What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[The new erato]

First listen to what seems like an extremely interesting disc. Very fine sound.

Alicia de Larrocha (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos

In 1977 Decca released an LP entitled 'Concertos from Spain' which coupled two contemporary piano concertos - those by Montsalvatge (Concerto Breve, written for Alicia de Larrocha) and Surinach's Piano Concerto. The Surinach - a kind of Spanish Khachaturian - has never before been released on CD. Taking advantage of the extended playing time of a CD, this release includes two other concertante works for piano and orchestra - Turina's Rapsodia sinfonica (made famous by Eileen Joyce) and the Rapsodia espanola by a composer synonymous with de Larrocha: Albeniz.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD3 from this set - Music from the Court of King Janus at Nicosia.  I am really treading in unfamiliar territory ...

[Brahmsian]

Just back from the library.....

Tchaikovsky

18 Pieces for piano, Op.72

Pletnev
DG

[Harry]

Rimski Korsakov.
Sheherazade"
Anima Eterna, Jos van Immerseel.
Solo Violin, Midori Seiler.

This is by far the best Sheherazade I ever heard, the best I heard come not even close to this performance. What a amazing work it is, what a amazing performance, and a State of the Art Recording too. I never heard so many details in every row of the orchestra as with this one, the strings sound sumptuous, the brass sounds powerful and shines throughout, the winds are warm and resonant, and because there is almost no vibrato, they sound much bigger as they are. Awesome, so beautiful!

[Fëanor]

Rimski Korsakov.
Sheherazade"
Anima Eterna, Jos van Immerseel.
Solo Violin, Midori Seiler.

This is by far the best Sheherazade I ever heard, the best I heard come not even close to this performance. What a amazing work it is, what a amazing performance, and a State of the Art Recording too. I never heard so many details in every row of the orchestra as with this one, the strings sound sumptuous, the brass sounds powerful and shines throughout, the winds are warm and resonant, and because there is almost no vibrato, they sound much bigger as they are. Awesome, so beautiful!

Thanks for that, Harry.  Scheherazade is my favorite "war horse".  I'll look out for this version.

I do have three presently:
~ José Serebrier / London Phiharmonic -- this is my favourite at the moment; best sound from Reference Recordings
~ Charles Dutoit / Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal -- disappointing: a bit plodding and not up to Dutoit's standard
~ Fritz Reiner / Chicago Symphony -- further evidence that the RCA Living Stereo stuff is generally overrated, both for performance and sound quality

[Que]

Rimski Korsakov.
Sheherazade"
Anima Eterna, Jos van Immerseel.
Solo Violin, Midori Seiler.

This is by far the best Sheherazade I ever heard, the best I heard come not even close to this performance. What a amazing work it is, what a amazing performance, and a State of the Art Recording too. I never heard so many details in every row of the orchestra as with this one, the strings sound sumptuous, the brass sounds powerful and shines throughout, the winds are warm and resonant, and because there is almost no vibrato, they sound much bigger as they are. Awesome, so beautiful!

Passed that one over when ordering with jpc last week, and I'm already regretting it...


Listening now to this disc with music by Morton Feldman - on loan from a friend who has entered the world of Classical Music from an entirely different angel then myself.

I would like to make him some suggestions on what composers to explore further - can anyone help me that? He also likes Varèse, besides "experimental" Pop & Jazz, I was thinking myself along the lines of Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Bartok and possibly Boulez and Ligeti?? But I need some guidance here, since this is clearly outside my field of expertise!

[jlaurson]

I would like to make him some suggestions on what composers to explore further - can anyone help me that?[/b] He also likes Varèse. I was thinking myself along the lines of Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Bartok and possibly Boulez and Ligeti??

Sounds like he'd be the type you have to get to Debussy via Ligeti. If he likes Varese, Antheil would be an obvious choice...
Perhaps the line of: Ligeti-string quartets--Dutillieux-concerto--Penderecki (not the trite stuff)--Paert-Lamentate--Rachmanino-Vespers?

[Air]

I would like to make him some suggestions on what composers to explore further - can anyone help me that?[/b] He also likes Varèse. I was thinking myself along the lines of Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Bartok and possibly Boulez and Ligeti?? But I need some guidance here, since this is clearly outside my field of expertise!

Messaien, Prokofiev, Bartok, Penderecki, Ligeti, Sculthorpe, Tippett, even Dean and Berg... who could open up a lot more!

I wouldn't say Debussy or Ravel, unless it's some of their more neo-classical stuff. 

