What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

No. 2 is Merikanto's finest and most ambitious symphony - full of excellent ideas and brilliantly orchestrated. Though subtitled War Symphony (WWI), only the slow movement is particularly dark and troubled, though I think you'd enjoy it very much overall. No. 3 is "Romantically neo-classical" and breathes the same fresh air as the Thirds of Sibelius and Madetoja. The rather Atterbergian slow movement is especially lovely.

A great description, Kyle. I concur with you.

[TheGSMoeller]

[Symphonic Addict]

The best.

Oh, that's right!

[vers la flamme]

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, op.37. Mitsuko Uchida, Kurt Sanderling, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Beethoven was born 251 years ago today or somewhere thereabouts.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Ginastera
Estancia, Op. 8
Luis Gaeta (bass-baritone)
London Symphony Orchestra
Gisele Ben-Dor



Such a cracking good piece and the performance is smoldering hot.

[Linz]

Karajan Holst Planets on this Super Audio CD

[kyjo]

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 6

No doubts this is a fantastic creation, and how it is played here is just jaw-dropping! I'm a sucker for works with plenty of drama like this masterful quartet, but also with some of consoling nature, somewhat cathartic if you want to think so.




Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3

I've underappreciated this stirring and majestic work for so long, and that goes to other French symphonies I heartily love now: Dukas in C major, Franck in D minor (from the French School), Bizet in C, Gounod both, d'Indy nº 2 in B-flat, Chausson in B-flat, Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, and so on.

Edit: This organ is something else!

Fully concur regarding the Mendelssohn. His SQ cycle is nothing short of breathtakingly marvelous, above all nos. 2 and 6. I'm surprised to read that you've just recently come around to the Saint-Saëns 3rd - it's been one of my favorite works since I first got into classical music as a child.

[kyjo]

First ever listen to Cherubini's quartets. They're fabulous! If you like late Haydn or Op. 18, there's no reason you won't love this stuff. Very, very well crafted and very well played. Must hear the whole series ASAP.

+1 These quartets occupy a delicious stylistic bridge between late Haydn/early Beethoven and Mendelssohn.

[kyjo]

Brian - I've had the 3-CD CPO set of those works w/ Hausmusik London, a period instrument group who I've enjoyed over the years - but just looking at some reviews (attached), James North of Fanfare axed the performances and downgraded the music (like saying 'well, it's not Beethoven'); however, several other reviews were more complimentary - now, have not listened to these in a while but would be curious about others who may have heard some of the other groups?  Dave

To the bolded text - I hate when people make these kinds of comparisons between composers. So pointless...

[kyjo]

Kalevi Aho's triple concerto.
Whoa. If you know Kalevi Aho really well, you'll put this on and go "wait? who? what?" The opening doesn't sound like Aho at all - it's traditionally tonal, even nostalgic, with a pure-hearted simple melody subject to the occasional slightly syrupy harmony. This lasts for five minutes before the soloists and orchestra get plunged into a series of variations which take us to much more normal Aho territory.

Well, the explanation is that he wrote the piece around a lyrical lullaby which he wrote for the birth of his granddaughter. The whole piece is dedicated to her - I hope in 20 years or so she really gets to enjoy this recording! - but the lullaby is set out at the beginning in a very simple garb, like the domestic gift of affection that it is. Only then is it developed in more "serious" music suited for the concert hall.

When you understand that backstory, the piece becomes not just successful, but touching. Of course, it helps to already be a fan of Aho's very diverse concertante works.

Sounds most enticing! I'm not always a fan of Aho's works (perhaps he's too prolific for his own good?), but at his best he can be quite a compelling composer.

[Linz]

I wiill now give this a spin

[Harry]

J.S. Bach.
Organ Works, volume 14.
Gerhard Gnann plays on a Johann Andreas Silbermann organ 1750, Soultz-Haut Rhin, Eglise Saint Maurice.

To be honest I find the performance by Gerhard Gnann, bland and uninspiring. Technically he does what he has to do, but he does it loud, without subtilty. I am rather bored by this visionless approach without any expression. Not worth my time or effort to keep my mind with this unyielding flow of tumbling rocks instead of notes.

[Que]

[Irons]

Brahms: Violin Sonata no.2.

[Harry]

That is a fine disc Que, heard not to long ago when I visited a friend who played it on a HIFI system far exceeding the 250.000 mark. I could hear too many shortcomings on the technical recording side to feel comfortable, but when I played it at home I was comfortably unaware of this.

[Mandryka]

A handful of nocturnes. This is one of those performances where the piano player gives everything, lays himself bare. Force of nature, all commentary is disarmed by the intensity and honesty of the music making.

[Harry]

Gabriel Pierne.

Orchestral Works Volume I.



Although I like Pierne's oeuvre very much, I have a distinct aversion against the overloud Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, opus 12, especially the first and third movement. Bavouzet's approach is rather agressive, and undermines the poetic side of the music. The virtuosic element is predominant. And I rather dislike that. No room for the music to breath.

[aligreto]

Dowland: Complete Lute Works [O'Dette] CD4

[aligreto]

I want to return to Lloyd's Eighth Symphony - I didn't immediately love it like I did to his Fourth, Fifth, or Ninth, for instance. But I have really enjoyed everything of his that I've heard - he's definitely one of my major discoveries of 2021!

Lloyd is definitely one of my major discoveries of this year too.

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

A first listen to Valentini.