What are you listening 2 now?

[Mahlerian]

Britten: Death in Venice
Peter Pears, John Shirley-Quirk, James Bowman, Kenneth Brown, English Chamber Orchestra, cond. Bedford

[Karl Henning]

Mendelssohn
Symphonies 1, 3-5
Gewandhausorchester
Masur

[Todd]

If I could play Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's Sixth, I would ride the una corda, use a lot of finger legato, limit the dynamics mostly to pianissimo to mezzo-piano, and then stomp the sustain and put my shoulders into it in the grandest forte passages.  It would be dreadful, but I'd swear Tzimon Barto made me do it.  That is not Konstantin Scherbakov's way.  Scherbakov displays immaculate control, clean articulation, wonderful dynamic range, and maintains an admirably fluid sound without resorting to excess pedaling.  In short, he's a proper pianist.  Both transcriptions sound about as good as piano transcriptions of symphonies can.  This recording, though a "free" download since I bought the Naxos Beethoven set, may end up costing me money.  Now I don't know if I can wait for Scherbakov's sonata cycle to be complete before I buy the whole thing.  Dammit.

[Daverz]

Pines of Rome, via Qobuz

[asin] B00KN2QHCA[/asin]

https://open.qobuz.com/album/0825646244416

One of the Hurwitzer's recommendations:

https://www.youtube.com/v/Z_RKivD9GTM

[kyjo]

Gunnar de Frumerie (1908-1987):
Symphonic Variations for Orchestra (1940-41)

I have Kyle to thank for alerting us to this one.
This is a most enjoyable and inspiriting work. It reminded me a bit of his compatriot Atterberg (I can understand why Kyle likes it) but it has a greater sense of urgency at times. As soon as I'd played it I had to repeat it. I'm very pleased to have discovered this composer and I haven't even got on to the Cello or Violin Concerto yet. And, oh yes, I did enjoy the 'doomed processional'. 

So glad you enjoyed it, Jeffrey! I'm sure you'd enjoy the two concerti as well, especially the one for cello. (Edit: I see from a later post that you listened to and enjoyed them both.)

[kyjo]

Since you bought the last copy available in both hemispheres & the rest of this universe, had to contend myself with Spotify. Sounds great, even the said processional hardly doomed but rather inspirited. It is indeed one of those theme and variations that often brings out the best in a composer, e.g. de Kukli Variations by Marc Lavry or Respighi's Metamorphoseon. 

Perhaps "doomed" was a bit of an overstatement. I was merely trying to get Jeffrey's attention!

Interesting mention of the Lavry work. I can't find it on YT or Spotify, unfortunately...

[Mirror Image]

NP:

I had forgotten how gorgeous Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson is. Also, Dance Panels is an underrated Copland work, IMHO. I've loved Short Symphony since my first-listen many years ago.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Stanford may have made some nasty comments about other composers, but then again so did many other composers. That won't keep me from enjoying his music.

Hi Kyjo,

I don't know what 'nasty' comments he's made about other composers--nor really care; and yes, I've heard some of the other ones that other composers have made about other composers too.  I'm just curious as to why he thought so well of his prized pupil (at least in terms of his works and/or composing talents) vs. VW and Holst?  And, yes, I'm certainly open to listening to his music too.   

Best,

PD

[Todd]

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hi PD. I came across the comment in the notes for Benjamin's very enjoyable Symphony on the Lyrita label. Benjamin, who was an Australian, won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London in 1911, so I guess that Stanford must have made his unpleasant comment around that time. I find much of Stanford's music to be tedious but enjoy the Irish Symphony (No.3), Symphony No.5 and, in particular, the Irish Rhapsody No.4. Remember too, that despite his antisemitism, Arthur Benjamin held his teacher, Stanford, in the highest regard. Stanford was quite a musical disciplinarian according to Vaughan Williams (who often disagreed musically with Stanford but clearly learnt a lot from him). The young VW would show Stanford one of his compositions, which he was very proud of, and Stanford would look at it and say 'All rot m'boy!'. VW thought that Bax would have benefitted if he'd had 'some gruelling lessons with Stanford' but then suggested that they would probably have just argued! I think that Stanford is an example of the maxim that the greatest composers are not necessarily the best teachers and the best teachers (like Stanford and Parry) are not necessarily the greatest composers:
Thanks Jeffrey,

I had missed your earlier reply (meaning this).

Best,

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I feel sorry for him. To witness the rise of his pupils who in his own mind were musically not as gifted as himself must have been galling. Reading his letters which are rude to his friends and colleagues you get the impression of a bitter unfulfilled old man, but he needed to understand without him the English musical renaissance would not have occurred. He earned his place in the development but not in the way he wanted. Quite sad really.     

Nice to read your further thoughts about him Irons.  Hard to know what goes on inside of a  person's head and what they are dealing with in life.  I will check out his music however.

Best,

PD

[André]

Andre called this one of the best ever.

Not sure I would call it that, but it's certainly very good.



[I'm listening to this as part of the Eloquence set of PM's LvB symphonies.]

Everything seems so right and totally unforced. Monteux never had an agenda when performing a work. He didn't have any point to make, any lesson to give. He just made the music come alive  .

BTW that Philips series with the red band on top usually sounds quite inferior. In those days they tried to eliminate any analog hiss and in the process 'sucked out' all warmth and vibrancy from the sound image. What came out sounds glassy and immaterial. Most affected by that is a Stokowski Shostakovich 5th. Stick to the Decca box.

[Mirror Image]

More of Davies' Copland:



Fantastic album. Horrendous cover.

[T. D.]

[Mirror Image]

Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

From this set:

[Brian]

Now I don't know if I can wait for Scherbakov's sonata cycle to be complete before I buy the whole thing.  Dammit.

Your wallet doesn't need to read this, but the 3-4 sonatas I have streamed so far from Scherbakov's ongoing recordings are really, really my kind of thing. Immaculate and satisfying like a freshly ironed button down shirt. Not a conservative white or beige shirt, but not dots or a loud print either. Maybe lilac or green.

(This makes me wonder which pianist's style I would describe as plaid flannel. Gilels is a fuzzy turtleneck? Lucchesini one of those thin v-neck Italian wool sweaters?)

[Symphonic Addict]

Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

From this set:

Good, John. What did you think of them? Have you found pleasure on Kabalevsky's works you've heard so far?

[Symphonic Addict]

I'm also listening to a piano concerto, but the one by Carl Vine:



Wow! This is just fabulous. A fresh work in a Neo-romantic idiom. The slow movement is to die for! One of the best PCs I've recently heard.

[Madiel]

I'm also listening to a piano concerto, but the one by Carl Vine:



Wow! This is just fabulous. A fresh work in a Neo-romantic idiom. The slow movement is to die for! One of the best PCs I've recently heard.

Have you tried his first piano sonata? To be honest I've never quite got into the piano concerto as much as the piano sonata. It's the bomb.

EDIT: But I'm going to give the concerto a 'spin' right now, come to think of it.

[kyjo]

I'm also listening to a piano concerto, but the one by Carl Vine:



Wow! This is just fabulous. A fresh work in a Neo-romantic idiom. The slow movement is to die for! One of the best PCs I've recently heard.

Indeed, a fantastic work! I ought to listen to some more Vine. As Madiel suggests, the 1st piano sonata is also very good, and I recall thinking quite highly of his SQs.