What are you listening 2 now?

[Linz]

Hendrik Andriessen Symphonic Works, Vol. 1
Ballet Suite; Symphonic Etude; Kuhnau Variations
Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, David Porcelijn

[Madiel]

That was the very first Vivaldi opera I got, and fairly early in my Naive purchases.

But what's the aria? It's coming up as "video unavailable".

TD
Sonny Rollins

Oh, how odd. I wonder why. Naive seems to happily put all the volumes on YouTube.

It's Act 3, "Ti lascerei gl'affetti miei".

I just had a sample of 2 other recordings of the same aria and the magic isn't there.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Jacques Ibert. Diane de Poitiers and La Licorne.

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 1 in C Mibor, 1877 Linz version with revisions - Ed. Robert Haas
Wiener Philharmoniker, Wolfgang Sawallisch

[Symphonic Addict]

Toch: Symphony No. 7

I'm drawn by the apparently sober and ambiguous countenance his last symphony shows. It's not music of much conflict, it feels rather enigmatic instead. The 2nd movement and parts of the 3rd one have a vibe that made me think of Nielsen's Sinfonia semplice, there is that intriguing element of strangeness which I find very fascinating.

[Symphonic Addict]

Maslanka: Symphony No. 7

The greatest composer of band symphonies bar none, and this is a magnificent example of them. The music perspires hopefulness, it just makes you feel good in the end. I want to highlight the fast-paced 3rd movement whose vitality is something to behold.

[Symphonic Addict]

Lloyd: Symphony No. 7 'Proserpine'

Engrossing work where its three movements paint a different soundscape each: the first one being mysterious, fairy-like; the second one seems depicting a seascape under the waters, so ravishing; and the ferocious third one unleashing the whole powers of the orchestra. Great music that fulfills its goal about what a symphony should be or do.

[JBS]

Oh, how odd. I wonder why. Naive seems to happily put all the volumes on YouTube.

It's Act 3, "Ti lascerei gl'affetti miei".

I just had a sample of 2 other recordings of the same aria and the magic isn't there.

Found it as part of a 26 minute clip

[Symphonic Addict]

Kancheli: Symphony No. 7 'Epilog'

Interesting, although perhaps not as transcendental or spiritual as other of his symphonies. Anyway, I liked it.

[Symphonic Addict]

Ries: Symphony No. 7 in A minor

The last seventh today and it happened to be the least attractive too. I hear more Mendelssohn than Beethoven in this work, hence its style points to early Romanticism. The outer movements kind of saved the work, but the inner ones were... there.

[hopefullytrusting]

Have to get in my classical for the day - almost missed it today, as it is 10:40 PM: Field's Op. 1 No. 1 - Piano Sonata:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ4xBBz1pkM

Pianist: John O'Conor

Even if it was not directly dedicated to Clementi, the indebtedness would quickly become obvious, even for one with neophyte ears - like myself. Field, of course, is most well known for creating a genre - which is truly rarified air, so I think a lot of his other music has fallen to the wayside, but that is merely the nature of the march of time - I think it was Bergson who noted that distinction. This nature of time is one of the reasons I comb books of an anthological kind because so few authors survive the harrowing, the reaping - and the same goes for the other arts - the best, the grandest and the greatest are not always saved - in fact, populism, more often than not, dictates the nature of taste - even the taste of the most acerbic critic is entrapped by the cultures into which they were thrown.

The sonata, itself is rather nondescript. The music is lovely, and it is easy to follow and understand, hence, the dedication. It is straightforward, and sometimes that is what you want. You can see how someone like this would create the genre of the nocturne - it just seems to fit their nature. There are no fireworks here - just classicism, a sonata designed for the sitting room with grand-pa-pa smoking his pipe whilst reading Rilke next to nan, continental knitting a sweater, while the little ones bandy about on the ground - a lounge that Schubert lived in and not the one he imagined when he composed, lol.

I can only recommend this.

[steve ridgway]

Kagel - Sankt-Bach-Passion (Passion Selon Saint Bach). For Soloists, Choir And Large Orchestra.

[Que]

This morning I was in the mood for some very early singing this morning.
Usually my go-to for that is the Ensemble Organaum, but picked this from Spotify by Sequential instead:



I don't know which female singer is on the 2nd track, but it sounds very uncomfortable.... Like someone is choking a chicken...

[Madiel]

Haydn: Missa in angustiis, aka the Nelson Mass.



I've listened to all 6 of the late Haydn masses this year. Next project will be to listen to the 6 Kyries of the late masses together, the 6 Glorias together, etc.

[Que]

Next, from my collection:



A superb disc of motets by the unknown and underrated Spanish Renaissance composer  Fernando de las Infantas.

[Madiel]

Vivaldi: Violin concerto in G minor, RV 333



Hoo boy. That is a GOOD one. To the point where I don't feel like throwing another concerto in next to it.

G minor seems to be a key that brings out a particular, somewhat aggressive side of Vivaldi. And I like it.

[Madiel]

Poulenc

Miroirs brûlants (Burning mirrors)
Ce doux petit visage (This sweet little face)



I hadn't realised just how long my chronological exploration of Poulenc had been on pause (nearly 6 months). But what a way to return. The first song of Miroirs brûlants is a sublime example of the kind of melody that Poulenc keeps delivering in his slow-to-mid-tempo songs, spinning a long line and never quite repeating.

The 2nd song of the pair is one of his rapid-fire songs. And then Ce doux petit visage is a shorter example of the legato melody with harmonic twists. There's an argument that Poulenc really only does 2 kinds of songs and lacks a bit of variety. But oh my, one of those 2 kinds is exquisite.

[Madiel]

Poulenc: Sextet for piano and winds

[Madiel]

I'm leaving sizeable gaps between my posts, but... I guess people don't listen so much on a Sunday or something?

Medtner

8 Mood Pictures, op.1
3 Improvisations, op.2



I hadn't got at all far in my plan to go through Medtner's chronology again (especially now that all the songs are readily available), so I figured I could restart.

[prémont]

This morning I was in the mood for some very early singing this morning.
Usually my go-to for that is the Ensemble Organaum, but picked this from Spotify by Sequentia instead:


I don't know which female singer is on the 2nd track, but it sounds very uncomfortable.... Like someone is choking a chicken...

Only one possibility it seems:

Performers for the Philippe le Chancelier CD:
Sequentia, Ensemble für Musik des Mittelalters
Barbara Thornton (voice, organetto), Benjamin Bagby (voice, harp), Margriet Tindemans (fiddle)
with participation of:
Eric Menzel (voice), Edmond Brownless (voice), Stephen Grant (voice), Richard Corbeil (voice)