What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[bhodges]

Berg's Three Pieces, on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL1t902iBXA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZaBQ-bbY4E

It does remind me of my favorite Mahler symphony (and therefore my favorite symphony), the Sixth. I couldn't find anything for Karajan + Berg, but this Vladimir Jurowski is making music.

Wow, thanks for that link--looks like a fantastic performance.  YouTube has turned into quite the goldmine for classical music lovers.

--Bruce

[Jay F]

That's a mind boggling list my friend. Gave me quite a fright.

They are nasty.

[Jay F]

Wow, thanks for that link--looks like a fantastic performance.  YouTube has turned into quite the goldmine for classical music lovers.

--Bruce

Isn't it great? I just discovered this work, thanks to the "I Declare..." thread. Now I have to get it.

[bhodges]

Isn't it great? I just discovered this work, thanks to the "I Declare..." thread. Now I have to get it.

I can recommend three (so far): Karajan/Berlin, Abbado/LSO and maybe my fave, Levine/MET.  I heard Levine and the MET Orchestra do it live last year--totally stunning.  But I'm curious about the Metzmacher recording (Karl mentioned), after hearing his Wozzeck.

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

If I remember correctly, one of the non-Hurwitz contributors at ClassicsToday considers the Ashkenazy/Naxos recording to be the "reference" for that piece.

Go on!  Better than Argerich/Kremer/Maisky?  Then, this is a recording we must listen to . . . .

[Keemun]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 3

[UB]

Berg's Three Pieces, on you tube:

1 & 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL1t902iBXA

3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZaBQ-bbY4E

It does remind me of my favorite Mahler symphony (and therefore my favorite symphony), the Sixth. I couldn't find anything for Karajan + Berg, but this Vladimir Jurowski is making music.

I watched that performance yesterday and again today. My 3 1/2 year old grandaughter joined me for the 3rd piece today. I figured she would get up and leave after a minute or two but sat quietly through the whole 10 minutes and said she enjoyed it.

I later watched a performance of Schnittke's Concerto for piano and strings that I really wished had had better sound because I think the pianist played it very well. I tend to be prejudiced about this work by the way the first solo section is played. I find most play it too fast for my taste.

I just finished watching three performances of Cage's 4'33" including one from Tudor that has been watched almost 200,000 times. That has to be a record for a piece of classical music on YouTube. The comments about the work are very interesting to read.

[bhodges]

I watched that performance yesterday and again today. My 3 1/2 year old grandaughter joined me for the 3rd piece today. I figured she would get up and leave after a minute or two but sat quietly through the whole 10 minutes and said she enjoyed it.

Now isn't that inspiring!  Good for you for sharing that with her, and thanks for sharing the snapshot with us.

--Bruce

[ChamberNut]

You made it to the end, Ray? . . .

Yes I did Karl.  I really enjoyed The Mousetrap.  It will definitely get repeated listens.   

I also listened to The Passion According to Saint John.  Beautiful choral work, though I have to admit some disappointment to it being a purely vocal work.   0:)

[Jay F]

I can recommend three (so far): Karajan/Berlin, Abbado/LSO and maybe my fave, Levine/MET.  I heard Levine and the MET Orchestra do it live last year--totally stunning.  But I'm curious about the Metzmacher recording (Karl mentioned), after hearing his Wozzeck.

--Bruce

I'll probably get the HVK. Do you have the original CD release or the remastered "The Originals" version?

[bhodges]

I'll probably get the HVK. Do you have the original CD release or the remastered "The Originals" version?

I have the 3-CD Second Viennese School box that I'm pretty sure came out before the "Originals" release.  Haven't listened to it in awhile--Levine's has tugged at me more--but I don't recall any huge problems with the sound.  But the few "Originals" remakes that I've heard have been definite improvements.

--Bruce

[Peregrine]

Prokofiev sonatas 6/7/8 - Richter, from GPOTC

[Kullervo]

All this talk about Berg's Op. 6 has engendered a desire to listen to this:

[bhodges]

That's another one I would like love to hear.  How do you like it?

Now listening to:

Schubert: Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished" (Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw, recorded 1997, available here as a free download).  Thanks again, Rolf! 

--Bruce

[Jay F]

Someone named Howard Yermish, from whom I bought Karajan's 3-CD set of Berg/Webern/Schoenberg this afternoon, after reading about it here today.

http://www.howardyermish.com/compositions/fiveimages.html

[lukeottevanger]

I later watched a performance of Schnittke's Concerto for piano and strings that I really wished had had better sound because I think the pianist played it very well. I tend to be prejudiced about this work by the way the first solo section is played. I find most play it too fast for my taste.

I just finished watching three performances of Cage's 4'33" including one from Tudor that has been watched almost 200,000 times. That has to be a record for a piece of classical music on YouTube. The comments about the work are very interesting to read.

I'm the same with the Cage as you are with the Schnittke - it has to be taken at the right speed or I'm just not convinced 

Seriously, I quite agree about the Schnittke - it's a good observation. Just a couple of days ago a new-to-me recording of this work disappointed from the off for that very reason (and for some extraordinarily heavy-handed playing in the supposedly-hushed music as the strings enter).

[SonicMan46]

Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887-1959) - Solo Piano Music, Vols. 1 & 2 (separate discs) w/ Sonia Rubinsky; so far, I've received the two CDs shown below, one more coming in the mail - a Harry recommendation, but some superlative reviews elsewhere - I already own many recordings of this composer's orchestral & chamber works, so just starting to explore the solo piano compositions - just a remarkably prolific composer & worth a 'hearing', esp. for some interesting combinations of South American-European influences -  

 

[bhodges]

Berg: Three Pieces for Orchestra (Jurowski/LPO, on YouTube) - Quite a fine performance, with Jurowski smiling now and then from the podium, clearly very involved in the music. 

--Bruce

[Lilas Pastia]

Delving into Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin. A few listenings to the Werner Güra version. Very subtle, delicately shaded and constantly alert to the text's nuances. I found it understated at first, but came to like his mix of heady innocence and introspective musing. Plus, he has a perfectly integrated light tenor voice.

Next I'll be listening to Jan Bokow, another german light tenor. This should be interesting, partly because of the fortepiano accompaniment, partly because that team has decided to use many of Vogler's vocal embellishments. Schubert often accompanied Vogler in his liederabenden, and the singer had his own carefully annotated score which he eventually edited. The use of embellishments became disreputable in the mid-19th century, but that's how Schubert heard them performed. I'll see if I can spot those differences.

[scarpia]

Been listening to this one again



Piano concerto #2, also a very engaging work.  Demonstrates that a strong impression can be conveyed by very succinct, concise music.  Not a big emphasis on sweeping melodies, but flashes or orchestral color, rhythm, and wit.  The slow movement begins with a gorgeous duet for flute and piano, and ends with marvelously rich brass sonorities.