What are you listening 2 now?

[aligreto]

The edition you refer to has been specially made for the Dutch market. The books all contain about 150 pages with full texts with extensive background information in Dutch.
There is also an international edition that is much simpler.
The Dutch edition with the psalms was published in four separate parts, I'm not sure but I think the international edition contains only  one complete 
box.

 

https://www.youtube.com/v/lBJH74EosEs

Cheers Jan, and the set sounds as good as it looks. Thank you for posting the clip. 

[Traverso]

Cheers Jan, and the set sounds as good as it looks. Thank you for posting the clip. 

Your welcome 

[Iota]

Kurtág: Stele

This is the first work ever I hear by this composer, and it's fantastic. There is a timeless feeling to it that intrigues me.

Yes a stunning work that knocks me out every time I hear it. Particularly the last five minutes or so, starting with the juddering orchestral chords that seem to usher it into an absolutely unearthly dimension.

And thanks to MI's subsequent mention of the Kurtag String Quartets, which I've hardly ever explored, I pulled up the Athena Quartet's complete recording of his quartets on streaming, and listened to Hommage a Mihaly Andras, Op. 13, "12 Microludes for String Quartet". An intriguing work which pulled me in immediately, movements 5 & 6 particularly so. Excellent stuff, a fine call, MI!

[VonStupp]

CPO has recorded the integral of his concertante works for violin as well, but yes, none includes the ones for other combinations.

Good ol' CPO.

It seems to me, that when it comes to Bruch's symphonies, string quartets, and others, there are some nice sets available dedicated to him. But his concertos seem endlessly scattered across individual releases, usually paired with other composers (or the Scottish Fantasy), and are rarely packaged together as a complete set, nonetheless with his smaller violin concertante works. Even CPO is spread across 3 or 4 volumes, I think. I guess it is the enduring popularity of his first concerto, and the relegation of his others, which are equally beautiful, as mere pairings. I suppose I can't have it all...although Philips gets me close.

[VonStupp]

Johannes Brahms
Schicksalslied, op. 54
Alto Rhapsody, op. 53
Begräbnisgesang, op. 13
Nänie, op. 82
Gesang der Parzen, op. 89

Jard van Nes, mezzo-soprano
San Francisco SO & Chorus - Herbert Blomstedt (rec. 1989)

What lovely creations these symphonic choral works are! A sort-of extension of his choral style in the German Requiem, but more in the vein of symphonic poems with chorus. Usually these works are individually paired with his symphonies, but it makes so much more sense to have them together.

Blomstedt and San Francisco are simply beautiful in this music, works which seem right up his alley. This set is almost complete, but is missing Brahms' Triumphlied. That makes Sinopoli's recording on DG an excellent companion.

[Mandryka]

What a pleasure to return to this first complete recorded performance of Ferneyhough's sonatas for string quartet, these short early pieces, there's a sonata for every letter of the Greek alphabet, were composed to solve particular compositional problems. I think they show a composer who is imaginative and unconstrained. All the sounds in the music have a definite pitch, the compositions are determinate, only instrumental sounds are involved, and the instruments are played in the conservative conservatory manner.  I believe Ferneyhough's biggest inspirations at the time were Hindemith and Schoenberg, IMO these quartets are more successful than any that those two wrote. He takes the medium into new areas, there are ideas the likes of which had never been previously heard. Anyone wanting to start exploring this composer couldn't do better than this disc - which is for me more enjoyable than the Arditti's later recording on their Ferneyhough integral.

[Karl Henning]

Giacinto Scelsi: Hymnos. Hans Zender, Bavarian Radio SO, with Elisabeth Zawadke, organist

Nice!

[Karl Henning]

I find rather "funny" how Hurwitz reacts to certain works and composers. He doesn't care if he's too mean or maybe he doesn't assess or review music with more rigour (?).

The "too mean" is all part of the clickbait lure.

[Karl Henning]

Hovhaness: Symphony No.6 'Celestial Gate':

A beauty!

[Sergeant Rock]

I actually enjoyed this  .

I did too (referring to Graunke's Ninth Symphony).

Sarge

[Traverso]

Carmina Burana

Vol.2

[Sergeant Rock]

Arnell Symphony No. 3




Sarge

[Mirror Image]

Yes a stunning work that knocks me out every time I hear it. Particularly the last five minutes or so, starting with the juddering orchestral chords that seem to usher it into an absolutely unearthly dimension.

And thanks to MI's subsequent mention of the Kurtag String Quartets, which I've hardly ever explored, I pulled up the Athena Quartet's complete recording of his quartets on streaming, and listened to Hommage a Mihaly Andras, Op. 13, "12 Microludes for String Quartet". An intriguing work which pulled me in immediately, movements 5 & 6 particularly so. Excellent stuff, a fine call, MI!

Good to read you're enjoying these works. My favorite of them all is Officium Breve In Memoriam Andreæ Szervánszky. What an incredible work! Kurtág is at an interesting crossroads stylistically: almost like Bartók at his most austere meets Webern.

[aligreto]

Victoria: Sacred Works [Noone]





Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes
Hostis Herodes
Quem vidistis, pastores
Ardens est cor meum


This completes my first listen to this fine set.

[Traverso]

Bach

[kyjo]

Dvorak Symphony No.1 again.



Via streaming. One day I might decide I really need to own a copy of the early symphonies. But today is not yet that day. It's not horrible, it's current rating is "nice but not really that interesting". Sometime soon I'll see if the 2nd or 3rd convinces me.

IMO, Dvorak really "comes into his own" in the last two movements of the 2nd Symphony. And the 3rd Symphony is a masterpiece, a shockingly neglected work by a major composer if there ever was one!

[Mirror Image]

IMO, Dvorak really "comes into his own" in the last two movements of the 2nd Symphony. And the 3rd Symphony is a masterpiece, a shockingly neglected work by a major composer if there ever was one!

I'm in the camp of liking the 1st symphony, but I realize it's not the work of a mature composer, but I like it anyway.

[SonicMan46]

Chopin - Nocturnes - Boegner vs. Planes?  A new release on an 1836 Pleyel piano has appeared w/ Alain Planes - since yesterday, I've been listening to my Boegner MP3 DL recording (320 kbps) and comparing to Planes being streamed on Spotify to my den speakers (on my son's Spotify Premium program so should be getting about the same streaming rate).  Attached are some reviews of the Planes recording, mostly from Britain - the reviewers seemed to have loved the 1836 Pleyel piano (same one as used by Boegner, don't know?) but found his performance lacking (there were two 3*/5* ratings); now there were no reviews yet from my usual preferences (ClassicsToday, Fanfare, & MusicWeb).

My first impressions is that I prefer the piano in the Planes recording (and would like more details on both of the period instruments); second, the 'subtleties' presumably leading to downgrading his performance of these works seem to be minor, i.e. both are enjoyable - for me Boegner may have smoother transition and tone color - I guess putting the sound of the piano and the performances together makes for a close race (maybe not by a nose, but?).  Apparently the Planes booklet is quite good from the reviews, so a potential purchase if the pricing drops and more positive reviews of his playing appear?  Dave

Hi Que - part of the posting earlier this month above - a new Pleyel 1836 competitor, i.e. Alain Planès, has appeared to 'challenge' Boegner - just looked for some reviews (attached for those interested); most coming from the Brits who seem to feel that the period 'piano' sounds great but are less enthused w/ Planès playing and interpretation (i.e. 3*/5* ratings) - available on Spotify so I'll take a listen and do some comparisons.  Dave

Hi Que - I have the Michèle Boegner (1941-2021) recording as a MP3 DL w/o a booklet - quoted below suggests that she used an original 1836 Pleyel (of course likely restored?); I do enjoy but not completely happy w/ the 'mechanics' of the piano (probably need to listen again), but I'll be quite interested in this version w/ Alain Planès and which 1836 Pleyel piano (or copy?) he used?  Dave

This recording recently came up, I believe that it was Dave that mentioned it:

 

Still a wonderfull and atmospheric recording, not least by the use of the Pleyel.

[vandermolen]

Edgar Bainton (1880-1956)
Symphony No.3 (1956)
Bainton's valedictory masterpiece and, for me, one of the highlights of the Dutton catalogue.
Definitely another one for Lol's (Irons's) collection 
Bainton, a British/Australian composer was working on it in the 1950s when his wife sadly became ill and died and he left the work aside. A kindly friend gently challenged him to pick up the pieces and Bainton completed the work not long before he died. Unlike Arnell's bracing and uplifting 3rd Symphony, Bainton's is more darkly reflective but very moving:

Photo of Bainton and daughter.

PS In contrast I think that Rutland Boughton's 'Oliver Cromwell' Symphony is a terrible bore.

[Traverso]

Desprez and others