What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

Dvorak

2 Minuets, op.28
Dumka, op.35

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The Age of Anxiety, Bernstein. Kitayenko.

[Spotted Horses]

I've been listening to a bit of Vaughan Williams, outside of the symphonies.

The Partita for two string Orchestras, Boult, LPO



The String Quartet No 2, Maggini



The string Quartet is a marvelous work, especially the luminous second movement. The partita for string orchestra, didn't make a strong an impression. It is the first time I have listened to the work, so it deserves a revisit.

[Mirror Image]

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 orchestral works) and had a big impact on me. Furthermore I consider those recordings unrivaled.

Yes, indeed. I'll have to revisit that Piano Quintet as I don't remember it. It seems I only know the later chamber works really well. I love chamber music and I do wish RVW had composed more of it, especially in his later style. I'll have to do that EMI recording out and rip it.

[Mirror Image]

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).

Thomson handles those more gnarly, craggy symphonies (Nos. 4 & 6 respectively) beautifully. I actually prefer his 4th and 6th to any others I've heard. I do rather like Bernstein's take on the 4th. He brings out the Shostakovich in this symphony. I'll have to go back and revisit the Boult cycle on Decca. It's been far too long since I've heard it. It seems you and I have similar tastes in RVW or, at least, when it comes to the symphony cycles.

[Mirror Image]

I've been listening to a bit of Vaughan Williams, outside of the symphonies.

The Partita for two string Orchestras, Boult, LPO



The String Quartet No 2, Maggini



The string Quartet is a marvelous work, especially the luminous second movement. The partita for string orchestra, didn't make a strong an impression. It is the first time I have listened to the work, so it deserves a revisit.

I love the Partita for Double String Orchestra. Such a fine work, but I also liked the Concerto Grosso for Double String Orchestra as well. Of course, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis is the more famous "double string orchestra" work and it is an outstanding piece, but I feel that Partita and the Concerto Grosso are undeservedly neglected. Oh and I love that 2nd SQ! Such a fine piece.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 4 in F minor
LSO
Thomson

From this set -

[Papy Oli]

More of this:

[Karl Henning]

Then you may want to skip CD 65.

(* chortle *)

Even as I typed that, I rather suspected that there would be more yet in the box.

[Karl Henning]

NP:

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

From this set -

Flos Campi is one of my favorite RVW scores

[Mirror Image]

Flos Campi is one of my favorite RVW scores

Mine, too. Lovely piece.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Pettersson
Symphony No. 8
Berlin RSO
Sanderling

[The new erato]

Dudok Quartet in Brahms on Qobuz thanks to the Brahms thread. Superb ensemble sound.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Venzago and The Bener Symphonieorchester CD 10

[listener]

REGER: Monologue op. 63    12 pieces for organ
Werner Haselier,  Christian-Lobback organ in St. Gertrude, Lohne
relatively short items for Reger, a 9-minute Passacaglia being the longest
Carlos CHÁVEZ Concerto for Cello and Orch- (one movement, 8:10)
Madrigal forCello and Piano,  Sonatine for Cello and Piano
Frederico IBARRA: Cello Concerto    Camargo GUARNIERI: Chôro for Cello and Orch.
Carlos Prieto, cello   Edison Quintano, piano   Orquestra de los Americas

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Schnittke
Concerto Grosso No. 3
Tale Olsson (violin), Patrik Swedrup (violin)
Stockholm Chamber Orchestra
Lev Markiz

[Linz]

Bruckner 8 with Mariss Jensons and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

[Linz]

Beethove String Quartets 8 & 9  Quatuor végh CD4

[André]

This is the reference recording for the 6th, my favourite Dvorak symphony. I used to have it on LP in that incarnation:



I recall the pressing was noisy, which distressed me greatly back then. But I couldn't get my hands off the disc all the same, surface noise be damned. It is such a vital work, lyrical and triumphant at the same time. I have many recordings of the 6th but this is the best, the Czech Phil play it so beautifully. I had read the current CD incarnation was not up to par, but John (MI) recommended it without reservation. I'm glad I heeded his advice. 

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Tippett
Fantasia on a theme by Handel
Steven Osborne, piano
BBC Scottish SO
Brabbins



I absolutely adore this work, which is, essentially, a sinfonia concertante. The vigorous, rhythmic scoring also gives the music a drive that is unmistakably Tippettian. There are also some wonderful lyrical solo writing, especially in the short cadenza.