What are you listening 2 now?

[Brahmsian]

NP:

Shostakovich
Jazz Suite No. 1
Concertgebouw
Chailly



It's too bad that Chailly didn't record more Shostakovich after The Jazz Album, The Film Album and The Dance Album. I'd love to have heard him in the symphonies --- not all of them, but I think the 4th, 8th, 10th and 11th would have played to his strengths.

Those albums are terrific! 

[Mirror Image]

Those albums are terrific! 

They sure are, Ray.

[aligreto]

Schubert: Trout Quintet [Collegium Aureum, members]





This is my first listen to this particular version. I like it very much. Fair disclosure; I am a long term fan of Collegium Aureum.

This is a very exciting and engaging presentation. Both the pacing and atmosphere are wonderfully buoyant and remarkably fresh. I particularly like the flavour of the fortepiano used in the ensemble. It adds a very interesting and engaging timbre. The music making is always very fluid and vital. The opening movement is animated and spirited. The second, Andante, movement is wonderfully lyrical and full sounding. There is a very fine use of dynamics here and the harmonies are also brought out very well. The Scherzo is a suitably lively affair. There is a keen sense of excitement and forward momentum throughout. The Trio section is a more contemplative but interesting section. The fourth movement opens in a Haydnesque mode; full of grace and charm. This tone basically continues throughout the variations, which are always engaging and exciting. The Finale is an ebullient and absorbing performance. The atmosphere of excitement is totally captivating. This is a terrific, beguiling, captivating and a very assured performance. It is now a new favourite in this work for me.

[Todd]

5.

[SonicMan46]

Piffaro - last few days in my early music compilations collection - on a favorite group of mine collected over a number of years a while back - have to check to see if they are still active and what other recordings have/had been released?  Dave

     

[vandermolen]

Sibelius: Symphony No.6

[vandermolen]

Nice recording!

Indeed and Forgotten Records have done the best transfer I think.

[Traverso]

Schubert: Trout Quintet [Collegium Aureum, members]





This is my first listen to this particular version. I like it very much. Fair disclosure; I am a long term fan of Collegium Aureum.

This is a very exciting and engaging presentation. Both the pacing and atmosphere are wonderfully buoyant and remarkably fresh. I particularly like the flavour of the fortepiano used in the ensemble. It adds a very interesting and engaging timbre. The music making is always very fluid and vital. The opening movement is animated and spirited. The second, Andante, movement is wonderfully lyrical and full sounding. There is a very fine use of dynamics here and the harmonies are also brought out very well. The Scherzo is a suitably lively affair. There is a keen sense of excitement and forward momentum throughout. The Trio section is a more contemplative but interesting section. The fourth movement opens in a Haydnesque mode; full of grace and charm. This tone basically continues throughout the variations, which are always engaging and exciting. The Finale is an ebullient and absorbing performance. The atmosphere of excitement is totally captivating. This is a terrific, beguiling, captivating and a very assured performance. It is now a new favourite in this work for me.

A very fine recording Fergus 

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.8 in E-flat major. Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, too many choirs and soloists to list

The only music that makes any sense to me at the moment.

Round 2 with this.

[Traverso]

 Bach

CD 1

[Karl Henning]

The Lowell Chamber Orchestra playing the K.551 for openers:

[vers la flamme]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Divertimento in E-flat major, K563. Leopold String Trio

Really sounds great at the moment. This was a random record store find from earlier in the week. Glad I picked it up.

[Karl Henning]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Divertimento in E-flat major, K563. Leopold String Trio

Really sounds great at the moment. This was a random record store find from earlier in the week. Glad I picked it up.

Nicely done!

[VonStupp]

Felix Mendelssohn
String Symphony 11 in f minor

Gewandhaus - Kurt Masur

At 5 movements and 40-minutes long (with repeats), SS #11 must be the most fleshed out of these works, bringing Mendelssohn confidently into the early Romantic Era.

Mvt. 2 brings in some percussion that sounds very much like a Turkish March. The slow Mvt. 3 has a strong religioso feel that Mendelssohn was so good at in maturity. Even his 4th mvt. Minuet is quite bracing. Of course the outer movements toy between melodiousness and his beloved Baroque counterpoint, but Mendelssohn's ability with development and proper motivic balance has now fully ripened, making this work fully satisfactory as a symphonic work.

To my ears, it sounds like the Gewandhaus is larger in numbers for this one, and it certainly adds to the Romantic Era, symphonic scope of this work. I have also enjoyed the folksy cover art of this set, this last entry being the most different of the quartet.

[aligreto]

JS Bach- Trio Sonatas Nos. 4-6 [London Baroque]





I am not usually particularly interested in transcriptions but these interpretations and presentations are definitely interesting and engaging. They are exciting and well presented. I like the drive and the presence of these versions.  However, I find the recorded sound to be a bit on the thin and harsh side for me, unfortunately. A minor quibble.

[VonStupp]

Felix Mendelssohn
String Symphony 12 in g minor
String Symphony 13 in c minor

Gewandhaus - Kurt Masur

Whereas Mendelssohn's SS #11 was a major step forward in symphonic development, #12 (three movements) and #13 (one movement) are a bit disappointing. They take a strong step backwards into the Baroque, with fugal passages and contrapuntalism galore. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it was unexpected as an overarching progression of these works.

That said, his application of counterpoint bears heavy chromaticisms, and Mendelssohn's abilities to weave highly-chromatic harmonic components into those older forms is quite impressive.  I guess in that respect, this is the move forward for Mendelssohn's voice.

Still, I prefer the gently-lapping middle movement of #12, another slow, Germanic, religioso feel, which breaks up all of Mendelssohn's minor-keyed busyness.

[Todd]

A few years ago (I think it was a few), I tried Janne Mertanen's recording of the Schumann and Grieg concertos, which many people like.  I found it meh, so I didn't bother with other recordings until this popped up for a few bucks.  Chopin is more his thing, or rather his Chopin is more to my taste - much more so.  Supremely fine digital dexterity and touch combined to create a romantic but not syrupy sound.  Top tier piano playing, and the band ain't half bad, either.

[Mandryka]

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.

Not for me, on the basis of 3, which I just listened to. The reason is just that I don't like their rather plush rich velvet and silk sound. A personal thing obviously. It's not the recording, it's them and it's me - I'm sure I'd feel the same way in a concert.

[Karl Henning]

https://www.youtube.com/v/0Im8pPwAsy4

[prémont]

JS Bach- Trio Sonatas Nos. 4-6 [London Baroque]





I am not usually particularly interested in transcriptions but these interpretations and presentations are definitely interesting and engaging. They are exciting and well presented. I like the drive and the presence of these versions.  However, I find the recorded sound to be a bit on the thin and harsh side for me, unfortunately. A minor quibble.

Nor am I particularly interested in transcriptions (unless they are made by the composer himself), but some transcriptions (also these) are rather than transcriptions an attempt to reconstruct supposed original versions of the works, as there are many indications that the organ trio sonates in the handed down form are already transcriptions (made by Bach himself) of previously composed chamber music works. This is why they are particularly interesting.