What are you listening 2 now?

[Harry]

Taking Harry's lead and having listened to 4 volumes of String Trios yesterday:

Röntgen, Julius (1855-1932) - Chamber works for oboe, bassoon, & piano trio with the performers below - Dave

 

The trios are also on my list, thanks for reminding me of them.

[SonicMan46]

The trios are also on my list, thanks for reminding me of them.

Hi Harry - The Bassoon/Oboe Sonatas are a new addition yesterday (MP3 DL from Amazon, $9 USD), but also available at Prestomusic for a few more dollars and both MP3 or FLAC/WAV offerings - just listened to the music which is beautiful and as you always say SOTA sound.  Dave

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP: Vasks Viatore

[Harry]

JAPANESE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC,
by Ifukube, Tanaka, Toyama, Otaka & Wada.
Malmö Symphony Orchestra / Jun'ichi Hirokami.
Recorded in June 1990 at the Malmö Concert Hall, Sweden.

What a discovery this disc is! These five Japanese composers run a very tight ship—each work is crafted with structural finesse, precise logic, and deeply rooted expression. There's a sense of balance and restraint throughout, always tinged with an undercurrent of Zen-like focus. What struck me most was how effortlessly tradition and modernity fuse—Japanese cultural identity shines through, yet the music speaks in a universal orchestral language.

Akira Ifukube's Ballata Sinfonica (1943), a Symphonic Ballet, is steeped in classical form, but unmistakably Japanese in voice. The score is tight, tonal, and melodically engaging—organized with the discipline of an architect and the heart of a poet. A beautiful work that left a lasting impression.

Karen Tanaka's Prisms for Orchestra (1984) is something else entirely—a modern whirlwind of sound and fury. It surprises, it shocks, yet remains structured and cohesive beneath the surface. It's a piece of wild abandon, yet never chaotic. A visceral experience.

Yuzo Toyama's Symphonic Poem "Matsura" (1982) radiates the most pronounced Zen character. It's a contemplative, tonally grounded work with excellent internal balance—stretched at moments, but never strained. It impressed me deeply with its clarity of form and spirit.

Atsutada Otaka's Images for Orchestra is delicate, intricate, and beautifully detailed. Every passage feels intentional, every color well chosen. The piece speaks clearly, with a focused line of thought and subtle cultural inflections. One of the highlights of the program.

And then there's Kaoru Wada's Folkloric Dance Suite (1987)—a delightful, rhythmically engaging work full of vitality. It dances with folkloric flavor and even flirts with samba rhythms. This piece brings joy, groove, and spirit in equal measure. Utterly enjoyable.

The recording is, quite simply, one of the finest I've heard from BIS. The acoustic is spacious and clear, with every detail captured in state-of-the-art sound. The Malmö Symphony Orchestra under Jun'ichi Hirokami plays with polish, commitment, and a deep understanding of the material. An éclatant success—one of those rare discs where everything just comes together. Strongly recommended.

[AnotherSpin]

Trios from this 2CD set.

The problem with falling in love with a piece of music is that you immediately proceed to ruin it. You play it far too often, in every possible interpretation under the sun. You're insatiable. Obsessed. And then, without so much as a polite warning, it happens: you hit the wall. The magic's gone, the thrill has vanished, and you can't even bear to listen to it one more time.

That, alas, was the fate of Schubert's Trio Op. 100 in my hands (and ears). I overdid it.

Happily, Bylsma, Immerseel, and Beths came to the rescue. Their version? Sharp, fresh, delicate, perfectly balanced. And, crucially, not annoying - a minor miracle.

[Que]

The problem with falling in love with a piece of music is that you immediately proceed to ruin it. You play it far too often, in every possible interpretation under the sun. You're insatiable. Obsessed. And then, without so much as a polite warning, it happens: you hit the wall. The magic's gone, the thrill has vanished, and you can't even bear to listen to it one more time.

That, alas, was the fate of Schubert's Trio Op. 100 in my hands (and ears). I overdid it.

Happily, Bylsma, Immerseel, and Beths came to the rescue. Their version? Sharp, fresh, delicate, perfectly balanced. And, crucially, not annoying - a minor miracle.

Try also La Gaia Scienza:

[AnotherSpin]

Try also La Gaia Scienza:

Thank you for the recommendation. This recording was one of many dozens I listened to...

[Irons]

I personally like Igor Zhukov, Elena Kuschnerova, and Valery Kastelsky.

Zhukov made many fine recordings for Melodiya including a very good Prokofiev set as well as Scriabin. From the same stable, Vladimir Sofronitsky a specialist Scriabin pianist.

[Irons]

Trios from this 2CD set.

The problem with falling in love with a piece of music is that you immediately proceed to ruin it. You play it far too often, in every possible interpretation under the sun. You're insatiable. Obsessed. And then, without so much as a polite warning, it happens: you hit the wall. The magic's gone, the thrill has vanished, and you can't even bear to listen to it one more time.

That, alas, was the fate of Schubert's Trio Op. 100 in my hands (and ears). I overdid it.

Happily, Bylsma, Immerseel, and Beths came to the rescue. Their version? Sharp, fresh, delicate, perfectly balanced. And, crucially, not annoying - a minor miracle.

So true. Feels like losing a good friend.

[Cato]

For America's 249th Birthday:


Charles Ives: Symphony #2

[foxandpeng]

Cesar Guerra-Peixe
Symphonies 1 and 2
Neil Thomson
Goiania Symphony Choir
Goias PO
Goias Youth Symphony Choir
Naxos (The Music of Brazil)

I'm really surprised to have found these symphonies less than interesting. Maybe it is my mood or the fact that an inaugural hearing doesn't necessarily equate with long-term appreciation, but it all fell a bit flat. It was ok, I guess, but nothing of massive stature.

[Linz]

Alexander Zemlinsky symphony No. 1 in D minor
Waldgesprach, Fruhlingsbegrabnis, Narblumen blumen uberall
Edith Mathis, Roland Herman
Chor Symponieorchster des Norddeutschen Rundfunks, Antony Beumont

[Traverso]

  Bach and  De Visée

[Roasted Swan]

Cesar Guerra-Peixe
Symphonies 1 and 2
Neil Thomson
Goiania Symphony Choir
Goias PO
Goias Youth Symphony Choir
Naxos (The Music of Brazil)

I'm really surprised to have found these symphonies less than interesting. Maybe it is my mood or the fact that an inaugural hearing doesn't necessarily equate with long-term appreciation, but it all fell a bit flat. It was ok, I guess, but nothing of massive stature.

I was relatively underwhelmed a bit as well.......

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Zhukov made many fine recordings for Melodiya including a very good Prokofiev set as well as Scriabin. From the same stable, Vladimir Sofronitsky a specialist Scriabin pianist.

I like those recordings from Melodiya. Too bad they are not available in digital or disc format. Sofronitzky's Scriabin music is solid.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Paul Creston SY2.

[Spotted Horses]

I diverted from my listening to Wellesz Symphonies to list to his Piano Concerto.



The best work of Wellesz I have heard, perhaps.

I continue to be impressed after a second listen. The work doesn't have a key signature, but I get the impression it makes free use of tonality. (Alas, streaming and no access to the CD notes.)

[nico1616]

This Jephtha is one of the rare recordings where Marriner gets it better than Gardiner.

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major, 1878 Version Ed. Leopold Nowak
Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy,
Maria Stadler, Soprano, , Helen Vanni, Mezzo- soprano, Stanley Kolk, Tenor. Donald Gramm, Bass Temple University Choir

[Lisztianwagner]

Johann Strauss II
Phänomene Op. 193
Romance No. 1 (For Cello And Orchestra) Op. 243
Kinderspiele (Polka Française) Op. 304
Du And Du Op. 367

Alfred Walter & CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra