What are you listening 2 now?

[Traverso]

Bruckner


Symphony No. 1


Berliner Philharmoniker

[VonStupp]

Maija Einfelde
Three Poems By Fricis Bārda

Rytis Mažulis
Canon Solus

Pēteris Vasks
Litene

Veljo Tormis
Two Songs After Ernst Enno

Andris Dzenītis
Four Madrigals By e.e. cummings

Justė Janulytė
Plonge

Arvo Pärt
And I Heard A Voice...

SWR Vokalensemble - Marcus Creed

The last (of 9) from the Choral Music of the World SWR set.

VS



From this set:

[Spotted Horses]

Toch, string quartet No 11



Engaging music, contrapuntal, edgy with disjointed melodies and tense harmonies. I like it. Draws me in more than the symphonies.

[Madiel]

One of the things that's been sitting around 2.5 years since purchase, waiting for me...

Sarah Kirkland Snider: Unremembered



Far too much going on to fully take in on a single listen. It might just be that I've forgotten my initial experiences of listening to her other song cycle Penelope, but this feels stranger and more complex. Multiple singers, for one thing.

Do I want to listen multiple times to try to grasp it? Heck yes.

[aligreto]

Mahler: Symphony No. 10 - Adagio [Boulez]





This is a rich, opulent and expansive reading of this movement. I like the questioning element of the  tone even when the emotional stakes are raised. The conclusion is divine.

[aligreto]

Hi Fergus,to be honest I still had the feeling while listening to Nigel North that I would rather hear recordings with Paul O'Dette. These are great recordings of course, but with O'Dette there is just a little more air around the notes. It sounds more effortless. 

I would not disagree with you Jan. 

[Todd]

[aligreto]

I have just finished listening to the Boulez Mahler symphonic cycle. Having thought about the presentation as a whole I wanted to make a comment on it.





I like the overall clarity and detail in the Boulez presentations of Mahler's music. They are expansive but also well driven at the same time. The music does not lag or falter. It retains any inherent drama, tension, atmosphere and definitely presents a detailed, though not academic account of the music. Boulez obviously puts his own mark on the presentations but, for the most part, one finds that he is letting the music definitely speak for itself. I feel that Boulez has a very good feel for the music and the overall architecture of each of the works and he continually delivers the music, for me, to a constant level of excellence.

[Karl Henning]

Mahler: Symphony No. 10 - Adagio [Boulez]





This is a rich, opulent and expansive reading of this movement. I like the questioning element of the  tone even when the emotional stakes are raised. The conclusion is divine.

Nice!

[vandermolen]

Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No.5 in B-flat major, op.100. Marin Alsop, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra

Third or fourth time listening to this recording since I bought it about a week ago. Very solid performance I think. Curious to track down the rest of the cycle now. I'm really quite unfamiliar with Prokofiev's symphonies. Had only ever heard 1, 3 and 4 prior to this.

No.6 is his masterpiece IMO.

[vandermolen]

Your enthusiasm is not a surprise, you responded in a similar way a while ago, a sure sign of a loyal admirer. A few days ago I bid on the Vaughan Williams box with symphonies conducted by Bryden but unfortunately another just beat me to it. 

They are also available on the Musical Heritage label:

[vandermolen]

Khrennikov: Symphony No.2
A fine war-time symphony, with a poignant and searching slow movement and a catchy tune in the finale which I can't get out of my head:

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony 8 Gennady Rozhdestvensky with the State Symphony Orchestra of the Ministry of Culture

[Karl Henning]

Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No.5 in B-flat major, op.100. Marin Alsop, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra

Third or fourth time listening to this recording since I bought it about a week ago. Very solid performance I think. Curious to track down the rest of the cycle now. I'm really quite unfamiliar with Prokofiev's symphonies. Had only ever heard 1, 3 and 4 prior to this.

I realize I must hear her recording of the d minor Symphony, Op. 40

[Karl Henning]

I realize I must hear her recording of the d minor Symphony, Op. 40

No.6 is his masterpiece IMO.

Well, and that 'un, too.

[Lisztianwagner]

Arnold Schönberg
String Trio

[Karl Henning]

TD:
Alfred Brendel playing Liszt

[Traverso]

I have just finished listening to the Boulez Mahler symphonic cycle. Having thought about the presentation as a whole I wanted to make a comment on it.





I like the overall clarity and detail in the Boulez presentations of Mahler's music. They are expansive but also well driven at the same time. The music does not lag or falter. It retains any inherent drama, tension, atmosphere and definitely presents a detailed, though not academic account of the music. Boulez obviously puts his own mark on the presentations but, for the most part, one finds that he is letting the music definitely speak for itself. I feel that Boulez has a very good feel for the music and the overall architecture of each of the works and he continually delivers the music, for me, to a constant level of excellence.

True words Fergus, only with pieces like Des Knaben Wunderhorn I am so entangled with the Haitink, Jessey Norman/John Shirley-Quirk performance and ditto with the Rückert and KIndertotenlieder sung by Christa Ludwig/Karajan that my enthusiasm is less.
I hesitated for a while, again another set with Mahler symphonies, but my experience has been very positive, in fact I bought another set this time with Maazel and the Wiener Philharmoniker, which has more weak sides but a number of symphonies are particularly attractive. In my case this was certainly not a bad buy. For example,only the playing of the Vienna Philharmonic and the atmospheric recording  are a great bonus. However, I have read reviews that some notes  were out of tune and the playing  was unworthy of the Wiener, well that is certainly not my perception.

So, for now a second listening of the first symphony with Maazel

[aligreto]

True words Fergus, only with pieces like Des Knaben Wunderhorn I am so entangled with the Haitink, Jessey Norman/John Shirley-Quirk performance and ditto with the Rückert and KIndertotenlieder sung by Christa Ludwig/Karajan that my enthusiasm is less.
I hesitated for a while, again another set with Mahler symphonies, but my experience has been very positive, in fact I bought another set this time with Maazel and the Wiener Philharmoniker, which has more weak sides but a number of symphonies are particularly attractive. In my case this was certainly not a bad buy. For example,only the playing of the Vienna Philharmonic and the atmospheric recording  are a great bonus. However, I have read reviews that some notes  were out of tune and the playing  was unworthy of the Wiener, well that is certainly not my perception.

So, for now a second listening of the first symphony with Maazel

Thank you for your comments, Jan. I will try one more Boulez in Mahler soon i.e. Das Lied von der Erde. After that I will give Mahler a rest for some time. I think that I will then move on to Bruckner.
Enjoy your Maazel. 

[SonicMan46]

Handel, GF - Keyboard Suites w/ Ragna Schirmer on piano - 3 discs - reviews attached w/ some varied comments - believe the reviewers who want these performed only on harpsichord tended to be more critical; for me I also have a 4-CD set of Borgstede playing two different harpsichords - enjoy both recordings.  Dave