What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[haziz]

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3

[asin]B0002UNQ8G[/asin]

[Antoine Marchand]

The excellent cycle of Schubert's string quartets by the Verdi Quartett (Hänssler).

[asin]B001V7UTTI[/asin]

Currently CD3:

String Quartet No. 9 in G Minor D 173 (1815)
String Quartet No. 8 in B flat Major D 112 (1814)
String Quartet Movement (one movement: Grave & Allegro) in C Minor D 103 (1814)

It's really amazing to think that Schubert wrote this music full of ideas and possibilities, when he was 17 or 18 years old. Few minutes ago, I heard the first movement of the quartet D 112 which was composed, according Schubert's own note, "in four and half ours". Definitely some well spent hours. 

[Coopmv]

2nd disc of this. Jean-Patrice Brosse plays the organ of the Cathédrale de Saint-Bertrand de Comminges.

Q

Very interesting recording ...   

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD2 from the following twofer for a first listen ... 

[haziz]

Tchaikovsky Piano Cto No. 1 (Van Cliburn pno)

[asin]B0002TKFRC[/asin]

[haziz]

Chopin: Polonaises (Garrick Ohlsson pno)

[asin]B000B668W2[/asin]

[listener]

first listen
RACHMANINOV   Preludes op. 23     2 Kreisler transcriptions, several early pieces (Canon, Gavotte, 2 preludes)
Lilacs, Daisies, Vocalise transcriptions
Alessio Bax, piano
I was impressed by his playing of a Mozart concerto here, this Rach. disc has beautiful sound and playing,.
We seem to be fairly close to the instrument, and he does not bang.
The notes could have used an editor though, the initial reading of 'One of my earliest memories is listening to him play his own recordings' is surely not the intended meaning. (image of listening to Rach. winding up an old 78 non-electric Gramophone comes to mind.)
SPOHR   String Quartets 3 op.11,   4 op.15/1,  6 op.27
New Budapest Quartet

[haziz]

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 "Little Russian"-Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic

[asin]B00004SA8B[/asin]

[Todd]

I figured I'd prep for Peter Takacs' LvB cycle by listening to some of Wilhelm Backhaus' first, mono cycle, specifically the Op 28 and 31 sonatas.  It's been a while since I listened to this cycle, which is part of my holy tetrarchy in this repertoire.  Relistening makes clear that my preference still stands, and that the most recent cyles I've listened to - Lortie, Jando, Buchbinder - are not in the same league.

[bhodges]

Last night at the Lincoln Center Festival:

Poul Ruders: Selma Ježková - Opera based on Lars von Trier's film, Dancer in the Dark, and a very grim piece. Just 80 minutes, it moves swiftly with painful climax: title character is hanged as her son watches. Musically very interesting, with Ruders using a variety of techniques, including tonal episodes.

--Bruce

[Brahmsian]

CD5 63.32
String Quartet No.11 in F minor, op.122
String Quartet No.12 in D flat major, op.133
String Quartet No.13 in B flat minor, op.138

[asin]B0000042HV[/asin]

Fantastic set, James.  Killer.

[Coco]

[PaulR]

Symphony #7

Afternoon all.

[Brian]

[Mirror Image]

Symphony #7

Afternoon all.

That's an outstanding recording. What are your thoughts of Pettersson's 7th?

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD3 - Finale for T4, T5 and Romeo et Jullette from the following set for a first listen ...

[PaulR]

That's an outstanding recording. What are your thoughts of Pettersson's 7th?

I love the piece, though I can't listen to it in certain moods (AKA when I am happy :x)  It fit my mood perfectly, for the time at least

[Mirror Image]

I love the piece, though I can't listen to it in certain moods (AKA when I am happy :x)  It fit my mood perfectly, for the time at least

Yes, for those with a cheerful interior it can be quite a downer, but for those of us who have a cheerful exterior it can be quite therapeutic. I'm not even sure if what I wrote made any sense, but as Vaughan Williams said "I don't know whether or not I like, but it's what I meant."

Speaking of RVW, now listening (sorry for the small image):



Richard Hickox, Bournemouth Symphony Orch., EMI

This is an excellent performance so far and I'm greatly impressed with the audio quality. This may end up being my favorite performance of "Job."

Edit: The audio quality really is impressive on this recording. Job's Dream, which normally starts off so subdued that you don't whether the string section is there or not, is audibly clear. In the other recordings I have, you can barely hear this quiet, introspective section. Also, this Job is brilliantly paced and the separation that Hickox gets from one passage to the next is remarkable. This is a Job that breathes.

[Mirror Image]

um revealing 

Yes, that's the word!

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD4 - T6 and Francesco da Rimini from the following set for a first listen.  This has been an excellent set ...