What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Hmmm very appropriate for these times too. Looks enticing.

[Karl Henning]

CD 18

All RVW
Symphony № 7, « Sinfonia antartica »
The Wasps—Overture
Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus," for Harp and String Orchestra
Fantasia on "Greensleeves" (arr, R, Greaves)

Is this recording (I ask myself) really as magical as it seems to have struck my ears? I felt like I was listening to the Sinfonia antartica for the first time, again. I enjoyed the entire disc greatly.

[San Antone]

Bach | Sonate à cembalo è viola gamba | Wieland Kuijken

[JBS]

Is this recording (I ask myself) really as magical as it seems to have struck my ears? I felt like I was listening to the Sinfonia antartica for the first time, again. I enjoyed the entire disc greatly.

Since those were the first performers and that was the first recording, you were in a sense hearing it for the first time.

It does feel a bit odd how little (relative to the other contents) RVW there is in that box.  Only four of the symphonies, two of which he recorded twice.  The two he premiered--the Seventh and Eighth--were promptly committed to tape but never revisited for EMI.

TD
CD 41 of the same box
Mozart Overture to Die Zauberflote
Beethoven Leonore Overture #3
Symphony 1
Symphony 8

A similar paucity of Beethoven, too: only four of the symphonies, recorded once each; and these two were done for Pye, not EMI.

[Symphonic Addict]

Myaskovsky: String Quartet No. 13

There is a gesture/melody that reminded me of Vaughan Williams at 4:00 mark in the 4th mov. A solid piece of music.

Pacifica, please, record the whole cycle!

[Mandryka]

Todd - which century?    I've never heard of that Hinrichs recording but found a description quoted below on PrestoMusic (offering the CD there for about $16) - I do own the 8-CD Sequentia box added above but never thought of transcriptions of the music - cannot find the recording on Spotify otherwise I'd take a listen - for you, what's so special about the recording?  Would love to hear it - have always been a fan of Hildegard - one of those 12th century 'SuperStars' in my mind!  Dave

Check it out, or at least some of it, on YouTube

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kBgHExPhb-0

[Symphonic Addict]

This twofer is a winner. It also contains Wellesz's Octet for strings and winds.





Schulhoff: Symphony No. 5

War, militaristic-like and forceful symphony. I'm a sucker for works like this, albeit I do admit it is a little bit bombastic. Sound is top-notch.

[Madiel]

Slavonic Rhapsodies

[Karl Henning]

Myaskovsky: String Quartet No. 13

There is a gesture/melody that reminded me of Vaughan Williams at 4:00 mark in the 4th mov. A solid piece of music.

Pacifica, please, record the whole cycle!

For me, this very recording was the thin edge of the Myaskovsky wedge.

[Symphonic Addict]

Slavonic Rhapsodies

Good to see more recordings of these less-known Dvorak works.

[Madiel]

Slavonic Rhapsodies, take 2.



Possibly it's just extra familiarity on a 2nd listen, but I'm currently feeling that this version is better. Certainly in no.1 (I'm partway through no.2 at the time of writing and feeling pretty good about that one as well).

If anything, the cleaner sound in the newer version (and on the Pentatone label, known for its commitment sound quality) might have been a detriment to giving the music body and character. The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra in 1987 might not have state-of-the-art sound, but there's a rhythmic bounce to their playing that is coming across very nicely, thank you.

[Symphonic Addict]

Tippett: Fantasia on a theme of Handel

One of my favorite Tippett CDs as it gathers three formidable masterpieces. Glad to revisit this kaleidoscopic sensational work.





Koechlin: String Quartet No. 2

The longest of the three. A work that flows effortlessly and has no hurry.

[Symphonic Addict]

For me, this very recording was the thin edge of the Myaskovsky wedge.

*chortle 

[amw]

Slavonic Rhapsodies, take 2.



Possibly it's just extra familiarity on a 2nd listen, but I'm currently feeling that this version is better. Certainly in no.1 (I'm partway through no.2 at the time of writing and feeling pretty good about that one as well).

If anything, the cleaner sound in the newer version (and on the Pentatone label, known for its commitment sound quality) might have been a detriment to giving the music body and character. The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra in 1987 might not have state-of-the-art sound, but there's a rhythmic bounce to their playing that is coming across very nicely, thank you.

I prefer this version as well, and chose not to get the Hrůša for that reason (although I think there are only two or three other recordings, anyway). Don't remember why at the moment, so will assume your explanation is accurate.

[vandermolen]

This twofer is a winner. It also contains Wellesz's Octet for strings and winds.





Schulhoff: Symphony No. 5

War, militaristic-like and forceful symphony. I'm a sucker for works like this, albeit I do admit it is a little bit bombastic. Sound is top-notch.

I think that Schulhoff's 5th Symphony is powerfully defiant (especially in view of what happened to him) rather than bombastic.

TD

Bliss: The Lady of Shalott. This recording has made a much greater impression on me than the earlier one on BBC Radio Classics:

[Madiel]

I prefer this version as well, and chose not to get the Hrůša for that reason (although I think there are only two or three other recordings, anyway). Don't remember why at the moment, so will assume your explanation is accurate.

The other 21st century recording I've seen is Tomas Brauner, who apparently takes things at a rather slow pace. Supraphon uses Bohumil Gregor in their box set. There are maybe three other recordings from the 1980s and 90s, with varying levels of availability, and then a couple of rather old ones, eg Karel Sejna from 1953.

[aligreto]

JS Bach: Complete Organ Works [Foccroulle] CD 14





Die Leipziger Chorale [II] and some Canons from the Leipzig period played on the Silbermann organ of the Doms in Freiberg and on the Holzay organ of the Neresheim Abbey.

[aligreto]

I have to admit that I've come to love this work [Pagan Symphony] less and less. I consider that it lacks something, perhaps something like truly memorable tunes?

I do enjoy his orchestral colour and sense of drama in this work, though.

Well I can understand, somewhat, where you are going with that. Whereas I was impressed overall, it was my first ever exposure to any music by Bantock. It will be interesting to see how I further progress with this composer.

[Madiel]

But there's a reason why Bach, Vivaldi, Haydn and Handel all get thematic catalogues: the data just isn't there to support a good chronology that won't need forever tinkering and correction immediately after publishing.

Rather depends on the degree of inaccuracy you're prepared to live with.

I mean, for my part, I don't care enough about new information about 1 piece to go "oh no, now we have to renumber everything all over again". The problem with some catalogues is simply that they were made a long time ago, and a new one would be far less likely to be put badly out of shape.

The wrinkle that annoys me more is that some cataloguers base their numbering on when a composition was started, and others base their numbering on when a composition was finished (or, the last point when composition was occurring for something that was unfinished).  For some composers this doesn't make a lot of difference, but for those composers who might come back to work on something over a course of many years it can make a big difference... and the real annoyance for me is when you have different catalogues taking different approaches.

[Traverso]

Hassler

CD 10