What are you listening 2 now?

[listener]

WAGNER: Siegfried Idyll       SCHOENBERG: Verklärte Nacht)
English Chamber Orch.,  Vladimir Ashkenazy cond.
short program (47 minutes) but satisfying.  It's a 1984 disc so the content matches the LP release at the time.
Flemish Rhapsodies by ROUSSEL, ABSIL, DE JONG, SCHOEMAKER, and BRUSSELMANS, and a  Rhapsody by August De Boeck
Brussels BRTN Philharmonic Orch.   Alexander Rahbari, cond.
TARTINI: Violin Concerto in G
Givanni Guglielmo, baroque violin,  L'Arte del Arco
VIOTTI: Violin Concerto 17
Franco Mezzena, violin   Symphonia Perusina
PAGANINI: Sonata per la gran viola
Luigi Alberto Bianchi, viola   RIAS Orchestra Berlin
PAGANINI: Maestosa Sonata Sentimentale
Massimo Quarta, violin   Stefania Redaelli, piano
no notes inside the cover of the booklet?   This may be a used disc that I'm giving a first listen to

[Brahmsian]

Well, I agree with John that the first two are quite similar --- I just disagree they are similar to Tchaikovsky. 

The reason I prefer the 1st is that it has memorable tunes in all movements, while the 2nd has only one truly memorable: the very opening one.

Andrei, what about the anthemic, heroic finale of number 2?   

I'd say my current favourite three of Sibelius are 5, 2 and 3.  Every single one of his symphonies have been a favourite of mine at some point.  I don't think I can ever declare any other composer holding that same distinction.

[Florestan]

Andrei, what about the anthemic, heroic finale of number 2?   

I remember it being anthemic and heroic. Can't remember the tune, though --- sorry. 

Every single one of his symphonies have been a favourite of mine at some point.  I don't think I can ever declare any other composer holding that same distinction.

I'll grant you that. I never had such an experience with symphonies.

[Roasted Swan]

I remember playing Sibelius 1 in my Youth Orchestra.  Given that I've had a career in professional orchestral playing, that performance still rates as one of my top 5 experiences........

[vandermolen]

Klami 'Sea Pictures'

[vandermolen]

The other day I relistened to this epic work on the Naxos recording. I love this symphony more and more. I even think it's my favorite by him.

Thomson's performance certainly brought it alive for me Cesar. The Lloyd-Jones is my other favourite recording.

[Florestan]

I remember playing Sibelius 1 in my Youth Orchestra.  Given that I've had a career in professional orchestral playing, that performance still rates as one of my top 5 experiences........

My Top 5 Firsts, in chronological order: Mozart, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Sibelius.

[vandermolen]

Jon Nordal.

Orchestral Works.

Choralis.
Adagio for Flute,Harp, Piano and String Orchestra.
Longnaetti.
Epitafion.
Leidsla.

Iceland SO, Johannes Gustavsson.

More temptation Harry 
What's the music like?

[Karl Henning]

Well, I agree with John that the first two are quite similar --- I just disagree they are similar to Tchaikovsky. 

The reason I prefer the 1st is that it has memorable tunes in all movements, while the 2nd has only one truly memorable: the very opening one.

OTOH, I don't remember any of the tunes in the First. But can hum bits of every movement of the Second.

[Karl Henning]

Thread Duty:
Liszt
A Faust Symphony
Chas Bressler, tenor
The Choral Art Society
NY Phil
Lenny

[Harry]

More temptation Harry 
What's the music like?

Modern but no real atonality.  Just what you might expect from the Iceland shores. Austere and atmospheric at the same time, a bit like Rautavaara, but with a twist. Best try some samples on JPC, you get the impression of what he is about. I am sure you like him, after all you also listen to Klami, right?

[vers la flamme]

Never heard much Tchaikovsky in the earlier Sibelius myself. The 2nd is one of my favorites along with the 5th and 7th.



Richard Strauss: Arias from the operas Die Frau ohne Schatten, Die Rosenkavalier, Die ägyptische Helena, Guntram, etc. Leontyne Price, Erich Leinsdorf, New Philharmonia Orchestra

First listen to this disc. Sounds excellent. I don't know much about Straussian opera but I'd love to hear more of it.

[aligreto]

Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 6 [Svetlanov]





I find this to be a wonderfully tension filled opening movement, even when the drama and dynamics have settled down. There is a terrifically effective use of the brass section. There is a short and wonderful woodwind induced calm in the second movement but those dark clouds soon reappear. The sound world of the third movement was a wonderful contrast to what went before. I really liked it. Once again, the orchestration, the atmosphere and the emotion are all a great experience for me. Good old Nickolai woke up in a very sunny mood for the fourth movement which was very pleasant to hear!

[aligreto]

Messiaen

Just arrived

Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Did you enjoy your new purchase, Jan?

[Roasted Swan]

Riccardo Muti's early EMI recordings with the Philharmonia are uniformly fine.  Just three recordings/sets that stand the test of time;



All three have a dynamism and excitement in the music-making that later Muti recordings seem to singularly lack......  Classic EMI/analogue/(often) Kingsway Hall sound to boot (except Manfred in early DDD)

[Traverso]

Did you enjoy your new purchase, Jan?

I did Fergus, but not wihout reservations,it is briljant,impressive and authoritive but the Loriod recording from the Warner set was more to my liking.I was more emotionally touched by her recording.
I did purchase another recording today this time withJean-Rodolphe Kars .
That will defenitely my last Messiaen purchase for now.
It is an older live recording.and seems very special.Well,I will know it tomorrow.
My first recording was played by Beroff but after hearing a few other recordings it feels not convincing.
Hearing a few interpretations is very illuminating.
I still have to listen to the first Loriod recording and the one from Peter Hill.
Of course I have to listen again to the Osbourne recording,you never know if you (wiill) change your mind.I,m very curious about Peter Hill with a more poëtical approach.

[Daverz]

Brotons: Symphony No. 5



Exciting stuff.

[Alek Hidell]

 
Too weird/modern to post on the opera thread, so posting here. 

I know this is going back a few pages, but then again that's only about half an hour on this thread ...

So is this an opera then, T.D.? I'm a Braxton fan but I don't keep up with everything he does (is that even possible?).

[T. D.]

I know this is going back a few pages, but then again that's only about half an hour on this thread ...

So is this an opera then, T.D.? I'm a Braxton fan but I don't keep up with everything he does (is that even possible?).

Yes, Braxton's Trillium pieces are all operas; I know of three recordings (R, E and J), but there may be more. I'm not an unqualified Braxton fan, cautious about purchases from his huge discography, but listened to quite a few samples on bandcamp and really enjoyed them.

I purchased R because I'm a dinosaur CD listener and that was available cheapest on disc. The physical J recording looks most interesting, because it includes audio CDs and Blu-Ray DVDs (and my taste has swung back to preferring video with operas), but I don't have a Blu-Ray player  . I think audio downloads of Trillium R, E and J are all offered on Braxton's bandcamp pages.

[Alek Hidell]

Yes, Braxton's Trillium pieces are all operas; I know of three recordings (R, E and J), but there may be more. I'm not an unqualified Braxton fan, cautious about purchases from his huge discography, but listened to quite a few samples on bandcamp and really enjoyed them.

I purchased R because I'm a dinosaur CD listener and that was available cheapest on disc. The physical J recording looks most interesting, because it includes audio CDs and Blu-Ray DVDs (and my taste has swung back to preferring video with operas), but I don't have a Blu-Ray player  . I think audio downloads of Trillium R, E and J are all offered on Braxton's bandcamp pages.

Thanks!

I'm not an opera fan in general, so I'll be skipping these. And like you, I'm not an unqualified fan - Braxton's oeuvre is uneven for sure, but so would be any artist's who released as much material as he does.