What are you listening 2 now?

[Spotted Horses]

Hofmann and Larrocha (all 4'9" of her) both had famously small hands, and both Ashkenazy and Argerich have comparatively small hands in the world of concert pianists, so it seems that other factors contribute more to success in the music.

Larrocha could reach a tenth, which requires span of about 8.5 inches. This hand size is in the top 10% for women, but about average for a man.

https://paskpiano.org/pask_faq/did-alicia-de-larrocha-and-vladimir-ashkenazy-really-have-small-hands/

https://www.statcrunch.com/reports/view?reportid=5152&tab=preview

[AnotherSpin]

[Todd]

Larrocha could reach a tenth, which requires span of about 8.5 inches. This hand size is in the top 10% for women, but about average for a man.

"Despite this, Alicia wanted Steinway to make her a keyboard with narrower keys, like they did for Josef Hofmann early last century, but this request was not granted."

I am unfamiliar with the bona fides of and how accurate the reporting of "Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards" may be, but perhaps it is a very reliable source.

[Lisztianwagner]

Richard Strauss
Vier letzte Lieder

Gundula Janowitz (soprano)
Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philjarmoniker

[Linz]

Boccherini Cello Concertos, Anner Bylsma, Concerto Amsterdamn Jaap Schröder

[Todd]

[VonStupp]

Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Die Durchzug durchs Rote Meer

Simone Kermes & Veronika Winter, sopranos
Hans Jörg Mammel, tenor
Ekkehard Abele & Wolf Matthias Friedrich, basses

Rheinische Kantorei
Das Kleine Konzert - Hermann Max

A relatively brief musical jaunt covering Exodus, with Moses parting the Red Sea as its climax.

Everything is in place here for a great oratorio: a sub-60-minute runtime, colorful orchestrations to match a colorful biblical story, a nice balance of soloists to chorus, some coloratura gymnastics, etc. etc. I might not be a huge PI fan, but I came around to this one pretty quickly.

I realize I have neglected Hummel as a composer, aside from some piano music I glanced through as a younger lad, and will probably make an effort to rectify this. For what it is worth, I enjoyed this oratorio very much.
VS

[Symphonic Addict]

Rota: Variazioni sopra un tema gioviale, for orchestra

Listening to some Riisager lately led me to another totally frolicsome piece where good humor is the rule. Quite gratifying.

Something Decca should do is to pack all of these Rota CDs in a set. There is some great music in them.

[JBS]

The second part of Haebler/Szeryng's Beethoven
Sonatas 6-10

Opus 30 No 1 in A major
Opus 30 No 2 in c minor
Opus 30 No 3 in G major
Opus 47 in A major "The Tolstoy Story Sonata"
Opus 96 in G major

[Symphonic Addict]

Dutilleux: Violin Concerto 'L'Arbre des songes'

The way Dutilleux plays with the orchestra to conjure up provocative atmospheres is quite cool.

[AnotherSpin]

Op. 106

[steve ridgway]

Pärt: Cantus In Memory Of Benjamin Britten



Pleasant enough and not too long .

[steve ridgway]

Scelsi: Canti Del Capricorno



You know it's avant-garde when the singer is credited for "voice" .

[steve ridgway]

Ligeti: Chamber Concerto

[AnotherSpin]

Pärt: Cantus In Memory Of Benjamin Britten



Pleasant enough and not too long .

A very impressive piece of music, especially with good playback set, through adequate full-size headphones.

[Harry]

Henry Purcell.

Fantazias.
John Holloway Ensemble.
Recorded in 2015, Radio Studio, DRS, Zurich.


Holloway's recording is not the first, for I listen to quite a few interpretations, but it is one of the most beautiful recordings that does justice to the poetry contained in these complex works. And recorded in SOTA sound.

[steve ridgway]

Ligeti: Lux Aeterna

[Que]

There are a couple of recordings with selections from the famous Huelgas Codex, but this is the 1st volume of a projected complete series. So, I was curious. Medieval repertoire is not always my thing, but the right performance might draw me in. These are not top choirs. Also the pace is slow, the phrasing unfocused, the energy low.

Not for me...

Paul van Nevel and Dominique Vellard did some excellent recordings (with selections).

https://musicwebinternational.com/2024/02/las-huelgas-codex-vol-1-brilliant-classics/

[AnotherSpin]

5+ hours of rather samey, not too attention-grabbing music. A suitable ambience for daytime routine.

[Que]

Next up:



This is late 16th century music from Venice. Easter music that is appropriately solemn in mood. The polyphonic choral writing has quite an remarkable expansive effect, with the sound of the choir floating and stretching out, well performed by Odhecaton and caught in this recording.

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/Arcana_A551.html