What are you listening 2 now?

[hopefullytrusting]

Prokofiev really hits his piano sonata stride in his war sonatas for me, individually or collectively, and here there are some juicy choices.  Richter, of course, but also Wang (perhaps the best current Prokofiev player), Ashkenazy, Pogorelich and Abduraimov (Sixth), FFG, Bronfman, Beroff, Sandor, and others.

Thanks for the recommendations, but I have already selected the recordings I am listening to - you'll see that I try to avoid "names," as I like to give others a chance, and, at least with Scriabin, I discovered at least 5 amazing pianists that I will be returning to - one who has already breached my top 5 - Dynasty Battles aka my pineapple and Canadian bacon pizza tier aka the top tier - to put your new system to use.

[Spotted Horses]

It is unusual but I get the feelings of awesome possibilities beyond what we normally see. The composer was very religious but seems to have tried to expand both his view of the world and his musical techniques.

Wikipedia says

"Expression of theological ideas from the Catholic faith, and an often ecstatic intention, are characteristic of the composer"

and that the three threads of the composition are

"the light, representing Jesus, links to space and astronomy, and birdsong".

The first exposure was a shock, but I have come to appreciate Messiaen, because of the sounds he comes up with. His motivation (his thing with colors, the religious beliefs) are his business and irrelevant to my appreciation of the music.

[71 dB]

J.S.Bach - Cantatas BWV 49-52 - Rilling

[Linz]

Guido Cantelli CD 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ein Muskallischer Spaß, Symphony No. 29
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Philharmonia Orchestra

[hopefullytrusting]

Mid-afternoon, 3:31 PM, and it might be my last classical of the day - feeling like watching movies this evening, so I'm listening to Tiffany Poon playing Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EahfVr_GpGE

Man, does Prokofiev vacillate - a double-minded composer, perhaps - we have move away from the direction of sonata 2, and return to the rollicking fight club of sonata 1, but this one did learn from sonata 2 as it does try to maintain a melodic streak as well as the speed - it is a technical showcase, and manic in its display. In fact, when it does allow the melody to shine through, so when the pounding stops, it easily surpasses sonata 2 in that quality, so, in short or in sum, sonata 3 is the synthesis of sonata 1 and sonata 2 aka Prokofiev the Hegelian!

This does make me wonder how composers select their compositions because sonata 1 and 3 are similar but 2 is longer than 1 and 3 combined, but they are all sonatas, and, of course, they can say it is he form, the genre, but I would question their ears if they can detect that form from listening alone, if there is any form to be had - 1 and 3 are contained in an empty glass, while 2 was contained in a glass full of water.

I will say that I love watching Prokofiev being performed because it feels like watching real life Looney Tunes.

High recommend.

[André]

Double concertos for violin and accordion, and for saxophone and piano. Both are cast in multiple sections (4, 6) with a substantial duration: 32 and 36 minutes respectively. I figured the composer must have quite a few things to say to sustain such a format with little/no precedents as guideposts. Koppel (Anders) is the son of his more famous father, composer/pianist Hermann Koppel and brother of Thomas Koppel, also a fine composer.

I have a few discs of both composers and Anders' music sounds different from Hermann's in many ways. It is less concentrated in argument, looser in structure, always looking for unusual sound combinations.

The violin/accordion combination is surprisingly effective tonally. Both instruments have a tangy, singing, sinewy tone. They complement each other very well. Composer Astor Piazzola has brought the accordion across the bridge that separates popular music from classical. The concerto's lines dance, curve, sigh, converse with one another. It's a fascinating half-hour that satisfies and calls for repeats (2 so far).

The other concerto pairs the saxophone, a singing instrument, with the piano, a percussive one. The saxophone assumes the role of a talking, babbling, laughing blabbermouth while the piano tries to keep up with him - sometimes interrupting for a soliloquy, sometimes playing the role of an overactive basso continuo, baroque-style. The style is hard to pinpoint. The combination of timbres may recall Gershwin, but I think it's closer to contemporary scandinavian composers like Magnus Lindberg (without the harshness) and Jan Sandström - of Motorbike Concerto fame, but without the garrulousness.

Fascinating music, top notch quality production from Dacapo.

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No.8 in C Minor, 1887/90 Mixed Versions. Ed. Robert Haas
Preußische Staatskapelle; Herbert von Karajan movements II, III and IV

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Casadesus: 3 Danses méditerranéennes - Chabrier: 3 Valses romantiques - Fauré: Dolly Suite.

[brewski]

Just back from an early, hour-long concert: An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss, with The Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Stéphane Denève. Afterward he stayed for a brief chat, talking about rehearsing the piece, some backstage glimpses, and other anecdotes.

The performance was spectacular, with particularly great contributions from the winds (oboe and horns) and some gorgeous trombone work.

[André]

Just back from an early, hour-long concert: An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss, with The Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Stéphane Denève. Afterward he stayed for a brief chat, talking about rehearsing the piece, some backstage glimpses, and other anecdotes.

The performance was spectacular, with particularly great contributions from the winds (oboe and horns) and some gorgeous trombone work.

Attending a performance of the Alpine symphony remains one of the most impressive musical events I've attended. Awesome music, incredible orchestration.

[Symphonic Addict]

Attending a performance of the Alpine symphony remains one of the most impressive musical events I've attended. Awesome music, incredible orchestration.

Absolutely! This year was the opportunity (at last) to me to hear that majestic work live. Needless to say I was utterly floored by the experience. The last two sections were incredibly heartfelt, particularly.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Magda Tagliaferro.

[AnotherSpin]

A flawless presentation of familiar pieces, whose initial acquaintance lies well behind. Each sound does not introduce the music anew but reveals it as a long-trusted companion, intimate, seasoned, and quietly resonant. The music no longer presents itself for discovery; it recalls known details and cherished qualities. Every phrase is steeped in recognition, every motif a return. The ocean of novelty has long been crossed, another moment to dwell in the depths, where the known grows richer and the familiar unfolds in endless variation.

Life does not require endless novelty; for its perfection, it is content with itself.

[JBS]

First listen to this recent purchase:



Grandi numeri is a late work (2010) by Bussotti, and conducts of 12 pieces for variable combination of piano(s), violin, trombone, clarinet and voice. Bussotti is said to have regarded the visual aspect of the score as an integral part of the work. Here's an example:



It's all great fun, but  rather close, in its eclecticism, to what I imagine a seventies "happening" would sound like.

Nice to hear Dallapiccola's Quaderno musicale di Annalibera quoted in the seventh section.

Is there some system to that score, or are the performers expected to assemble the various bits in whatever manner they think best?

TD
A sort of double bill of Mozart

[steve ridgway]

Messiaen - Hymne (For Large Orchestra)

[steve ridgway]

Stravinsky - Two Balmont Songs

[Wanderer]

And before that, Beethoven's Opp. 27/2, 57 and 110 (Frank Braley).

[steve ridgway]

Stravinsky - Capriccio For Piano & Orchestra

[steve ridgway]

Penderecki - Partita

[Que]

Another rerun of this purchase of not so long ago:



A gorgeous, gentle performance. They do the full service with plainchant, which is well done.
Excellent (or even better than that), spatial recording in the Stiftskirche Wechselburg.