What are you listening 2 now?

Started by Gurn Blanston, September 23, 2019, 05:45:22 AM

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Karl Henning

TD: I do love The Bobs, so I dig their sui generis arrangement of Gershwin:

https://www.youtube.com/v/VVVikXKqdTI
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Papy Oli

Good morning all   :blank:

Can't sleep, playing some Nocturnes...

Olivier

Karl Henning

Disc 79: Dances from Operas

Borodin
Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances from Act II (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov)
The only Borodin I have performed in, myself, as an auxiliary percussionist

Gounod

Faust — Ballet Music (BTW it is a performance of Faust from which the audience spills out onto Covent Garden at the start of Geo. Cukor's My Fair Lady)

Ponchielli
La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours

Rimsky-Korsakov
Снегурочка–весенняя сказка The Snow Maiden–A Spring Fairy Tale) : Dance of the Tumblers (my wife & I had some light snow for our spring wedding in Petersburg)

Saint-Saëns
Samson et Delila: Bacchanale from Act III

Verdi:
Aida
Dance of the Priestesses (Act I)
Dance of the Moorish Slaves (Act II)
Ballet (Act II)
Grand March (Act II)


Tchaikovsky
Евгений Онегин (Eugene Onegin): Waltz from Act II

NY Phil
Lenny
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Madiel

Quote from: kyjo on June 13, 2021, 08:09:35 AM
Kabalevsky's 4th Symphony is indeed one of his greatest works, possessing a depth and memorability on par with anything by his more famous contemporaries. That "doom-laden procession" that closes the first movement could knock anyone's socks off! To be honest, I think most people who dismiss Kabalevsky's music haven't actually listened to any of his works besides maybe his short didactic piano works for children! :D

Ahem. His piano works for children are arguably the BEST works for children I ever played.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Madiel

Quote from: kyjo on June 13, 2021, 08:19:33 AM
While I hesitate to issue blanket statements condemning the major labels like DG since they have issued some unexpectedly interesting stuff recently (e.g. P. Jarvi's Franz Schmidt cycle), I must say that the majority of stuff they release these days is annoyingly artist-centric and showing some questionable lapses in taste with gimmicky "crossover"-ish stuff. All I can say is, thank God for labels like Naxos, Chandos, CPO, BIS, Ondine, Capriccio, etc. who continue to give us high-quality recordings of interesting repertoire and don't always feel the need to plaster a picture of the latest hot-shot young soloist on the cover of every disc.

Crossover doesn't have to be this bad though. And I don't know if it counts as crossover when the works have titles that are just opus numbers...

One of the crossover things that DG published was actually my favourite pop artist, Tori Amos, with songs derived from classical pieces. So I'm not against THAT for example.

Or Sarah Kirkland Snider's song cycles.

But there's a vein of 'populist classical' music that is so inane, tapping into the mood of relaxation music that I never liked either, crossing over with that rather than genuine pop music. Vaguely pretty tunes that don't mean anything and don't go anywhere.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: kyjo on June 12, 2021, 08:10:53 PM
Glazunov: Symphony no. 8 (Jarvi)



Oddly enough, I can't say this is one of my favorite Glazunov symphonies (those would be nos. 2, 5 and 6). Glazunov seems to be aiming at something a bit darker and more profound in this symphony but IMO never quite attains it. For example, the dramatic opening of the slow movement seems to prepare the way for a grand tragic statement, however the majority of the rest of the movement is much more relaxed in character. I also missed the typical sparkling, tuneful Glazunovian scherzo here - this one is instead a noodling chromatic affair. I know Jeffrey (vandermolen) will disagree strongly with me! ;) (The two "filler works" on this disc are largely forgettable IMO.)


This entire disc:



I can't believe I had overlooked this magical, colorful album before. These five works feature unusual instrumental combinations (often featuring harp and various woodwinds) which Bax exploits to the highest degree. They overall represent Bax's sunnier side but are not free of darker moments. The Threnody and Scherzo features a particularly prominent bassoon part which, at one point, quotes the opening of his Third Symphony! The performances by the ASMF Chamber Ensemble are fully attuned to Bax's idiom. Any admirer of the composer can't miss this disc!


Boccherini: various symphonies from these discs



Boccherini deserves to be recognized as one of the great Classical Era composers. These inventive, colorful symphonies are especially remarkable for their extended instrumental solos, especially for string instruments (witness the extended cello duets (!) in the first movement of op. 12/2). I particularly enjoyed the Symphony in C major, op. 37/1 on the Chandos album.

Yes, the Bax CD is pure delight. There are quite few of Boccherini's symphonies I enjoyed, but I didn't find them too special, and I can't agree with you about the Glazunov. I think it's splendid and it shows how Glazunov was changing his style to more late-Romantic and personal one. We can't agree always it seems.  ;)
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

Today's listens have been about overtures (thus far) from several recordings:

Diepenbrock - De Vogels
Dukas - Goetz de Berlichingen
Rossini - Otello
J. Strauss II - Der Zigeunerbaron
Sullivan - The Mikado
Panufnik - Tragic Overture


Diepenbrock really knew his woodwinds! What a colourful tapestry he painted here. A ravishing piece. That was special. Likewise the Sullivan and the Panufnik. I too found the others quite good, nonetheless.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

JBS

CD1 of the three CDs in this
The Quartet and Quintet Opp 47 and 44

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

Mirror Image

NP:

Prokofiev
Piano Concerto No. 5 in G major, Op. 55
Ashkenazy
LSO
Previn




I haven't spent much time with the last two PCs from Prokofiev, I needed to rectify this tonight. This is quite a good concerto --- there is some haunting music within it.

