Arthur Honegger (1892-1955)

[vandermolen]

Wow, it must really be buried somewhere.

Too many CDs 

[Mirror Image]

Too many CDs 

I know the feeling.

[The new erato]

Those with really too many CDs are buried under the avalanche and cannot post here.

[Mirror Image]

Those with really too many CDs are buried under the avalanche and cannot post here.

That would be you, right? I know you've got a large collection, erato. Probably larger than mine.

[The new erato]

I guess I have far from the largest collection here, only 4 Sacre's; a handful of Beetoven symphony and sonata cycles etc; and I still post...som I'm not buried.

[North Star]

I guess I have far from the largest collection here, only 4 Sacre's; a handful of Beetoven symphony and sonata cycles etc; and I still post...som I'm not buried.

Did a digipak hit the keyboard?

[pencils]

All digitised 

I can reach my keyboard 

[vandermolen]

I often come back to the music of Honegger, which I feel demonstrates an underlying humanity, which I find touching.
This CD below has been a great find for me (I actually ended up with it as a freebie thanks to a very kind Amazon marketplace dealer who wouldn't charge me due to marks on the CD which she noticed before sending it to me - it plays fine but she still wouldn't charge me). Anyway, it has a lovely performance (slower I think than some) of 'Pastorale d'ete', which is a beautiful work and I increasingly appreciate Symphony 4, which is also given an excellent performance - in fact the whole CD is good with three nice photos of the composer included in the booklet - worth looking out for:

Can't get picture to upload - here is link if you are interested

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Symphonies-2-4-Deliciae-Basilienses/dp/B00004VG0W/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1374309910&sr=1-1&keywords=honegger+lopez

[Parsifal]

I often come back to the music of Honegger, which I feel demonstrates an underlying humanity, which I find touching.
This CD below has been a great find for me (I actually ended up with it as a freebie thanks to a very kind Amazon marketplace dealer who wouldn't charge me due to marks on the CD which she noticed before sending it to me - it plays fine but she still wouldn't charge me). Anyway, it has a lovely performance (slower I think than some) of 'Pastorale d'ete', which is a beautiful work and I increasingly appreciate Symphony 4, which is also given an excellent performance - in fact the whole CD is good with three nice photos of the composer included in the booklet - worth looking out for:

Can't get picture to upload - here is link if you are interested

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Symphonies-2-4-Deliciae-Basilienses/dp/B00004VG0W/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1374309910&sr=1-1&keywords=honegger+lopez

You loose the pictures with this release, but get some nicely done Strauss. 

I agree the recordings are very fine.  The fact that the performances are not over-demonstrative gives the music an attractive poignancy, and I think the recording of d'Eta comes off very beautifully, especially a certain ecstatic passage.

[asin]B00005A9NU[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

I often come back to the music of Honegger, which I feel demonstrates an underlying humanity, which I find touching.
This CD below has been a great find for me (I actually ended up with it as a freebie thanks to a very kind Amazon marketplace dealer who wouldn't charge me due to marks on the CD which she noticed before sending it to me - it plays fine but she still wouldn't charge me). Anyway, it has a lovely performance (slower I think than some) of 'Pastorale d'ete', which is a beautiful work and I increasingly appreciate Symphony 4, which is also given an excellent performance - in fact the whole CD is good with three nice photos of the composer included in the booklet - worth looking out for:

Can't get picture to upload - here is link if you are interested

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Symphonies-2-4-Deliciae-Basilienses/dp/B00004VG0W/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1374309910&sr=1-1&keywords=honegger+lopez

I agree with your opinion of Honegger, Jeffrey. He's one of my absolute favorite composers and his music has meant a lot to me. Thanks for mentioning this recording as I just bought it for $4 in like new condition. The original on Virgin and not the reissue which Scarpia pictured. I always try to find the original first and if I can't find the original then I'll settle for the reissue. Look forward to hearing this Lopez-Cobos recording.

[vandermolen]

Thank you John and Scarpia. I noticed that a US Amazon reviewer didn't like the performance of Symphony No 2 but I enjoyed it. For me though the selling points were Pastoral d'ete and Symphony No 4 and those photos of Honegger are very charming. Nice to see the great man gracing Mirror Image's messages at the moment. 
Now I am listening to Honegger's score for the film 'Les Miserables' (non-Anne Hathaway version).

