What are you listening 2 now?

[vers la flamme]

And make sure the tracks play in random order obvs.

Sorry, but that might be a bridge too far 

[Mandryka]

Enjoying this much more than when it first came out. It's obviously a question of mood.

[Mandryka]

Sorry, but that might be a bridge too far 

Yes well it does transform the experience in fact, and it makes me think that Bach knew what he was doing when he put them in order.

But the problem with something like Rubsam's thing is clear - if you don't put them in random order you either dedicate yourself to the whole thing or reconcile yourself to only ever hearing the beginning.

[foxandpeng]

Blomdahl conducts Blomdahl, Symphony No.3 'Facetter'.
A darkly impressive atonal score:

I've been enjoying these Blomdahl symphonies with Segerstam for a few months off and on, and very much like them. All three have put down their roots now, and I am a fan.

[VonStupp]

Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Sons of Light
&
Hubert Parry
Ode on the Nativity
Teresa Cahill, soprano
LPO - Sir David Willcocks

Gustav Holst
The Mystic Trumpeter, op. 18
Sheila Armstrong, soprano
LSO - David Atherton

I have been enjoying rare English cantatas, most recently Holst's King Estmere on Hyperion, and now this Lyrita compilation.

It is always a pleasure to hear Sir David Willcocks leading symphonic choral music; I have so few recordings from him.



Shame these aren't performed more, particularly VW's Sons of Light, which is well crafted. The middle movement is quite a bit of fun, symphonically portraying all the signs of the Zodiac.

I am not completely sold on Parry's Ode, but the double chorus section in the last 1/3 is impressive, and I could see it being a good pairing with Respighi's Laud to the Nativity.

[TheGSMoeller]

I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more Bartok... and this disc is working...

[Karl Henning]

I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more Bartok... and this disc is working...

(* pounds the table *)

TD:

A first listen

Schnittke
Cello Sonata № 1

Alexander Ivashkin, vc & Irina Schnittke, pf

[vers la flamme]

Yes well it does transform the experience in fact, and it makes me think that Bach knew what he was doing when he put them in order.

But the problem with something like Rubsam's thing is clear - if you don't put them in random order you either dedicate yourself to the whole thing or reconcile yourself to only ever hearing the beginning.

What I've been doing is the first three today, the next eight tomorrow, so on and so forth. Still makes sense to listen in order, even if not all at once. I'll try your random order method sometime, but I do think Bach knew what he was doing with the published order.

[André]

Embarking on the complete symphonies of Schubert (+extras) by Abbado, starting with the first 2:



Ultra-refined and accomplished performances from this crack ensemble under the unsmiling baton of Maestro Abbado. Allegros do not sound driven, but they are lickety split, the orchestra's proficiency making the results sound effortless. The middle movements are superb, alive and beautifully coloured by the fine wind soloists. I do miss a sense of gemütlichkeit in the bookend movements of both symphonies. Böhm in no 2 (different versions) is just as fast but brings a sense of culmination that is simply breathtaking. These performances by Abbado deserve a solid A rating but fall a wee bit short of an A+.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Vitĕslava Kaprálová, Military Sinfonietta, in the newly released album. Nice music, fair presentation, and fair sound quality.

[Karl Henning]

Vitĕslava Kaprálová, Military Sinfonietta, in the newly released album. Nice music, fair presentation, and fair sound quality.

Velmi zajímavé!

[Symphonic Addict]

This is probably sacrilege, but I prefer Boris to Pyotr. I used to be a big fan of Pyotr, but I think overexposure and familiarity with his idiom basically turned me off to his music. I mean I basically grew up with The Nutcracker or Swan Lake in one way or another as I heard these ballets when I was a kid. I should revisit some of his works to see if my opinion has changed.

It's not sacrilege, it's perfectly fine. Those are your tastes. Unlike you, I still love Piotr's music, but I have to listen to his music in moderate doses.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Velmi zajímavé!

ありがとう！

[Symphonic Addict]

Two formidable works. That epic concluding fugue of the Viola Quintet is something else!

+1

I love both works, though it would include the rest of his chamber music as well.

[Karl Henning]

CD 6:

Wagner
Overture to Rienzi
Mariss Jansons

Ravel
Ma mère l'oye
Bennie Haitink

Zemlinsky
Symphonic Songs, Op. 10
Willard White, bar
Riccardo Chailly

[TheGSMoeller]

Barshai conducting his own performing version of Mahler's 10th. It's also great playing by the Young German Philharmonic.

[Mirror Image]

It's not sacrilege, it's perfectly fine. Those are your tastes. Unlike you, I still love Piotr's music, but I have to listen to his music in moderate doses.

I should definitely keep your 'moderate doses' whenever I revisit his music. What is your favorite Tchaikovsky symphony set? Ballet recording? Concerti? Chamber music? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Mirror Image]

It is my first acquaintance with these symphonies and I am very curious and I think I have waited way too long but there is progress 

Well, you certainly chose a good set to start out with --- Thomson packs a wallop right out of the gate. Are you familiar with any of Martinů's other works?

[Symphonic Addict]

I should definitely keep your 'moderate doses' whenever I revisit his music. What is your favorite Tchaikovsky symphony set? Ballet recording? Concerti? Chamber music? Inquiring minds want to know.

Symphonies 1-3:




Symphony No. 5:




For now I don't have favorite recordings of symphonies 4 and 6.


String quartets + Souvenir de Florence:




Piano Trio:




Piano Concertos (No. 2 is particularly great in this performance):




As to the ballets, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty under Doráti (Philips) and Swan Lake under Previn (EMI).

[Mirror Image]

Symphonies 1-3:




Symphony No. 5:




For now I don't have favorite recordings of symphonies 4 and 6.


String quartets + Souvenir de Florence:




Piano Trio:




Piano Concertos (No. 2 is particularly great in this performance):




As to the ballets, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty under Doráti (Philips) and Swan Lake under Previn (EMI).

Thanks, Cesar. I'll check and see if I own any of these recordings. When I first started to get into classical, I bought A LOT of Tchaikovsky recordings. The performances I took to rather quickly were Svetlanov (esp. in the ballets). When the Vladimir Jurowski box set of symphonies was released many years ago, I snapped this up, but it has remained in its plastic wrap. I need to performances a listen. I also bought this a few years ago: