What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Harry]

 

[Florestan]

Luigi Boccherini

Sinfonia in D minor, Op XII, No.4 'La casa del diavolo'

Giovanni Antonini / Il Giardino Armonico

[Opus106]

Luigi Boccherini

Sinfonia in D minor, Op XII, No.4 'La casa del diavolo'

Giovanni Antonini / Il Giardino Armonico

I love the diabolical ending to that one. Although it has been a year, perhaps, or more since I listened to the work.

Thread duty: Haydn - some piano trio -- a lovely-sounding one nevertheless -- on period instruments. A certain Szekendy is involved in the proceedings.

[Florestan]

I love the diabolical ending to that one.

Yes, a thrilling finale, but the whole symphony is dark and mysterious. Quite unusual Boccherini, actually.

[Opus106]

Yes, a thrilling finale, but the whole symphony is dark and mysterious. Quite unusual Boccherini, actually.

Quite.

[mahler10th]

Luigi Boccherini

Sinfonia in D minor, Op XII, No.4 'La casa del diavolo'

Giovanni Antonini / Il Giardino Armonico

Andrei, I heard Boccherini for the first time this morning, a couple of his Symphonies.
My problem with these things is that I don't listen to music from the Classical era often enough - so when I do listen to it, I can scarcely tell the difference between what is going on.  The Boccherini I heard was terrific, but if someone had told me it was Mozarts music, I am ignorant enough to believe that.  Must do more 'Classical' music  to sort this out. 
Do you know what I mean?  For example, listening to the radio a couple of years ago I heard something playing, and without knowing what the work was, I could tell it was a composition by Shosty.  And it was.  The same has happened to me with lesser known works by Martinu, Sibelius (!), Beethoven, Vaughan Williams and some others.  But when it comes to pre-Beethoven, everything sounds like Mozart, or Mozart sounds like everything.
Aye.  I have a long way to go!

In reply to Bruce, I listened to the Variatons from the Schoenberg disc, and a few other things.  It was mooted on the Culture Show last night that the music from the movie 'Psycho' could well have been written by Schoenberg himself (but it wasn't, it was written by Bernard Herrmann).  So, the very mention of Psycho got me going a bit, and I listened to transfigured night whilst exhuming my mothers remains and placing them in a chair by the window in my new flat.  Mother says the view is nice...      I do not have much esle to compare the Schoenberg with, but I'll keep dipping into him as Barenboim suggests.
Anyway, for anyone who wants to hear how close Herrmann was to Schoenberg, there are two soundbytes from Psycho below.

Meanwhile, thread duty...

More Schoenberg...

[bhodges]

So, the very mention of Psycho got me going a bit, and I listened to transfigured night whilst exhuming my mothers remains and placing them in a chair by the window in my new flat.  Mother says the view is nice...    

   

Thanks for the comments, John, and keep us posted--however it turns out. 

--Bruce

[Opus106]

Andrei, I heard Boccherini for the first time this morning, a couple of his Symphonies.
My problem with these things is that I don't listen to music from the Classical era often enough - so when I do listen to it, I can scarcely tell the difference between what is going on.  The Boccherini I heard was terrific, but if someone had told me it was Mozarts music, I am ignorant enough to believe that.  Must do more 'Classical' music  to sort this out. 
Do you know what I mean?  For example, listening to the radio a couple of years ago I heard something playing, and without knowing what the work was, I could tell it was a composition by Shosty.  And it was.  The same has happened to me with lesser known works by Martinu, Sibelius (!), Beethoven, Vaughan Williams and some others.  But when it comes to pre-Beethoven, everything sounds like Mozart, or Mozart sounds like everything.
Aye.  I have a long way to go!

Not very far is the path to discovery: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,11225! So what if they all sound the same, it's good music, isn't it? Assume close to 70-years'-worth of music was written by a single fellow -- let's call him Luchesi (just a random name that popped into my head 0:)).

Incidentally, I'm just listening to a Haydn sonata's final movement on repeat! (Hob. XVI/34, for the curious ones out there.)

[karlhenning]

Keep on rockin' First-Listen Fridays!:

Henze
Cantata della fiaba estrema, for soprano, small choir & thirteen instruments (1963)
Edita Gruberova, soprano
ORF Chor Wien
ORF Symphony
[a very young] Leif Segerstam
recorded live 7 August 1975

Hans Werner Henze – Cantata della fiaba estrema; Novae de infinito laudes

[bhodges]

Now that looks interesting, Karl!  Comments? 

