What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

Mozart: Violin sonata no.35 in A, K.526



My first listen to what is regarded as the last of Mozart's 3 great later violin sonatas. And it did not disappoint. An exceptionally sparkling work in its outer movements.

K.526 > K.525 

[DavidW]

Continuing in Op 33, but with a different ensemble:

[Lisztianwagner]

Carl Nielsen
Symphonic Rhapsody
Helios Overture
Saga-Drøm

Herbert Blomstedt & Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra

[Harry]

Max Reger. (1873–1916)
Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, opus 128.
Romantic Suite (Eine romantische Suite), Op. 125.
Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Jaime Martín.
Recorded: 2019 (Op. 128); 2024 (Op. 125), Gävle Concert Hall, Sweden.
Streaming: 96kHz/24 bit.
Label: Ondine, Two PDF files attached.

A brand-new recording of Max Reger's most beautiful orchestral works — Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin and the Romantic Suite — reminds us just how sensual, poetic, and profoundly expressive this composer could be, especially in the last years of his short life. There are touches here that whisper of Debussy, not in mimicry but in mood: colour, atmosphere, and suggestive ambiguity, all in Reger's own dense and glowing language.

It had been years since I last revisited these works. But the moment Der Geigende Eremit begins — the first movement of Opus 128 — one is drawn instantly into the very nucleus of Reger's vision. It sets a tone not only for the work, but for the man himself: reflective, spiritual, imaginative, and in full command of his expressive palette. These pieces don't so much unfold as breathe, sculpting a world that feels at once ancient and vividly alive.

There is no wrong place to begin. Every entry point leads inward, and every exit feels earned. These are not episodic works; they are holistic organisms, with orchestration that glows from within. One is struck not only by the craftsmanship, but by the depth of feeling — a kind of ruminative fire that flickers beneath every phrase.

Reger remains a strange presence in the musical landscape. He is talked about, occasionally programmed, but rarely seen in full light. He hovers — visible but too often overlooked, rarely claimed as the pivotal figure he truly is. His vast output and intellectual weight can make him seem forbidding. Yet here, in these late orchestral works, one hears the voice of a composer who had come to terms with his heart. There is a serenity in the construction, a lucidity of gesture, and — above all — a sense of spiritual inwardness that belongs entirely to him.

The Gävle Symphony Orchestra, under Jaime Martín (a conductor previously unknown to me), offers an interpretation of great care and clarity. These are not rushed performances, nor are they overburdened. Instead, they unfold naturally, with a keen sense of pacing and internal logic. The ensemble plays with sensitivity and warmth, letting the music's inner light emerge without affectation.

The recording itself is very good — a deep soundstage, generous in detail, and satisfying in tonal weight. I refrain from further commentary on sonics only because my amplifier is still accumulating its playing hours; yet even now, I sense the impression is accurate: this is a recording that does justice to both Reger and the hall's acoustic.

A triumph, then — and a reminder that some composers do not fade because they fail, but because they are too richly woven for casual handling. Reger deserves listeners willing to follow his lines to their spiritual root. This recording makes that path clear.

[AnotherSpin]

Max Reger. (1873–1916)
Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, opus 128.
Romantic Suite (Eine romantische Suite), Op. 125.
Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Jaime Martín.
Recorded: 2019 (Op. 128); 2024 (Op. 125), Gävle Concert Hall, Sweden.
Streaming: 96kHz/24 bit.
Label: Ondine, Two PDF files attached.

A brand-new recording of Max Reger's most beautiful orchestral works — Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin and the Romantic Suite — reminds us just how sensual, poetic, and profoundly expressive this composer could be, especially in the last years of his short life. There are touches here that whisper of Debussy, not in mimicry but in mood: colour, atmosphere, and suggestive ambiguity, all in Reger's own dense and glowing language.

It had been years since I last revisited these works. But the moment Der Geigende Eremit begins — the first movement of Opus 128 — one is drawn instantly into the very nucleus of Reger's vision. It sets a tone not only for the work, but for the man himself: reflective, spiritual, imaginative, and in full command of his expressive palette. These pieces don't so much unfold as breathe, sculpting a world that feels at once ancient and vividly alive.

