What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Well, there is that pesky, negative association with Pink Harp...enough to put some people off their Debussy 

Sarge

Yeah, I sure wish Pink would've picked some other composer to fixate on - like a composer I don't like.

[Harry]

Checking out some keyboard sonatas by Soler on Naxos   



A bit too much bombast me thinks... I perfer way older material.  This seems to include lots of fast flash.  Interesting though.

Soler is the single best composer in his time if it comes to harpsichord. the man was a genius, and these Naxos recordings are the best you can get, be it the performance or recording.

[Harry]

Georg Philipp Telemann.
Cantatas from "Fortsetzung des Harmonischen Gottesdienst 1731.
Ruth Ziesak, soprano.
Camerata Koln.

The second volume is cause for celebration, for to hear such a accomplish soprano, sing in pure nightingale tones is a wonder to behold.
Almost without vibrato she has a gorgeous way with the text and delivers every word as if they where pearls to put on a string.
Camerata Koln delivers big time, and makes this a most delightful disc. IMO one of the best CPO produced in 2001.
Sound is just fine.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Johann Sebastian Bach, Brandenburg Concertos (BIS/Suzuki-Bach Collegium Japan)

Though I don't listen to him very often (as the regulars here will have noticed by now), I do like the instrumental Bach a lot.

[Harry]

Johann Sebastian Bach, Brandenburg Concertos (BIS/Suzuki-Bach Collegium Japan)

Though I don't listen to him very often (as the regulars here will have noticed by now), I do like the instrumental Bach a lot.

Hmmmm, well I asked the question in the purchase thread, so would you mind looking there, and answering here?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hmmmm, well I asked the question in the purchase thread, so would you mind looking there, and answering here?

I just looked at your question in the Purchases thread... I am no Bach expert, but after having listened to the First Brandenburg Concerto what I can say is - great playing, brass very precise and woodwind very crisp, tempi never dragging, and the harpsichord is omnipresent, but tastefully so (is that an issue? I am not au courant...) I am reminded of Breughel, for some reason - it's all so concrete and clear. This is a Bach I can listen to more often.

Edit: I am now in the Second Concerto, and there is an absolutely incredible trumpet, very high, almost whistling!

[Harry]

I just looked at your question in the Purchases thread... I am no Bach expert, but after having listened to the First Brandenburg Concerto what I can say is - great playing, brass very precise and woodwind very crisp, tempi never dragging, and the harpsichord is omnipresent, but tastefully so (is that an issue? I am not au courant...) I am reminded of Breughel, for some reason - it's all so concrete and clear. This is a Bach I can listen to more often.

Edit: I am now in the Second Concerto, and there is an absolutely incredible trumpet, very high, almost whistling!

Clear and concise explanation, thank you Johan!

[Harry]

Three fine women composers on one disc! O, I am so happy!

Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn.
SQ in E flat major.

Emilie Mayer.
SQ opus 14 in G minor.

Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen.
Quartetto No. 2 in B flat major & 3 in G minor.

Erato Quartett Basel.

Absolute stunningly recorded and performed. World class girls, that composed SQ of very high quality. The strings sing when women are visited by the muses, and harmony prevails when their music flies out into the world. Meaning, its good to hear and to have them....knowing that female composers are not a lesser specimen if it comes to music, as Louise Farrenc said in one of her rages against a unwilling teacher.

[Florestan]

Good morning all!

Beethoven

Violin Sonatas op. 12/1,2,3

David Oistrakh / Lev Oborin

Great!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I am having a small Josef Suk Festival at the moment:

Mother, op. 28 (Moravec, courtesy of Luke), beautiful piano pieces
Summer Tale, op. 30 (Mackerras, CPO (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra!)/Decca), a great piece with very dark, imaginative passages, belying the rather innocuous title

[marvinbrown]

During the past 3 evenings after work Symphonies 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 from this set:

 

  Needless to say I am finding it increasingly difficult to put this set to rest and listen to something else.

  First off the sound is remarkable.  Jansons presents these symphonies with so much excitement, power and tension.  A real joy to listen to!

  marvin 

[Harry]

During the past 3 evenings after work Symphonies 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 from this set:

 

  Needless to say I am finding it increasingly difficult to put this set to rest and listen to something else.

  First off the sound is remarkable.  Jansons presents these symphonies with so much excitement, power and tension.  A real joy to listen to!

  marvin 

If you dive into a composer, you like to do it well huh?
As much as I love Shostokovich, to much overshoots the nucleus for me.
But you seem to stomach it all in one go.
Remarkable.

[Harry]

Well for me some lighter fare.

Gioacchino Rossini.
Early Sinfonias.
Haydn Orchestra Bolzano, Alun Francis.

Recorded by the renowned Siegbert Ernst in 1992-93, gives us a lucid and detailed recording, as he did many times for BIS, a talented freelancer! The Orchestra has the right agility, and moves around the strings with alacrity and playful gaiety, that makes for alert listening. Francis seems to understand these early works good enough to give them the necessary boost.
Not world shattering music, but for 51 minutes is quite palatable.   

[marvinbrown]

If you dive into a composer, you like to do it well huh?
As much as I love Shostokovich, to much overshoots the nucleus for me.
But you seem to stomach it all in one go.
Remarkable.

  Not in one go Harry but over a 3 day period  .  When I respond well to a composer's work I like to listen to him for extended periods of time.

  marvin

[Harry]

Paul Hindemith.
Complete Sonatas for Solo instrument and Piano, volume III.

First Sonata for Piano 1936.
Second Sonata for Piano 1936.
Third Sonata for Piano 1936.
Variations for Piano 1936.
Ensemble Villa Musica.
Kalle Randalu, Piano.

Well conceived by Randalu, he is really from head to foot in this music. Not the easiest to conquer, for listener and player alike, being really sad music. Dark, mysterious, nagging insistently in one direction, hopelessness, despair, no light, gloomy, a wall of rejection, frustration, and much more....
Well recorded.

[Sergeant Rock]

One of my favorites among lesser known symphonies. It's really hard to understand why this isn't programmed more often in our concert halls (where it would become one of my favorites among popular symphonies!)




Sarge

[Drasko]

[wintersway]

Good morning/day to all!

[ChamberNut]

Beethoven

String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, op. 130

Quartetto Italiano
Philips

[Harry]

Good morning/day to all!

Holy Moses, that is a CPO that is not in my collection!