What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

Peter Mennin, SY8.

I'm in! Love the Eighth!

[Karl Henning]

Mennin
Folk Overture
Columbus Symphony
Christian Badea

Minor Mennin, yes, but nicely nervy, nowhere near American cowpat music

[Mandryka]

Have you heard the 5th quartet "Before The Universe Was Born"?

Yes, I have the CD. But in truth at the moment my attention is going the other way, backwards to the earlier quartets. I have recordings of all of them taken from youtube -- the link no longer exists but I can let anyone who wants it have the sound files. The third is playing at the moment and it is quite simply astonishing! An hour long cosmic orgasm.

[Undersea]

Currently:




Scriabin: Piano Sonata #2, "Sonata-Fantasy"


Beautiful work - must get to know all of these Sonatas...

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Very fond indeed of seafood, inc. Clam Chowder

I envy you! I would like to visit Boston and other cities in Massachusetts and eat fish and clam chowder soup. I imagine cod is very good over there too.

Mennin
Folk Overture
Columbus Symphony
Christian Badea

Minor Mennin, yes, but nicely nervy, nowhere near American cowpat music

Same feeling. Charming, if not hugely impressive, music.

[aligreto]

Victoria: Sacred Works [Noone]





Tu es Petrus
Christe redemptor omnium
Doctor bonus
Tibi Christe
Descendit angelus
O doctor optime
Lauda mater ecclesia
O decus apostolicum
Aurea luce et decore

[SonicMan46]

Scriabin, Alexander(1872-1915) - Piano Sonatas - Maria Lettberg vs. M-A Hamelin - gentler touch vs. more powerful technique?  Bottom line is I like both interpretations and the pianos/strong recording excellent on both - reviews attached for those interested.  Dave

 

[SonicMan46]

Scriabin, Alexander(1872-1915) - Piano Sonatas - Maria Lettberg vs. M-A Hamelin - gentler touch vs. more powerful technique, respectively?  Bottom line is I like each interpretations and the pianos/sound recording are both excellent - reviews attached for those interested.  Dave

 

[Karl Henning]

Scriabin, Alexander(1872-1915) - Piano Sonatas - Maria Lettberg vs. M-A Hamelin - gentler touch vs. more powerful technique, respectively?  Bottom line is I like each interpretations and the pianos/sound recording are both excellent - reviews attached for those interested.  Dave

 

Nice!

[Brian]

Nielsen - #1
Ostrava (Janacek) Philharmonic
Theodore Kuchar

"It makes me hyper." - my girlfriend

[Sergeant Rock]

Nielsen - #1
Ostrava (Janacek) Philharmonic
Theodore Kuchar

"It makes me hyper." - my girlfriend

I suppose that could be bad or good, depending on what kind of hyper she's feeling 

Sarge

[Symphonic Addict]

I suppose that could be bad or good, depending on what kind of hyper she's feeling 

Sarge

I want to think it's in a good way.

BTW, a great work!

[Symphonic Addict]

This must have been Karl Leister's signature piece - I've lost count of how many recordings he made of it!

I have another, older recording by him, which I like very much:

What do you think it's the finest of them all?

[Symphonic Addict]

This isn't a first-listen to either work, but I LOVE them both. These SQs, for me, are on par with those of Shostakovich, Janáček, Bartók et. al. in terms of individuality, inventiveness and emotional appeal.

The other day I gave them a listen, and yes, superlative music, quite seasoned musically speaking and with personality. That could be the finest performance of both.

[Symphonic Addict]

Kabeláč: The Mystery of Time, Op. 31 (1957)

Epic masterpiece in a gripping performance. One of the most terrific passacaglias ever written.

https://www.youtube.com/v/UgeYpx-azF0

[Symphonic Addict]

Suk: Legend of the Dead Victors, Op. 35b

What an intense piece!!! It's a funeral march of sorts, doom-laden-like (perhaps), and it reaches quite hair-raising climaxes to say the least. It sounds like if extracted from his Asrael Symphony because of its stormy nature. Very dramatic work, so I love it!! And this performance is just superb, a real winner.





Strauss: Don Juan

A muscular account from Muti and the Berliners. I have to remind myself about how impressive this work is. The writing for the horns is particularly brilliant.

[André]

I'm not sure I understand the reputation of this opera. The orchestration is indeed magnificent, Heliane gets a soaring, show-stopping aria (Anna Tomowa-Simtow nails it) but the story is ridiculous even if one accounts for the obvious symbolist intents. An interesting, sometimes stunning work, but I find it hard to understand and root for its characters. I prefer Die Tote Stadt, where his tendency for sonic overload is kept in better balance IMO.

Composed a few years before, Schreker's Die Gezeichneten is just as improbable but its characters are more moving and their complexity given full justice by the composer-librettist (based on a novel by Oscar Wilde). Also, Schreker's music is at least as interesting and he keeps his gorgeous orchestration in check, saving the most refulgent bits for the work's emotional climax.

The set has no libretto but contains a small booklet with a track listing that includes the name of the characters singing in each track (useful). To access the libretto Decca directs us to a web site that no longer exists (404 this page could not be found).

[T. D.]

The late quartets.

[Symphonic Addict]

Casella: Symphony No. 2

The 3rd is his greatest, but I have a soft spot for this one. This is the best performance IMO, highlighting its gothic-like atmosphere.

[Mirror Image]

The other day I gave them a listen, and yes, superlative music, quite seasoned musically speaking and with personality. That could be the finest performance of both.

Indeed. Two superb SQs.