What are you listening 2 now?

[aligreto]

Finishing the Florent Schmitt album with the B side: La Tragedie De Salome [Martinon]





This is a fine work which is lyrical at its core but is still filled with passion and drama. The orchestration is very fine and the use of dynamics is very effective in generating and building up the requisite atmosphere that prevails throughout the work. I also particularly like the relatively short choral [vocalise] element of the work. We are also treated to a very satisfactory conclusion here.

[T. D.]

..
Oooh!  That does look like a yummy set Irons!  I have some of his recordings...like you, I love that Franck recording and have it on an Eloquence CD of French and Belgian violin sonatas.



PD

I love that recording, but the cover art is treading dangerously close to "Worst looking CD/LP artwork" territory...pink tone and unflattering depiction of Grumiaux on the left.

[Traverso]

Maw: Life Studies [Marriner]





This music, atonal by nature, is a set of eight studies written for an ensemble of 15 string instruments. I like the musical language, the various tones, drama and tensions in the music and also the sense of a lightness of texture which can be quite atmospheric with this particular music due to its clarity of presentation. This music is most interesting and engaging. I find it to be exciting.

(again)  I used to have it as a LP now I have it as a CD 

[Todd]

5 & 6.  This set has emerged as one of the best I've heard, almost certainly necessitating some A/Bs at some point.  Eminently satisfactory in every way.

[vers la flamme]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988. Angela Hewitt

[Que]

[Todd]

[aligreto]

Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 2 [Du Pré/Barenboim]


https://www.youtube.com/v/ncJ_Gc9RES4&t=3s


This performance, particularly from Du Pré, is absolutely wonderful. I was engrossed from beginning to end with both the music and its presentation. What a magnificent piece of music this is, filled with drama, tension, excitement and passion. The slow movement is ravishing. What greater exponent of all of this than Du Pré? She was always so engrossed in, and passionate about, her music making. The instrument seemed to be merely an extension of her body.

[aligreto]

(again)  I used to have it as a LP now I have it as a CD 

Once again, our musical paths and interests cross, Jan. 

[aligreto]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988. Angela Hewitt

Hewitt has an exceptional talent, IMHO, for voicing and presenting the keyboard works of JS Bach [and this is coming from a piano-phobe particularly where Bach is concerned].

[aligreto]

What did you think of it, Que?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 2 [Du Pré/Barenboim]


https://www.youtube.com/v/ncJ_Gc9RES4&t=3s


This performance, particularly from Du Pré, is absolutely wonderful. I was engrossed from beginning to end with both the music and its presentation. What a magnificent piece of music this is, filled with drama, tension, excitement and passion. The slow movement is ravishing. What greater exponent of all of this than Du Pré? She was always so engrossed in, and passionate about, her music making. The instrument seemed to be merely an extension of her body.

Thank you for that link.  I look forward to listening to it.   

[VonStupp]

Felix Mendelssohn
Concerto for Two Pianos in A-flat Major, MWV 06
Concerto for Two Pianos in E Major, MWV 05

Stephen Coombs & Ian Munro - pianos
BBC Scottish SO - Jerzy Maksymiuk

Juvenalia, but pleasant juvenalia.

[aligreto]

Thank you for that link.  I look forward to listening to it.   

I hope that you enjoy it and I would be interested to read your thoughts when you eventually get to listen to and see it.

[André]

K 446.

A 2-disc set recreating a pantomime written by Mozart for carnival time in 1783. He wrote it for his and his friends' amusement (WAM played Harlequin, his sister-in-law Columbine, his brother-in-law was Pantalone). Mozart scored it for just 2 violins, a viola and a double bass. It is played here by a small chamber ensemble of some 15 strings.

Most of the music of K446 has been lost, so the arranger here (composer Johannes Kolik) has cribbed from various Mozart fragments, unfinished works and alternative movements to fill in the various scenes of the action. Much to my surprise, all the music chosen perfectly reflects the action it purports to represent. The booklet has excellent notes and a detailed description of the action along with a list of the K numbers used by Kolik in each scene. Considering none of the music is otherwise available, this is a chance to hear some choice morsels in a very interesting setting.

[Karl Henning]

Mendelssohn appears to be in the air:

CD 23:

Pf Cto # 1 in g minor, Op. 25
Pf Cto # 2 in d minor, Op. 40

Symphony in A, Op. 90

Jan Lisiecki with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

[Madiel]

K 446.

A 2-disc set recreating a pantomime written by Mozart for carnival time in 1783. He wrote it for his and his friends' amusement (WAM played Harlequin, his sister-in-law Columbine, his brother-in-law was Pantalone). Mozart scored it for just 2 violins, a viola and a double bass. It is played here by a small chamber ensemble of some 15 strings.

Most of the music of K446 has been lost, so the arranger here (composer Johannes Kolik) has cribbed from various Mozart fragments, unfinished works and alternative movements to fill in the various scenes of the action. Much to my surprise, all the music chosen perfectly reflects the action it purports to represent. The booklet has excellent notes and a detailed description of the action along with a list of the K numbers used by Kolik in each scene. Considering none of the music is otherwise available, this is a chance to hear some choice morsels in a very interesting setting.

Thanks for that, it sounds rather interesting, given that someone has done such a convincing job with the arrangement.

[Madiel]

Thread duty: having talked about it, I had to pull the recording out.

Rachmaninov, Symphonic Dances, 2 piano-version (Ashkenazy and Previn)

[Irons]

Maw: Life Studies [Marriner]





This music, atonal by nature, is a set of eight studies written for an ensemble of 15 string instruments. I like the musical language, the various tones, drama and tensions in the music and also the sense of a lightness of texture which can be quite atmospheric with this particular music due to its clarity of presentation. This music is most interesting and engaging. I find it to be exciting.

Good to read your report, Fergus. I purchased the very same LP fairly recently but not played it yet. I also have Maw with string quartets and they are not the easiest of listens. You have encouraged me to give Life Studies a spin so thanks are in order.

[Irons]

Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 2 [Du Pré/Barenboim]


https://www.youtube.com/v/ncJ_Gc9RES4&t=3s


This performance, particularly from Du Pré, is absolutely wonderful. I was engrossed from beginning to end with both the music and its presentation. What a magnificent piece of music this is, filled with drama, tension, excitement and passion. The slow movement is ravishing. What greater exponent of all of this than Du Pré? She was always so engrossed in, and passionate about, her music making. The instrument seemed to be merely an extension of her body.

To paraphrase something RVW said when asked if he would choose after dying to return to life as a composer - *Jackie du Pré does not play music, she is music.*