What are you listening 2 now?

[André]

Frühbeck de Burgos was born in Spain from German émigrés. For his musical studies he went to Munich. He was equally at ease with the Spanish and German repertoires, recording regularly for small and major labels throughout his career. I remember vividly two excellent concerts in Montreal (he was the orchestra's MD in the mid-seventies). One was devoted to Manuel de Falla, the other to Wagner.

Being based in Munich it's no surprise he was a good straussian. Rather more unexpected is the superb quality of the orchestra he conducts here, the Dresden Philharmonie (not to be confused with the hallowed Staatskapelle orchestra).

The orchestra is not only a virtuoso ensemble, but they are endowed with the same tonal qualities that have become a trademark of their big brothers, the Staatskapelle: a deep, burnished string sound, perfectly in-tune and sonorous brass section and strong percussions. They may lack the SD's very last layer of solid low frequencies, but that's compensated by a slightly clearer, more vibrant string tone. Whereas the SD's tonal signature is distinctly pear-shaped, with slender winds, chocolatey strings and dark, burnished brass sound, the Philharmonie's is more open, clearer in all registers.

Their respective recording venues are different, which probably accentuates these qualities. Which brings me to my last remark: this must be the most gorgeous, spectacularly wide yet utterly natural sound I've heard in these sonic potboilers. The timpani and bass drum in Alpensinfonie are huge yet part of an overall acoustic that easily contains them.

The disc also contains the frothy, sexy suite of waltzes from Rosenkavalier, a strong horn section's wet dream.

[Symphonic Addict]

Parts 1-3 from Aus Odysseus' Fahrten and Tragische Ouvertüre. At first I had found this music uninteresting. Now my perception has been more positive. A bit long-winded overall, but the luscious orchestration and voluptuous passages save the day.

[Symphonic Addict]

Milhaud: Cello Concerto No. 2

[Symphonic Addict]

Rota: Piano Concerto in C major

Absolutely fabulous. This quirky concerto oozes fun! The nods to Prokofiev are rather evident, but that's not a problem when the music is that good. This composer almost never fails to put a smile on my face.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Braunfels.

[JBS]

After Czech jazz musicians, time for a Czech pianist playing music by Czech composers

The final CD of this set. The Martinu, Smetana, and Janacek's Overgrown Path are just selections, not complete recordings.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP: Bliss A Colour Symphony

[steve ridgway]

Ligeti - Chamber Concerto

[Symphonic Addict]

Goldmark: Violin Concerto No. 1

I didn't remember how lyric the music is. It flows reaching moments of elegant panache.

[steve ridgway]

Schoenberg - Two Songs For Voice And Piano, Op.14

[steve ridgway]

Scelsi - Natura Renovatur

[steve ridgway]

Webern - Three Songs For Soprano, Piccolo Clarinet And Guitar, Op. 18

[steve ridgway]

Scriabin - The Poem Of Ecstasy

[Que]

Missa In myne zin. An OVPP performance that is very different from the recording by Capilla Flamenca (Ricercar) but quite impressive.

[vandermolen]

Nystroem: Sinfonia del Mare - The Tempest Prelude etc

[vandermolen]

Scriabin - The Poem Of Ecstasy

I like the Amirov work as well Steve.

[pjme]

The catch here is Stan Golestan's very fine sonata. A Romanian native, Golestan (1875-1956) spent most of his formative and professional years in Paris. A student of Vincent d'Indy, Albert Roussel and Paul Dukas, he was a composition teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. His sonata is very lyrical in tone, with a tinge of melancholy present throughout the finely crafted movements. Classically built but unabashedly romantic in tone, it pairs restraint and passion, joy and sorrow - sort of like Fauré but with the violin part more songful. It was dedicated to d'Indy and premiered by George Enesco. Since this is the work's only recording, this disc is definitely worth acquiring.

1. Jour de fête - Voix dans la nuit (Festive day - Voices in the night)
2. Solitude
3. Joies des foules (Pleasures of the crowds)

Not quite the "forgotten masterwork" I was quietly hoping for , ....The inclusion of a wordless chorus is ( unpractical...) original, a bit of shortening & pruning could work well....

[Traverso]

Bach

Vol.8   CD 5

[Traverso]

Vivaldi

"La Stravaganza"

concertos 7-12

[Harry]

Frederic Chopin.
The complete Piano Works.
Sonata No. 1-3.
Nikita Magaloff, Piano.
Recorded: 1976 & 1978.
Venue: Musica Theater, Salle de Musique, La Chaux-de-Fonds & Concert gebouw Amsterdam.


Absolutely perfect. And well recorded too. Magaloff next to Adam Harasiewicz older set are still my landmarks. In fact Magaloff was the first classical music I bought, the whole box filled with LP's.