What are you listening 2 now?

[Spotted Horses]

Mailpiero is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine. Ritrovari, Cinque Studi, Serenata mattutina, Orchestra della Svizzera italiano.

[Todd]

Kopatchinskaja is the headliner, but the recording is sort of a bait and switch, since she plays in the opening work only, while Miranda Cuckson features on the other works.  That's OK since Ms Cuckson specializes in modern and contemporary music.  Her ECM chamber music is a corker, and her playing here does not disappoint.  The music is uncompromisingly modern and some may not find it easy listening. 

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Takemitsu
And then I knew 'twas Wind
Toronto New Music Ensemble



Lovely piece and the quotation from Debussy's Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp was a beautiful homage of sorts.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Manolis Kalomiris SY3. Fidetzis/Athens.

[Mirror Image]

Mailpiero is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine. Ritrovari, Cinque Studi, Serenata mattutina, Orchestra della Svizzera italiano.

Nice!

[DavidW]

Gielen Mahler 2.  Excellent.  I see why the Gielen set was in my flac archive.

[SonicMan46]

I had a listen to Akutagawa's recording, since she makes a selection and so possibly the music reflects her preference. What struck me is how her style resembles Glen Wilson's - maybe not unsurprisingly, I think they are partners. The music struck me as being not disagreeable, without being as interesting to me as, for example, the Göttweig partitas, or indeed some of Kuhnau's music, or Bohm's.

Let me take the opportunity to commend Lydia Maria Blank's Göttweig CD, which I find consistently rewarding.

Thanks Mandryka for the further comments; Akutagawa's bio HERE - I remember she was a student of Glen Wilson (22 years her senior) - must have been a previous post of mine on Wilson? But from Wiki "Glen Wilson is married to fellow harpsichordist Naoko Akutagawa."  I've not heard her recordings to date.  Dave

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Villa-Lobos
String Quartets Nos. 2, 12 & 16
Cuarteto Latinoamericano

[aligreto]

Finishing off this truly wonderful disc with Elegiac Poem for cello and piano.

[Todd]

First listen in five, ten, fifteen years, I'm not sure.  Exquisitely well played, to be sure, but the balance seems off - the piano sounds too recessed - and the playing sounds a bit more smoothed out than I prefer. 

[Brian]

Revisiting for the first time in several months.  Somehow, it got even better in the intervening period.

DG must have only made a couple hundred of these, as it's already out of stock most places and Amazon only has marketplace copies. Guess I should just buy the darn thing already.

[Karl Henning]

Shostakovich: The Execution of Stepan Razin

A fantastic account of this intense work.

Love that piece!

[Todd]

DG must have only made a couple hundred of these, as it's already out of stock most places and Amazon only has marketplace copies. Guess I should just buy the darn thing already.

Maybe winning a place in the ClassicsToday Top 10 for 2021 cleared out the inventory. 

The most exciting thing about the estimable Mr Armstrong is that he could very well have another 40-50 years of recordings in him. 

For those so inclined, the erudite Mr Armstrong gave an extended podcast interview with Gramophone regarding this recording, and it is well worth listening to: https://www.gramophone.co.uk/podcasts/article/kit-armstrong-on-playing-byrd-and-bull-on-the-piano 

[Karl Henning]

Beethoven: Piano Sonata WoO 47 Nos. 1-3 [Brautigam]

Interesting!

[Karl Henning]

It must have been years, but I'm surprised how well this music got ingrained in my memory.

I'm sure it's my ears' loss, but I just can't get past that cover.

[Mirror Image]

I'm sure it's my ears' loss, but I just can't get past that cover.

It's terrible. It looks like she forgot to properly wash during her bubble bath.

[SonicMan46]

DG must have only made a couple hundred of these, as it's already out of stock most places and Amazon only has marketplace copies. Guess I should just buy the darn thing already.

Agree Brian - listened to the recording twice on Spotify when initially mentioned in the forum - was planning a purchase, but as you say, a no go now unless for an expensive item or a DL?  Just looked on PrestoMusic - $20 USD there for the 2-CD package (plus of course shipping).  Dave

[Selig]

This is my favourite Josquin recording. This isn't a comment on the performance, just that, for some reason, it touches the G spot.

It has that "aladdin's lamp" quality, like listening to the old Vanguard recordings by Leonhardt

This one might hit the same spot, listening to the Mouton:

[SonicMan46]

.............................
Carl Maria von Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 2 
    Guy Van Waas, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Eric Hoeprich (clarinet)

Really enjoy Eric Hoeprich - read his book (inter-library loan) about a year ago and purchased probably 4 of his CDs including the one shown previously - amazing technician and musician - he makes, repairs, and of course performs on period clarinets - Dave

[Mapman]

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.

The 3rd might be my favorite Schubert symphony. It has great clarinet parts, and is one of the happiest pieces I know.

I listened to that recording (I think) on Youtube, and I mostly agree with your assessment of it. The tempos are well-chosen, but the clarinet solos sound almost offstage (at least through my laptop speakers).