What are you listening 2 now?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Inspired by JBS's earlier posting, I'm listening to that Opera d'Oro recording of Il Trovatore.  Really enjoying it!  Paused momentarily at the end of Part II, scene 1.  Manrico has just had an argument with his mother Azucena saying that he's heard that Leonora is preparing to take her vows at a convent (believing that he was dead) and so must rush off to stop her.  Azucena entreating him not to go.

PD

[DavidW]

[Biffo]

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique - Les Siècles conducted by François-Xavier Roth

[Mirror Image]

Try as I do I can't get through to the end of this CD.

It's one of his toughest symphonies for sure. Almost just a constant onslaught of chromatic scales, but it does get better throughout. I would never claim this to be my favorite or even one of my favorites from Pettersson, but it was quite the journey.

[Irons]

He always does, when I order something.

Yes he does!

Here he is:
https://interlude.hk/in-touch-with-alain-deguernel/

A nice personal touch I have not encountered before.

[Irons]

It's one of his toughest symphonies for sure. Almost just a constant onslaught of chromatic scales, but it does get better throughout. I would never claim this to be my favorite or even one of my favorites from Pettersson, but it was quite the journey.

I'm not anti-Pettersson by any means but the 9th is a step too far for me.

[Mirror Image]

I'm not anti-Pettersson by any means but the 9th is a step too far for me.

Yeah, I'm not saying I thought it was a great work, but merely pointing out that I believe it's not as bad as its reputation seems to be. Moving onto the 10th next, which is much better than the 9th.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Pettersson
Symphony No. 10
Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR
Alun Francis

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Geirr Tveitt. Variation Hardanger.

[SonicMan46]

Sweelinck, JP (1562-1621) - Complete Keyboard Works w/ numerous performers on a wide variety of historic instruments.  I now have 3 of the 4 boxes (missing the 'Complete Psalms') of the Harry van der Kamp project named the Sweelinck Monument - interview on Glossa w/ Kamp HERE for those interested.  Dave

 

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Wednesday

Penderecki
Flute Concerto
Łukasz Długosz, flute
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Antoni Wit

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Walton
Belshazzar's Feast
Peter Coleman-Wright (baritone)
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Davis



A fantastic performance of a 20th Century masterpiece.

[Traverso]

Sweelinck, JP (1562-1621) - Complete Keyboard Works w/ numerous performers on a wide variety of historic instruments.  I now have 3 of the 4 boxes (missing the 'Complete Psalms') of the Harry van der Kamp project named the Sweelinck Monument - interview on Glossa w/ Kamp HERE for those interested.  Dave

 

Congratulations Dave. 

[Traverso]

Rameau

I just read an article by a well-known opera specialist from the Netherlands.
Here's a translation:


Swirling Rameau Party
In my early years with Luister,( magazin) a recording of Les Indes galantes was released which fortunately passed me by, because Joop Schrier wanted to discuss it. I found the work extremely tedious and the performance equally unbearable and Joop, who also gave it a polite-positive review, completely agreed with me about the 'opera'. Rameau's score consisted of a series of fun ballets without any dramatic value, which otherwise hung together like loose sand, intended at most as entertainment for the true lover of the French court style.

A few years ago, when I had nothing to do one evening in Paris, I decided to experience a performance of this work. After all, you have to be there to be able to talk about something. I didn't have much faith in it, also because the vocalists were mostly young people who I mainly knew from the lighter (French) repertoire. Short and sweet: I bought one of the last tickets, went inside and the result was that I spent half the night walking through Paris in higher spheres and that I was at the box office early the next morning for a ticket for the next performance . Unfortunately, it was sold out and I had to make do with my memory, but what an amazing one: totally unexpectedly, I had just about experienced the best theater evening of my life! It was one big party with a euphoric hall at the end, a dancing William Christie on stage and hall guards who eventually had to beg the last of the guests who were still enjoying themselves to leave the theater so that the doors could close.

The recordings of the same performance have been available on DVD for some time now and as part of the 'Agreeable Classical' campaign. this release is now again in the spotlight. I can be short about it: it's a party again! The extremely playful and colorful direction that Andrej Serban designed for this work unfolds on two DVDs, in which singers and dancers are allowed to pull out all the stops. Rameau boring, static and undramatic? Forget it! From the first dance steps and the emergence of Danielle de Niese (Hébé) in the prologue to the dazzling performance of Patricia Petibon as a very contemporary Indian girl (Zima) in the final entrance, a dazzling show unfolds that does not miss its effect on the audience. . And when at the end the audience and the performers unite dancing and with chanting handclaps in an 'Encore' where we even see William Christie dancing on stage, it is clear that one of the most entertaining theater evenings of the past decades took place here. When you hear the applause there, you are really amazed. Is such a thing really possible after an opera ballet by Rameau? Yes, and if you don't believe it, you should put it to the test. The discount voucher in the context of the 'Pleasant Classical' promotion. makes that extra easy. The release on two excellent DVDs is completed with the documentary Swinging Rameau, biographies and an illustrated synopsis

[Traverso]

Dowland

First book of songs

CD 1



Can she excuse my wrongs .....in the case of Sting she can not !!!

[Traverso]

Monteverdi

Madrigali Erotici


A lovely recording...

[Karl Henning]

The Op. 6 of Vivaldi (CD 5) and Handel (CD 10) respectively

My Handel Op. 6 conundrum is as follows: the OCO certainly play them well, the music itself is all right. Somehow, I dragged my heels to finish listening to the set of 12 (in fact, I haven't yet listened to the b minor, which opens the next disc in the box.

[vandermolen]

A nice personal touch I have not encountered before.

Yes, it's very charming or tres charmant 

[vandermolen]

Geirr Tveitt. Variation Hardanger.

Great cover art!

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Beethoven
String Quartet No. 12 in E♭ major, Op. 127
Quatuor Ebène