What are you listening 2 now?

[brewski]

Xenakis - Gmeeoorh

An organ piece! It reminded me a bit of Messiaen to begin with.

Years ago I heard this live in New York at St. Thomas Church, on a program of mostly 20th-century works for organ. This was the most memorable of all. At times you could feel the vibrations coming up through the floor.

[brewski]

Mozart's last piano concerto (No. 27) isn't always something I turn to, but in this case, Clifford Curzon brings the magic. Loved it. The 1972 live recording is excellent, for an obviously enthralled audience.

[SonicMan46]

Dvorak, Antonin - starting in on my Dvorak collection today; own just over 40 discs w/ some chamber work duplications and two cello versions below (plus some boxes that comprise a majority of the CDs) - listening now to the cello - these have been culled over the years and are the ones I'm enjoying 'at the moment' -     Dave

 

[Que]

First time I'm listening to these pieces. These performances came recommended on the net. But they strike me as rather straightforward & robust, underplaying the melodic element. Where is the charm? 

PS Things get a bit less heavy performance wise later on. Fortunately.

[SonicMan46]

Continuing with Dvorak for the afternoon - piano concerto and solo works, the latter with Ivo Kahanek - excellent review attached and strong Hurwitz video recommendation.  Dave

 

[Florestan]

First time I'm listening to these pieces. These performances came recommended on the net. But they strike me as rather straightforward & robust, underplaying the melodic element. Where is the charm? 

I had exactly the same reaction to the Eroica Quartet set.

From what I've read, the Pacifica Quartet set is mellow and song-like, even "light" --- but I haven't heard them. (interesting how the two approaches rather match the quartet's names: Eroica vs. Pacifica).

[Florestan]

PS Things get a bit less heavy performance wise later on. Fortunately.

It might be that modern-day quartets try too hard to sell Mendelssohn as Beethoven. Big mistake, if you ask me.

[AnotherSpin]

Josquin Desprez: In memoria mea
Rebecca Stewart, Seconda Prat!ca, Cantus Modalis

This interpretation, exquisitely soft and dreamlike, is wholly to my taste.

[Selig]

Josquin Desprez: In memoria mea
Rebecca Stewart, Seconda Prat!ca, Cantus Modalis

This interpretation, exquisitely soft and dreamlike, is wholly to my taste.

Then you may want to know about Tetsuro Hanai, who has recorded almost all Josquin masses in a style influenced by Rebecca Stewart.

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major, 1878 Version Ed. Robert Haas
Bruckner Orchester Linz, Georg-Ludwig Jochum

[DavidW]

First time I'm listening to these pieces. These performances came recommended on the net. But they strike me as rather straightforward & robust, underplaying the melodic element. Where is the charm? 

PS Things get a bit less heavy performance wise later on. Fortunately.

You should rinse your ears out with this set!

[AnotherSpin]

Then you may want to know about Tetsuro Hanai, who has recorded almost all Josquin masses in a style influenced by Rebecca Stewart.

Thank you very much, I don't recall ever hearing about Tetsuro Hanai recordings. I've already found them on Qobuz and will give them a listen.

[Henk]

Great cycle. Wil listen to them again.

NP:



Need to make a correction: It's on Qobuz, before I wrote not.

[Spotted Horses]

Respighi, Suite for strings, La Vecchia



An enchanting neobaroque piece. Gives a similar impression as the various 20th century transcriptions of baroque pieces for orchestra, except that Respighi wrote the material. The Ciaconna gives the piece and auspicious start and the Siciliana (with impressive functional dissonance) and Giga continue the high level of appeal.

[ritter]

First listen to this recent purchase: Yan-Pascal Tortelier conducts works by Lili Boulanger (vocal soloists, City if Birmingham Symphony Chorus and BBC Philharmonic).

[Que]

It might be that modern-day quartets try too hard to sell Mendelssohn as Beethoven. Big mistake, if you ask me.

Hear, hear! You're preaching to the choir...

And even Beethoven seems to need added weight and, particularly, razor edged playing...

You should rinse your ears out with this set!

Thnx!

[Linz]

Joseph Haydn Symphonies Vol. 5 Cd 1
Symphony No. 35 in B flat major
Symphony No. 38 in C major
Symphony No. 39 in G minor
The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

[JBS]

[ritter]

And now, dipping my toes into this recent release:



Starting with something familiar, from the fourth of this 4-CD set: Jacques Fëvrier plays Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand, with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra under Charles Munch. This is Février's earlier recording of the work, made in occupied Paris in 1942 (he'd re-record the concerto in the late fifties under Georges Tzipine).

Février was a favourite performer of the composer in this particular work, but I must say I'm not that impressed by either of his recordings of the concerto (or of the solo piano music, for that matter). Wonderful phrasing and control of dynamics, but I seem to detect too many wrong notes...   

To be fair, I found his recordings of Debussy's solo piano music superb.

[Mandryka]

Duxerunt Pullum ad Jesum from Pérès's Auxerre cd. It really is very special.