What are you listening 2 now?

[Todd]

Now enjoying some Telemann.  Who doesn't enjoy some Telemann from time to time?

[Que]

Gustav Leonhardt, Frans Brüggen and... is that Anner Bijlsma with full hair? 

[Harry]

Clarinet concertos.
Thea King Clarinet.
The Britten String quartet.

These are diversions, divertimenti, in the best sense of the word. Easygoing, tuneful and very likeable There's plenty of lively, affectionate musicianship in these performances, all warmly and intimately recorded. The Romberg Quintet is definitely one of my favourite works of this composer, and gets a royal treatment. The work by Fuchs is a rarity, but very much in line of what I know of him. Stanford is always a ear pleaser in the best sense of the word.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Ernest Bloch. Suite Symphonique, etc..

[AnotherSpin]

John Jenkins
William Byrd
Thomas Tomkins
Orlando Gibbons
William Lawes
John Wilbye
John Bennet
Thomas Morley
Matthew Locke
John Dowland


Piano – Daniel-Ben Pienaar
Trumpet – Jonathan Freeman-Attwood

[Que]

Symphonies starting from no.8 (Vienna 1768, Mozart was 12 years old).

[Harry]

Arthur Bliss (1891–1975)
Orchestral works.
Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6 (1944) A Ballet in One Scene.
Metamorphic Variations, F 122 (1972) for Orchestra.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Seal.

Although perhaps overshadowed today by his earlier ballet "Checkmate", "Miracle in the Gorbals" was a great success for Arthur Bliss and the Sadlers Wells Ballet Company. It premiered in 1944 and was repeated every season until 1950. Based on a scenario by Michael Benthall (inspired by Jerome K. Jerome and Fyodor Dostoyevsky), the ballet depicts the appearance of a Christ-like figure in the midst of Glasgow's most notorious slum. This mysterious stranger performs a miracle and brings back to life the girl who had thrown herself into the Clyde out of desperation. The locals rejoice, but an official figure (Benthall had a priest in mind) is jealous and, after unsuccessfully trying to sow doubts about the stranger's virtue via the local prostitute, has him stabbed to death by a gang.

Bliss' "Metamorphic Variations", originally known as "Variations for Orchestra", were composed towards the end of his life during a late creative phase. Two of the 16 movements were deleted at the premiere (by the LSO and Vernon Handley in 1973) and for some reason were not included again in any subsequent performances of the work until Michael Seal and the BBC Philharmonic reintroduced them to the program in February 2025, the day before this recording.
For lovers of Bliss music this recording is a no brainer. The music is fabulous, the performance excellent, and the recording SOTA. Bliss is pure Bliss

[Traverso]

Gustav Leonhardt, Frans Brüggen and... is that Anner Bijlsma with full hair? 

That's not "a wild guess" 

After he stopped performing, he noted that this didn't mean he was no longer a musician. It's an interesting thought because I assume there are musicians who don't play an instrument but have the passion for it. There are also musicians who don't have the passion for it, but hey, we're all are searching for something like the Holy Grail.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Arthur Bliss (1891–1975)
Orchestral works.
Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6 (1944) A Ballet in One Scene.
Metamorphic Variations, F 122 (1972) for Orchestra.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Seal.

Although perhaps overshadowed today by his earlier ballet "Checkmate", "Miracle in the Gorbals" was a great success for Arthur Bliss and the Sadlers Wells Ballet Company. It premiered in 1944 and was repeated every season until 1950. Based on a scenario by Michael Benthall (inspired by Jerome K. Jerome and Fyodor Dostoyevsky), the ballet depicts the appearance of a Christ-like figure in the midst of Glasgow's most notorious slum. This mysterious stranger performs a miracle and brings back to life the girl who had thrown herself into the Clyde out of desperation. The locals rejoice, but an official figure (Benthall had a priest in mind) is jealous and, after unsuccessfully trying to sow doubts about the stranger's virtue via the local prostitute, has him stabbed to death by a gang.

