What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Monday

Casella
Sicilienne et burlesque, Op. 23
Edison Trio

[Bachtoven]

[Symphonic Addict]

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

The 4th movement was especially agitated, so I guess it influenced my overall perception of the piece, Jeffrey, but yes, defiant sounds apt to me too.

[Mirror Image]

First-Listen Monday

Casella
Trio Sonata, 62
Edison Trio

[Symphonic Addict]

Hey SA - they already completed that project - I bought V. 4 (others inserted above) in 2014 -    Dave

Thank you, but I was referring to a Myaskovsky's complete cycle of his 13 quartets recorded by the Pacifica Quartet. Hopefully it'll happen someday.

[Symphonic Addict]

Continuing on with the Japanese composer series:

Akira Ifukube
Sinfonia Tapkaara
Ritmica Ostinata
Symphonic Fantasia no. 1
Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Dmitry Yablonsky



Ifukube is definitely one of the most unique voices I've heard so far in this series. His harmonic language seems related to Bartok, with influences of Stravinsky and Prokofiev. It's infused with a strong folk element, and even provides a dash of minimalism with its repeated figures (Ritmica Ostinata definitely lives up to its name!) I'm not sure his style is for me, but I'm definitely glad I heard it.

Good assessment of the works, CG. The Sinfonia Tapkaara is the highlight of that CD IMO.

[Mirror Image]

Some Xenakis (in small doses for the time being). Claude Helffer plays Mists, and will later be joined by the Arditti Quartet in Akea.

From CD1 of this twofer:


I'm a relative newcomer to the music of Xenakis, and have had mixed feelings (actually, mostly negative — I thoroughly disliked Oresteia, for instance). And yet, I must admit I'm rather enjoying Mists. The piece has a nicely built forward movement, with a rather interesting melodic material, and exploits the sonority of the piano quite admirably.

I kind of get the idea (vaguely) of some of the composer's methods —"non-octave scales", "sieve", "stochastic"— which appear in the liner notes on the work and in a glossary at the end, but it seems to me that an understanding of this is really not (should not be?)  a prerequisite to appreciate this music.

For me, the best way to listen to Xenakis is to simply let the music pound your eardrums and, yes, there isn't a prerequisite in order to enjoy his music. All one must simply do is listen with an open-mind. In doing so, sometimes the music is striking in its' menacing ferocity and sometimes it can be cloying and unwelcoming, but there's no doubt that he was a composer that had a sound-world of his own. I strongly suggest Jonchaies and Hiketides --- both are orchestral works, but show a different side to the composer that you may not be aware.

[Karl Henning]

CD 5

Symphony № 44 in e minor, « Mourning » Hob I:44
Symphony №  in f minor, « La Passione » Hob I:49

[Symphonic Addict]

Schumann: Manfred - Overture

This must be the first time I hear this work, and rather satisfying it is, much more so because it is in E-flat minor, my favorite key.





Milhaud: La Cheminée du Roi René, for wind quintet

Another first listen. An amiable and inoffensive work, albeit a little bland too.

[Spotted Horses]

In information theory, it's not so much the probability of 'could something be bent out of shape'. It's more a 'can it'. If it can, theoretically, and whatever the probability, then your data model is not robust. If one adopts a thematic, synthentic ID as the cataloguing key, then, fundamentally, nothing at all can disrupt that. So it's fundamentally and theoretically much more robust.

Koechel 6 is dated 1964. That makes it as old as me. If it hasn't been revised, it needs to be. If it has, we are now into Koechel 6+, and thereafter K6++,  K6+++, and so on. If it had been a thematic catalogue, there would still be new editions as new information came to light, but there would be no need to renumber already-known things in the light of new discoveries. I also don't accept the 'new ones would be far less likely to be put badly out of shape' argument: look at Vivaldi. One enthusiastic library search later and we now have hundreds of new additions to the Ryom catalogue to be dealt with, courtesy of a huge set of discoveries in the Turin archives. There is no way you (or I) can say that such major discoveries cannot now take place for the likes of Bach, Mozart or even Schubert. Fundamentally, in a chronological approach, you simply *cannot* say that we have now reached the point where the existing catalogue cannot be disrupted. It only takes one archive haul to up-end that assumption, big-time.

