What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Antoine Marchand]

"But even before the popularity of the quartet, there was a very sophisticated and challenging repertory of domestic music for a "closed consort" of strings, specifically for consorts of violas da gamba, which were the amateur's instrument par excellance."

It's funny. Some days ago, I wrote in another post (about the comparison between amateurs and professionals): "The string quartet is one of the archetypes of music written in order to be performed by professionals: the non-Hausmusik par excellence ...".

[Harry]

Ferdinando Carulli.
Complete Works for Guitar and Fortepiano.
Volume VIII.

[Harry]

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67621&f=porpora

Bought this from Hyperion's 'bottom ten' sale a few days ago.

Why have I never heard anything by this composer before? This is a gorgeous record! Why is it selling so badly?

That's a rhetorical question my dear friend.

[Lethevich]

Amazing disc! It is the inclusion of two minor pieces alongside the major ones that gives this disc a really special feel - quite unlike the usual format of three majors. The balance between the pieces included is quite remarkable, pure nostalgia at first, leading to thornier territory.  As a result I admire this disc as much for its presentation of the music as for the performances themselves.

[George]

A wonderful disc! Absolutely gorgeous singing from Rostropovich's Cello in the concertos and some lovely short chamber works for filler.

[karlhenning]

Those two work very nicely together;  I'll use that somewhere.

[Harry]

Mahler.
Symphony No 5, in C sharp minor.
London PO, Klaus Tennstedt.

A absolute stunner, although I thought the first movement a tad too slow. But well conceived by Tennstedt, with a razor sharp dissection of the underlying motives.
At about 3:15 in the first movement when the strings have a glorious moment, it also shows the grandeur with which this Orchestra plays.

[Dr. Dread]

sibelius tone poems

[karlhenning]

Really enjoying this Cambridge Soundworks radio/CD-player, especially as my use of it tends to be at either extreme of a work-day.  Being able to play a disc, put the head down on the pillow, knowing that the machine will shut itself down at the end, is a simple pleasure.  Being able to specify that it play only for 15 (or 30, or . . .) minutes is a bonus;  as is specifying a track which is to be played as the "alarm" in the morning.

Thus, I woke up today to the opening harp flourish of stars & guitars.  Très cool.

[DavidW]

That sounds really cool Karl.  I would like that myself, especially since I've found myself sleepless listening to Frescobaldi a couple of nights this week.

[Franco]

The thread asking for our Desert Island picks of 20th C. music caused me to create a playlist last night of my choices.  Right now I am listening to Stravinsky, Symphonies of Wind Instruments - after just finishing with the Durufle Requiem.

So far, so good.

[Que]

Symphony nr. 4.

EDIT: very impressive!

Q

[SonicMan46]

 

Symphonie nr. 4.

Q - what a coincidence! I just finished listening to No. 3 from that set - loving the experience & the smaller orchestra - 

Boni, Pietro Gaetano (c.1686-after1741): Cello Sonatas, Op. 1, Nos. 1-3, 8 and 9-12 - composed in Rome 1717 as a set of a dozen (8 present on this recording) - recent acquisition based on an excellent American Record Guide review (Jul-Aug 2009 issue) - five different performers (cellos, harpsichord, archlute, & viola da gamba) - HIP baroque & my first experience w/ this composer - just beginning the disc; the cello is magnificent! 

[Franco]

Copland: Appalachian Spring
Andrew Schenck, Atlantic Sinfonietta



I'm sticking with my 20th Century Desert Island Picks (with a couple of detours), and the Copland comes after the Ravel Piano Concerto in G and Poulenc Aubade.  So far I am really enjoying the order. 

I think I could survive on an desert island after all.

[bhodges]

Hindemith: Movements IV and V from Five Pieces for Strings (Joshua Thompson/Shepton High School Chamber Orchestra) - Performed by students from Plano, Texas on YouTube here.

--Bruce

[Opus106]

Listening to this work after a very long time. (Love that 4th movement to bits!) My only other version in whatever form is Karajan/BPO/DG.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
Swedish Chamber Orchestra|Thomas Dausgaard

Live|Konserthuset, Örebro
7 May 2009

[Elgarian]

The perfect wordless conversation?

[DFO]

Novak's violin sonata (Suk-Panenka)
Brahm's second string quintet (Budapest)
Dvorak's v.c. (Milstein-Dorati)

[PaulR]

Symphony #6

[bhodges]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 (Yuri Temirkanov/Verbier Festival Orchestra, taped live July 23, 2009, available on www.medici.tv) - So far enjoying this immensely!  Temirkanov is coaxing a very focused, exciting performance from the musicians.

--Bruce