What are you listening 2 now?

[Spotted Horses]

Brahms, Symphony No 3, Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra.



The first movement was all I could absorb at one time. Beautifully developed, at a relatively leisurely tempo, luxuriating in some of the harmonies and interplay of inner voices. As Luke said (maybe he wasn't the first) in Brahms every voice sings.

Probably I'll tackle the second and third movements tomorrow.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Bliss's Violin Concerto played by Alfredo Campoli. A big thanks to Lol for mentioning that one on the vinyl thread.  Hadn't heard it before (nor, sorry to say of Mr. Campoli), but wow, it was electrifying!  You can hear a fine upload here if you're curious:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apagJNE7nHQ

PD

[Florestan]

Anyone else notice there's something clearly wrong with that piano? 

[Papy Oli]

Trying some random works out of my usual musical "comfort zones"

Iannis Xenakis – Syrmos (1959) - Johannes Kalitzke, Ensemble Resonanz
Karlheinz Stockhausen – Zyklus (Work No. 9) - Tristan Fry (Percussion)

Also selected some Nono, Berio, Gaibadulina, Carter, Henze, Eotvos, Kurtag etc.. on Idagio.

All composers new to me

[vandermolen]

Pounds the table! A blockbuster of a symphony! Btw, have you noticed the similarity between the scherzos of Casella's 2nd and Tubin's 3rd? It struck me upon revisiting the Tubin recently.

No Kyle but I'll look out for that!

[vandermolen]

For an article I'm writing to be published on Election Day (!), exploring versions of Copland's A Lincoln Portrait (which I hadn't heard in years). Among many fine versions, this one is quite good, with Adlai Stevenson, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Eugene Ormandy. Considering it was released in 1965, the sonics are great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRB5CWRxPtQ

-Bruce

It's my favourite version! However, it was the first one I knew, taken out of my local record Library in London. It was my first encounter with Ives's '3 Places in New England' as well.

[Operafreak]

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D959 and D960-Krystian Zimerman (piano)

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D959 and D960-Krystian Zimerman (piano)

How did you find them to be OF?  The only recordings that I have with Zimerman are the set that he did of Debussy's Preludes (which I love).

PD

[bhodges]

It's my favourite version! However, it was the first one I knew, taken out of my local record Library in London. It was my first encounter with Ives's '3 Places in New England' as well.

Wow, what a coincidence! What others do you like, if any? I can't reference all of them, but at the moment, planning to include the one with Copland himself narrating, as well as Katharine Hepburn for a little gender equality.

-Bruce

[Lisztianwagner]

Don't know that performance, but what a ravishingly beautiful work!

Agreed, such a thrillingly poetical, atmospheric symphonic poem, my favourite Bax' work (although I admit I haven't listened to much from Bax yet). It's an excellent performance in my opinion, very immersive, as a matter of fact, I think the Elder/Hallé recordings of English composers are very, very fine.

[vandermolen]

Wow, what a coincidence! What others do you like, if any? I can't reference all of them, but at the moment, planning to include the one with Copland himself narrating, as well as Katharine Hepburn for a little gender equality.

-Bruce

Hi Bruce,
With that old CBS/Sony LP it was both the orchestral introduction (Ormandy) and Adlai Stevenson's narration which impressed me greatly (and the great cover photo). I never heard Copland narrating himself. As to others, I don't like the famous Henry Fonda recording, Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston are better and I like Abravanel's accompaniment on the latter. I also liked Katharine Hepburn. With James Earl Jones I couldn't get away from the fact that Abraham Lincoln's immortal words sounded like they were being delivered by Darth Vader. I couldn't bear to listen to the one narrated by Mrs Thatcher (I'd probably have thrown up) much the same goes for 'Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf. I did like a historic recording with Carl Sandburg. So, Stevenson, Hepburn, Sandburg and probably 'Ben Hur' are my favourites. The Lincoln Portrait may, in some ways, be a piece of kitsch and full of non-sequiturs but I am very fond of it and it never fails to move me. 

PS the Dutton CD below includes the Carl Sandburg/Koussevitsky/Boston SO version of the 'Lincoln Portrait' although it's not mentioned on the front of the disc. The CD seems to still be available very cheaply and is a must for the (by far) greatest recording of Howard Hanson's 3rd symphony on disc:

[Traverso]

Villa-Lobos


Guitar Works

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Vienna version, The USSR  Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra

[Irons]

Bliss's Violin Concerto played by Alfredo Campoli. A big thanks to Lol for mentioning that one on the vinyl thread.  Hadn't heard it before (nor, sorry to say of Mr. Campoli), but wow, it was electrifying!  You can here a fine upload here if you're curious:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apagJNE7nHQ

PD

Good one, PD!

[Todd]

[Traverso]

Bach


CD 1

[SimonNZ]

[Linz]

Another Bruckner 1 a download abruckner.com Sawallisch Bruckner Symphony No. 1 Linz version Vienna Symphony Orchestra

[Que]

[Florestan]

Que listening to non-HIP Mozart! The end is near.