What are you listening 2 now?

[Daverz]

Second listen.  This is a fine Prokofiev 5th, and the sonics are excellent, transparent and with deep bass.

[vandermolen]

Symphony No.3 was incredible, now:

William Alwyn
Symphony No.2

Richard Hickox & London Symphony Orchestra

No.2 was Alwyn's own favourite and I can see why. It is the one time IMO where Alwyn's Lyrita performance is superior to Hickox's one on Chandos (although that is very good as well).

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.9 in D major. Leonard Bernstein, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

First listen to this recording. It's very, very good so far. Huge climaxes—too huge for some fans, I gather—even the little build-ups that come along at varying times throughout the first movement sound absolutely massive. AMAZING playing from the Concertgebouw, which makes me wonder why I don't have much, much more of the Concertgebouw playing Mahler on disc. They probably sound better than any other orchestra in this repertoire. I don't know that this will become my "reference" recording for this symphony, but I am glad to have it.

[Que]

AMAZING playing from the Concertgebouw, which makes me wonder why I don't have much, much more of the Concertgebouw playing Mahler on disc. They probably sound better than any other orchestra in this repertoire.

Yes, indeed they do...

[DavidW]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.9 in D major. Leonard Bernstein, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

First listen to this recording. It's very, very good so far. Huge climaxes—too huge for some fans, I gather—even the little build-ups that come along at varying times throughout the first movement sound absolutely massive. AMAZING playing from the Concertgebouw, which makes me wonder why I don't have much, much more of the Concertgebouw playing Mahler on disc. They probably sound better than any other orchestra in this repertoire. I don't know that this will become my "reference" recording for this symphony, but I am glad to have it.

That is my second favorite Mahler 9.  My favorite is Chailly... which is also again the RCO!  If you want a contrast to that Bernstein recording, imo I recommend Boulez.

[classicalgeek]

Finally had a little (emphasis on little) time to listen during the workday:

Stravinsky
Symphony of Psalms
various choirs
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Neeme Järvi
(on Spotify)




Dukas
Piano sonata in E-flat minor
Vincenzo Maltempo, piano
(on Spotify)



An impressive, large-scale work with which I wasn't too familiar!

[VonStupp]

John Cage
Hymns and Variations (on William Billings)
Five
Four²
Four⁶
Latvian Radio Choir - Sigvards Kļava

Terrific singing, but not everyday listening, at least for me. The 30-minute final piece, provided below, tested me.
VS


John Cage: Choral Works

[Karl Henning]

Maiden-Listen Monday!

Fazil Say
Violin Sonata № 1 (1997)
Friedemann Eichhorn, vn
The Composer, pf

I get to hear some of this composer's music live Friday evening, so I thought I'd do some prior listening.

[vers la flamme]

That is my second favorite Mahler 9.  My favorite is Chailly... which is also again the RCO!  If you want a contrast to that Bernstein recording, imo I recommend Boulez.

I've got the Boulez/Chicago too. I listened to it on New Year's Day. I ought to listen again. It really is a contrast, at least tempo wise; the adagio in Lenny's recording is a full eight minutes longer than the Boulez. I have not heard the Chailly, but I do really like what I've heard of his Mahler (not much: just the Wunderhorn-Lieder and the 10th, but they're both great).

Edit: Listening now, I realize that the length of the finale is really just that Lenny takes the string fade-out at the very end, which usually takes about two minutes, and stretches it to something like eight minutes. The rest of the finale is really not all that much slower than most other recordings I've heard.

[DavidW]

I've got the Boulez/Chicago too. I listened to it on New Year's Day. I ought to listen again. It really is a contrast, at least tempo wise; the adagio in Lenny's recording is a full eight minutes longer than the Boulez. I have not heard the Chailly, but I do really like what I've heard of his Mahler (not much: just the Wunderhorn-Lieder and the 10th, but they're both great).

Edit: Listening now, I realize that the length of the finale is really just that Lenny takes the string fade-out at the very end, which usually takes about two minutes, and stretches it to something like eight minutes. The rest of the finale is really not all that much slower than most other recordings I've heard.

Oh yes that Bernstein III is a monster in length.  Most performances clock in at 26-28 minutes in the finale.  Funny enough the recording that introduced me to the work (Walter, '38) takes it in only 18 minutes!  The strings play with almost no vibrato as well.

[Karl Henning]

Maiden-Listen Monday!

Alexandre Tansman
String Quartet № 2 (1922)
Silesian  String Quartet

[Symphonic Addict]

Hartmann: Symphonische Hymnen

Quite likely my favorite work by him. Powerful stuff.

[Todd]

More home run Brahms from the Prazak.

[JBS]

Third listen


I assume @Florestan has this on his shopping list already.

[Symphonic Addict]

Maiden-Listen Monday!

Alexandre Tansman
String Quartet № 2 (1922)
Silesian  String Quartet

Some of these quartets are dynamite!

[foxandpeng]

Wojciech Kilar
Lament
September Symphony
Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and Choir

Insomnia companion for the small hours. These are very satisfying.

[Mapman]

Maiden-Listen Monday
Hotteterre: Trio Sonata in e minor, Op. 3/4
Les Eléments

Two flutes and continuo. Not the sort of music that I typically listen to, but a nice change of pace. (I find that my appreciation of counterpoint increases over time.)

[Symphonic Addict]

Robert Kahn (1865-1951): Piano Trios Nos. 1 and 2

Beautiful music, beautifully played. The style of this composer is akin to that of Ludwig Thuille.

[Symphonic Addict]

Finally I got around to listening to the whole disc. Death on the Pale Horse drew my attention the most.




Lyatoshynsky: Symphony No. 2

Intensity and lushness galore: a gripping combination. My favorite Lyatoshynsky disc.

[Roasted Swan]

A couple of Charity Shop recent acquisitions.  First;



I like these early Levine recordings very much (I understand why some cannot get past his non-musical past).  The Chicago SO absolutely blaze - its a genuinely thrilling performance and goes right to the top of the pile of my favourite non-Russian versions.

Then;



which I had on a cassette but nothing else.  Goodness me these Jarvi/SNO/Chandos discs were just superb in every respect.  Great sound, great playing and firey characterful interpretations.  Apart from the familiar Kije this is a bit of a pick-up programme filling in gaps in the rest of the Chandos/Prokofiev series.  But what tremendous gaps!  The whole programme is excellent; the String Andante and the early Autumn are really worth hearing.  And The Stone Flower derserves to be much better known - a worthy companion ballet to sit alongside Romeo & Juliet or Cinderella I reckon......