What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[jlaurson]

Matthew Halls (harpsichord) Goldberg Variations & Sarabanda con Partite BWV 990 Linn                                              .

Glorious sounding, very nicely played. Am enjoying as I type.

[Antoine Marchand]

Only two of the Triosonatas performed on other instruments than the organ and even in rather un-Bachian scorings, as it seems. But how do they play?

Yes, only BWV 529 and BWV 528 are performed on arrangements; but I don't see a particularly "un-Bachian" character in the scorings. BWV 529 is arranged for flute, harpsichord and cello, IMO three rather natural choices to replace the organ. Apparently, the choices for BWV 528 could seem a bit stranger, but are explained by Rakich: "The opening movement of Sonata IV in e is transcribed from the "Sinfonia" from Cantata 76. In the cantata, the gamba plays the part transcribed for the left hand. So it was natural to leave it, add a violin for the upper part, and assign continuo to the harpsichord. In the final movement, the gamba played the bass line with treble voices assigned to the violin and harpsichord. But when it came to the middle movement, a bit of rehearsal horseplay yielded a stunning possibility where the gamba plays the middle voice, and harpsichord the outer two".

All is played here with great precision and elegance, including the arrangements, but I prefer the pieces played by Rakich on organ. 

[Antoine Marchand]

I would have to use force against myself to call Zinman romantic.

Thanks, Premont. It's good to know it. Anyway, I didn't call him a Romantic because I don't know his performances yet. 

[Conor71]

Schumann: Symphony No. 3 In Eb Major, Op. 97, "Rhenish"

[Harry]

Thanks, Premont. It's good to know it. Anyway, I didn't call him a Romantic because I don't know his performances yet. 

Don't worry Antoine, if it makes you less unsure in terms of purchase, I will pay you back the money you paid for it, after all it was my advice on which you act. That is, if you don't like it.

[Harry]

Johan Svendsen.
Orchestral works.
CD III.

Sigurd Slembe, opus 8.
Ifjol gjaett e gjeitinn, opus 31.
Norsk Rapsodi No. 1/2/3/4.

Latvian National SO, Terje Mikkelsen.

Wonderful music, well performed, in which Svendsen shines in bright colors. I only knew his Symphonies, so this came as a welcome surprise.

[George]

Beethoven
Symphony 8
Toscanini/NBCO
1939
RCA
Mastered by Ward Marston

Boy, he does trample the flowers a bit here. 

[DavidW]

Smetana Chamber Works v2 (Guarneri Trio) have been on heavy repeat and they are superb works, I consider them neglected masterpieces.

Also Brahms 2 and 3-- Janowski finds the subtle detail to treat Brahms more like a classicist than a Brucknerian, right on the mark excellent performances.

[Harry]

Franz Mittler.
String Quartets No. 1 in F major and 3 in D minor.
Hugo Wolf Quartet.

I never knew these works were so beautiful. I heard in the sidelines mention of this composer, but this music came a s a heavenly surprise. A unknown master quite unjustly forgotten. His work needs to be recorded.

[jlaurson]

Franz Mittler.
String Quartets No. 1 in F major and 3 in D minor.
Hugo Wolf Quartet.

I never knew these works were so beautiful. I heard in the sidelines mention of this composer, but this music came a s a heavenly surprise. A unknown master quite unjustly forgotten. His work needs to be recorded.

You're absolutely right. (And I'm ahead of you by two years.  ) http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=273 [the WETA-version of an article written for ChamberMusicAmerica]

I was so enamored with Mittler that  I ended up with all his limericks, his daughter's biography [written by her, about him], DVDs, and other, semi-professional recordings of his pieces. I hope CPO will continue exploring his output.

[listener]

BUXTEHUDE and His Pupils
Marcussen-Organ Lübeck Cathedral                         Hans Helmut Tillmanns
Preludes/Toccatas and Fugues by BUXTEHUDE, LÜBECK, BRUHNS, and J.S. BACH
This is a very nice recording showing the shift from suite-like compositions to a more organic approach.  Good notes
An 8-second reverb in the cathedral is a major challenge for recording but creates a warmth when the microphones are close to the solo stops.  This was worth an immediate replay.
R. STRAUSS   Till Eulenspiegel, 'Dance of the 7 Veils' from 'Salome', Death and Transfiguration
Vancouver Symphony       Akiyama, cond.    1985 recording

[Harry]

You're absolutely right. (And I'm ahead of you by two years.  ) http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=273 [the WETA-version of an article written for ChamberMusicAmerica]

I was so enamored with Mittler that  I ended up with all his limericks, his daughter's biography [written by her, about him], DVDs, and other, semi-professional recordings of his pieces. I hope CPO will continue exploring his output.

