What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[George]

Chopin
Ballades
Ivan Moravec
VAI

After listening to these for the second or third time, I still find them mannered and not nearly as successful as his Nocturnes.

[listener]

J S BACH    Organ Music  André Isoir plays the Gabler organ at Weingarten
    pretty much a 'greatest hits' collection, which is fine for me as the big pieces are among the finest music ever written.  (Passacaglia and Fugue BWV 582, the Schübler Chorales, and the 'Sei gegrüsset' partita.)   A stately beginning to the Passacaglia threatens to be ponderous, but it lets the pedal sounds resonate nicely and can hear how Isoir has registered the parts to take advantage of the organ's division into two sides.   Couperin and Marchand may be an influence in the  selection of some of the solo reeds.

[kishnevi]

Really nice. Pleasant recorded sound, non-operatic singing (this was written for a light tenor), flexible piano playing - wonderfully nocturnal, especially ravishing during quiet moments. I need more CDs featuring Padmore...

He's Harmonia Mundi's retort to EMI's Bostridge in the English tenor department,  I think.
He released a Handel recital about a year ago (title "As Steals the Morn") , and he pops up regularly in Baroque/Classical cantatas and operas on the HM label, especially for Herreweghe and Jacobs--most recent one I think is Jacob's Clemenza di Tito, in which Padmore sings Tito.   Stroll through the HM catalogue to find it all (although in many of them, he's simply one of the lead singers, so "feature" is a little strong for those).  Not on HM--he sang Uriel in McCreesh's English language recording of Haydn's Creation.  Like the Haydn and Clemenza di Tito, a lot of them are recordings in which his presence is an added strength, not merely the main reason to buy it.

[listener]

Earlier today:
Symphony No. 4

I've always loved this symphony, but for some reason today the fugue struck me as being incredibly touching. The way he uses a fragment of the U.S. anthem at the end is pretty much transcendental.

The fragment at the end of the Fugue on "From Greenland's Icy Mountain" (solo trombone) is actually from Antioch (Joy to the World) - "and Heav'n and Nature sing...." which, as another hymn-tune, would be a bit more appropriate.
And just before that, a quote from the chorus of "I Hear Thy Welcome Voice" -  I am coming Lord, coming now to Thee

[Que]

I haven't heard nearly enough of this new acquisition, so a re-run and probably not the last one.



Jean-Charles Ablitzer plays the organ of the Sankt-Stephanskirche in Tangermünde, built in 1623-24 by Hans Scherer the Younger and Fritz Scherer. More info about this recording HERE.

Q

[mc ukrneal]

Hello Bruce - thanks for the recommendations above; I've recently purchased Primakov in several solo & orchestral Chopin performances, including the one above - great comments elsewhere and enjoy!

However, the Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos really interest me - I just have a few discs of PC No.1 (probably typical for most of us) - a single 5* review on Amazon HERE by Lola Odiaga, a keyboardist not too familiar to me - but she knows the pianist and had some insightful comments - plus a bargain 2-CD set on the Marketplace - going on my 'wish list'!  Dave 

This may be another one to add to the list. I just saw that Hyperion are realeasing Tchaikovsky's concertos and other piano/orchestra pieces (as well as alternate versions of #2 in one movement). I was wondering what they would do for #50 in the romantic piano concerto series, and it seems they went for a bigtime name (conducter too, as it is Vanska). It is scheduled for April release.

[Harry]

La Chapelle Royale au Temps de Louis XV.
CD 13.
Andre Campra, "Confitebor tibi domine".
De Mondonville,"Nisi Dominus".
Balbastre, Extraits du Livre d"Orgue de Dijon.
Corette, "Noel <<Vous qui desirez sans fin>>".
Daquin, "Noel sur les jeux d'anches".

So far this box did not disappoint me, not one bit. Excellent performances and recordings, with a fine booklet, and a beautiful box that holds all the cd's.
The organ pieces played by Olivier Latry, are done with great sensibility.
The vocal pieces are done by "Le Parnasse Francais, Louis Castelain.

[springrite]

Very interesting. Because of his avitar, I can't help but think it is Works for Piano and Orchestra by Harry von Gronningen.