There is no wrong place to begin. Every entry point leads inward, and every exit feels earned. These are not episodic works; they are holistic organisms, with orchestration that glows from within. One is struck not only by the craftsmanship, but by the depth of feeling — a kind of ruminative fire that flickers beneath every phrase.

Reger remains a strange presence in the musical landscape. He is talked about, occasionally programmed, but rarely seen in full light. He hovers — visible but too often overlooked, rarely claimed as the pivotal figure he truly is. His vast output and intellectual weight can make him seem forbidding. Yet here, in these late orchestral works, one hears the voice of a composer who had come to terms with his heart. There is a serenity in the construction, a lucidity of gesture, and — above all — a sense of spiritual inwardness that belongs entirely to him.

The Gävle Symphony Orchestra, under Jaime Martín (a conductor previously unknown to me), offers an interpretation of great care and clarity. These are not rushed performances, nor are they overburdened. Instead, they unfold naturally, with a keen sense of pacing and internal logic. The ensemble plays with sensitivity and warmth, letting the music's inner light emerge without affectation.

The recording itself is very good — a deep soundstage, generous in detail, and satisfying in tonal weight. I refrain from further commentary on sonics only because my amplifier is still accumulating its playing hours; yet even now, I sense the impression is accurate: this is a recording that does justice to both Reger and the hall's acoustic.

A triumph, then — and a reminder that some composers do not fade because they fail, but because they are too richly woven for casual handling. Reger deserves listeners willing to follow his lines to their spiritual root. This recording makes that path clear.

Fully agreed. I listened to this album twice all the way through, and some parts even more than that. I believe Reger doesn't get the attention he deserves. Then again, it's no surprise, the crowd has its own idols.

[Mister Sharpe]

Up next for me, released back in 1972. (On LP, NM). I like No. 5 the best, if memory serves and especially the Gavotte, which I need to learn how to do (some forms of it involved kissing  ). I remember hearing Zucker-and Perl-men in these and not being so very impressed.  But I should retry their recording and some others. Am I right in thinking Leclair's star is rising?  I hear him more often - it seems - on some of the Baroque shows I listen to and the number of recordings is persuasive...

   

[Harry]

Jean Marie Leclair.
Recreations de Musique Opus 6 & 8 for 2 Violins & BC, and Sonatas Opus 3 No. 5 & Opus 12 No. 2.
Musica Alta Ripa.
Recorded: 2012 and 2013 at the Konzerthaus der Abtei Marienmünster.
Streaming: 44.1kHz/16 bit.
Label: MDG, no PDF file attached to this recording.

Over the years I've encountered many fine recordings by Musica Alta Ripa, but this one stands apart — a breathtaking performance that not only meets expectations, but quietly surpasses them. There's something here that feels definitive: not only in interpretation, but in musical insight. It's the kind of recording that sets a benchmark, not by grandeur but by depth of understanding and poise.

The works featured — Récréations de Musique Op. 6 and Op. 8, along with the sonatas from Op. 3 and Op. 12 — are exquisite examples of Leclair's unique voice. These are not merely elegant compositions; they are perfectly sculpted forms, written by a mind that understood every trick of the trade and still found ways to transcend them. Leclair astonishes again and again with his inventiveness, his flair for counterpoint, and his balance of brilliance and intimacy. Just when you think he has reached the limits of invention, he pushes further.

The performance reflects this fully. Alta Ripa captures the forward motion and detailed ornamentation with immaculate precision, yet never at the cost of musical warmth. The two violins converse rather than compete, and the continuo support is supple, eloquent, and never routine.

Sonically, the recording is mostly superb — but there's an audible shift between the two sessions. The earlier recordings (Op. 6 and Op. 3), made in 2012, have a remarkable sense of transparency: the sound floats, almost suspended in air, with an ethereal quality that gives the music a near-weightless presence. When the Op. 8 works begin — recorded in 2013 — the perspective shifts. We are returned to earth: the sonority is warmer, more grounded, and slightly less diaphanous. It is a fine sound nonetheless, perfectly judged, but the contrast is noticeable and briefly surprising.

Still, this change does nothing to lessen the overall impression. This is Leclair at his most inspired, played with radiant precision by a group who clearly understand both the language and the soul of his music. A recording of refinement, character, and great musical joy.

Recommended without reservation.

[Iota]

Mozart: Serenade in E flat major K.375
Netherlands Wind Ensemble

A work that seems equally ready for eternity or a casual afternoon's divertissement. And an effortlessly beautiful Adagio at its heart that seems to radiate out to all that follows it and all that precedes it.

[Karl Henning]

Mozart: A couple of his best songs, and then Eine kleine Nachtmusik.



...which, to be honest, I'm not sure quite deserves its outsize fame. I mean it's good, but I personally don't think it's Mozart's best even in the serenade genre. I suspect part of the reason for the fame is that it's kleine, and easily digestible.

That it should prove one of the ten (say) Mozart works that any culturally literate person in our day could name really is something of a minor mystery. Hadn't really considered that ere now.

[Karl Henning]

Couldn't agree with you more. Many moons ago I was in a classical CD shoppe (there were such things back then!) and a fellow customer regaled the weary proprietor with a peroration on how it was the greatest music ever composed. For nearly half an hour he droned on about it. I thought the owner looked at me to try to save his life, but I could not be sure. After that experience, I liked Eine lange Nachtmusik even less. 

Nothing jades one to the modest virtues of a cheeseburger worse than someone trying to convince you that it's a Kobe steak.

[Karl Henning]

Liszt's Piano Sonata from this disc:

Oh, but the b minor Sonata is one helluva rabbithole!

[Karl Henning]

Max Reger. (1873–1916)
Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, opus 128.
Romantic Suite (Eine romantische Suite), Op. 125.
Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Jaime Martín.
Recorded: 2019 (Op. 128); 2024 (Op. 125), Gävle Concert Hall, Sweden.
Streaming: 96kHz/24 bit.
Label: Ondine, Two PDF files attached.

A brand-new recording of Max Reger's most beautiful orchestral works — Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin and the Romantic Suite — reminds us just how sensual, poetic, and profoundly expressive this composer could be, especially in the last years of his short life. There are touches here that whisper of Debussy, not in mimicry but in mood: colour, atmosphere, and suggestive ambiguity, all in Reger's own dense and glowing language.

It had been years since I last revisited these works. But the moment Der Geigende Eremit begins — the first movement of Opus 128 — one is drawn instantly into the very nucleus of Reger's vision. It sets a tone not only for the work, but for the man himself: reflective, spiritual, imaginative, and in full command of his expressive palette. These pieces don't so much unfold as breathe, sculpting a world that feels at once ancient and vividly alive.

There is no wrong place to begin. Every entry point leads inward, and every exit feels earned. These are not episodic works; they are holistic organisms, with orchestration that glows from within. One is struck not only by the craftsmanship, but by the depth of feeling — a kind of ruminative fire that flickers beneath every phrase.

Reger remains a strange presence in the musical landscape. He is talked about, occasionally programmed, but rarely seen in full light. He hovers — visible but too often overlooked, rarely claimed as the pivotal figure he truly is. His vast output and intellectual weight can make him seem forbidding. Yet here, in these late orchestral works, one hears the voice of a composer who had come to terms with his heart. There is a serenity in the construction, a lucidity of gesture, and — above all — a sense of spiritual inwardness that belongs entirely to him.

The Gävle Symphony Orchestra, under Jaime Martín (a conductor previously unknown to me), offers an interpretation of great care and clarity. These are not rushed performances, nor are they overburdened. Instead, they unfold naturally, with a keen sense of pacing and internal logic. The ensemble plays with sensitivity and warmth, letting the music's inner light emerge without affectation.

The recording itself is very good — a deep soundstage, generous in detail, and satisfying in tonal weight. I refrain from further commentary on sonics only because my amplifier is still accumulating its playing hours; yet even now, I sense the impression is accurate: this is a recording that does justice to both Reger and the hall's acoustic.

