What are you listening 2 now?

[Operafreak]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52/ Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63


    Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra-    Klaus Mäkelä

[aligreto]

Magnard: Chant funèbre, Op. 9 [Bollon]





I find this to be a very fine and quite a lyrical and atmospheric work with very fine orchestration. It is a very engaging and appealing listen. I find the counterpoint to be of particular note in the scoring.

[aligreto]

Slowly chipping away at this one. I am getting used to his sound, it feels less harsh than the earlier CDs.

Different organs and/or locations perhaps?
I cannot remember the details of that set.

Either way, great that you are enjoying it.

[Lisztianwagner]

Anton Bruckner
Symphony No.3

[Que]

Fun, virtuosic yet a bit formulaic music in varied instrumental settings and in examplary performances.
But why did I buy this again?    In this era of streaming this is an enjoyable hour of excellent music making, and then you move on... 

It's the superb performances by the Parnassi Musici that really make this recording.

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/CPO_777-543-2.html

[Lisztianwagner]

Very nice, I haven't heard much of Karajan's Bruckner, but I do like his "zen" approach to the music.

I'm quite the opposite, when I want to listen to Bruckner, Karajan is always my first choice. I especially love how he handles the brass, they always have a clear, refined yet powerful, stately sound in his recordings.

I need to spend some time with that box.

Good to hear that, Karl. 

[Biffo]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 8 in D minor - Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin

[aligreto]

Britten: Sinfonia Da Requiem [Pesek] [Pesek]





This is an intense work and this is a performance that is filled with intensity throughout. The music is mostly on the dark side in the opening movement, with a disconcerting element to it. The central movement is Scherzo-like and the music has a definite edge to it; it is also filled with tension. The final movement has a rather bleak tone to it which is enhanced by the relatively sparse scoring. Pesek imbues this presentation overall with an atmosphere that readily reflects these tones throughout.

[Harry]

Mischa Spolianksy: Symphony in Five Movements

Superb!

[Harry]

Luigi Boccherini.

CD I from V.

Overture (Sinfonia) in D major.
Cello concerto, No. 3 in D major & No. 11 in C major.
Octet (Divertimento Notturno) in G major.

Anner Bijlsma, Cello.
Tafelmusik, Jeanne Lamon.

[Operafreak]

Vivaldi, Leclair, Locatelli: Violin Concertos- Théotime Langlois de Swarte, Les Ombres

[vers la flamme]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232. Karl Richter, Münchener Bach-Chor und Orchester

I just love this recording so much. I know some people think it's too slow, or too serious, but it doesn't come off that way to me. It just sounds like great singing and great playing, everything sounds just right.

[Harry]

John Blow.

Venus & Adonis.
A Masque for the entertainment of the King.

Cupid-Nancy Argenta.
Venus-Lynne Dawson.
Adonis-Stephen Varcoe.

Emily van Evera, John Mark Ainsley, Charles Daniel, Gordon Jones, Rogers Covey-Crump.
Choir London Baroque, Charles Medlam.

[Todd]

Karl Böhm in Berlin.  The opening Allegro vivace sounds zippier than HIPsters even try for and more precise than Abbado would want, happily propelling through to the coda.  All the movements sound faster than average, and the very narrow interpretive approach pays dividends with the energy levels, though subtlety is in short supply.  Superb.

[aligreto]

Arnold: Symphony No. 5 [Penny]





I really like the opening section of the first movement. I find the orchestration to be wonderfully engaging and inventive. The tone and atmosphere are also very engaging; lyrical but disconcerting without being overly menacing. The music has an edge to it with plenty of drama and tension along the way and Penny presents it very well. It really is such a wonderful piece of music.
The slow movement is a rich and opulent piece of pastoral writing. I find it to be quite evocative. The orchestration and the musical language are both very engaging. Approximately half way through this movement we hit a very menacing passage and the scoring for the brass and woodwinds is particularly wonderful.
The third movement is an animated and inventive, scherzo-like movement that is full of energy and drive. There is also an element of quirky humour in this music alone with more tension and drama for added interest.
The final movement is also an animated affair which has a militaristic element with the presence of a fife led march and blazoning trumpets. It appears that we are being led into battle here. Penny is certainly up for the challenge here and delivers an almost rumbustious presentation of the music. The final section is a wonderful conclusion filled with both glory and serenity.

[San Antone]

One Hundred Years of Great Artists At the Met: The Gatti-Casazza Years Vol.2, 1921-1935
Bohnen, Bori, Chaliapin, Crooks, Flagstad, Galli-Curzi, Melchior, Pons, and more.



I am no expert, but these singers sound much better than those of today.      

This could have been my very first opera purchase, an LP twofer that I bought at the Met store in the early '80s when I was first getting interested in opera.  I also bought another one, the Johnson years 1935-1950. 

Before buying this record I had gone to the NY Public Library (which had an amazing record collection) and would check out several operas at a time and transfer them onto cassettes (they were pretty scratched but rarely skipped).  For decades I carried them around with me in six box/trays before gradually replacing them with CDs.

After getting these LPs out of mothballs, I have decided to find the other installments since they are so good.  The audio restoration is first rate.

[Operafreak]

Vivaldi- Harriet Krijgh (cello)-Amsterdam Sinfonietta

[Harry]

Orazio Benevolo. (1605-1672)

Dixit Dominus.
Laetatus Sum.
Miserere.
Magnificat,
Missa Azzolina.

Le Concert Spirituel, Herve Niquet.

The last time I have listen to this CD is as far back as 1997. I had a good impression of this performance, beautifully recorded by a coryfee in the business Manuel Mohino (Musica Numeris) As to the music, I have a few things to say. The Missa is really a accomplished piece of writing, but it does not really catch my imagination. The fact that we have very good performers makes it quite interesting to listen to, nevertheless. A bit academic yes, but not entirely bloodless. The choral sound can be at times a bit unfocused. But well worth having.

[Karl Henning]

Yes! In contrast to the disappointing performance of Mahler 8, one of the best concerts I went to in Philadelphia (conducted by Yannick) was Prokofiev Piano Concerto 2 (with Bronfman), followed by Shostakovich 4. I was sitting in the choir seats, and it was LOUD.

What a blast! (Probably literally.)

TD:
Almost eleven years I've owned this box, and this may be the first I'm listening to this CD

Luigi Nono
Como una ola de fuerza y luz
for soprano, piano, orchestra and tape
Slavka Taskova, sop
Bavarian Radio Symphony
Claudio Abbado

sofferte onde serene ...
for piano and magnetic tape

Giacomo Manzoni
Masse: Omaggio a Edgard Varèse
Berliner Philharmoniker
Giuseppe Sinopoli

[Todd]

Wrapping up a Mozart morning with the last of the Armida's Mozart.  It's basically perfect.  2022 sees the delivery of a wholly acceptable Mozart String Quartet cycle.  Outstanding.