expression of these works in a lucid and definitive way. Henze is one of the few modernist composers I can stomach.
The sound is superb, considering their age.

I reckon that these recordings are originally released by DG

[Traverso]

Literes-Laserna- Granados-Falla & Giménez

Concert at Hunter College with Victoria de los Angeles

[Harry]

I reckon that these recordings are originally released by DG

yes they are