What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Lethevich]

The first symphony 'Da pacem Domine' is very effective, but a little short on "meat". It is dominated by a descending sequence of chords on the strings similar on feel to Pärt's Cantus, but rather more plush in sound, and also without urgency or tension. I could imagine this work being quite boring if not in the mood for it, but fortunately I am.

[Lethevich]

How do you find that compares with the Tabula Rasa on ECM (Kremer / Schnittke / Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra) ?  One of my all-time favourite disks, if very Kremer-ish ... an alternative might be interesting. 

I hold the extremely minority opinion that the ECM Tabula Rasa disc is optional rather than mandatory. While it was revelatory when first released, I prefer the greater technical assurance of later recordings in which the performers are tackling a word they have already heard multiple times and had more time to prepare for. In comparison, the ECM recording feels somewhat creaky/wiry, although this lends the piece a certain tension. My favourite Tabula Rasa is this one which is generally ignored by everybody. Its polish and fine recorded sound work well for me, although some may find all the performances on that disc a little too relaxed. The DG/Shaham recording strikes a balance between these two styles and I enjoyed it a lot - pretty much all of the balances seemed "spot on".

[Que]

CD3: Louis IV - Lully et Ses Successeurs à L'Académie Royale de Musique

Stéphanie d'Oustrac, bas-dessus (French Baroque term for a mezzo soprano.. ), Le Concert Spirituel (Hervé Niquet), Alice Piérot, violon et direction. Live recording from 2007, Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles.

André Cardinal Destouches (1672-1749): Callirhoé (extraits)
Pascal Colasse (1649-1709): Achille & Polyxène (extraits)
Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687): Persée (extraits)
Marin Marais (1656-1728): Sémélé (extrait)
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704): Médée (extraits)

Q

[Harry]

I'm looking into this one, Harry!

But saw it somewhere for 50 whopping euros, which made me have to catch my breath for a moment! So I'm looking for a slightly better price. Any Dutchies that might have a tip are kindly invited to PM me.

Q

You can subscribe to this series Que, and then they will be cheaper in total. Six boxes with three cd's each.
Only this comes with a extensive and well researched book with every box, numbered, and restricted to only 3000 copies.
Available only in the Netherlands. Three boxes are already released in this series, by Glossa, one of them is on the international market. With JPC, 36,99.

I play the first CD of this box right now, probably for the 8 time. Wonderful

[Opus106]

I'm working on a musical playlist to indoctrinate my mom into enjoying 20th century music. She currently associates the 20th century with dissonant, discordant things that she hates, like Stravinsky, Schonberg, Hindemith, Sibelius (!)*, etc. so it's been fun assembling 80 minutes of stuff I know will win her over to the dark side. Giving it a listen now to see if it coheres. If there's something you think I should add to the playlist, let me know!

SHOSTAKOVICH | Festive Overture [Philharmonia, Ashkenazy]
SIBELIUS | Valse Triste [Philadelphia, Ormandy]
LAURIDSEN | O Nata Lux [Elora, Edison]
BERNSTEIN | On the Waterfront, Suite [New York, Bernstein]**
SIBELIUS | Violin Concerto, slow movement [Shaham, Philharmonia, Sinopoli]
MARQUEZ | Danzon No 2 [Simon Bolivar Youth Orch, Dudamel]
BARBER | Adagio for Strings [Royal Scottish, Alsop]
ATTERBERG | Symphony No 3, finale [NDR, Rasilainen]

*The first and only Sibelius she ever heard was Tapiola. Not for beginners!
**she already loves Bernstein (and Shostakovich's 10th)

As someone who is on a boat similar to your mother's, I'd suggest -- considering that Sibelius (yeah, "!" is right) is on the list,

Elgar's cello concerto

Myaskovsky's cello sonata no. 2 (which is what I'm listening to right now). I have read that his cello concerto is similar to that of Elgar's.

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra (a bit too much, perhaps? Try the last movement.)

Shosty's 8th symphony and string quartet, and the 11th SQ.

Debussy - La Mer

Nielsen - Aladdin Suite (fun stuff!), violin concerto

Does she like Rachmaninoff?

[The new erato]

I'm looking into this one, Harry!

But saw it somewhere for 50 whopping euros, which made me have to catch my breath for a moment! So I'm looking fo a slighty better price. Any Dutchies that might have a tip are kindly invited to PM me.

