What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

More RVW from Previn.  The Second sounds quite lovely.  The accompanying works sound meh.

It's arguably the best performance on disc of the final 1936 'A London Symphony'.

[Todd]

Disc one.  As splendid as memory suggested.  I wonder if I should do a shootout of the best complete cycles from women to find the best cycle from a woman.  Who knows, maybe St Annie would be vanquished in a large-scale shootout.

[LKB]

This is a work that I particularly like. I have only heard it once in a live recording [soloist forgotten at this stage] and it was a wonderful experience. I can readily understand any oboist wanting to play this work live despite Mr. Bennett's unfortunate demise [of which I was not aware until now; thank you for the link].

I have no doubt that you would have performed it admirably. 

Thanks for your vote of confidence! 

In truth, l think l would have done a reasonably good job. While my technique was in fact imperfect ( l was self- taught, which resulted in poor hand position and a slightly incorrect embrochure), the concerto is, for the most part, mostly a vehicle for the oboe's lyrical qualities. There are only a small number of bars which require any real virtuosity at all. And l was very lyrical, as l modeled my playing on the great Lothar Koch, who was himself inspired by opera singers.

I miss playing, but l had many joyful years as a singing professional. I like to think that perhaps at some point, l might have inspired a young person to take up the cello, or horn, or...

[Mapman]

Janáček: Mládí
London Winds

What a fun piece!

[Karl Henning]

Janáček: Mládí
London Winds

What a fun piece!

Yes!

[Operafreak]

Schnabel: String Quartet No. 5, Schnabel: Piano Trio-S chnabel: Seven Piano Pieces

Pellegrini Quartett, Ravinia Trio, Benedikt Koehlen (piano)

[Madiel]

Sibelius:Night Ride and Sunrise.

Four different versions.

[vandermolen]

Bax: Morning Song (Maytime in Sussex)
Bliss: Piano Concerto (NP)
Rubbra: Piano Concerto

Interesting to compare this with the identical couplings on a recent Hyperion release. The Hyperion recording is obviously more modern but I prefer the performance of the big Bliss Concerto in the earlier release (Denis Matthews, Philharmonia, Sargent):

[vandermolen]

Sibelius:Night Ride and Sunrise.

Four different versions.

Actually, seeing the images, I realise that I have all those versions other than the Jarvi. I have been most impressed by Segerstam's Sibelius recordings although the Vanska is also very good.

[Madiel]

Actually, seeing the images, I realise that I have all those versions other than the Jarvi. I have been most impressed by Segerstam's Sibelius recordings although the Vanska is also very good.

I have Segerstam's series of theatre music on Naxos, but not his recordings with Ondine.

[vandermolen]

I have Segerstam's series of theatre music on Naxos, but not his recordings with Ondine.

There's a very good Tapiola and 4 Legends on Ondine.

[Que]

[Madiel]

Sibelius: Voces intimae



I'm giving serious consideration to buying this. I've tried both the Grieg and Sibelius, and liked them both, and I don't own a recording of either work.

For the Sibelius in particular they do a good job of not letting the textures get too thick, compared to the other recording I know I've tried.

[Operafreak]

Guastavino & Rachmaninoff

Martin Klett

[aligreto]

Finck - Sanctus from missa sex vocum [Gottwald]





This is a short but powerful piece of music.  The Schola Cantorum Stuttgart are in full and resplendent voice here. The music has wonderfully inherent forward momentum and it is perfectly paced here.

[aligreto]

Thanks for your vote of confidence! 

In truth, l think l would have done a reasonably good job. While my technique was in fact imperfect ( l was self- taught, which resulted in poor hand position and a slightly incorrect embrochure), the concerto is, for the most part, mostly a vehicle for the oboe's lyrical qualities. There are only a small number of bars which require any real virtuosity at all. And l was very lyrical, as l modeled my playing on the great Lothar Koch, who was himself inspired by opera singers.

I miss playing, but l had many joyful years as a singing professional. I like to think that perhaps at some point, l might have inspired a young person to take up the cello, or horn, or...

Indeed, one of the attributes of the Strauss oboe concerto is its almost exclusive insistence on the lyrical. I think that makes it a rather whimsical work.

Hopefully you may have had some luck with inspiring some youngster to pick up some instrument.
The more instrumentalists there are around the better! 

[Roasted Swan]

This was one of the recordings I picked up recently as one of Presto's Naxos hi-res offers;



The sound is good the orchestra play well but I can't say the music has made much of an impact.  This is very much a first impression of course but apart from being well crafted and certainly attractive I must admit to struggling to hear much musical substance.  Anyone out there to bang the Groven drum and tell me what I am missing!?

Two other chairty shop bargains I did enjoy;



Easy to just stick Handley in the "British-music-expert" box but this shows he was so much more than that.  Also, this is a vintage Chandos recording from their early days of using the Ulster Orchestra in the Ulster Hall in Belfast.  Actually NOT quite as detailed as some - the timpani lack a little bite and the joyful trumpet figurations at the end of Carnival Overture don't cut through as well as they do say with Ancerl.  But its still a great listen.

Likewise the Domingo/Milnes recital.  Very early in their respective careers and a dedicated recital recording NOT a cobbled together compilation from complete opera recordings.  They both did have tremendous voices in their pomps and also they clearly spark off eachother.  All round a very enjoyable listen - Pearl Fishers is nothing special - Domingo just sounds wrong but all the Verdi is great

[Madiel]

This was one of the recordings I picked up recently as one of Presto's Naxos hi-res offers;



The sound is good the orchestra play well but I can't say the music has made much of an impact.  This is very much a first impression of course but apart from being well crafted and certainly attractive I must admit to struggling to hear much musical substance.  Anyone out there to bang the Groven drum and tell me what I am missing!?

Two other chairty shop bargains I did enjoy;



Easy to just stick Handley in the "British-music-expert" box but this shows he was so much more than that.  Also, this is a vintage Chandos recording from their early days of using the Ulster Orchestra in the Ulster Hall in Belfast.  Actually NOT quite as detailed as some - the timpani lack a little bite and the joyful trumpet figurations at the end of Carnival Overture don't cut through as well as they do say with Ancerl.  But its still a great listen.

Likewise the Domingo/Milnes recital.  Very early in their respective careers and a dedicated recital recording NOT a cobbled together compilation from complete opera recordings.  They both did have tremendous voices in their pomps and also they clearly spark off eachother.  All round a very enjoyable listen - Pearl Fishers is nothing special - Domingo just sounds wrong but all the Verdi is great

Nice, it's rare to see the Dvorak triple overture actually done together.

[Lisztianwagner]

First listen to:

Ralph Vaughan Williams
Violin Sonata

https://www.youtube.com/v/1yIyVwfBAQ0

[Traverso]

Hildegard von Bingen