What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Martinu: Suites from 'Istar'

Wonderful music and now I want to hear the complete ballet. Is there any work by Martinu I don't like?

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP: Janáček String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters"



I haven't listened to any Janáček in quite some time. Love this composer's music dearly.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing for a first-listen --- MacMillan Symphony No. 5 "Le grand Inconnu"



About MacMillan's Symphony No. 5 "Le grand Inconnu" -

The symphonic tradition, and Beethoven's monumental impact on it, is an imposing legacy which looms like a giant ghost over the shoulder of any living composer foolhardy enough to consider adding to it. Perhaps not fully knowing what writing a symphony "means" any more, some of us are drawn towards it like moths flapping around a candle flame.

My fifth symphony turned out to be a choral symphony, if very different to Beethoven's. It came on the back of my Stabat Mater and was commissioned from the same source and involved the same performers. The philanthropist John Studzinski has taken a great interest in The Sixteen and has a special concern for sacred music. It was he who, along with Harry Christophers, suggested I write my own Stabat Mater. After that he began talking to me about how the concept of the Holy Spirit has been handled in music.

There are, of course, many great motets from the past which set texts devoted to the Third Person of the Trinity, and in the 20th century the one piece which sticks out is the setting of the Veni Creator Spiritus in the first movement of Mahler's Eighth Symphony. But it still feels like relatively unexplored territory, so perhaps now is the time to explore this mysterious avenue, where concepts of creativity and spirituality overlap? There is a real burgeoning interest in spirituality in our contemporary post-religious and now post-secular society, especially in relation to the arts. Music is described as the most spiritual of the arts, even by non-religious music lovers, and there is today a genuinely universal understanding that music can reach deep into the human soul.

It makes sense surely that a Catholic artist like myself might want to explore this in music, perhaps even beyond the usual hymnody and paeans of praise associated with liturgy. My fifth symphony is not a liturgical work. It is an attempt to explore the mystery discussed above in music for two choirs and orchestra. It began when John Studzinski gave me a copy of 'The Holy Spirit, Fire of Divine Love' by the Belgian Carmelite Wilfred Stinissen. It was a good point of entry, theologically, but it also called to my attention some visionary poetry by St John of the Cross. This line from the book in particular drew me in; "Even his name reveals that the Holy Spirit is mysterious. The Hebrew word 'ruah', the Greek word 'pneuma' and the Latin 'spiritus' mean both 'wind' and 'breath'", and these words provided the very first sounds heard in my symphony.

The work, to begin with, is less a traditional setting of text and more an exploration of elemental and primal sounds and words associated with the Spirit. The first movement is called 'Ruah', the second 'Zao' (ancient Greek for living water) and the third is 'Igne vel Igne' (Latin for fire or fire). So, each has associations with the physical elements connected to the Holy Spirit (wind, water, fire). These became vivid sources of visual and sonic inspiration. The fifth symphony has a subtitle – 'Le grand Inconnu' a French term used to describe the mystery of the Holy Spirit which I cannot find replicated in the English spiritual tradition.

Sound associations and impressions guided the choice of texts in each of the three movements and often dictated the overall structure; which bits of St John of the Cross to use, which corresponding moment in Scripture might amplify or reflect the general direction, which sounds to use in the orchestra as well as extended vocal sounds in the choir which were not necessarily sung. As well as breathing noises, there are whisperings and murmurings, devised to paint the required element from moment to moment.

The two choirs in the fifth symphony are a chamber choir and a large chorus. At the end of the second movement I divide these two ensembles into 20 parts, offering a parallel to the multi-voice writing of Vidi Aquam, a 40-part companion piece to Tallis's Spem in Alium that I was composing at the same time as the symphony, and providing a means to continue communing with the English Renaissance master.

James MacMillan, 2019

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Last work for the night --- Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 25 in G, Op. 79, "Cuckoo"

[Irons]

NP: Brahms Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100

I was surprised, shocked even, to hear that Mutter had reached her 62nd year. It doesn't seem that long ago a young lass rocking up with HVK.

[Harry]

Jean-Baptiste Barrière.
Sonaten Nr.1-6 "pour Le Pardessus De Viole.
Simone Eckert, (Pardessus de Viole), Hamburger Ratsmusik.
Recording: 2020, Konzerthaus Blaibach (Germany).


Barrière is a composer who, despite his clear talent, seems to have made only a modest impact in today's recorded catalogue. His name doesn't often appear on concert programs or releases, which makes this recording all the more welcome. The Sonates pour le Pardessus de Viole, composed in 1740, are works of striking refinement and charm, and this performance brings them vividly to life. The solo harpsichord sonatas, beautifully performed by Anke Dennert, are also on a high artistic level, offering a pleasing contrast in texture and timbre. There's no mention of the specific harpsichord used, which is a small missed opportunity, especially given the instrument's important role in shaping the sonic atmosphere. Simone Eckert and the ensemble Hamburger Ratsmusik have carved out a meaningful niche for themselves by championing lesser-known and often overlooked composers. Their artistic sensibility and deep familiarity with this repertoire give their interpretations real integrity. However, one recurring characteristic of their recordings is a very bright sound balance—often spotlighting the upper strings, particularly the violin, at the expense of the lower instruments. Whether this is a deliberate aesthetic or a technical limitation is unclear, but it does color the overall listening experience. In this recording, the venue has to much reverb. The engineer has clearly taken this into account after the first part of the recording, but in some moments such as the first movement of Sonata No.5 in B flat major for Pardessus de Viole and continuo, the resonance slightly muddies the articulation. That said, the level of detail remains admirable, and the front-to-back image has satisfying depth and spatial presence. Despite minor sonic reservations, the recording remains artistically strong and musically valuable. The ensemble delivers pristine, expressive performances, and the repertoire itself—elegant, inventive, and still underexplored—is well worth discovering.
A thoughtful and rewarding listen for those drawn to the refined elegance of the French Baroque, and for anyone curious about the delicate voice of the pardessus de viole.

[Harry]

I was surprised, shocked even, to hear that Mutter had reached her 62nd year. It doesn't seem that long ago a young lass rocking up with HVK.

I remember well a recording she made with Karajan at the very beginning of her career, with the Mozart Violin concertos. Such a young talent, pristine and pure, albeit already shaped by Karajan. In a interview regarding this recording, I noticed that she was still very much a girl, and eager, and dare I say naive also. But I loved this recording. She lost this innocence quickly, and from thereon my interest was gone. But yeah she aged well, like most of us.

[Harry]

August Kühnel. (1645-1700)
Sonatas for Gamba & BC,  Nr. 2-4,7,8,10,11.
Marie-Francoise Bloch, Jonathan Dunford, Claire Antonini, Claire Caillard-Hayward.
Recorded: October 1994, Paris.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this recording available on Qobuz—one I had read about with growing curiosity, but had never been able to track down on CD. Now, finally listening to it, I can say it was worth the wait... though not without a few small caveats. The digital transfer has the occasional hiccup—minor reproduction glitches that are barely there, but audible nevertheless . That said, it's a small price to pay for what is otherwise a musically rich and rewarding experience. The performance is truly outstanding, brought to life by an ensemble of accomplished artists, including Jonathan Dunford and Claire Antonini, both familiar names from other high-caliber early music recordings. The playing is poised and deeply musical, with an ensemble balance that feels both natural and deeply integrated. There's a shared understanding here, each phrase shaped as if by one mind—and the result is organic, relaxed, yet never lacking energy or direction.
August Kühnel is hardly a household name, even among early music enthusiasts, but this recording shows he is a composer worthy of far more attention. His writing for the viola da gamba is both idiomatic and inventive—clearly the work of someone intimately familiar with the instrument. There's elegance and grace throughout these sonatas, as well as moments of surprising detail and nuance. A particular highlight is the Aria and its first and third variations, which struck me as artistically fresh and quietly novel. In fact, the entire recording feels like a series of discoveries, each more rewarding than the last. Apart from the minor technical imperfections in the audio, the sound quality is perfectly acceptable, clear, warm, and well balanced. And for lovers of the gamba, this is an album to savor. Kühnel receives a fair and faithful treatment here, and the result is a virtual pleasure from beginning to end.

About the Composer, and the works on this CD,
August Kühnel (1645–1700) was a German composer and virtuoso gambist whose career spanned some of the most prestigious courts of 17th-century Europe. Trained in the French and Italian styles of the time, Kühnel held positions in Kassel, Darmstadt, and later the court of Charles I of Hesse-Kassel, among others. His Sonate à Viola da Gamba sola e Basso continuo (published in Leipzig in 1698) is one of the earliest German collections dedicated entirely to the viola da gamba, and it demonstrates both his technical mastery and lyrical sensibility.
Kühnel's music reflects a stylistic synthesis of French elegance, Italian expressiveness, and German contrapuntal discipline. Though not widely recorded, his sonatas stand as refined, expressive examples of late 17th-century chamber music, revealing both the potential of the gamba and the imagination of a composer who clearly loved the instrument.

[Que]

Nice recital, wel recorded.
The name of Johann Caspar Kerll is missing on the cover. Even though a quarter of the time is devoted to his music - which makes the programming actually all the more interesting.

[AnotherSpin]

[Harry]

Brahms and Contemporaries,
Vol. 1.
Johannes Brahms, Piano Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 26.
Luise Adolpha Le Beau, Quartet in F minor, Op. 28.
Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective.
Recording: Potton Hall, Suffolk, 2023.


If you're looking for a poised, emotionally immersive performance of Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 26, this may not be the recording for you. The Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective opts for an interpretation full of sharp contrasts, restless tempo shifts, and abrupt dynamic turns that ultimately undermine the emotional arc of the piece. Rather than drawing me into Brahms's richly expressive world, the performance often jars the ear—sudden shifts in key and tone, sometimes exaggerated, sometimes aggressive, create more tension than coherence. This isn't to say that the ensemble lacks technical control. On the contrary, the execution is precise, and there are moments—especially in the softer passages—where sensitivity and nuance do shine through. But these are fleeting. The piece, in my view, demands an emotional warmth and spaciousness that allows the music to unfold naturally. Here, it feels driven, even rushed at times. The more tender moments get overshadowed by a volatility that borders on theatrical, and for a work as emotionally rich and lyrical as this one, that's a serious drawback. It doesn't invite me in; at moments, it almost pushes me away. The recording itself unfortunately amplifies these extremes. Potton Hall is known for its excellent acoustics, but here the sound feels surprisingly dry and cramped, as though the music is boxed in rather than breathing freely. The result is a sense of sonic tightness—particularly in louder passages—that can be fatiguing to the ear. The balance occasionally overemphasizes the attack of the instruments, which only heightens the sensation of intensity at the expense of intimacy.
Luise Adolpha Le Beau's Quartet in F minor, Op. 28, a beautifully crafted and rarely performed work, suffers a similar fate albeit less. This is music that also deserves space, lyricism, and a sense of internal dialogue. Yet the same forceful interpretative approach is applied, and with it, the same issues arise: too much urgency, too little room for the music to breathe. The edges are sharp when they could be supple; the contrasts stark when they might be subtle.
In the end, this recording will divide opinion. For those who favor bold, even provocative reinterpretations, it may offer something stimulating. But for me drawn to the emotional depth, warmth, and quiet complexity of Brahms, this performance feels too unsettled, and unsettling.
While I may appreciate ambition and individuality as welcome qualities in interpretation, here they risk obscuring the very soul of the music. For my money I will not return to this recording.

[Harry]

Bernardo Pasquini.
Organ works.
"Docendo Discitur"
Edoardo Bellotti, plays on a Organo Fratti Accademia Internazionale Smarano - Trento.
Built by Carlo Vegezzi-Bossi, a prominent Pavese organ builder, between 1903 and 1907,
Fully restored in 2001 by the Mascioni firm under the guidance of organologist Francesco Finotti. The restoration brought back mechanical and musical features aligned with the original 1907 design.
Stops / Registers: 30 stops with a total of 1,736 pipes, Electric key action, the exact temperament isn't clearly specified, typical period practices and restoration aimed to preserve early 20th-century standards. The organ's action and tuning were restored according to the 1907 design.

It's a joy for me when an instrument is sounding almost late Baroque, instead of betraying the real date of construction, revealing more character and nuance than I expected from its outward age or design. The Fratti organ reminds me how fluid the boundaries between eras can be, especially when crafted or restored with sensitivity and care. And I enjoyed it, I really did. These qualities make the organ something of a hybrid, capable of Romantic repertoire (especially Italian and French works), but still articulate enough for earlier music—especially with judicious registration. Reflecting on this fascinating instrument, it truly is a rare find! 🎶🕍.
The recorded sound fits the performance, and I lament the early death of Edoardo Bellotti.
Hmmm, well do I need to say that Pasquini sounds marvelous and very enjoyable?