Never thought anyone would take this route though 


Thread Duty:

Richard Strauss
Don Juan
Karajan / Berlin

[Harry]

Well it was a day full of surprises, but the best must have been this disc, for apart from Sheherazade, it also contained the gorgeous orchestral work "La Grande Paque russe" that sounds so good in French doesn't it, and I am sorry to say, but again the best I ever heard. I have played this disc over and over again, and each time my mood became better, especially when I heard Borodin's "Dans des Steppes de l'Asie Centrale, pardon my French. This work I have in many different performances, but not one of them can stand in the shadow of Immerseel's interpretation.
For 5,99 euro's this is a super deal, and every one that loves these work, can not ignore this recording.

[Christo]

For 5,99 euro's this is a super deal

No doubt. But where did you find it at that price? With JPC it costs 20 euros and with Amazon about 11 GBP. Where did you find your bargain? 

[bhodges]

Listening now to this disc with music by Morton Feldman - on loan from a friend who has entered the world of Classical Music from an entirely different angel then myself.

I would like to make him some suggestions on what composers to explore further - can anyone help me that? He also likes Varèse, besides "experimental" Pop & Jazz, I was thinking myself along the lines of Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Bartok and possibly Boulez and Ligeti?? But I need some guidance here, since this is clearly outside my field of expertise!

All good suggestions.  I'd add some of the minimalists, if he's a real Feldman fan, e.g., Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, or Louis Andriessen.  That is definitely a fascinating entry point.

Today I watched Keeping Score: Ives Holidays Symphony, the latest installment from Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony.  This is an excellent explanation of the many factors that caused Ives to create his unique sound.  I can imagine someone new to Ives really "getting it" because of MTT's clear examples.  I wish there had been even more of the actual music played, but perhaps his strategy is to get people interested enough to want to hear the whole thing.

Anyway, this series is quite good, from the few I've seen.

--Bruce

[Frellie]

Today is the First Sunday of Advent.

On that day in 1723, Bach performed BWV 61 in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland.'

Not as impressive as his brother (BWV 62) with the same name. But great music nonetheless.

[Brahmsian]

Today I watched Keeping Score: Ives Holidays Symphony, the latest installment from Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony.  This is an excellent explanation of the many factors that caused Ives to create his unique sound.  I can imagine someone new to Ives really "getting it" because of MTT's clear examples.  I wish there had been even more of the actual music played, but perhaps his strategy is to get people interested enough to want to hear the whole thing.

Anyway, this series is quite good, from the few I've seen.

--Bruce

What were the other ones you've seen Bruce? 

[Christo]

Today is the First Sunday of Advent.

On that day in 1723, Bach performed BWV 61 in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland.'

Not as impressive as his brother (BWV 62) with the same name. But great music nonetheless.

Happy to say we're going to sing BWV 62, in two weeks from now - and in your very town! 

[bhodges]

What were the other ones you've seen Bruce? 

The segments on Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring are both very good.  The Stravinsky was the first one I saw, and I enjoyed it immensely, even as a longtime fan of the piece.

--Bruce

[listener]

BACH   Foccroulle at Ottobeuren   misc. pieces, nicely arranged so that a slow one is followed by a quicker one, and ending with the "Sei gegrüßet" partita.   The organ is at the side of the choir, not in the balcony, so you do not have to wonder if you need to have your back to the speakers or re-channel the sound to rear surrounds to listen in a Historically Informed Position.
and a collection of works for viola and piano

[CD]

Never thought anyone would take this route though 

I did! I got into serious music through modern composers like Luc Ferrari and Morton Subotnick, who were not far from the abstract electronic music I was already listening to. From there it went to Messiaen, Feldman, and then to Bartók, Schoenberg and Debussy.

[Frellie]

Happy to say we're going to sing BWV 62, in two weeks from now - and in your very town! 

Along with a magnificat by Stanford, if I'm not mistaken. I'll try to come and take some friends.
Maybe I'll even be able to identify your angelic alto voice in the sound of the choir. 

[Brian]

Here's the music my iPod played during my week-long trip to Indiana for Thanksgiving:

WAGNER | Tannhauser Overture; "Alfred Scholz" and the "London Philharmonic"
ATTERBERG | Symphonies Nos 8, 7, and 3; from the CPO cycle
DUKAS | The Sorcerer's Apprentice; Dallas Symphony and Eduardo Mata
SIBELIUS | Swan of Tuonela, Karelia Suite; Philadelphia and Eugene Ormandy
SIBELIUS | Pohjola's Daughter; New York and Leonard Bernstein

Here's the music my CD player played during the trip:

ATTERBERG | Symphony No 6; NBC Symphony and Arturo Toscanini (!)
BEETHOVEN | Symphonies 6 and 2; Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and Paavo Jarvi
STAMITZ | Cello Concertos 1 and 2; Capella Coloniensis on the Phoenix Edition label
TCHAIKOVSKY | Piano Concerto No 1; Jerome Lowenthal, London Symphony, Sergiu Commisiona
"THE SPIRIT OF VIENNA," a collection of world premieres of Viennese music from the Strauss family and their colleagues

[George]

Chopin
24 Preludes