What are you listening 2 now?

[Harry]

Biagio Marini.
Madrigali & Symphonie a 1,2,3,4,5 voci, opus II, 1618.
Historical instruments.
I musicali Affetti, Fabio Missaggia.
Rosso Porpora, Walter Testolin.

[André]

Not very successfully though, Johan  Nothing much hit the mark for me.

TD: Next French composer : Pierné

Well, the seed has been planted. Don't forget to water it from time to time ! 

[Traverso]

Corelli


Concerti No.1-2-3-4-5-6

[Irons]

Thought I'd jump on the GMG Baxathon:

Marvellous performances of both works:

Agreed, this and the 5th puts me outside the mainstream Bax opinions I guess.

[MusicTurner]

Listening to some Charles Griffes, on CD and LP ...

[Symphonic Addict]

Not very successfully though, Johan  Nothing much hit the mark for me.

TD: Next French composer : Pierné

Something similar happens on me. Tournemire's symphonies are not much of my liking, above all the 7th. A long ode to boredom. 

On the other hand, Pierné is much more engaging and warm.

[Symphonic Addict]

Glazunov: 8th Symphony.

An impressive swansong. Great second movement which is the heart of the work. I do not know either the recordings or the symphonies themselves to make worthwhile comment, but comparing Rozhdestvensky with Svetlanov?

That Rozhdestvensky cycle is very consistent.

[Todd]

1.  Again.  So good.

[Iota]

Simple, unfussy playing that brings these pieces to life.

[kyjo]

How do you find the performances [Myaskovsky complete SQ perf. Taneyev Q on Northern Flowers - image didn't show]?
I was considering the Taneyev chamber music box featuring the same ensemble on the same label, but blistering forum comments about poor intonation (on the Taneyev composer thread) dissuaded me.

I, for one, am decidedly not a fan of the Taneyev Quartet's playing. But many others don't seem to have to have a problem with it.

[kyjo]

Rather unlikely neighbours:

Marcel Dupré: Symphonie pour orgue et orchestre (dedicated to sir Henry Wood).
One of many cds found sleeping in my collection.
Very enjoyable - cfr. Joseph Jongens Symphonie concertante: a combination of virtuosity and romantic outpourings.  Also a bit anonymous. But I probably lack knowledge about Dupré's style and language.

I like the Dupré Symphony very much. Not as spectacular as, say, the Jongen but a serious, rewarding work.

[Traverso]

Sibelius

Symphony No.5

[Traverso]

Haydn

Die Jahreszeiten

[André]

Despite a 10/10 review from Dave Hurwitz and a glowing encomium from Musicweb I have not been won over by this recording after 3 listenings over the past couple of years. I find the orchestra's strings undernourished and the pacing lacking in tension. Low winds and percussion are suitably caught, but I don't feel enough voltage in the big moments of Lemminkäinen in Tuonela. The Return of Lemminkäinen is superb, but in the brassy coda one feels the orchestra lacking weight and bite. Dommage.

Pohjola's Daughter is fine, but I've heard better ones (none more so than Barbirolli's electrifying Hallé recording).

[Todd]

[JBS]

Bach
WTC 2
Ton Koopman
Harpsichord  by Kroesbergen after Ruckers
Recorded April 1982 Old Catholic  Church "Maria Minor" Utrecht

[vandermolen]

Agreed, this and the 5th puts me outside the mainstream Bax opinions I guess.

I think that No.5 (especially in Leppard's recording) is the greatest and most cogent of them all. I've always liked No.4 from the days of Handley's Guidford PO LP taken out of my local record library. As with Shostakovich's 12th Symphony it is generally considered the weakest of the cycle and yet I really like it. I much prefer it, for example, to No.6 which is considered by many to be the greatest.

My order of preference for Bax symphonies are: 5,3,4,7,2,1,6

I think that it's a pity that Leppard or Fredman did not record the 6th Symphony for Lyrita as I didn't think much of Del Mar's performance. Actually I never thought much of him as a conductor after he conducted the worst performance I have ever heard of Vaughan Williams's 'A Pastoral Symphony'. However, I did like his Moeran discs for Chandos and I think his recording of Stanford's 'Irish Symphony' is best of all - so maybe I am being unfair.