[Cato]

I have not heard this work in many decades: I first came across it via an old Serge Koussevitzky/Boston Symphony RCA recording, which maybe also had works by MacDowell or Hanson.

Thanks to Dayton Classical Radio...Arthur Foote: Suite for Strings

And so...I began recalling other such "ancient" experiences from the early 1960's: Robert Kurka's Symphony #2 is another work not to be missed.

Kurka had an opera based on a Czech novel: The Good Soldier Schweik which I should also revisit.  It made a big splash, but I think the composer's early death caused people to forget his works.

He died in his 30's!

Only a suite from the opera was available back in the good ol' days (I think on a Louisville Orchestra/Robert Whitney recording).

Here is the whole work!

[Mister Sharpe]

Jean-Baptiste Barrière.
Sonaten Nr.1-6 "pour Le Pardessus De Viole.
Simone Eckert, (Pardessus de Viole), Hamburger Ratsmusik.
Recording: 2020, Konzerthaus Blaibach (Germany).


Barrière is a composer who, despite his clear talent, seems to have made only a modest impact in today's recorded catalogue. His name doesn't often appear on concert programs or releases, which makes this recording all the more welcome. The Sonates pour le Pardessus de Viole, composed in 1740, are works of striking refinement and charm, and this performance brings them vividly to life. The solo harpsichord sonatas, beautifully performed by Anke Dennert, are also on a high artistic level, offering a pleasing contrast in texture and timbre. There's no mention of the specific harpsichord used, which is a small missed opportunity, especially given the instrument's important role in shaping the sonic atmosphere. Simone Eckert and the ensemble Hamburger Ratsmusik have carved out a meaningful niche for themselves by championing lesser-known and often overlooked composers...

Harry, is the Stag Beetle on the cover a sly reference to "La Tribolet" a salacious troubadour song I see covered on Track 18?  Duphly also composed a Tribolet.

[Harry]

Harry, is the Stag Beetle on the cover a sly reference to "La Tribolet" a salacious troubadour song I see covered on Track 18?  Duphly also composed a Tribolet.

I also thought this to be the case, but I am not sure, maybe Que knows the answer to it.

[AnotherSpin]

Bernardo Pasquini.
Organ works.
"Docendo Discitur"
Edoardo Bellotti, plays on a Organo Fratti Accademia Internazionale Smarano - Trento.
Built by Carlo Vegezzi-Bossi, a prominent Pavese organ builder, between 1903 and 1907,
Fully restored in 2001 by the Mascioni firm under the guidance of organologist Francesco Finotti. The restoration brought back mechanical and musical features aligned with the original 1907 design.
Stops / Registers: 30 stops with a total of 1,736 pipes, Electric key action, the exact temperament isn't clearly specified, typical period practices and restoration aimed to preserve early 20th-century standards. The organ's action and tuning were restored according to the 1907 design.

It's a joy for me when an instrument is sounding almost late Baroque, instead of betraying the real date of construction, revealing more character and nuance than I expected from its outward age or design. The Fratti organ reminds me how fluid the boundaries between eras can be, especially when crafted or restored with sensitivity and care. And I enjoyed it, I really did. These qualities make the organ something of a hybrid, capable of Romantic repertoire (especially Italian and French works), but still articulate enough for earlier music—especially with judicious registration. Reflecting on this fascinating instrument, it truly is a rare find! 🎶🕍.
The recorded sound fits the performance, and I lament the early death of Edoardo Bellotti.
Hmmm, well do I need to say that Pasquini sounds marvelous and very enjoyable?

Thank you for the feedback. As someone new to organ music, I found your detailed comment truly enlightening. As for my own preferences, it's still far too early to speak of any kind of settled taste, even provisionally. That said, I must admit I'm drawn to the sound of older instruments, those slightly worn by time, with a touch of irregularity in their tone — rather than the gleaming, splendid machines of more recent vintage.

