What are you listening 2 now?

[Operafreak]

Abel, C F: Symphonies (6), Op. 7/ La Stagione Frankfurt, Michael Schneider

[aligreto]

Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra [Pesek]





I always find it interesting to listen to this work.

[aligreto]

It will be another hot day, I've read it's the worst drought in 500 years but thank you for your kind words. Later this day this box will be delivered. 

That is something to look forward to. Enjoy your purchase, Jan. 

[Harry]

Clarinet Trios.

Beethoven-Trio opus 11 in B flat major.
Eduard von Lannoy-Trio opus 15 in B flat major.
Erzherzog Rudolph von Österreich-Trio in E flat major.

Dieter Klöcker, Clarinet.
Guido Schiefen, Cello.
Olof Dreßler, Fortepiano.

Fine and relaxing music on this very hot day. 33° C or 91,40° F.


Dieter Klöcker ist ein Ausnahmemusiker, sowohl was sein Können betrifft als auch seine unablässige Forscherneugier. Wieviele Juwelen – ob mit seinem Consortium Classicum, oder als Solist – hat er nicht schon wiederentdeckt. Dabei hat er aber auch nie einen Bogen um die Werke der großen Klassiker gemacht. Beide Seiten von ihm sind jetzt auf unserer Neueinspielung vertreten: Beethovens Klarinettentrio, das »Gassenhauer-Trio«, wird umrahmt von den gleichbesetzten Trios von Erzherzog Rudolph von Österreich und Eduard von Lannoy. Letzterer entstammte einem alten flandrischen Adelsgeschlecht, lebte und wirkte aber in Wien und war der Lehrer u. a. von Liszt, Donizetti und Moscheles. Sein Trio zeichnet sich durch besondere Eleganz, Grazie und Innigkeit aus. Auch wenn er zu Beginn seiner Karriere Beethovens Werke ablehnte –wahrscheinlich waren sie ihm zu republikanisch! – zeigt das Werk doch deutliche Spuren des großen Meisters. Eine spannende, wundervoll abgeklärt interpretierte CD auf Beethovens Spuren.

[vers la flamme]

^I bet that David Lloyd-Jones (RIP) RVW disc is good.



Johann Sebastian Bach: Clavier-übung III. Matteo Messori

I have no idea what organ he's playing (don't feel like grabbing the liner notes just now to check) but it sounds utterly glorious.

Any fans of this recording out there? This is a first listen for me.

[Traverso]

Stravinsky

[Florestan]

Symphony No. 2

The outer movements are rather generic and unmemorable. The Scherzo features a march-like theme evocative of a gathering of animals in the woods while the Trio is a languorous trumpet cantilena. The slow movement presents an effective comtrast between a lyrical, intimate and serene melody taken in turns or together by strings and winds and a more ominous, even oppressive motif. An interesting if uneven work.



Op. 44/1

This set is quite similar to the Kuijken's Mozart Quintets one: uncompromisingly serious, stern, grim. The approach might work (just might) in the outer movements, giving the lie to any notion that Mendelssohn could not write passionate and dark music --- but it robs the scherzos/minuets of their elfin fleeting, gossamer character and the slow movements of their song-without-words feeling. The net result is very un-Mendelssohnian and rather tiresome, to these ears at least. Other people's mileage may vary.



Grand Concert Fantasy on Rossini's Semiramide

I confess I haven't listened to this opera yet but Thalberg's take on it is anything but Rossinian: it starts in the dreamy atmosphere of Schumann's Of Foreign Lands and People (Kinderszenen No. 1) whith which it even almost shares the main melody, later it goes in a rather Spanish-like mood and eventually ends in an understated, dreamlike coda. I'm intrigued. I must hear the opera asap. Any suggestions for a good recording?

[Spotted Horses]

Martinu: Chamber Music [Dartington Ensemble] - Nonet





What beguiling music there is in the opening movement! I find it to be really engaging and very appealing as well as being very exciting and inventive.
The middle, slow, movement is a total contrast in terms of tempo, tone and atmosphere. Here, we open with a passage in the lower registers of the various instruments. The mood is somewhat sombre and it, by and large, prevails throughout the movement. The tone does change slightly as the music works its way up through the musical registers but that sombre tone does remain throughout.
The tempo, mood and atmosphere all rise in the final movement which sounds something like a variation on a gentle landler to me.
The balance in the scoring is very well done here in a very good recording.

You've reminded me that I have to listen to this music again sometime soon. Much as I enjoy Martinu's orchestral music, I think he really finds his most unique voice in music for small ensembles.

[Harry]

Ludwig van Beethoven.

Mödlinger Tänze and Other Dances.

12 Kontretänze 1-10, WoO 14.*
12 Deutsche Tänze WoO 8.
6 Menuette, WoO 9.
11 Mödlinger Tänze WoO 17. Ascribed to Beethoven.

Kaspar Karl van Beethoven.
Kontretänze WoO 14* No. 11 & 12.

L'Orfeo Barockorchester, Michi Gaigg

A highly amusing and delightful assorti of Light music by Ludwig van Beethoven. No 11 & 12 of the Kontretänze WoO 14 are written by his brother Kaspar Karl van Beethoven.
The performances and sound are first rate.

