What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

First listen.

That CD has impressed me quite a bit. A very good purchase!

[Mountain Goat]

In this first meeting with this composer, thus far, what are your favorite symphonies?

After having heard each symphony once, Nos. 1, 4, 6, 9 and 10 made the biggest impression. Honourable mention to No. 11 which gave me an earworm lasting a whole day I enjoyed all of them though and look forward to revisiting them!

[kyjo]

Karlowicz: Lithuanian Rhapsody

Too bland thematically and as a whole, I'm afraid. The performance didn't help either. I mean, this was really frustrating. This is not the Karlowicz I enjoy. 

I don't think the problem is the performance, it's the music itself! I don't understand how Karlowicz was seized by such glorious melodic inspiration in his VC, but it abandoned him in most of his other works....

[kyjo]

Charles Ives
Symphony no. 1
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas



This was written before Ives developed his unmistakable personal style, and while it has its moments, it's not the most memorable or distinctive work. It's a perfectly fine first symphony, though, and the ending is suitably raucous and bombastic.

I love the first two movements of this symphony; they're wonderfully fresh and tuneful in a neo-Dvorakian manner. The scherzo and finale are much less successful, IMO.

[kyjo]

László Lajtha's Sinfonietta No. 2 
    Péter Csaba, Budapest Chamber Symphony Orchestra

A completely splendid CD, and this piece in particular is great fun.

Pounds the table! The Sinfoniettas on that disc are very enjoyable, but IMO the highlight is the magnificently colorful and imaginative Symphony Les Soli for strings, harp, and percussion. What a unique work!

[Madiel]

Schumann, piano quartet in C minor

[kyjo]

I had rather hgh expectations but I'm disappointed. The balance between orchestral sections is poorly judged resulting in a rather annoying distorsion of music's character. KV 16 in particular is virtually unrecognizable. A quick comparison with Pinnock or Hogwood is enough to put this in the Meh! category.

Whenever I see "Barockorchester" or something similar in an ensemble's name, I run in the opposite direction!

[kyjo]

Ha, you are in a real treat then. Lots of good stuff are waiting for you! Bloch is a rather consistent, variegated, compelling Swiss composer. His music appeals to me in a good degree, if I've heard any work I don't like by him, it has been rather scarce to be honest.

+1 There's something for everyone in Bloch's output! There's the opulently Late-Romantic early works (Symphony in C-sharp etc.), the "Jewish" works (Schelomo, Trois Poemes Juifs etc.), the "Asian/exotic" works (Evocations, Four Episodes for chamber ensemble etc.), the epic/troubled chamber works (Piano Quintet no. 1, String Quartet no. 1 etc.), and the astringent/neoclassical late works (Symphony in E-flat etc).

[Symphonic Addict]

After having heard each symphony once, Nos. 1, 4, 6, 9 and 10 made the biggest impression. Honourable mention to No. 11 which gave me an earworm lasting a whole day I enjoyed all of them though and look forward to revisiting them!

An uncanny coincidence, those are also my very favorites, followed by No. 5 (first version) and No. 13.

Oh yes, Ixion is the catchiest and most exhilarating earworm in existence. I should have warned you. 

[kyjo]

Elgar: Piano Quintet (C. Widmann, D. McCarroll violins/P. Sachse, viola/M-E Hecker, cello/M. Helmchen, piano)



An utter masterpiece, and to me, a more interesting work than its much more popular discmate. The eclectic variety of styles and moods found in the work is quite remarkable - just witness the exposition of the first movement alone: a spooky, harmonically ambiguous introduction, a heroic, quasi-Brahmsian main theme, and a sultry, sexy, Spanish-sounding second theme. It all hangs together so well too - the mark of true genius! And this is probably the finest recording it has yet received - remarkably assured and passionate.


Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony no. 1



An ingenious work, and a relatively accessible one too!


