What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

A first listen:

[Que]

[Linz]

Antonin Dvorak Symphony No 7 in D Minor, Op. 70
Cleveland Orchestra, Christoph von Dohnanyi

[Symphonic Addict]

There is. Heard it live in Amsterdam in December, paired with Dona Nobis Pacem by Vaughan Williams. On that occasion I had plenty of time to peruse Tippett's own lyrics more seriously, and I didn't find it easy: suggestive drivel, if you will. Thus the whole piece, typically Tippett, hangs together from associations. By comparison, Vaughan Williams won on all fronts. With Tippett I especially appreciate the four symphonies, also often associative but in symphonic form I can appreciate that. 

That is the kind of programs that concert halls should do more often. What I like about the Tippett the most is the blend of negro spirituals with the English choral style. Quite effective and cool to my ears. I love Tippett's symphonies too, except the 3rd where the soprano solo turns out to be quite grating.

[Symphonic Addict]

And for good reason, Karajan is superb in it. My favourite rendition by far.

That gorgeous recording definitely opened my ears to that enchanting score.

[Symphonic Addict]

I must listen to his cycle at some point!

I've been enjoying the journey so far, something I wasn't expecting given my "revulsion" towards his sort of impenetrable musical language.

[Symphonic Addict]

Pedro Sanjuán: Castilla - Symphonic poem

[Symphonic Addict]

Continuing with more symphonic poems...

Loeffler: La Mort de Tintagiles

Absolutely spectacular. This is really good late-Romantic music. Soaring melodies appear in the most endearing passages (for instance, at 5:14), just like a strong sense of heroism (for the most part) and, eventually, tragedy closing the work.

[JBS]

Considering the impressive field of comparison, this is high praise. All the more reason to test out my taste buds 😁

I just want to interject that the Horn and Violin Concertos impressed me more than the symphonies with which their respective CDs couple them.

That does not mean the symphonies themselves are not worth hearing!

[JBS]

I don't remember hearing anything by Sierra that didn't strike me as worthwhile.  This CD is continuing that streak.


The program

Six Intervening Periods of Time for clarinet, viola, and piano (2019)
Piezas Cortas for piano (2018)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (2010)
Piezas Intimas for piano (2017)
Sonata No. 1 for Viola and Piano (2016)
Fuego de ángel for violin, viola,  cello, and piano (2011)

Piezas Intimas is the only work for which this is not the first recording.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Fritz Kreisler: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 8.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

William Walton 5 Bagatelles, etc. Sharon Isbin.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Tabakova Cello Concerto



A winning concerto in my book. The last movement is my least favorite, but the middle movement Longing is utterly gorgeous and heart-rending.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Dvořák Symphony No. 8 In G, Op. 88, B 163

[Madiel]

Bach: BWV 112, Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt (Psalm 23)



...listening to an entire CD sometimes takes me months.

[Madiel]

Again. And this time I listened to it at a time when I could pay reasonable attention throughout. Which is good because to my mind, Shostakovich is one of the very best composers at endings.

[Que]

Missa beati anthonii viennensis (abbatis), an anonymous mass from the Trent cathedral manuscript that is attributed to Guillaume Dufay. The Binchois Consort deserves praise for recording this mass which is, whether it is by Dufay or not, musically significant and impressive.

[Madiel]

Listening to music nowadays is of course an abstraction where lots of compromises have to be done, concerning home listening maybe the most.

For instance I don't wear a wig when I am listening to Baroque music, and my HIFI system and my rather modern apartment are as anachronistic as it gets.

But I am thankful for the fact that I to day can listen to music in the way I want, instead of having to accept the most often unserviceable circumstances in earlier ages.

Yes, well, you might also be thankful that you can stuff yourself with fast food rather than having to farm. Doesn't mean either of them is the best possible option.

As I said, our culture seems to be almost scared of endings. Watch an episode of a TV show and most services will immediately try to get you to watch another one. Never mind the work the writers might have done to craft where the episode ended. And it's much the same with music, with endless playlists being what some services push. I'm actually very grateful to Idagio for making it so easy for me to listen to a work, the unit of music that the composer actually planned.

[Que]

Harpsichord music from the Italian Renaissance:



Derserved high praise by Johan van Veen:

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/Christophorus_CHR77307.html

[Que]