What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Conor71]

Quote from: Gold Knight on Today at 09:22:38 AM>On Spotify:

Anton Bruckner--Symphony No.7 in E Major, WAB 107 {1885 version, edited by L. Nowak}, featuring The Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Bernard Haitnik. I'm still finding Bruckner--and, to a lesser extent--Mahler, to be somewhat "heavy lifting" for my rather puny intellect. However, I have been advised by a fellow member on another musc forum to which I belong that, vis a vis Bruckner--at least for him--his 7th Symphony was his gateway to being able to really appreciate and understand his music. So, here I am.

Steve, I found Bruckner quite a difficult Composer to get into at first but he has since become one of my favourites. The length of his Symphonies is a bit daunting I think!. I agree the 7th is a good starting point for Bruckner and would also suggest you listen to his 4th Symphony.

I still struggle, to a certain extent with Mahler but I find his Symphonies to be full of many beautiful moments as well.

Good on you for trying out these new Composers - I think you will really come to like their music given time

[Conor71]

Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata In C Major, K 460

[Gold Knight]

@ Conor71, Thanks so much for your encouragement and  the suggestions re: Bruckner and Mahler. I shall give the Bruckner 4th a go very shortly on Spotify,  as I personally own none of his cds. Of mahler, I have one {his First, the "Titan" Symphony}. So far, I have found Mahler slightly less "dense" than Bruckner, and have really enjoyed his aforementioned 1st, as well as the 5th, 6th and 7th. 

[Gold Knight]

Ludwig Van Beethoven--Symphony No.7 in A Major, Op.92 and Symphony No.8 in F Major, Op.93. Both works feature the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique led by John Eliot Gardiner.
Carl Nielsen--Symphony No.3, Op.27 {"Sinfonia Espansiva"} and Symphony No.4, Op.29 {"The Inextinguishable"}, both performed by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Herbert Blomstedt.

[Mirror Image]

Shostakovich
Symphony no. 4
Mariss Jansons

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I don't care much for Jansons' Shostakovich cycle. I vastly prefer Barshai, Haitink, Kondrashin, and Caetani, but it's good to see you enjoying Shosty's music so much. He's my favorite composer above all others.

[PaulR]

I don't care much for Jansons' Shostakovich cycle. I vastly prefer Barshai, Haitink, Kondrashin, and Caetani, but it's good to see you enjoying Shosty's music so much. He's my favorite composer above all others.

Until your next Koechlin, Villa-Lobos, or Tippet phase

Some of Janson's CDs I didn't care for, such as the 11th, but some of the performances in the box are truly top notch, the 10th, 4th, and 13th

[Mirror Image]

Until your next Koechlin, Villa-Lobos, or Tippet phase

Some of Janson's CDs I didn't care for, such as the 11th, but some of the performances in the box are truly top notch, the 10th, 4th, and 13th

No, no, Paul. Shosty really is my favorite composer of all-time. I might go through these little phases with Prokofiev or VL or Tippett or RVW, but Shosty's music means so much to me that I put it head and shoulders above every other composer's. The man's music speaks directly to me, which is something I can't say for many composers.

[PaulR]

No, no, Paul. Shosty really is my favorite composer of all-time. I might go through these little phases with Prokofiev or VL or Tippett or RVW, but Shosty's music means so much to me that I put it head and shoulders above every other composer's. The man's music speaks directly to me, which is something I can't say for many composers.

It was merely a joke dude

[Mirror Image]

It was merely a joke dude

Sorry! I take music seriously.

[Conor71]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39


Quite a brisk reading of this Symphony compared to others I've heard - it works very well though!.
Excellent sound - easily the best Sibelius Symphony Cycle in my collection.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

CD II.

Vere Languores Nostros, Motet a 4.
Pueri Hebraeorum, Motet a 4.

Both pieces are so wonderfully performed, that it took my breath away. Disc II is certainly a highlight in this box. Almost chillingly perfect. The balance of voices is something to be heard to believe!

Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae.

01) Incipit lamentatio Jeremiae a 4.
02) Vau. Et egressus est a 4.
03) Iod. Manum suam misit hostis a 5.

The Icipit has a wonderfully balanced introduction by this magnificent choir, the sustained and carefully dozed dynamics and shadings are absolutely wonderful. As a whole this is the most perfect performance I heard so far.

O Domine Jesu Christe-Motet a 6.

Heth. Cogitavit Dominus a 4.
Lamed. Matribus suis dixerunt a 4.
Aleph. Ego vir videns a 5.

O, vos omnes-Motet a 4.

Heth. Misericordiae Domini a 4.
Aleph. Quomodo obscuratum a 4.
Incipit oratio Jeremiae a 6.

Amazing, overwhelming, totally convincing, the best performances I heard so far of all these pieces, the set to go for. Stunning recording!



CD II

[North Star]

Great; tell me what you think about Jansons' Shostakovich cycle once you've carefully listened to the whole set box.
Good luck for the exam!

Glad to see you have been able to listen to so much of the Jansons Shosty box so quickly! Will also be interested to hear your overall opinion, Karlo. And yes, best of luck for the exam!

I'll certainly tell you, and thanks for wishing me luck.

I don't care much for Jansons' Shostakovich cycle. I vastly prefer Barshai, Haitink, Kondrashin, and Caetani, but it's good to see you enjoying Shosty's music so much. He's my favorite composer above all others.

But isn't it great that I started with this one, then, John; I can appreciate the 'better' cycles more later. 

Thread duty:

Shostakovich
Symphony No. 6
Jansons

[Lethevich]

Ravel Piano Concerto G major, Samson Francois, piano, André Cluytens conducting a French orchestra with an impossibly long name

That beastly conservatory concerts one? It took me a while to work out how to rearrange those words to make sense in English translation for my tags.

[val]

SMETANA:     Two String Quartets              / Lindsay String Quartet

A very intense version, in special in the violent contrasts of the 2nd Quartet.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

A fine disc, a top recommendation. See reviews 11-5-2012 & 7-6-2012.

[Conor71]

Sibelius: The Tempest (Suites), Op. 109


Continuing with Sibelius for the rest of the night - next I will play Disc 2 of the Tone Poems set

[nico1616]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39


Quite a brisk reading of this Symphony compared to others I've heard - it works very well though!.
Excellent sound - easily the best Sibelius Symphony Cycle in my collection.

Sometimes I find this symphony cycle quite sturdy, there is nothing romantized about this Sibelius.
I have grown accustomed to Rattle, von Karajan and Ashkenazy. Maybe Vänskä is more authentic Finnish but I still like the others more...

[Conor71]

Quote from: nico1616 on Today at 05:32:20 PM

Sometimes I find this symphony cycle quite sturdy, there is nothing romantized about this Sibelius.
I have grown accustomed to Rattle, von Karajan and Ashkenazy. Maybe Vänskä is more authentic Finnish but I still like the others more...

Yes the Rattle is a good cycle - I owned that one a couple of years ago. I also like HVK in Sibelius (especially his 5th) although I would put him a little behind Vanska as he never recorded a complete Cycle

[Lisztianwagner]

Happy Birthday to Willi Boskovsky Thread duty:

Strauss - Waltzes, Polkas & Marches
CD 1

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[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Volume 4 already from this highly successful series, and the novelty and creativity does not diminish one iota. Alfred Hill is a gifted composer, underestimated and ignored, he nevertheless emerges now in all its strength. If the SQ are anything to go by, we are in for huge treats. The opening SQ in E major, a key that is unusual, because to me it always sounds as a hybrid in emotions, any way, its a small power vessel of ideas, ever restless, apart from the Scherzo, third movement, which almost sounds like a waltz. Danceable even. There are some pretty dense places with almost untraceable moments, but demanding your attention. It goes deeper as you would expect at a first listen, so it definitively needs much more as one hearing.

The second SQ, No. 11 in D minor is more accessibly, clearer lines, and the music is more understandably defined. More like his earlier SQ that aimed to please, with sustainable melodies, pinpointing a clear path through pleasing emotions. The Adagio is especially beautiful, with all the approachable emotions at hand, going over in a very lovable Allegretto, to close this fine SQ. Very pleasing!

The sound is perfect, and captures the moments well. The Dominion Quartet is a group well versed in Hill's compositions, and they do very well.