What are you listening 2 now?

[aligreto]

That's a fantastic record, and I always keep the Victoria Requiem from McCreesh & Co. right next to it as they make good companion works.
So, TD...

One of the earliest CDs that I ever bought and a very fine one indeed. It is also an age since I heard that one.

[Mirror Image]

I do not spend enough time with Nielsen's music. But there is so much other music as yet unheard by me. A universal dilemma for us all I suppose.

Indeed. As Rachmaninov said: "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." I've also said many times now that the more I know is actually the less I know. There's just so much music out there.

[aligreto]

Indeed. As Rachmaninov said: "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." I've also said many times now that the more I know is actually the less I know. There's just so much music out there.

Let us try to keep chipping away at it, John. 

[Mirror Image]

Let us try to keep chipping away at it, John. 

Indeed, Fergus.

[Traverso]

I do not spend enough time with Nielsen's music. But there is so much other music as yet unheard by me. A universal dilemma for us all I suppose.

Indeed, we all have to make choices, there are many composers here on the forum that I don't pay attention to at all, not because they are bad but I like to listen to music of all time and then you have to make choices and remove the weeds.
I like to listen to music again, only Bach's work will cost you years.
I have made the choice to spend more time with notable/striking composers such as Boulez and Ligety, not to mention Messiaen at the expense of many others.
I don't want to claim that my choice is better than others, everyone does what they feel best even if that means twenty "nut" crackers. 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

J. S. Bach: Sonatas & Partitas. Rachel Podger.

[bhodges]

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Haitink / Concertgebouw, live on Christmas Day, 1983) - As an example of Haitink's greatness, you could do a lot worse than this. Magnificent.

https://youtu.be/XYNk8VOGKa8

--Bruce

[kyjo]

Joining several others in marking the centennial of Malcolm Arnold's birth:

Arnold
Symphony no. 5
London Symphony Orchestra
Richard Hickox



Arnold's sense of humor is evident here as in many of his works - but this is ultimately a tragic piece. The slow movement is strikingly gorgeous and instantly memorable, and of course it returns to cap off the finale - only it's cut short by a sudden turn to a minor key, and the symphony quickly collapses into darkness. Quite the piece.

To me, Arnold's ultimate masterpiece. Each time I hear it, its sheer brilliance and disturbing tragedy become even more apparent.

[Todd]

Year 1.

[aligreto]

Indeed, we all have to make choices, there are many composers here on the forum that I don't pay attention to at all, not because they are bad but I like to listen to music of all time and then you have to make choices and remove the weeds.
I like to listen to music again, only Bach's work will cost you years.
I have made the choice to spend more time with notable/striking composers such as Boulez and Ligety, not to mention Messiaen at the expense of many others.
I don't want to claim that my choice is better than others, everyone does what they feel best even if that means twenty "nut" crackers. 

Yes, Jan, that is the way of it; it is, as you say, about the choices that we make. I too, like many, have put the years in with Bach and would happily do it again if I had to go back and do it all over again

[Traverso]

Beethoven

Symphony No.6

Concertgebouw Orchestra

[SonicMan46]

Bach, Johann Christian (1735-1782) - Symphonies Concertantes - 6-CD box w/ Anthony Halstead & the Hanover Band (own similar boxes of the Symphonies and KB Concertos) - JS Bach's youngest son by his second wife - he lived w/ his older brother (CPE) after his father's death, then onto Italy, and finally to London, dying prematurely at 46 years (more HERE).  He was extremely prolific - a list of his compositions HERE, which were catalogued by Ernest Warburton (from 1984-99) - see bottom pic from link, each work starts w/ a 'W' followed by another letter from A to L (C = Orchestral Works) (click on image for enlargement).  Dave

 

[Que]

Bach, Johann Christian (1735-1782) - Symphonies Concertantes - 6-CD box w/ Anthony Halstead & the Hanover Band (own similar boxes of the Symphonies and KB Concertos) - JS Bach's youngest son by his second wife - he lived w/ his older brother (CPE) after his father's death, then onto Italy, and finally to London, dying prematurely at 46 years (more HERE).  He was extremely prolific - a list of his compositions HERE, which were catalogued by Ernest Warburton (from 1984-99) - see bottom pic from link, each work starts w/ a 'W' followed by another letter from A to L (C = Orchestral Works) (click on image for enlargement).  Dave

 

Count me in as a Johann Christian fan.

[71 dB]

Georg Anton (Jiří Antonín) Benda (1722-1795)

Harpsichord Concertos in F minor, F major, G major and B minor.

Sabine Bauer, Harpsichord
La Stagione Frankfurt
Michael Schneider

CPO 777 088-2 [SACD]

This is a very nice disc. Those who enjoy the keyboard concertos of C.P.E. Bach should also enjoy this.

[SonicMan46]

Count me in as a Johann Christian fan.

+1 Que!  Own nearly 30 discs of the 'London Bach' (wind concertos w/ Halstead, other wind works, and keyboard discs) - now, I don't have any of his religious output (he converted to Catholicism in Italy, as you likely already know) nor the 'Opera Overtures' (again just checked Amazon and Halstead has a 3-CD box - worth getting?).  Dave

[Mandryka]

Gombert's Missa Quam Pulchra Es. Incredibly beautiful countertenor. In fact the Kyrie and Gloria are a bit like a concerto for countertenor and muddy voices. The singing is full of energy, life.

[Harry]

+1 Que!  Own nearly 30 discs of the 'London Bach' (wind concertos w/ Halstead, other wind works, and keyboard discs) - now, I don't have any of his religious output (he converted to Catholicism in Italy, as you likely already know) nor the 'Opera Overtures' (again just checked Amazon and Halstead has a 3-CD box - worth getting?).  Dave

The overtures are well worth purchasing Dave. Do not hold back, you will like them.

[VonStupp]

Irving Fine (1914-1962)
The Hour-Glass (1949)

Dale Warland Singers (rec. 2000)

Does anyone listen to the music of Irving Fine? I have not yet pulled the trigger on the Boston Modern Orchestra Project's album of his orchestral works, so I am largely unfamiliar with his oeuvre.

The Hour-Glass and his 3 choruses from Alice in Wonderland have long been considered his masterpieces in the choral world, but I hardly ever hear them.

Too bad because there is a lot of personality here, and I love the Dale Warland Singers large, midwest-based chamber choir's (now defunct) smooth, yet highly rhythmic sound. I have cherished their tackling of modern American choral music, and Gothic Records has gratefully issued unreleased recordings of them since their retirement.

6 movements, a cappella, and 15-minutes in length, Fine's The Hour-Glass isn't challenging, but far from sing-song-y. Ben Jonson's (1572-1637) poetry is always nice to run into as well.

I attached the 3-minute first movement YouTube video from the album. The stacked quartals from 2:48-2:53 are a lot of fun.

https://www.youtube.com/v/makmsWwv6eI&ab_channel=DaleWarlandSingers-Topic 

[André]

Irving Fine (1914-1962)
The Hour-Glass (1949)

Dale Warland Singers (rec. 2000)

Does anyone listen to the music of Irving Fine? I have not yet pulled the trigger on the Boston Modern Orchestra Project's album of his orchestral works, so I am largely unfamiliar with his oeuvre.

The Hour-Glass and his 3 choruses from Alice in Wonderland have long been considered his masterpieces in the choral world, but I hardly ever hear them.

Too bad because there is a lot of personality here, and I love the Dale Warland Singers large, midwest-based chamber choir's (now defunct) smooth, yet highly rhythmic sound. I have cherished their tackling of modern American choral music, and Gothic Records has gratefully issued unreleased recordings of them since their retirement.

6 movements, a cappella, and 15-minutes in length, Fine's The Hour-Glass isn't challenging, but far from sing-song-y. Ben Jonson's (1572-1637) poetry is always nice to run into as well.

I attached the 3-minute first movement YouTube video from the album.

https://www.youtube.com/v/makmsWwv6eI&ab_channel=DaleWarlandSingers-Topic 

Nice, thanks. Fine's symphony and his catchy Blue Towers are big favourites.

[aligreto]

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 [Ashkenazy]





The depth of emotion portrayed in the opening movement is profound. The breadth of the orchestration is also very skillfully presented. This is wonderful music and music making. I like the unrelenting forward momentum drive in the movement. It is sympathetically paced throughout in an excellent presentation here delivering high drama, tension and wonderful exuberance. The second movement is a buoyant, Scherzo-like movement. It is light and quirky, engaging and again well delivered here. The short slow movement is more on the solemn side in terms of tone but the harmonies and scoring are always very engaging and appealing. The final movement is a wonderfully expansive Chorale. The scoring is wonderful and I like the graduated changes in the tempo, offering a fine dramatic element culminating in a very fine conclusion.