What are you listening 2 now?

[Philo]

In searching for Widor's lone ballet, La korrigane, I came across a sweet recording:



The image is a bit messed up on the site, as I think it was supposed to be two separate images combined, but it was done poorly in the era before photoshop, I suspect, but it is a collection of rare French recordings which has the composers speaking after their piece is played - it is very cool. The sound isn't the greatest, as it is from the 1930s, but the music is still excellent, in my opinion.

The included composers are d'Indy, Widor, Ropartz, Busser, Schmitt, Hue, Roussel, and inghelbrecht.

[Philo]

Went down the path of Hue, who was a composer I had never heard of, and it led me to another awesome recording: Fin de siecle



The composers included here are Busser, Hue, Hahn, Debussy, Chausson, Honnore, Vierne, Durosoir, Enescu, and Ravel.

[Que]

[Daverz]

According to the notes, the cover is Diana by Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836 –1911).

[Harry]

An old recording made at the Haberdashers' Aske's School, Hertfordshire; May-June 1988, is of great quality, artistically and as a recording. This ensemble had a lot to say, and their expressive scoop was limitless. This reissue combined two CD"s, inclusive the works of Thomas Morley on the second CD. It's is a pleasure to listen to this music of yore.

[Mandryka]

He's recorded Mullerin with Hasselhorn; you might want to hear it.
And I see now they're releasing a third volume of Schubert lieder in mid April
⬇️

There was some sort of CD sale and signing after the concert - I thought it was for a Müllerin they've just released but I made a swift exit and didn't look.

[Philo]

Plugged in the instrumental combo I wanted - double bass and flute - and google spit out the two pieces I'm starting my morning witih:

Schulhoff's Concertino for Flute, Viola and Double Bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWZZEVM1DXA
Kurtág's Bagatelles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_lAAHXt4Bk

[DavidW]

If anything I might try Rubsam on his lute harpsichord. And Msybe his prior recording on piano for Naxos.

I love it, but Rubsam is an acquired taste.

[DavidW]

Well, guess what? Another Mahler 3! Gielen threads the needle between Romanticism and Modernism, which at the time was a controversial and fresh take, drawing very mixed reactions. But now his approach is so accepted that most modern recordings take a very similar approach. This recording is live and doesn't have the sheer width and depth (soundstage-wise) of the titanic Bernstein/NYPO (II) recording, nor the sheer heft and weight of the NYPO, but it offers a slight improvement in clarity soundwise, and agility from the orchestra.



I'll most likely wrap up my obsession with Vanska.

[Fëanor]

Just now ...

George Crumb: Ancient Voices of Children ~ Tony Arnold (soprano), Emanuel Arciuli (piano)

[Madiel]

Rachmaninov: Trio élégiaque No. 2 (op.9)



Hmm. While I'm glad to now own a recording of the piece - which I'm pretty sure I've heard before a long time ago - it is rather a demonstration of how the youthful Rachmaninov could be a little unfocused. There's plenty of feeling in his memorial to Tchaikovsky, but not such a strong sense of structure.

I guess to some extent Russian composers just culturally weren't as interested in a tightly constructed sonata form, but I find late Rachmaninov compelling, and I don't find some early works hold my attention in anything like the same way. There's lots of nice moments, but I'm not sure it coalesces into a satisfying whole.

[Harry]

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Fantasias for viola da gamba (Hamburg, 1735).
Paolo Pandolfo, viola da gamba, six-string bass viol attributed to Nicolas Bertrand (end of 17th century).
Recorded in Franc-Waret (Église de Saint-Rémi), Belgium, in January 2017.
Cover painting: Johann Adam Schlesinger (1759-1829), Stillleben mit Erdbeeren.

Telemann's inexhaustible imagination is at its most perfect in the 12 solo Fantasias for Viola da Gamba  Poetry and magical counterpoint amass. All of this poured out together in the fantasias to unparalleled mastery. This  music is of exceptional quality! Humorous ideas and his colourful harmonies, tumble over each other. I use a modern word then, "Awesome".
Perfectly recorded, the venue has a perfect ambiance

[Traverso]

Tchaikovsky

The Nutcracker

I've had the urge to listen to this ballet for a few weeks now. In my opinion, this music is quite special because of its beautiful musical depictions that, as it were, immerse you in the joyful state of childhood.

[Papy Oli]

Beethoven
Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin, and Cello in C major, Op. 56

David Oistrakh (violin), Lev Oborin (piano), Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (cello)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir Malcolm Sargent

Recorded: 1958-05-10, No. ! Studio, Abbey Road

From the Oistrakh Complete EMI Recordings.

[vandermolen]

Brian Easdale: The Red Shoes (ballet score). A magical work:

[Spotted Horses]

I love it, but Rubsam is an acquired taste.

I have put in the work to acquire it. In this repertoire (Bach's suites) there is not much variation among respectable pianists. I look for the outliers.

[Spotted Horses]

Two more selections from this wonderful release, Orchestral music of Elsa Barraine



Two tone poems, Song-Koi and Tziganes. Less "serious" than the Symphony No 1 I listened to yesterday, colorful compositionally virtuoso music. I hope someone out there will undertake an extensive set of recordings of Elsa Barraine's body of work.

[Papy Oli]

Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 7 in B flat Major, Op. 97 'Archduke'
David Oistrakh (violin), Lev Oborin (piano), Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (cello)


Funny how the ears change over the years. I wouldn't touch this set with a bargepole for maybe 10 years...

and today, it sounds, well... appealing and not as screechy as I thought it was back then 

[Harry]

Arca de Música.
Instrumental Music In New Spain, Vol. 1.
La Fontegara México,
Recorded in 2017, Saia Xochipilli, FaM, UNAM.
See for back cover for details.

The second Meridian recording I have listen to this month which is a rare occasion for they are not widespread released on Qobuz. Performed for a by me unknown ensemble but has nevertheless the same quality as any Western baroque ensemble. Meridian made a very natural recording in which these musicians thrive. As to the music, there is a lot to read about on the back cover. It comes from many different manuscripts, and it is worthwhile to dive a little deeper in the provenance of the music.
sota sound. 192/24 bit resolution.

[Traverso]

Tárrega

CD 2