[André]

This is the second Gothenburg/Järvi performance of the Lemminkäinen suite. It is some 5 minutes faster than the earlier one on BIS. Only the Swan of Tuonela movement sounded fast to my ears. The orchestra plays very well, if with too cushioned a sound. Also, the tension level is a bit slack. This is especially apparent when listening to the first Ormandy/Philadelphia recording:



This is in mono (1953) and the sound is obviously somewhat limited, but still very detailed and with good dynamic amplitude. What really sets this apart is the absolute fury generated by the composer in the two big movements. The usual order is with the Swan movement second, but Ormandy plays it third, so we have to hugely dramatic movements in succession. The tension generated in I is picked up and cranked up further in II (Lemminkäinen in Tuonela), making for a hell of a ride indeed. To achieve this level of dramatic tension Ormandy fires up his huge string section to boiling level. In my experience only Mrawinsky, Karajan and Ormandy could generate such weight and inky dark low string tone. It makes a huge difference IMO. Having the Swan third allows for the appropriate relaxation and otherworldliness (it is a journey in the realm of the dead, after all). Ormandy's whipcracking Return of Lemminkäinen is suitably hellish, with the Philadelphians barely keeping pace. I have to admit that Lintu's beautifully articulated reading is really special (the superbly detailed recording really makes a difference there). In the end though, nothing replaces the terrific music making of the old Ormandy performance.

[vandermolen]

This is the second Gothenburg/Järvi performance of the Lemminkäinen suite. It is some 5 minutes faster than the earlier one on BIS. Only the Swan of Tuonela movement sounded fast to my ears. The orchestra plays very well, if with too cushioned a sound. Also, the tension level is a bit slack. This is especially apparent when listening to the first Ormandy/Philadelphia recording:



This is in mono (1953) and the sound is obviously somewhat limited, but still very detailed and with good dynamic amplitude. What really sets this apart is the absolute fury generated by the composer in the two big movements. The usual order is with the Swan movement second, but Ormandy plays it third, so we have to hugely dramatic movements in succession. The tension generated in I is picked up and cranked up further in II (Lemminkäinen in Tuonela), making for a hell of a ride indeed. To achieve this level of dramatic tension Ormandy fires up his huge string section to boiling level. In my experience only Mrawinsky, Karajan and Ormandy could generate such weight and inky dark low string tone. It makes a huge difference IMO. Having the Swan third allows for the appropriate relaxation and otherworldliness (it is a journey in the realm of the dead, after all). Ormandy's whipcracking Return of Lemminkäinen is suitably hellish, with the Philadelphians barely keeping pace. I have to admit that Lintu's beautifully articulated reading is really special (the superbly detailed recording really makes a difference there). In the end though, nothing replaces the terrific music making of the old Ormandy performance.

That's great to know André as I have the 'Ormandy conducts Sibelius' boxed set in which it features.

Now playing: Bax Symphony 4 Lloyd-Jones
I thought that I'd compare this with the Thomson version played this morning. They are quite different but complimentary performance with the Thomson more atmospheric but the Lloyd Jones with a greater urgency and sense of structure. I also enjoyed Llloyd Jones's 'Nympholept' but find the Thomson version even more poetic, especially at the start. Still, this is a fine Naxos CD:

[MusicTurner]

This is the second Gothenburg/Järvi performance of the Lemminkäinen suite. It is some 5 minutes faster than the earlier one on BIS. Only the Swan of Tuonela movement sounded fast to my ears. The orchestra plays very well, if with too cushioned a sound. Also, the tension level is a bit slack. This is especially apparent when listening to the first Ormandy/Philadelphia recording:



This is in mono (1953) and the sound is obviously somewhat limited, but still very detailed and with good dynamic amplitude. What really sets this apart is the absolute fury generated by the composer in the two big movements. The usual order is with the Swan movement second, but Ormandy plays it third, so we have to hugely dramatic movements in succession. The tension generated in I is picked up and cranked up further in II (Lemminkäinen in Tuonela), making for a hell of a ride indeed. To achieve this level of dramatic tension Ormandy fires up his huge string section to boiling level. In my experience only Mrawinsky, Karajan and Ormandy could generate such weight and inky dark low string tone. It makes a huge difference IMO. Having the Swan third allows for the appropriate relaxation and otherworldliness (it is a journey in the realm of the dead, after all). Ormandy's whipcracking Return of Lemminkäinen is suitably hellish, with the Philadelphians barely keeping pace. I have to admit that Lintu's beautifully articulated reading is really special (the superbly detailed recording really makes a difference there). In the end though, nothing replaces the terrific music making of the old Ormandy performance.

The DG Järvi has always been a favourite of mine, but I also have the Ormandy LP and will compare; early Ormandy tends to be good.
I likewise have Ormandy/EMI, Vänskä/BIS, Groves/EMI, Lukas Foss/Nonesuch and Kamu/DG.