What are you listening 2 now?

[André]

It is a wonderful recording though it is monaural.

It's in excellent stereo. I don't know where that idea came from. Hurwitz said it's mono in his video, but he was corrected  in the comments section of his video and acknowledged his mistake.

[Mirror Image]

That work is a beauty. One of Respighi's best in my opinion.

It sure is, Greg.

[Karl Henning]

Hartmann
Sinfonia tragica
Berlin Radio Symphony
Janowski

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Monday

Strauss
Arabella
Júlia Várady, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau et. al.
Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Sawallisch

[T. D.]

Repeat listen to fairly recent acquisition.

[Karl Henning]

R. Strauss
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Till Eulenspiegels lustige streiche, Op. 28
Don Juan, Op. 20
NY Phil
Lenny

[Symphonic Addict]

A stupendous disc. All of the three works make it quite substantial. The Percussion Concerto Der gerettete Alberich (based on the Wagner's character from Götterdämmerung) is the star here. It must be a real treat to hear and see live. The orchestral piece Rapture and the Violin Concerto are worth listening too.

[Karl Henning]

R. Strauss
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Till Eulenspiegels lustige streiche, Op. 28
Don Juan, Op. 20
NY Phil
Lenny

Excellent!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

It's in excellent stereo. I don't know where that idea came from. Hurwitz said it's mono in his video, but he was corrected  in the comments section of his video and acknowledged his mistake.

I stand corrected. It sounds like only the two Dances are mono.

[aligreto]

Beethoven: String Quartets [Gewandhaus Quartet]





String Quartet Op. 59/2 The opening of No. 2 is very exciting and engaging. The music is attacked wonderfully here, bordering on the aggressive. It is terrifically exciting and very penetrating. The slow movement is a tour de force; it is truly marvelous. The third movement is, once again, a terrific piece of string quartet writing and it is excellently performed here. The final movement gallops along apace in an exciting and exuberant performance. This is gripping stuff indeed and truly wonderful writing

[The new erato]

I don't believe in rating things, but with a gun to my head I would say that Beethoven quartets and Bach cantatas are the most consistently great music ever written amongst major volumes of works. There are some gret runners up but a much closer race, so I won't go into that.

[Harry]

New acquisition, First listen.

Eduard Franck.
Sonata in F major, opus 42.

Richard Franck.
Sonata in D major, opus 22.
Serenade  in C major, opus 24.

Thomas Blees, Cello.
Roswitha Gediga, Piano.

If per chance you are an admirer of the music Father and Son Franck have composed, this is recommendation. The music flows so easily, full with witty melodies, and some fine detailing throughout both sonatas.
Both soloists play them with vigour and imbue the music with a life affirming emotion.
Fine sound.

[aligreto]

JS Bach Cello Suite No. 1 [Du Pré]





These performances worked for me. They are not necessarily top drawer Bach performances but I liked the flow of them nonetheless. The recording is in a very dry acoustic which does not favour the cello, and this is unfortunate. Despite that I really liked the bite in the cello lower register strings and the way in which they were attacked in the Prelude. She does justice to the Prelude, instilling the requisite gravitas. The Courante is also very well performed and lilts along appropriately.

[aligreto]

I don't believe in rating things, but with a gun to my head I would say that Beethoven quartets and Bach cantatas are the most consistently great music ever written amongst major volumes of works. There are some gret runners up but a much closer race, so I won't go into that.

Yes, I would agree with you there 

[Harry]

New release, first listen.

Sebastian Aguilera de Heredia. (1561-1627)

Organ Music

Miguel del Barco Diaz, Organ.

Instrument:
Renaissance Organ of the Iglesia de Santa Maria de la Consolacion.
This is the only known organ in Spain today that dates from the time of the composer. There is no date available of its manufacture but it was certainly prior to 1578, according to existing documents.
1 manual of 42 keys (C-a) with a short octave.

Heredia's style reflects the polyphonic tradition of the Spanish Renaissance, along with the elements of an incipient Baroque.

Barco Diaz was an unknown organist for me, but his credentials are self recommending.
Graduated with honours in Organ at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, completed a postgraduate degree in Barcelona with Montserrat Torrent, specializing in Spanish Early Organ music.
Has a degree in Harpsichord and BC and studied with: Ogg, Meister, Ghielmi, Jansen, & Bauvard.

He is a fine organist, and his style is detailed, with just the right amount of energy. He carefully handles this beautiful instrument, and that pays of in expression. The recording is pure, and it is faithfully recorded.

[TheGSMoeller]

Let Me Tell You - Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen's half-hour song cycle for soprano and orchestra

[vandermolen]

Bax: Symphony No.6
RSNO/Lloyd Jones
IMO this is the highlight of the Lloyd-Jones cycle (they are all good) and arguably the finest performance of this turbulent symphony:

[foxandpeng]

Richard Blackford
Great Animal Orchestra

Why not? Weird and wonderful...

[foxandpeng]

Bax: Symphony No.6
RSNO/Lloyd Jones
IMO this is the highlight of the Lloyd-Jones cycle (they are all good) and arguably the finest performance of this turbulent symphony:

I've been gravitating to this as my default Bax cycle, to be honest, so can't help but agree so far...

[Harry]

New acquisition, first listen.

Georges Onslow.

String Quintets, Volume IV.

No. 31 in A major & No. 23 in A minor.
World Premiere Recordings.

Elan Quintet.

The previous volumes were all of an extraordinary quality, both in performance and recording, thus volume IV is not an exception. Wonderful music and prime quality sound.