What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

On Spotify:

[The new erato]

I picked this set from my shelves, bought sometimes in the 1990'ies, and discovered that discs 7-12 had obviously never been played, so I got down to it and played nos 7 & 8, and very rewarding it was. 

[Mandryka]

https://www.youtube.com/v/a1UfJGorEc0&ab_channel=Nachtmarchen

Schubert, Gesang der Geister über den Wassern

[Que]

I picked this set from my shelves, bought sometimes in the 1990'ies, and discovered that discs 7-12 had obviously never been played, so I got down to it and played nos 7 & 8, and very rewarding it was. 

I absolutely love that set! 

[Harry]

I absolutely love that set! 

+1

[Madiel]

Hmmm...have you heard Leontyne Price in this song cycle? She's amazing, but the recording is early 50s and Barber is on the piano. Not a bad performance, but the fidelity leaves much to be desired.

I have no great interest in listening to it precisely because the fidelity leaves much to be desired.

[Operafreak]

[aligreto]

Beethoven: Sonata No. 12 Op. 26 [Brautigam]

[aligreto]

Good description! One of my favorites and it's greatly played there.

Cheers. I have been greatly impressed with this set so far.

[Madiel]

Dvorak, Alfred



Honestly doesn't do a whole lot for me. Possibly it would do more for me if it was published with a proper libretto. Apparently the CDs come with a .pdf file. But I'm streaming, and so having access to "the booklet" doesn't give me access to the .pdf file. [EDIT: By a freak chance of a mention in Gramophone, I've discovered there's an online version of the libretto. Yay!]

But the music... well it's very early Dvorak when Dvorak was being ultra-Wagnerian. And it's Dvorak writing in German, when later in life he got cranky about constant German translations of his Czech works and titles and even his own name.

The performance seems fine. Ever so slightly shouty German singers are probably appropriate here.

[Biffo]

Haydn: Symphony No 49 in F minor La Passione - Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner. The opening Adagio reminded me of Haydn's later work The Seven Last Words. Annoyed that Marriner's recording of that work hasn't appeared on CD, can't think why.

[André]

And this:



What a phenomenal CPO release

I concur !

[Operafreak]

[Traverso]

Alexander Agricola

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Bacewicz
Music for Strings, Trumpets & Percussion
New London Orchestra
Corp

[aligreto]

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 4 [Weller]






I like the musical language of the opening phase of the first movement. It is very engaging and appealing. I also find the tempo and subsequent change of atmosphere to be equally engaging. This is very engaging and innovative orchestral writing. There is quite a lot to be heard in this movement and this is a very fine presentation of this music which has a rich lyrical base.
The second movement is also richly lyrically endowed. It has a gentle, almost pastoral atmosphere to it. The musical language is also very engaging even if it is on the edge.
The third movement is a quasi Scherzo movement. I find it to be very interesting and quirky. The scoring for the woodwinds is particularly noticeable here.
The final movement is a jaunty affair. I particularly like the contribution of the lower register tones towards the overall tone and atmosphere of the scoring. There is also a high level of energy presented towards the conclusion of the work.
All of the music here is very well delivered under the baton of Weller.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Britten
Sinfonia da requiem, Op. 20
New Philharmonia
Britten

From this set -

[Linz]

Bruckner 9 Yaov Talmi Oslo Phiharmonic Orchestra

[VonStupp]

Richard Strauss
Tod und Verklärung, op. 24

Cleveland Orchestra - George Szell

I don't know how I missed it before, but there is a direct crib by John Williams for his Superman (1978) 'Love Theme' (Can You Read My Mind) that really took me out of this work anytime that motive appeared. No fault of Richard Strauss, of course, and luckily that theme doesn't appear full force until the midway point, so there is much to enjoy without that distraction.

This is an outstanding performance of Death and Transfiguration, though.

VS

  https://www.youtube.com/v/iutWOk0cejc&ab_channel=MartyIzaguirre

[SonicMan46]

Last few days have been on Corelli & Couperin - own about 30 discs (2/3 Couperin) so just doing some 'selective' listening to the ones shown below: