What are you listening 2 now?

[bhodges]

Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) (Daníel Bjarnason / Frankfurt Radio Symphony, live recording 24 February 2022)

I've admired Mazzoli's works for some time, mostly her chamber music. This bit of orchestral radiance seems a big step forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0bwlkKFpF4

--Bruce

[Spotted Horses]

Daphnis et Chloe Suite no.2 from this recording. I always prefer the chorus included in this work, but this would be the best version of the suite minus-voices I've heard.

No recollection of the DeC on that disc, but I remember liking the Bolero.

[Symphonic Addict]

That Franck recording is now part of this set (which btw I just ordered)

Judging by what I've heard, it must be a riveting set then.

[Operafreak]

Brahms: Cello Sonatas & Hungarian Dances-       Alexandre Tharaud (piano) & Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)

[Symphonic Addict]

Shostakovich: The Execution of Stepan Razin

A fantastic account of this intense work.

[Mandryka]

An alert and restrained performance of op 50/1  - and I was expecting a romantic effusion.

[Mirror Image]

Now playing this new acquisition:

Clyne
Dance
Inbal Segev, cello
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Marin Alsop



Absolutely first-rate. I'm enjoying this --- so beautiful and poignant. I'll be playing it again after its' over. Thanks to Jeffrey (Vandermolen) and whoever else was listening to this earlier.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Takemitsu
Viola Concerto, "A String Around Autumn"
Nobuko Imai, viola
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Ozawa



Anyone who is new to Takemitsu's music would do well to check out this concerto. It's unusual in that it's not a typical concerto or, at least, a concerto like we normally think about. It's rhapsodic more than concerto, but that's no matter. It's gorgeous music and you won't find better advocates for this music than Imai and Ozawa.

[Symphonic Addict]

Lalo: Concerto Russe, for violin and orchestra

The very famous Symphonie espagnole has eclipsed his other concertante works with violin. They don't deserve that fate.

An enjoyable piece.

[classicalgeek]

My imprint recording for Nocturnes, and probably my favorite Abbado recording at that. Great sound, l bet the DGG Tonmeister had the time of his life in Symphony Hall.

It's a wonderful disc all around! The BSO plays this repertoire as well as anyone. And yes, Symphony Hall is glorious (I went to a couple of concerts there as a teenager before I moved to West Coast.)

Ravel: Gaspard De La Nuit
Martha Argerich

I recently got this CD from a library sale.

An excellent recording! It's hard to beat Argerich in this repertoire - her Gaspard is one of the best.

Viola Concerto, "A String Around Autumn"
Nobuko Imai, viola
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Ozawa



Anyone who is new to Takemitsu's music would do well to check out this concerto. It's unusual in that it's not a typical concerto or, at least, a concerto like we normally think about. It's rhapsodic more than concerto, but that's no matter. It's gorgeous music and you won't find better advocates for this music than Imai and Ozawa.

When I was looking through Spotify for Takemitsu recordings, I saw this - I will definitely check it out soon!

TD: some old favorites

Brahms
Ein Deutsches Requiem
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, soprano
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone
Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus
Otto Klemperer



Klemperer really works his magic in the outer movements, as well as the meltingly gorgeous middle movement (Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen). The problem for me is the movements with big choral perorations (the second, third, and sixth), where the music consistently loses momentum. There should be sense of grandeur here, and Klemperer just underwhelms; the choir sounds thin in spots as well. I'm not a big Elisabeth Schwarzkopf fan, but Fischer-Dieskau sings beautifully. I did imprint on Robert Shaw's Deutsches Requiem on Telarc, so of course the singing there is second to none, his tempi are little quicker, and the Atlanta Symphony plays their heart out. So while I'm glad I heard Klemperer's version, it's not a first choice for me.

Schubert
Symphony no. 3
Staatskapelle Berlin
Otmar Suitner



Suitner's is one of my favorite Schubert cycles, and the Third doesn't disappoint. The woodwinds get swallowed up in the texture at times (probably the sound is the problem rather than the interpretation), but all in all it's a really strong performance, lively and full of excitement where it needs to be. I really like how Schubert echoes Haydn here - especially in the "slow" movement (actually an Allegretto, and Suitner plays it as such) and the rustic country dance of a minuet.

[Operafreak]

Shimkus Plays Shimkus

Vestard Shimkus (piano), Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, Atvars Lakstigala

[vandermolen]

Bliss: 'The Lady of Shalott' in this fine new recording:

[vandermolen]

Most performances of the work use the revised version. This Chandos disc uses what is touted as the original version. The main differences are obvious: the concluding orchestral Intrada is also used, quite logically, at the beginning of the work, giving it a perfect arch-like structure. That is a typical bartokian feature, here applied to Janacek. I've read that some do not consider the re-assignment of the Intrada as bookends to the Mass legitimate in any way. I guess one may always skip it, or plug it in if using a recording of the revised version (there's a simple solution to most problems ).

The other salient departure from the familiar text is the elaborate orchestral interlude at the centre of the Credo (Veruju) movement, with additional music featuring prominent clarinet and timpani parts. This is quite good actually, and now that I've heard it I would probably miss it from recordings of the revised text. Lost on me was the metrical change from 4/4 (revised) to 5/4 (original) in the outer sections of the Kyrie (Gospodi). So much for the textual differences.

The interpretation is excellent, the execution very fine and most of the singing very good (descending order of quality here). The soloists are clearly not czech-sounding (3 are Danish and one Austrian). The slavic tang and powerful, tightly projected sound emission are not to be found and, truth be told, both men struggle mightily and are rather painful to hear. In this they're not alone, as the soloists are a big component of a successful performance of the Mass. Indeed, the best performances of the Glagolitic Mass all hail from its motherland. The sound is excellent.

The Kodaly Psalmus Hungaricus is a beautiful work and it sounds quite well here (very fine sound). What galled me though is that, in this multi-sectional work sung in Hungarian in a resonant acoustic there is no banding. A single track for the whole duration. I was quickly lost trying to follow the words in the booklet. I had no trouble following the czech words, but it would seem Hungarian is another matter entirely for a non-native . Of course it helps that there is a translation, so all was not lost.

Interesting André. I've had the CD for years but will now listen to it again with greater understanding.

[vandermolen]

Now playing this new acquisition:

Clyne
Dance
Inbal Segev, cello
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Marin Alsop



Absolutely first-rate. I'm enjoying this --- so beautiful and poignant. I'll be playing it again after its' over. Thanks to Jeffrey (Vandermolen) and whoever else was listening to this earlier.

It's quite special John - I've been listening to it a lot.

[vandermolen]

Shostakovich: The Execution of Stepan Razin

A fantastic account of this intense work.

Must look out for this one!

[Que]

Today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter and the start of the Holy Week.
For my morning listening, I selected some appropriate music for the season:



Amazing recording BTW.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2018/Jan/Lassus_responsories_TOCC0404.htm

[Selig]

Today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter and the start of the Holy Week.
For my morning listening, I selected some appropriate music for the season:



Amazing recording BTW.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2018/Jan/Lassus_responsories_TOCC0404.htm

He must've written some music specifically for Palm Sunday too, right? 2000+ works and all.

[Mandryka]

A serious series of etudes, heavy. She can play piano very nicely. She has things to say through Beethoven.

[Que]

He must've written some music specifically for Palm Sunday too, right? 2000+ works and all.

Intriguing question! 

I could find one piece: a motet for the Offertory on Palm Sunday called Improperium expectavit (cor meum), published as part of Sacrae Cantiones.

Recording:

[Maestro267]

Shimkus Plays Shimkus

Vestard Shimkus (piano), Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, Atvars Lakstigala

Umm? Unusual cover...