What are you listening 2 now?

[vers la flamme]

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor, op.125, the "Choral". Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic, Juilliard Chorus

I don't know whether this is all that highly regarded of a recording, but I enjoy it greatly. 

[Karl Henning]

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor, op.125, the "Choral". Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic, Juilliard Chorus

I don't know whether this is all that highly regarded of a recording, but I enjoy it greatly. 

I really enjoyed it when I made my survey through the Symphony Edition box. I believe our Gurn (who knows quite a few recordings of the Op. 125) thinks well of it.

[Karl Henning]

I am bemused and mildly abashed to find that I've never heard the Hindemith before:

CD 3

Hindemith Clarinet Concerto
Rakhmaninov Symphony № 2 in e minor, Op. 27

Geo. Pieterson, cl
Kirill Kondrashin

[foxandpeng]

Rosenberg's symphonies 1-5 are fantastic. No. 3 has a visionary quality to it I find quite enthralling.

+1
2,3 and 6 are particular favourites.

I've very much enjoyed all of Rosenberg's symphonies, although I've found #4 least attractive. I need to revisit the SQs too, when time allows.

[Karl Henning]

I am bemused and mildly abashed to find that I've never heard the Hindemith before:

CD 3

Hindemith Clarinet Concerto
Rakhmaninov Symphony № 2 in e minor, Op. 27

Geo. Pieterson, cl
Kirill Kondrashin

I don't often listen to the Rakhmaninov symphonies, but when I do, they hit the spot!

[Symphonic Addict]

Today became a first-symphonies day:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 1

Absolutely solid performance. In spite of having heard this work many times, I admit that this spectacular interpretation made me love this work much more. Also, I needed something cheerful and carefree for this moment, and this work just was the right medicine.

[Mirror Image]

Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No.2 in B minor, op.14, "To October". Vasily Petrenko, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra

I like this symphony and find it underrated among Shostakovich's works, at least the first two movements are interesting.

Yes, I enjoy this symphony as well. In many ways, it reminds me of the Machine Age, rhythmically-driven Prokofiev 2nd symphony.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Tchaikovsky
Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 'In Memory of a Great Artist'
Borodin Trio

[Symphonic Addict]

Symphony No. 1

Sounds like a bold performance of this somewhat elusive work to me, and I like it.

[Symphonic Addict]

NP:

Tchaikovsky
Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 'In Memory of a Great Artist'
Borodin Trio

Are you liking this work, John?

[Mirror Image]

Are you liking this work, John?

Absolutely! I listened to the Argerich, Kremer and Maisky performance on DG last week and enjoyed that performance as well.

[kyjo]

Symphony No. 1 in B minor

Not properly too distinctive. There are slight traces of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius. It has gorgeous passages, especially in the dreamy (and a bit long) slow movement and in the epic 4th movement.

I haven't heard his 1st Symphony yet, but his 2nd is a simply superb, epic work. The much later, more compact 3rd is excellent too (with a rather Atterberg-like slow movement). Merikanto is a very interesting and often compelling composer IMO.

[Mirror Image]

Revisiting this work:

Aho
Trombone Concerto
Jörgen van Rijen (trombone)
Antwerp Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins

[Karl Henning]

Symphony No. 1

Sounds like a bold performance of this somewhat elusive work to me, and I like it.

I do enjoy Solti here.

[kyjo]

Rubbra: Symphonies nos. 5 and 8



The 5th Symphony's first movement has a rugged, striving feeling to it that is offset by the bucolic scherzo. The slow movement reaches a climax of considerable power, but I found that the work ends too abruptly and inconclusively. The 8th is a more luminous, magical work that is totally engrossing in its unique atmosphere.


Haydn: Symphony no. 68 in B-flat major



I tend not to venture before the Paris symphonies, but this encounter is encouraging me to do so. In fact, this may be my favorite Haydn symphony I've heard so far, with the possible exception of no. 104. It's a really quirky, surprising work with a 14-minute (!) long slow movement which managed to keep my interest. The finale is a complete delight with a jolly bassoon duet at one point. It receives a simply superb performance by the Concertgebouw under Harnoncourt - a perfect balance between "modern" and "period" approaches.


The whole disc:



Having greatly enjoyed Hashimoto's 1st Symphony on another Naxos disc, I was not disappointed with the 2nd. Like the 1st, it is an almost entirely sunny work and is full of colorful and individual touches. Unless you require your symphonies to be full of angst and drama, this is very enjoyable stuff. However, the gem of the disc is the Three Wasan for baritone and orchestra. These are some of the most beautiful orchestral songs I've heard; they have a noticeable "Japanese" touch and superb melodic inspiration. The Scherzo con sentimento is less memorable but still worth a listen. The Tokyo Geidai Philharmonia sound like a first-class orchestra in this recording; I'd like to hear more of them, but this appears to be their only recording, sadly.


The whole disc:



This unique disc showcases a more intimate side to this often chaotically eclectic composer. The Paysages et Marines (for piano, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello; 1916) that opens the disc is an utterly magical work that is quite moving in its simplicity. Usually I'm not a great fan of works with numerous brief movements, but this is an exception. Koechlin creates vivid images like that on the cover of this disc, and manages to sound completely unlike his contemporaries Debussy and Ravel. The other works on the disc, which date from late in Koechlin's life, are more elusive but still very interesting. There's the Deux Sonatines for oboe d'amore and an unusual ensemble featuring a prominent harpsichord part! The harpsichord returns in the Sonate a sept which closes the disc.


Dvorak: Violin Concerto



Wow! This is one hell of a fiery, dramatic performance of this concerto; if you're searching for a charming, folksy interpretation, look elsewhere! Mutter is nothing if not an interpretive risk-taker - I generally find this to be a positive attribute even if I don't always agree with her musical decisions. And she is accompanied by none other than the great Honeck directing a guns-blazing Berlin Philharmonic. While I wouldn't rank the slow movement as one of Dvorak's most inspired creations, the rollicking finale is probably my favorite finale of any violin concerto - a real parade of great tunes and thrilling fireworks. It never fails to make me grin from ear to ear!

[Traverso]

The Royal Lewters

[Que]

Morning listening on Spotify:



Should try to get this on disc.

[Que]

NP:

Tchaikovsky
Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 'In Memory of a Great Artist'
Borodin Trio

Great music, but if I remember correctly this recording sounded like it was taken in an empty swimming pool.

[Irons]

Hmm...I need to find where I put that recording. I moved not too long ago, and not everything is where it should be.

Or Boult? First Elgar recording purchased which retains pride of place on my shelves. "Froissart" is a great piece.

[Biffo]

Or Boult? First Elgar recording purchased which retains pride of place on my shelves. "Froissart" is a great piece.

I have that fine LP. Gibson recorded the same programme and I have it as a digital download.