What are you listening 2 now?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Love that piece!

Yes! Great performance though the recording sound is just fair.

[Papy Oli]

What a coincidence! I'm currently playing in the orchestra for a performance of this work at my school and have also been listening to the wonderful Gardiner recording. I don't think I had ever heard the work before, and what a great one it is - it's always a pleasure to discover a new (to me) work by a major composer. It's top shelf mid-period Beethoven, filled with energy, drama, heartfelt lyricism, and interesting harmonies. It's a more immediately accessible work than the Missa Solemnis, and hardly less effective either.

Excellent, Kyle. Enjoy ! Hope the performance goes well.

[Karl Henning]

There were some rough patches of these Soviet recordings.  I admit I don't return to this set often.  I remember 4 an 8 were highlights.  For 13 I prefer the Gromadsky recording to the one included here.

TD: Malipiero Piano Concerto No. 1.  A lovely work, though it just sort of ends precipitously in a cheeky way.

I should revisit that set!

[Karl Henning]

Karl Henning and I have been discussing a formerly "lost" work by Alexander Tcherepnin: I received it last year and recommended it then.

A song cycle called My Flowering Staff : Karl was able to verify that the text given for the first track is not what is being sung.  A mystery as to what happened: perhaps Tcherepnin altered the original poem (by Sergei Gorodetsky)

It's a wonderful cycle, and the texts are rich. The Russian is above my head at times aurally, but this made following along by eye that much more enlightening.

[Linz]

I am Listening to Haitink conducting Strauss's Alpine Symphony

[Irons]

Two of my favourite Sibelius tone poems in very fine performances. Beecham AFAIK recorded the Oceanides at the special request of Sibelius. I have a nice BBC Sibelius CD featuring a recording of Beecham describing his visit to Sibelius's house. At one point Sibelius turned his record payer up to such a loud volume that his wife and daughters had to flee into the garden.

Lionel Salter in his notes mentions which is possibly the same visit Jeffrey on the occasion of Sibelius 90th birthday. As you say Sibelius specifically requested Beecham to record "that very strange work" The Oceanides. Salter's last sentence summing up "The Oceamides" I think fits Sibelius perfectly not just this tone poem - It is a work which, slightly enigmatic at first hearing, comes on acquaintance to make a deep impression by reason of its unusual colouration and terse under-statement.  

[Irons]

William Alwyn: Symphony No.3 (First Performance) RPO Beecham. Beecham agreed to conduct the premiere (after Barbirolli and Sargent declined) and this was very fortunate for Alwyn, for Beecham's performance has a greater urgency than any other recording that I have heard (Alwyn, Hickox, Lloyd Jones). As with his recording of Sibelius's 4th Symphony, there is an intensity about Beecham's performance which is unique. John Ireland thought that it was the greatest British symphony since the No.2 by Elgar:

Of all people in a discussion on British symphonies, John Ireland is the one I would take most notice of. Possibly the greatest not to compose one himself.

[Linz]

Now for Strauss's Ein Heldenleben with Sanderling and the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra

[Tsaraslondon]

I'm repeating myself here again, but Tennstedt's "studio" Mahler recordings aren't too good. It's the live recordings he made with the LPO is where the conductor becomes electrified. Check out his live LPO recordings.

The live Tennstedt Mahler 8 does have an excellent reputation and has been rated best available by quite a few, but I already had the studio one when it was issued, and in any case I'm not sure I will ever like the work enough to get it.

Incidentally, I also have his studio DLVDE and, orchestrally, I think it's one of the best. The soloists aren't bad either, though Baltsa's rather individual sound is not to everyone's liking. It's not my favourite DLVDE (that honour goes to Kubelik with Janet Baker and Waldemar Kmentt) but it's one I enjoy.

The only time I heard him live was in a Strauss programme that included the Vier letzte Lieder (with Lucia Popp) and Tod und Verklärung. It was certainly a memorable evening.

[VonStupp]

Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006)
Advent Cantata
Christmas Cantata
Wedding Cantata

Ariel Wind Quintet, Lenox Brass
Boston Cecilia - Donald Teeters

Haven't heard Pinkham's Advent Cantata before. Looking forward to hearing it this afternoon.

[Traverso]

Bruckner

Symphony No.8

[Karl Henning]

CD 1:

Debussy
String Quartet in g minor, Op. 10

Leonardo Vinci (tr. Guido Gerrini)
Gavotta from 12 Soli per violino e arpicordo

Boccherini
String Quartet in A, Op. 39 № 8
String Quartet in E^b, Op. 58 № 2

[SonicMan46]

Mozart, WA - Piano Concertos w/ Géza Anda (1921-1976) - listening to discs 4 & 5 which include one of my favorites, No. 21 from the film Elvira Madigan, which I would have seen in Ann Arbor (attending the U of Michigan) at the foreign film theater.  Dave

   

[Karl Henning]

CD 1:

Debussy
String Quartet in g minor, Op. 10

Leonardo Vinci (tr. Guido Gerrini)
Gavotta from 12 Soli per violino e arpicordo

Boccherini
String Quartet in A, Op. 39 № 8
String Quartet in E^b, Op. 58 № 2

First I ever heard of Vinci.
While I would not have bought the box for the Boccherini, one is unsurprised that the Italian Quartet would record some, and the quartets are worth the playing and listening.

[Mirror Image]

The live Tennstedt Mahler 8 does have an excellent reputation and has been rated best available by quite a few, but I already had the studio one when it was issued, and in any case I'm not sure I will ever like the work enough to get it.

Incidentally, I also have his studio DLVDE and, orchestrally, I think it's one of the best. The soloists aren't bad either, though Baltsa's rather individual sound is not to everyone's liking. It's not my favourite DLVDE (that honour goes to Kubelik with Janet Baker and Waldemar Kmentt) but it's one I enjoy.

The only time I heard him live was in a Strauss programme that included the Vier letzte Lieder (with Lucia Popp) and Tod und Verklärung. It was certainly a memorable evening.

Yes, I did enjoy Tennstedt's Das Lied von der Erde as well. Thankfully, there are many fine performances of this song-symphony available. My go-to DLvdE will always be Baker/King/Haitink on Philips. It's probably the performance that I have imprinted in my mind. I bet that Strauss concert was lovely.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Mahler
Symphony No. 7
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Fischer

[Karl Henning]

CD 7:

Schuman
String Quartet № 4

Ingolf Dahl
Concerto a tre
Mitchell Lurie, cl
Eudice Shapiro, vn
Victor Gottlieb, vc

[Bachtoven]

An excellent performance and recording. I'm currently reading Richard Powers' novel Orfeo, and this work plays a large part in it, so I was inspired to listen to it again.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

An excellent performance and recording. I'm currently reading Richard Powers' novel Orfeo, and this work plays a large part in it, so I was inspired to listen to it again.

I don't know that particular recording, but it's certainly a powerful work.  I have the old Tashi recording from 1975.

PD

[Karl Henning]

I don't know that particular recording, but it's certainly a powerful work.  I have the old Tashi recording from 1975.

PD

Classic!