What are you listening 2 now?

[Bachtoven]

Well, this is a huge disappointment. Aho is one of my favorite contemporary composers, but his Guitar Concerto wasn't worth putting on paper as far as I'm concerned. Way too much reliance on open strings for one (the opening just requires the guitarist to pluck/strum the 3 open treble strings--my, how inventive). There are a few passages that caught my ear, but he never really explores what the instrument can do. He wrote a solo guitar work that was far more interesting, so I don't know what went wrong here. The Horn Quintet is a little better, but still pretty meh for me. His completion of the final fugue from Bach's "Art of Fugue" is very good. Maybe others will enjoy this recording more than I did.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Inspired by some others here, I listened to Martinu's first sonata for viola (via youtube).  Enjoyed it!

Well, this is a huge disappointment. Aho is one of my favorite contemporary composers, but his Guitar Concerto wasn't worth putting on paper as far as I'm concerned. Way too much reliance on open strings for one (the opening just requires the guitarist to pluck/strum the 3 open treble strings--my, how inventive). There are a few passages that caught my ear, but he never really explores what the instrument can do. He wrote a solo guitar work that was far more interesting, so I don't know what went wrong here. The Horn Quintet is a little better, but still pretty meh for me. His completion of the final fugue from Bach's "Art of Fugue" is very good. Maybe others will enjoy this recording more than I did.

Ah, sorry to hear that.  Will see if I can find some samples of it.

PD

[brewski]

Another excellent live concert from Frankfurt. Coming up soon, Bruckner 6.

-Bruce

[Roasted Swan]

On youtube, first listen to:

Giacomo Puccini
La Fanciulla del West

Zubin Mehta & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

A GREAT version.  Neither quite understood why Carol Neblett recorded so little.  There's this and the wonderful Korngold Die Tote Stadt..... and that's pretty much it

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Four Orchestral Works from Turkey. Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Hikmet Simsek.

[AnotherSpin]

Op. 106

[Florestan]

In the 50's Decca made a series of recordings of Italian Opera with Santa Cecilia, often with Renata Debaldi, Mario del Monaco, and often with Previtali or Molinari-Pradelli conducting. They are considered by many to be the epitome of golden-age Italian Opera performance. My brother is a big fan of them, and he explained to me that orchestras like to Berlin Philharmonic are incapable of playing these works properly because they are too good. Santa Cecilia could supply the borderline out-of-control feeling in the climactic passages that is the heart of Italian Opera performance.

Of course, for most fans it is Tebaldi's voice that is the selling point. All a matter of personal preference, of course.

Please send my best, and kudos, to your brother!

[Madiel]

Faure Melodies, Dietschy & Cassard.

I need a bit of sophistication in my day.

[DavidW]

Well, this is a huge disappointment. Aho is one of my favorite contemporary composers, but his Guitar Concerto wasn't worth putting on paper as far as I'm concerned. Way too much reliance on open strings for one (the opening just requires the guitarist to pluck/strum the 3 open treble strings--my, how inventive). There are a few passages that caught my ear, but he never really explores what the instrument can do. He wrote a solo guitar work that was far more interesting, so I don't know what went wrong here. The Horn Quintet is a little better, but still pretty meh for me. His completion of the final fugue from Bach's "Art of Fugue" is very good. Maybe others will enjoy this recording more than I did.

Despite being an Aho fan, that doesn't surprise me.  He has written concertos for an absurd variety of instruments but doesn't necessarily show affinity for well... most of them.  When I want his orchestral music I usually stick to his symphonies.

[Lisztianwagner]

Glad that you are having fun exploring some Puccini!  Have you heard many of his operas before now?

PD

No, I have only listened to three operas so far, La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly; I haven't enjoyed the first very much, while the latter ones are definitely remarkable works. La Fanciulla del West seems to be quite interesting (I haven't finished it yet), particularly the orchestration.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, 1890 Thorough revision Bruckner with Joseph and Franz Schalk Ed. Theodor Raettig, Takashi Asahina Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra

[foxandpeng]

Edmund Rubbra.
Complete Symphonies.
Symphony No.1, opus 44, & No.2, opus 45.
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Richard Hickox.
Recorded in 1995-96, Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales.

Starting again with this wonderful cycle, and starting with the first CD. SOTA sound and performance.

Well worth the time investment. Some great listening today, Harry!

[Harry]

Well worth the time investment. Some great listening today, Harry!

Yeah, finally had some spare time while rebuilding my listening room

[Todd]

[foxandpeng]

John Pickard
Symphonies 2 and 6
Martyn Brabbins
BBC NOW
BIS

Been waiting for this release, so I am pleased to get a first listen before bed.

[Bachtoven]

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Well, this is a huge disappointment. Aho is one of my favorite contemporary composers, but his Guitar Concerto wasn't worth putting on paper as far as I'm concerned. Way too much reliance on open strings for one (the opening just requires the guitarist to pluck/strum the 3 open treble strings--my, how inventive). There are a few passages that caught my ear, but he never really explores what the instrument can do. He wrote a solo guitar work that was far more interesting, so I don't know what went wrong here. The Horn Quintet is a little better, but still pretty meh for me. His completion of the final fugue from Bach's "Art of Fugue" is very good. Maybe others will enjoy this recording more than I did.

Thanks for taking one for the team! I just cancelled my order based on your review. I'm not a huge fan of guitar concerti anyway, so I really could've easily skipped this release.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

I'm going to spend the next few nights (or however long it takes) to go through the Beethoven late SQs again, but my guide this time with be the Emerson String Quartet on DG ---

NP:

Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 127

From this OOP set -



Just got a new CD player (Teac CD-P650) and I'm playing through the headphone input right now and it sounds fantastic.

[Bachtoven]

Thanks for taking one for the team! I just cancelled my order based on your review. I'm not a huge fan of guitar concerti anyway, so I really could've easily skipped this release.

Don't let me dissuade you! You can probably stream it or find samples before you buy it, then decide for yourself.

[Que]

Lute intabulations of music by Josquin Desprez.

https://earlymusicreview.com/josquin-inviolata/

I listened to this recording once before and my impression is the same: subtle and sophisticated, but also deliberate and measured... Not much of a sparkle in his playing.. boring, if you will.