What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Enescu
Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 30
Sherban Lupu, Mirel Iancovici, Csaba Erdélyi, Ian Hobson

[aligreto]

Monteverdi: L'Orfeo [Parrott]





This version is lean in its presentation. This, however, does not mean that it is a weak performance. Quite the contrary, it is wonderful. There is nothing over-exuberant here in the instrumental or vocal departments. It is very musical from every sector concerned in its presentation and, as such, it is most engaging. The vocals are excellent; one feels that one is being told an intimate story intimately. Such is the warmth, integrity and sincerity of the delivery from everyone concerned. The recorded sound is also very clear in a warm acoustic. This is a very fine version and it comes very well recommended.

[vandermolen]

Enesco only left sketches for Symphonies No. 4 and No. 5. Pascal Bentiou prepared performing editions of both works, and that's what's been recorded. There's also fkur early Study Symphonies, some of which have been recorded.

EDIT:
Oops...I see Maestro beat me to it. Good day! 

Thanks anyway 

[vandermolen]

Enescu left some sketches for the 4th and 5th symphonies but were completed by Pascal Bentoiu. For me, they are not Enescu symphonies, but merely musicological exercises. FWIW, if I were you, I'd stick with the three symphonies that Enescu actually completed as they bear his stamp while the other symphonies (4th & 5th) are question marks.

Thanks John. I enjoyed the 1st Symphony.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks John. I enjoyed the 1st Symphony.

Very nice, indeed.

[vandermolen]

Well spotted on the Cecil Collins front! One called 'The Music of Dawn', dated 1988, according to the booklet.
I enjoyed the cello concerto a lot: to my ears, it seemed like familiar Richard Rodney Bennet, in tuneful, almost Murder on the Orient Express, style!
I can't comment on the Symphonies. I have most of them. I have quite a large selection of David Matthews, actually... but I've not spent a lot of time playing much of it yet! I will bear the recommendation for the 6th in mind, but am currently really at the mercy of my randomising music player, listening to whatever it decides I should listen to, so unless I intervene, it may be some time!

OK thanks. Yes, I'd definitely recommend the 6th Symphony. There was an excellent TV documentary about Cecil Collins many decades ago. I have always liked his surreal/poetic paintings, one of which was used for the cover of the recent Hyperion recording of James MacMillan's 4th Symphony.

[pi2000]

Waiting for this in less than 2 hours:
QUATUORS BELCEA & ÉBÈNE : ENESCO, MENDELSSOHN
https://live.philharmoniedeparis.fr/concert/1135429.html

[Harry]

Lorenzo Allegri,
Le suites Medicee-Il Primo libro delle musiche, 1618.
Gran Consort Li Stromenti, Gian Luca Lastraioli.

An underrated composer. well performed and recorded.

[kyjo]

Samuel Barber's Souvenirs [Ballet Suite] 
    Marin Alsop, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

A wonderful work!

[SonicMan46]

Enescu, George (1881-1955) - Chamber Works on the four recordings below; my morning's listening, solo piano in the afternoon to complete my collection - for those interested the 2 Hänssler discs are now offered as a twofer which can be obtained from BRO for $8 USD - there are a number of offerings of these violin/piano works; excellent reviews attached for the Azoitei-Stan team, for those interested; seems to be less competition w/ the other chamber pieces.  Dave

     

[Todd]

From the big box, some Beethoven with an extra sonata thrown in.  I've never thought of Cziffra as a Beethoven pianist.  I still don't.

[pi2000]

Waiting for this in less than 2 hours:
QUATUORS BELCEA & ÉBÈNE : ENESCO, MENDELSSOHN
https://live.philharmoniedeparis.fr/concert/1135429.html

POUR DES RAISONS SANITAIRES, LE LIVE DE CE CONCERT EST ANNULÉ. 

[Klavier1]

[ritter]

Dipping my toes into this set (that landed yesterday).



Starting with the fourth (and last) disc, as it includes some of my favourite of Debussy's  mélodies (Trois Chansons de France, Trois Ballades de François Villon, Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé). Most are sung by the men (tenor Gilles Ragon and baritone François Le Roux), except for the Mallarmé songs, which are performed by soprano Magali Léger. A curious turn is that the CD ends with Noël des enfants que n'ont plus de maison sung by a boy soprano (Antonin Rondepierre). I've never cared for that song (I find it downright nasty), but let's see how it works in this version.

Halfway into the disc, and so far, so very good. Jean-Louis Haguenaur, the spiritus rector of this project, is quite wonderful at the piano (a Blüthner instrument that belonged to the composer).

The set come with a 240-page booklet, with full texts and English translations, artist bios, and essays on the music.

[Traverso]

Monteverdi: L'Orfeo [Parrott]





This version is lean in its presentation. This, however, does not mean that it is a weak performance. Quite the contrary, it is wonderful. There is nothing over-exuberant here in the instrumental or vocal departments. It is very musical from every sector concerned in its presentation and, as such, it is most engaging. The vocals are excellent; one feels that one is being told an intimate story intimately. Such is the warmth, integrity and sincerity of the delivery from everyone concerned. The recorded sound is also very clear in a warm acoustic. This is a very fine version and it comes very well recommended.

Well put Fergus,it is a colorful registration,this is not a recording where the hip approach results in a lifeless affair. Everything sparkles in a lively drama. 

[aligreto]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5, Haas edition [Chailly]





For me, the opening movement is Bruckner sounding musically mature and self assured. There are big themes delivered in a big way and fully explored, musically. Chailly does a great job in letting the music state its own case. The slow second movement opens with a haunting melody. Indeed, haunting melodies abound in this movement and they are given very fine, expansive presentations by Chailly. I point, once again, to Bruckner's self belief and self assurance in this music. Interestingly, I find the Scherzo to be almost too assured and assertive. I am finding that it loses its inherent characteristics of the form but enough survive to make it recognisable. The Trio section is charming. The final movement is quite a lyrical affair. When the power is turned on we have great great contrast, obviously. Chailly, however, handles these contrasting atmospheres very well indeed. This movement has a grand sweep to it and Chailly opens up the vista for us particularly the very fine conclusion.

[aligreto]

Well put Fergus,it is a colorful registration,this is not a recording where the hip approach results in a lifeless affair. Everything sparkles in a lively drama. 

Yes, Jan, I really enjoyed it!

[VonStupp]

PI Tchaikovsky
Moscow - Coronation Cantata for Alexander III

Nina Zaborskikh - mezzo, Alexei Polyakov - baritone
Moscow Radio SO & Chorus - Gennady Rozhdestvensky (rec. 1967)

Another new one for me:

VS

[VonStupp]

That is a really wonderful work but I have not heard the Petrenko version.

One of Petrenko's earliest recorded efforts with Liverpool and Naxos, I think.

VS

[SonicMan46]

Enescu, George (1881-1955) - Piano Works w/ Luiza Borac on 3 CDs coming in at 172+ minutes and not including some of the earlier pieces - her main competition is the 3-disc box with Raluca Stirbat (last image below), which indeed is 'complete' at 201+ mins of music - both are Romanian pianists steeped in Enescu's national sound world - attached are multiple reviews of both recordings; I've not heard Stirbat so cannot make comparisons, but the commentators have done so - after reading the reviews, both pianists seem to be 'neck to neck' and a purchase decision may be based more on availability, pricing, wanting all the piano music, and the subtleties of interpretation between the performers. Stirbat is available on Spotify, so I'll take a listen soon.  Dave