What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

NP:

Copland
Symphony No. 3
NY Philharmonic
Bernstein



For me, this performance of Copland's 3rd is still the one to beat. It also acts as a remarkable tribute between these two remarkable musicians who had a long-standing friendship up until the end of their lives. Copland's own recordings of his music are outstanding in their own right, but it is Bernstein who championed this composer and gave his music the gravitas it needed and, in doing this, Copland became the greatest American composer of all-time. I don't make this assertion out of lack of knowledge or lack of experience, but it must be said that if any American captured the sights and landscape of this country in sound, it was Copland. This is also acknowledged by Michael Tilson Thomas who, after Bernstein, is one of the most important American conductors of our lifetime and has done so much for this music.

I agree John - actually I think that Bernstein's DGG Copland's 3rd Symphony is incomparably better than the earlier CBS/Sony release. The opposite is true in relation to Bernstein's recording of Roy Harris's 3rd Symphony where the earlier CBS/Sony recording is (IMO) the best one ever recorded. I think that Bernstein's CBS/Sony recording of his own 'Jeremiah Symphony' is best of all, although I think highly of the DGG version with Christa Ludwig and his earlier recording as well.

[Mirror Image]

Classic!

Yep!

[Karl Henning]

Haitink's is the most moving 'Babi Yar' as it is of VW's 'A Sea Symphony' IMO.

(* pounds the table *)

[vandermolen]

(* pounds the table *)

It's true! 

[Karl Henning]

Karl, don't you find that final movement to be unmistakably Mendelssohnian?  It just seems to me like music that could have only been written by him.  I just find it to be so "Mendelssohn" in its character.

Good call, Ray!

[Karl Henning]

Hehe. We both work in separate home offices, but when I'm not on calls I have music at higher volumes than is probably acceptable.

Now playing at unacceptable volumes:

Hindemith Conducts Hindemith
Symphonia Serena
Mathis Der Maler
Urania Records

I'm beginning to warm to Hindemith.

Very nice!

[Karl Henning]

CD 3:

LvB

Symphony № 6 in F, Op. 68 « Pastorale »
RCO
Sawallisch (recorded 10 Mar 1991)

Sibelius
Symphony № 4 in a minor, Op. 63
RCO
Berglund (recorded 11 Sep 1991)

[ritter]

First listen to another new acquisition, and....it's simply fantastic!



Florent Schmitt's late(ish) —1944— String Trio, op. 105, is a stunning work, and displays the composer at the considerable top of his game. This substantial (ca. 35 minutes) four-movement piece is very dense, very complex, and has a (typical for the composer) elusive but strangely coherent thematic development. It's also rather playful at times. Apparently, the piece is fiendishly difficult to perform, and as one of the members of the Prisma Trio points out in the liner notes, at times the composer achieves textures such that one would think one is listening to a sextet rather than a trio. A wonderful piece!

The CD is completed with an adaptation (by several hands) for string trio of Darius Milhaud's lovely and loving tribute (in form of a suite for piano solo) to his wife Madeleine, La muse ménagère. I was a bit sceptical at the start, but the result is really enjoyable.

A resounding success of a CD, beautifully performed, and giving exposure to a really major work of the 20th century literature for string trio. Schmitt's piece had only been recorded once before, on 78s by its  dedicatees the Trio Pasquier (who apparently spent a whole year preparing it), but that recording apparently was  never transferred to LP, not to mention CD.

[Karl Henning]

CD 1:

Brahms

Symphony № 4 in e minor, Op. 98

Webern
Five Pieces, Op. 10
RCO
Giulini (recorded 9 June 1979)

Nielsen
Symphony № 5, Op. 50
RCO
Kondrashin (recorded 20 Nov 1980)

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Thursday:

Diamond
Concerto for String Quartet
Potomac String Quartet

[Daverz]

CD 1:

Brahms

Symphony № 4 in e minor, Op. 98

Webern
Five Pieces, Op. 10
RCO
Giulini (recorded 9 June 1979)

Nielsen
Symphony № 5, Op. 50
RCO
Kondrashin (recorded 20 Nov 1980)

If you haven't had enough of "unlikely Nielsen conductor with a K", there's a recording of the 5th by Kubelik.

[Mirror Image]

If you haven't had enough of "unlikely Nielsen conductor with a K", there's a recording of the 5th by Kubelik.

And both performances are sizzling!

[Karl Henning]

If you haven't had enough of "unlikely Nielsen conductor with a K", there's a recording of the 5th by Kubelik.

And both performances are sizzling!

Interesting, gents!

[vers la flamme]

Carl Maria von Weber: Overtures. Neeme Järvi, Philharmonia Orchestra

So far so good. I recognize the Turandot Overture from Hindemith's "metamorphosis" of it.

[foxandpeng]

My wife's out working late tonight (although we shall be meeting at the pub later  ). So, it's just me and the cat and Vasks's excellent 'Stimmen' Symphony at top volume 

Hope it was a pleasant evening! We ended up doing something similar. The Vasks is a great work which gets better with each play.

[vers la flamme]

Mieczysław Weinberg: Suite for Orchestra. Vladimir Lande, Siberian State Symphony Orchestra

Kind of reminds me of Shostakovich's Jazz Suites. This is the only Weinberg disc in my library; I'd love to hear more.

[vers la flamme]

Alfred Schnittke: Ritual; (K)ein Sommernachtstraum. Leif Segerstam, Malmö Symphony Orchestra

Awesome pieces both.

[Karl Henning]

Mieczysław Weinberg: Suite for Orchestra. Vladimir Lande, Siberian State Symphony Orchestra

Kind of reminds me of Shostakovich's Jazz Suites. This is the only Weinberg disc in my library; I'd love to hear more.

May I suggest?—

[Mirror Image]

Mieczysław Weinberg: Suite for Orchestra. Vladimir Lande, Siberian State Symphony Orchestra

Kind of reminds me of Shostakovich's Jazz Suites. This is the only Weinberg disc in my library; I'd love to hear more.

Karl had a good suggestion, but I also recommend the concerti for cello, flute and clarinet, but I would also seriously look into the SQs, the various Sonatas for violin, cello, piano, clarinet, etc., the Piano Quintet, Symphonies Nos. 3-6, but I'd also suggest Symphony No. 12, "In Memoriam D. Shostakovich", Symphony No. 21, "Kaddish" and the Chamber Symphonies. This should keep you busy for awhile.

[Sergeant Rock]

Norrington a good fit with "Papa," Sarge?

I think so. Big, bold almost Beethovian interpretations. No vibrato but the strings still sound sweet. Some of the "slow" movements are played rather quickly (94, 101) but not, I think, out of character. And the Stuttgarters play incredibly well (all live recordings). The sound is spectacular, the brass especially prominent. Very exciting. This is actually my favorite set of complete Londons.

Sarge