What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[RebLem]

In the week ending Saturday, July 21, 2007, I listened to the following:

1. 10/10 Bach, J.S.: Cantatas 115, 116, 117--Rilling, cond. usual suspects--hanssler CD, Vol. 37 of CBE.

2. 10/10 Haydn, F. J. : Syms 69-77--Dorati, cond. Philharmonia Hungarica--CDs 20, 21, & 22 of the 33 CD London set of complete syms. A little tip: of all the Haydn syms that have been recorded only by people who have recorded complete sets of the syms, my favorite is # 72. It is one of the most seriously misnumbered of the Haydn syms--it was actually probably one of Haydn's first 15 or so symphonies in terms of dates of composition. But it is wonderfully tuneful, and the first movement is startlingly proto-Elgarian.

3. 10/10 Twelve concerted works for trumpet and orchestra. A trumpet concerto apiece from F.J. Haydn (15:06), M. Haydn (9:27), Marcello (12:24), Stoelzel (8:26), Tartini (9:50), Telemann (10:27), & Torelli (7:11). In addition, there is Albinoni's Op. 9/2 (13:20), an oboe concerto here transcriped for trumpet, the Bach Brandenburg 2 (12:04), a Cimarosa concerto (11:28 ), arranged for trumpet from an oboe concerto, Handel's Suite for trumpet in D Major (8:02), and Vivladi's Concerto for 2 trumpets, Op 46/2--Maurice Andre, trumpet, various conductors and orchestras--2 EMI CDs.

4. 10/10 Shostakovich: The Golden Age, Op. 22, complete ballet (1930) (2'23:42)--Jose Serebrier, cond. Royal Scottish National Orch.--2 Naxos CDs, rec. 2006. The story line is standard, heavy handed Soviet agitprop boilerplate. Per the synoptical short liner note on the back cover of the set, it "revolves around the visit of a Soviet football team to a Western city (referred to as 'U-town') at the time of an industrial exhibition, only for its heroic sporting and social endeavors constantly to be undermined by hostile administrators, decadent artistes and corrupt officials. Even before its premiere Shostakovich had prepared a suite, including the famous Polka...,which barely hints at the dissonant harmonies and intricate contrapuntal designs to be found elsewhere in the ballet. This recording is the first to present the ballet complete with all repeats observed, enabling listeners to assess the ballet in all its exhilarating, and, at times, anarchic intensity." Incredibly, despite its story line not having made any waves in terms of Soviet orthodoxy, the Soviet critics panned the work, mostly because of is adventurous, dissonant harmonies. This lukewarm response is, apparently, what discouraged performances of the complete work until past the end of the 20th century.

But, I must say, for those of us who are still here, it was worth the wait. This is a magnificent, landmark recording, vigorous, lively, and exciting. It is extraordinarily well paced and conveys a great dramatic sense on the part of both composer and conductor. Interest never flags, and the sound is superb. This set is absolutely certain to appear in my annual review of the year's best listening experiences. Highly and urgently recommended.

So, what's in store for next week? I have reorganized my unlistened to CDs. I have about a year's worth of listening left of strictly new items (new to my collection, that is), and I no longer have them organized by quarter of purchase, but by composer. I have sworn off buying new CDs for the time being. I haven't bought a CD in over 2 months, and I am going to try to refrain from doing so until I am at least down to about a months's worth of unlistened to items. I have separated out from the great mass of unlistened to CDs three stacks of items I want to listen to in, say, the next month. On one end is a stack of hannsler CBE items, in another is the Dorati Haydn symphony set. In the middle is a stack of other CDs of music by various composers. This week, I begin a concentrated attack on my foot high stack, the tallest I have, of Beethoven issues.

Major items in the stack include the Friedrich Gulda and Craig Sheppard sets of the piano sonatas, the Gewandhaus Quartet set of the string quartets, the Smetana Quartet box of the late quartets, recently reissued (I already had the early and middle quartets in their previous incarnation, but hadn't gotten around to buying the late quartets until they were reissued in the last year). Also, there is quite a bit of Furtwangler--the complete postwar set of the symphonies from EMI, a Music & Arts box of wartime recordings of Syms 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 9 (this last the 22 MAR 1942 performance) and 3 other recordings of the 9th from 1937 (his first), 19 APR 1942 (the infamous Hitler's birthday performance), and the December 1943 Stockholm account. Plus, two other complete sets of the symphonies, by Hermann Scherchen and David Zinman respectively. Add a Giulini Missa Solemnis, and 2-3 surprises.

