What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[TheGSMoeller]

Vol. II now, some fantastic music.
This one I actually purchased on iTunes and it sounds perfect, two other volumes I bought the discs.

[Lisztianwagner]

Now: four different recordings of Debussy's La Mer for the blind comparison.

[Opus106]

Pianist Gabriella Montero improvising (literally!) on a German song.

http://www.youtube.com/v/QUqhPoA5bIY

[Sergeant Rock]

Great answer 
I still have Mehta (Decca), Tennstedt (EMI) and Bruno Walter 1958 (Sony) in my collection (and the Bernstein Sony but I will ignore that one for now).
Any hope for a little less bombast with one of these three?

I have those four too. Try Walter.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

EDIT: The 2nd symphony was my introduction to Mahler

Ditto

Ditto Ditto    My first Mahler was Klemperer's M2, LPs borrowed from the library in 1967.

Sarge

[nico1616]

I have those four too. Try Walter.

Sarge

I will, this double cdbox includes my favorite Mahler 1.
So now it is time for Walter's Mahler 2

Thanks!!!

[madaboutmahler]

Ditto Ditto    My first Mahler was Klemperer's M2, LPs borrowed from the library in 1967.

Sarge

I think mine was through the last movement of Barbirolli's 5th, around the age of 11 or 12. A year later, I saw Gergiev conduct both 4 and 5 live, I suppose that was my proper introduction to a Mahler symphony, but two in one evening!

Now:

[asin]B0000273ZN[/asin]
Feste Romane

Such brilliant, uplifting music. Thrilling performance too!

Good night, everyone!

[Coopmv]

Now playing the following CD, another recent arrival for a first listen ...

[Lisztianwagner]

Ditto Ditto    My first Mahler was Klemperer's M2, LPs borrowed from the library in 1967.

Almost as always, a Karajan recording (the 5th symphony) introduced me to Mahler's music too.

Now:
Johann Strauss II
Geschichten aud dem Wienerwald

[asin]B0000042GN[/asin]
Some of Boskovsky's recordings to celebrate his birthday

[Conor71]

Sibelius: Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49


Now listening to Disc 2 of the Tone Poems box-set again and will follow this up with Disc 2 of the Symphony set (Symphonies 2 & 3)

[Brian]

I might even start to like the Symphony No 20. The Cello Concerto is still a masterpiece.

[asin]B007NE5P1U[/asin]

[Sadko]

Mahler

Symphony No. 2

Edith Mathis (soprano)
Norma Procter (contralto)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Rafael Kubelik

[asin]B00004SA86[/asin]

That was my first Mahler 2 on record (vinyl). (Listening to it now)

[PaulR]

I might even start to like the Symphony No 20. The Cello Concerto is still a masterpiece.

[asin]B007NE5P1U[/asin]

Curious, why the negative reaction (or at the very least apathetic) to the 20th Symphony?  I plan to get that disc, mostly for the symphony

[Brian]

Curious, why the negative reaction (or at the very least apathetic) to the 20th Symphony?  I plan to get that disc, mostly for the symphony

The symphony is rather dark and chilly; the booklet notes say it's "exceptionally hard to fathom" although I don't think I'd go that far. It's difficult to track in places, but the second scherzo is a firecracker and the final movement is a fairly convincing lento.

Be advised, though, that the cello concerto is a masterpiece. I'd give a slight edge to the Rostropovich account on Brilliant, but with music this great and this little-known, who cares? - certainly in my top five favorite cello concertos of all time, with Dvorak, Shosty 1, Saint-Saens, and Elgar.

[PaulR]

The symphony is rather dark and chilly; the booklet notes say it's "exceptionally hard to fathom" although I don't think I'd go that far. It's difficult to track in places, but the second scherzo is a firecracker and the final movement is a fairly convincing lento.

Be advised, though, that the cello concerto is a masterpiece. I'd give a slight edge to the Rostropovich account on Brilliant, but with music this great and this little-known, who cares? - certainly in my top five favorite cello concertos of all time, with Dvorak, Shosty 1, Saint-Saens, and Elgar.

I know the Cello Concerto, I have the Rostropovich recording from the big EMI box, just don't know the 20th symphony

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from the following twofer, a recent arrival from across the pond for a first listen ...

[Brian]

I know the Cello Concerto, I have the Rostropovich recording from the big EMI box, just don't know the 20th symphony

Oh ok, preaching to the choir then!

[Gold Knight]

Jean Sibelius--Symphony No.1 in E Minor, Op.39 and Symphony No.4 in A Minor, Op.63. Both works feature the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Lorin Maazel.
Ludwig Van Beethoven--Symphony No.5 in C Minor, Op.67 {"Fate"} and Symphony No.6 inF Major, Op.68 {"Pastoral"}, both performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Herbert von Karajan.

[Conor71]

Messiaen: Couleurs De La Cite Celeste


I purchased this box about a year ago and have only listened to half of the Discs so far - I admit the Solo Piano Music and Song Cycles were a bit much for me the last time I tried listening to them!.
With a bit more modern Classical listening under my belt I will make another attempt at finishing the box - I will start this time with Disc 13 which features Orchestral music

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD2 from the following twofer, a recent arrival from across the pond for a first listen ...