Symphonic Addict

Two more overtures and one prelude:

Offenbach: La Belle Hélène
Lehár: Die lustige Witwe
Ireland: Tritons - Symphonic prelude


These three pieces are simply delightful and sparkling, above all the Lehár, what an absolutely infectious work!! Exhilarating to say the least.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

One last listen for the night:

Walton
As You Like It Suite
London Philharmonic
Carl Davis


From this set -


vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 13, 2021, 09:12:20 PM
One last listen for the night:

Walton
As You Like It Suite
London Philharmonic
Carl Davis


From this set -


That's a marvellous disc, also for the Henry V and Battle of Britain music - I actually enjoy every track on it.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Que


Traverso

 Stravinsky

Concertante Works

Chamber Music








vers la flamme



Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No.1. Bryden Thomson, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Enjoying this work. There is a kind of perpetual motion feeling to it.

listener

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on June 13, 2021, 05:21:35 PM
Today's listens have been about overtures (thus far) from several recordings:

Diepenbrock - De Vogels
Dukas - Goetz de Berlichingen
Rossini - Otello
J. Strauss II - Der Zigeunerbaron
Sullivan - The Mikado
Panufnik - Tragic Overture


Diepenbrock really knew his woodwinds! What a colourful tapestry he painted here. A ravishing piece. That was special. Likewise the Sullivan and the Panufnik. I too found the others quite good, nonetheless.

That Dukas piece is very rare, what recording is it on?
"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."

listener

Literally "outside the box" – some discs that have become separated from their homes
François COUPERIN:  La Sultaine  - suites for viola da gamba and ensemble
Jay Bernfeld, vla da gamba      Capriccio Stravagante       Skip Sempe, cond.
ZELENKA:  Missa Dei Filii,  Litaniae Lauretanae
Kammerchor Stuttgart,   Tafelmusik       Jean Lamon
Siegmund von HAUSEGGER:  Aufklänge,  Wieland der Schmied,   Dionisische Phantasie
Bamberg S.O.   Antony Hermus
WAGNER:  Parsifal – Good Friday Music, Tristan...- Prelude to Act 3
De FALLA:  El Amor Brujo   TURINA: El Oracion del Torero
BIZET arrr. Stokowski:   Carmen Tribute
Assorted orchestras
"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."

VonStupp

#42057
Sir Arthur Sullivan
16 Overtures (Operetta & Concert)
20 Operetta Choruses

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, et al.
Isidore Godfrey, Royston Nash, James Walker
Sir Malcolm Sargent, Sir Charles Mackerras
rec. 1959-1983




I prefer to watch G&S's operettas, since there can be so much visual comedy, so I don't mind bleeding chunks when it comes to Sullivan's stage music. What is most impressive is how these D'Oyly Carte orchestras and conductors imbue Sullivan's 'light' music with such musicality, while still retaining wit and vitality galore. I came across a Naxos set of Sullivan overtures a while back, and in comparison Naxos is as dull as ditch water.

I was unfamiliar with his Macbeth and Marmion Overtures. Macbeth is unusually dramatic in a minor mode, an oddity among Sullivan's works which usually prance around merrily. All stereo recordings from the studio, the sound on Decca Eloquence is great despite the variety of locations and dates.

Can I say how much I love the British word play in these choruses. A dramatic reading at top speed from Princess Ida, if you don't mind:

Oh, I love the jolly rattle
Of an ordeal by battle,
There's an end of tittle, tattle,
When your enemy is dead.

Its an arrant molly coddle
Fears a crack upon his noddle,
And he's only fit to swaddle
In a downy feather bed

"All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff."

Biffo

Cécile Chaminade: Callirhoë – Ballet Symphonique, Op 37 - BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Martin Yates - tuneful, colourful ballet - shame Chaminade didn't get a chance to write more large scale pieces.

aligreto

Beethoven: String Quartets [Gewandhaus Quartet]






String Quartet Op. 127

I am noticing something of a pattern with the slow, intense openings of these later works, something that I have not noticed before. This opening movement is, musically, probing, searching and questioning. There is an inner voice in the opening movement of this work saying things that one feels viscerally but one cannot explain. The slow movement is, undoubtedly, a thing of thorough beauty through the poignancy and pathos of the music and this presentation is very revealing. The Scherzo is another probing and searching piece of music, this time with a little more vigour than previously. The final movement opens in the same questioning vein. The question is, with all of this searching and probing, does the work finally come to a resolution? The answer is that it certainly works gradually and steadily towards this resolution which is ultimately achieved at the conclusion of the final movement.