What are you listening 2 now?

[André]

Flor Alpaerts: James Ensor Suite.

Ohhhhhh ! That's a good one ! 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Love the entirety of that Pacifica set, PD!

As to the Op. 67, I have to say Argerich/Kremer/Maisky, but I really like the other recordings I have, too: the Bartos Trio on Hungaroton and the Beaux Arts Trio.

I'll give the A/K/M one a play soon.  Don't have the other two though.

PD

Shostakovich
Pf trio in e minor, Op. 67
Martha Argerich, pf
Gidon Kremer, vn
Misha Maisky, vc

I see that you just revisited it! 

PD

[Mirror Image]

Bartok
The Wooden Prince
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Susanna Malkki
(on Spotify)



A simply magical score with equally magical orchestration. And I get why Malkki has been receiving acclaim for her Bartok - this is a magnificent performance!

A superb recording, indeed. You remind me, I need to listen to Mälkki's other Bartók recordings in my collection.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

That's one of my favourite Bliss CDs James - a very nice programme of fine performances. I agree about the sheep bells! Hugo Rignold's Lyrita performance is my favourite version (with the CBSO for whom the work was written) but I think that the Meditations on a Theme by John Blow has been well served on disc and I have enjoyed every recording of it, especially the new Andrew Davis performance.
+1 for Alfvén's 4th Symphony too.
This is my favourite recording of it:

Early morning listening - Bliss 'Introduction and Allegro'. This double CD set (which includes the Wordsworth disc) includes two versions of Introduction and Allegro - one conducted by Bliss himself:

I need to spend more time with my Alfven box (have it on Brilliant)!   

PD

[Karl Henning]

I'll give the A/K/M one a play soon.  Don't have the other two though.

PDI see that you just revisited it! 

PD

Avec grand plaisir!

[Mirror Image]

Shostakovich
Pf trio in e minor, Op. 67
Martha Argerich, pf
Gidon Kremer, vn
Misha Maisky, vc

Great stuff, Karl.

[Klavier1]

Superb!

[Karl Henning]

Great stuff, Karl.

Superb!

[Mirror Image]

Now playing some Wagner orchestral highlights from this Boulez recording:

[Karl Henning]

Oh, I love this:

CD 8

"Papa"
String Quartet in C, Op. 33 № 3, Hob III:42 « De Vogel »
String Quartet in B^b, Op. 76 № 4, Hob III:78 « De Zonsopgang »

[Linz]

Lenny And The New York Philharmonic with Shostakovich's 5th Symphony

[André]

Lenny And The New York Philharmonic with Shostakovich's 5th Symphony

I think that's the best DSCH5 out there - my favourite in any case  .

[André]

[Linz]

Yes I am enjoying it very much

[classicalgeek]

I have a number of performances of Alfven's 4th Symphony (it's known as OCD  ) including the Svetlanov (below) but the Westerberg remains my favourite - maybe because I got to know the work through that LP taken out of the High Street Kensington Record Library in London:

Wordsworth is a very rewarding conductor. Apart from his Bliss recordings there is an excellent 'Job' by Vaughan Williams.

I'm sure the Westerberg recording is excellent! There's something to be said for the version we imprint on - I know it's my preference in a lot of works that have supposedly been done better! (case in point: Mahler 2 with Slatkin and St. Louis on Telarc will **always** hold a special place in my heart!)

I'm familiar with Wordsworth, but haven't really explored his recordings yet. I often get him confused with Mark Wigglesworth (he of the Shostakovich cycle on BIS), but they're obviously two different guys! 'Job' has been on my 'to-listen' list for a while; Wordsworth's recording is on Spotify, so I'll have a listen later.

A superb recording, indeed. You remind me, I need to listen to Mälkki's other Bartók recordings in my collection.

It really is outstanding. Too bad she only recorded the suite to 'Miraculous Mandarin' instead of the whole ballet - it's probably my favorite Bartok orchestral work!

I need to spend more time with my Alfven box (have it on Brilliant)!   

PD

That appears to be the same as the BIS box, but it's OOP... fortunately the BIS is available at less than $10/CD should I decide to spring for it. There's just SO much good music out there... and I might get the complete Bergakungen with Svetlanov before I get the symphonies...

Superb!

Very nice!

Thread duty:

Stenhammar
Symphony no. 2
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt
(on Spotify)



I'm still warming up to this piece - both the Westerberg recording (which I heard last week) and Blomstedt's are wonderful, and there's a lot to love in this symphony, but it just hasn't 'clicked' for me yet. I do want to 'keep on listening', because I can see this is a substantial and consequential work. Maybe I'll try listening with a score next - that often helps.

[vandermolen]

Ohhhhhh ! That's a good one ! 

My favourite painter - James Ensor:

[vandermolen]

Shostakovich: Symphony No.4
Marinsky Orchestra: Gergiev
Beautifully recorded and performed - and yet, it does not replace the Ormandy and Previn's performances which, IMO, have a unique integrity about them:

[classicalgeek]

And while we're on the topic of Janet Baker: her Brahms Alto Rhapsody with Adrian Boult reduces me to a puddle of goo. I'm openly weeping just typing about it...

Posted this on the Purchases thread in response to Greg, who bought the Baker/Barbirolli Mahler Song Cycles (a move of which I wholeheartedly approve )... and, well, you all knew this was coming:

Brahms
Alto Rhapsody
Dame Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
(on Spotify)



There's something about the way Baker sings this that never fails to move me... at first, she's urgent, pleading... and then soothing and comforting. Halfway through the work, when minor turns to major and the choir makes their entrance while Baker floats her caressing hymn above, just gets me. Every. Single. Time. It's been ten minutes since that glorious C-major plagal cadence and I **still** can't stop crying...

Sorry, I realize this is probably TMI - but that's the effect music can have on me sometimes!

[vandermolen]

Late night listening.
Vaughan Williams 'On Wenlock Edge'. A beautiful and moving performance.

[Karl Henning]

Chopin, Op.28 Préludes
Martha Argerich