What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

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.

Yeah, this is Das Lied's twisted little sister.

[Traverso]

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

[The new erato]

Revisiting. Good recording of an early opera from a major figure.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Vaughan Williams
Two Hymn Preludes
Northern Sinfonia
Hickox

[Traverso]

Vaughan Williams

"A Sea Symphony"

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 8 in D minor
USSR Ministry of Culture SO
Rozhdestvensky



Such a fascinating and well-performed cycle of RVW's symphonies with the exception of A Sea Symphony. I'm sorry but Russians can't sing English too well. Anyway, I love Rozhdestvensky's way with RVW.

[Harry]

Strauss in St. Petersburg. From the Big Chandos box.

Johann Strauss II
Newa-Polka, Dedicated to Queen Isabella II of Spain.
Persischer Marsch, Dedicated to Naser al-Din, Shah of Persia.
Russischer Marsch/Marsch of the Horse Guards, Dedicated to his Majesty Alexander III, Emperor of Russia.
Großfürstin Alexandra-Walzer.
Olga Polka, Dedicated to the Grand Duchess Olga Feodorovna.
Alexandrinen Polka.
Abschied von St. Petersburg.
Bauern Polka,

Johan Strauss II and Josef Strauss.
Pizzicato Polka.

Johann Strauss II.
Großfürsten Marsch.
Vergnügungszug.
Wein, Weib, und Gesang, Waltz.
Krönungs Marsch, Dedicated to Tsar Alexander II.
Hofball Quadrille.
An der Wolga, Mon Salut.
St. Petersburg, Hommage. Quadrille nach Russischen Motifen.
Auf zum Tanz, Schnell-Polka.
Russische Marsch-Fantasie.
Alexander Quadrille, Serbian Quadrille No. 2, Dedicated to Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic.

Estonian National SO, Neeme Järvi.


A lot of joy!

[Irons]

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

A performance that took me unawares, Jeffrey. Rushed maybe, but swept away with the commitment of Sargent's interpretation. I will listen to Previn this evening but I did find Boult a bit staid in comparison.

Benjamin Dale: Violin Sonata.

Dislike musical snobbery and most of all when I am guilty of it! Dismissed Dale's sonata as little more then salon music. Sat on my shelves unloved for months but Dale has got his own back as now I can't stop playing the CD! The included notes make a most pertinent point -
The elegiac quality of much of the music, yet constantly building in passion, inevitably makes one wonder about the non-musical genesis of Dale's music, and remembering the wartime origins of violin sonatas by Bax, Ireland (the second sonatas of each) and Thomas F Dunhill, one tends to hear this as an elegy for a lost world.  

[Papy Oli]

Reichenauer - Concertos (Vol.1)

[Traverso]

Beethoven

The arrangements of folk songs by Haydn and Beethoven receive little attention, yet there are real gems among all the many arrangements. It was a welcome addition from a financial point of view, but clear attention was paid to the arrangements intended for amateur musicians although some may be too difficult.
I find it a pleasure to listen to the arrangements of both Haydn and Beethoven, both superbly performed by the ensembles and singers.

Starting now with the arrangements Beethoven made

CD 1

[vandermolen]

Einar Englund Symphony No.1 'War':

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Inspired by JBS posting about ordering a new boxed set of Geza Anda, I hauled out some of his recordings to listen to today....so far:

Bach's Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra BWV 1061 with Clara Haskill from that Membran set that I had mentioned elsewhere (can't find a picture of it) and

Beethoven's 33 Piano Variations - Diabelli and F. Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat D. 960 from my Brilliant boxed set.

PD

[Traverso]

Inspired by JBS posting about ordering a new boxed set of Geza Anda, I hauled out some of his recordings to listen to today....so far:

Bach's Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra BWV 1061 with Clara Haskill from that Membran set that I had mentioned elsewhere (can't find a picture of it) and

Beethoven's 33 Piano Variations - Diabelli and F. Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat D. 960 from my Brilliant boxed set.

PD

Inspired usually means pulling the wallet here 

[Papy Oli]

One or two partitas to wrap up the afternoon:

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Inspired usually means pulling the wallet here 

Not always!  Enjoying what I do have. 

Pulled out my copy of Janos Starker and Gyorgy Sebok performing Brahms' Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38.  Exquisite playing and gorgeous Mercury Living Presence sound.  This is CD No. 46 from the first box of the Mercury Living Presence boxset.


PD

[kyjo]

Weinberg Chamber Symphony No 4, Kremerata Baltica



Unlike the other Chamber Symphonies, this one is an original work, not based on one of Weinberg's string quartets.

Impressive work, excellent performance. But I think I am experiencing "bleakness" fatigue. The Weinberg pattern of one jaunty movement surrounded by doleful dirges is starting to wear on me.

To the bolded text, that is precisely the problem I have with a good deal of Weinberg's music, especially his later works.

[classicalgeek]

I like the rearrangement RVW did of his Piano Concerto for two pianos and orchestra better than the original for just piano/orchestra. You definitely should check out that version. It's interesting you mentioned Bartók, because he went on record to say how much he admired this work from RVW.

That's really interesting! I definitely detected a hint of Bartok's style - I'll have to check out the two-piano version.

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.

I'll keep listening to the Sixth - I admit to being not as familiar with the Vaughan Williams late symphonies, particularly nos. 6, 8, and 9.

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

I definitely was impressed with Previn.

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

I think I'll be listening to the two-piano version today! And probably the 6th, 8th, and 9th symphonies as well. And some of the other orchestral works. The RVW mini-binge is now a frenzy! 

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.

I definitely got that impression of the Sixth - a really unsettling work. That trumpet-and-timpani ostinato that permeates the second movement is downright chilling! Not quite as furious and frenzied as the Fourth, but along those lines.

[Bachtoven]

[aukhawk]

The draw here is the Borgato piano, which sounds quite fine.  Tebenikhin plays well though one can find more satisfying renditions of each work presented.

Interest piqued, have now listened.  I would rather describe this as 'different'.  Tebenikhin seeks out (and finds) the lyricism in this music, and rejects any opportunities for virtuoso pyrotechnics.  The timings for all 9 sonata movements included here are consistently slower than such as Raekallio, Osborne, Yuja Wang, John Lill, Richter, Freddy Kempf.  I don't know anything about the piano but it has a pleasantly warm sound.  The sum total effect is a very 'different' Prokofiev Sonata presentation from the usual, and very interesting as an alternative.

[vandermolen]

NP:

Vaughan Williams
Two Hymn Preludes
Northern Sinfonia
Hickox

Very nice John - don't forget to listen to 'Old King Cole' which is a charming work.