Sauguet: Symphony no. 1 Expiatoire



The Moscow SO and Antonio de Almeida once again prove themselves to be quite passionless, characterless interpreters of music. This conservative, not particularly French-sounding symphony has good ideas (well, not in the rather uninteresting slow finale), but it really needs a better performance to come alive.


Biarent: Piano Quintet and Cello Sonata



Two meaty, dramatic works in the Franckian tradition. There are some "dead" spots here and there (mainly in the first movements of both works), but overall these are impressive works. The highlight is the gripping, demonically possessed 2nd movement scherzo of the Cello Sonata - really exciting stuff!


Shchedrin: The Little Humpbacked Horse



Hat tip to Cesar and John for alerting me to this truly enchanting early (1956) ballet by Shchedrin! He really proves himself to be Prokofiev's heir as far as continuing the Russian ballet tradition, and writing long-breathed melodies of the first rank. Act I perhaps contains a bit too much jaunty, playful music without break, but Act II contains more contrast of mood and character. One specific movement from Act II really caught my attention: the Duettino of Ivan and the Fairy Princess. What unabashedly gorgeously music, sounding almost like Finzi at times! A Miniature Masterpiece for sure: https://youtu.be/xZ-U00VL3xo

[JBS]

I have always disliked that cover art.

That's actually a photo of Roussel himself.

TD
Repeat listen. Recommended.

[Mirror Image]

Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony no. 1



An ingenious work, and a relatively accessible one too!

Pounds the table! Both of Schoenberg's Kammersymphonies are very much worth your time. I do, however, urge you to check out those "free atonal" works from his middle period like Five Pieces for Orchestra, Erwartung and Pierrot Lunaire. From here, the 12-tone works await you.

[Symphonic Addict]

+1 There's something for everyone in Bloch's output! There's the opulently Late-Romantic early works (Symphony in C-sharp etc.), the "Jewish" works (Schelomo, Trois Poemes Juifs etc.), the "Asian/exotic" works (Evocations, Four Episodes for chamber ensemble etc.), the epic/troubled chamber works (Piano Quintet no. 1, String Quartet no. 1 etc.), and the astringent/neoclassical late works (Symphony in E-flat etc).

You have put it impossibly better, Kyle!

[Mirror Image]

+1 There's something for everyone in Bloch's output! There's the opulently Late-Romantic early works (Symphony in C-sharp etc.), the "Jewish" works (Schelomo, Trois Poemes Juifs etc.), the "Asian/exotic" works (Evocations, Four Episodes for chamber ensemble etc.), the epic/troubled chamber works (Piano Quintet no. 1, String Quartet no. 1 etc.), and the astringent/neoclassical late works (Symphony in E-flat etc).

I've failed to connect with Bloch. I've heard a wide assortment of works from all periods of his compositional output and the only works that did anything for me were those Jewish works. Most notably the Sacred Service.

[Symphonic Addict]

Elgar: Piano Quintet (C. Widmann, D. McCarroll violins/P. Sachse, viola/M-E Hecker, cello/M. Helmchen, piano)



An utter masterpiece, and to me, a more interesting work than its much more popular discmate. The eclectic variety of styles and moods found in the work is quite remarkable - just witness the exposition of the first movement alone: a spooky, harmonically ambiguous introduction, a heroic, quasi-Brahmsian main theme, and a sultry, sexy, Spanish-sounding second theme. It all hangs together so well too - the mark of true genius! And this is probably the finest recording it has yet received - remarkably assured and passionate.


Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony no. 1



An ingenious work, and a relatively accessible one too!


Sauguet: Symphony no. 1 Expiatoire



The Moscow SO and Antonio de Almeida once again prove themselves to be quite passionless, characterless interpreters of music. This conservative, not particularly French-sounding symphony has good ideas (well, not in the rather uninteresting slow finale), but it really needs a better performance to come alive.


