What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

An American Triplet:

Piston: The Incredible Flutist Suite

Copland: Symphonic Ode

Samuel Jones: Symphony No. 3 Palo Duro Canyon


The Piston is a maiden-listen, and I wonder why I waited for so long to hear this! There's an exhilarating section around the middle of the piece with people's noise and laughing and having fun. A perfect opener in a concert.

My goodness, and how symphonic it is! This is splendidly performed and played.

This is simply glorious stuff! A so atmospheric, stirring, life-affirming and evocative work. There are passages that remind me of Sibelius and Nielsen, but this is 100% American. For any fans of orchestral, colourful and evocative works, this is a keeper and a must hear.

The Piston and Copland are first-rate. I'm afraid I don't know the Samuel Jones, although I do seem to recall buying a Naxos recording of some of his music on it. I'll have to double-check on this, but in the meantime...

NP:

Finzi
Nocture (New Year Music), Op. 7
LPO
Boult

[Karl Henning]

And, the last:

CD 15

Jindřich Feld
Concerto for Orchestra

Ervín Schulhoff
The Communist Manifesto

Popped this in again, partly because the Feld Concerto for Orchestra fully merits more listening, and partly because the Schulhoff is so peculiar a novelty, I wanted a fresh listen. I think that, barring the odd stentorian passage aside, the piece overall is better than I perhaps allowed after my initial hearing.

[JBS]

(* chortle *)

TD:

CD 31

Greig
Peer Gynt Suite 1, Op. 46
Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34
Symphonic Dances, Op. 64

Sibelius
Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49
Valse triste, Op. 44

Although the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra had already demonstrated to me that the Two Elegiac Melodies Opus 34 are fresh for me, I frankly admit that my first thought was that, if I can but endure to the end there will be Sibelius for me to enjoy. However I am pleased to report that the Opus 64 has become my clear favorite among Greig's orchestral pieces. But good God don't make me endure the Peer Gynt suites again.

Then you may want to skip CD 65.

TD
That selfsame box, but CD 73
Chopin
Piano Concertos

The First with Artur Rubinstein and the LSO recorded in 1935
The Second with Alfred Cortot
and an ensemble credited only as "Orchestra" recorded in 1937.

I think between this and the Samson box I've listened to the Chopin concertos more times in the last few weeks than I have in the preceding two years.

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NP:

Vaughan Williams
Flos Campi
Nobuko Imai, viola
Corydon Singers
English Chamber Orchestra
Best

From this set -

[Operafreak]

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NP:

Vaughan Williams
Five Mystical Songs
Sir Thomas Allen, baritone
Corydon Singers
English Chamber Orchestra
Best

From this set -



A work that's certainly in my 'Top 5' favorite RVW works.

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NP:

Vaughan Williams
A Pastoral Symphony
LSO
Thomson

From this set -



As far as digital cycles go, Thomson, for me, is the one to beat. Sumptuous Chandos sound with Thomson's always involving conducting makes this a desert island cycle. As for overall cycles, Thomson would be my third choice with Previn on RCA in first place and Boult on EMI in second place.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[Operafreak]

[steve ridgway]

Ives Symphony No. 2, 1909.



I'm undecided about this one. The music is pretty conventional but the intermingling of the different tunes gives it an interesting structure.

[vandermolen]

Me wants to hear this.

I'm sure that you'd enjoy Ward's heart-warming music Cesar.

[vandermolen]

Somehow I knew you would approve, Jeffrey. The Lake in the Mountains is a lovely piece and it makes me wish RVW had composed more solo piano music, but I know he was more of a "strings man". I own several of these works also on this EMI recording, which I rather enjoy as well:



What do you think of The Nash Ensemble's 2-CD set of the earlier RVW chamber works? I own the set, but haven't really explored it:

I'm pleased to see that you've entered a 'Vaughan Williams Zone' John  The Nash Ensemble's 2-CD set introduced me to the Piano Quintet which was a great discovery. I haven't played that set for a while but I think highly of it. That EMI CD is terrific in all respects. The Music Group of London's original LPs of VW's chamber music was one of my earliest explorations of any kind of chamber music (as, at the time, I almost exclusively listened to orchesral works) and had a big impact on me. Furthermore I consider those recordings unrivalled.

