What are you listening 2 now?

[Peter Power Pop]

I'm a great fan of the Ozawa/BSO Prokofiev Romeo & Juliet, so your post piqued my interest and I've sprung for the mp3 album. Thanks!

No sweat. Hopefully, those MP3s will be 320 kbps. With the Ozawa/Boston recordings, you want the best quality you can get.

[vandermolen]

No one does Vaughan Williams quite like Boult - no doubt because of the personal connection. One of my favorite RVW cycles - perhaps my co-favorite with Slatkin.

Speaking of the Sixth:
Vaughan Williams
Symphony no. 6
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis
(on Spotify, where I also listened to the Fifth)



Perhaps not my favorite RVW symphony, but it does have its moments. The Epilogue in particular reminds me a little of the end of Shostakovich's Fourth and Eighth Symphonies - bleak, desolate music.

It is my favourite and Decca's Eclipse LP (LPO/Boult) had a huge impact on my 17 tear old self (more than any other classical music). Andrew Davis's performance is considered to be the best of his rather underrated cycle. He also recorded an excellent No.9 which came with BBC Music Magazine.

[vandermolen]

Continuing my Vaughan Williams mini-binge:

Symphony no. 8
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn

Best ever version IMO (although I like Bryden Thomson's as well).

[vandermolen]

A great performance in very good sound. The timbres of the french orchestra give the performance a very special flavour.

V much agree André.

[vandermolen]

I'm guessing it's on YouTube? Unless it's been issued on some pirate label. Either way, I look forward to starting with his RCA Requiem and going from there! If it's anything like the disc of overtures I heard yesterday, I'm in for a real treat.

Thread duty: finishing up my RVW mini-binge

Vaughan Williams
Symphony no. 9
Piano concerto in C major
London Symphony Orchestra
Howard Shelley, piano
Bryden Thomson
(in Spotify)



The Ninth has some beautiful moments - I'm still getting to know the work, and so my opinion of it is still forming. The Piano Concerto is an interesting work - it actually reminded me of Bartok in spots, with its rhythmic drive and energy. But the second movement, and the very end, are Vaughan Williams through and through.

Another excellent version and like John (MI) I prefer the two piano version of the Piano Concerto.

[The new erato]

It is my favourite and Decca's Eclipse LP (LPO/Boult) had a huge impact on my 17 tear old self (more than any other classical music). Andrew Davis's performance is considered to be the best of his rather underrated cycle. He also recorded an excellent No.9 which came with BBC Music Magazine.

My favorite VW as well, and the Boult had a similar impact on me (though I was around 23 :-) )

A really furious and pessimistic work, slightly similar in mood to Honeggers 2nd.

[The new erato]

NP:

Shostakovich
Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135
Marina Shaguch (soprano), Arutjun Kotchinian (bass)
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
Dmitri Kitayenko

This work has always been a favorite of mine, and it consider it as a song cycle on the level of Das Lied for der Erde. I grew up with Ormandys version.

[The new erato]

Still playng Quartetto Italianos early recordings from the Warner set. Brahms 3 and Haydn 76/2. Still exquisite, and a gem of a set! I cannot seem to put it aside in favor of other stuff.

[vandermolen]

Interesting! I wonder how it compares with the RCA Requiem - I have to confess I'm not familiar with either of Munch's recordings (yet). My go-to Berlioz Requiem for a long time was Robert Shaw with the Atlanta Symphony on Telarc, but it's been ages since I heard it.

I had the Ormandy (Sony Essential Classics) version as my only recording for a long time. André has answered your question and he's much more familiar with the work than I am.

[Que]

I thought it was too much like Dufay à la Schubert to be interesting - I mean they sing it in the manner of 19th century songs. Listening to this though, which I recommend enthusiastically

Schubert? I'll refresh my memory! And give the Cantica Symphonica a listen as well. 

[Que]

Recently arrival:



14th century Franco-Flemish repertoire.

[vandermolen]

Alwyn: Symphony No.4 LSO/Hickox
IMO the greatest performance of this fine work. The opening movement (a kind of mini-symphony in itself) is my favourite movement in all of Alwyn's symphonies:

[Harry]

Sergei Prokofiev.

Symphony No 5 in B flat major.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

Romeo and Juliet, Fantasia Overture.

Novosibirsk Academic SO, Thomas Sanderling.

[Traverso]

Janet Baker

Today the whole recording

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.9 (World Premiere performance)
RPO/Sargent (recorded in the presence of the composer, 2nd April 1958)

[Traverso]

Bruckner & Beethoven

Time to listen and watch to two of Haitink's favorite compositions.

[Traverso]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.9 (World Premiere performance)
RPO/Sargent (recorded in the presence of the composer, 2nd April 1958)

May I ask,is the expression on his face typical British ? 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Just listening to this on Spotify, absolutely delightful so far, thanks for posting!

(The cover caught my eye too. I imagine it's meant to represent a vase with reeds or sth, but I can't help seeing a boy with big ears and unruly hair .. )

I was trying to figure it out too and came to roughly the same conclusion too! lol

PD

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Hindemith: Amor and Psyche. Hindemith/Berlin PO.

[vandermolen]

May I ask,is the expression on his face typical British ? 

Yes indeed, it's the more cheerful version of our habitual facial expression.