What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

Morning listening: last disc of this Pachelbel set by Simone Stella:



Harpsichord works (IV)

An excellent set, well played and an interesting journey through a lot of music that was new to me. Stella does equally well in the organ and harpsichord pieces. Clearly, Pachelbel's keyboard music has been grossly neglected.
If only the organ pieces would have performed on a wide range of historical organs, this would have absolutely perfect. But that is a minor quibble.

[vandermolen]

A bracing and inspirational start to the day!
Copland: A Lincoln Portrait
Katharine Hepburn (Speaker)
Cincinnati Pops Orch.
Erich Kunzel
A very fine version in a most interesting Copland collection:

[Harry]

J.S. Bach.
Complete Cantatas.
Volume 38, Leipzig 1726-27.
Solo Cantatas.
Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht, for Soprano and BC.
Ich Habe Genug, for Bass and BC.
Ich Armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht for Tenor and BC
Ach Gott, wire manches Herzeleid, for Soprano and Bass, BC.
Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki.
Sampson, Turk, Kooij.


A fine exposé of these beautiful Cantatas. Sampson is certainly a valuable part of Suzuki's ensemble.

[Irons]

George Dyson
Violin Concerto
Children's Suite

Lydia Mordkovitch, violin
City of London Sinfonia - Richard Hickox

VS

A concerto I have a fondness for.

Current listening.

Grieg: Holberg Suite.

[Harry]

George Dyson
Violin Concerto
Children's Suite

Lydia Mordkovitch, violin
City of London Sinfonia - Richard Hickox

VS

Also one of my favourite recordings with Mordkovitch, a much lamented violinist. I took me some time to realize this, but when I sensed her passion I bought almost all her recordings. Dyson was one of the first in that line.

[vandermolen]

Also one of my favourite recordings with Mordkovitch, a much lamented violinist. I took me some time to realize this, but when I sensed her passion I bought almost all her recordings. Dyson was one of the first in that line.

Very much agree Harry.

TD
Bernstein: Jeremiah Symphony (St Louis SO, Merriman/Bernstein)

[Harry]

New arrival, first listen.

Barbingant.
Missa Terriblement, a 3.
Johannes Tinctoris.
Missa Sine Nomine 1, a 3.
Beauty Farm.

Although I like the Barbingant Missa, my favourite would be Tinctoris. There is much more balance in the composition, and somehow the interaction between the singers is more integrated. All three voices are audible without stress on the text. Barbingant has a more agitated expression, and is sung with a certain amount of vehemence. You need a very low volume setting, in my case 2, which is extremely low, put it any louder and it will bite you hard in you ear. I never encountered a recording which was recorded on such a high volume setting. Still a very fine release, for the music is extraordinary.

[Spotted Horses]

The Gatti Debussy is... OK.  I picked it up for literally a buck when I was last at Princeton.  You get La Mer, Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune, and Images.  The sound is good, the performances are a bit tame, particularly in La Mer, though I admit this was my first listen.  I will probably hang onto it, but I wouldn't advise paying full price for it with all the competition out there...

Thanks for the comments. I have a lot of recordings of that repertoire, so would only be tempted if it was truly extraordinary.

[vandermolen]

Tcherepnin (Nikolai) 'Narcisse et Echo'

[Operafreak]

E Toussaint: Orchestral and Concertante Works-Jaime Marquez (guitar), Mercedes Gomez (harp), Roberto Kolb (oboe), Alberto Cruzprieto (piano)

Camerata de las Americas, Jesus Medina

[Traverso]

Bach

[Florestan]

Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847) - Complete Piano Works w/ Anna-Marija Markovina - new arrival today from JPC, and still on sale there for half-price! (LINK) - 12 disc set; she performs on a Bösendorfer Imperial piano - a lot of research by many went into this project; Markovina wrote the excellent booklet notes - reviews attached, if interested.  Dave

 

Hi, Dave! Coincidentally, yesterday I listened to the 1st disc. Pretty impressive music for a kid of 11. Echoes from Bach, Handel and Beethoven but wrapped in a modern (for that time) sensibility and expressed in a personal language which frankly doesn't sound like anyone else from that time. Some pieces have very good ideas and in a blind test I doubt that many listeners would guess the composer, let alone his age. Markovina plays with sensitivity and committment and the  Bösendorfer Imperial sounds great. This is the beginning of a beautiful journey.

[Todd]

[foxandpeng]

Arthur Honegger
Symphonies 1 - 5
Pacific 231
Michel Plasson
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
Warner Classics

Fifth or sixth run through of these symphonies in the last few days. Better today, and more enjoyable. Final movement of #3, particularly. Holmboe is right in his 'Enjoying Music'... context is everything. Coffee and snacks alongside the music and fewer distractions has helped. My work colleagues might disagree, however!

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (original 1913 version - only recording) LSO, Hickox
The last movement is quite extraordinary in this version.

[vandermolen]

Arthur Honegger
Symphonies 1 - 5
Pacific 231
Michel Plasson
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
Warner Classics

Fifth or sixth run through of these symphonies in the last few days. Better today, and more enjoyable. Final movement of #3, particularly. Holmboe is right in his 'Enjoying Music'... context is everything. Coffee and snacks alongside the music and fewer distractions has helped. My work colleagues might disagree, however!

That's a fine set Danny; from the same forces who introduced me to Magnard's symphonies.

[Harry]

Came in today.
Hat tip to Premont and Mandryka, for their helpful support in deciding whether to buy it or not.

Melchior Schildt.
Complete Organ Works.

Delphin Strungk.
Magnificat noni toni, "Meine Seele erhebet den Herren".

Anonymous.

Leon Berben plays on a Hans Scherer organ 1624, St. Stephanus, Tangermünde.
Pitch:A1=486 Hz at 15 c, c. 7/8 tone over normal.
Temperament: Meantone.


As said by Premont, this is a fantastic recording, and by the samples Mandryka provided I was able to ascertain the excellence. I consider Leon Berben's take one of the best. The Hans Scherer organ from 1624 sounds almost out of this world, so beautiful it is.

[Traverso]

Bach

[Harry]

Carl Nielsen.
Symphony No. 4.
Jean Sibelius.
Tapiola.
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan.

[Traverso]

Beethoven


Andante Favori in F major