What are you listening 2 now?

[VonStupp]

I got a copy of this yesterday from a visiting friend (2nd 'live' musical encounter since Covid restrictions have relaxed !). I look forward to hear it. 

Wonderful! Good listening to you!

[vandermolen]

A mighty fine disc.

+1

[Karl Henning]

Thank you Karl,I'm waiting for "the stone flower" Do you enjoy your Vivaldi Box? 

A great deal, indeed!

[VonStupp]

Florent Schmitt
Psalm 47 "Gloire au Seigneur", op. 38
La Tragédie de Salomé, op. 50

French National Radio Orchestra & Choir
Jean Martinon

Florent Schmitt's Psalm setting certainly puts Lili Boulanger's muscular Psalms in perspective. Terrific music, and Salomé exudes a sensual, French musical voice.

Jean Martinon leads a hair-raising performance. I would be surprised if another had as present a pipe organ as here, although my recording was not in great fidelity, and the French orchestra of the time is not perfect.

[vandermolen]

Parry: Symphony No.5

One of my favourite BBC Music Magazine accompanying disc. The Parry is by far my favourite of his symphonies and I was at the Moeran concert.

With this Parry symphony there is something (IMO) about the humanity and tender feelings breaking through the academic surface (I find this with Miaskovsky as well) that I find both endearing and very moving.

[aligreto]

Frank Martin: Mass for Double Choir





This is my first time to hear this work. I find it to be very engaging. The musical language is written in a very "modern" idiom but there is never a lack of a sense of devotion in the work. The harmonies are continually exciting and compelling. The soprano voices in particular continually attract one's attention.  The music is well driven. This is a very fine presentation but, if I am allowed one minor quibble it is that the volume needs to be raised in order to fully appreciate the full impact of the work as a whole. Nonetheless, I find this work to be really very appealing, engaging and musically exciting.

[VonStupp]

Frank Martin: Mass for Double Choir





This is my first time to hear this work. I find it to be very engaging. The musical language is written in a very "modern" idiom but there is never a lack of a sense of devotion in the work. The harmonies are continually exciting and compelling. The soprano voices in particular continually attract one's attention.  The music is well driven. This is a very fine presentation but, if I am allowed one minor quibble it is that the volume needs to be raised in order to fully appreciate the full impact of the work as a whole. Nonetheless, I find this work to be really very appealing, engaging and musically exciting.

Glad to hear this one went down well with you. Frank Martin's Mass is easily in my top-10 major choral works. Its sound world seems to have one foot in the historic (the a cappella, arched-phrased, chant-like intonings) and one in the modern (stunning harmonic textures and shifts), much like I thought with Duruflé's Requiem (completely different, I know).

I will admit my preference to adult mixed choirs over boy choristers in this Mass setting, but this Hyperion recording is properly lauded.

[Karl Henning]

Frank Martin: Mass for Double Choir





This is my first time to hear this work. I find it to be very engaging. The musical language is written in a very "modern" idiom but there is never a lack of a sense of devotion in the work. The harmonies are continually exciting and compelling. The soprano voices in particular continually attract one's attention.  The music is well driven. This is a very fine presentation but, if I am allowed one minor quibble it is that the volume needs to be raised in order to fully appreciate the full impact of the work as a whole. Nonetheless, I find this work to be really very appealing, engaging and musically exciting.

A piece whose acquaintance I have long meant to make ....

[aligreto]

Victoria: Sacred Works [Noone]





Magnificat Primi Toni
Alma redemptoris

[aligreto]

Glad to hear this one went down well with you. Frank Martin's Mass is easily in my top-10 major choral works. Its sound world seems to have one foot in the historic (the a cappella, arched-phrased, chant-like intonings) and one in the modern (stunning harmonic textures and shifts), much like I thought with Duruflé's Requiem (completely different, I know).

Well put.

I will admit my preference to adult mixed choirs over boy choristers in this Mass setting, but this Hyperion recording is properly lauded.

