What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Sibelius here too:

Piano Quintet in G minor

I did have fond memories of this work. However, revisiting it today blew me away. It must be counted as one of his most passionate works in any form. It gives the feeling of reaching symphonic weight. There are passages of ardent energy that become overwhelming at moments. For me, it's one of his early masterpieces. Simply tremendous.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Schubert String Quintet in C, D. 956

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Adams Grand Pianola Music

[Que]

 

Another Müller organ!    Very grand, but not in the Silbermann way.
BTW the prehistoric picture on the cover of the Novalis issue doesn't do it justice:

[Harry]

Hommages.
French music for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord..
See back cover for details.
Mieneke van der Velden, Viola da Gamba.
Glen Wilson, Harpsichord.
Recorded in March, 2010 at the Oud Katholieke Kerk, Delft, The Netherlands.
Cover: Armchair, France c. 1675

A delightful start in the morning, quiet and contemplative music, in which both performers are not in a hurry to complete the recording in a fast and vigorous way. That's fine by me. A fine mix of composers and played in style on beautiful instruments. The sonority of the Gamba is impressive, and Glen Wilson's Harpsichord made by Henk van Schevikhoven, after Ruckers/Hemsch, Helsinki 1990, needs mention also, clear in expression. Well recorded.

[Harry]

Verso Venezia.
Sonate & Canzoni.
See back cover for details.
Pallade Musica.
Recording venue: Église Saint-Augustin, Mirabel, (Québec), Canada, 2013.

An adventurous lineup of composers and works, recorded in excellent sound. As a performance I rate it very high. They give a nice twist to the works on this CD. Cleanly executed and sensitively projected towards one's ears. This ensemble have a strong musical bond, and sowith is the instrumental balance perfect, which brings a lot of dividends in the enjoyment. Recommended.

[prémont]

 

Another Müller organ!    Very grand, but not in the Silbermann way.
BTW the prehistoric picture on the cover of the Novalis issue doesn't do it justice:

Actually the prehistoric picture isn't but a picture of the Rugpositief/Rugwerk. On the other hand the Rugpositief can't be seen properly on your picture. So it may be said that the two pictures complement each other.

[Traverso]

Bach

Vol.7 CD 1

[Harry]

Homage.
See back cover for details.
James Ehnes, Violin, Eduard Laurel, Piano.
Recorded 2007, at the Fulton Performing Arts Center, Overlake School, Redmond, WA.

Reference to the most famous violin makers.
The CD focuses on a total of 12 of the most important violins and violas ever made by Stradivari, Guarneri, da Salò and Guadagnini. James Ehnes presents a selection of 21 pieces of music and uses them to demonstrate the characteristics and merits of the instrument used in each case.
The recording is demonstration class, as is the performance, a very invigorating journey.

[Wanderer]

[Traverso]

Albinoni

 Ensemble 415, Chiara Banchini - Albinoni-Sinfonie a Cinque op.2





 


 

[Harry]

Armas Järnefelt
Orchestral works.
See back cover for details.
Lahti SO (Sinfonia Lahti) JAAKKO KUUSISTO Conductor & solo Violin.
Recorded: 2008 (Symphonic Fantasy, Suite), 2008 (Serenade, Berceuse) Sibelius Hall, Lahti, Finland.

I wrote this review in December 2019, when I still had my own site.
It is a sad thing when a composer rises undeservedly into obscurity, regardless that his works are of high quality. Armas Jarnefelt is such a composer. A Finnish composer who fits right into his time, but who was severely handicapped by the fact that his sister Aino married another giant, namely Jean Sibelius. This was a great challenge for Järnefelt, who stood in his shadow and could hardly find his way out of this conundrum. When he wrote the Symphonic Fantasy of 1895, which is a very good work, he did not expect what was in store for him. Freely admitting that his work was influenced by Richard Wagner immediately triggered a reaction of resentment against this work with the Finnish critics calling it obscure musical philosophizing! The influence is marginal and the work is magnificent in expression and musical value. From then on, he never mentioned Wagner again and kept writing great music, such as the Suite in E flat major of 1897 and the Serenade of 1893. Great works that are just as worthy as what Sibelius wrote. And the Berceuse for violin and orchestra, which he wrote in 1904 after seeing his daughter sleeping with a high fever. He wrote it down all at once. Deeply moving and quite famous. Unfortunately, Järnefelt concentrated on conducting instead of composing, and I consider that a great loss. He could not have been treated better by this orchestra and conductor. They joined forces in unison to achieve the best possible performance. SOTA recording.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Kodály: Dances of Galánta & Marosszék.

[Harry]

New Release.

Orchestral Works.
See back cover for details.
Orchestre Symphonique de Laval, Alain Trudel.
Recorded: 2021 at the Maison symphonique, Montréal (Québec), Canada.

A CD filled with known and virtually unknown composers like Claude Champagne (1891-1965) and his "Symphonie Gaspésienne" & André Prévost (1934-2001) with his composition "Célébration". Unknown to me, but it is accessible tonal music. Not really masterworks, but in the light of the day a welcome addition to the repertoire. Also an orchestra I did not know. They are well rehearsed by Alain Trudel, also an unknown conductor to me. The recording is spacious albeit the sound is a bit muffled, and mid and upper frequencies are undernourished. But atmospheric nevertheless. Both unknown composers should be one's main goal to try this disc out.

[Wanderer]

[Spotted Horses]

Weinberg, String Quartet No 10. The Arcadia Quartet hasn't gotten to it yet, so I'm listening to the Silesian Quartet.



A brilliant work, characterized by the intensity of the first and third movements, both marked Adagio. The second movement is a strong Allegro and the finale, Allegretto, is a bit of a mystery to me.

I find the Silesian Quartet to be convincing. The audio is a bit more dry, compared with the Arcadia Quartet on Chandos, but I find it equally effective.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

And now I've reached the end of Sibelius' symphonies --- now playing Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105

[DavidW]

A good way to start the morning:

[Harry]

Igor Stravinsky.
Ballet Music.
See back cover for details.
BBC Scottish SO, Ilan Volkov.
Recorded in City Halls, Candleriggs, Glasgow, 2008 (Jeu de cartes & Agon) 2009 (Orpheus).

To start with Simon Eadon made a demonstration class recording, and Volkov made it a demonstration performance. Really very good. I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous performance. Never heard all three ballets quite so good.

[Traverso]

Stravinsky

Le Sacre du Printemps