What are you listening 2 now?

[JBS]

Turns out Perfect Fool is not that interesting as an opera, but is interesting as a work by Holst.

Continuing in a British vein


This is both a first and second listen because I became so interested in the book I was reading I stopped paying attention to the music.

[André]

Written in the period 1952-1995 the works on this CD sound intemporal. Genzmer (Hindemith's foremost pupil) composes for the organ in forms that Bach would have recognized. His idiom is at once easy to the ear yet savant enough that the mind concentrates on the musical discourse. My attention never wandered as the two sonatas, tripartite Fantasy and solo concerto played. This is much lighter, airier in sound than, say, Franck or Vierne, less severe than Dupré. It moves easily, a bit like Langlais.

Beautifully clear organ sound (1992 Mathis), warm but not too reverberant acoustic.

[Symphonic Addict]

Raff: Piano Quartet No. 2 in C minor

Extraordinary! The craftsmanship and melodic wealth shine splendorously from start to finish. When one hears a work of this caliber and at the same time one hears some unfounded criticisms toward this composer it's because they either can't or don't want to recognize the talent he had.

One of my absolute favorite Raff discs.

[brewski]

Ligeti: String Quartet No. 1 (Marmen Quartet). My first encounter with yet another great string quartet, this one based in London.

[JBS]

CD 2
The Quintet and the Second Sonata (Opus 49/2)



I very much like this double CD.

[Symphonic Addict]

Novák: String Quartet No. 2 in D major

Haven't heard this recent release till today. I like works with an unusual form such as this quartet in two movements, being the first one a solemn, slow fugue exhibiting a quasi-religious character, and a forceful second one loaded with drive and good themes that, once is getting close to the end, becomes more meditative as in the first movement. Very interesting music without a doubt, and the interpretation feels right to my ears.

[AnotherSpin]

[Symphonic Addict]

Arnold: Wind Quintet, op. 2
Beethoven: Serenade for string trio in D major

If you thought the Arnold offers abundant wit, you'd be completely right. The moment at 1:46 mark in the 1st movement has a so cool rhythm that I thought Arnold was inspired by Caribbean music, and the 3rd movement is a very mischievous fun march. A delightful and surprising miniature.

Amongst Beethoven's early chamber works, I think this serenade stands out, not only because of the thematic material and sparkling writing, but also because of its rather little-common layout. A particularly curious passage occurred at 3:14 mark in the theme-and-variation movement. One doesn't hear that rhythm so frequently in music from the classical period.

[steve ridgway]

Scriabin - Sonata-fantaisie In G Sharp Minor, Op. Posth.

Starting the day with a bit of easy listening .

[Daverz]

Lindberg Clarinet Concerto - Julian Bliss

I remember being blown away when the first recording of the Lindberg concerto came out.  But when I came back to it recently, I found the overblowing effects somewhat annoying.  It may have just been my mood, but I had no problems with it in Julian Bliss's performance, he makes it sound musical.

[steve ridgway]

Webern - Three Pieces For Cello And Piano, Op. 11

[steve ridgway]

Nono - No Hay Caminos, Hay Que Caminar...

[steve ridgway]

Berio - Sinfonia For 8 Voices And Orchestra

[AnotherSpin]

[Madiel]

Vivaldi

Violin concertos in G minor (RV 331) and in C major 'for his Imperial Catholic Majesty' (RV 171)



The theme of this volume is Emperor Charles VI, which is interesting though it's not clear whether or not every concerto on the disc fits the theme. Quite a number of them clearly do, though. The interesting thing in the notes is how Vivaldi produced two different collections of violin concerti called La Cetra dedicated to the Emperor. There's the opus 9 published set. There's also a manuscript set with only 1 concerto in common with the published set.

[steve ridgway]

Berio - Due Pezzi (Für Violine Und Klavier)

[steve ridgway]

Takemitsu - Dream / Window

[Wanderer]

[Madiel]

Beethoven: piano sonata in D major, op.10/3



It's not that I dislike this, but... it's relatively well-behaved and I suspect that when I return to Kovacevich (which apparently I haven't listened to since 2016?!??), the amount of intensity and drama in the first 2 movements is going to leave Goode in the dust.

The Largo in particular is something that I feel should be spellbinding - I have memories of a powerful live performance some years ago. And here it's not.

[steve ridgway]

Schoenberg - Pierrot Lunaire