What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Brian]

SIBELIUS | Symphony No 5
Verbier Festival Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen

Haven't listened to this symphony since September, but the current excellent thread on it has finally prompted me to play it again.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD 7 - Piano Concerto No. 3 from the 14-CD Harnoncourt Beethoven set ...

[Lilas Pastia]

Right now: Mozart VC 1, Grumiaux and Davis. Previously: Mozart EKN, Serenata notturna etc with Hogwood's Academy of Ancient Music

Unless I was on another planet when they were released, I can't recall the Levine Sibelius ever being released in Canada . .

I agree that the 4th is impervious to interpretive stances. It can take them all. This is one of the few 20th century's seminal orchestral works that keeps on revealing secrets every time one hears it.

Re: Karajan's Sibelius. We're talking different strokes here: sleek, blunt and tough (a strange combination - EMI 50s), much warmer in sound, inward-looking and more purely instrumental in conception (DG 60s), becoming bigger, engulfing in aim and monumental in feeling in the EMI 70s. The progression in timings should be noted too.

[Lilas Pastia]

Here is another of my favorites with Eschenbach on the piano.  The cast included none other than the former chancellor of West Germany Helmut Schmidt. 

I  wasn't aware of that one. IIRC Schmidt featured in another realesa (as did a british PM, can't recall which one, but it wasn't Thatcher ).

Eschenbach's gramophone carreer  started - as was the habit in those days - with an exclusive contract (DG) and rather slowly:  a Beethoven piano concerto (# 1 with Karajan), a sonata (the Hammerklavier), a Mozart disc which evolved into an integral set and then - silence. The Schubert 2-pianos/four hands integral is one of the very few releases I can think of. IMO the Hammerklavier is the standout of his early carreer. Quite an iconoclastic view, in terms of conception as well as tone production. It was also one of the first ever 32 minutes+ lp sides ever attempted (36 or 37 IIRC), courtesy of an extraordinarily distended view of the Adagio (some 24 minutes long).

His pianism (or piano?) had a distinct rosy, resiny sound as well as a rather vertical, almost brittle quality. Sort of an extension of Rubinstein's, and the exact opposite of Arrau's.

[Holden]

Now listening to a stunning violinist - Josef Hassid. What a pity he only recorded 9 pieces but all are absolutely stunning. Ginette Neveu is also on this CD but she pales in comparison to Hassid.

Mentioned in the same breath as Hassid in a review was Tossy Spivakovsky. Has anyone heard him? Apparently he recorded the Tchaikovsky and Sibelius VCs but the only CD copy I could find was going for $290.

[Dundonnell]

I  wasn't aware of that one. IIRC Schmidt featured in another realesa (as did a british PM, can't recall which one, but it wasn't Thatcher ).

Eschenbach's gramophone carreer  started - as was the habit in those days - with an exclusive contract (DG) and rather slowly:  a Beethoven piano concerto (# 1 with Karajan), a sonata (the Hammerklavier), a Mozart disc which evolved into an integral set and then - silence. The Schubert 2-pianos/four hands integral is one of the very few releases I can think of. IMO the Hammerklavier is the standout of his early carreer. Quite an iconoclastic view, in terms of conception as well as tone production. It was also one of the first ever 32 minutes+ lp sides ever attempted (36 or 37 IIRC), courtesy of an extraordinarily distended view of the Adagio (some 24 minutes long).

His pianism (or piano?) had a distinct rosy, resiny sound as well as a rather vertical, almost brittle quality. Sort of an extension of Rubinstein's, and the exact opposite of Arrau's.

Sir Edward Heath, I would imagine The last British Prime Minister to show any interest in 'culture'

From the Wikipedia article-

"Conductor
Heath also maintained an interest in orchestral music as an organist and conductor, famously installing a Steinway grand in 10 Downing Street — bought with his £450 Charlemagne Prize money, awarded for his unsuccessful efforts to bring Britain into the EEC in 1963, and chosen on the advice of his friend, the pianist Moura Lympany — and conducting Christmas carol concerts in Broadstairs, Kent, every year from his teens until old age.

Heath conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, notably at a gala concert at the Festival Hall in November 1971, at which he conducted Elgar's Cockaigne (In London Town). He also conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra, as well as orchestras in Germany and the U.S. Heath received honorary degrees from the Royal College of Music and Royal College of Organists. During his premiership, Heath invited musician friends, such as Isaac Stern, Yehudi Menuhin, Clifford Curzon and the Amadeus Quartet, to perform either at Chequers or Downing Street.

In 1988, Heath recorded Beethoven's Triple Concerto, Op. 56 and Boccherini's Cello Concerto in G major, G480.


Performing arts
Heath enjoyed the performing arts as a whole. In particular, he gave a great deal of support to performing arts causes in his constituency and was known to be proud of the fact that his constituency boasted two of the country's leading performing arts schools. Rose Bruford College and Bird College are both situated in Sidcup, and a purpose built facility for the latter was officially opened by Heath in 1979.