[Mirror Image]

Thank you John and Scarpia. I noticed that a US Amazon reviewer didn't like the performance of Symphony No 2 but I enjoyed it. For me though the selling points were Pastoral d'ete and Symphony No 4 and those photos of Honegger are very charming. Nice to see the great man gracing Mirror Image's messages at the moment. 
Now I am listening to Honegger's score for the film 'Les Miserables' (non-Anne Hathaway version).

Now, Schumann's back on my avatar. Yes, I did read that review and took the opinion expressed with a grain of salt. I seldom read reviews anymore. If I think the performers are going to be good, I just go for it and I'll also sample the recording via Spotify before purchasing. Honegger was such a wonderful composer. I really relate to those aggressive war-torn works.

[kyjo]

There's nothing quite like the Karajan performances of the second and third symphonies-utterly devastating in their smoldering power. If only he had recorded more Honegger (or more lesser-known composers for that matter)! I am also very fond of Takuo Yuasa's expansive and surprisingly successful approach to no. 3 on Naxos; it's probably the second-best rendition of this masterpiece out there IMO, not far behind even Karajan's! The couplings are also excellent-the powerfully energetic Two Symphonic Movements and the gorgeous, shimmering Pastorale d'ete, which shows a different side of Honegger's musical personality. If you don't already have this Naxos disc I strongly encourage you to snap up a copy-at Naxos price you can't go wrong!

[vandermolen]

You loose the pictures with this release, but get some nicely done Strauss. 

I agree the recordings are very fine.  The fact that the performances are not over-demonstrative gives the music an attractive poignancy, and I think the recording of d'Eta comes off very beautifully, especially a certain ecstatic passage.

[asin]B00005A9NU[/asin]

You are quite right about the ecstatic quality of Pastorale d'ete' in this recording - that is absolutely right. This is, in my view, the finest version of this lovely work.

[vandermolen]

There's nothing quite like the Karajan performances of the second and third symphonies-utterly devastating in their smoldering power. If only he had recorded more Honegger (or more lesser-known composers for that matter)! I am also very fond of Takuo Yuasa's expansive and surprisingly successful approach to no. 3 on Naxos; it's probably the second-best rendition of this masterpiece out there IMO, not far behind even Karajan's! The couplings are also excellent-the powerfully energetic Two Symphonic Movements and the gorgeous, shimmering Pastorale d'ete, which shows a different side of Honegger's musical personality. If you don't already have this Naxos disc I strongly encourage you to snap up a copy-at Naxos price you can't go wrong!

That Naxos CD is great. You have encouraged me to play it later today (then it will be straight back to Freitas Branco)
I am not usually a great fan of Karajan but that recording of the Liturgique is in a class of it's own (especially the redemptive bird-song at the close of the work, one of my favourite moments in all 20th Century symphonies). Other recordings of the Liturgique I like are by Jansons on EMI and Jarvis on Chandos. I also like Ansermet's more underpowered version only just released on CD for the first time although most people don't think much of it (his Symphony No 4 is perhaps my favourite version). I do agree that it is a shame that Karajan didn't record more lesser-known works or Sibelius Symphony No 3 for that matter. But there is, amazingly, a recording of Walton's Symphony No 1 and I like his version of Nielsen's 4th Symphony too. But great that he did record that Honegger disc.

[Sergeant Rock]

Can't get picture to upload - here is link if you are interested

I am interested. Thanks for the recommendation. I found a used copy for sale in the German Amazon marketplace; the price almost as cheap as yours 


Sarge

[vandermolen]

I am interested. Thanks for the recommendation. I found a used copy for sale in the German Amazon marketplace; the price almost as cheap as yours 


Sarge

Yes, mine was good value Sarge  . You will enjoy the CD.

[snyprrr]

Munch No.1
Karajan 2-3
Munch 4
Markevitch 5

[vandermolen]

Munch No.1
Karajan 2-3
Munch 4
Markevitch 5

Wouldn't disagree with this although Ansermet's No 4 is my own favourite. I did listen to the Yuasa NZSO Naxos version of the 'Liturgique' today and it is very good. I especially liked the woodwind and string solos during the 'birdsong' epilogue, which were very affecting. The NZSO are an impressive orchestra and I have liked their Naxos recordings of Copland and their CDs of music by their compatriot Lilburn as well as their 1960s live recording of Walton's 1st Symphony conducted by the composer on the Bridge label.

[Mirror Image]

Yuasa's Honegger recording is quite good but it's not one of the best and doesn't come close to touching Jarvi or Karajan IMHO.