What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Henk]

[ChamberNut]

From the library:

Carter

Clarinet Concerto (1996)

Michael Collins, clarinet
London Sinfonietta
Oliver Knussen, conducting
DG

Did not enjoy it. 

[MN Dave]

Are the pieces actually played on natural horns, as the horn shown on the cover, or is that just Naxos-trickery?  (Or ignorance... )

Um... http://www.hornquartet.com/

[Harry]

From the library:

Carter

Clarinet Concerto (1996)

Michael Collins, clarinet
London Sinfonietta
Oliver Knussen, conducting
DG

Did not enjoy it. 

Agreed, me neither Ray.

[Keemun]

Brahms: Trio for Piano, Violin & Horn (Borodin Trio).  Excellent music to ease into the work week.

[MN Dave]

chopin polonaises ashkenazy

[Fëanor]

From the library:

Carter

Clarinet Concerto (1996)

Michael Collins, clarinet
London Sinfonietta
Oliver Knussen, conducting
DG

Did not enjoy it.  

I like Elliott Carter in general, and this piece very much.  But Carter is problematic for many people.

[DavidW]

From the library:

Carter

Clarinet Concerto (1996)

Michael Collins, clarinet
London Sinfonietta
Oliver Knussen, conducting
DG

Did not enjoy it. 

It's easier to follow the chamber works first, and since you're a chamber nut... SQs #1, 5 are the most accessible and are offered together on a naxos recording done by the Pacifica Quartet.  Try it out.

[Lethevich]

Know it. Love it, too.

It's strange how I go through a near identical set of revelations to this each time I listen. I always turn it on with faint memories of the Celtic symphony's unique moods and tonality, and with a thought that the Hebridean symphony was fine too, although I remember nothing of it. Then I am immediately knocked out by both the sound quality, and the occasional genuine heft of the music. This reaches a peak when the disc arrives at the Sea Reivers, which I tend to end up repeating multiple times. That little tone poem is remarkable. This style of heady, evocative music cultivated from Bantock onwards is rather love/hate with many people, and yet this is one of the few of these pieces I've heard that even detractors would find difficult to claim it could be cut-down. No getting lost in fields, just amazing and concise drama which genuinely does leave me wishing there were more, even at my most critical.

[Haffner]

Schumann Cello Concerto (Du Pre)

[MN Dave]

bach cello suites schiff

[Keemun]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 2 (Jochum/Staatskapelle Dresden)

[Franco]

It just struck me that I never listen anymore to Bruckner, Mahler (every once in a great while I will listen to the 5th), and Wagner.

Must say something about my preferences.

[Fëanor]

It just struck me that I never listen anymore to Bruckner, Mahler (every once in a great while I will listen to the 5th), and Wagner.

Must say something about my preferences.

It tells me they are rather close to my own.

[Fëanor]

It's easier to follow the [Carter's] chamber works first, and since you're a chamber nut... SQs #1, 5 are the most accessible and are offered together on a naxos recording done by the Pacifica Quartet.  Try it out.

Good advice, IMO.

[Opus106]

Maiden Listens Monday

All works are new to me. And a couple of composers are, too. (The last two, if you were wondering.)

Franz Joseph Haydn
String Quartet in D major, Op.20 No.4
Meta4

Claude Debussy
String Quartet
Psophos Quartet

Karol Szymanowski
String Quartet No.1 in C major, Op.37
Royal String Quartet

Johannes Bernardus van Bree
Allegro for four string quartets
Pavel Haas Quartet + the other three ensembles


30 August 2009
Cadogan Hall, London

[The new erato]

It just struck me that I never listen anymore to Bruckner, Mahler (every once in a great while I will listen to the 5th), and Wagner.

Must say something about my preferences.

Heroes of my youth; particularly Bruckner, but I seldom listen anymore. The ocassional Mahler, maybe.

[ChamberNut]

I like Elliott Carter in general, and this piece very much.  But Carter is problematic for many people.

Yes, this is the disc I got from the library.  Nothing wrong with Carter's music.  It's my ears. 

[Opus106]

Yes, this is the disc I got from the library.  Nothing wrong with Carter's music.  It's my ears.  

How are you so sure?

Edit: To be precise, I was referring to the part about your ears.

[ChamberNut]

It's easier to follow the chamber works first, and since you're a chamber nut... SQs #1, 5 are the most accessible and are offered together on a naxos recording done by the Pacifica Quartet.  Try it out.

I've tried the SQs 1 to 4 (Julliard).  Did not like them at all unfortunately.  It's my problem, I just can't seem to follow or derive any enjoyment from his works.  I think his music is simply way too complex for my ears.