What are you listening 2 now?

[Irons]

The Lyrita discs conducted by Imogen Holst are essential purchases for anyone interested in the composer.  She conducts the two Suites you mention as well - especially interesing because its a "proper" military band and there is a unique sound that other symphonic wind sections can't replicate.  I knew these pieces first via a famous ASV Dennis Wick/London Wind Orchestra recording.  This is a stunning "All Star" line up of players and definitely worth hearing but The Central Band of the RAF is as authentic as you can get!

I agree on all counts. For me Imogen is the supreme authority for her father's music. The all star line up on the Denis Wick recording includes amongst others Jack Brymer, Crispian Steele-Perkins and James Brown.
I am pleasantly surprised that the Naxos recording by David Lloyd-Jones and RSNO of orchestral pieces Beni Mora, Somerset Rhapsody, Egdon Heath and Invocation for Cello and Orchestra finishes with "Hammersmith" in wind band orchestration and not the version for full orchestra. 

[vandermolen]

+1 - I'd go as far to say the best single set collection of Holst there is (now I think about it there aren't many others!

Yes, I think that it may be the only one! 
I does feature that marvellous Boult recording of the First Choral Symphony.

[vandermolen]

This is the weakest disc in this series. Both works are complete bores but the VC is outstandingly so: if you excise the trivial passage-works and the long(uish) note-spinning you are left with almost nothing: not a single interesting idea, not a single inspired tune, nothing but commonplaces and emptiness. The symphony is marginally better but only slightly; I didn't listen to any of its movement in their entirety, I skipped to the next in the hope that something will pique my interest, but in vain. A huge disappointment.

Now that my WP-B exploration has come to an end, I can safely say that he was no revelation.  I will certainly return to his piano music (which imo is what he excelled at writing) but I have no intention to revisit his orchestral works: generic Late Romanticism, at best pleasant enough, at worst irredeemably boring, they don't warrant a second listen.

Oh, I really like 'Solitudo' (I even have two recordings of it  )- it's my favourite after 3 and 2 and I enjoy the VC as well. So, I'm with Harry on this one. 

[Florestan]

Milhaud reminds me of the 'Telemann' of the 20th century w/ 441 Opus numbers in his oeuvre! 

Come on, Dave! Teleman would compose 441 works between breakfast and dinner. 

[SonicMan46]

Russian Piano Trios w/ 6 different composers on a 3-CD Brilliant set (contained in a 2-disc sized jewel box).  Dave

 

[Florestan]

Oh, I really like 'Solitudo' (I even have two recordings of it  )- it's my favourite after 3 and 2 and I enjoy the VC as well. So, I'm with Harry on this one. 

Oh, no problem! Kudos to you and Harry for enjoying them --- and of course my dislike says more about me than about WP-B.

[aligreto]

Holst: The Planets [Dutoit]





Mars is dark and menacing and it is almost aggressive in its presentation. Dutoit presents the wonderful contrast that is Venus very well indeed. It is light, delicate and serene. Mercury is fairy-like in its lightness in places as it darts about. I do find the tone a little bit darker than other versions in places. Jupiter should be an assertive, bombastic and exuberant statement and Dutoit does not disappoint, even if it is a bit on the subdued side. Saturn is a growing old, not gracefully, but helplessly interpretation. There is a sense of tiredness and resignation in the build up which, when one thinks about it, can be a natural sentiment. I have not really come across this kind of interpretation before; it is an interesting one. The "climax" in the central section evokes anger and confusion for me and is done very well with the bells and harp calming things down. We revert to, not quite lethargy but to that original sense of resignation as well as sorrow and regret perhaps. I like this, I must say. Uranus definitely displays all of the inherent orchestral colour in the scoring and is well presented. The dynamics in the scoring are also well executed. Neptune should be frigid for me and this is on the warm side. I do not know what the score's marking is but I felt this was not pianissimo enough and it sounds too "heavy" for me. Because of these two aspects I feel that it loses a lot of its ethereal magic. The choir does enter very well and their singing is fine.

So, all in all, something of a mixed bag which is not unusual for this work I feel. I do remind you that this is a first listen only and I did try to justify my opinion above.

[Symphonic Addict]

This is the weakest disc in this series. Both works are complete bores but the VC is outstandingly so: if you excise the trivial passage-works and the long(uish) note-spinning you are left with almost nothing: not a single interesting idea, not a single inspired tune, nothing but commonplaces and emptiness.

