What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[TheGSMoeller]

Two for the evening. Perahia's Bach (which I love), and a disc that would easily sit among my favorites or "essential" list, Holloway's Biber.

[kishnevi]

CD 4 of this:
[asin]B00004YSBJ[/asin]
Choruses and interludes from "Thamos, Koenig in Aegypten" K. 345
Staatskapelle Berlin/Rundfunk-Solistenvereinigung Berlin/Theo Adam and other vocal soloists
Bernhard Klee, conductor
Ballet music from "Idomeneo" K. 367
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
David Zinman, conductor

Music that speaks mostly of being elegantly cheerful and peaceful, and paints some rather pretty aural pictures.  If Mozart wrote only like tihs sort of music  he'd have been a footnote in history.  Referring to this particular box, the Amazon reviews are correct in saying that it's not very essential.  One CD of the five is actually only secondhand Mozart, being Harmoniemusik arrangements by other hands of music from Don Giovanni and The Abduction from the Seraglio.

On the other hand, you can get it from Amazon for less than $20US.

[listener]

Giovanni Antonio LEONI (c.1590 - c.1652)
Violin Sonatas op. I, III
Seicento Italiano: Maria Paolo Cavallini, baroque violin; Giangiacomo Pinardi, citarrone`
Daniele Boccaccio, organ, harpsichord, and leader
31 little pieces, similar in style

[Gold Knight]

Gustav Mahler--Symphony No.2 in C Minor {"Resurrection"}, performed by the Chicago SYmphony Orchestra and Chorus led by Bernard Haitnik.
Gustav Mahler--Symphony No.1 in D Major {"Titan"}, once again featuring Maestro Haitnik and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

[Brahmsian]

Schubert

Symphony No. 6 in C major "The Little C, that packs a lot of energy and vim, my 2nd fav. Schubert symphony!"

Kertesz
Vienna Philharmonic
Decca

[Mirror Image]

Now:

[asin]B000025M7M[/asin]

A light-hearted, Neoclassical ballet. Pretty fun.

[North Star]

First listen-Friday (though I've heard all the performances from Youtube)

Arvo Pärt
Fratres
Cantus
Tabula rasa
[asin]B0000262K7[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

First listen-Friday (though I've heard all the performances from Youtube)

Arvo Pärt
Fratres
Cantus
Tabula rasa
[asin]B0000262K7[/asin]

An essential acquisition for all Pärt fans. Brilliant performances.

[Opus106]

Op 70 #1; my favorite trio? Yes, maybe so. The least appreciated of the set judging by the number of recordings. It probably still speaks rather than paints... 

Of course, I'm really referring to #2...   There must be 8 million recordings of #1.... my bad.

I was a little surprised when I read the first comment. I mean, 70/1 has a nickname!

[Sadko]

Verdi

La Traviata

Callas
Di Stefano
Bastianini

Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano
Giulini

1955 live recording

[Fafner]

Verdi

La Traviata

Callas
Di Stefano
Bastianini

Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano
Giulini

1955 live recording

I haven't heard this recording, but I would love to because I love Bastianini.
I own the 1953 studio recording with Santini and it is one of my favourites.

[Sadko]

I haven't heard this recording, but I would love to because I love Bastianini.
I own the 1953 studio recording with Santini and it is one of my favourites.

The sound quality of this live recording is very bad, but the dramatic impact of the interpretation is great, for me Callas and Giulini are the stars of this recording. The characteristic voice of Bastianini always brings back a nostalgic feeling, since he was on the first opera recordings I listened to. I have to look into the studio recording you mentioned, didn't lsiten to it yet.

[otare]

I'm very traditional today:



I'm enjoying this very much. Klemperer's Mozart is very much to my liking. A great conductor!

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

A wonderful CD.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Part II, CD 11.

A gorgeous account of this operetta, but its a pain and a shame, that CPO leaves me stranded without the libretto. The spoken text is no problem, I understand that, but the parts that are sung, are most of the time incomprehensibly.
The coloratura sopranos these days are not on the level of Erika Koth, far from it.

[Lisztianwagner]

Bohuslav Martinu
Piano Concerto No.4

[asin]B0000262OH[/asin]

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

I wonder how many people would known these composers?

Stevan Hristic, ( 1885-1958) & Josip Slavenski, ( 1896-1955)

I did not, until I stumbled across this CD which was re-released by CPO 2 years ago. And in way I am pleasantly surprised, because the music has something of a cultural colour not often encountered. The music of Hristic has a fine meandering quality. The Legend of Ohrid are four Orchestral Suites from a ballet. Very descriptive in their language, and a vivid imagery is evoked when the first introduction Serbian Wedding Dance is emerging from the mists of muted Violins. A symphonized romanticist ballet, very much in tune with say Rimsky Korsakov, and which finds its roots in a folk story. At times it even gets magical to a point, that the colour and images run away with me, ( Scene of a magic lake) All four Suites are considered a master piece by his hand, and I pretty much concur with this.

Slavenski on the other hand is different composer, and in his country one of the most important composers from the first half of the 20th century. The way he expresses himself has a elemental power, and it language is a bold and vigorous one. His folklore based compositions come close to say Bartok, and like him he tried to find a way of defining his musical language influenced by what he researched to be a authentic Yugoslavian sound.
Balkanophony is a Symphonic suite, and is considered his most popular work This musical panorama of the Balkan has 7 movements, that shows a composer still very young and already at the height of his musical powers. A thoroughly enjoyable work.
The orchestra makes quite a feat out of it, and the sound is very good.

Recorded in 1998

[Sergeant Rock]

Vaughan Williams A Pastoral Symphony, Boult conducting the LPO




Sarge

[Brahmsian]

'Tis the month!

Shostakovich

Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54

[asin]B00005UW2B[/asin]

[asin]B005KNOE3G[/asin]

[Fafner]

CD35: JAZZ SUITES, OVERTURE ON RUSSIAN AND KIRGHIZ FOLK THEMES, NOVOROSSISK CHIMES, FESTIVE OVERTURE

[asin]B008GAXUYE[/asin]