I concur with your preference in relation to the composition of choirs in general.
Do you have a specific recommendation in this case with a mixed choir?

[aligreto]

A piece whose acquaintance I have long meant to make ....

It will definitely be worth the time invested in the endeavour, Karl.

[VonStupp]

I concur with your preference in relation to the composition of choirs in general.
Do you have a specific recommendation in this case with a mixed choir?

When I have a hankering for Martin's Mass, I usually reach for the Dale Warland Singers first, on ACC called Cathedral Classics.

There have been a handful that have come out since though: Harry Christophers and The Sixteen for a smaller, more transparent European sensibility (plus more Frank Martin choral music); Marcus Creed's The Secret Mass album (paired with Martinů), Daniel Reuss with the RIAS (paired with Messiaen), the Mikaeli Chamber Choir with the same program as your Hyperion release, I believe. I realize pairings might be important, so there is a variety available.

Maybe it is my West-of the-Atlantic preferences that lead me to Dale Warland, but I like their fuller tone and Warland's purposeful tempos.

It looks like some of theirs is on YouTube too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROoJMBsTfgY

[vers la flamme]

Erkki-Sven Tüür: Architectonics VI. Tõnu Kaljuste, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra

First listen. This was a random record store find from this weekend. So far, so good. I don't know anything about this composer, but I picked it up because (a) it's on ECM and (b) he's Estonian.

[Symphonic Addict]

Otar Taktakishvili: Flute Sonata

Thoroughly enchanting and tuneful. The writing for the flute is noticeably lyrical and quite exquisite. By this composer I knew his symphonies, and now this beautiful sonata.

[Symphonic Addict]

d'Indy: String Sextet in B flat major

Yet another delectable composition.




Schnabel: Violin Sonata

The pianist Artur Schnabel was also a composer, and judging by how this work is, he seems an interesting one. The music is serious yet very captivating. Positvely impressed.

[listener]

RACHMANINOFF:  Symphony no. 3 in a, op.44   and 2 short transcriptions from the op. 3 piano pieces: Mélodie in E  and Polchinelle
National Symphony Orch. of Ireland.  Alexander Anissimov, cond.
Clear recording, adequate performances
George ANTHEIL:  Symphony no.3 "American", Symphony no. 4 "after Delacroix"
and three short pieces: Archipelago, Hot-TIme Dance and a reorchestration of the Spectre of the Rose Waltz
London Philharmonic, John Storgård, cond.
a feeing of sameness even though they work hard to be different

[Symphonic Addict]

Florent Schmitt
Psalm 47 "Gloire au Seigneur", op. 38
La Tragédie de Salomé, op. 50

French National Radio Orchestra & Choir
Jean Martinon

Florent Schmitt's Psalm setting certainly puts Lili Boulanger's muscular Psalms in perspective. Terrific music, and Salomé exudes a sensual, French musical voice.

Jean Martinon leads a hair-raising performance. I would be surprised if another had as present a pipe organ as here, although my recording was not in great fidelity, and the French orchestra of the time is not perfect.

I can't get enough of Schmitt's Psaume.

[Symphonic Addict]

The last work tonight:

String Quartet No. 2 in F major

Sheer loveliness. Each movement has wonderful music. Glazunov's first three quartets are the best IMO. It's a shame that the others leave me a little indifferent.

[Mirror Image]

The last work tonight:

String Quartet No. 2 in F major

Sheer loveliness. Each movement has wonderful music. Glazunov's first three quartets are the best IMO. It's a shame that the others leave me a little indifferent.

I'll have to check out these works, Cesar. I love what little of Glazunov's chamber music I've heard with the String Quintet being the work that has left the strong impression so far.

[Symphonic Addict]

I'll have to check out these works, Cesar. I love what little of Glazunov's chamber music I've heard with the String Sextet being the work that has left the strong impression so far.

Maybe you meant the String Quintet. Yes, that's a very nice piece.

BTW, I would have never imagined you would ever use a photo of Tchaikovsky as your avatar, or even more so if you would put him in your top-ten list of composers ever.