Biarent: Piano Quintet and Cello Sonata



Two meaty, dramatic works in the Franckian tradition. There are some "dead" spots here and there (mainly in the first movements of both works), but overall these are impressive works. The highlight is the gripping, demonically possessed 2nd movement scherzo of the Cello Sonata - really exciting stuff!


Shchedrin: The Little Humpbacked Horse



Hat tip to Cesar and John for alerting me to this truly enchanting early (1956) ballet by Shchedrin! He really proves himself to be Prokofiev's heir as far as continuing the Russian ballet tradition, and writing long-breathed melodies of the first rank. Act I perhaps contains a bit too much jaunty, playful music without break, but Act II contains more contrast of mood and character. One specific movement from Act II really caught my attention: the Duettino of Ivan and the Fairy Princess. What unabashedly gorgeously music, sounding almost like Finzi at times! A Miniature Masterpiece for sure: https://youtu.be/xZ-U00VL3xo

And a special +1 for the Shchedrin. As for the Sauguet, that recording just doesn't do justice to the piece.

[Mirror Image]

This entire recording:



Of course, these are Saint-Saëns workhorses, but they are sensationally performed here.

[Symphonic Addict]

Janacek: Rikadla

An utterly rustic and lovely work performed masterfully here. Sheer delight.

[Symphonic Addict]

Bloch: String Quartet No. 1

Ambitious, rigurous, intense, meticulously written. In spite of the recording is in mono, it's astonishingly good mono.

[Madiel]

Janacek: Rikadla

An utterly rustic and lovely work performed masterfully here. Sheer delight.

I like that cover for the work!

[vandermolen]

Elgar: Piano Quintet (C. Widmann, D. McCarroll violins/P. Sachse, viola/M-E Hecker, cello/M. Helmchen, piano)



An utter masterpiece, and to me, a more interesting work than its much more popular discmate. The eclectic variety of styles and moods found in the work is quite remarkable - just witness the exposition of the first movement alone: a spooky, harmonically ambiguous introduction, a heroic, quasi-Brahmsian main theme, and a sultry, sexy, Spanish-sounding second theme. It all hangs together so well too - the mark of true genius! And this is probably the finest recording it has yet received - remarkably assured and passionate.


Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony no. 1



An ingenious work, and a relatively accessible one too!


Sauguet: Symphony no. 1 Expiatoire



The Moscow SO and Antonio de Almeida once again prove themselves to be quite passionless, characterless interpreters of music. This conservative, not particularly French-sounding symphony has good ideas (well, not in the rather uninteresting slow finale), but it really needs a better performance to come alive.


Biarent: Piano Quintet and Cello Sonata



Two meaty, dramatic works in the Franckian tradition. There are some "dead" spots here and there (mainly in the first movements of both works), but overall these are impressive works. The highlight is the gripping, demonically possessed 2nd movement scherzo of the Cello Sonata - really exciting stuff!


Shchedrin: The Little Humpbacked Horse



Hat tip to Cesar and John for alerting me to this truly enchanting early (1956) ballet by Shchedrin! He really proves himself to be Prokofiev's heir as far as continuing the Russian ballet tradition, and writing long-breathed melodies of the first rank. Act I perhaps contains a bit too much jaunty, playful music without break, but Act II contains more contrast of mood and character. One specific movement from Act II really caught my attention: the Duettino of Ivan and the Fairy Princess. What unabashedly gorgeously music, sounding almost like Finzi at times! A Miniature Masterpiece for sure: https://youtu.be/xZ-U00VL3xo

Don't agree about the Sauguet 'Expiatoire' Symphony which I find marvellous in every respect. I find the finale, especially the coda, to be very moving. There is an earlier recording by Bour which has greater urgency but, actually, I like both recordings. The Schoenberg CD was recently sold off, very cheaply, by the school's Music Dept, although I haven't played it yet.

I'm now listening to Ornstein's Piano Quintet which is terrific and definitely in the spirit of PQs by Bax and Bloch. I think that I have you to thank for alerting me to this one Kyle