What are you listening 2 now?

[Linz]

Bruckner 8 with Bruno Walter

[Mirror Image]

I know it only fleetingly, from YouTube. Seemed OK to me, but cannot really give an informed opinion. Planès studied with Jacques Février (whose Debussy I only recently discovered, but enjoyed very much), so that is a good indicator....

Ah okay, thanks for the feedback.

[classicalgeek]

To the bolded text - great observation! I love when composers bring back earlier themes from a work in a grand, climactic matter near the end as Arnold does in his 5th Symphony and Bloch does in his C-sharp minor Symphony - it gives these works a sense of unity and "homecoming".

Indeed! It really unifies the work as a whole. Of course, there are numerous examples of this cyclical form - but I don't know of too many examples (other than the two cited above) that treat the theme of the slow movement in the same way.

Tchaikovsky's Fifth did it first. 

It's one of the best examples! Not only does that 'fate' motive permeate all four movements, especially the Finale, but I also love when at the very end the trumpets bring back the main theme of the first movement! It's tremendously exciting. (not sure if this is the passage you were referring to)

Last one for the evening...

Ernest Bloch's Symphony in E flat
    Dalia Atlas Sternberg, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, David Towse (violin)

This will probably be the next Bloch symphony I listen to - whereas the C-sharp minor is from the beginning of his career, the E-flat is from the very end. It will be interesting to compare the two.

Two back-to-back fairy ballets:

Schmitt
Le petit elfe ferme-l'oeil, Op. 73
Aline Martin, mezzo-soprano
Lorraine National Orchestra
Jacques Mercier



Stravinsky
Le Baiser de la fée
LSO
Craft

I'm not as familiar with the Stravinsky as I'd like to be, and I don't know the Schmitt at all. I see Chailly recorded a suite from the same ballet that's included in the Chailly Stravinsky box I just ordered... maybe that will be a good place to start.

TD: more Bloch!

Violin Concerto
Elmar Oliveira
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
John McLaughlin Williams
(on Spotify)



An engaging (and dazzlingly orchestrated) concerto, one that would leave a lasting impression if it was ever played in concert. Oliveira handles the solo part masterfully, and the Williams' accompaniment is excellent. I want to listen again soon, and to its discmate as well.

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I'm not as familiar with the Stravinsky as I'd like to be, and I don't know the Schmitt at all. I see Chailly recorded a suite from the same ballet that's included in the Chailly Stravinsky box I just ordered... maybe that will be a good place to start.

I strongly recommend listening to Stravinsky's own recording of Le Baiser de la fée first before listening to the Chailly, which only the Divertimento as you mentioned. Stravinsky's own take on his music is absolutely enchanting and must be heard, IMHO. As for the Schmitt, he's a composer I dismissed in the past, but I'm happy to say that I'm absolutely floored by Le petit elfe ferme-l'oeil and I admit I was wrong for this dismissal. I'm probably going to listen to it again later on tonight! I'm truly looking forward to listening what I have in my collection of his music plus whenever I receive the recordings I bought of so much of his other music that I simply don't know at all.

Thread duty -

Debussy
Six épigraphes antiques, L. 131
Alain Planès

From this reissued set that released in Debussy's anniversary of his passing, 2018 -



This is very good, indeed. The interpretation seems rather thoughtful and is played with such sensitivity of the line, but also keeping the flow of the music from getting bogged down. Enjoyable.

[SonicMan46]

Bach, JS - French Suites w/ Wolfgang Rübsam on a lautenwerck, i.e. lute-harpsichord (see quote) - basically, strung w/ gut to produce a more mellow sound - wonderful performance (reviews attached for those interested).  Dave

P.S. the pic of the instrument is from Wiki so unlikely the same one used by Rübsam (his was made by Keith Hill, but ?).

The lautenwerck, alternatively called lute-harpsichord, is a European keyboard instrument of the Baroque period. It is similar to a harpsichord, but with gut rather than metal strings, producing a mellow tone. The instrument was favored by J. S. Bach, who owned two of the instruments, but no specimens from the eighteenth century have survived. It has been revived since the twentieth century by harpsichord makers Willard Martin, Keith Hill, and Steven Sorli. (Source)

 

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NP:

Debussy
Pour le piano, L. 95
Alain Planès

From this set -

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Sweet!

Have a nice weekend, Karl!

