What are you listening 2 now?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Hi DBK - I've been culling Papa Bach for decades and likely had other earlier keyboard recordings of the English Suites - these are the four at the moment but that may change tomorrow as others 'chime in' w/ suggestions - 

But for those trying to make decisions on these works, reviews are attached for those interested - in particular, our own Don Satz (i.e. Bulldog) wrote a short one on Watchorn and about 7 years later Peter responded rathered POff - this followed many other comments - a fun read - I just included the first part, but for more: LINK - Dave

Nice reviews Dave. I read Watchorns response years ago. His discs are not bad but I didn't think they were best.  I will relisten some of his albums.

[SonicMan46]

Bach, JS - Flute Sonatas on the electic collection below: 1) Lisa Beznosiuk - the period instrument recording; 2) Hansgeorg Schmeiser on a modern flute but w/ a harpsichord and cello; 3) Michala Petri on recorder w/ viola da gamba & harpsichord; and 4) Marina Piccinini on a modern instrument w/ a guitar duo in transcriptions (really quite enjoyable!).  There are 6-9 'works' on each recording and of course continued debate as to authenticity of these works, i.e. how many are from the hand of Papa Bach, some discussion HERE - Dave

     

[Spotted Horses]

Interesting, I've seen a number of positive mentions of Hewitt here recently, I can't quite imagine her in such an epic. I liked her when I started listening to her, but then developed a certain ambivalence towards her playing, and haven't really listened to her for a few years. But that feeling was exclusively to do with her Baroque playing and may well be out of date now. A visit to some Hyperion samples is probably due. I split the Hammerklavier up too sometimes, it can be enhancing for absorption purposes I find.

There is a contingent that contemptuously dismisses her. I'm not one of them. I learned Bach keyboard music by the series of Andras Schiff recordings that came out starting in the 80's. I still love them. Then Hewitt's WTC came out. I found the recordings equally satisfying, and I collected Hewitt's Bach series as well. It was generally the same approach, using the capabilities of the piano to clarify the voice leading while avoiding romantic gestures. Later I stumbled across some of Hewitt's non-Bach recordings, such as the Ravel set and the Faure recital disk, which I found very refreshing. She tends to find contrapuntal sub-currents where I have grown to expect cloud-like impressionism. The Beethoven I find similarly refreshing, eschewing the "storming the heavens" approach. She seems to be re-recording the Bach, but I find I like her original recordings best.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Szymanowski
Nine Preludes, Op. 1
Anu Vehviläinen



As far as complete cycles go, Vehviläinen's traversal of the solo piano works of Szymanowski have been hugely satisfying. I have heard selections from Martin Jones and I own the Sinae Lee set (on Divine Art) and have been hugely underwhelmed. Part of the reason I don't think much of the Martin Jones performances is I don't think he's that great of a pianist. He completely underscores the music's haunting exoticism and tries to play it like Debussy or Scriabin. Sorry this doesn't work! Szymanowski has his own compositional voice that Martin has unfortunately failed to grasp. Sinae Lee's set suffers from bone dry audio quality and the piano sound image is close-up and hard-edged. Of course, there are many individual great performances of Szymanowski piano works outside of these sets, but Vehviläinen wins as far as cycles go and I return to these performances with great pleasure. There's a fluidity in her playing, but she certainly understands the more troubled undercurrents that permeate so much of these works. Well done, Ms. Vehviläinen! The sound quality from Alba is impeccable.

I think her cycle is still available, which have to be bought in individual volumes with the exception of Vols. 4 & 5 which are coupled together in a 2-CD slimline set.

[Papy Oli]

JS Bach - Cantatas BWV 72 & 73

[Spotted Horses]

Arthur Sullivan's Incidental Music for The Tempest 
    Michael Stern, Kansas City Symphony Orchestra

I get the feeling that your advanced database system could automatically select the tracks, export the screen shots, automatically upload them here with a terse comment about the music skimmed from the metadata. You wouldn't even have to listen! 

[Karl Henning]

Very good, Karl! Weber had a knack for clarinet music.

What is CRB, though? And which of our Jeffreys?

Well, and as I recollected as the E^b Concerto got going, Andrei, I worked on it back when I was in Nancy Garlick's clarinet studio. As to CRB, while I have no clue why they tried "rebranding" it without the W, it is the classical radio station formerly known as WCRB. In this case, JBS-Jeffrey

[Florestan]

Well, and as I recollected as the E^b Concerto got going, Andrei, I worked on it back when I was in Nancy Garlick's clarinet studio. As to CRB, while I have no clue why they tried "rebranding" it without the W, it is the classical radio station formerly known as WCRB. In this case, JBS-Jeffrey

Thanks.

[Karl Henning]

CD 6

RVW
Symphony № 5 in D
Fantasia on a Theme by Thos Tallis

Frederick Delius
Walk to the Paradise Garden (Intermezzo from A Village Romeo & Juliet) arr. Beecham

Michael Heming 1920-1942
Threnody for a Soldier killed in action (completed and orch. Anthony Collins)
Hallé Orchestra
rec. 1944/45/46 Houldsworth Hall, Manchester

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Szymanowski
Métopes, Op. 29
Anu Vehviläinen

[André]

Symphony no 1. First listen. Nice, but not on the level of no 2, I think. I'll have to listen to the disc again and also to the 2nd symphony.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Debussy
Piano Trio in G major
Bertrand Chamayou (piano), Renaud Capuçon (violin), Edgar Moreau (cello)



Haven't heard this work in quite some time. Still holds up rather well. I wouldn't say this is top-drawer Debussy, but it does show the younger composer developing some interesting ideas.

Special note: This performance was also featured in the Debussy Complete Works set on Warner. Of course, I own it twice.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony 7 Inbal

[foxandpeng]

Bruckner Symphony 7 Inbal

Excellent. I know it is a bit predictable, but Bruckner #7 has been my preferred symphony from the cycle for a long time.

Hearing now with Georg Tintner and the RSNO on Naxos.

[aligreto]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 [Chailly]





Chailly's presentation of the first movement is expansive sounding but it is well paced. It feels like a very large river flowing inexorably but with great latent force. The inherent atmosphere in the music feels exactly the same; it is not subdued but merely let to simmer with a view to letting it boil when the moment is right. The overall tone is pensive. The Scherzo has a very solid and determined drive to the music. The slow movement is very gentle and expansive in its presentation. Yes, there is big emotion here but Chailly does not overstate it. The mood is wonderfully subdued and contemplative for the most part. This is an appealing presentation. The final movement opens in a menacing and a powerful way. This gradually settles down to the contemplative tone that has more or less prevailed thus far with Chailly guiding things along nicely. However, in the places where the dynamics increase for the full tutti, Chailly is not reluctant to give vent to the full power of the orchestra. The gradual build up to and the presentation of the finale are impressive; steady and consistent in this noble music.

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Monday!

Honegger
La Danse des Morts
Gilles Cachemaille, Naoko Okada, Brigitte Balleys, Oers Kisfaludy
The Gulbenkian Choir, Gulbenkian Orchestra
Michel Corboz

[listener]

a first listen to a recent new arrival
Josef HOLBROOKE: 8 Nocturnes op.121, Fantaisie-Sonatas no.1 op.104, no.2 op.128,  Cambrian Ballade 4 op.104
Simon Callaghan, piano
and from the past : songs by VALEN, NYSTROEM,  RAUTAVAARA (Three Shakespeare Sonnets)
Kirsten Landmark Mæland, soprano   Sigmund Hjelset, piano

[LKB]

Earlier today l viewed the RCO's memorial event for Bernard Haitink, which was held in Amsterdam yesterday and livestreamed on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/uSa70dURJwA

I thought the proceedings were wholly successful, highlighted by Mahler's First under the baton of Ivan Fischer. Well worth watching.

[Linz]

Bruckner 7 Gerd Schaller and the Philharmonie Festiva

[Iota]

There is a contingent that contemptuously dismisses her. I'm not one of them. I learned Bach keyboard music by the series of Andras Schiff recordings that came out starting in the 80's. I still love them. Then Hewitt's WTC came out. I found the recordings equally satisfying, and I collected Hewitt's Bach series as well. It was generally the same approach, using the capabilities of the piano to clarify the voice leading while avoiding romantic gestures. Later I stumbled across some of Hewitt's non-Bach recordings, such as the Ravel set and the Faure recital disk, which I found very refreshing. She tends to find contrapuntal sub-currents where I have grown to expect cloud-like impressionism. The Beethoven I find similarly refreshing, eschewing the "storming the heavens" approach. She seems to be re-recording the Bach, but I find I like her original recordings best.

It's of course very possible we'll have varying views on performers, but it's good to hear such informed and positive views, which can sometimes nudge one in a new direction. My broad wish in music is to be able to like as much music as possible, from as many different angles, so any aid towards that outcome is welcome. 


Here:



Ives: Symphony No.2
Tilson Thomas, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra


Stylistically, the Symphony's moorings still firmly attached to European tradition, though already punctuated with Ivesian Americana - the highly enjoyable and skilful romp of a last movement is positively riddled with it. The way Ives quotes well-known tunes to colour the music feels so similar in spirit at times to Mahler's use of Landlers etc.
The final 'Bronx Cheer' dissonance is observed as Ives' desired eighth note in this recording (rather than the Bernstein edit to a half note). Still the only performance of this work I've ever heard, but it's a good one.