Now playing (A London Symphony 1920 version for piano duet):

[vandermolen]

NP:

Vaughan Williams
A Pastoral Symphony
LSO
Thomson

From this set -



As far as digital cycles go, Thomson, for me, is the one to beat. Sumptuous Chandos sound with Thomson's always involving conducting makes this a desert island cycle. As for overall cycles, Thomson would be my third choice with Previn on RCA in first place and Boult on EMI in second place.

Thomson's was a very underrated cycle. I also prefer his Bax cycle to the much-hyped Handley set. The VW cycle was indeed excellent. He was one of the only conductors to get No.6 right (it was the No.1 choice in BBC Music Magazine's 'Top 1000 Classical CD' publication). I remember that 'A Pastoral Symphony' was very effective as well. Boult's Decca/Everest set is my all-time favourite cycle (made with VW in the studio - apart from No.9 as he died a few hours before the recording), although I also like Boult (EMI), Previn (RCA) and Thomson (Chandos).

[Irons]

That's one of the best CDs of VW's chamber music. Great photo of VW in the booklet as well!
The SQ No.2 inhabits the same sound world as the 6th Symphony and the late, craggy Violin sonata is possibly my favourite piece of VW's chamber music. 'The Lake in the Mountains' is a lovely bonus. Great choice John.

Yes, "The Lake in the Mountains" is a hidden treasure.

TD

James MacMillan: The Confession of Isobel Gowdie.

Blown away by this. A descriptive piece with aid of Nielsenesque percussion recounts a barbaric period in Scottish history. With calm and serene sections too.   

[vandermolen]

Those heart-breaking last few minutes of 'A London Symphony' (only in the 1920 and 1913 versions) are surprisingly emotional for Vaughan Williams. As has been pointed out before, for all its great beauty, Vaughan Williams's music (compared with Elgar's for example), has a curious impersonality about it. I wonder if this is why he excised those last few minutes in 1936. Personally, I think that he cut out one of the best sections that he had ever composed. I think that he was probably influenced by Sibelius (at the height of his fame in Britain in 1936) in seeking greater concision - a pity, as the somewhat rambling nature of A London Symphony perfectly reflects the great city which it depicts in music. Finzi's 'Eclogue' is a great bonus although I could have done without Maconchy's plink-plonk offering.

[vandermolen]

Yes, "The Lake in the Mountains" is a hidden treasure.

TD

James MacMillan: The Confession of Isobel Gowdie.

Blown away by this. A descriptive piece with aid of Nielsenesque percussion recounts a barbaric period in Scottish history. With calm and serene sections too.   

I have been discovering MacMillan over the last couple of years and must give this a listen to Lol. I enjoyed hearing Symphony No.5 (London premiere) and the 'Christmas Oratorio' in concert.

[MusicTurner]

Brahms - Piano Quartet c-minor op.60 /Barutti, Cameristi Soloists/mondo musica CD

Quite nice, though the cellist is insecure at times in the slow movement. But: I don't think I noticed the quite obvious similarities in the work's 4th Movement, with the 1st Movement in Beethoven's 5th Symphony before.
None of my recording liner notes mention them.

[Madiel]

Dvorak, Legends (orchestral version)



EDIT: I didn't have entirely positive memories of this. At this point in the 4th Legend, I'm wondering why.

Yes, it's generally slower than my piano version (not that surprising, orchestras can't necessarily play as fast as a couple of pianists), and yes as a whole 10 Legends take a bit more patience than 8 Slavonic Dances. But there's plenty of spring in these recordings at the right moments.

[vandermolen]

Earlier - Daniel Sternefeld: Symphony No.1

and now

Four Interludes and Finale from the Opera 'Mater Dolorosa' - I'd hardly heard this before, but seeing André's post encouraged me to do so - it's powerfully atmospheric and memorable:

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all.

Continuing this beautiful set: