What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[not edward]

Debussy; Symphonic Fragments from La martyre de saint Sebastien (LSO/Monteux).

[PaulR]

Bizet: Symphony in C Beecham/L'Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise

[George]

GREAT CD, James! 

[Don]

Today is reserved for Franck & Son.  Don't know if they deserve a whole day, but I'll find out.

[sidoze]

Yes that's as good as it gets. I'm happy to see that you're not bothered by the sound, George.

Tonight will probably listen to Sibelus 7 - Mravinsky. Nice and short.

[George]

Yes that's as good as it gets. I'm happy to see that you're not bothered by the sound, George.

Yes, and I am happy to be past that stage in my listening. 

[bhodges]

Handel: Giulio Cesare (Treigle / Sills / Rudel / NYCO) - One of a few Sills recordings lent to me by a friend, and quite good (from 1967).

--Bruce

[mahlertitan]

Bruckner symphony No.4 Heinz Rogner

[RebLem]

In the week ending Saturday, 04 AUG 2007, I listened to the following:

1. 10/10 Bach, J.S.: "Original & Transcription," 9 works for clavichord, harpsichord, and lute-harpsichord, at least 4 of which are transcriptions for these instruments of other works by J. S. Bach (140:32)--Robert Hill, keyboardist--2 CD hanssler set, Vol 110 of CBE. Caveat: the box and booklet mistakenly say that the total time for both CDs in 75:15. In truth, that is the timing for CD 2. CD 1 is 65:17. Straightforward enough performances.

2. 10/10 Haydn, F. J.: Syms 84, 85 "La Reine," 86, 87, 88, 89--Dorati, cond. Philharmonia Hungarica--CDs 25 & 26 of 33 CD London set of the complete Haydn Syms. For me, the special delights here are the menuet (3rd movement) of Sym 86, the lively finale of Sym 87, and all of Sym 88, especially the finale.

3. 10/10 Beethoven: Piano Sonata 8 "Pathetique," 14 "Moonlight," 17 "Tempest," 21 "Waldstein," 24, 30, 31, & 32--Bruce Hungerford, piano--2 CD Vanguard set. See comments at end of this list.

4. 10/10 Beethoven: Piano Sonata 5, 30 |Schnabel, Artur: Seven Pieces (1947) (10:01), Dance Suite (1921) (28:51)--Donald Isler, piano--KASP 57571. See comments at end of this list.

5. 10/10 Beethoven: Bagatelles, Op. 126, Piano Sonatas 31, 32--Donald Isler, piano--KASP 57611. See comments at end of this list.

6. 9/3 Verdi: I Vespri Siciliani--Erich Kleiber, Callas, Christoff, others, recorded live Teatro Communale Firenze 26 MAR 1951--3 CD Archipel set. Archipel is not really a very reputable label. The performance is pretty good, the sound is execrable. I have CDs of music recorded in the mid-1920's that sound better than this. Restricted range, lots of hiss. Not recommended.

7. 10/10 Grieg: Holberg Suite, Op. 40 (20:36), Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34 (6:52), Two Nordic Melodies, Op. 63 (11:12), The death of Aase from Peer Gynt, Op 23 (3:30), Ceremonial March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op 56 (8:53)--Willi Boskovsky, cond, National Philharmonic Orch |Lyric Pieces, Op 54 (17:04)--Stanley Black, cond. LSO |Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (5:40)--Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. London Proms Sym Orch--Decca Eloquence CD--performances from 1960-1976. This is a magnificent compilation. Wonderful performances of basic Grieg orchestral works, lively, committed, and with excellent sound engineering. Highly recommended.

8. 10/10 Antheil: Piano Concerto 1 (21:40), 2 (19:53), A Jazz Symphony (8:03)--Eiji Oue, cond. NDR Radiophilharmonie | Jazz Sonata (1:47), Can-Can (4:55), Sonatina (4:20), Death of Machines (3:04), Little Shimmy (1:51)--Markus Becker, piano (in all works except A Jazz Symphony--cpo CD. See comments below.

Antheil's works here are all over the map stylistically. The PC 1 is atonal, PC 2 is tonal, as is the Jazz Symphony, and some of the solo piano pieces. It is well recorded and is an excellent introcuction to this composer, and the variety to be found in his work. Recommended.

Now, we come to the Hungerford and Isler CDs. I thought it would be useful to review them together, as Donald Isler was a student of Hungerford's.   When I bought Mr. Isler's CDs, I made up my mind that if I didn't like them, I would not review them, because I consider him a friend. I have never met him, but he is an active poster over at CMG, as am I.   So, the appearance of these records on this list already reveals that, by and large, I view these two discs favorably.

The Hungerford performances, of course, are among the great performances on record. The two CD set reported on this week contains all the most popular of Beethoven's solo piano works that Hungerford recorded, and, as such, they are probably the first Hungerford CDs anyone should get. They are highly recommended.

