What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

Nielsen 3

I am really enjoying these, taking them in order like this. First listens.

Excellent, Dave!

My uneducated guess would be, that the Ninth will be more to your taste ... 

At that time, I needed to curtail my listening, so I pulled the disc out on the conclusion of the Eighth; the very opening of the Ninth was indeed promising, though!  (I don't mean lack of commentary on the others as "negative."  Still absorbing.)

Now:

Dmitri Dmitriyevich
String Quartet No. 7 in F# Minor, Opus 108
Ye Emersons

[mn dave]

Excellent, Dave!

Thanks, Karl. They really are excellent so far.

But now for a little change-up. A first listen. To the recording AND to the work, believe it or not. Not sure how far I'll get. It is rather long and I must eat at some point.

[Henk]

Listened to S. 3 (again) and S. 6 of Sibelius (Blomstedt), some Scarlatti (Horowitz), some Bach (BC no. 3, Marriner), Takemitsu (Litany / Ogawa), some Mahler (S. 3 first movement / Horenstein).

NP: Beethoven, sonata no. 30 (Gulda). Much faster played then Brendel does I think.. let's check:

Gulda: 16: 53
Brendel: 17:13

Thinking about which I'll playing after this, some Strauss, Nielsen, Ligeti or another symphonie of Sibelius?

[Que]

Q

[Subotnick]

I keep coming back to this one! Why? Because its so bloody good, that's why.

That disc looks fascinating Harry! Is it 1 of 3? I already have 2 sets of Wilhelm's symphonies. There's certainly room on my shelves for more!

TTFN.
Me.

[mahler10th]

I am listening to this again.  Music for modern day country trekking where you can hear the birds and experience the life of trees - and in the distant horizon there is a huge city going about its business.
Er...yes...
Music to take you places.

[Subotnick]

I woke up this morning, browsed here and for some reason I have the urge to listen to Hilary Hahn



TTFN.
Me.

[Que]

Since almost my entire collection is in boxes now in preparation of moving house, I have to make do with what is still at hand - mostly recent purchases that I'd set aside.

But a superb recording as this still makes my day!

Q

[Henk]

If by that you mean it's not overblown, heated with Romantic excess, I agree.  That's one of the things that's so great about it.

The Beethoven Symphonies of Blomstedt are also low key. Didn't impress me either very much. But after listening again to some Sibelius I think it's indeed more mysterious sounding then a more heated version.

I can remember you recommended some cycles of Sibelius symphonies to me, also this one (Blomstedt). It was one of the first complete cycles I bought (after some BC boxes). I'm also curious about the Sikari with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Henk

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all 

Listening programme so far this morning :

Vaughan-Williams : The Lark Ascending
(Tasmin Little / Andrew Davis / BBC SO)

Bruckner - Symphony no.2
(Jochum / SD)

and now :

Richard Strauss : Four Last Songs
(Lucia Popp / Tennstedt / LPO)

[Subotnick]

I'm now listening to the disc that came with BBC Music Magazine this month. It features some Prom premieres. Right now my ears are being treated to John Ireland's Piano Concerto In E Flat Major. It was recorded at the Proms on August 22nd 1993. The BBC Symphony Orchestra are conducted by Sir Andrew Davis and Kathryn Stott is the soloist.



TTFN.
Me.

[Novi]

Since almost my entire collection is in boxes now in preparation of moving house, I have to make do with what is still at hand - mostly recent purchases that I'd set aside.

Q

Good planning on your part . Hope the move isn't too stressful.

Hello everyone.

Some mad organ playing for a Sunday afternoon:



(That's Ančerl's Glagolitic Mass)

[karlhenning]

The Beethoven Symphonies of Blomstedt are also low key. Didn't impress me either very much. But after listening again to some Sibelius I think it's indeed more mysterious sounding then a more heated version.

Very good, Henk.

[karlhenning]

(That's Ančerl's Glagolitic Mass)

An outstanding recording of a marvelous piece!

[johnQpublic]

Baird - Symphony #3 (Krenz/Olympia)
Gorecki - Good Night (Upshaw/Nonesuch)
Babbitt - Piano Concerto (Feinberg/New World)

[DavidRoss]

The Beethoven Symphonies of Blomstedt are also low key. Didn't impress me either very much. But after listening again to some Sibelius I think it's indeed more mysterious sounding then a more heated version.

I can remember you recommended some cycles of Sibelius symphonies to me, also this one (Blomstedt). It was one of the first complete cycles I bought (after some BC boxes). I'm also curious about the Sikari with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

I also like and recommend Blomstedt's SD Beethoven cycle.  Maybe your tastes and mine simply don't coincide.  There are a couple of posters here who consistently pan my faves and praise stuff I find...unappealing.  For me, they are terrific guides as inverse barometers of taste.

When it comes to more heated, heart-on-sleeve performances of Sibelius, the most extreme (to me) is Ashkenazy, whom others have mentioned already.  I prefer Maazel, Bernstein, Segerstam, and Rozhdestvensky for performances somewhere between a simmer and a boil.  I cannot offer an opinion on Sakari's cycle, as I've never heard it--however, your comment prompted me to pull the trigger on the set.  I know Scott liked it a lot, but no one else I know has ever commented on it.

Previous mention of Hilary Hahn encouraged me to reach for her Mendelssohn disc, but beside it on the shelf was this, which I'm about to enjoy to kick off this lovely Sunday morning:

[Harry]

That disc looks fascinating Harry! Is it 1 of 3? I already have 2 sets of Wilhelm's symphonies. There's certainly room on my shelves for more!

TTFN.
Me.

Lol, symphony no. 2 can't you see?
Subotnik my friend you need glasses, honestly

[karlhenning]

Babbitt - Piano Concerto (Feinberg/New World)

Say, what do you think of the piece?

[Christo]

For the first time in years, Holmboe's Eight and Ninth.

Again, the Andante con moto from the `Sinfonia Boreale' (the Eight, from 1953) brought me to tears, as it did on first hearing, back in 1995 or so. So, obviously, Holmboe still means a lot to me. 

Now playing: the more austere and sophisticated, impressive Ninth (1968).

                       

[johnQpublic]

Say, what do you think of the piece?

I think I'm more impressed with the conductor, Wuorinen, than the compositiion. 

Seriously, 26 minutes of the quasi-pointillistic piano (the piano rarely rests) with little or no contrast from the orchestra writing as well makes for a tiring experience. Babbitt is far from being a favorite of mine, but I give him a spin every now & then to see if I've changed. I haven't yet.