The Violin Concerto stands out for its sheer lyricism and a sort of melancholy in the first two movements. The 3rd movement is catchy and more lively. That recording doesn't do justice to the piece, but this one does:

[Symphonic Addict]

Symphony in three movements

Very good overall. The 1st movement is the real thing here.

[aligreto]

Boccherini: String Quintet Op. 11/5 - Minuetto [Europa Galante]





No doubt this is the most recognizable piece of music which Boccherini wrote. 

Is Boccherini a really serious rival to Haydn in the areas of charm, grace and elegance in chamber music at least? Revisiting his music after a long absence, via this wonderful set, I really do believe so.

[SonicMan46]

Boccherini: String Quintet Op. 11/5 - Minuetto [Europa Galante]





No doubt this is the most recognizable piece of music which Boccherini wrote. 

Is Boccherini a really serious rival to Haydn in the areas of charm, grace and elegance in chamber music at least? Revisiting his music after a long absence, via this wonderful set, I really do believe so.

Just curious but have you visited the Boccherini Thread - not much input over the years, so might benefit from your help -     

For myself, Boccherini was an amazingly prolific composer and I've enjoyed him for decades (just posted a few days ago in that thread what is in my current collection of his works).  Dave

[Symphonic Addict]

Rouse: Cello Concerto

In two highly contrasted movements, the first one wild, deliberately angry, whereas the second one is a sort of poignant lament. Very good piece. He's definitely becoming one of my favorite American composers.

[ritter]

Works by the "father of modern Spanish music", Felipe Pedrell, contained in this CD:



Pedrell is a composer much more talked about and quoted (both Falla and Roberto Gerhard composed works based on themes by their predecessor) than actually performed. Be that as it may, the music by him I know is quite appealing; apart from the works on this disc, there's also—quite beautiful—extracts from his opera La Celestina, the very tristanesque tone poem Excelsior, and rather less interesting songs.

Here we have the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya under Jaime Martín performing the tone poem in three movements Lo cant de la muntanya—"The Song of the Mountains"—(with clear lisztian connotations) and the prelude to his opera Quasimodo. In both works, a remarkable melodic gift, and a true sense of form and development can be appreciated. Very pleasant listening.

[Karl Henning]

Symphony in three movements

Very good overall. The 1st movement is the real thing here.

Curious: Who's performing?

[Symphonic Addict]

Curious: Who's performing?

Alexander Gibson and the Scottish National Orchestra.

[Symphonic Addict]

Rouse: Flute Concerto

This is a sensational work. Rouse wrote truly heartfelt music, and this piece has lots of it. It should be counted among the greatest flute concertos ever.

[Karl Henning]

Rouse: Flute Concerto

This is a sensational work. Rouse wrote truly heartfelt music, and this piece has lots of it. It should be counted among the greatest flute concertos ever.

Excellent piece, indeed, Cesar!

[kyjo]

This is the weakest disc in this series. Both works are complete bores but the VC is outstandingly so: if you excise the trivial passage-works and the long(uish) note-spinning you are left with almost nothing: not a single interesting idea, not a single inspired tune, nothing but commonplaces and emptiness. The symphony is marginally better but only slightly; I didn't listen to any of its movement in their entirety, I skipped to the next in the hope that something will pique my interest, but in vain. A huge disappointment.

Now that my WP-B exploration has come to an end, I can safely say that he was no revelation.  I will certainly return to his piano music (which imo is what he excelled at writing) but I have no intention to revisit his orchestral works: generic Late Romanticism, at best pleasant enough, at worst irredeemably boring, they don't warrant a second listen.

Oh dear, I can't agree with this at all! Oh well, at least you tried. I thought P-B would've been right up your alley!

Now comes the big question: have you yet explored the music of an arguably greater Swedish composer, my beloved Kurt Atterberg?

[kyjo]

The Violin Concerto stands out for its sheer lyricism and a sort of melancholy in the first two movements. The 3rd movement is catchy and more lively. That recording doesn't do justice to the piece, but this one does:

Interesting! I've always been very pleased with the CPO recording, so I'll have to seek this one out.

[kyjo]

Symphony in three movements

Very good overall. The 1st movement is the real thing here.

One of my favorites of Stravinsky's neoclassical works (along with the Symphony of Psalms). It feels "meatier" and more dramatic to me than some of his other works in that style.