[Harry]

Very interesting. Because of his avatar, I can't help but think it is Works for Piano and Orchestra by Harry von Gronningen.

You are so right, and its Groningen!

[Antoine Marchand]

Concerto 3
Psalm 31, 1-2
In Te, Domine, speravi non confundar in
aeternum in justitia tua liberame.
Inclina aurem tuam accelera ut eruas me.

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never
be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily.

Schütz - Symphoniae Sacrae I & II/Weihnachtshistorie
Cappella Augustana
Matteo Messori
5 CDs
Brilliant Classics

Encouraging music for mornings from this exceptional Brilliant project.

[Antoine Marchand]

So far this box did not disappoint me, not one bit. Excellent performances and recordings...

... amazing sound quality indeed. A practical demonstration about the intimate connection between music and the place for which it was composed.

[Harry]

Concerto 3
Psalm 31, 1-2
In Te, Domine, speravi non confundar in
aeternum in justitia tua liberame.
Inclina aurem tuam accelera ut eruas me.

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never
be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily.

Schütz - Symphoniae Sacrae I & II/Weihnachtshistorie
Cappella Augustana
Matteo Messori
5 CDs
Brilliant Classics

Encouraging music for mornings from this exceptional Brilliant project.

I agree, that was one of the best projects Brilliant ever started. Gorgeous performances, well recorded, but alas the series has stopped quite abruptly.

[prémont]

Jean-Charles Ablitzer plays the organ of the Sankt-Stephanskirche in Tangermünde, built in 1623-24 by Hans Scherer the Younger and Fritz Scherer.

Magnificent organ, fortunately often used for recordings.
And fine playing, but I find the music difficult accessible, so some relistenings would be well spent for me too.

[Harry]

Asger Hamerik.
Complete Symphonies.
CD III.
Symphony No 5 in G minor, opus 36. "Symphonie Serieuse".
                 No. 6 in G major, opus 38 "Symphonie Spirituelle".

Another composer that was new to me, and surprised me with these beautiful works, well performed and recorded.

[prémont]

I agree, that was one of the best projects Brilliant ever started. Gorgeous performances, well recorded, but alas the series has stopped quite abruptly.

Do you know, why it stopped?

We still await the release of Messori´s Art of Fugue, which was announced long time ago.

[karlhenning]

First-Listen Fridays!:

Hindemith
Die junge Magd, Opus 23 № 2
Ruth Lang, alto
Players of the Staatskapelle Dresden
Jos Kleiberth
recorded 22 Feb 1949

Hindemith – Die junge Magd Toch – Die chinesische Flöte

[Harry]

Do you know, why it stopped?

We still await the release of Messori´s Art of Fugue, which was announced long time ago.

I am told that there was disagreement over recording sites, artists, and the money paid by Brilliant for their efforts.

[Florestan]

Tommaso Giordani - Quartets and Quintets

- Quintet for Harpsichord, Two Violins, Viola and Cello in A major, Op. 01, No. 03 - Quartet for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello in D major, Op. 02, No. 05 - Quintet for Harpsichord, Two Violins, Viola and Cello in C major, Op. 01, No. 05 - Quartet for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello in G major, Op. 02, No. 06 - Quintet for Harpsichord, Two Violins, Viola and Cello in G major, Op. 01/6

[karlhenning]

Hindemith
Die junge Magd, Opus 23 № 2
Ruth Lang, alto
Players of the Staatskapelle Dresden
Jos Kleiberth
recorded 22 Feb 1949

A wonderfully evocative song cycle, on texts by Georg Trakl, for alto, flute, clarinet & string quartet.

First-Listen Friday continues!:

Toch
Die chinesische Flöte, Opus 29
Elfride Trötschel, soprano
Arno Birr, flute
Chamber Orchestra of the Staatskapelle Dresden
Hans Löwlein
recorded 22 Feb 1949

This piece sets texts from the same collection as Mahler drew from for Das Lied von der Erde.

Hindemith – Die junge Magd Toch – Die chinesische Flöte

[springrite]

Die chinesische Flöte, Opus 29

Sounds interesting. I have never heard of that one. I have several works in my collection with "Chinese" something but few actually reminds me of anything Chinese. I wonder how this one sounds.