What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

I will admit I still not completely understand why these are called sonatas

Well, the one you're currently listening to fairly clearly falls within the tradition of sonata form. Some of the others might not.

[Madiel]

Vivaldi: Trio sonatas



In F major for 2 violins and continuo (RV 68)
In A minor for recorder, bassoon and continuo (RV 86)
In B flat major for 2 violins and continuo (RV 77)

[AnotherSpin]

Good to hear they are well.

It's rather odd, and frankly quite wrong, to be so reliant on electricity. The lights go out, and suddenly you can't cook, can't do the laundry, can't do a thing. In our city flat, a blackout means the water disappears too. And the absolute tragedy is that you can't even open GMG and read about this or another member once again delighting in Russian music recordings .

That first wartime autumn and winter, we endured power outages that lasted entire days, sometimes two or three in a row. It was better after that. Yet, in the most paradoxical way, the absence of electricity carries a sort of grace. You learn to be thankful for what you have from existence. Those who are grateful already have everything; those who aren't and ask for more get nothing.

As one chap, whose words I take quite seriously, puts it, grace is essentially a kick in the arse.

[hopefullytrusting]

Well, the one you're currently listening to fairly clearly falls within the tradition of sonata form. Some of the others might not.

Oh, I believe it; I just don't hear it. For me, the sonata form feels very much like the five-paragraph essay.

[Irons]

Rubbra: Symphony No.6

For some time I have felt, to paraphrase Beecham "not liking the music, but love the noise it makes" in other words not being emotionally involved by the listening experience, which is a cause for concern. Then to save the day along comes the unlikely figure of Edmund Rubbra! I'm drawn in totally by his 6th Symphony which has reignited my belief in the power of music. 

[Madiel]

Attempted on OperaVision: Wòlô bòskô by Łukasz Godyla.

Not described as an opera, rather it's a staged presentation of a song cycle. Whatever it is, it's only 73 minutes long but I gave up after 18. It's one of those things where you feel people strung together words and images because they thought it looked cool, without it cohering into anything that's going to connect. Extra cool points were probably awarded for being in the Kashubian language.

[Harry]

Enigma Fortuna.
Zacara da Teramo.(c.1360-1416)
Vol.4 Secular music II.
La Fonte Musica, Michele Pasotti.


The last disc in this set. Apart from being to closely miked and therefore quit loud, volume adjustment is a prerequisite. For the rest SOTA recording and performance, actually a reference recording.

[Que]

[Harry]

From Venice to Berlin.
Baroque Trio Sonatas for Violin,Oboe and BC.


The Italian oboist Giovanni Benedetto Platti and his compatriot, the violinist Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello, spent most of their careers in Germany, Platti in Würzburg and Brescianello in Stuttgart. Their employers not only acquired highly acclaimed virtuosos for their court orchestras, but also a good dose of Italianità. Many of their works can be found in German libraries. The German composers Johann Pfeiffer and Christoph Schaffrath, on the other hand, are characterized in their works recorded here by typical features of the Italian Baroque, fascinating mixtures of timbres and the close interweaving of musical dialogues. All the Trio sonatas on this disc are highly virtuosic, and excellently performed. The term " Italianità" is a good description of what to expect and Intarsio Armonico delivers on all counts, with their skilled contributions. Everyone of them is a accomplished solo player, and merge well in this recording, and leave a deep sense of satisfaction afterwards. The recording is detailed and a tad bright, due to an acoustic that has some hard surfaces or so it seems. Still it is almost SOTA quality. Delightful, and great fun listening at such a accomplished ensemble. This is the second disc by Intarsio Armonico I have listened to, the first one The Virtuous Oboist with Thomas Vincent opus 1, was equally rewarding.

[Madiel]

I am currently watching Wagner's The Flying Dutchman on OperaVision.

Wagner wrote his own libretto.

The plot is fundamentally stupid.

I may say more when I'm sitting at my computer rather than typing on my phone while the Irish National Opera drags this thing out (the production and casting is not helping either), but this is doing nothing to displace my view from watching the Ring cycle in 2012 that Wagner knew how to write appealing music but writes a lot more of it than the plot needs.

[Traverso]

Mozart

Serenade in D "Serenata Notturna" KV 239
Divertimento in D KV 334/320b
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik KV 525    As always delightful to listen to 

[Harry]

Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco.
Concerti a quatro da chiesa op.2 Nr.1-12.
Il Tempio Armonico, Alberto Rasi.


Recently re released by the Fra Bernardo label, this original ORF recording is a bit of a mixed bag. While the concerti are undoubtedly of a high compositorial level, somehow these performances do not get the hang of them. A bit lacklustre in expression in the slow movements, the fast movements mechanical, somehow getting all the finer details but never the last ounce of profit. The musicians do their best but the 2003 recording does not really help, even the acoustics sound as if they really couldn't care less whatever sound they produce. And the new artwork, well I am happy I found the original image, for FB thinks it of less importance, it's almost all streaming with them, see!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Henriëtte Bosmans: Cello Concertos.

[AnotherSpin]

Alessandro Scarlatti - Stabat Mater & Mottetti

Emmanuelle de Negri, Paul Figuier, Thibault Noally, Les Accents

[Harry]

Henriëtte Bosmans: Cello Concertos.

Some minutes ago I selected this CD when finding the Music from Henriette Bosmans I wanted to hear.

[Spotted Horses]

From the complete Martinu piano music series by Koukl, volume IV



There are a lot of short pieces (2 minutes or less) at the end of the disc, some of which are very attractive but as a whole too brief to really engage my attention. An exception is "Four Movements." A gem.

[Harry]

Chamber Music.
Melanie Bonis & Maurice Ravel.
Clemence de Forceville (Violin), Ismael Margain (Piano)

One word would be fitting for these performances, "Phenomenal". To be honest until now I never heard all three works better performed as on this disc. Clemence de Forceville is a violinist that defies any description. Her tone can be a soft as a whisper, and graceful when louder, never vulgar, but in all she does magnificent. The same can be said of Ismael Margain, he has the same qualities and that pays huge dividends when playing as a duo. Tzigane is the last piece on this CD, but if you were not convinced already, this one will thrill even the staunchest of them all. The long intro before the Piano comes in, left me breathless, such a fine tone and such magical bowing, as if the music takes you prisoner, and willingly I might add, and live in captivity for ever, without any form of resistance. Not to forget Mel Bonis works, opus 30 & 112, and Ravel's G major work, it's all pure magic. SOTA recording and performance, A must HAVE CD.

[Spotted Horses]

Putting Bacewicz String Quartet No 6, it is immediately clear that we have entered the experimental phase of her work. It begins with string glissandi.



In four movements. The first begins slow and builds to a vigorous climax. Then a sort of scherzo, a mysterious "grave," and a lively finale. Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Mapman]

Borodin: Symphony #3
Serebrier

I really like this (sadly unfinished) symphony, especially the Scherzo in 5/8!

[Mister Sharpe]

Tomorrow is Vaughan Williams' 153rd Birthday! He has a habit of calling to me in autumn, anyway. I'm celebrating by cherry-picking some of my favorites from The Box, starting with Silent Noon: "Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower, This close-companioned inarticulate hour, When twofold silence was the song of love..." (I'm ever-astonished at just how articulate this song is in capturing inarticulateness) and the Fifth Symphony.