What are you listening 2 now?

[aligreto]

Varese: Density 21.5 [Boulez] played by Lawrence Beauregard





This is a short work for solo flute and it is very accessible.

[SimonNZ]

[vandermolen]

NP:

Respighi
Vetrate Di Chiesa (Church Windows), P. 150
Philharmonia
Simon



Still the Church Windows performance to beat.

+1

[vandermolen]

A beautiful work, one of my favorites by Weinberg.

Mine too Kyle.

[vandermolen]

Best of luck with setting up, Jeffrey.

Thanks Fergus! Too tired after work today but hopefully tomorrow.

[The new erato]

I am NO expert on this period but enjoyed this piece of fiction;



the proverbial rollicking-good-read based on this Crusade....

I've read it. Interesting fiction.

[Karl Henning]

First-Listen Friday meets Myaskovsky Madness!

Myaskovsky
Sinfonietta in b minor, Op. 32 № 2
Divertissement, Op. 80
Svetlanov & al.

After the tremendous impact of this album's opener, the tone-poem Silence, I found the Sinfonietta something of a disappointingly dutiful listen. It dates from the same year (1929) in which Prokofiev made the final revision to his own Sinfonietta (first composed in 1909 (the year before Myaskovsky completed Silence)

The three movements of Myaskovsky's Sinfonietta are:
1. Allegro, piccante e serioso
2. Andante
3. Presto

The five movements of the Prokofiev are:

1. Allegro giocoso
2. Andante
3. Intermezzo: Vivace
4. Scherzo: Allegro risoluto
5. Allegro giocoso

The difference in character can be summed up in the contrasting descriptors for the respective first movements: serioso and giocoso.

Without wishing to flog the Myaskovsky piece for not being Prokofiev's ... the central fact for me is that the tone of Myaskovsky's work is peculiarly lugubrious for a piece designated a Sinfonietta.  In my first hearing, I was not conscious of the third movement Presto casting off the gloom much.  I shall go back to the piece, in hopes that the fog may clear (we might say)

I've been conscious of the fact that I said nothing about the Op. 80 Divertissement, to which I have just listened afresh. If (while still holding the door open to my becoming reconciled with a "Sinfonietta seriosa") my initial takeaway from the Sinfonietta was the question whether it "succeeded in its genre." I owe Myaskovsky plaudits for the Divertissement which albeit deep-hued, perhaps, I find entirely successful and enjoyable.

[Karl Henning]

+ 1
Unfortunately I can't listen to anything tonight as the CD player has packed up
But, I have a new one which I'll try to set up later. 

I feel for you, friend.

[Karl Henning]

Miaskovsky: Links [Svetlanov] Op. 65





This work is mentioned in Wiki as "Suite for orchestra, Op. 65 (1945) Orchestrations of early piano pieces". I found the musical content mildly interesting and obviously, of course, the orchestration. It cannot, of course, compare or compete with the symphonic works in terms of construction of an argument or overall cohesion but it is still an interesting listen for the detail in the scoring, orchestration and musical language.

I feel much the same about Stravinsky's Suites for Small Orchestra, Fergus. One doesn't fault the composer for the "exercise," but the result may not quite earn its place at the table.

[André]

Trios for flute, cello and piano by Martinu, Rorem and Crumb.

The Martinu trio (1945) is staunchly neoclassical, a busy, chatty discourse where the flute constantly plays in its high register, making the work rather grating in the end. The Rorem trio from 1960 is in a classical 4 movement cast. It starts with the flute playing in its low register, a totally different sound from the hyperactive cricket whistle of the Martinu. It's a rather good work, if conventionally written. The Crumb piece dates from 1971 and uses amplification and electronic gimmickry to alter the instruments' sounds. It is titled Vox balenae (voice of the whale) and imitates underwater sounds including of course the sounds of whales. It's an interesting work, although the electronics sound primitive by moments and give the work a somewhat 'Yellow Submarine' feel - very vintage. On the whole I enjoyed it the most among the three works here. It is worth noting that it was composed one year after Hovhanness' famous tone poem 'And God Created Great Whales'. This latter work has acquired classic status and has definitely aged better IMO.

[Karl Henning]

First-Listen Friday meets Myaskovsky Madness!

Myaskovsky
Sinfonietta in b minor, Op. 32 № 2
Divertissement, Op. 80
Svetlanov & al.

After the tremendous impact of this album's opener, the tone-poem Silence, I found the Sinfonietta something of a disappointingly dutiful listen. It dates from the same year (1929) in which Prokofiev made the final revision to his own Sinfonietta (first composed in 1909 (the year before Myaskovsky completed Silence)

The three movements of Myaskovsky's Sinfonietta are:
1. Allegro, piccante e serioso
2. Andante
3. Presto

The five movements of the Prokofiev are:

1. Allegro giocoso
2. Andante
3. Intermezzo: Vivace
4. Scherzo: Allegro risoluto
5. Allegro giocoso

The difference in character can be summed up in the contrasting descriptors for the respective first movements: serioso and giocoso.

Without wishing to flog the Myaskovsky piece for not being Prokofiev's ... the central fact for me is that the tone of Myaskovsky's work is peculiarly lugubrious for a piece designated a Sinfonietta.  In my first hearing, I was not conscious of the third movement Presto casting off the gloom much.  I shall go back to the piece, in hopes that the fog may clear (we might say)

Late from the Ministry of Modifying First Impressions:

Perhaps listening to the Op. 80 Divertissement reset my ears. However it may be, I have revisited the Sinfonietta, and I do like it. This time I picked up how, after the Serioso opening statement how the opening material alternates/vies with the more lyrical episodes, at first heralded by the solo violin. The Andante is poignantly lyrical, and while the Presto is not truly "light," it is indeed a fitting conclusion to the piece.  I withdraw my objections, completely.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Mahler
Symphony No. 7 in E minor
Berliners
Abbado

[Mandryka]

This Shostakovich sounds like Prokofiev - biting irony.

[Que]

[Tsaraslondon]

From Karajan's 1963 cycle, the third gets a swift, tensely dramatic performance but the more elusive fourth is really something. In the slow movement Karajan finds not only echoes of Mozart and Haydn but pre-echoes of Wagner. A great performance.

[Irons]

Suk: Asrael Symphony.

Impressive in parts but a work I have difficulty coming to terms with.

[Que]

[Madiel]

Saint-Saens, Piano Concerto No.2

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

A first listen to Corelli.
Concerto Grossi Op.6/1
(Ensemble 415).

[Que]

^ ^ ^ Excellent! 


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