What are you listening 2 now?

[Lisztianwagner]

Exquisite!

Agreed, I've been positively impressed by Ashkenazy's Verklärte Nacht, it's certainly an intense, passionately fiery recording. I don't think he recorded other Schönberg's works, but it would have been very interesting to listen to Pelleas und Melisande or the Piano Concerto performed by him.

[Roasted Swan]

PI Tchaikovsky
Symphony 5 in e minor, op. 64
Francesca da Rimini, Fantasy-Overture, op. 32
USSR Radio SO - Vladimir Fedoseyev (Sym)
Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov (Rimini)

When I buy CD's used from Amazon, Discogs, or EBay, there is the occasional perk of receiving bonus recordings from sellers. I assume these are products that are tough to push, such as club recordings. This is one of those, with no barcode or dates.

I love that fat clarinet sound from the USSR ensemble in the 5th Symphony that works particularly well in the opening and finale. The only letdown are the solos in mvt. 2 which could use refinement. The sonics are remarkable from what I was expecting.

The intensity meter is set to very high in Ovchinnikov's Francesca. The sound is wiry and strident, but boy is it exciting! Also, I love Tchaikovsky sitting in front of what I assume are birch trees on the cover.
VS

That exact disc was released in the UK on Olympia



The Francesca da Rimini is possibly my favourite version ever - it just blazes.  Next to that Fedoseyev's Symphonies are pretty bland (excepting the old Soviet sound which I love).  generally I find Fedoseyev to be a bit dull.

[vers la flamme]

Luciano Berio: Sinfonia. Péter Eötvös, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, London Voices

This recording is soooooo goooood. As for the music itself, it's definitely one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century, in my book. I have always found it incredibly moving; indeed, it has brought me to tears in the past, and I find it so emotionally affecting that I can't listen to it but every once in a while.

[VonStupp]

That exact disc was released in the UK on Olympia



The Francesca da Rimini is possibly my favourite version ever - it just blazes.  Next to that Fedoseyev's Symphonies are pretty bland (excepting the old Soviet sound which I love).  generally I find Fedoseyev to be a bit dull.

They are performances I wouldn't have heard otherwise, so I am glad to have found Francesca at the least. I agree the Soviet quality is the main allure in the symphony, but it fails the work in other places where loudness isn't the key.
VS

[San Antone]

Stravinsky : The Soldier's Tale
Robert Craft, Columbia Syhpnoy Winds, Jeremy Irons



This among my favorite recordings of one of my favorite works.  Mainly because it is in English, and I can follow the story.  But the playing is excellent, IMO.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Alfredo Casella: La Giara. Marco Balderi & Orchestra I.C.O. Lecce.

[brewski]

Berio: Sinfonia - Trying to answer a query from @vers la flamme, I found this 2016 recording with Eduardo Leandro (an excellent conductor, well known in NYC new music circles), with the superb vocalists Roomful of Teeth, and the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra. All do an outstanding job, and it's some kind of credit that a university orchestra would even think of programming this piece. (I guess by now, it's a classic.)

-Bruce

[brewski]

Luciano Berio: Sinfonia. Péter Eötvös, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, London Voices

This recording is soooooo goooood. As for the music itself, it's definitely one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century, in my book. I have always found it incredibly moving; indeed, it has brought me to tears in the past, and I find it so emotionally affecting that I can't listen to it but every once in a while.

I agree, a marvelous recording (which I haven't heard in awhile, since it came out) and I also affirm "one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century." Love that it affects you so deeply.

-Bruce

[Cato]

Francesca da Rimini, Fantasy-Overture, op. 32
USSR Radio SO - Vladimir Fedoseyev (Sym)
Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov (Rimini)


The intensity meter is set to very high in Ovchinnikov's Francesca. The sound is wiry and strident, but boy is it exciting! Also, I love Tchaikovsky sitting in front of what I assume are birch trees on the cover.
VS

Remember that Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov was also a marvelous composer!

e.g.