This strikes me as obsessive-compulsive subject matter. There is no need for a catalog to be numbered chronologically, by genre, thematically, by the color ink used. The catalog is in the form of a table, and each entry has various fields, which might be date of composition, date of publication, date started, date of final revision, genre, title, place of composition, etc. You can sort the table anyway you want and not worry about appending things to the end of the list even though that is "out of order." Poor Koechel was born before Lotus 123 was invented.

Your catalog has one strong disadvantage, no on has any idea what you are talking about.

[André]

CD 5

Symphony № 44 in e minor, « Mourning » Hob I:44
Symphony №  in f minor, « La Passione » Hob I:49

The discs containing 43+59 and 44+49 are among the best Haydn discs ever made IMO 

[André]

Bloch's movingly devotional choral masterwork. Sung in Hebrew and based on biblical texts (Psalms, Isaiah, etc.). I would have preferred the Memorial Service section (#5 of 6) to be without the English language declamation over the orchestral commentary. It's a modern non biblical, wordy, ecumenical text far removed from the powerfully evocative words from 3000 years ago heard in the rest of the work. In that context I found it was sticking like a sore thumb. I wonder if other versions have that part of the Service done in the same way, too ?

[Madiel]

Chopin - volume 6 of Ashkenazy's LP series.



Side A: Impromptu op.36, Nocturnes op.37, Waltz op.42, Polonaise op.44
Side B: Allegro de Concert, "Sostenuto" waltz in E flat, "Notre Temps" Mazurka, 3 Nouvelles Etudes.

[kyjo]

Kyle, this is one of your most stupendous posts in this thread. I'm really intrigued by hearing all these pieces which I either know or definitely not, above all the Wellesz and Persichetti. Thank you!

You are most welcome, Cesar!

[vers la flamme]

Continuing on with the Japanese composer series:

Akira Ifukube
Sinfonia Tapkaara
Ritmica Ostinata
Symphonic Fantasia no. 1
Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Dmitry Yablonsky



Ifukube is definitely one of the most unique voices I've heard so far in this series. His harmonic language seems related to Bartok, with influences of Stravinsky and Prokofiev. It's infused with a strong folk element, and even provides a dash of minimalism with its repeated figures (Ritmica Ostinata definitely lives up to its name!) I'm not sure his style is for me, but I'm definitely glad I heard it.

I listened to this full disc earlier today too! Really enjoyed it, especially the Ritmica Ostinata.

[vers la flamme]

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, op.35. Yuri Temirkanov, New York Philharmonic

I don't listen to this work but once in a blue moon but I do enjoy it. I think I'd like to get a different recording though. Any suggestions?

[kyjo]

Two versions of Koechlin's Paysages et marines, Op. 63 from these recordings:

For solo piano performed by Michael Korstick -



For chamber ensemble performed by Ensemble Contraste and Ensemble Initium:

A magical work!

[Symphonic Addict]

This:

Franck: Trio Concertant No. 4 in B minor for piano, violin and cello

I've been very lucky to be hearing masterpiece after another. A towering one-movement utterance by a composer of a firmly-established voice, and I'm not exaggerating. Franckians, don't miss this glorious set!!! The playing is by real musicians.





Grieg: Funeral March Rikard Nordraak in Memoriam

Perfect music to those who like to play vigeogames with it, or not. It doesn't matter. An epic work after another 

I'm glad for revisiting Grieg after don't considering him a favorite of mine.

[SonicMan46]

Thank you, but I was referring to a Myaskovsky's complete cycle of his 13 quartets recorded by the Pacifica Quartet. Hopefully it'll happen someday.

Sorry SA - my attention was drawn to the Shosty pic shown and I missed the heading of your post - Dave

[Symphonic Addict]

Tournemire: Symphony No. 3