What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

I love that finale of Dvorak 8! Such unbridled joy - especially when the full orchestra comes in at around two minutes in (and again to cap off the piece.) The more the conductor lets those lusty horn trills ring out, the more I love the performance! There's a performance on YouTube with Manfred Höneck and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony that does this as well as anyone (and there's some lovely work by their principal flute): https://youtu.be/QXAv-NGppFw

TD: last night, some Second Viennese School (well, the first work is more decadent late-Romantic):

Alban Berg
Sieben frühe Lieder
*Altenberg Lieder
Juliane Banse, soprano
*Alessandra Marc, soprano
Staatskapelle Dresden
Giuseppe Sinopoli



I'm really enjoying this set - it's like Sinopoli was born to conduct this repertoire. And Alessandra Marc in particular was born to sing it - both her Altenberg Lieder and Erwartung (also in this set) are just exquisite, in music that I imagine must be fiendishly difficult to sing. She makes it sound effortless!

That Sinopoli set is a real wonder. The other day I was listening to the Webern in it. No surprise this is one of the most challenging composers I've come across with. There is something in that "austere" language that intrigues me, nonetheless.

[T. D.]

Haven't been listening to much classical lately (save some electronic/acousmatic works), but returned to the string quartets from this set:

[Symphonic Addict]

Sinfonietta No. 2 for clarinet and string orchestra

These Polish composers really have some particular feature that just bewitches me. The music is so haunting. Phenomenal performance too.




Dutilleux: L'arbre des songes

One thing leads to another. An incredible piece.

[classicalgeek]

That Sinopoli set is a real wonder. The other day I was listening to the Webern in it. No surprise this is one of the most challenging composers I've come across with. There is something in that "austere" language that intrigues me, nonetheless.

It really is! I haven't listened to the Webern yet - one kind of has to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy Webern. I'm sure when the mood strikes Sinopoli will be as enlightening as he is an Schoenberg and Berg!

TD: another Japanese composer.

Yasushi Akutagawa
Prima Sinfonia
Sinfonia Nipponica
Hidemi Suzuki


Rhapsody for orchestra
Ellora Symphony
Trinita Sinfonica
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Takuo Yuasa

(both on Spotify)

I greatly enjoyed the Prima Sinfonia and its homages to Shostakovich and Prokofiev - maybe it could be a little derivative at times, but the music was still thoroughly enjoyable. In the Rhapsody and Ellora Symphony I was reminded more of Bartok and Stravinsky (and in the Symphony, maybe Lutoslawski) - I really appreciated those works as well. Only the Trinita Sinfonica didn't really click for me - which isn't to say I didn't like it, more that I didn't understand what it was trying to do. I think that I need another listen to this particular piece.

[Symphonic Addict]

In Honour of the City for chorus and orchestra

Simply glorious! Dyson was a master in choral music, no doubts about it.

The Canterbury Pilgrims is quite worth your time as well.

[Symphonic Addict]

It really is! I haven't listened to the Webern yet - one kind of has to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy Webern. I'm sure when the mood strikes Sinopoli will be as enlightening as he is an Schoenberg and Berg!

TD: another Japanese composer.

Yasushi Akutagawa
Prima Sinfonia
Sinfonia Nipponica
Hidemi Suzuki


Rhapsody for orchestra
Ellora Symphony
Trinita Sinfonica
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Takuo Yuasa

(both on Spotify)

I greatly enjoyed the Prima Sinfonia and its homages to Shostakovich and Prokofiev - maybe it could be a little derivative at times, but the music was still thoroughly enjoyable. In the Rhapsody and Ellora Symphony I was reminded more of Bartok and Stravinsky (and in the Symphony, maybe Lutoslawski) - I really appreciated those works as well. Only the Trinita Sinfonica didn't really click for me - which isn't to say I didn't like it, more that I didn't understand what it was trying to do. I think that I need another listen to this particular piece.

Enjoy the rest of the journey! It seems you've connected with all these composers relatively good positive.

[Symphonic Addict]

In the meantime:

Adams: John's Alleged Book of Dances

It always puts a big smile on my face. Adams explores the rhythmic and melodically material quite exhaustively satisfactory. Razor-sharp performing.

[JBS]

In the meantime:

Adams: John's Alleged Book of Dances

It always puts a big smile on my face. Adams explores the rhythmic and melodically material quite exhaustively satisfactory. Razor-sharp performing.

