What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Verdi: Nabucco

A simply superb recording, one of the most defined, potent and clear I've ever heard of any opera. However, there is too much of bass-drum and cymbals!! It's really loud.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Remembering Duke Ellington. RTE Concert Orchestra, Dublin.

[aligreto]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 [Celibidache]





The opening phrase is like a gentle clarion call to come to listen to the joys that are about to be unfolded. Bruckner builds up the tension and drama in the opening stages of the first movement and Celibidache enables this by allowing the music to unfold very naturally.

Everything in this presentation, I find, is gentle yet powerful and expansive and incisive without being harsh or totally overpowering. The music feels both expansive and yet it also moves along at a fair pace. This, I suppose, is testament to Celibidache's great control and understanding of the music's architecture.

The orchestra sounds terrific in a great recording. The vast dynamics of this work are adequately dealt with, from the most hushed pianissimo to the most powerful brass fanfare passages. I also find that the passages featuring the woodwind section are handled very sensitively. There is also a great sense of emotion imbued throughout the presentation without it ever descending into sentimentality. The slow movement is an example of this where it sounds rich and opulent.

There is a fine sense of passion throughout the presentation, both overt and implicit [Celibidache's way of allowing the music to breathe gives emphasis to this]. I also find that it has a wonderful contemplative tone to it and it definitely deserves to be listened to.

[aligreto]

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.

Yes, these things are always subjective. I am sure, however, that the three sets mentioned now would make for an interesting listening project.

[SimonNZ]

On the radio: Kovacevich's Waldstein.

This is particularly welcome as since I've been reacquiring Kovacevich's Beethoven PS series (my desert island pick for these works) the Waldstein disc is the one I'm still missing.

[Irons]

Arnold: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano.

Malcolm Arnold interests me greatly. I love the Dances but somehow have not got a handle on the Symphonies. It can be the case that, for me anyway, chamber music is the best way into a composer. The Trio, not eccentric Arnold which I enjoyed very much despite, or more likely because of being conventional. Special mention to the middle Andante movement, I found this poignant and no idea why - a sure sign of a gifted composer. 

[Todd]

Revisiting some Gieseking.



Scriabin sonatas 3, 5, and 9.  The Third is rushed but conventional, but the Fifth sounds reckless, sloppy, ill-prepared, and raggedly exciting.  The Ninth, at less than six minutes, starts slow then rushes headlong through the rest in slapdash fashion.



Schumann's Fantasie.  Not top form playing, with the free-wheeling spirit, and some slips and spills, that characterize so many of Gieseking's recordings.  His version on Tahra remains one of my favorites, and while this is not as good as that, it has its moments.



The 78s Preludes.  Quicker than his later recordings, the pieces never sound rushed and Gieseking is pretty much spot on.  The transfers are good enough that this is my preferred Gieseking set, though it was not envisioned as a complete cycle.  I do eagerly await the '51 tape recordings to hear what those sound like.

Like with Kempff and Cortot, one forgives Gieseking for his slips and memory lapses, though with Gieseking there is more often a sense of him just sitting there and having a go with no preparation at all. 

[Traverso]

On the radio: Kovacevich's Waldstein.

This is particularly welcome as since I've been reacquiring Kovacevich's Beethoven PS series (my desert island pick for these works) the Waldstein disc is the one I'm still missing.

These Beethoven sonatas are impressive,he has great affinity with Beethoven

[aligreto]

Martinu: Chamber Music [Dartington Ensemble] - Trio in F





This is something more of a conventional work from Martinu in that it is for a straightforward scoring for a flute trio [flute, piano and violin]. However, the musical language is very inventive and engaging. I find that the music is very light, bright and lyrical in the outer movements while the slow movement has a touch of yearning and melancholy to it. It is very appealing.

[aligreto]

Arnold: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano.

Malcolm Arnold interests me greatly. I love the Dances but somehow have not got a handle on the Symphonies. It can be the case that, for me anyway, chamber music is the best way into a composer. The Trio, not eccentric Arnold which I enjoyed very much despite, or more likely because of being conventional. Special mention to the middle Andante movement, I found this poignant and no idea why - a sure sign of a gifted composer.

Arnold is a composer that I have only recently "discovered". I am working my way through his symphonic cycle at the moment. I have been very impressed with and excited about what I have heard so far. I would intend to follow up with his chamber music at a later stage. I will watch out for that album in due course.

[Karl Henning]

In one of my Lyft vehicles today, I heard the very end of La Mer.

[Symphonic Addict]

Arnold: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano.

Malcolm Arnold interests me greatly. I love the Dances but somehow have not got a handle on the Symphonies. It can be the case that, for me anyway, chamber music is the best way into a composer. The Trio, not eccentric Arnold which I enjoyed very much despite, or more likely because of being conventional. Special mention to the middle Andante movement, I found this poignant and no idea why - a sure sign of a gifted composer.

The Hyperion (Helios) CDs of his chamber music contain many other interesting pieces (including that Piano Trio). Do you know/have them?

[JBS]

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?

Dreamy and understated are not the adjectives I would use for the opera itself.
The only recording I have is the one with Sutherland.

But that Thalberg set is very good.


TD

[Mandryka]

though with Gieseking there is more often a sense of him just sitting there and having a go with no preparation at all.

Yes I think this is exactly what was happening.

[Operafreak]

Schoenberg & Brahms: Violin Concertos- Jack Liebeck (violin), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Gourlay

[Que]

Morning listening:



Organ works (II)

It is a pity that Brilliant, presumably for budgetary reasons, didn't opt for a array of historical German organs.

But the Italian/Slovenian built German Baroque style instrument used here sounds pretty good and authentic.

[Harry]

Morning listening:



Organ works (II)

It is a pity that Brilliant, presumably for budgetary reasons, didn't opt for a array of historical German organs.

But the Italian/Slovenian built German Baroque style instrument used here sounds pretty good and authentic.

Then the CPO series would be a good choice for you, if you want Historic organs a plenty.
Good morning in this somewhat cooler day.

[Harry]

Fairest Work of Happy Nature.

Songs and keyboard music by John Blow.

John Mark Ainsley, Tenor.
Timothy Roberts, Spinet, Harpsichord, chamber Organ.
Paula Chateauneuf, Theorbo, Baroque Guitar.

A delightful series with refreshing music for the morning. All is well done, but the Tenor is somewhat to close to the microphone, which means adjusting the volume all the time.

[Que]

Then the CPO series would be a good choice for you, if you want Historic organs a plenty.
Good morning in this somewhat cooler day.

The quality of playing is more important. 
But different historical organs would have been a big bonus, provided that they're well recorded. A good example is my favourite Buxtehude cycle by Ablitzer on a nice selection of Alsatian and German organs.
But no complaints about the organ used, and it is well recorded

[Harry]

The quality of playing is more important. 
But different historical organs would have been a big bonus, provided that they're well recorded. A good example is my favourite Buxtehude cycle by Ablitzer on a nice selection of Alsatian and German organs.
But no complaints about the organ used, and it is well recorded

Agreed. In that respect the organs on the CPO Discs are well recorded. It is also true that the organists are not always satisfying, so my draw in eventually were the organs.
Stella is however excellent on all discs, and very well recorded indeed.