Now, lets go on to the Isler performances; first, lets talk about the Schnabel works, and then go on to his Beethoven.

Knowing that Schnabel was closely associated with the core German & Austrian classical and romantic piano literature might lead one to suppose that his own compositions would be in that mold, stylistically akin to Fritz Kreisler's Mozartiana and such. Nothing could be further from the truth. Though the two pieces presented here are stylistically quite different, the Dance Suite being more conservative than the 7 Pieces, they are both decidedly 20th century works; neither could be mistaken for anything else. In this respect, they are, to me, similar to the piano works of George Antheil. In both of these pieces, I hear something of the Ravel of La Valse with little snatches of Kurt Weill showing now and then, but the 7 Pieces are atonal works, while the Dance Suite is in a more conservative idiom.

Now, on to Beethoven. Hungerford and Isler have 4 Beethoven works in common: Piano Sonatas 5, 30, 31, & 32. Isler recorded the first two of these in 1996, the latter two in 2000. This may account for a large difference in interpretive approach I detect. P S 5 & 30 are restrained, classical Beethoven, whereas Isler's approach to the latter two seems much more mainstream and romantically oriented, and more emotionally expressive. One similarity among them, however, does impress. These four works comprise 12 movements, in 8 of which Isler is faster than Hungerford. Furthermore, in the 4 movements in which he is slower, he is slower by only a bit, whereas the three movements in which there is more than a minute's difference are all movements in which Isler is faster. In the 2nd movement of PS 5, Isler, at 7:38, comes in 1:13 faster than Hungerford's 8:51. In the 3rd movement of PS 30, his 12:36 is 1:47 faster than Hungerford's 14:23. And, in PS 32, Isler's 2nd movement 16:09 is 1:27 faster than Hungerford's 17:36.

I can heartily recommend the Islers as well as the Hungerfords, despite—or perhaps because of—the stylistic differences between the Isler performances. It documents this artist's growth, and his willingness to rethink a previously adopted approach.

I would be interested in hearing Mr. Isler's take on some Mozart, particularly my two favorite sonatas, K. 333 and 545, and possibly also the Shostakovich Preludes & Fugues.

Although none of the on-line mass marketers, as far as I know, carry KASP records, these recordings can be purchased at KASP's own website,
http://kasprecords.com/

One more task here, an unpleasant one, I am afraid. When you buy KASP records, you will also be invited to join a club which promises discounts on travel and local purchases of housewares, home improvement materials, and all other manner of consumer goods. I made the mistake of signing up, and they dunned my CC for $20.00. I thought it was an annual fee; it turned out to be a monthly one; I disenrolled immediately after the 2nd one. Unless you are buying a new home in a new town where you don't know anyone and don't have any way of getting discounts another way, don't enroll in this. It is not advantageous for most people, in my judgment.
_________________
"Racism is America's Original Sin."--Francis Cardinal George, Catholic Archbishop of Chicago.
"Guns don't kill people; gun nuts do.--popular bumper sticker.
"Trust everybody, but cut the cards."--Finley Peter Dunne
"Crescit sub pondere virtus."--Motto on McCann family crest.

[BachQ]

Bruckner 8 (Chailly)
Bruckner 8 (Jochum)
Bruckner 8 (HvK)
Bruckner 9 (Walter)
Bruckner 9 (Jochum)

[mahlertitan]

Bruckner Symphony No. 5 Skrowaczewski SRSO

[BachQ]

Bruckner Symphony No. 5 Skrowaczewski SRSO

Bru 5 is next on tap pour moi aussi .........

[mahlertitan]

Bruckner 8 (Chailly)
Bruckner 8 (Jochum)
Bruckner 8 (HvK)
Bruckner 9 (Walter)
Bruckner 9 (Jochum)

which Jochum's 8ths and 9ths? can you be more specific?

[BachQ]

which Jochum's 8ths and 9ths? can you be more specific?

Dresden

[mahlertitan]

Dresden

good ones

[The new erato]

Bartok: Quartet 5, Takacs
Isaac: Missa La Spagna (Bongiovanni)
Ibert: Orch works (Dutoit/Montreal) - why is this OOP?

[Don]

Ibert: Orch works (Dutoit/Montreal) - why is this OOP?

I could say that it must have something to do with Ibert not being highly marketable and Dutoit not being among the best conductors.  But we all know of many recordings having popular composers and wonderful conductors that take the fast track to deletion.  My view is to never be surprised by a deletion.

[Tom 1960]

Robert Simpson - Symphony # 10

[mahlertitan]

Bruckner Symphony No. 7 Herbert Blomstedt with Staatskapelle Dresden

[Solitary Wanderer]

Three Places in New England