[Iota]

Scriabin: 24 Preludes, Op. 11
Evgeny Zarafiants (piano)

I didn't want to stop listening to the Op.11 Preludes, so captivated by their charms did I feel, so opted to continue with this Zafariants recording, a pianist unknown to me, and what a world apart from Gavrilov he is. He does not have the intensity of Gavrilov, but in all other matters I find him far preferable. The music opens up beautifully in his hands, with a more measured yet always sensitive approach, and the music feels like it's able to take a good, deep breath for the first time  post-Gavrilov.
I continue to be struck by the how similar early Scriabin is to Chopin, yet how completely different. Scriabin seems altogether a freer spirit, judging from the character of the music.

[Harry]

Wilhelm Furtwängler.(1886– 1954)
Symphony Nr.2, in E minor
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi,
Recording Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn,  (live) 2024)


Many know Wilhelm Furtwängler as one of the great conductors of the 20th century—but fewer realize he was also a deeply gifted composer. In fact, for me, he excelled even more in that realm. His **Second Symphony** is a vast, emotionally charged cosmos unto itself, written in a language that is unmistakably his own. While there are fleeting echoes of Bruckner and Mahler, they are distant and incidental. What Furtwängler creates here is far more personal: a landscape of vivid orchestral colors, glowing detail, and a dreamlike, almost surreal sense of progression.
This is music that unfolds slowly and deeply, like wandering through an enchanted forest where each clearing holds some new, miraculous vision. There are flights of inspiration here that soar higher than Icarus—but with wings of true craftsmanship and deep emotional honesty. Furtwängler, ever the Romantic, composes with both introverted reflection and extroverted conviction, merging the two with seamless fluidity throughout this monumental 74-minute work.
Despite its sheer scale, the symphony never feels overlong. It possesses a *Himmlische Länge*—a heavenly length—that invites immersion rather than tests endurance. In fact, the more one listens, the more it reveals. It's not a symphony to grasp in a single hearing; it requires time, openness, and attention. But once its essence settles into you, it simply won't let go.
Neeme Järvi, conducting the superb Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, delivers an interpretation that is both **intellectually assured and emotionally alive**. The performance flows with insight and conviction, and Chandos's state-of-the-art recording captures every nuance in luminous sound. For those already impressed by previous recordings—such as Daniel Barenboim's powerful reading—this new release opens up a "new dimension" of Furtwängler's vision. It is, quite simply, a triumph.

[Harry]

Johann Hermann Schein.
Banchetto Musicale.
Suites, No. 1, 8, 13, 16, 18, 19. (1617)
Accademia del Ricercare, Pietro Busca.
Recorded: August 1995, Venue Unspecified,  No PDF file attached to this recording.

A recording of Johann Hermann Schein's "Banchetto Musicale" this good—performed with such spirit and captured in such excellent sound—all the way back in 1995, feels like a small miracle. It proves that even decades ago, engineers and ensembles were more than capable of producing recordings that stand proudly beside today's best. The variety of period instruments and the infectious enthusiasm of the musicians turn this into a foot-tapping delight. The playing is full of detail and clarity, making it easy to distinguish the individual voices within the ensemble. *Accademia del Ricercare* may not be widely remembered today, but they left behind several recordings that remain thoroughly convincing—interpretations full of character, insight, and joy. This one is well worth seeking out.

Suite No. 1 (in A minor) – A stately opening to the collection, alternating solemnity and grace, with finely woven contrapuntal dances.
Suite No. 8 – One of the brighter suites, often in a major mode, rich in rhythmic vitality and danceable charm.
Suite No. 13 – More introspective, with a refined elegance. The Paduan and Allemande display Schein's mastery of melodic line.
Suite No. 16 – Characterized by crisp rhythms and contrasts between energetic sections (e.g., the Gagliarda) and flowing dances.
Suite No. 18 – Striking for its expressive harmonies and a slightly more ornate texture, giving it a courtly gravitas.
Suite No. 19 – A festive and rhythmically spirited closing work in the collection, bringing the sequence to an uplifting conclusion.

Each suite consists of four standard movements: Paduan, Gagliarda, Courente, and Allemande—reflecting the popular instrumental dance forms of the time. Schein was among the first German composers to fully integrate Italian stylistic influences into instrumental music, and Banchetto Musicale stands as a precursor to later Baroque suite cycles by composers like Froberger, Biber, and even Bach.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Hindemith: Nobilissima visione & Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.