What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Conor71]

Martinu: Cello Sonata No. 1, H 277


Work this week has been horrible! - If I didnt have my Wife and Music Id be a pretty unhappy guy right about now 
Reading GMG always puts a smile on my face too - this afternoon I will play some forum inspired stuff from a composer im just getting into recently. First I will play the Cello Sonata Disc and then I will listen to the first Disc of the String Quartet set which just arrived a couple of days ago 

[Sadko]

Joan Sutherland

The Art of the Prima Donna

[asin]B00004XQ8G[/asin]

[Florestan]

That's in my listening pile too, so I would be interested in your impressions Andrei!

Me too. 

First impression: excellent! Lush orchestration with some glorious brass and winds, intimate chamber-like passages interspersed in triumphant tutti, folksy down-to-earth tunes mixed with uplifting chorales, gorgeous melodies and a sense of melancholia pervading the whole thing --- Late Romanticism as I like it. Highly recommended.

[TheGSMoeller]

One of my favorite harpsichord discs, amazing sound for the imaginative and passionate music of the Forquerays.

I sense another day of Forqueray is in order, I'll add Borgstede to the pile...

[Sergeant Rock]

HJ Lim playing Beethoven's op.106...Hammer Time





Sarge

[The new erato]

A really wonderful disc this:

[asin]B007G3H958[/asin]

[Florestan]

Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor (1930)

[Octave]

HJ Lim playing Beethoven's op.106...Hammer Time

The most wonderful thing I have seen all week.  Thank you!

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor (1930)

That one is in my listening pile too, so again if your willing, impressions please.

[The new erato]

HJ Lim playing Beethoven's op.106...Hammer Time





Sarge

Hammer horror?

[Lisztianwagner]

Leos Janacek
String Quartet No.1

[asin]B0001Y4JH0[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

HJ Lim playing Beethoven's op.106...Hammer Time



Sarge

Dude, you know that's my favourite Piano Sonata!

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Part belongs to my top 10 favourite composers, and rightly so, for the simplicity of his compositions, and the religious orthodox basis of it, culminate for me almost into heavenly bliss eternal. Whatever angle I approach his music, it always leaves me satisfied. Somehow it enhances the silence in me, and opens up spirituality, a ideal combination.

The disc in my player is one I treasure, first because of the beautiful recording, but foremost for its content, for three works of equal quality are brought together in excellent interpretations. Fratres is a awe inspiring piece of great intensity, and well brought out by Gil Shaham, Tabula rasa, played by this angel on snares Adele Anthoney, and Shaham together, is dreaming yourself into silence on a ride of simple notes and motives. Neither is there complexity in the Third Symphony, but what a utterly convincing work this is, not much going on, but less is eternity with Part, and it reaches a perfect harmony and spiritual balance. The Gothenburg SO under Jarvi, give us a masterly performance, that leaves no wishes open.

[Sergeant Rock]

Hammer horror?

Sarge

[Florestan]

That one is in my listening pile too, so again if your willing, impressions please.

Gladly.

I don't know the circumstances in which he wrote it but it should have been at some unhappy time of his life. Dark, mournful, subdued, sad, resigned, with only a dim ray of hope in the very last bars --- yet never depressing, angst-ridden or dissonant. In a way it reminded me of Mozart's PC 24 and even more of Mozart's advice that The passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of causing disgust; and music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music. This is exactly what Berg did. Highly recommended.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Gladly.

I don't know the circumstances in which he wrote it but it should have been at some unhappy time of his life. Dark, mournful, subdued, sad, resigned, with only a dim ray of hope in the very last bars --- yet never depressing, angst-ridden or dissonant. In a way it reminded me of Mozart's PC 24 and even more of Mozart's advice that The passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of causing disgust; and music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music. This is exactly what Berg did. Highly recommended.

Thank you, I will soon put it in my player.

[Florestan]

Thank you, I will soon put it in my player.

I'm very curious about how you react to it. 

Now on to something happier from the selfsame Berg.



Symphony No. 2 "The Seasons" (1916)

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

And now some excellent operetta, long overdue, partly because for the last 7 months I was not in the mood for it. And although the circumstances could be better still, my mind has cleared up enough to appreciate it again. Suppe is undoubtedly one of my favourite operetta composers, and to my mind  "Die Schone Galathee" is one of the very best, to which I can listen over and over again. But today it will be "Fatinitza" which I bought in 2009, and this is the first time I listen to it. And its wonderful in all respects. Good text throughout, and the recording creates a appropriate mood, which the singers enhance by their positive input. Light music yes, but uplifting and life affirming. Good sound.

CD I Act one and two (part)

[Brahmsian]

Harry is back in full form and happy to hear it!!

Tchaikovsky avatar is back

And Operettas are back.  Suppe and Lehar!!  Yes, Harry has returned! 

[Fafner]

Bohuslav Martinů: Piano Concertos  Vol. 2

[asin]B0043XCKS0[/asin]