What are you listening 2 now?

[bhodges]

First listen to this new acquisition:


This concert was held in the Royal Festival Hall in London on Nov. 5th, 1973, just eight days before Maderna succumbed to lung cancer aged 53 . The programme must have been quite a challenge to the terminally ill conductor, but also a tour de force for Alfred Brendel, who tackled two cornerstones of the 20th century piano concerto repertoire in one single evening.

I've never been a great fan of Bartok's PC1, but it sounds very persuasive in this performance. IIRC, I first got to know the Schoenberg PC in Brendel's recording with Kubelik on DG. Let's see how this performance turns out to be.

In any event, this valedictory concert by a towering figure in post-WW2 music is a testament to his extraordinary musicianship, and we're lucky to have it in excellent sound.

Wow, what a find!

--Bruce

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Reger
Romances For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 50
Hans Maile (violin)
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Uroš Lajovic

From this set -

[ritter]

First listen to the music of Mario Pilati, with this recent acquisition:


Sunny Italian post-romantic quasi-neoclassicism is how'd I describe this. Very pleasant, but not quite in the class if the great names of Italian music of the first half of the 20th century. A penchant for, on one hand, naïveté and, on the other, for salonesque triteness,  is what prevents this from being more interesting than it is. But it's rather enjoyable, and I'm glad I got to know it.

[Todd]

[Karl Henning]

Sergei Prokofiev
Tale of the Stone Flower, op. 118

BBC Philharmonic
Gianandrea Noseda

For this morning:

Disc 2: Act III & IV

VS

Love it!

[kyjo]

I was expecting that reaction regarding the Jolivet from you. But don't worry. We can keep being friends.  0:)

[Karl Henning]

CD 14
Bartók

2 Romanian Dances, Sz 43
2 Hungarian Folk Songs from Csik, Sz35a
Allegro barbaro, Sz 49
4 Dirges, Sz 45
Suite, Sz 62
Romanian Christmas Carols, Sz 57
3 Studies, Sz 72
3 Rondos on Slovak Folk Tunes, Sz 84
First Term at the Piano, Sz 53

CD 76 w/ Fritz Kreisler

LvB
Vn Cto in D, Op. 61

Brahms
Vn Cto in D, Op. 77

I smiled a bit to see Léon Goossens credited as the oboe for the Adagio in the Brahms

[SonicMan46]

Mozart - Piano Quartets and the Swedish Mozart - String Quartets  - new arrivals - Dave

 

[kyjo]

I have no doubt that you're attitude towards avant-garde music will soften in time. I love a lot of avant-garde music, but there's some of it that I just can't stand just like there's music from Late-Romantics, Impressionists, etc. that I can't stand. I think if a piece of music moves you, then whether it's avant-garde or not becomes irrelevant and not important.

I do agree with this, although there is a certainly a smaller percentage of avant-garde/modernist compositions that I enjoy when compared to late-romantic, neo-romantic, impressionist, etc works. But as I mentioned, I do enjoy certain works by composers such as Lutoslawski, Schnittke, and Dutilleux. These composers were able to compose thoroughly "modern" music without making it sound as ugly as possible.

[bhodges]

Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill (1988), with RIAS Berlin Kammerensemble and conductor John Mauceri - Haven't heard this in years, and it holds up really well. Lemper nails the cabaret-style atmosphere and phrasing.

--Bruce

[kyjo]

I also started the day with Tubin.



I liked the 2nd, but really liked the 6th.

If you're only going to own one Tubin recording, that's the one to have! Coruscating works both.

[Karl Henning]

I do agree with this, although there is a certainly a smaller percentage of avant-garde/modernist compositions that I enjoy when compared to late-romantic, neo-romantic, impressionist, etc works. But as I mentioned, I do enjoy certain works by composers such as Lutoslawski, Schnittke, and Dutilleux. These composers were able to compose thoroughly "modern" music without making it sound as ugly as possible.

Oh, dear ....

[kyjo]

NP:

Reger
Romances For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 50
Hans Maile (violin)
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Uroš Lajovic

From this set -

Becoming a Regerite, are you, John? I've yet to be convinced by most of his music, though I'm always open to suggestions.

[kyjo]

Oh, dear ....

It's just my opinion, Karl.

[Karl Henning]

It's just my opinion, Karl.

Understood, my friend.

[VonStupp]

Love it!

I think you and MI encouraged me to look beyond Järvi's Suites on Chandos to this full ballet, and I am glad to have heard it. Acts 3 & 4 really bring the work together, with one of the big tunes having the aroma of The Roadside Fire which is effective every time it returns. The central Ural Rhapsody episode is the best of the lot, one aspect I remember from the Suites.

VS

[VonStupp]

Franz Schubert
Symphony 8 in b minor 'Unfinished', D759
Symphony 9 in C Major 'Great', D944

Boston SO - Charles Münch

This recording had a LOT of swagger, particularly the 9th. If Schubert played this way is wrong, I don't want to be right! 

I also don't think I know a lot of Münch-led recordings outside of the French orchestral repertoire. I would be interested to explore more.

VS

[Karl Henning]

Love these, too.

https://www.youtube.com/v/0Kr70fSuOkE

[Symphonic Addict]

Great stuff! I should revisit Davis' Berlioz. And Schulhoff is, quite simply, one of the more underrated 20th Century composers I think. Unlike many who had died in a concentration camp, he already had quite a good career in the 20s and 30s. I have a feeling that he would've continued down a fascinating path had he lived longer.

*Just a quick note, while Schulhoff did die in a concentration camp, he didn't die by execution, but by tuberculosis. I've read many articles that say he was executed by the Nazis, but this didn't happen as TB got him first. A tragic loss for classical music (along with many others who, too, like Haas, Klein et. al.).

Almost all of what I've heard by Schulhoff has been satisfactory and consistent. A solid composer all around.

Verily, definitely a premature (and eventually) tragic death. He could write a good deal of stunning music, nevertheless.

[Symphonic Addict]

Love it!

+1, albeit I don't know that recording.