What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[bhodges]

Still wired from a stunning all-Edgard Varèse concert by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) tonight, with much of his chamber music, including some real rarities, e.g., Dance for Burgess (1949).  Written for actor Burgess Meredith, it was part of a new musical called Happy as Larry, staged by--of all people--Alexander Calder.  The show closed after one performance.  The music is sort of "Varèse meets Stan Kenton." 

The complete program:

Poème Électronique
Un Grand Sommeil Noir
Hyperprism
Offrandes
Integrales
Ecuatorial
Dance for Burgess
Etude pour Espace
Density 21.5
Dèserts

--Bruce

[Que]

CPE's Magnificat. My favourite CPE recording - way to go, Carl Philipp!

Q

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Had a first listening to this. Wow. Second listening, and I'm still getting that wow feeling. Like Boulez at his best, Gielen conducts with a mixture of clarity and warmth (the odd orchestral flub aside) that brings Canticum sacrum and Agon alive in ways I've not heard before.

That's a great disc. For some reason it got very little critical attention. It convinced me that Requiem Canticles is one of Igor's best scores, something I had suspected but which the rather smudgy and blunt Craft recording didn't confirm.

[The new erato]

That's a great disc. For some reason it got very little critical attention.

Yes, but I bought it anyway! A very valuable addition to the Stravinsky box, we're not exactly basking in late Stravinky recordings in modern sound.

Playing:



Fine music, great playing and sound.

[Conor71]

Haydn: "Sun" Quartets, Op. 20

[springrite]

David Diamond Symphony #1, Violin Concerto #2 and The Enormous Room (Schwarz, Seattle)

Wonderful romantic lyrical music!

[Harry]

Despite the heatwave we are having, I will manage to squeeze a few cd's in to listen. Got this morning a whole bunch of them and this is one of the large batch.
Well worth hearing, as per usual perfectly performed, and since I listen at Bose speakers on my computer I cannot say anything about the sound quality, though they sound good to me. I never heard these Dresden concerti, but they surprised me, by being inventively written.

[springrite]

Pietro Mennini: Sinfonia #8 & #9 (Badea, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, NEW WORLD RECORDS)


OK, so it's Peter Mennin.

[jlaurson]

D. Sternefeld
Mater Dolorosa Interlude
Symphony No.1
Arturo Tamayo / Brussels Philharmonic
Klara / EtCetera
("Flemish Connection IX")

WOW. Terrific work, the Mater Dolorosa (from his opera of the same name) pastiche!!!

[karlhenning]

Pietro Mennini: Sinfonia #8 & #9 (Badea, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, NEW WORLD RECORDS)

OK, so it's Peter Mennin.

Hah!  But was the name actually anglicized from that of Italian forebears?  As was the case with Walter Piston's family name.

And, Paul: Tell me about the 8^th and 9^th, please!

[springrite]

Hah!  But was the name actually anglicized from that of Italian forebears?  As was the case with Walter Piston's family name.

And, Paul: Tell me about the 8^th and 9^th, please!

Yes, the name was anglicized because he had a brother who was also a composer. Since people usually remember composers only by last name, he decided to anglicize his.

The last two symphonies are quite diffierent from the earlier ones (I have heard now 7 of the 9). I did not like the 8th as much, which has Latin titles for each of the four movements: In Principio; Dies Irae; De Profundis Clamavi; Laudate Dominum. The 9th is a wonderful symphony! It's Mennin's swansong, and features three movement, first two of which are slow movements -- Lento and Adagio. Never before had I heard such profund music from Mennin, tender, lamented, longing, surrender, and acceptance. The last movement is a Presto Tumultuoso, fast and agitated at first, growing more positive as it goes along, ending in an affirmative note. Good stuff!

I will give the 8th another try some other time.

PS: Previously, my favorite Mennin work has been the Cello Concerto. Now the 9th may overtake the concerto.

[karlhenning]

Yes, the name was anglicized because he had a brother who was also a composer. Since people usually remember composers only by last name, he decided to anglicize his.

The last two symphonies are quite diffierent from the earlier ones (I have heard now 7 of the 9). I did not like the 8th as much, which has Latin titles for each of the four movements: In Principio; Dies Irae; De Profundis Clamavi; Laudate Dominum. The 9th is a wonderful symphony! It's Mennin's swansong, and features three movement, first two of which are slow movements -- Lento and Adagio. Never before had I heard such profund music from Mennin, tender, lamented, longing, surrender, and acceptance. The last movement is a Presto Tumultuoso, fast and agitated at first, growing more positive as it goes along, ending in an affirmative note. Good stuff!

I will give the 8th another try some other time.

PS: Previously, my favorite Mennin work has been the Cello Concerto. Now the 9th may overtake the concerto.

Thanks, Paul!  So far I've only heard the 3^rd, and 5^th through 7^th . . . of these the 7^th is my clear favorite.  Your report makes it clear that I want to get to know the 9^th and the Cello Concerto : )

[springrite]

Thanks, Paul!  So far I've only heard the 3^rd, and 5^th through 7^th . . . of these the 7^th is my clear favorite.  Your report makes it clear that I want to get to know the 9^th and the Cello Concerto : )

The cello concerto is available on First Edition CD, with the 5th and 6th, played by the Louisville Orchestra and Starker as soloist. I first heard it at a Los Angeles Philharmonics concert. Heroic would be the word for that work. It is one of the better cello concertos that I have heard composed after 1950. The First Edition CD is often available at BRO.


Now listening:

Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius (LSO, LSO Chorus, Sir Colin Davis)

[jlaurson]

And one more time, because it was such fun. (And because I have to review it.)


D. Sternefeld
Mater Dolorosa Interlude
Symphony No.1
Arturo Tamayo / Brussels Philharmonic
Klara / EtCetera
("Flemish Connection IX")

WOW. Terrific work, the Mater Dolorosa (from his opera of the same name) pastiche!!!

[Sergeant Rock]

Suk, Summer Tale, Mack and the Czech Phil




Sarge

[karlhenning]

In memoriam Sir Charles:

Janáček
Věc Makropulos (The Makropulos Case)
acc. by Wiener Philharmoniker
Sir Chas Mackerras

Janáček – Operas [Box Set]

[Harry]

I am quite taken by these Swedish and Russian Dances, well played and recorded. They are somewhat laid back, but delicious lyrical and melodious. With some fine writing for brass, quite some inventive scoring for strings too. They will not rock your boat dangerously, but they give you a good boating anyway.

[jlaurson]

I am quite taken by these Swedish and Russian Dances, well played and recorded. They are somewhat laid back, but delicious lyrical and melodious. With some fine writing for brass, quite some inventive scoring for strings too. They will not rock your boat dangerously, but they give you a good boating anyway.

Hey, I know that disc:
Orchestral Music You Didn't Know You Love (Max Bruch)
http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=521

[Sergeant Rock]

Suk Fantastic Scherzo....fantastic, really, with an appealing and memorable waltz tune    Sir Charles and the Czech Phil


Sarge

[karlhenning]

Suk Fantastic Scherzo....fantastic, really, with an appealing and memorable waltz tune    Sir Charles and the Czech Phil

A lovely piece, Sarge.  It appears periodically in the WCRB playlist, and it always trips us up as we play Guess the Composer, sounds very Dvořákian, and yet, one is sure that it isn't one of Dvořák's ; )