What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

Good morning/day, all!

Maiden-Listen Mondays!

Britten
Concerto for Violin, Viola & Orchestra (1932)
Benjamin Schmid, vn
Daniel Raiskin, va
Berlin Symphony
Lior Shambadal

Britten, Bruch, Benjamin – Double Concertos

Lovely piece! Wish I could have written something on this order when I was 19.

[Keemun]

Good morning/day, all!

Good morning, Karl!

Now:

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 5
Haitink
London Philharmonic Orchestra



Excellent Monday morning listening. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Listening to Mutter and the LPO perform Mozart's A major Violin Concerto. Heaven on earth.

The other day I happened on a thread in which another poster voiced disapproval of Anne-Sophie Mutter's musicianship and described her performances in terms like "harsh," "distant," and "cold."  The characterization seemed unfathomably bizarre, since from my perspective she errs--if she errs--on the side of excessive emotional warmth verging on sentimentality.  Verging.  (Though her recent LvB concerto recording with Previn may have crossed the line.  )

She recorded Beethoven with Previn? I'm only familiar with the Masur and Karajan recordings. Or do you mean her Tchaikovsky with Previn?...which, even for me, is excessive (it's the only Mutter recording I actively hate). The coupled Korngold withstands the schmaltz attack somewhat better.

So I bought the record...and having heard it once through, I am still surprisingly pleased by it and especially by Ms Mutter's sweet, singing, nuanced tone.

Not only that, but I love it for her conducting skills too. The tempos she chose, the phrasing, just seem right to me--perfect, in fact. And I like the sound of the recording: a natural balance between soloist and orchestra. She was as good live. I heard her in Mannheim with the Camerata Salzburg: 1, 3 and 5. And she wore the green mermaid dress! It was quite an evening. I was not disappointed 

Yet another poster here savaged Ms Mutter a couple of years ago for the cover and booklet photographs accompanying this recording, claiming that Mutter portrayed herself as the object of some sort of sado-masochistic bondage fetishist's fantasies.

The photo that launched a thousand arguments:




Sarge

[Brahmsian]

The Ninth, not the Fifth. I hadn't heard Shosty's Ninth since May 25, and listening again made me remember just how much I love it, just how much it feels these days like it's coming from inside me, not from the mind of somebody else. Had the feeling that I could listen to this performance (and this recording) every day and love it all the same*. Maybe I'll try that this week.

(*Which is more than can be said for Petrenko's near-miss Fifth.)

I have this recording also Brian, and totally have to agree with you here.  A terrific performance of the 9th, but do not like the performance of the 5th.  Especially the long coda to the 5th, which in my opinion is taken much too slowly by Petrenko and RLPO.

[George]

JS Bach
WTC
Tureck
DG

[Sergeant Rock]

...but do not like the performance of the 5th.  Especially the long coda to the 5th, which in my opinion is taken much too slowly by Petrenko and RLPO.

Which is one reason I love it: I'm a fan of Rostropovich in this symphony; I think he began this "tradition."

Sarge

[Brahmsian]

Which is one reason I love it: I'm a fan of Rostropovich in this symphony; I think he began this "tradition."

Sarge

Sarge,

I know you generally love the slow approach to things (many times I do too), but I think for the coda to Shosty's 5th, it should be fast enough to keep the momentum going.  I think too slow of an approach kills the momentum, and makes one of the best endings to any symphony rather anti-climatic.

YHM, Sarge. 

[Harry]

Another CD that grows on me, so well sung and such unknown repertoire. I can safely recommend this, its unable to disappoint.

[Brian]

Which is one reason I love it: I'm a fan of Rostropovich in this symphony; I think he began this "tradition."

Sarge

I have this recording also Brian, and totally have to agree with you here.  A terrific performance of the 9th, but do not like the performance of the 5th.  Especially the long coda to the 5th, which in my opinion is taken much too slowly by Petrenko and RLPO.

My favorite exemplar of the slow approach is Kreizberg on PentaTone - you should check it out Herr Brahmsian, as it doesn't feel quite so "limp" as Petrenko, or repetitive either, but it does feel emotionally draining. I think Hurwitz said that on the Kreizberg reading, the music hurls its own carcass over the finish line, and that's the perfect way to describe it. My problem with Petrenko in the finale is that he's just not Kreizberg ... my real problem with his Fifth, though, is the first movement is a bit too slow and the scherzo is a bit too fast.

But yeah, a totally terrific Ninth!

[Brahmsian]

Prokofiev

Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op.25 "Classical"
Symphony No. 4, Op.112 (revised 1947 version)

Neeme Jarvi
Scottish National Orchestra

[not edward]

This Prokofievian miscellany:

[Sergeant Rock]

I know you generally love the slow approach to things (many times I do too), but I think for the coda to Shosty's 5th, it should be fast enough to keep the momentum going.  I think too slow of an approach kills the momentum, and makes one of the best endings to any symphony rather anti-climatic.

Well, it does completely change the character of the music. For the opposite approach, I love the live Bernstein from Toyko.

YHM, Sarge. 

If you PM'd me, it didn't show up in my mailbox.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

That's a disc I like very well, Edward!

Maiden-Listen Mondays!

Сергей Сергеевич [Sergei Sergeyevich]
Divertimento, Opus 43 (1925)
SNO
Järvi

Prokofiev – The Prodigal Son, Op. 46, Ballet in Three Scenes by Boris Kochno / Divertimento, Op. 43 / Andante, from Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 29 bis (Transcription by the Composer for Orchestra) / Symphonic Song, Op. 57 - Neeme Järvi

[Brahmsian]

If you PM'd me, it didn't show up in my mailbox.

Sarge

Sorry, no I didn't.  I always thought YHM meant 'Your humble master'. 

[Brian]

Well, it does completely change the character of the music. For the opposite approach, I love the live Bernstein from Toyko.

I don't have the Tokyo reading, but when I want to hear the fast ending, I go with Bernstein. It occurs to me that in the fast approach, the beginning and ending of the movement are exactly the same. So even in triumph it really hasn't gone anywhere ...

[Brian]

Sorry, no I didn't.  I always thought YHM meant 'Your humble master'. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Sorry, no I didn't.  I always thought YHM meant 'Your humble master'. 

You are a nut 

Sarge

[Brahmsian]

You are a nut 

Sarge

I am, and always shall remain.  A leopard does not shed its spots. 

[Brahmsian]

Well, it does completely change the character of the music.

Speaking of, have any of you heard Beethoven's 6th conducted by Pletnev?     The opening movement is so blindingly fast.  Nothing 'Pastoral' about it. 

[George]

Speaking of, have any of you heard Beethoven's 6th conducted by Pletnev?     The opening movement is so blindingly fast.  Nothing 'Pastoral' about it. 

Thanks for the warning.

Morning!