Heath also wrote a book called The Joy of Christmas: A Collection of Carols, published in 1978 by Oxford University Press and including the music and lyrics to a wide variety of Christmas Carols each accompanied by a reproduction of a piece of religious art and a short introduction by Heath."

Just imagine...the Prime Minister conducting the London Symphony Orchestra while actually in office Wouldn't happen today!

I liked Ted Heath....although he could be a grouchy old curmudgeon(sounds familiar )

[Solitary Wanderer]

#1 & 2

[Solitary Wanderer]

#1

[Solitary Wanderer]

Op.6.

[jhar26]

Listened to the impressive first symphony. That first movement in particular is one of the most intense I've ever heard.

[Kullervo]

[haydnguy]

Listened to the impressive first symphony. That first movement in particular is one of the most intense I've ever heard.

I looked for it an Amazon (U.S.), but couldn't find it. 

[jhar26]

I looked for it an Amazon (U.S.), but couldn't find it. 

http://www.amazon.com/Langgaard-Symphonies/dp/B001MUJSF0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1239499761&sr=8-4

[Solitary Wanderer]

Powerful stuff. Innocence is especially potent.

[Brian]

TCHAIKOVSKY | Symphony No 6
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Charles Dutoit

This is a live recording grabbed from OperaShare. It's the first time I've listened to this symphony since January 2, much to my amazement. Only 4 minutes in it's a terrific performance so far. If you're an OperaShare member, grab it; if not, PM me; if CSO Resound releases this performance, pick it up. Of course, much of my impression can change over the next 44 minutes! 

[Brian]

TCHAIKOVSKY | Symphony No 6
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Charles Dutoit

This is a live recording grabbed from OperaShare. It's the first time I've listened to this symphony since January 2, much to my amazement. Only 4 minutes in it's a terrific performance so far. If you're an OperaShare member, grab it; if not, PM me; if CSO Resound releases this performance, pick it up. Of course, much of my impression can change over the next 44 minutes! 

WOW. This live radio broadcast is a better performance than most recordings I've heard of the piece. I wouldn't hesitate to make it my desert island Pathetique, although the absence of pauses between the four movements is a little irksome and the bass drum is not audible enough. Superior to very many CDs. That Chicago audience was exceptionally fortunate to have been present for this dazzling performance.

[Coopmv]

Sir Edward Heath, I would imagine The last British Prime Minister to show any interest in 'culture'

From the Wikipedia article-

"Conductor
Heath also maintained an interest in orchestral music as an organist and conductor, famously installing a Steinway grand in 10 Downing Street — bought with his £450 Charlemagne Prize money, awarded for his unsuccessful efforts to bring Britain into the EEC in 1963, and chosen on the advice of his friend, the pianist Moura Lympany — and conducting Christmas carol concerts in Broadstairs, Kent, every year from his teens until old age.

Heath conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, notably at a gala concert at the Festival Hall in November 1971, at which he conducted Elgar's Cockaigne (In London Town). He also conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra, as well as orchestras in Germany and the U.S. Heath received honorary degrees from the Royal College of Music and Royal College of Organists. During his premiership, Heath invited musician friends, such as Isaac Stern, Yehudi Menuhin, Clifford Curzon and the Amadeus Quartet, to perform either at Chequers or Downing Street.

In 1988, Heath recorded Beethoven's Triple Concerto, Op. 56 and Boccherini's Cello Concerto in G major, G480.


Performing arts
Heath enjoyed the performing arts as a whole. In particular, he gave a great deal of support to performing arts causes in his constituency and was known to be proud of the fact that his constituency boasted two of the country's leading performing arts schools. Rose Bruford College and Bird College are both situated in Sidcup, and a purpose built facility for the latter was officially opened by Heath in 1979.

Heath also wrote a book called The Joy of Christmas: A Collection of Carols, published in 1978 by Oxford University Press and including the music and lyrics to a wide variety of Christmas Carols each accompanied by a reproduction of a piece of religious art and a short introduction by Heath."

Just imagine...the Prime Minister conducting the London Symphony Orchestra while actually in office Wouldn't happen today!

I liked Ted Heath....although he could be a grouchy old curmudgeon(sounds familiar )

Here in the US, we certainly have never had any president that was cultured enough to do what Edward Heath and Helmut Schmidt had done.  The conservative columnist William F Buckley was known to play harpsichord and had invited Rosalyn Tureck to his dinner parties where she would perform various keyboard works of JS Bach and a few CD's were released from these performances.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD 8, Piano Conertos 4 & 5 from the 14-CD Harnoncourt Beethoven set ...

[haydnguy]

http://www.amazon.com/Langgaard-Symphonies/dp/B001MUJSF0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1239499761&sr=8-4

Thanks, jhar! It's in my shopping cart waiting for me to pull the trigger. (As soon as I get through shopping!)   

[Brian]

BERLIOZ | Symphonie fantastique
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Charles Dutoit

Again, a live recording from OperaShare, and again, I can hardly believe how great it is.