What are you listening 2 now?

[Harry]

A CD with a playing time of 31 minutes, and a first recording of this ensemble.
Works by Francesco Canova da Milano, for two Vihuelas, recorded in 2014.
Very promising performances and really good sound. A pity there is no more, but maybe in the future.
It's worth exploring.
No PDF file, or back cover.

[Que]

This didn't click 1st time around (programming). Now it does.

It is clear that this ensemble approaches the music by singing more as one, and less as individual voices singing sometimes in unity and sometimes not. Just to paint the spectrum of approaches these days... The result is perfectly blended, gentle and delicate. We get a few times a song in its trancription for lute - a persistent common practice "to provide variety" in a recording that I could do without.

https://musicwebinternational.com/2023/11/salve-susato-16th-century-vocal-works-ramee/

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/Ramee_RAM2205.html

[Que]

JACOB REGNART (c1540 –1599).
Missa: Christ is Erstanden & other works.
Cinquecento (Renaissance Vokal).
Recorded in Kartause Mauerbach, Vienna, Austria, on 30 June–2 July 2020.

This is not the finest hour recording wise. Markus Wallner a for me unknown engineer, miked the singers much too close, so one gets a raspy noise around the voices, which is irritating and stops me playing it on the level I would like. And if that is not enough the counter Terry Wey, is a tad too much for me. It is a trend these days to sing above all other voices, in a very prominent way. The other singers take second place. The music is fitting for this time of year and I like it well.

I should revisit that recording some time soon! 
Even though Regnart is one of the 'minor" Franco-Flemish composers, I did enjoy his music.

[Harry]

The Landscape of the Polyphonists.
The world of Franco-Flemish vocal art 1400 –1600.
Huelgas Ensemble, Paul Van Nevel.
Cantus:Maud Gnidzaz, Dorothea Jakob, Helen Cassano, Sabine Lutzenberger.
Tenors: Paul Bentley-Angell, Olivier Coiffet, Adriaan De Koster,Tom Phillips, Matthew Vine.
Bariton: Frederik Sjollema.
Bassus: Guillaume Olry, Joel Frederiksen.
Live Recording: March 3, 2021, AMUZ St. Augustine Church, Antwerp, Belgium.

Second rerun of disc 1.

The Huelgas ensembles is sort of a reference choir for me. I seldom encounter a recording by them which I dislike. This wonderful and gorgeous recorded performance only adds to their fame. Also a plus is that I do not get hooty or screaming countertenors. That a prerequisite for me liking choir singing. I have nothing but to heap praise on this performance and singing. The live performance is exemplary, and the array of composers impressive.

[Harry]

This didn't click 1st time around (programming). Now it does.

It is clear that this ensemble approaches the music by singing more as one, and less as individual voices singing sometimes in unity and sometimes not. Just to paint the spectrum of approaches these days... The result is perfectly blended, gentle and delicate. We get a few times a song in its trancription for lute - a persistent common practice "to provide variety" in a recording that I could do without.

https://musicwebinternational.com/2023/11/salve-susato-16th-century-vocal-works-ramee/

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/Ramee_RAM2205.html

I liked this recording very much and yes even the variety, it resonates with me.

[Iota]

Stravinsky: Violin Concerto
Lydia Mordkovitch (violin), Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Neeme Järvi

Glorious, a thing of sunlight and energy in myriad forms. Mordkovitch is wonderful and Järvi accompanies superbly.

[Traverso]

Bach

Vol.3 CD2

[Madiel]

Earlier today:



Fairly good, without being amazing (as best as I can judge from the mood I was in at work today).  De Larrocha is a very direct and forceful sort of player**, which works well in some parts of Schumann but maybe not quite so much in others.

**I confess to regularly thinking about how this frankly tiny woman was a great deal more forceful than a lot of much, much larger pianists!

[Harry]

Second rerun.

Well I am convinced she is in line with all the female composers of her time, and has a distinctive own voice, and a marvelous one at that. Superb recording and pristine performances.

[Madiel]

Mozart: Piano Concerto no.25 in C major



Oh yes. This is one of the really great ones. And one of the grandest.

[Que]

The Landscape of the Polyphonists.
The world of Franco-Flemish vocal art 1400 –1600.
Huelgas Ensemble, Paul Van Nevel.
Cantus:Maud Gnidzaz, Dorothea Jakob, Helen Cassano, Sabine Lutzenberger.
Tenors: Paul Bentley-Angell, Olivier Coiffet, Adriaan De Koster,Tom Phillips, Matthew Vine.
Bariton: Frederik Sjollema.
Bassus: Guillaume Olry, Joel Frederiksen.
Live Recording: March 3, 2021, AMUZ St. Augustine Church, Antwerp, Belgium.

Second rerun of disc 1.

The Huelgas ensembles is sort of a reference choir for me. I seldom encounter a recording by them which I dislike. This wonderful and gorgeous recorded performance only adds to their fame. Also a plus is that I do not get hooty or screaming countertenors. That a prerequisite for me liking choir singing. I have nothing but to heap praise on this performance and singing. The live performance is exemplary, and the array of composers impressive.

One of the Huelgas' finest! 

[Roasted Swan]

Harry!  Check this out..... I've just been listening to this disc and I think it is utterly delightful - beautifully played/recorded and some genuinely lovely music.  If this is not right up your street I will eat a selection of headwear including, hats, berets, balaclavas and bonnets......

[Madiel]

Dvorak: Seven Interludes



Superbly done. These pieces should be heard and played a lot more often, so long as the playing gives the kind of commitment that Yablonsky has here. The young Dvorak, playing viola in the pit at the opera, was really learning a lot about what worked, and while I think some of his longer early works become a bit excessive he delivers real enjoyment in these chunks of 3 or 4 minutes.

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony  No.1 in C Minor
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, François-Xavier Roth

[Harry]

Harry!  Check this out..... I've just been listening to this disc and I think it is utterly delightful - beautifully played/recorded and some genuinely lovely music.  If this is not right up your street I will eat a selection of headwear including, hats, berets, balaclavas and bonnets......

Marvelous, thank you, not yet available to play, because officially it is not yet released, any idea when?

[Traverso]

Boulez

second run...

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Antonio Soler Keyboard Sonatas Nos. 16-27. Vestard Shimkus.

[Madiel]

Sibelius

Pohjola's Daughter
The Oceanides

[Karl Henning]

Stravinsky: Violin Concerto
Lydia Mordkovitch (violin), Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Neeme Järvi

Glorious, a thing of sunlight and energy in myriad forms. Mordkovitch is wonderful and Järvi accompanies superbly.

Heard the Concerto live here in the Town of the Pulse. Cracking piece! Tangentially: curious pairing on that disc!

TD: YT cued thus up to follow Duke Ellington's "Backward Country Boy Blues" and I approve!

[Roasted Swan]

Marvelous, thank you, not yet available to play, because officially it is not yet released, any idea when?

Oh I didn't realise that!  The Presto site says May 23rd so I'm a little 'in advance' - but worth the wait I reckon......