What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

[Karl Henning]

[71 dB]

J.S.Bach - Cello Suites Nos. 4-6, BWV 1010-1012
Csaba Onczay
Naxos 8.550678

I think this and the volume 1 with Suites 1-3 (8.550677) are very successful early 90's Naxos releases. Onczay's playing is very good and the recorded sound is balanced and pleasant. Recommended!

[steve ridgway]

Berio - Chemins V

[Karl Henning]

followed, unsurprisingly, by:

[steve ridgway]

Maderna - Ausstrahlung

[Todd]

[steve ridgway]

(Continues with Maderna having being sidetracked into listening to rap music on YouTube...)

[AnotherSpin]

Fragment of Jusepe de Ribera's La resurrección de Lázaro on the cover.

[Lisztianwagner]

Ralph Vaughan Williams
Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica'

Margaret Ritchie (soprano), Lawrance Collingwood (organ)
John Barbirolli & Hallé Orchestra

[steve ridgway]

Varèse - Déserts

[Madiel]

I have really been looking forward to this volume, having heard it on streaming a number of years ago, and it did not disappoint.



Vivaldi wrote almost everything required for a Vespers service - some things he set multiple times - and it takes only a few tiny tweaks and additions to create this epic 2.5 hour version of the form for multiple soloists, double choir and double orchestra, incorporating 9 vocal and 2 instrumental works.

I basically already know this music from the Hyperion series of sacred music, but there's something special about the way Alessandrini has committed to presenting it in a liturgical context, i.e. in the correct order. And the liner notes again do a nice job of explaining the details of the decisions made, and the historical evidence that you really could get a church service that a modern listener would regard as more of a 'concert'.

The sheer variety of what's included here, including Vivaldi's own skill at creating contrast within the larger multi-movement pieces, is wonderful. Very few movements are over 5 minutes, so if a particular thing doesn't take your fancy there'll be something else along shortly. The singing is consistently good.

Obviously I have more than 60+ volumes of this series still to listen to but I think it will be tough to find a more rewarding one than this. Winner of a Gramophone award when released, and in their article of top 10 Vivaldi recordings many years later. Recommended.

[Todd]

Revisiting this extra-spiffy recording.

[Brian]

Hengelbrock's Schubert Great is characterized by flexible tempi, slightly faster in first subjects and slower in more lyrical ones. He doesn't push it to the point of cartoonishness or mannerism, but you will hear the flexibility. I'm not totally certain about how slowly the melodic episodes in the slow movement go, but the climax is hair-raising and the first movement tempo changes are expertly done.

EDIT: In the finale, Hengelbrock does a good job varying the dynamics so it's not a wearying constant forte - even in the coda there are touches of softness. Unfortunately he observes the "quiet ending" on the final chord, which I think is a mistake.

[Karl Henning]

[hopefullytrusting]

Sometime later today: Gottfried von Einem (the most composer looking composer I've ever come across)


Bruckner Dialog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRRXHWvk5hk
Philadelphia Symphony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKNDjEt2gLY
Violin Concerto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5Kv34qrJCc

[Todd]

[Karl Henning]

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major, 1896 Edition [Doblingler] Revision by Franz Schalk
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Leon Botstein

[Karl Henning]