Bliss' "Metamorphic Variations", originally known as "Variations for Orchestra", were composed towards the end of his life during a late creative phase. Two of the 16 movements were deleted at the premiere (by the LSO and Vernon Handley in 1973) and for some reason were not included again in any subsequent performances of the work until Michael Seal and the BBC Philharmonic reintroduced them to the program in February 2025, the day before this recording.
For lovers of Bliss music this recording is a no brainer. The music is fabulous, the performance excellent, and the recording SOTA. Bliss is pure Bliss

I didn't know this recording. Will check it out!

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 7 in E Major, 1885 Version. Ed.Leopold Nowak
Wiener Philharmonker,, Nikolaus Harnoncourt

[Daverz]

Arthur Bliss (1891–1975)
Orchestral works.
Miracle in the Gorbals, F 6 (1944) A Ballet in One Scene.

I remember Lyndon-Gee being more exciting in the ballet.  Will have to refresh my memory. 

[SonicMan46]

Mozart, WA - String Qunitets - well, doing some culling of these works - just added the two new ones below to my collection, i.e. the Alexander String Quartet and a newer group calling themselves Spunicunifait, brief description below of Wolfie's nonsense word used in communicating with his favorite cousin, Maria Anna Thekla Mozart, also known as "Bäsle" or "little cousin".  The latter group on period instruments and bows; also, latter a MP3 DL on sale for $12+ from Prestomusic, burned to one CD-R and sounds fine.  Dave

In 2018, five of Europe's leading string players (violinists Lorenza Borrani and Maia Cabeza, violists Simone von Rahden and Max Mandel, and cellist Luise Buchberger) came together to form a group dedicated to the study and performance of Mozart's six string quintets on period instruments. They call themselves Spunicunifait—a nonsense word Mozart used in a letter to a favorite cousin—in an affectionate nod to the composer's unique sense of amatory humor. Source

 

[SonicMan46]

 

Symphonies starting from no.8 (Vienna 1768, Mozart was 12 years old).

Hey Que - for 'period performances' of these works, I have the Pinnock box from the early 1990s, and did some comparative listening on Spotify to some of the later symphonies with Jaap ter Linden vs. Pinnock a few days ago, both sounded excellent to me (of course with differences in interpretations, tempos and dynamics) - would likely recommend either one for those wanting a period band.  Dave

[Linz]

Sergiu Celibidache CD 8
Claude Debussy Iberia (Image pour orchestre No. 2)
Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition
London Symphony Orchestra, Sergiu Celibidache

[Brian]

Revisiting some late-era Rautavaara I hadn't heard in a few years. Earlier, the Canto V, and now Cello Concerto No. 2.

[cilgwyn]

Myaskovsky Symphony No 3 & Lyric Concertino Olympia cd Symphonies 5 & 11 Olympia cd

 

I think I've finally been infected by the Myaskovsky virus?! (If I may call it that? No offence intended!) I've had the Russian Disc,Olympia & Marco Polo cds of the Sixth for some time & I've known No 21 via the old Unicorn recording for decades! It was only fairly recently that I decided to persevere with the Sixth. Even more recently,I saw a cheap s/h copy of No 3 (& the Lyric Concertino) but decided to grit my teeth and resist the cd of No 5 which was a few pounds more.

So much for willpower! I didn't last long! 

Only 22 Myaskovsky symphonies to go........and no,leaving the GMG Forum & going into hiding doesn't stop you buying cds! On the contrary,I don't think I've ever bought so many!!

[Daverz]

Ernest Bloch. Suite Symphonique, etc..

If it's good, this would seem to be a major addition to the Bloch discography having both the Symphony in E flat and the Suite Symphonique.  But I can't find it anywhere.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

If it's good, this would seem to be a major addition to the Bloch discography having both the Symphony in E flat and the Suite Symphonique.  But I can't find it anywhere.

It's very good. (OK, it's not like Ancerl.) The performance of Suite Symphonique is significantly better than that of Malmo/BIS. It appears that the physical disc is only available in Europe.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009WVEDG/ref=dm_rwpmb_pur_lnd_albm_fr

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Vladigerov piano concertos.

[brewski]

For Charles Ives's birthday, I found a version of a favorite song, "The Children's Hour," with baritone Simon Barrad and pianist Joel Papinoja.