This coming week will concentrate on 2 2-CD sets of Beethoven piano sonatas by the late Bruce Hungerford on Vanguard. The last CD I played Saturday was one of the Haydn sym CDs. So, first up Sunday will be a Hungerford sonata CD, then over to the hanssler Bach stack for a CD from it, then back to Hungerford, then to a Haydn Dorati CD, then back to Hungerford, and so on. Occasionally, I may insert something from deeper down in the center stack, or completely outside my 3 stacks just for a little variety. I am going to try to work in at least one opera somewhere during the week; I'd like, if possible, to make it 2 operas, as I have 2 recordings of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess to listen to--the Simon Rattle, and the Mauceri reconstruction of the original Broadway production.

So, there you have it. A lot on my plate, don't you agree? 
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[wintersway]

Good morning/day to all!

[SonicMan46]

Milhaud Complete Symphonies - away for the weekend and listening to these discs on a portable CD player; about half way through the set & certainly agree w/ others on the music, performances, & sound recordings - these are endlessly varied & delightful works, most w/ specific dedications that evoked what seems to be an endless array of ideas & sonorities from Milhaud's head; also interestingly, these symphonies were written 'later' in his life, from 1939 into the early '60s; plus, great price @ the Amazon Marketplace for the 5-CD box!   

[Haffner]

Good morning all! As always, each morning all Blessings are renewed. Refreshment and an intimation of most perfect Light:

[Harry]

Good morning/day to all!

Blimey, I remember that recording, from long long ago, when Hugaraton White Label was dumped in the eighties in Holland for very low prices.
Many of the recordings were quite good, and I think also this one.
Tell me!

[Haffner]

This Sunday morning is for me a Mass day I guess!

LvB Missa Solemnis (Gardiner)

[Lilas Pastia]

Thanks RebLem for your detailed review of the complete Age of Gold ballet. This is something I'll certainly indulge in eventually. I'm sure many here can relate to your quandary: the new discs pile keeps getting taller instead of shorter. What's the problem with all these record companies reissuing mouth watering stuff at ridiculous prices?

This weekend's listening featured a Hummel fortepiano disc and Schubert symphonies:

- Hummel: 24 Grandes Études, 3 Caprices and 2 Rondos. Played on the fortepiano. This set of Etudes is short (39 minutes) and some are over before you realise it. Hummel wrote those at the end of his life (op. 125, his last but one composition) and it's possible he was somewhat deranged by alcoholism. In any case, many of the pieces here have the strangest, most unpublic-like appearance. A couple are downright weird. Which is not to say they're not good, au contraire! Etudes 22 and 24 have immense grit and strike one in the same way as Liszt' late, quasi atonal works do. They fascinate and create a sense of uneasiness. The 22nd is a gaunt, stark funeral march. It has no inkling of any pomp or circumstance, although a walk through a military cemetary does come to mind. The 24th is the weirdest, ending as it does with bare chords, the last totally dissonant and piano. The player and annotator John Khouri writes: "the cycle disintegrates in the final study, a fughetta in f minor, a truly extraordinary piece, rising to an anguished climax before disappearing into the distance. What a strange and unnerving way to end a set of grandes etudes for the piano!"   

Another piece that stays with the listener is the Rondo brillant op. 109. It is anything but brilliant in the convensional, virtuoso way. It's a big work in b minor with a central G major section. Its overall character is gruff and imposing.

Schubert's 8th and 9th symphonies by Munch and the Boston Symphony. This has claims to be one of the most beautifully engineered discs I've ever heard. Although 50 years old, the recordings are absolutely clear, transparent yet rich and solid. We hear not only the orchestra, but the space they're playing in. This is only possible when the recording takes place in a really good, medium-sized hall, like Boston's Symphony Hall or the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. It helps give the music a sense of physical immediacy.