[Symphonic Addict]

h/t to Cesar!

Giorgio Ghedini
Appunti per un Credo
Musica notturne
Studi per un affresco di battaglia
Orchestra della Toscana
Daniele Rustioni
(on Spotify)



This was one of only a few Ghedini orchestral music recordings that I could find on Spotify - figured I'd give it a try. The music is quite compelling - angular and craggy, but still tonal. I'd like to hear it in a better performance - the regional Italian orchestra tries their best, but their playing is just subpar, especially in the strings.

Curious, personally I didn't find the performances lacking important accomplishment. The performances on the Naxos CD I posted the other day are definitely better.

[Symphonic Addict]

Lajtha: String Trio No. 2

This was the Trio that hadn't been recorded before, and what an impressive piece it is. The 2nd and 4th movements were specially outstanding. The playing is fully committed too.

[Mapman]

Maiden-Listen Monday!
Martucci: Symphony #2
d'Avalos: Philharmonia

This symphony has a lot of originality, but is not particularly melodically memorable. The scherzo is especially unusual. I'd need to get to know this symphony better to make more of a conclusion about it: I suspect that the motivic development is quite interesting, but hard to follow on a first listen. The recording quality isn't the best, and it's hard to pick out individual lines. I think the woodwinds get a bit buried.

[Symphonic Addict]

CD 1 (out of 2) with String Quartets in A minor and D minor. Where had these quartets been all my life? I had never paid attention to this composer before and glad I finally did, this is wonderful music. The SQ in A minor is so melodic, a superb creation. These works reminded me of Cherubini's quartets. So much magnificent music waiting for being discovered!

[vandermolen]

Allan Pettersson: Symphony No.9. Sergiu Comissiona, Göteborgs Symfoniker

First listen. So far so good. I've heard this work is the place where a lot of people get off the Pettersson train. I'll see how far I make it. This recording is substantially longer than any other of the 9th: 85 minutes long vs the 70 of the Lindberg BIS recording. I wonder how this is possible, as it doesn't sound particularly slow. But then I haven't heard any of the others.

I haven't got me head round No.9 yet but I love the Klassic Haus cover!

TD
Bax: Symphony No.1
This is my favourite CD in the Lyrita British symphonies boxed set, featuring the Bax and Rubbra's 4th Symphony as well as Rawsthorne's 'Symphonic Studies' (arguably his greatest work):

[vandermolen]

Remember that Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov was also a marvelous composer!

e.g.

A big thumbs up for Ovchinnikov!
I suspect that you and I are his greatest GMG Forum fans! 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Waxahachie, Texas. 

I've actually met the Meat Church guys and tried their BBQ at an event so this was a real head-turner for me.

Lucky you!  I looked at their website; normally, I wouldn't be salivating for barbecue this early in the morning (the sun hasn't yet risen!).

PD

p.s.  At the moment, just enjoying the sounds of the birds having their morning conversations.  Music in a bit.

[Harry]

Joseph Haydn.
Complete Symphonies.
CD 28 & 29.
No 62/63/70/71/73.
Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood.

Airco's installed, rubble cleared, just in time for the heat to come.

And listening again after the hiatus of 5 days not listening, which is quite a thing for me. Music is like food for my soul.
Nearly completed the symphonies written by this genius, and it is given me as much pleasure as expected.

[Florestan]

I immensely enjoyed this music. @Brian, give it a try if you haven't already.

NP



The next-to-last disc (11).

As with the precedent disc, Markovina softened her approach a bit, making for a much more pleasant experience.

[Lisztianwagner]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Choral Fantasy

Vladimir Ashkenazy & Cleveland Orchestra

[vers la flamme]

Allan Pettersson: Symphony No.6. Manfred Trojahn, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

One hour long, in a single movement. I've heard it once before but don't remember much about it; let's go.

Once again with this same recording this morning.