What are you listening 2 now?

[brewski]

A first listen ever? Wow, you had been missing a masterpiece of the first order all this time, but glad you remedied that.

For whatever reason, I've only gotten acquainted with Mendelssohn's chamber music in the last 6-7 years, starting with the Octet, which has become a favorite piece by anyone. His symphonies and choral works generally don't quite satisfy, but the Octet, the quartets, and some other chamber works have all been marvelous discoveries.

[Karl Henning]

[Karl Henning]

For whatever reason, I've only gotten acquainted with Mendelssohn's chamber music in the last 6-7 years, starting with the Octet

Overall, we who have a broad enthusiasm and unquenched taste for modernity find Mendelssohn easy to overlook. I say that witthout either denying my passion for Stravinsky, e.g. nor to rationalize neglect of Mendelsohn. for me the f minor Quartet was espechially eye- and ear-opening.

[Karl Henning]

TD:

[brewski]

Overall, we who have a broad enthusiasm and unquenched taste for modernity find Mendelssohn easy to overlook. I say that witthout either denying my passion for Stravinsky, e.g. nor to rationalize neglect of Mendelsohn. for me the f minor Quartet was espechially eye- and ear-opening.

Yes. Years ago a violinist friend who plays mostly contemporary music said he thought Mendelssohn was one of the greatest of all time. I listened, but at that time didn't quite agree — or perhaps I didn't understand his point. Anyway... I'm going to revisit that quartet, too (perhaps after the flood from Banff this week).

[DavidW]

Inspired by recent posts:

[Karl Henning]

A stone-cold classic:

[brewski]

Right now at Banff, even more Mendelssohn!

Arete Quartet
Schumann: String Quartet Op. 41, No. 1

Nerida Quartet
Mendelssohn: Quartet No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 44

Intermission

Quatuor Elmire
Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in E minor, Op. 44

Watch live here.

[Mister Sharpe]

One reason to eat healthy and exercise in the hope of living longer is to witness the fascinating ebb and flow of what's esteemed in classical music halls and what ain't. Franck's decline, to me, is saddening but the popularity of Liszt's Pèlerinage is gladdening, especially as his reputation seems otherwise on a downhill slope. And what's particularly interesting is that the Pèlerinages - instead of showcasing Liszt's legendary flamboyant, bravura pianism, focus for the most part on the lyrical, poetic, contemplative side of his personality. With popular interest and enthusiasm, of course, comes an embarrassment of recording riches. I've heard many Pèlerinages, and been impressed with most, but have yet to hear Leslie Howard's mining of early drafts of Liszt's work and clearly need to. Still, early explorers of the piano cycle have much to offer, inc. Berman and Kempff.  On LP, this, and a German pressing.

[Lisztianwagner]

Franz Liszt
Tanzmomente von Johann Herbeck
Löse, Himmel, meine Seele – Lied von Eduard Lassen
Dantes Sonett "Tanto gentile e tanto onesta" von Hans von Bülow
Élégie sur des motifs du Prince Louis Ferdinand de Prusse

Pianist: Leslie Howard

[Todd]

Revisiting this titanically great recording.  Last month, Armstrong was in town to play the Goldbergs, but I was on a road trip to visit, among other places, Tule Lake Concentration Camp.  (I call it what it was, not the more polite name it goes by.)  Hopefully he returns and I can attend.

[DavidW]

[Florestan]

Thanks for doing that work.

I've got nothing to add yet --  except to say that the abstract to this article looks interesting, but those no obvious way of getting access to the article itself, without paying a lot of money.

https://academic.oup.com/jaar/article-abstract/90/4/860/7193024?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Anyway, best to leave it in a way. I don't want to become a dilettante pontificating internet medievalist -- a sort of secular latter day Edward Casaubon.

Agreed.

[Linz]

Joseph Haydn Symphonies Vol. 7  CD 2
Symphony No. 47 in G major
Symphony No. 51 in B sharp major
The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

[Linz]

Gabriel Fauré Giulini Legends Fauré Requiem  Verdi Four Sacred Pieces
Janet Baker, Gérard Souzay, Pilharmonia Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini

[Daverz]

Ravel: Ma mere l'oye (full ballet) - Skrowaczewski, Minnesota Orchestra



This Mobile Fidelity SACD is from the original quadrophonic tapes.  The sonics are rich and warm.

[DavidW]

[AnotherSpin]

[Todd]

[Lisztianwagner]

Charles Ives
Orchestral Set No.2

Michael Tilson Thomas & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

The Unanswered Question
Central Park in the Dark

Michael Tilson Thomas & Chicago Symphony Orchestra