What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

CD 13

"Wolferl"
Cassation in G, K. 99—II. Andante

Bizet
L'Arlésienne Suite № 1
Prélude
Adagietto

L'Arlésienne Suite № 2
Farandole

Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake, Op. 20—five numbers

John Ireland
Mai-Dun (Symphonic Rhapsody)
The Forgotten Rite (Prelude)

The Mozart is ... inessential, but, in fairness, would make a nice easy encore (I see the seed of a pattern) I love Carmen & the Symphony in C, but if L'Arlésienne disappeared without a trace, I would not complain. Mai-Dun is one of a number of pieces I know I have listened to, and remember liking, but little else. Both of the Ireland pieces (The Forgotten Rite was new to me) are beauties.

Now:


"Wolferl"
Pf Cto № 5 in D, K.175
Volodya

[Karl Henning]

He's been quite good to me over two years, introducing me to repertoire I didn't know, and improving the quality of the recorded repertoire I did know. Which has been a valuable experience.
But yes, I don't need a critic to tell me not to like that which I've independently decided I like
Especially not to tell me that that which I've independently decided to like is 'really bad'. If it was one of my choral masses he was saying that about, fine. But it wasn't 

Meanwhile...

Pehr Henrik Nordgren's Symphony No. 1
    Juha Kangas, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Any benefit from such a YouTuber is the good, of course.

[André]

One more Bruckner 8 for today Franz Welser-Möst with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester

I bought it a few months ago but haven't given it a listen yet. Your opinion ?

[Bachtoven]

Hi Bachtoven - just listened to that recording on Spotify and completely agree w/ your comments - often 'muffled' sounds of the two guitars and much extraneous noises from their finger movement - will not be a purchase for me.  Thanks for the comments.  Dave

I think this is the most successful guitar recording of the Goldbergs on guitar even though he resorts to overdubbing. He uses custom 8-string guitars, which provide low enough but articulate basses, and plays it close to normal keyboard tempos. It sounds like one giant guitar!

[André]

Verdi wrote music for ballet sequences inserted in the Paris productions of his operas, but also in some of his later works as well. Generally dismissed as second-rate Verdi, I find the music utterly charming and ingeniously scored. This is the kind of repertoire where nobody could match Levine and the Met Orchestra. They knew the idiom inside out, backward and forward.

This disc is part of a RCA big box. The cover sleeve is identical to the single disc release (shown above), right down to the font, Met logo and all. How a spelling mistake could have crept up is a mystery. On the new sleeve one of the operas is advertised as « Don Carols ». 

[Karl Henning]

No big surprise:

"Wolferl"
Pf Cto № 6 in B^b, K.238
Volodya

Then:

CD 9

Chopin
Pf Cto № 1 in e minor, Op. 11

Liszt
Pf Cto № 1 in E^b, S. 124

Éric Heidsieck

[Linz]

I bought it a few months ago but haven't given it a listen yet. Your opinion ?

I believe he does quite well with it he handles the orchestra well and I think it deserves to be in anyones Library of Bruckner 8s

[André]

William Alwyn's Symphony No. 4
    David Lloyd-Jones, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Alwyn's the unsuspected gift that keeps giving, really. Didn't know of him about 10 years ago; wouldn't be without him now...

That's great! Alwyn is one of my favourite British symphonists. The composer's own recordings on Lyrita are superb, too.

[André]

1854-1931, American.

At first and second hearings the music didn't readily register. Further listenings uncovered Chadwick's subtle melodic gift and keen sense of orchestration. While nothing is memorable at first, this is music that grows on the listener. If one enjoys stuff like the first 3 symphonies of Dvorak, Ives 1 and 2, Foerster or Raff, then Chadwick's symphonies will please by their excellent craftmanship and beguiling material.

[SonicMan46]

I think this is the most successful guitar recording of the Goldbergs on guitar even though he resorts to overdubbing. He uses custom 8-string guitars, which provide low enough but articulate basses, and plays it close to normal keyboard tempos. It sounds like one giant guitar!

 

Hi again Bachtoven - I was able to hear both Lippel and Grgic on Spotify this morning - excellent - not sure that I can really hear the 'changeable frets' but probably the point - as to Kurt Rodarmer, does not seem to be available for streaming there but read the attached review on Fanfare (excellent for those interested - take a look!) and saw nearly all 5* Amazon ratings - a used copy w/ S&H is just $6, so I may take a chance and order (coming from a Goodwill in Minnesota, so iffy?).  Thanks for bringing these to my attention.  Dave

[classicalgeek]

Good to hear, CG! Indeed, Castelnuovo-Tedesco stands out among the Italians for his colourful, somewhat rhapsodic style. The orchestra and conductor do a good job in these Naxos discs.

Just listened to the second disc of Shakespeare overtures! As rewarding as the first one - I particularly liked The Merchant of Venice. Sort of Korngold-meets-Bloch (the Schelomo, Three Jewish Poems, and Evocations Bloch.) I have the Violin Concertos disc queued up for a later listen on Spotify.