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Still playing, but I like it, Bruce;  very engaging piece.

[karlhenning]

Gruberova is in exquisite voice, and the music and performance are sheer delight, Bruce.  I'm really enjoying all the Henze I've been listening to.

And now, back to the familiar, just to clear the palate:

Cage
Seventy-Four (version I)
American Composers Orchestra
Dennis Russell Davies

John Cage – The Four Seasons / Leng Tan, Russell Davies, & al.

[listener]

Between Baroque and Rococo   Ulrike Theresia Wegele at Weingarten
organ music by the sons and pupils of J.S. Bach
KREBS, HOMILIUS, W.F. BACH, C.P.E. BACH, J.C. KITTEL
Nice microphone placement, giving both the feel of closeness and the sense of space of the basilca, good tempi and playing, and avoids the feeling that this is intended to be heard during Lent.
ROSSINI Péchées de Viellesse  - includes Un petit train de plaisir, which, had it been written a few years later, could be taken as a parody of Strauss' Alpine Symphony

[George]

Now that looks interesting, Karl!  Comments? 

--Bruce

Smoking wreaks havoc on the voice. I am very surprised to learn that FDD smoked. 

[CD]

The fragment at the end of the Fugue on "From Greenland's Icy Mountain" (solo trombone) is actually from Antioch (Joy to the World) - "and Heav'n and Nature sing...." which, as another hymn-tune, would be a bit more appropriate.
And just before that, a quote from the chorus of "I Hear Thy Welcome Voice" -  I am coming Lord, coming now to Thee

Haha, I could have sworn it was the melody of "...and the rocket's red glare..." from the U.S. national anthem, but I hear that too.

[Lethevich]

Listening to this on and off between irl stuff. Really digging the fortepiano in this, it has a perfect tonal quality - it can be upfront and highly supportive without its resonance competing with the singer. I haven't heard enough to comment on the singer, but so far I am finding the performances very direct - beautifully clear lines, good dynamics without much sign of strain. It's a remarkably uncontroversial performance and would make a good "getting to know you" pick for this cycle due to the great clarity and balance between the performers and recording.

He's Harmonia Mundi's retort to EMI's Bostridge in the English tenor department,  I think.
He released a Handel recital about a year ago (title "As Steals the Morn") , and he pops up regularly in Baroque/Classical cantatas and operas on the HM label, especially for Herreweghe and Jacobs--most recent one I think is Jacob's Clemenza di Tito, in which Padmore sings Tito.   Stroll through the HM catalogue to find it all (although in many of them, he's simply one of the lead singers, so "feature" is a little strong for those).  Not on HM--he sang Uriel in McCreesh's English language recording of Haydn's Creation.  Like the Haydn and Clemenza di Tito, a lot of them are recordings in which his presence is an added strength, not merely the main reason to buy it.

Thanks, this is great advice - looks like this is the final excuse I need to hear Jacob's Clemenza...

[mahler10th]

Not very far is the path to discovery: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,11225! So what if they all sound the same, it's good music, isn't it? Assume close to 70-years'-worth of music was written by a single fellow -- let's call him Luchesi (just a random name that popped into my head 0:)).
Incidentally, I'm just listening to a Haydn sonata's final movement on repeat! (Hob. XVI/34, for the curious ones out there.)

Thanks for the link, Gurns post is a great place to learn and seek out info to remedy my confusion.  Yes.  Luchesi.  Hmm.  I know another Scottish person, debunker of 'the Mozart Myth' who would happlily adopt your suggestion.  Can't remember his name, but it begun with Rob Newman.   

I had a look through some of Gurns post and it is a brilliant place to start as you say.  Later, I will do some listening to music circa 1725 and then to some Mozart to check the difference, then I'll wallow in it all.

Right now I have this in the tray...

[karlhenning]

Tonight is Scriabin night in the great project to computerise my CD library, and I am taking the opportunity to have a listen to this:

 

Do please report!

[The new erato]

I am very surprised to learn that FDD smoked. 

Fiedrich Discher Dieskau smoked?

[George]

Fiedrich Discher Dieskau smoked?

Isn't that him on the cover or it the conductor?