[listener]

Joining the PIERNÉ listeners today with
Images, Viennoise, Paysages franciscains* and Les Cathédrales
Orchestre Philharmonique des Pays de Loire
GOUNOD: Petite Symphonie  CHAN Ka Nin: Four Seasons Suite   
R. STRAUSS:  Suite in B^b for 13 Wind Instruments op. 4    Serenade in E^b op. 7
Ottawa Winds     Michael Goodwin cond.
* the only work I know that has an indication in the score Avec la sonorité d'une mauvaise fanfare municipale. (at 32 in the third movement)

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^ Nice, Listener. I love all of those Pierné works! I don't own that recording, though, but Dervaux was a superb conductor.

Thread duty -

Ravel
Shéhérazade
Christiane Karg, soprano
Bamberger Symphoniker
David Afkham



First-rate performance! Karg's voice is exquisite and the accompaniment from Afkham and the Bambergers is gorgeous.

[VonStupp]

PI Tchaikovsky
Piano Trio in a minor, op. 50

Sergei Rachmaninov
Trio élégiaque 1 in G minor

Mischa Maisky - cello, Vadim Repin - violin
Lang Lang - piano

I'm tempted to concur with you. Tchaikovsky's sense of melody and lyricism seem unsurpassable here. The Piano Trio is another work that leaves me hugely impressed.

Thank you to Symphonic Addict for drawing me towards Tchaik's Piano Trio to round off my brief survey of his music for the new year.

On this recording, I was equally drawn to Rach's first piano trio, one of über Romanticism and tunefulness, albeit with more brevity than its pairing. If any two chamber works had symphonic qualities, these two would certainly fit the bill.

I am not sure why, but I am a little embarrassed to post a recording of Lang Lang, yet I found this whole presentation extremely satisfying regardless. Mssrs. Maisky, Repin, and Lang certainly move this music towards the grandiose, and I was captivated the whole time.

VS

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NP:

Debussy
Le Livre de Baudelaire (Orch. J. Adams)
Christiane Karg, soprano
Bamberger Symphoniker
David Afkham



This is the best work John Adams has done --- an orchestration of four songs from Debussy's Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire. Again, the performances are lovingly done --- so alluring.

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Since I missed the birthday boy's special day yesterday, I'll celebrate albeit belatedly...

Two back-to-back Berg works:

Violinkonzert ,,Zur Erinnerung an einen Engel"
Isabelle Faust, violin
Orchestra Mozart
Abbado



Lyrische Suite
Schoenberg Quartet

[Klavier1]

[JBS]

First listen. Quintet (QE plus G Capucon) is superb. Florestan this recording is calling you.
The lieder (arranged for string quartet and baritone) portion is just starting.

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NP:

Scriabin
Fantaisie, Op. 28
Hamelin

[Karl Henning]

I'm not as familiar with the Stravinsky as I'd like to be, and I don't know the Schmitt at all. I see Chailly recorded a suite from the same ballet that's included in the Chailly Stravinsky box I just ordered... maybe that will be a good place to start.

I think the Divertimento will whet your appetite for the full ballet

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I think the Divertimento will whet your appetite for the full ballet

Let's hope so! More people need Stravinsky in their life.

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Now playing two 2nd Cello Concertos of great contrasts:

Saint-Saëns
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 119
Steven Isserlis, cello
NDR Sinfonieorchester
Christoph Eschenbach



Ginastera
Cello Concerto No. 2, Op. 50
Aurora Nátola-Ginastera, cello
Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León
Max Bragado Darman

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A short one to end tonight's listening session:

Stravinsky
Three Pieces for String Quartet
Orpheus

[Symphonic Addict]

PI Tchaikovsky
Piano Trio in a minor, op. 50

Sergei Rachmaninov
Trio élégiaque 1 in G minor

Mischa Maisky - cello, Vadim Repin - violin
Lang Lang - piano

Thank you to Symphonic Addict for drawing me towards Tchaik's Piano Trio to round off my brief survey of his music for the new year.

On this recording, I was equally drawn to Rach's first piano trio, one of über Romanticism and tunefulness, albeit with more brevity than its pairing. If any two chamber works had symphonic qualities, these two would certainly fit the bill.

I am not sure why, but I am a little embarrassed to post a recording of Lang Lang, yet I found this whole presentation extremely satisfying regardless. Mssrs. Maisky, Repin, and Lang certainly move this music towards the grandiose, and I was captivated the whole time.

VS

I did have a hunch about you enjoying this masterful piece. This recording is unknown to me precisely because of Lang's participation. I am zero fond of his playing. Good to hear he's up to the expectations here.