What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

NP:

Diamond
Symphony No. 3
Seattle Symphony
Schwarz



A fabulous symphony. A cannot stress how grateful I am for Gerard Schwarz's championship of so many of mid-20th Century American composers. He has done them a great service. If the academics had their way, this kind of music wouldn't ever see the light of day. Take from that statement what you will.

One of the Great American Symphonies IMO and ranks with those by Harris, Copland, Schuman and Hanson. Schwarz's performance seems excellent, although I'm unaware of any alternative. The Delos release is preferable to the Naxos as it includes the lyrical and memorable Suite for Romeo and Juliet. I've been listening to Symphony No.1 and 'The Enormous Room' with great pleasure recently.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

Holst - A Choral Symphony.

A first listen methinks.

[aligreto]

Beethoven: String Quartets [Gewandhaus Quartet]





String Quartet Op. 95

I am always fascinated by the fact that you listen to a piece of music there is quite often something that you did not notice before in it. In this case it is the busy viola work in the first movement. What truly wonderful string writing in the slow movement; it is superb. The third movement Scherzo is also wonderful. The music is terrifically edgy with a calm trio section to calm things down but even this has something of an edge to it. The Final movement is a real mixed bag in terms of tones and tempi but it certainly finishes with a flourish.

[aligreto]

Good morning all,

Holst - A Choral Symphony.

A first listen methinks.

A good one, that 

[Traverso]

Beethoven

Symphony No 4 & 7

Concertgebouworkest

[Traverso]

Beethoven: String Quartets [Gewandhaus Quartet]





String Quartet Op. 95

I am always fascinated by the fact that you listen to a piece of music there is quite often something that you did not notice before in it. In this case it is the busy viola work in the first movement. What truly wonderful string writing in the slow movement; it is superb. The third movement Scherzo is also wonderful. The music is terrifically edgy with a calm trio section to calm things down but even this has something of an edge to it. The Final movement is a real mixed bag in terms of tones and tempi but it certainly finishes with a flourish.

This is a real fine set,good recorded too.

[aligreto]

This is a real fine set,good recorded too.

Yes, it is Jan. I had a chance some years ago to buy it but I turned it down for some reason back then. I am very glad that I have it now 

[Que]

Beethoven

Symphony No 4 & 7

Concertgebouworkest

One of my favourite "traditional" LvB symphonies cycles! 

[Traverso]

One of my favourite "traditional" LvB symphonies cycles! 

And rightly so...

The singing strings in these lyrical perfomances are wonderful ,the recording is vivid and clear,in my opinion this is one of the most attractive sets available.

[Harry]

I am blessed this year with divers maladies, but this last one will prevent me from listening at least a week. I had some loss of hearing in the upper frequencies, especially the left ear, wich also gave me pain. Checking this morning with my doc, turns out that both ears have a smear prop, quite large, she could only see a half moon of my membrane, and there was a slight infection in my left ear because of it. I got the proverbial drops, to make the infection less insistent, and the other ear I will use some olive oil to get the stuff soft, for Monday afternoon she will flush both ears, and my hearing should be back to normal. Which would be fine, for I decided to buy an Esoteric player, and fase the Nu-Vista out. But I also have to rebuild the electrics in both office and listening room, also, so that will keep me occupied for at least a week.
Just to know for all that might be interested.
Cheers.

PS. That will not keep me from ordering some new exciting things this weekend at JPC

[Biffo]

One of my favourite "traditional" LvB symphonies cycles! 

One of my favourites also. I bought it back in 1970; it came in a massive box with a gold embossed medallion of Beethoven on the cover. Nos 4 & 8 are my favourite performances  from this cycle. I used to love No 6 but now find it too slow.

Edit: Now listening to Symphony No 4 from the set (on LP)

[aligreto]

Martinu: Symphony No. 1 [Thomson]





What a wonderful sound world this work is and Thomson probes and explores it very well. The musical language of the first movement is dramatic and its presentation is very exciting. The Scherzo is filled with unbridled energy and vitality and is a powerful presentation. The drive and forward momentum is terrific. The Trio section is somewhat an oasis of relatively  reduced calm but, effectively, not very much so as the intensity does not reduce very much. The conclusion is terrifically exciting. The third movement, Largo, is a total contrast to what has preceded it. It is quite dark and desolate in its musical language and this is a powerful presentation of that musical message. The energy, drive and vitality of the first two movements is resumed here. This is powerful and exciting music given a very fine airing here which is well driven to a very fine conclusion.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I think he's a fine conductor who has done some excellent work. Of course, it's his championship of many of these mid-20th Century American composers that he's probably most known for. But he's turned in some good Ravel, Rimsky-Korsakov, Falla, Hindemith et. al.

Thank you John. I have a few recordings of American composers conducted by him and I generally like them. I will look for his recordings of Hindemith and de Falla.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Godzilla Symphonic Concert. Akira Ifukube.

[Biffo]

Arthur Butterworth: Symphony No 5 - Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by the composer - from the CD, newly arrived today.

[Papy Oli]

Holst - The Planets (Boult, London Philarmonic Orchestra)

[Irons]

I am blessed this year with divers maladies, but this last one will prevent me from listening at least a week. I had some loss of hearing in the upper frequencies, especially the left ear, wich also gave me pain. Checking this morning with my doc, turns out that both ears have a smear prop, quite large, she could only see a half moon of my membrane, and there was a slight infection in my left ear because of it. I got the proverbial drops, to make the infection less insistent, and the other ear I will use some olive oil to get the stuff soft, for Monday afternoon she will flush both ears, and my hearing should be back to normal. Which would be fine, for I decided to buy an Esoteric player, and fase the Nu-Vista out. But I also have to rebuild the electrics in both office and listening room, also, so that will keep me occupied for at least a week.
Just to know for all that might be interested.
Cheers.

PS. That will not keep me from ordering some new exciting things this weekend at JPC

That's the spirit! These things come to test us but we appreciate all the more when sorted.

[Irons]

Arthur Butterworth: Symphony No 5 - Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by the composer - from the CD, newly arrived today.

A fine symphony indeed.

[SonicMan46]

Well, started the box below about a week ago, then we took a 4-day vacation to the mountains (Asheville, NC) - now back and listening the the remaining 3 discs - Dave

English Music for Viols w/ Fretwork - 5-disc set (contents below) - listening to John Jenkins (1592-1678) and William Lawes (1602-1645); Paul Nicholson on organ.  Dave