What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Harry]

The one above another time.......

[Harry]

Venetian Vespers. (Conclusion) Volume II.
Works by: Claudio Monteverdi, Giovanni Antonio Rigatti, Biagio Marini, Giovanni Battista Fasolo.
Gabrieli Consort Choir & Players, Paul McCreesh.
Recorded in 1990 on DGG.
Licensed by Brilliant.

Well I have to say, I am impressed by the singing and at least as much by the fine recording. The solo voices are at times awesome. Never so much a admirer of McCreesh, this box somewhat changed my vision on him. Still find its choir a tad to large for complete comfort, but the diction is clear, and the sound never clogged up.

[hautbois]

Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Anthony Pay
Hogwood

Someone tell me this isn't the most beautiful thing they've ever heard

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/2fHMjjNrKeQ

I slap liars

Unfortunately i disagree with you and find it appaling...

One case where i think that period instruments don't work...well it might probably just be Hogwood for that matter...

Howard

[karlhenning]

Johann Pachelbel
Hexachordum Apollinis
Marga Scheurich

[mozartsneighbor]

The original Carmina Burana -- Monks behaving badly

[karlhenning]

Johann Pachelbel
Chaconne in F Minor
Marga Scheurich

[Keemun]

Brahms: Ein Deutsches Reqiuem (Celibidache/Munich PO)

As expected, this performance is slowwwwwww.  I like Celibidache's approach to Bruckner, but I'm not sure how well it will work here.  But I'm only at the first movement, so I'll reserve judgment until later.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

How do you like it?  Delius hasn't made it into my collection yet, but he is getting close. 

Yes, Corey, what DO you make of these pieces? All of them are major Delius.

[Moldyoldie]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (Nowak Edition)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, cond.
EMI
All the things I've read about this recording, apparently pieced from two live performances in 1993 at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, are mostly true.  Conductor Welser-Möst, while not driving this massive work headlong into every serpentine alpine curve, certainly doesn't see it as a lengthy, organically constructed meditation a la the more recent release from Christian Thielemann on DG whose praises I sang earlier.  Welser-Möst and the LPO give us a Fifth well-entrenched in a secular sensibility with a host of consciously rendered emphases (particularly from dynamically prominent tympani!) and surprising diversions to hold our attention along the way.  Most any of Bruckner's lengthy symphonies can be effectively (and often affectively) presented in this manner, but here we're made very aware of what's often described as the "episodic" qualities of this particular work.  As compensation, Welser-Möst tends to further divvy up these episodes into mini-installments of varying tempo and dynamic drive -- if nothing else, it's entertaining!  The orchestra responds with great commitment and ensemble execution. 

However, we do miss much of the rapture of the Adagio second movement as it was so knowingly conferred by Eugen Jochum, whose approach to the Fifth was also one of purposeful variation, but in a palpably different and ultimately more affecting way.  The Scherzo third movement here, while suitably enlivening, is also missing the interpretive qualities which tie it organically with itself as well as the work as a whole. These two middle movements are where this "melded performance" is probably found the most wanting.  The Finale, however, is excitingly rendered -- its fugal elements are fearlessly fused to fine effect and the coda is brought home with a most satisfying "controlled abandon".  The audience, heretofore mostly innocuous in their presence, erupts into spontaneous applause.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Unfortunately i disagree with you and find it appaling...

One case where i think that period instruments don't work...well it might probably just be Hogwood for that matter...

Howard

Really? What do you not like about it. The sound isn't great from the clip but even from that you can tell the clarinet playing is spectacular and nuanced. Maybe you don't like the rather metallic sounding string accompaniment with no vibrato. But once you get used to it, it is actually very expressive.

[Lethevich]

Mahler 7/Kubelik/DG

In this work I am at my closest to almost "getting" something by him. The middle 3 movements are special, and through most of it there is an overwhelming sense of colour and atmosphere, but the finale reminds me too much of the previous two symphonies, which I wished this one could fully stand apart from... I guess I have a lot of my life left to get used to this, though.

[Fëanor]

Harrison Birtwistle's Earth Dances -- a real favourite of mine, and, I dare say, a relatively accessible work for people who aren't initiated in the Contemporary genre.  This work lacks the austerity of, say, Elliott Carter's componsitions, (though I love Carter) ...

[karlhenning]

Tapestry
The Fourth River

[Keemun]

[Mozart]

Really? What do you not like about it. The sound isn't great from the clip but even from that you can tell the clarinet playing is spectacular and nuanced. Maybe you don't like the rather metallic sounding string accompaniment with no vibrato. But once you get used to it, it is actually very expressive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHMjjNrKeQ&fmt=18
The sound is great on my end, give that one a try.

There is also a recording of the clarinet quartet, he's a great clarinetist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/2JRTb2YSMYI&fmt=18

Just listen to the variation starting at 4:07

[Solitary Wanderer]

[PerfectWagnerite]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHMjjNrKeQ&fmt=18
The sound is great on my end, give that one a try.

I have the cd of course but yes the sound in the above link is fabulous.

The sound of the clarinet quartet clip is rather muffled but still the playing is fabulous. Thanks.

[ChamberNut]

Mozart

Violin Sonata in C major, K.6
Violin Sonata in F major, K.547
Violin Sonata in B flat major, K.378

Rachel Podger, violin
Gary Cooper, fortepiano

Channel Classics

[Que]

Unfortunately i disagree with you and find it appaling...

One case where i think that period instruments don't work...well it might probably just be Hogwood for that matter...

Howard

Howard, maybe try Eric Hoeprich with Frans Brüggen - stronger in character, more articulate and less "pretty":



Q

[ezodisy]

Harrison Birtwistle's Earth Dances -- a real favourite of mine, and, I dare say, a relatively accessible work for people who aren't initiated in the Contemporary genre.  This work lacks the austerity of, say, Elliott Carter's componsitions, (though I love Carter) ...

I think you mean that Carter lacks the complexity of Birtwistle's compositions

Theseus Game is a difficult work, much more interesting if you see it performed live and the way the group interacts. I think the complexity makes a lot more sense then -- I couldn't listen to it at home. Actually the only Birtwistle work I'd listen to at home would be the one with Celan poems