I already contacted them through a person I know, to ask about it, her answer did not make me happy.

[Harry]

Forqueray.
Complete Harpsichord Works.
Yannick Le Gaillaird.
CD I.
Suites 1-3.

No matter that these recordings go a long way back. This is quality as there ever was. Excellent instruments used, a almost perfect advocate for this music, recorded in a perfect ambiance, and as a performance it has no peers. This is absolutely the best Forqueray I ever heard. To bad its OOP.

[jlaurson]

I already contacted them through a person I know, to ask about it, her answer did not make me happy.

I'll bring it up when I'll talk to 'them' this week. Perhaps if they get pro-Mittler-feedback from all sides...

Have you ever asked who MarieSusanPraeder is sleeping with to get to continue doing those dreadful translations?? 

[Harry]

I'll bring it up when I'll talk to 'them' this week. Perhaps if they get pro-Mittler-feedback from all sides...

Have you ever asked who MarieSusanPraeder is sleeping with to get to continue doing those dreadful translations?? 

Good, the more people are asking about it the better.
I was not aware that she is sleeping around the get the commissions for translation, and even more, I did not notice that the translations are that bad. That means my understanding of the English language must be terrible.

[jlaurson]

Good, the more people are asking about it the better.
I was not aware that she is sleeping around the get the commissions for translation, and even more, I did not notice that the translations are that bad. That means my understanding of the English language must be terrible.

Before more misunderstandings, language- or other-wise, arise: "who is XXX sleeping with to..." is a colloquialism that does not  actually (necessarily) insinuate any morally questionable... and certainly not actually sexually charged behavior. It's a standard nepotism-phrase. Though I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be married to someone in the organization. (In which case the colloquialism could be answered literally.  )

Secondly: Her translations are beyond appalling. I can get Google-Translate to deliver better translations. The fact that she actually teaches 'translation'--in some form or capacity--at the Munich LMU is very disturbing. Her name would indicate English background... her English indicates "Intermediary English 203" and two years abroad as her sole qualification. I read the English notes in CPO releases, just to get a kick out of it. Usually it backfires, and instead of being amused about such incompetence, I just get infuriated. 

[karlhenning]

Before more misunderstandings, language- or other-wise, arise: "who is XXX sleeping with to..." is a colloquialism that does not  actually (necessarily) insinuate any morally questionable... and certainly not actually sexually charged behavior.

But, that colloquialization is a counter-intuitive de-sexualization of a phrase normally understood to have sexual resonance.

[prémont]

Yes, only BWV 529 and BWV 528 are performed on arrangements; but I don't see a particularly "un-Bachian" character in the scorings. BWV 529 is arranged for flute, harpsichord and cello, IMO three rather natural choices to replace the organ. Apparently, the choices for BWV 528 could seem a bit stranger, but are explained by Rakich: "The opening movement of Sonata IV in e is transcribed from the "Sinfonia" from Cantata 76. In the cantata, the gamba plays the part transcribed for the left hand. So it was natural to leave it, add a violin for the upper part, and assign continuo to the harpsichord. In the final movement, the gamba played the bass line with treble voices assigned to the violin and harpsichord. But when it came to the middle movement, a bit of rehearsal horseplay yielded a stunning possibility where the gamba plays the middle voice, and harpsichord the outer two".

I am not convinced. A Bachian scoring would be two melody-instruments (excuse me the horrible word) f.i. one flauto traverso, one violin and continuo (like the Triosonata from Musicalisches Opfer), or one melody-instrument and cembalo obligato (like the violin/harpsichord sonatas). I admit, that the recording you recommended some time ago with two lute-harpsichords is relevatory, but in this case I imagine a rendering on pedal harpsichord with lute stops like the one by Eduard Power Biggs.

However in the long run the musicianship is more important than the scoring, and I hear you say, that the organist is very good. I just have the problem, that I by now own > 50 recordings of the organ triosonatas, so another recording has got to offer something really special to sustain my interest.

[prémont]

Thanks, Premont. It's good to know it. Anyway, I didn't call him a Romantic because I don't know his performances yet. 

I did not mean to detract from Zinman´s interpretation, which I actually think, you will like. But I also think, that you - like me - want some more from your Beethoven, than Zinman has got to offer. And it is here I think Harnoncourt and MacKerras get into the picture.

[Papy Oli]

Good evening all 

Bruckner - 9th symphony
Tintner - Royal Scottish National Orch.