What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[DavidRoss]

Thanks for the reviews, MO.  I've never heard the Adams piece.  Would probably have bought the CD unheard if it had at least an hour's worth of music on it.  And I, too, like Bartok's 2nd VC very much.  I was surprised how much I liked Mutter's big recording of it.

Now playing:  Sakari/Iceland Sibelius Tone Poems  -- These guys are great!  They're dramatic, but rough, even a touch ragged at times, the smaller orchestra playing their hearts out, and Sakari's rubato and dynamic contrasts suit the music very well.  These are unique performances and, together with their symphony cycle, seem likely to rank among my most favorite realizations of these works.

[Harry]

Its hard to imagine a finer example of Branco's craft then the second movement of the first symphony, "Andante"
By Jove, its is extremely evocative in its intensity.

[orbital]

I think I've never heard the 2nd PC here before 

[SonicMan46]

 

Good morning/day to all!

Good morn to you, also!    Please provide some comments on the Richter disc - thought that I had at least several solo piano discs of Peter T's music, but just have the Sonatas w/ Howard (pic added above) - not even sure 'how much' he even wrote for solo piano - 

[greg]

Haydn's Piano Sonata 50/Lang-Lang

Overall, i really like it, especially all the complex figurations that go on in this sonata. The most surprising part was the last movement, it's almost like one of his "musical jokes". Only around 2 minutes long, and it only has one theme (yet it's not a Variations on a Theme- how could it be, when it's that short anyways?)
Though i have to say, i ended up "beating" him with this idea.  (unless there's something i haven't discovered yet, and i wouldn't be surprised). The string quartet i wrote was a similar structure- 3 movements, the last movement being really short- except mine was under a minute. And it only had fragments of themes from previous movements, plus fragments of what could have been new themes but were never developed. I wonder if he has any last movements under a minute as well?

[bhodges]

Gershwin: Cuban Overture (Chailly/Cleveland)
Gershwin: Cuban Overture (Dutoit/Montréal)

Both are crackling with energy and in excellent sound, but I slightly prefer Chailly: just a little more "oomph" and even more clarity in the recording.

--Bruce

[PerfectWagnerite]

I just finished listening to this:



This one clocks in at under 3 hours and 40 minutes and is probably the fastest Parsifal I have. I listend to the whole thing in one sitting and I don't think I have done that in a while for Parsifal, or any Wagner opera lately. I think it is a fabulous recording. The texture is extremely transparent. You really get to hear why this music seems like it is lit from within. Boulez achieves some truly pianissimo playing from the orchestra which kind of gives it that glowing, light and yet full texture. James King is in much better voice here than he is for Kubelik. I am probably never going to like Gwyneth Jones' rather stentorian Kundry but she doesn't really detracts from the merits of this recording. Also for once the Bayreuth audience is mouse-quiet, perhaps sensing something special in the air that night.

[ChamberNut]

Carter

String Quartet No. 1

Julliard SQ
Sony

*First listen, and I am having difficulty with this work.   

[Mark]

Indeed Mark, Ravel's quartet is marvelous! 

And the Cleveland are easily the most compelling quartet I've heard in this work (that's after hearing about eight or nine other recordings). The sonics are particularly sparkling - a real knockout disc.

Faure

Elegie, P. 24
Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 109
Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 117

Maria Kliegel, cello
Nina Tichman, piano

Naxos

Is that new? I love Kliegel's work. Like a link back to my first heroine of the cello, Du Pre. 0:)

[ChamberNut]

Is that new? I love Kliegel's work. Like a link back to my first heroine of the cello, Du Pre. 0:)

Yes, it's a 2008 Naxos release.  Late 2005 recording.  Check it out!  Also have the Mendelssohn Cello Sonatas with Kliegel on Naxos which are great.

This Faure CD is one of my best purchases of 2008 to date. 

[Keemun]

Holst: St. Paul's Suite (Hickox/City of London Synfonia)

[Christo]

Its hard to imagine a finer example of Branco's craft then the second movement of the first symphony, "Andante"
By Jove, its is extremely evocative in its intensity.

Seconded, as already told in the Braga Santos thread. Others are less positive about the Second Symphony, though.

[Keemun]

[Mark]

Yes, it's a 2008 Naxos release.  Late 2005 recording.  Check it out!  Also have the Mendelssohn Cello Sonatas with Kliegel on Naxos which are great.

This Faure CD is one of my best purchases of 2008 to date. 

Yes, her Mendelssohn Sonatas are excellent - they've long been favourites of mine.

Looks like I'll be splashing out at www.classicsonline.com later this evening.

[Keemun]

Looks like I'll be splashing out at www.classicsonline.com later this evening.

Is 2008 over already?  My, how time flies. 

[ChamberNut]

Is 2008 over already?  My, how time flies. 

[Mark]

Is 2008 over already?  My, how time flies. 

Downloads don't count ...

[SonicMan46]

Peter Tchaikovsky - Piano Trio, Op. 50 (along w/ Glinka's much shorter one) + Piano Sonatas w/ Leslie Howard - 

 

[Keemun]

Downloads don't count ...

Ah, I wasn't aware of that exception.   

[The new erato]

My second runthrough of Lullys Thesee with Stubbs et al on cpo, preparatory to the arrival of their new Psyche ordered from cduniverse.