What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

    Richard Strauss's Vier letze Lieder 
    Kurt Masur, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Jessye Norman

I adore this recording. I have several others, but Norman's power just blows them all out of the water, I always feel.

Never cared for this recording. Masur's tempi are too plodding and he drags the whole piece through the mud with his usual lack of interest in the music.

[aligreto]

Rachmaninov: The Bells [Ashkenazy]





Once again, for the second time in this small set, I find that this is the first time that I have heard a work included in it. I have obviously been neglecting Rachmaninov's music for far too long.

What a wonderful opening movement. The orchestral textures are wonderfully light and transparent and then one is hit with that wonderful vocal element. The second movement is a more sedate affair but the music is equally interesting and engaging for me, in a different way. It is very atmospheric. The orchestral and choral writing are both wonderful. The third movement opens with wonderful power, drama and excitement. Once again I am enjoying the choral writing here. The opening hymn in the final movement is quite haunting and poignant. The stark orchestral chords really enhance the atmosphere. Once again, when it is employed, I find the choral writing to be very fine. This is a very fine work indeed.

As a final post script to the comments on this set I found it to be excellent in every regard and thoroughly engaging throughout.

[Papy Oli]

more bits and bobs from those two:

   

[SonicMan46]

Druschetzky, Georg (1745-1819) - String Quartets & Wind Chamber Works w/ the performers below. Well, if you like Bohemian wind music, then Georg is worth a listen - not much available on Amazon USA especially when looking at his compositions on the link below.  Dave

The Bohemian composer, oboist, and timpanist, Georg Druschetzky, studied oboe with the noted oboist and composer Carlo Besozzi in Dresden. Georg Druschetzky then joined the band of an infantry regiment in Eger, with which he was later stationed in Vienna, Enns, Linz, and Branau. In 1777 he was certified as a drummer. It is believed he started writing music in the 1770's, most of it for his band. He also wrote chamber music and music for orchestra, including 27 Symphonies and Concertos for various instruments. A couple of his operas survive, but one suite of incidental music and a ballet are lost. (Source)

   

[foxandpeng]

Mieczysław Weinberg
Chamber Symphonies 1 and 3
Anna Duczmal Mróz
Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio

[Mirror Image]

And who would you recommend instead?

Do you own Schwarzkopf/Szell? This would be my favorite, but I also like Janowitz/Karajan and Studer/Sinopoli. Isokoski/Janowski on Ondine is also excellent.

[Mirror Image]

I don't. I have the two Janowitz versions you mention (and they're OK: I agree the Masur is slow... but Norman's voice works).

I'll see if I can check out the Schwarzkopf/Szell and/or the Sinopoli/Studer versions. Thanks for the tips.

You're welcome. The Schwarzkopf/Szell recording is one of my desert island picks.

[Spotted Horses]

Lalo, Symphony in g minor, Bakels, Malaysian Philharmonic.



Previously I had listened to the Andretta recording of this work on the cpo label. This recording, either due to performance or engineering, seems to bring out the details of orchestration more brilliantly, particularly the brass and horns.

I find the work to be very good. Only after listening a second time did I notice some of the features of the work, such as the idee fixe that recurs throughout the work.

[Mirror Image]

NP: Koechlin Violin Sonata, Op. 64 (Stéphanie Moraly/Romain David)



Such an exquisite piece. Beautifully rendered performance, too.

[Mirror Image]

Re: Jan --- Messien box sets

Just to let you know, Jan, I have decided to rip both the Complete DG set and the Messiaen Edition Warner set. This seems like a good way to get many great performances from two major record companies. I'm still not weighing out the option of adding Cambreling's orchestral set on Hanssler.

[Iota]

Schumann: Waldszenen

Zoltán Fejérvári (piano)


Very decent indeed. Clear-headed, light-footed and very likeable.

[SonicMan46]

Danzi, Franz (1763-1826) - Wind & Piano Quintets on period instruments w/ Das Reicha'sche Quintett and Christine Schornsheim - Dave

 

[Carlo Gesualdo]

A warm hello to all, greetingg GMG, this morning I received my third vaccine, so yeah it's done for now, and received  three interresting package.

Primo I would listen to side a of Capella Cordina Guillaume Dufay: Missa Sine Nomine +anonymous Missa Homo Missus LP on Lyricord, whit the might and magic of great 60'' mostly till early 70'' directore Venezualian  Born but live all is life in america, a very knowledge man back than for director of ensemble and musicology, may I says.

Than I was so blow away when spinning an album of Robert Carver Motets like O bone Jesus wow I mean I was caried away by the beauty of it all, music like this has spirit of his own.  I urge you or strongly recommended you to buy or stream this album on CORO label, than may I had the following I use to have CORO, and was not satisfied whit  there quality product, but trust me when I says they improve quite a lot to a respectable lable, whit English polyphony The Eton Choir book pe. se.

[Que]

Danzi, Franz (1763-1826) - Wind & Piano Quintets on period instruments w/ Das Reicha'sche Quintett and Christine Schornsheim - Dave

 

I'm quite fond of those recordings!

[Mirror Image]

It's certainly swift! And the orchestra sounds lovely.
But her voice! I'm afraid I find it rather shrill and harsh, perhaps a little 'thin' (not just on this recording; I felt the same about her Rosenkavalier). Perhaps it was a bit late in her career? (1966ish).
It's definitely a keeper, though, despite that: a good recommendation. Thanks again for it.

You're welcome. Interesting. I don't "shrill" or "harsh". I find that it has a particular character that one either likes or doesn't. I'm one those who likes it. I don't think of Schwarzkopf as much of an operatic vocalist, but in lieder (or orchesterlieder in this case), she is quite fine and unique, IMHO.

[vandermolen]

Bax: Piano quintet - a searching masterpiece IMO and a wonderful discovery through this forum. It's an epic, worthy to stand alongside those by Bloch for example:

[ritter]

Revisiting Debussy's music for two pianos (En blanc et noir, Lindaraja) and for piano four-hands (Marche écossaise, Petite suite, Six épigraphes antiques). Claude Helffer & Haakon Austbö.


(Sorry for the poor quality of the image, but I couldn't find a better one)

[Karl Henning]

Bax: Piano quintet - a searching masterpiece IMO and a wonderful discovery through this forum. It's an epic, worthy to stand alongside those by Bloch for example:

There's some Bax I'll try out!

TD ... not that I have any quarrel at all with Collard/Previn (I don't)

[vandermolen]

There's some Bax I'll try out!

TD ... not that I have any quarrel at all with Collard/Previn (I don't)

I don't think that you'll regret it Karl. there's a certain amount of antipathy towards Bax on the forum but I consider him to be one of my favourite symphonists and like VW, Rubbra and Arnold I enjoy all of his symphonies.

Now Playing:
Leonard Bernstein 'Jeremiah Symphony' Nan Merriman (soprano), Saint Louis SO, Leonard Bernstein (1945 recording). I've come to the conclusion that this is the most intense version of 'Jeremiah' (it must be the premiere recording) and this RCA CD (I have the LP as well) has the best recorded sound. It really is terrific here. On the CD it's preceded by the moving 'In Memoriam: Nathalie Koussevitsky' performed by Leonard Slatkin on the piano. It is a very short but moving and soulful work, based on the coda of the 'Jeremiah Symphony':

[ritter]

And now, solo piano music by André Jolivet (Mana, Deuxième sonate) and Jacques Lenot (Où habite l'oubli, Deuxième sonate). Yusuke Ishii is the pianist.