What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Todd]

[Karl Henning]

Just found it on YouTube, listening to it now. 

"Giff him a nice, colt shower,"

Nice tie-in with Debussy, as the song starts with the Odd Boy of the title (subtitle, I suppose) reading "s slim volume of Mallarmé."

[Karl Henning]

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.

Most interesting, Brian. Must admit that none of the reading I've done which mention the composer had particularly inclined me to try Vainberg.  But your enthusiasm here for the piece is piquing my curiosity.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD7 from the following set for a first listen ...

[Karl Henning]

Even orchestral musicians make mistakes. I'm quite fine with it, so that's a "yes."

Incidentally . . . the occasional place where the individual musician doesn't quite hit the mark (rare as it is) does not trouble me musically in the least in (e.g.) the Shostakovich fils cycle.

But things like different sections of the orchestra not being together (in Järvi's recording of the Prokofiev Seventh, in a couple symphonies which I've heard from the Barshai Shostakovich cycle, and my recent revisitation of the Chas Munch/BSO La mer) is (for me) unforgivable: it's either the conductor not keeping the group together, or the recording company not troubling to get it right.

[Mirror Image]

Incidentally . . . the occasional place where the individual musician doesn't quite hit the mark (rare as it is) does not trouble me musically in the least in (e.g.) the Shostakovich fils cycle.

But things like different sections of the orchestra not being together (in Järvi's recording of the Prokofiev Seventh, in a couple symphonies which I've heard from the Barshai Shostakovich cycle, and my recent revisitation of the Chas Munch/BSO La mer) is (for me) unforgivable: it's either the conductor not keeping the group together, or the recording company not troubling to get it right.

None of your favorite recordings have mistakes, Karl?

[Karl Henning]

Of course; but not all mistakes are created equal. Not for someone who takes music seriously : )

[PaulR]

Of course; but not all mistakes are created equal. Not for someone who takes music seriously : )

Question:  if it's a live recording, do these issues bother you less? 

(Not a leading question nor any malice behind it.  I'm just curious)

[Conor71]

Messiaen: Catalogue D'Oiseaux, Septieme Livre


Now playing Disc 12 of this set which starts with these challenging pieces for solo Piano and then finishes with some orchestral music.
The music is interesting so far but nothing I would regularly listen to for relaxation or pleasure I think


[asin]B000A2ACWO[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Of course; but not all mistakes are created equal. Not for someone who takes music seriously : )

I take music seriously, but I also realize that musicians make mistakes. But the key is to always get better and not make the same mistake twice.

[listener]

MOZART: La finta semplice K. 51
Barbara Hendricks, Siegfried Lorenz, Douglas Johnson, Ann Murray, Eve Lind, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Andreas Schmidt
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra     Peter Schreier, cond.
Christine Schornsheim, harpsichord
Notes in English, French, German and Italian - all original - make this a worthwhile edition if the genre is of interest.  There is a lot of dialogue.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

[asin]B000FAO9B6[/asin]

Just finished this performance and I've got to say I'm not too enthralled with it. One of the disappointments is with Oramo on the podium. It sounds like he's just going through the motions and not putting his heart into the music at all IMHO. It's as if somebody shot him with a tranquilizer. Leila Josefowicz is technically fine, but her harsh, brittle tone does little for me. Overall, not a terrible performance, but not one I'll return to often.

[Conor71]

Faure: La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61


Could'nt stay with the Messiaen - I will try again another time I think! 
Now listening to this excellent set of chamber music by Faure - playing Disc 3

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Violin Concerto No. 1. This is a welcome performance after Josefowicz. Beautiful playing from Steinbacher and great accompaniment from Andris Nelsons.

[Brian]

One of the disappointments is with Oramo on the podium. It sounds like he's just going through the motions and not putting his heart into the music at all IMHO. It's as if somebody shot him with a tranquilizer.

A couple years ago I reviewed "The Sakari Oramo Collection" for MusicWeb. The upshot was: who on earth would want a Sakari Oramo collection?

[Mirror Image]

A couple years ago I reviewed "The Sakari Oramo Collection" for MusicWeb. The upshot was: who on earth would want a Sakari Oramo collection?

I don't think he's a bad conductor. He's done some fine work, especially with Lindberg's music, but there's some kind of disconnect between him and the CBSO or something just wasn't quite right. The whole recording didn't sound like collaborative effort. It sounded like Josefowicz was doing all the work and Oramo was asleep at the wheel. But, as I mentioned, I had problems with Josefowicz too. Her butt ugly tone didn't help her here. So disappointed, but it's okay I have other performances of Shosty's VC No. 1 that I'm quite happy with.

[PaulR]

A couple years ago I reviewed "The Sakari Oramo Collection" for MusicWeb. The upshot was: who on earth would want a Sakari Oramo collection?

His mother?

[DieNacht]

Edison Denisov Chamber Symphony no.1

He tended to repeat his musical ideas too much, like the later Penderecki, but the "Chamber Symphony no.1" is one of the more interesting and varied pieces & I´d include in a Top-5 of his most "listenable" works.

[Erinofskye]

This disc is certainly a favorite of my small, but growing collection. Suite No. 3 takes me on an emotional ride that ends in jubilation, leaving me a little breathless.  A perfect way to end the day.

[Karl Henning]

Question:  if it's a live recording, do these issues bother you less?

The odd clam, no, doesn't bother me, particularly.

I don't have much patience for the ensemble issues, even in a live performance . . . that's a systemic problem, as opposed to a moment's clam, which happens to anyone.