Munch's way with the Unfinished is quite unexpected. He was a fiery, impulsive conductor but here he focuses on purely musical values. Especially noteworthy is the attention and care given to the wind choir. They are heard here as if they were the vocal soloists in an extended cantata. They are never swamped by the strings or low brass, remaining absolutely pure of intonation and beautiful in sound. Clearly Munch meant the winds to carry the musical argument, with the big tutti interjections offering dramatic comments on the proceedings. This is a most unusual slant to this familiar music, giving it the elegance and classical beauty of a slender greek maiden(to borrow Schumann's words). As the Leipzig Gewandhaus concertmaster, he must have played this work a few times under Furtwängler and Walter. I don't know what he thought of these masters' interpretations, but from what I hear he seems to have had a very different conception.

The 9th is suitably bigger and more resolute in character. Indeed it is joyous and exuberant. This is a no frills, untroubled view of the work. Some conductors load it with unnecessary weight and lard it with ritards and 'expressive' accents (often grafting as many repeats as possible on the already large structure, like a soviet general with more decorations on his uniform than there were wars to fight in his lifetime). Munch will have none of it. From the word 'go' this is straight, unvarnished, clear-headed music making. He even eschews a repeat in the Scherzo's trio. His overall timing here is less than half some others . A classic reading, beautifully played by the orchestra, capped by a really triumphant homecoming in the Finale's coda. For once the mighty unison C in the strings don't sound artificially pumped up and hormone inflated. The mighty wind and brass fanfares that follow are brilliant but not overbearing.

There are many ways to perform this music, but these are refreshing and really beautiful,  untroubled readings I immensely enjoyed.

[Bogey]

Earlier from the radio:

Gustav Holst: The Cloud Messenger Op 30
  London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Richard Hickox
  Della Jones, mezzo-soprano
  Chandos 8901

[George]

Haydn

Piano Trios

Beaux Arts Trio

0:)

[Harry]

Mozart.

Complete Church Sonatas.

Elisabeth Ullmann, Organ.
Concillium Musicum Wien/Paul Angerer.

A funny experience this cd. The music is well written, yet it did not touch me very much. It was not the playing, neither the recording, both are excellent, but the run of the mill performance, as if there was no thought behind it more than playing the notes to perfection.
Not flesh nor fish, something without texture. Pity! I think there is more in this music as what is given here.

[Haffner]

Haydn

Piano Trios

Beaux Arts Trio

0:)

Okay, you did it! I'm breakin' 'em out now.

[Bogey]

Haydn

Piano Trios

Beaux Arts Trio

0:)

Got more flavor than Kool-Aid and cocoa.

[Harry]

Hermann Goetz.

Piano concerto No. 1 in E flat major, No 2, opus 18.

Volker Banfield, Piano.
Radio Philharmonie Hannover des NDR/Werner Andreas Albert.

Goetz wrote real crowd pleaser's, with both concertos, although the second is more ambitious in its concept, and almost twice as long.
He is a true Romantic by heart, and that's the main theme. The first pianoconcerto, second movement is the crowd pleaser, aims straight at your heart, and hits you before you can resist. The second concerto has three movements, all more or less andante, and with more pretensions as mere crowdpleasing. the themes are more worked out, and better connected, the writing for piano is more virtuoso, and the connection with the orchestra is more effective. The playing throughout from soloist and orchestra is exemplary.
Very good sound too. For budget price this will do nicely.

[Scriptavolant]

I'm focusing on Händel's Messiah, Gardiner.



ASGV (Andras Schiff's Goldberg Variations)

and

LvBMC (Ludwig Van Beethoven's Mass in C, Gardiner).

There is another CD I will probably listen to this evening, which is:

[Harry]

I'm focusing on Händel's Messiah, Gardiner.



Since long on my list, and waiting for it to become budget price.

[Bogey]

Since long on my list, and waiting for it to become budget price.

Yes.  I just recently picked up the complete Hogwood, so interested in your future review on this recording Harry.

[Haffner]

Very good.

[Harry]

Yes.  I just recently picked up the complete Hogwood, so interested in your future review on this recording Harry.

I have this recording since it was released Bill, in the seventies, and I can be short about it. I think its still the best Messiah ever recorded.
Well, quick response huh?

[George]

Okay, you did it! I'm breakin' 'em out now.

Got more flavor than Kool-Aid and cocoa.

It's nice to be home!  0:)

[not edward]