What are you listening 2 now?

[JBS]

Music composed (probably) in 1838 on an Erard made in 1838.

[JBS]

Final CD of the night.
See the Non-Classical thread for details.

[Que]

Music from six anonymous 15th c. Burgundian masses that come from a single manuscript kept in the National Library of Naples.
They are all based on the same Burgundian song L'Homme armé, which is attributed to Antoine Busnois. He might also be the author of the masses. These masses more than deserve a complete recording. Hopefully we could welcome one in the near future!

[Harry]

Flour de Beaulté.
Late Medieval Songs from Cyprus.

La belle et la gente rose; Pour haut et liement chanter; Amour, de qui je sui trestout espris; Sur toute fleur la rose est colourie; J'ai maintes fois oy conter; Il faut, pour trover un bon port; Tousjours servir je veuil la douce fleur; Amour tient en sa baillie mon cuer; Puisque ame sui doulcement; Tres gent, pure et nete fleur de lis; Ayes pitie de vostre creature; Vo gent atrait me fait vostre servant; Qui de Fortune asses avoir
Source: Torino, Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria, J.II.9.
Recorded, 2005 at the Heiligkreuzkirche, Binningen, Switzerland.
Ensemble La Morra. Michal Gondko, Corina Marti.

Another CD of the ensemble La Morra, that impress with pureness of tone and elegance in expression, be it in a Church that has a hard reflection, especially noticeable when recorders are being used. It robs a bit of the magic of the "Songs from Cyprus". Not warm in tone but rather cold as the church probably was.
La Morra has made a selection from no fewer than 166 settings of French poetry of first-class quality and consummate beauty - the Flour de Beaulté, and that is a very attractive proposition to get involved in, despite the sound. An exemplary production in all respects. One could get hooked on these Flour de Beaulté, quite easily.

[Que]

Those recordings by La Morra are Wonderfull, Harry! 

Listening now (for the 1st time):



A lovely selection of Franco-Flemish songs from the private music collection of Margaret of Austria.

[Harry]

Those recordings by La Morra are Wonderfull, Harry! 

I couldn't agree more, they are indeed addictive.

[Madiel]

Music composed (probably) in 1838 on an Erard made in 1838.

I guess in 1838 they preferred their keyboards to have been made in 1651 for that old-timey sound.

[DavidW]

Haydn Op 54 string quartets

[Madiel]

Farrenc: Grandes variations sur l'air "Le premier pas", Op.4



As this album contains many of the early variation sets, I can see that op.4 is comfortably the longest. Honestly, within a couple of minutes I concluded that the theme is not really worth 18 minutes of variations. Or Farrenc is not yet a good enough composer to make it worth listening to for 18 minutes.

EDIT: Having said that, IMSLP apparently has a copy of the manuscript. From which I've learned two things.

1. Farrenc might not have intended this to be a work for piano solo. This would help explain the extra length, if it had more colour to it.
2. Her handwriting is extremely neat.

[Que]

This was originally issued by Symphonia on two separate discs, and reissued - oddly enough - by both Glossa and Pan Classics... 

[Madiel]

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no.3 (Alicia de Larrocha/Andre Previn and the LSO)



Back in the day, it was an LP all by itself.

EDIT: I'm rather enjoying the style of this.

[Harry]

The Tastes reunited,
Music by: Francois Couperin, Philidor, Robert de Visee, Clerambault, Dornel, Corbetta, Chauvon.

Les Delices. Debra Nagy, Baroque Oboe, and Direction.
Recorded in 2009, venue unknown.

Debra Nagy is a Oboist of consummate taste and expressivity, that much is obviously clear when hearing her play. A dazzling technique and soulful expressiveness, it's all in her reach and more so. In August 2025, she even performed in the Netherlands in a place called Rijswijk in the Old church. To great acclaim so I read. Well this disc proves abundantly that she is indeed a great artist. The music on this disc accentuates her talent, and I for one enjoyed it very much. It is very well recorded.