Q

When the first 3 CD set were released it was 35 £ in the UK, but within a few months I was able to  buy it at half that price at mdt and eurpadisc. So just be patient.....

[jlaurson]

As someone who is on a boat similar to your mother's, I'd suggest -- considering that Sibelius (yeah, "!" is right) is on the list,

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra (a bit too much, perhaps? Try the last movement.)

Shosty's 8th symphony and string quartet, and the 11th SQ.

Good grief... DSCH 8th Symphony? Are you nuts?    That brooding beast could drive even firmly established Sibelians and Stravinskynites away from Shostakovich. No... it doesn't do just to remember what one eventually realized to be a masterpiece... one must really get into the mindset that finds even late Schumann a stretch.

Incidentally, I would go at least half-way with composers she has unpleasant associations with.

If she doesn't like Sibelius, go with Andante Festivo first, the  Valse Triste and the Karelia Suite.



If she doesn't like Stravinsky, go with the Pulcinella Suite / Suite Italienne...

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2005/02/dip-your-ears-no-28.html


If she doesn't like Schoenberg, try Pelleas & Melisande or Verklärte Nacht.
At the early stage--so long as she doesn't really love Richard Strauss' Capriccio Sextet, there is no point in starting with the early (un-numbered) Schoenberg String Quartets, sumptuously romantic though they are.


For Shostakovich, the Preludes & Fugues, coupled, alternating, with the Bach P&F from Book II of WTC... works wonders.
But must be this recording: http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2005/01/dip-your-ears-no-22.html

[Que]

When the first 3 CD set were released it was 35 £ in the UK, but within a few months I was able to  buy it at half that price at mdt and eurpadisc. So just be patient.....

Thanks!

A slightly complicating factor is that in this instance I would prefer the special Dutch language version - the book that comes with the CDs looks wonderful. But probably the boys and girls at MDT will be able to get that for me at Glossa as well, if requested.

Q

[Lethevich]

The 3rd symphony is extremely striking, and in a rough and tumble tonal style that I just love. I can't believe I haven't heard this composer before.

[karlhenning]

Splendid, Sara!

[Brahmsian]

As someone who is on a boat similar to your mother's, I'd suggest -- considering that Sibelius (yeah, "!" is right) is on the list,

Elgar's cello concerto

Myaskovsky's cello sonata no. 2 (which is what I'm listening to right now). I have read that his cello concerto is similar to that of Elgar's.

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra (a bit too much, perhaps? Try the last movement.)

Shosty's 8th symphony and string quartet, and the 11th SQ.

Debussy - La Mer

Nielsen - Aladdin Suite (fun stuff!), violin concerto

Does she like Rachmaninoff?

Welcome back, Opus106! 

[Opus106]

Welcome back, Opus106! 

Thanks. It's good to be back on teh internetz.

[Keemun]

Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 2
John Barbirolli, conductor
Boston Symphony Orchestra
(October 30, 1964 broadcast - Symphony Hall, Boston, MA)

[offbeat]

Refamiliarising...

some great Part cds there - In particular the De Profundis with the Theatre of Voices has some really yummy singing particularly in the Seven Magnificat Antiphons- Just wonder though what yr opinion is of In Principio ?  Its a recent purchase for me and i cant make up my mind - some of it is mind blowingly beautiful whereas some bits seem like a rehash of previous cds - have to admit was rather disappointed with his previous cd Lamentate - maybe i have too high an expectation 

[Bogey]

Working through this set over the next few days.

[mahler10th]

I am listening to Goodman and the Hanover Band doing some absoloutely first class, second to none BEETHOVEN OVERTURES.
You have got to hear it to believe it.  Truly outstanding. 
Time to go off my head again...I can see Beethoven sitting alone in the auditorium watching the band play.  He can't hear them, but he responds with a long and hearty stand up applause at the end.  Alone.

[karlhenning]

REVIEWS

[snip] Lindberg admits that there are parts, sometimes large parts, of the three concertos recorded here that are virtually unplayable . . . .

Admits is not quite the right verb, is it?

[Bogey]

A short break from Casals' set.  Now:

[listener]

Rimsky-Korsakov  String Quartets
Adolphe Adam: Le Toréador    with Sumi Jo and John Aler     where you find the variations on "Ah, vous dirai-je maman"

[Coopmv]

A short break from Casals' set.  Now:

Bill,  This is an excellent CD, which I have owned for some times.