What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

Rameau: Complete Works for Harpsichord [Belder]





Premier livre de pièces de clavecin
Pièces de clavecin, Suite No. 2

Lovely set!

[VonStupp]

Holst

Suite No.1
Suite No.2

The bass drum! That's what I remember the Grammophon being upset about in their review of this. Too impactful!

[Karl Henning]

Do you mean your favourite Shostakovich symphonies or favourite Barshai recordings Cesar? They are amongst my favourite Shostakovich symphonies along with 10,11 and 15.

I read Cesar as meaning the best of the Barshai set, Jeffrey, but that may be because I think much the same

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

+1 I think that the Naxos version has a greater urgency (some nice couplings as well) although Hickox's more expansive reading is also very enjoyable. I find the Symphony moving in an understated way.

What's your (and other members') opinion of David Lloyd-Jones in general?? To me, he is a decent/reliable, if not awfully inspiring, conductor.

[SimonNZ]

[VonStupp]

Erik Satie
Parade
Mercure
Relâche (w/ Cinéma)
Trois Gymnopédies, orch. Debussy & Roland-Manuel
Orchestre symphonique et lyrique de Nancy
Jérôme Kaltenbach

I love the audaciousness of Satie's orchestral ballets. Parade's menagerie of strange special effects is worth the admission price alone.

Unfortunately, this recording does not capture much personality. I will stick with Maurice Abravanel on Vanguard (with notes by Darius Milhaud) for a bit more bite in his orchestral music.

[Karl Henning]

What's your (and other members') opinion of David Lloyd-Jones in general?? To me, sort of a top of the second strata.

I don't have an opinion, not having heard any of his music, but your remark makes me think of something Joseph Machlis wrote in the foreword to one of his books:  That a sophomore in the Music History class objected to consuming time with Mendelssohn. "Isn't he a grade-B composer?" Perhaps, replied the teacher, but I'm not sure you understand how very good that is ....

[T. D.]

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I don't have an opinion, not having heard any of his music, but your remark makes me think of something Joseph Machlis wrote in the foreword to one of his books:  That a sophomore in the Music History class objected to consuming time with Mendelssohn. "Isn't he a grade-B composer?" Perhaps, replied the teacher, but I'm not sure you understand how very good that is ....

Karl, thank you for the reply. I was worried about the term. I don't listen to music- either composition or execution- in terms of hierarchy. Because of the insightfulness of your reply and other posts you always make, I think I should remove the term. Thanks a lot for your thoughtfulness and suggestion. Please keep doing the same thing for my posts.

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Ladie & Gentlemens let's present tonight program a new composer, purchase to night CD format, a suprise late renaissance not notorious composer, that was not aware of see Giovanni Antonio Rigetti (1613-1648), Giovanni Antonio Rigetti, a stranger so far to me boy!!!!

(Angus Schrimm_ Phantasm movie serie Tall Charactor, brilliant actor).

Let's stay in subject this is very good so far it's almost Baroque, or ending renaissance, thee grey zone in between, thee gap see.

How interesting this is , don't ya think so?, Who heard this new album by I Disinovalti UtFasol Ensemble,QUE, you should here it, put a little, a tip of confiance in my finding sir, Mandryka Know him since he know all there is to know about renaissance. Thanks folks for reading.My dissection of this Italian specie of rare kind he sound later Franco-Flemish in format Lambert de Sayve work done by Capella Flamenca, especially the disc I am listening Vespro de La Beata Virgine, vesper of the beatified Virgin (Marie), on outhere label. 

[foxandpeng]

Shostakovich SQ#5
Borodin Quartet
Decca

Listening to the DSCH SQ#5 for the third time today. There is so much to take in, here; so much complexity, so many quotes, so much beauty. 

Repeated plays of 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15 are beginning to fix these wonderful compositions in my head, in a way that occasional forays over the years have never seemed to achieve. I know that some of those to come are challenging, but it feels very worthwhile to spend some focused time with these core works.

[André]

A varied and most interesting program of music that is in turns dark and moody, buoyant, lyrical, enigmatic/expressionist from a composer known mostly for his film music and his thorny dodecaphonic symphonies (all 8 composed in the last phase of his career). Most of the works here present early and mid-period works from Frankel's output. Easily the most challenging one comes first, the song cycle The Aftermath from 1947 for tenor, strings, trumpet and timpani. Its sound world reminds me of Britten's War Requiem or Les Illuminations. I found it absolutely entrancing. The tenor (Robert Dan) is a total unknown. I found no other reference to any recorded output, there's no bio in the motes, nada. And yet he sings with passion, a plangent voice and very clear diction. It's not his fault if there's some strain in places, as Frankel notches up tessitura and dynamics mercilessly at climaxes. This work is stunning IMO.

[André]

Early classical era scenas by Gluck, Mozart, Myslivecek. Traces of sturm und drang remain in the syncopated rythms and the wide intervals of the vocal line. This is repertoire Kozena excels in as long as one doesn't also ask for maximum expressiveness. Better her slightly diffident approach (and beautiful vocalization) than Bartoli-like excesses.

[Daverz]

Haydn: Symphony No. 63



Sehr schön.

[Daverz]

What's your (and other members') opinion of David Lloyd-Jones in general?? To me, he is a decent/reliable, if not awfully inspiring, conductor.

I think he's an excellent conductor.  His Bliss Colour Symphony is my favorite.  Groves would be my second favorite.

[Symphonic Addict]

Do you mean your favourite Shostakovich symphonies or favourite Barshai recordings Cesar? They are amongst my favourite Shostakovich symphonies along with 10,11 and 15.

Oh, I meant both, Jeffrey. Nos. 8 and 13 are especially impressive under Barshai.

7, 5, 11 and 15 would come next in my preferences (in general).

[Symphonic Addict]

Symphonies 2 and 3

Attractive and haunting music that demands your attention. There are some tinges of Second Viennese School, and the way Toch stamped them on the works makes them certainly compelling.




Gounod: St Cecilia Mass

I don't remember when was the last time I heard this work. A complete joy.

[Karl Henning]

Symphonies 2 and 3

Attractive and haunting music that demands your attention. There are some tinges of Second Viennese School, and the way Toch stamped them on the works makes them certainly compelling.




Gounod: St Cecilia Mass

I don't remember when was the last time I heard this work. A complete joy.

Love the Toch symphonies!

[Karl Henning]

"Its a girl".

Amy Marcy Beach.
Piano Trio in A minor, opus 150.

Sonia Eckhardt-Gramatte.
Ein Wenig Musik.

Julia Frances Smith.
Trio Cornwall.

Thomas Irnberger, Violin.
David Geringas, Cello.
Barbara Moser, Piano.

SACD recording.


Started where I left off yesterday, and still think that every composition on this disc is a gem. I was particularly taken by the Trio Cornwall, by Julia Frances Smith, an American composer, only really known in America. In this piece she delivers a witty and open fiesta of all kind of American colours, very well scored. I have listen several times to it and it only gets better. Gramatte's piece "Ein Wenig Musik", is a dreamy and thoughtful piece, well presented in her score. Amy Beach is a force on her own, and this Piano trio is at one side powerful and at the other side poetic. It has a very moving second movement. I am happy with the recording and performance.

Well, you really did it, Harry! I've listened to the Beach Op. 150 three times today!

[Karl Henning]

About time I made my way through this box:  And I've got to love a box whose first two CDs feature primo Mozart.

Curious to say, but in compliance with First-Listen Fridays, the D. 487 is indeed an inaugural listen

"Wolferl"
Clarinet Quintet in A, K. 581

Schubert
Piano Quintet in A, D.667 « The Trout »
Adagio and Rondo concertante in F, D. 487
The Melos Ensemble