I remember that work as the best one on the CD.

TD
Another Barbirolli binge.
CDs 38-40 of the Warner box.
CD 38
Wagner Overtures/Preludes to Tannhauser, Meistersinger, Flying Dutchman
Meistersinger Act III Suite [drawn mostly from the final scene]
Tristan und Isolde Prelude & Liebestod
CD 39
Tchaikovsky Symphony 5 and Marche Slav
CD 40
Tchaikovsky Symphony 6
Nielsen Symphony 4

All from B's Pye period.
Coupling the Pathetique and the Inextinguishable was certainly a novel idea on the part of Warner.

[Symphonic Addict]

Symphonic Suite/Synthesis from Elektra

I'm aware it's better to hear the whole thing, but these symphonic fantasias contain some of the best music. Epic to the bone!




Symphonic Suite from Gloriana

The first movement reminds me of Harry Potter's Quidditch. If this is a suite, I can't imagine how the whole opera is! Great music.

[Symphonic Addict]

I remember that work as the best one on the CD.

It's quite the piece, definitely. Adams has an outstanding voice for chamber compositions.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Debussy
La Damoiselle élue, L 62
Frederica von Stade (mezzo-soprano), Susanne Mentzer (speaker)
Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Boston Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa

From this new acquisition -

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

It really is! I haven't listened to the Webern yet - one kind of has to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy Webern. I'm sure when the mood strikes Sinopoli will be as enlightening as he is an Schoenberg and Berg!

TD: another Japanese composer.

Yasushi Akutagawa
Prima Sinfonia
Sinfonia Nipponica
Hidemi Suzuki


Rhapsody for orchestra
Ellora Symphony
Trinita Sinfonica
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Takuo Yuasa

(both on Spotify)

I greatly enjoyed the Prima Sinfonia and its homages to Shostakovich and Prokofiev - maybe it could be a little derivative at times, but the music was still thoroughly enjoyable. In the Rhapsody and Ellora Symphony I was reminded more of Bartok and Stravinsky (and in the Symphony, maybe Lutoslawski) - I really appreciated those works as well. Only the Trinita Sinfonica didn't really click for me - which isn't to say I didn't like it, more that I didn't understand what it was trying to do. I think that I need another listen to this particular piece.

I like the Akutagawa/Naxos disc. I need to get the other disc!

[T. D.]

Have owned these (+ the similarly packaged Chopin) for a long time, don't anticipate going for the mega-box.

[JBS]

Have owned these (+ the similarly packaged Chopin) for a long time, don't anticipate going for the mega-box.

Sensible. But I didn't have either*, so I got it as my Christmas present for myself.  But I have yet to play any of it--have to finish the Francois Samson box first.

*more precisely, I had three Cziffra CDs,  the Transcendental Etudes and the Hungarian Rhapsodies.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

NP:

Stravinsky
Le sacre du printemps
MusicAeterna
Teodor Currentzis

Now I found that if you move the pic of cover art up and down, the letters of Currentzis Stravinsky show up. Probably you and other people already know.

[Mirror Image]

Now I found that if you move the pic of cover art up and down, the letters of Currentzis Stravinsky show up. Probably you and other people already know.

Yep, a lovely little optical illusion. Illusions aside, this was a pretty terrific performance!

[Karl Henning]

CD 1

Symphony № 6 in D, « Le Matin » Hob I:6
Symphony № 7 in C, « Le Midi » Hob I:7
Symphony № 8 in G, « Le Soir » Hob I:8

The temptation, of course, is to keep going with Marriner's "Papa" ... but I can pivot to Sir John, and still have me some "Papa":

CD 16

"Papa"
Symphony № 88 in G,  Hob I:88

Schubert
Symphony № 9 in C, « The Great » D. 944

Verdi
La traviata
Act 1: Prelude
Act 3: Prelude

[Symphonic Addict]

Le Buisson ardent

Fascinating as ever.

[Karl Henning]

I remember that work Jn's Bk of Alleged Dances as the best one on the CD.

I should give that a try later this year.

[Que]

Morning listening:



A gorgeous recording that focuses on the Southern Netherlands and its artistic ties with Italy, and the music at the Brussels court in the early 1600's.

https://earlymusicreview.com/the-ear-of-theodoor-van-loon/

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/the-ear-of-theodoor-van-loon