What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[val]

TOMÁS LUIS DE VICTORIA:       Cantica Beatae Virginis             / Capella Reial de Catalunya, Savall

A choice of Motets dedicated to the Virgin and composed several years before the famous Requiem. The works have an extraordinary beauty. The interpretation is very good but I would prefer that Savall uses only voices and no instruments. However there is a moment when the use of instruments seems completely justified: the great and sublime Magnificat (8 voices) with it's polychoral style.

[Sergeant Rock]

Nielsen Symphony #2 "The Four Temperaments" Ole Schmidt conducting the LSO




Sarge

[Lisztianwagner]

Bedrich Smetana
Má Vlast: Vyšehrad and Die Moldau

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[The new erato]

TOMÁS LUIS DE VICTORIA:       Cantica Beatae Virginis             / Capella Reial de Catalunya, Savall

A choice of Motets dedicated to the Virgin and composed several years before the famous Requiem. The works have an extraordinary beauty. The interpretation is very good but I would prefer that Savall uses only voices and no instruments. However there is a moment when the use of instruments seems completely justified: the great and sublime Magnificat (8 voices) with it's polychoral style.

The use of instruments in vocal works is reputedly authentic in music from the Iberian peninsula, whereas the same practice in franco/flemish polyphony is inauthentic (at least as a general rule).

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Eugene Zador was a remarkable colourist and orchestrator, whose Hollywood film work was extensive. That is a very apt description of this composer, given in the booklet, and that's also the way your ears should be tuned. For the ride is a very interesting one, and certainly one that you have not experienced before. But make no mistake his style is firmly grounded in tradition, that is strongly tonal and highly contrapuntal. First the colourist, to hear this to great effect, sample the Five Contrast for Orchestra, the images he creates there are quite stunning. Very much in the film noir style. The Hungarian Capriccio will tell you immediately that he is expert in orchestration, and puts him firmly together with others on a lonely top. The Csardas Rhapsody makes clear how deep his roots are in his native country, and how well he recreates his longing for it. The Children's Symphony, one of his most popular works all over the world, shows you that even he did write it for children and called it simple in structure, it is far from it, it may sound so, but careful listening will tell you otherwise. The scoring is again ingenious. The Aria and Allegro for Strings and Bass, is a delightful romantic piece, that draws you instantly into his world.
The recording sounds well, the orchestra has from time to time difficulties to keep up with the scoring, and that is due to the hesitant attitude of the conductor deciding how and where to go next, as if he seems unsure. Be that as it may, I consider this CD as a very successful one, in every respect. A first listen it is, a the first CD I have of this composer. I hope a CD with his four Symphonies will follow soon.

[Que]

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Concluding the first acquintance with this set - disc 4.

See my impressions HERE!

Q

[The new erato]

Nice disc:

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[val]

The new erato
The use of instruments in vocal works is reputedly authentic in music from the Iberian peninsula, whereas the same practice in franco/flemish polyphony is inauthentic (at least as a general rule).

Don't forget that this works were composed in Rome. And the earlier Motets of Dufay (a franco/flemish composer), in the XV century were first played with instruments. I think it is very difficult to establish in this cases rules of authenticity.
But what I meant was my personal taste: I prefer, in general, to listen to Palestrina and Victoria works only with voices. But, to mention another composer of the same period, in the case of Motets of Roland di Lassus I prefer the use of instruments. 

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Another amazing addition to my collection! First listen and the first disc from this composer, not that there is much to choose from, there is only one recording so far as I can find, and that's a Naxos, the present one. A most prolific Portuguese composer, known for its orchestral colours, great expressions and dramatic depth. And that's all true. Tonal, a composer that has many sides, and all of them as interesting as I like them to be. Detailed, almost filigree at times, mysterious, lush, sparse, dark, funny, you name it, he has it. Packed into fine compositions, and culminating in his only symphony from 1944, it which all comes so naturally together. No favourites here for me, I like them all equally well. The Royal Scotts give what seems to me a magnificent performance, aided by a state of the art recording by Mike Clements. This is a perfect package, and hopefully the beginning of more discs from this composer.

[jlaurson]

Earlier --




B. Britten
War Requiem
Gianandrea Noseda / LSO
Bostridge, Keenlyside, Cvilak
LSO Live, 2 SACDs

Now, while translating an interview with Stefan Herheim about his Bayreuth Parsifal -- which I saw in 2008 and will see again in its last year this summer:



R. Wagner
Parsifal
M.Janowski / Berlin RSO
Elser, Selig, DeYoung, Nikitin, Schulte, Ivaschenko
Pentatone, 4 SACDs

[Lisztianwagner]

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.2 - V, Im Tempo des Scherzos

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD16 - works by von Biber, Muffat, Rosenmuller, Scheidt and Schmelzer (looks like an Austrian connection here) from the following set for a first listen ...

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

The Symphony No 3, composed in 1971 by Arvo Part, made a huge impression on me. Not so the first and the second symphony, which were composed in a totally different idiom, modern and harsh at times. This third symphony amongst others works marked the change in his composition style. A style that made me very attentive. Its the first time that I have listened to this symphony, and frankly I could hardly stop listening to it, that much I was into it. The simple yet effective lines, from a single note create a complete image of ultimate depth, and overwhelming emotional equilibrium had me several times on the edge of what I could muster. So many thoughts and feelings drawn together in a single work of 25 minutes, does not make a appearance that often, but I was heartily surprised by its content. In fact I think its a bloody marvellous work, and so I put it on repeat for a few times to take it all in.
Its dedicated to Neeme Jarvi, who also conducts this superb performance, and the recording is smashingly impressive. I have heard snippets of the 4th Symphony too, and that made me hungry for more.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

A almost forgotten composer, a World Premiere, for the first time on disc, 6 Symphonies of exquisite beauty, by one of the most influential and important composers in the 18th century symphonic genre. The scoring is stunning and made me compare him favourable with many a more famous composer of his time. The excellent booklet reveals the whole story better as I can tell it, and since the music and performances are superb, there is no earthly reason not to buy this, believe me, you do not want to miss out on this one. The sound could not be better either.

[Que]

Not from the recently released box set that is a must-buy for any Mozartean or chamber music lover, but the disc as pictured.

Q

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from the following set, which arrived a few months ago for a first listen ...

[Lisztianwagner]

Richard Strauss
Eine Alpensinfonie

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[Coopmv]

Now playing CD5 from the following set for a first listen ...

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD2 - Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 29 from the following set for a first listen ...

[fridden]

Jochum conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker in Brahms 1st symphony.
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