What are you listening 2 now?

[Irons]

Schumann: Symphony No 1 in B flat major Spring - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Rafael Kubelik

LP available on the cheap but good Contour. I have the 2nd with same forces, again on Contour.

[Karl Henning]

Good morning all,

More Koechlin exploration:

Vers la voûte étoilée, Op. 129
Khamma (Debussy arr. C. Koechlin)

Love both of those.

[Karl Henning]

You should try the Faust Symphony, particularly the Bernstein/Boston Symphony recording (the NYP recording is very good, too).

+ 1

[kyjo]

I know, I know, as of late I've become very hard to please but I can't help it. 

Now that I can agree with! Back to your Mozart!

[Florestan]

Now that I can agree with! Back to your Mozart!

Scheduled for tonight:





Seriously now, the only composers I could listen to without ever getting bored are D. Scarlatti (on the piano), Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. The enjoyment of all others is heavily deoendent on my moods and circumstances.

[Papy Oli]

Earlier on : Langgaard 2nd & 3rd.

Not too sure about the 2nd but the 3rd was quite something. I really liked all 3 mvts... independently... not sure how they are supposed to merge in one work. Colour me intrigued.



Now : Vaughan Williams 4th (Berglund)

 

[Traverso]

Beethoven

Symphony No.6 "Pastorale"

[JBS]

Some time ago on either the Korngold or Walton threads (or perhaps both!) people were singing the praises of the Orquestra Filarmonica de Gran Canaria in both those composer's very tricky symphonies.  The Walton is conducted by Adrian Leaper and it is excellent.  Which made me consciously dig out more recordings I have with Leaper.  And guess what.... they are consistently good.  A couple of his early Naxos discs are a bit 'read-record' but goodness me a lot of the rest are better than just good.  His Symphony cycles of Sibelius and especially Nielsen (both for Naxos) are well played but more to point cogent, intelligent and effective interpretations.  Back in Gran Canaria his Mahler Symphonies prove to be equally fine.  A bit like the Walton - unfussy and clear-sighted, sensitive and effective.  I'm genuinely impressed and enjoying rediscovering these readings.  Which makes me think how reputations are all too often just down to who has the biggest marketing budget.  I'm not saying Leaper is the "best", but he is certainly more impressive than quite a few young/photogenic/publicity-savvy conductors I can think of.  Also it has to be said that the old Arte Nova CD's LOOK so dull!  I know BMG used that as their budget label but it would have helped if the discs themselves looked more appealing.  The upside is that most of these performances can still be picked up 2nd hand very reasonably and I would recommend any of the following;

I have Leaper's Mahler 5, and I liked it.  The copy I have is this one, from Arte Nova's Artistic Photography phase of cover design

But this issue is cheaper and more available
.

[Todd]

[vandermolen]

Earlier on : Langgaard 2nd & 3rd.

Not too sure about the 2nd but the 3rd was quite something. I really liked all 3 mvts... independently... not sure how they are supposed to merge in one work. Colour me intrigued.



Now : Vaughan Williams 4th (Berglund)

Both Berglund's 4th and 6th are first rate IMO and Gibson's No.5 is fine too. That's a great set apart from the stupid wasps photo.

[vandermolen]

Bax: Symphonic Variations - a great Bax work IMO. Unlike most people I prefer it to 'Winter Legends' but I shall be listening to that as well.

[Papy Oli]

Both Berglund's 4th and 6th are first rate IMO and Gibson's No.5 is fine too. That's a great set apart from the stupid wasps photo.

Thought I'd revisit Berglund again. His Fourth is a mighty one. Much better impression than first time round.

I should really have another run through RVW symphonies when I am done with Langgaard. 

[André]

[Traverso]

Haydn

CD2

[Wanderer]

,[asin]B00000E53D[/asin]

[Brian]

I've decided to go through my own music collection in a thorough way and reacquaint myself with stuff I haven't listened to in a long time. Not going to listen to everything - that would take forever - just stuff that hasn't gotten played in a while. Music marked with a * is music I have never heard before, in any performance.

The approach: alphabetical, from Z to A. Hoping that this offers up a relatively randomized and diverse assortment of music. Starting off with everything after Tchaikovsky.

Playlist for Monday-Wednesday of this week:
Zemlinsky - Lyric Symphony (Gielen, Arte Nova) (paired with works by Alban Berg)
*Zelenka - Trio Sonatas (Holliger, ECM)
Zelenka - Missa votiva (Luks, Alpha)
Witt - Symphonies 6 and 9 (Moesus, MDG)
Wieniawski - Violin Concertos (G. Shaham, DG)
Weiner - Violin Sonatas and folk dances (H. Shaham, Hyperion)
Weber - Violin sonatas and piano quartet (Faust/Melnikov, Harmonia Mundi)
Wagner - bleeding chunks conducted by Munch (RCA)
*Vycpalek - Cantata of the Last Things of Man (Ancerl/Supraphon) (paired with a suite by Ostrcil)
Vivaldi - concerti for two violins (Beyer/Carmignola, Harmonia Mundi)
*Vaughan Williams - Flos Campi and Viola Suite (Power/Brabbins, Hyperion) (paired with a concerto by McEwen)
*Tippett - Concerto, Corelli fantasia, Ritual Dances (Andrew Davis, Teldec)
A. Tcherepnin - two volumes of solo piano music (Koukl, Grand Piano)

Starting with only my third or fourth listen to the Zemlinsky since 2011, when I got to see it live in London (LPO, Jurowski, awesome).

On the Tippett now, so pulling out discs for the next stack to cover the rest of the week. Stars* again are things I've never heard before.

*Telemann - Trio sonatas with bassoon solos (Azzolini, CPO)
Tchaikovsky and Babadjanian - piano trios (Gluzman, Moser, Sudbin, BIS)
Tchaikovsky 6 (Currentzis)
Tchaikovsky 6 (Levine, RCA)
Tchaikovsky 6 (Honeck/Pittsburgh)
Taneyev - the chamber music disc just posted here a couple pages ago (Repin, Pletnev, etc., DG)
Tabakova - String Paths (ECM)
Suppe - overtures (Sandor, Laserlight!!)
Stravinsky - Rite and *two piano music (Hamelin/Andsnes, Hyperion)
Stravinsky - Jeu de cartes and Apollon musagete (Chailly/Concertgebouw, Decca)
J. Strauss - piano transcriptions by Friedman, Godowsky, etc. (Piers Lane, Helios)

[Todd]

[Mandryka]

New discovery and a very good one.

[listener]

LANGLAIS: Suite brêve, Suite Médiévale en forme de messe basse,
VIERNE: Les Angelus, op. 57   
DURUFLÉ: Prelude and Fugue on the Name of Alain
Colin Walsh, organ of Salisbury Cathedral  with Anne Richard, sop. in the Les Angelus7
BRUHNS: The 5 Prelude-and-Fugues    HANFF: 6 Chorale Preludes
Christoph Albrecht, Papenius 1745/Schuke 1979 organ at the Marienkirche, Bezig

[Symphonic Addict]

I love the contrast between the sunny, ebullient outer movements and the tragic funeral march slow movement. One of my favorite symphonies of his.

Indeed, Arnold was a master to combine opposite moods in many of his works.