What are you listening 2 now?

[Iota]

Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Paavo Järvi

Wow, sensational, never heard such an exciting/riveting Mahler 5 before. Järvi seems completely at one with the music, and gives the impression of being able to respond to every little swirl and eddy in the score without ever getting remotely bogged down by detail, as he sweeps through its monumental landscape. And there's a feeling of intimacy at times in all the movements that's new to me.
The big moments arise compulsively and powerfully, the Stürmisch bewegt. Mit grösster Vehemenz of the second movement e.g is captured so well, coming up from deep like lava surging up from a magma chamber. The Trauermarsch, Scherzo, Adagietto and Finale all similarly resplendent in their own ways. Marvellous. For now it's the only Mahler 5 in town for me.

[Todd]

D845.

[Traverso]

Messiaen

[Papy Oli]

Nino Rota - The Godfather

Filarmonica della Scala, Massimo Colombo (keyboards)
Milan La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra
Riccardo Muti

From the Sony box "Riccardo Muti conducts Italian Masters"

[Mandryka]

Fausto Romitelli, Seascape

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[prémont]

Messiaen

The Metzler/P G Andersen organ of Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, Geneva.
I was there at the inauguration of this organ and listened to three recitals by Francois Desbaillet, Guy Bovet and Heinz Wunderlich. An outstanding organ considering the time of its creation (1966). The problem is, that I never have heard an organ recording which allowed this organ to come into its own. I have similar experiences with other organs. Maybe it's best not to have heard any organ in the real life.

[Karl Henning]

After watching Act II of Wagner's Parsifal on DVD, now turning to Claudio Abbado's recording of a suite from Act III (which includes the Good Friday Spell, the transformation music , the knights' procession, and the final chorus). The Berlin Philharmonic is joined by the Swedish Radio Chorus).



One of the few "bleeding chunks" discs I really enjoy, and a great performance of some of the greatest music I have ever encountered (with the finale possibly being the most intense in the operatic repertoire).

Beautiful disc!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Gershwin
An American in Paris
MTT / SF SO

My personal favorites are the two recordings by Steinberg.

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, 1892 Version by Bruckner and Joseph Schalk. Ed. Haslinger-Schlesinger-Lienau
Wiener Philharmoniker, Volkmar Andreae

[Lisztianwagner]

Ralph Vaughan Williams
Dona nobis pacem

Sheila Armstrong, John Carol Case
London Philharmonic Choir
Sir Adrian Boult & London Philharmonic Orchestra

[Linz]

Johann Sebastian Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part II (Conclusion) - BWV [880-893]
Scott Ross

[Traverso]

The Metzler/P G Andersen organ of Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, Geneva.
I was there at the inauguration of this organ and listened to three recitals by Francois Desbaillet, Guy Bovet and Heinz Wunderlich. An outstanding organ considering the time of its creation (1966). The problem is, that I never have heard an organ recording which allowed this organ to come into its own. I have similar experiences with other organs. Maybe it's best not to have heard any organ in the real life.

 I'll take your word for it. Isn't that also the reason why some musicians are reluctant to use the recording studio? If you've ever attended an intimate recital where a string quartet is just a few feet away, there's no CD that can replace that. In the case of the organ, the experience of the space itself, the light through the windows, is also important. Despite all these caveats, I enjoy the recordings with Thiry. I can even pause at unexpected moments if I happen to hear something beautiful on a transistor radio. Then I feel no loss, my involvement fills all the gaps. 

[Linz]

Isaac Albeniz Iberia Suite Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Enrique Bátiz
Navarra: completed de Severac London Symphony Orchestra; Enrique Batiz
Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 78 Aldo Ciccolini piano, London Symphony Orchestra; Enrique Batiz
Suite Populaire: Catalonia Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra/Enrique Bátiz

[hopefullytrusting]

Maybe the most substantial Op. 1, yet - composed at 19 by young Arthur Sullivan - Incidental Music for The Tempest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnwOwZwhieI

I am not up to writing my feelings today - just sitting back and enjoying the music, but I will say that this is mighty impressive, as this feels like a mature work - Sullivan has never been on my radar, but he is now - oh no, there is singing - okay, I wish this was just the incidental music - I would listen to that - I don't need to nor want to listen to someone warble - just not in a singing mood - well I did find Sullivan's music, so worth it.

[Linz]

Johan Severin Svendsen Symphony no. 1 in D major, op. 4
Symphony no. 2 in B-flat major, op. 15
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Mariss Jansons

[JBS]

The Metzler/P G Andersen organ of Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, Geneva.
I was there at the inauguration of this organ and listened to three recitals by Francois Desbaillet, Guy Bovet and Heinz Wunderlich. An outstanding organ considering the time of its creation (1966). The problem is, that I never have heard an organ recording which allowed this organ to come into its own. I have similar experiences with other organs. Maybe it's best not to have heard any organ in the real life.

I would suggest this is due to the differences of directly experiencing the organ's sound compared to the indirect experience of the recording's replication of that sound as conveyed by the device you use to play the recording.  When you heard it live, you heard it with all the resonances and reverberations the organ triggered, possibly even felt them. The recording may catch some of that, but it will be in company with whatever resonances the device triggers.

TD
Second run of this.

[Symphonic Addict]

Raff: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G major

As with his 2nd Piano Quartet, this is Raff at the height of his powers. I can't stress enough how stupendously good this work is.

[Karl Henning]

Maybe the most substantial Op. 1, yet - composed at 19 by young Arthur Sullivan - Incidental Music for The Tempest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnwOwZwhieI

I am not up to writing my feelings today - just sitting back and enjoying the music, but I will say that this is mighty impressive, as this feels like a mature work - Sullivan has never been on my radar, but he is now - oh no, there is singing - okay, I wish this was just the incidental music - I would listen to that - I don't need to nor want to listen to someone warble - just not in a singing mood - well I did find Sullivan's music, so worth it.

Most interesting!

[Symphonic Addict]

Sheer kinetic power.

[Symphonic Addict]

Dukas: L'Apprenti sorcier

Melartin's Symphony No. 3 (played yesterday) led me to it. I think every aspect of this work is nothing short of brilliant.