A triumph, then — and a reminder that some composers do not fade because they fail, but because they are too richly woven for casual handling. Reger deserves listeners willing to follow his lines to their spiritual root. This recording makes that path clear.

Clearly, I need to investigate these!

[Spotted Horses]

Bacewicz, String Quartet No 3, Lutosławski Quartet.



I listened to this work by the Silesian Quartet last week. Listening again with the Lutoslawski Quartet. A splendid work. A high point is the slow middle movement, which has a wonderful apotheosis near the end.

Bacewicz is miraculous in smaller scale works.

[VonStupp]

Jean Sibelius
Cantata for the Coronation of Nicholas II, JS 104
Cantata for the Conferment Ceremony of 1894, JS 105

Academic March, JS 155
Andante Festivo, JS 34b
Finlandia, op. 26/7

Soile Isokoski, soprano
Jaako Kortekangas, baritone

Finnish Philharmonic Choir
Helsinki PO - Leif Segerstam

[hopefullytrusting]

Oh, but the b minor Sonata is one helluva rabbithole!

And I actually bought the disc for the etudes so the Sonata was a lovely kicker - it is, I think, one of the better versions of it (if you like to hear things the way I do - please don't attack me audiophiles).

[VonStupp]

Jean Sibelius
Cantata for the Coronation of Nicholas II, JS 104
Cantata for the Conferment Ceremony of 1894, JS 105

Academic March, JS 155
Andante Festivo, JS 34b
Finlandia, op. 26/7

Soile Isokoski, soprano
Jaako Kortekangas, baritone

Finnish Philharmonic Choir
Helsinki PO - Leif Segerstam

For some reason, GMG forbids me to compare Segerstam's Finlandia to Vänskä and Karajan. Every time I try, it gives me the forbidden error page. I'll keep trying, though. Suffice to say Segerstam's is one of the longest I know, while Vänskä cruises through the opening portion, another recording I recently heard.

The occasional cantatas are interesting, if not paragons of the genre.

There, after three days, I did it! 
VS

[brewski]

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (The Orchestra at Shelter Rock / Stephen Michael Smith, conductor / Brian Jeffers, tenor / Billy Huyler, baritone). A very good, if not world-class, ensemble with two excellent singers. The whole affair is inspiring, underlining the value of bringing one of the world's masterpieces to a place (Manhasset, NY, on the north shore of Long Island) that likely doesn't get much Mahler trucking through.

[Karl Henning]

"Wolferl"

String Quartet in d minor, K. 421
Quatuor Mosaïques

String Quartet in D,  « Hoffmeister » K. 499
Festetics Quartet

[Karl Henning]

For some reason, GMG forbids me to compare Segerstam's Finlandia to Vänskä and Karajan. Every time I try, it gives me the forbidden error page. I'll keep trying, though. Suffice to say Segerstam's is one of the longest I know, while Vänskä cruises through the opening portion, another recording I recently heard.

The occasional cantatas are interesting, if not paragons of the genre.

There, after three days, I did it! 
VS

And on the third day ....

[Rinaldo]

Are you off to Bayreuth? Or perhaps hosting your own virtual festival at home? Not a bad idea, come to think of it. I might follow suit and revisit The Ring in some fine interpretations over the coming weeks.

Many thanks for the recommendation of the Hansjörg Albrecht album. I don't believe I've listened to his recordings before. I rather enjoyed his Wagner transcriptions on the whole. While I did miss the full aural magnificence of the original, there were moments when the organist managed to capture the ineffable spirit of the great music.

Hah, yes, you could say it's gonna be a ,,festival at home". I've finally got my hands on the Sawallisch cycle from 1989 which I sought for a long time and want to give it a thorough listen.

Glad you enjoyed Albrecht's recording! I'm not a fan of transcriptions per se, but the organ brings out wonderful textures – the Waldweben from Siegfried is phenomenal.

Now playing:
John Dowland
Lute Music (Nigel North)