What are you listening 2 now?

[DavidW]

THE MALCOLM ARNOLD EDITION.
–THE ELEVEN SYMPHONIES-
CD I.
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!

I will give Handley's recordings a shot then!

[Harry]

I will give Handley's recordings a shot then!

I hope you liked them, otherwise I have to go on a long vacation somewhere far away

[nakulanb]

Pollini - Etudes - Chopin

[Toni Bernet]

Sofia Gubaidulina: The Canticle of the Sun (1997, rev. 1998)


Sofia Gubaidulina comments on the Canticle of the Sun and her composition: "It was clear to me that this text should by no means be sung cheerfully, that the expressiveness of this hymn should not be reinforced by music. When dealing with such sacred texts, the music should by no means be selected, artificially complicated or overly dramatic. Rather, the text represents a glorification of the Creator and his creation by a very modest, simple Franciscan monk. I therefore endeavoured to make the choir part very restrained, almost inconspicuous, and to place all the expressiveness in the hands of the cellist and the percussionists. In contrast, the choristers are very often those who merely react to this expressiveness.

More:
A detailed listening companion can be found here:
https://www.discoveringsacredmusic.ch/20th-century/gubaidulina-sofia

[VonStupp]

FJ Haydn
Horn Concerto 1 in D Major, Hob. VIId:3
Horn Concerto 2 in D Major, Hob. VIId:4
Double Horn Concerto in E-flat Major, Hob. VIId:5

Franz Pokorny
Horn Concerto in D Major

Hermann Baumann, horn
Timothy Brown, horn 2 (Hob. VIId:5)
Academy of SMitF - Iona Brown

It takes a little getting used to Baumann's vibrato, but otherwise there is little to complain about here.
VS

[VonStupp]

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!

Aye, and I just went through this cycle recently. I may not love every symphony by Arnold, but I have no problem with Handley's approach nor the playing in any of them.
VS

[nakulanb]

Chopin - 24 Preludes - Cortot

[DavidW]

[Todd]

5 & 6.  Thoroughly enjoyable and distinctive start to finish.  Gonna have to listen to more from the Arod.

[nakulanb]

Stravinsky - Concerto for Piano & Wind Ensamble - Stravinsky Conducting/Columbia Symphony Orchestra

[André]

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.

I've never cracked Lloyd's symphonies. Found them drab, but that was a long time ago. I see Lyrita has issued 2 boxes of the symphonies, nos 1-6 and 7-12. Which one would you recommend, Harry, for a second go at the composer ?

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major, 1878 Version Ed. Leopold Nowak
China NCPA Orchestra, LÜ Jia

[Harry]

I've never cracked Lloyd's symphonies. Found them drab, but that was a long time ago. I see Lyrita has issued 2 boxes of the symphonies, nos 1-6 and 7-12. Which one would you recommend, Harry, for a second go at the composer ?

Well to be honest I like them both, but I would as a second go, reach out starting with box one. Lloyd is not perse a modern composer, he hoovers a bit on both sides of the scale, but his scoring is always superb, and purposeful.

[André]

As part of

I should post this in another thread, but I'd have to look exactly where, so here goes :

JPC is selling the superb Markus Backer integral set of the pano works on Hänssler for under 15 € :



At the price no Reger fan should hesitate.

[André]

An Ysaÿe-centric release: his gorgeous Poème élégiaque is coupled with sonatas by Dubois and Franck, both dedicated to Ysaÿe, who premiered them. Dubois' sonata (1900) is full of romantic fervor, but spoken in a conservative language. Franck's A Major is probably the best known violin and piano sonata in the whole repertoire (along with the Kreutzer). It's a masterpiece of the first magnitude.

Ingolfsson has recorded Ysaÿe's 6 sonatas op 27 on the same label, and it's my favourite version among the dozen or so I own. She is totally in command of the intimate, almost secret emotions of the Poème. There's a later version for violin and orchestra but the dialogue between the two instruments as played here communicates more directly imo.

Dubois' work is very elegantly played, as is Franck's sonata. The latter's romantic juices are often milked to almost nauseating effect by performers who don't understand that sometimes less is more. With Ingolfsson and her partner we get a heartfelt but chaste rendition, the violin's long lines spun beautifully, with perfect intonation and a superb control of the (minimal) vibrato. I confess this is a work I don't listen to very often precisely because it can be saddled with too much cheap emoting, the violin's strings vibrating indecently. It's a delicate balance, perfectly achieved here.

[André]

Well to be honest I like them both, but I would as a second go, reach out starting with box one. Lloyd is not perse a modern composer, he hoovers a bit on both sides of the scale, but his scoring is always superb, and purposeful.

Thanks, Harry !

[Spotted Horses]

Continuing listening to the Crossland recording of Bach's WTC Book I, D major, D minor, E-flat major, E-flat minor, E major E minor. I continue to find the recordings satisfying. In this set clarity of voice leading is not the highest priority. Technique is immaculate, more pianistic than analytical and the audio is more of a concert hall perspective rather than a head-inside-the-piano perspective.. Maybe in a subsequent listen I'll choose something from the other side of the spectrum, such as Gould, Tureck or Guilda.

[Brian]

Thanks, Harry !

Another $0.02: I think the middle symphonies, 4-7, are the best combination of romantic color, melodic warmth, and dramatic interest. The earliest and latest are more elusive or (your word) "drab," while the middle ones are almost too colorful, maybe even sentimental or over-the-top. I love them anyway, especially 4-6 and mostest especialliest 5.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Kaufmann chamber works.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Nightshade Rounds: Twentieth-Century Works for Guitar. Sharon Isbin.