What are you listening 2 now?

[SonicMan46]

Thanks you for your thoughts, Dave.

I will continue to go though this cycle the coming days! 

Hi Que - after posting, I was curious if JPC might have any sales on these Telemann-Wallfisch recordings (see their listings below) - one immediate surprise is there appears to be a Vol. 7! (well, maybe an 8-CD box in the future w/ the prolific GP!) - BUT, the others are priced at 8 Euros (55% off) - I put V. 3/4 in my cart and my charge is just 6.7 Euros each - WELL, I may just look around and add a few more 'on sale' items.  Dave

P.S. now listening to V. 3 on Spotify.

 

[Que]

Forqueray

Didn't know you had that, it's amongst my favourite Leonhardt recordings! 

[JBS]

Yes, the conversation was in a party where there were a few musicians who specialised in baroque, they were all bemoaning the fact that it's become practically impossible for anyone to make any money from concerts and recordings. The consensus was that the last person to live well by baroque music was Christopher Hogwood! It makes me wonder how the stars of today do - Esfahani, Rondeau and possibly Egarr.

Rondeau doubles as pianist for a jazz ensemble. Esfahani is a BBC commentator, produces documentaries on various fields of music that have little or no connection to classical music, and works with 21st century composers on new music.  So neither one confines themselves to baroque music.

Egarr does seem to stick to period music, but he is the permanent guest conductor for the Residentie Orchestra.

[Mandryka]

Esfahani is a BBC commentator,

Did you hear these?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qks9
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qncz

[JBS]

Did you hear these?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qks9
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qncz

Thank you. I'm "across the pond" so this sort of thing usually never comes to my attention.
I've bookmarked them for later.

[vandermolen]

In the UK there was a commentator on music - Antony Hopkins (NOT the actor - no "h" in Antony!) who did a weekly talk on the radio about a work of especial interest that was being payed on BBC Radio 3 in the following week.  One such talk was on Panufnik's "Sinfonia Sacra" which he illustrated using this recording;



Definitely a "music that has blown you away recently moment" and I've loved the piece and that performance ever since.  When the horns blaze out the opening fanfare over the knight's hymn at the end of the work it never fails to give me goosebumps and there's something rather raw in this Monte Carlo performance that feels very right........

The same performance appeared on CD here;



with the Katyn Epitaph a powerful coupling

+1 the 'Sacra' and 'Rustica' are my favourites.

[prémont]

Hi Poul,

they are:

- Ludmilla Muster (Harp)
- Wilhelm Neuhaus (Harpsichord)
- Jürgen Lamke (piano)

With the NDR Sinfonieorchester / Günter Wand

Thanks!

[vandermolen]

Clearly, spending any time away from GMG is not recommended. What an explosion of posts in different threads!

Perhaps this post should belong in the 'Unpopular Opinions' thread... listening to Nielsen's symphonies again a fair bit over the last couple of weeks makes me wonder whether I prefer them to the Sibelius symphonies. Not this recording, mind, but the Schonwandt.

Arnell's symphonies are outstanding. Nobody can live a full and well-rounded life without them. All such attempts are merely self-deception.

Just kidding.

Honest.

[vandermolen]

I have to listen a few times more, to this highly complex Symphony and gather my thoughts in a comprehensive way. I have to make my way through the dense scoring, and that's not easy, so I will try to get a score from this work, to see what's there. I have no negative feeling about the music, just need some time. Now listening to the second work on this disc. A bright and clear cut work, easy to follow, that speaks to me right away. Will report later on the symphony Jeffrey.

Excellent! Thanks Harry.

Now playing: Janis Ivanovs (Symphony No.5 , from 1945). Rather more impressive that I originally thought (I also have a recording on Marco Polo):

[Traverso]

Didn't know you had that, it's amongst my favourite Leonhardt recordings! 

Well,you know that Leonhardt is one of my most beloved musicians and everything he has recorded interests me.
I 'm not sure if it's my most loved or valued recording of Leonhardt.
I rather think of the French suites and "die Kunst der Fuge". 

It has enriched my life and introduced me to a certain aristocracy in music that makes my heart swell  so that my whole being sings  of pure joy.
Today I do not know a  cembalist  that gives me the same amount of satisfaction.
I think this is a tribute to Leonhardt.
You may know that Leonhardt initially had trouble appreciating the value of French keyboard music. You can't hear that from this recording with work by Forqueray, he just played it  so concincingly that is has to sound this way and not otherwise.
The recording is a bit heavy on the bass side, but it sounds great.

[SonicMan46]

Jordi Savall - recordings below for the afternoon - needed a 'change of pace' -    Dave

   

[Traverso]

Dufay

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Albeniz, Issac (1860-1909) - Piano Music w/ Miguel Baselga (my post from the day before below) - this BIS 9-disc set was posted yesterday, so I setup a Spotify playlist and have been listening for the last few days - really enjoyable music, well performed - I've attached a LOT of reviews of the individual volumes from Fanfare & MusicWeb; of course, his main competition is Alicia de Larrocha - reviewers seem to feel that she still 'pulls her weight' but he's quite good, especially in the non-Iberia works.  I don't feel a need to purchase this box (which is not cheap, as expected from BIS) but will rely on Spotify if I want to re-listen.  Dave

Dave, thank you for the post and the collection of (mixed) reviews. They sound very interesting. I will check the recording via Spotify. Thanks a lot.

[André]

Haydn: symphony no 96. Haitink, COA (recorded in the early sixties, before it became 'Royal'). This was the coupling to that conductor/orchestra's Schubert 9 and it points to what was lacking in that solid but stolid version of the Schubert masterpiece. In his early years Haitink had fun conducting, and he could be quite zippy. It suits Haydn to perfection.

[SonicMan46]

Dave, thank you for the post and the collection of (mixed) reviews. They sound very interesting. I will check the recording via Spotify. Thanks a lot.

Hi DBK - no problem - need to finish my Spotify playlist, and likely will play again!  Dave

[Traverso]

Haydn: symphony no 96. Haitink, COA (recorded in the early sixties, before it became 'Royal'). This was the coupling to that conductor/orchestra's Schubert 9 and it points to what was lacking in that solid but stolid version of the Schubert masterpiece. In his early years Haitink had fun conducting, and he could be quite zippy. It suits Haydn to perfection.

Well.this an invitation to listen to symphony no 96 soon 

[vers la flamme]

Maurice Ravel: Sérénade grotesque; Jeux d'eau; Valses nobles et sentimentales. Louis Lortie

Probably the best performance of the Sérénade I've ever heard, which is probably my least favorite Ravel piano work. Really enjoying this cycle overall though.

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Dufay

Very Impressive Traverso

[T. D.]

[VonStupp]

Max Bruch
VC1 in g minor, op. 26
VC2 in d minor, op. 44

Salvatore Accardo, violin
Gewandhaus - Kurt Masur (rec. 1977)

I don't know, the more I listen to Bruch's 1st and 2nd Violin Concertos, the less enthusiastic I am for them; tuneful and beautiful though they be.

Still, Accardo is a striking and passionate violinist. Masur and the Gewandhaus are great in this German repertoire, if not a bit imposing as an ensemble.