[Spotted Horses]

Mozart Serenade K375 in E-flat. Zerfiro



I listened to this piece recorded by the Netherland Wind Ensemble as part of my Mozart Serenade and Divertimento listening project. Listening to this alternate recording on period instruments.

The Netherlands Wind Ensemble was beautifully played with great clarity and brilliance. Same here, although what stands out is the wonderful sonority of the valveless horns. The brighter, nasal sonority is thrilling, especially when the horns emerge from the texture with an exposed melody. I have a few other recordings using PI, but I don't want to fall into the comparison trap.

(BTW, I notice someone is offering this set very cheap on Amazon.com marketplace.)

Another note, I've always heard this piece played in its final version for 8 instruments, although I keep reading that the original had only 6 (oboes added later). I wonder if there is a recording of the original somewhere.

[aligreto]

You've reminded me that I have to listen to this music again sometime soon. Much as I enjoy Martinu's orchestral music, I think he really finds his most unique voice in music for small ensembles.

I am finding this to be a terrific set; almost revelatory. I say almost because I have been exposed to some of Martinu's chamber music in the past. I agree, therefore with your assertion regarding his "voice in music for small ensembles".

[Todd]

Marc Minkowski leads French HIPsters.  The Allegro vivace is not especially fast, and the sonics are comparatively dull.  I suppose the gut strings sound a bit different, and the timps sound big, but aside from some obvious point making, and some admittedly nice crescendos, there's not really anything revolutionary here, unless one counts exaggerated swift passages in the slow movement or some extra zippy tempi in the Molto allegro as revolutionary. 

[Spotted Horses]

I am finding this to be a terrific set; almost revelatory. I say almost because I have been exposed to some of Martinu's chamber music in the past. I agree, therefore with your assertion regarding his "voice in music for small ensembles".

My general experience is that more unconventional ensembles that are recorded in this set are make a better impression than the more conventional chamber ensembles (i.e., piano trios, string quartets, etc). I found recordings by Conlon and Hogwood of this music to be brilliant as well.

[San Antone]

Bach: Mass in B Minor (1982)
Joshua Rifkin, The Bach Ensemble



This was not my first HIP B Minor mass, that was Nikolaus Harnoncourt's legendary 1968 box with Concentus Musicus Wien.  I still have sentimental attachment to Harnoncourt's recording, but the audio has not aged well, IMO.  This Joshua Rifkin account along with the Andrew Parrott version which came out two years later, were the earliest OVPP performances I heard and became my standard and preference for Bach vocal works.

[aligreto]

My general experience is that more unconventional ensembles that are recorded in this set are make a better impression than the more conventional chamber ensembles (i.e., piano trios, string quartets, etc). I found recordings by Conlon and Hogwood of this music to be brilliant as well.

Thank you very much for those recommendations. They are much appreciated.

[aligreto]

Magnard: Overture in A maj. Op 10 [Bollon]





I like the various contrasting atmospheres and also the occasional festive nature of this work.

[Todd]

Late 80s Schumann and Dvorak.  The WP plays with less of the wall of sound than the BPO, and the only complaint is the heavy finale to the Schumann.  The Dvorak sounds less "idiomatic" than what some famous Czech conductors may have achieved, but the Adagio displays what works here - a slower than normal take that sounds more beautiful than pretty much any other version. 

[Spotted Horses]

Thank you very much for those recommendations. They are much appreciated.

Your results may vary, of course. Looking at my listening notes, I think I discovered those pieces through the recordings I mentioned, although I also have the Darlington Ensemble release and should put it in the queue to listen soon.

[Harry]

Beethoven.
Piano Sonatas.
CD 48.

No. 26 in E flat major, opus 81a " Les Adieux"
No. 27 in E minor, opus 90.
No. 28 in A major, opus 101.

No. 26, Gerhard Oppitz, Piano.
No. 27 & 28, Charles Rosen.

I was totally flabbergasted by Oppitz interpretation of the "Les Adieux". This lucid narration, and the perfect pace was a true revelation to me. And just the right amount of emotion, though never overstepping it, he brought out an elegance and lightness of touch that held me spellbound, truly.
Charles Rosen's interpretation of 27 & 28 is a more robust stance, missing the poetry Oppitz displayed in abundance. Rosen is firmly bound to earth, and is straightforward in his narrative, though with a steady pace, but overal he is louder and thus more expressive in the movements that defines the music. All in all not bad, but I must checkout more of Oppitz recordings. Sound is good.
This CD came from a big box from Sony Vivarte, released many years ago. Paper sleeves with all info on it. It was a complete set of Beethoven's Oeuvre, of which I threw a quarter in the bin and took the rest out of the box and threw that away as well. Had many wild hairs to shed then.

[Harry]

Beethoven.

Chamber Music for Winds.
Volume I.

Septet opus 20 in E flat major.
Allegro and Menuet for Two Flutes WoO 26 in G major.
Duo No. 1 for Clarinet and Bassoon WoO 27 in C major.
Consortium Classicum.

Absolutely top notch.