[Harry]

Gottfried von Einem (1918–1996).
Capriccio, Concerto for Orchestra & Hexameron.
ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA, PATRICK HAHN.
Recorded at Scotland's Studio, UK, 2023.

An amazing release. I am a great admirer of this composer, and am thrilled to get such a good performance of some of his works in a stunning SOTA sound. The conductor was unknown to me but he has a good grip on the complicated works by von Einem, and this you clearly hear from the very first note to the last.The Capriccio Opus 2 sets you firmly on track what to expect further on. I could not wish for more. Recommended.

[Madiel]

Mussorgsky, arr. Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition



I was slightly surprised to discover I don't have Ravel's arrangement on disc. Eventually I remembered that I/we had it on cassette back in the day. I haven't yet worked out if the cassette is still around so I can identify which recording I got to know the piece from. Streaming this choice.

[aukhawk]

Messiaen
Livre 1-2 & 3

I share Aukhawk's views and his positive opinion of Anatol Ugorski's recording.
Reason enough to listen to it again.
I have nine recordings of this work, and Ugorski seems to me the recommended performer for a first acquaintance.
My first recording was with Håkon Austbø.
Other recordings I have: Hill - Loriod (twice) - Aimard - Muraro - Johnson (Decca) & Kodama,one of my favorites.

I haven't heard Johnson but I agree about Momo Kodama - very fine indeed but rather in the 'hard-edged' camp I would say.  I've also listened to Longobardi (quite like), and Borbely (not keen).  My recent discovery is Jocy de Oliveira (NB mis-spelled in my previous message, now corrected) who recorded the Oiseaux as long ago as 1972 on the old Vox label, now reissued on Naxos, and streamable of course.  Many photos of her online show her playing a guitar and looking like a hangover from the Summer of Love, heigh-ho, those were the days.

Thinking about my comment previously about Peter Hill - "can sound a bit cool and objective" - I think at least some of this may be due to the sound quality.  I've realised he was recorded by the legendary sound engineer Bob Auger - who also recorded the Horenstein/LSO Mahler recordings among others - and I have never taken to his dry, almost brittle-sounding presentations on the old Unicorn label.

[Harry]

THE MALCOLM ARNOLD EDITION.
–THE ELEVEN SYMPHONIES-
CD 1.
Symphony for Strings, Op.13. BBC Concert Orch, Vernon Handley. Recorded in Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, 1997.
Symphony No.1, Op.22. RPO,  Vernon Handley. Recorded, 1995 in Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London.
Symphony No.2, Op.40. RPO, Vernon Handley. Recorded, 1994 at All Saints' Church, Petersham, Surrey.

These performances are absolutely bliss, as interpretation and sound. I treasure them!

[Traverso]

I haven't heard Johnson but I agree about Momo Kodama - very fine indeed but rather in the 'hard-edged' camp I would say.  I've also listened to Longobardi (quite like), and Borbely (not keen).  My recent discovery is Jocy de Oliveira (NB mis-spelled in my previous message, now corrected) who recorded the Oiseaux as long ago as 1972 on the old Vox label, now reissued on Naxos, and streamable of course.  Many photos of her online show her playing a guitar and looking like a hangover from the Summer of Love, heigh-ho, those were the days.

Thinking about my comment previously about Peter Hill - "can sound a bit cool and objective" - I think at least some of this may be due to the sound quality.  I've realised he was recorded by the legendary sound engineer Bob Auger - who also recorded the Horenstein/LSO Mahler recordings among others - and I have never taken to his dry, almost brittle-sounding presentations on the old Unicorn label.

You have a PM ...

[Harry]

George Lloyd.
Complete Symphonies.
CD II.
No.3 in F (1933)
Charade 'Scenes from the '60s (1968).
BBC Philharmonic, George Lloyd.
Recorded, Studio 7, New Broadcasting House, Manchester 1992.

So freaking beautiful, awesome performance and sound. Music that captures one's heart. Lloyd was such an amazing composer. It's a joy, every time again to hear his music.

[Traverso]

Bach






If I were a rich man

Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum

[nakulanb]

Beethoven - PC5 - Uchida/Rattle/Berlin Phil