Bekku: Symphony No. 1

This is sensational, let me tell you, somewhat close to Prokofiev in style. Yet another of the most remarkable Naxos Japanese releases, along with other by Teizo Matsumura, Saburo Moroi, Akira Ifukube, etc.

I've long been intrigued by this Japanese composers series on Naxos. "Close to Prokofiev" is enough to pique my curiosity - do you have a favorite (or favorites)?

TD: some Spanish orchestral fireworks, followed by the above-mentioned second disc of Castelnuovo-Tedesco overtures:

Turina
Danzas Fantasicas
Poema en forma de canciones*
Saeta en forma de Salve a la Virgen de la Esperanza*
Ritmos
Sinfonia sevillana
*Clara Mouriz, mezzo soprano
BBC Philharmoinc
Juanjo Mena
(on Spotify)



A mixed bag, really; I wasn't too enamored of the vocal music, honestly. I don't know if it's the singer's voice, or the style of the vocal writing, but it just didn't do much for me. But the purely orchestral numbers were quite well done; I especially enjoyed Ritmos and Sinfonia sevillana. Of course, like I keep saying, I have a soft spot for dazzling orchestration, and Turina certainly delivers on that front!

Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Shakespeare Overtures, vol. 2
As You Like It
The Merchant of Venice
Much Ado About Nothing
King John
The Winter's Take
West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Penny
(also on Spotify)



As noted above, absolutely charming and winsome. And the orchestration is simply stunning!

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Respighi
Belfagor Overture, P. 140
Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège
John Neschling



Next up:

Casella
Sinfonia (Symphony No. 3), Op. 63
BBC Philharmonic
Gianandrea Noseda

[Irons]

Vaughan Williams: Magnificat.

Helen Watts, Ambrosian Singers with Orchestra Nova of London conducted by Meredith Davies.

Top draw RVW which is a discovery for me. Genius as the composer is all vocal parts are female which gives the piece an ethereal quality.

[Mandryka]

I thought the first two or three tracks were disappointing musically, but I'm pleased to say it soon finds all the form of their previous recordings - and some real rarities here.

[Mandryka]

Hi again Bachtoven - I was able to hear both Lippel and Grgic on Spotify this morning - excellent - not sure that I can really hear the 'changeable frets' but probably the point - as to Kurt Rodarmer, does not seem to be available for streaming there but read the attached review on Fanfare (excellent for those interested - take a look!) and saw nearly all 5* Amazon ratings - a used copy w/ S&H is just $6, so I may take a chance and order (coming from a Goodwill in Minnesota, so iffy?).  Thanks for bringing these to my attention.  Dave

Yes I think you should hear the Rodarmer! Can you get this in the States?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=zwoRYxCZTY4&list=PLNbxWUC8rd0275vKnAaKsCmJwPmt90kF5

[Karl Henning]

While this (e.g.) was a major factor in purchasing the box, I have been scarce less than thrilled that the box yields such riches more ...

CD 10

Fauré Nocturnes
№ 1 in e^b minor, Op. 33 № 1
№ 2 in B, Op. 33 № 2
№ 3 in A^b, Op. 33 № 3
№ 4 in E^b, Op. 36
№ 5 in B^b, Op. 37
№ 6 in D^b, Op. 63
№ 7 in c# minor, Op. 74
№ 8 in D^b, Op. 84 № 8 (from 8 Pièces brèves pour le piano)

Éric Heidsieck

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

One of the funniest things in classical music history has to be Busoni using "Greensleeves" in his Turandot because he thought "Greensleeves" was a Chinese song.

Delighted to see the pseudo-oriental (Asian) lettering still surviving in the Western hemisphere. Happy 2020s!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

TD: some Spanish orchestral fireworks, followed by the above-mentioned second disc of Castelnuovo-Tedesco overtures:

Turina
Danzas Fantasicas
Poema en forma de canciones*
Saeta en forma de Salve a la Virgen de la Esperanza*
Ritmos
Sinfonia sevillana
*Clara Mouriz, mezzo soprano
BBC Philharmoinc
Juanjo Mena
(on Spotify)



A mixed bag, really; I wasn't too enamored of the vocal music, honestly. I don't know if it's the singer's voice, or the style of the vocal writing, but it just didn't do much for me. But the purely orchestral numbers were quite well done; I especially enjoyed Ritmos and Sinfonia sevillana. Of course, like I keep saying, I have a soft spot for dazzling orchestration, and Turina certainly delivers on that front!

Apropos of Turina, the recordings by Batiz and de Almeida are probably better. The Naxos disc is good as well.

[Cato]

Those are some good recommendations!   

[André]

12 items here. Only 3 make good concert pieces IMO: the overtures to La Forza del destino, Nabucco and I vespri siciliani. Everything else suffers from being taken out of context, particularly the preludes to La traviata and Aida, which end softly and cry out for the curtain to rise.