What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

Mendelssohn, a film by Fellini . . . .

[DavidRoss]

Still replaying in my head: Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, "Italian," from last Sunday afternoon's concert by James Levine and the MET Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.  Probably the most violent performance of it I've heard, and not to everyone's taste, but I sure liked it. 

--Bruce

Sound like one I would have enjoyed.

Now playing: Mitsuko Uchida, Debussy's 12 Studies.  Wish she had recorded the Preludes as well...I love her color.

[ChamberNut]

Still replaying in my head: Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, "Italian," from last Sunday afternoon's concert by James Levine and the MET Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.  Probably the most violent performance of it I've heard, and not to everyone's taste, but I sure liked it. 

--Bruce

Violent and Mendelssohn Symphony are not two terms I would have thought of in combination but.........sounds intriguing! 

[ChamberNut]

Continuing my trek through the Boult Box of Vaughan Williams symphonies....

Symphony No. 8 in D minor
Symphony No. 9 in E minor

Sir Adrian Boult
London Philharmonic Orchestra
EMI Classics

[Peregrine]

[bhodges]

Sound like one I would have enjoyed.

Violent and Mendelssohn Symphony are not two terms I would have thought of in combination but.........sounds intriguing! 

I mean, perhaps not the second movement...but the first and especially the last, really full-throttle.  The MET Orchestra sounds about twice the size of a normal orchestra when it plays at Carnegie anyway, and the last movement, done very fast, just hurled itself around the hall.  Levine uses a new swivel chair to conduct in, and at times I thought he would swivel himself right out of it and onto the stage.  Very exciting.

--Bruce

[DavidRoss]

I mean, perhaps not the second movement...but the first and especially the last, really full-throttle.  The MET Orchestra sounds about twice the size of a normal orchestra when it plays at Carnegie anyway, and the last movement, done very fast, just hurled itself around the hall.  Levine uses a new swivel chair to conduct in, and at times I thought he would swivel himself right out of it and onto the stage.  Very exciting.

--Bruce

If only Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong had been on hand!

[Opus106]

Now, why does Mozart's 23rd piano concerto gets to be split among two-fers? This is a seriously beautiful concerto. It's not like they can't exceed the 80-minute mark on a single disc. Shift the rondo to the other disc, I say.

Oh, I'm talking about the Great Piano Concertos Vol. I on Philips. Brendel/ASMF/Marriner.

[Opus106]

the first and especially the last, really full-throttle.  The MET Orchestra sounds about twice the size of a normal orchestra when it plays at Carnegie anyway, and the last movement, done very fast, just hurled itself around the hall.  Levine uses a new swivel chair to conduct in, and at times I thought he would swivel himself right out of it and onto the stage.  Very exciting.

--Bruce

[ChamberNut]

That is a violent looking emo..

[Opus106]

[DavidRoss]

Now playing, at concert hall volume and as violently as possible:  Blomstedt/SFS, Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony.  (If it weren't so cold I'd get out my road bike and strap on my iPod to hear it!)

[bhodges]

Now playing, at concert hall volume and as violently as possible:  Blomstedt/SFS, Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony.  (If it weren't so cold I'd get out my road bike and strap on my iPod to hear it!)

   

(and  0:))

--Bruce

[ChamberNut]

Schubert

String Quartet No. 10 in E flat major, D87

String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, D804 Rosamunde

Melos Quartet
DG

[Moldyoldie]

Just got this one today...

Stravinsky: The Firebird (complete);    Fireworks;    Four Etudes for Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, cond.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

[bhodges]

Just got this one today...

Stravinsky: The Firebird (complete);    Fireworks;    Four Etudes for Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, cond.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

Great recording.  And nice to have versions of Fireworks and the Four Etudes, since those aren't recorded all that often. 

--Bruce

[Moldyoldie]

Great recording.  And nice to have versions of Fireworks and the Four Etudes, since those aren't recorded all that often. 

--Bruce

I'm not up to writing my usual review just now, but you're right, the recording is incredibly vivid and detailed.  I'm not necessarily a fan of The Firebird, but thought I'd give this one a shot based on what I've read.  Besides, it was very cheap used.

[bhodges]

I'm not up to writing my usual review just now, but you're right, the recording is incredibly vivid and detailed.  I'm not necessarily a fan of The Firebird, but thought I'd give this one a shot based on what I've read.  Besides, it was very cheap used.

IMHO Boulez has really been on a roll with these Chicago recordings; almost all I've heard have been excellent, and some are extraordinary (e.g., some in his Bartók series).  And I have probably 10 or 12 recordings of The Firebird, and this one is one of my favorites. 

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

. . .  I'm not necessarily a fan of The Firebird . . . .

Oh, I have a soft spot for L'oiseau de feu;  we played the Suite when I was at Wooster.

[Peregrine]

Op.54: