What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Scarpia]

Continued with this disc, the Piano Concerto was a lot more satisfying than the Concerto for Strings.  Perhaps some hope for Howells yet.

[Lethevich]

The PC was a pleasant surprise for me. I was expecting something academic because Howells is more known for his excellent choral music, but the PC was superfine. I have his third SQ to listen to sometime, which the notes intriguingly compare to RVW's 3rd symphony.

np:


Edit: Not recommended. Of the two pieces, the pleasant Days and Nights in Rocinha is not as dramatic as it could've been, and at 25 mins both too long to merit further listens, or to even work as filler. The other piece is Glass in recycle mode. Why bother?

[Florestan]

In the last week I've been listening almost exclusively to lesser known operas and there wasn't a single one of them which I disliked. That the libretti are contrived or ridiculous, it may very well be true --- but the music! Ah, the music!  A never-ending flow of gorgeous melodies which run the whole gamut of feelings and emotions, fom the darkest despair to the most exhilarating joy, a true feast of the ear and the heart. I'm sold on opera as never before.

[mc ukrneal]

In the last week I've been listening almost exclusively to lesser known operas and there wasn't a single one of them which I disliked. That the libretti are contrived or ridiculous, it may very well be true --- but the music! Ah, the music!  A never-ending flow of gorgeous melodies which run the whole gamut of feelings and emotions, fom the darkest despair to the most exhilarating joy, a true feast of the ear and the heart. I'm sold on opera as never before.

I've been going through the Opera Rara catelog trying to figure out whioch ones I want to buy (as they are on sale at mdt at a pretty good price). Which are your favorites so far? I can enthusiastically recommend Entre Nous, a selection of various Offenbach rarities.

[Opus106]

Thanks to James for bring this piece up to the surface, so to speak, on the thread about off-beat cello recordings.

Watching/Listening

Zoltán Kodály
Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8
János Starker

Live in Tokyo -YouTube

Loved this piece upon first listen. The second movement seemed to stretch things a bit (an effect of said first listen, I suppose), while the last movement was awesome!

[Keemun]

Dvorak
Symphony No. 1
Vaclav Neumann
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

[Florestan]

I've been going through the Opera Rara catelog trying to figure out whioch ones I want to buy (as they are on sale at mdt at a pretty good price). Which are your favorites so far? I can enthusiastically recommend Entre Nous, a selection of various Offenbach rarities.

Without hesitation I recommend the following:

A Hundred Years of Italian Opera

Meyerbeer: Margherita d'Anjou

Mercadante; Zaira

Ricci: La Prigione di Edimburgo

Donizzetti : Ugo Conte di Parigi

This Youtube channel is a great place to sample at length and decide about which recording you'd like to buy.

[karlhenning]

First listen!
Schoenberg
Vier Stücke für gemischten Chor, Opus 27
Drei Satiren für gemischten Chor, Opus 28
Members of the London Sinfonietta
BBC Singers
Boulez

Schoenberg – Pierre Boulez Edition II 6 CDs

[Harry]

Adolphe Adam.
Ballet Masterpieces.
CD I & II.

Giselle.
Orchestra of the royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge.

For the second time this week in my player, and I am enjoying every note of it. What a plethora of details Bonynge lets us hear.
He is a well seasoned conductor if it comes to ballet music.

[Harry]

Dvorak.
Complete Symphonies.
Symphony No. 1 in C minor.
Staatskapelle Berlin, Otmar Suitner.

This must be by far the fastest first of Dvorak I heard so far. Not that that aspect is unwelcome, far from it. Suitner is happily far away from lethargic, and keeps things moving swiftly, but to me never to fast or rushed. Also a wealth of details comes to the surface, realized by this conductor in keeping the textures very lucid. Honestly, I did hear notes I never heard before especially in the first and second violins, and wood winds. Remarkable! He keeps your attention all the time, so the work sounds more complete, being such a dense score. Recommended by Wanderer this is a good acquisition in every respect, cheap and extraordinary different. Good sound. 5 CD'S for just 9,95 at JPCde.
 

[Harry]

Weinberg.
Cello Sonatas No. 1 & 2.

Never heard these works before, and it took some time to adjust, but finally done that, I understood why Shostakovich admired him immensely.
Not easy to approach casually, the works bring huge rewards by paying close attention. The music goes from one extreme to another in emotional context, and the colors are often stark and uninviting. The pounding  on the piano and the deeply felt anguish on the cello make a gruesome pair at times.
But I want to hear more. Next are the solo sonatas, lets see what I make of them.
I cannot judge the performance for I have no comparing material. From what I hear committed performances, well recorded. 

[Père Malfait]

J. S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, Sarabanda con Partite, Aria Variata
Matthew Halls, harpsichord

Lively playing on a lovely instrument, sympathetically recorded. Very enjoyable.

[SonicMan46]

Bantock, Granville (1868-1946) - Orchestral Music w/ Vernon Handley & Royal PO; 6-CD box set on Hyperion - just arrived from BRO ($30 there) - now, I already had a few of these discs but enjoyed each and Handley's performances, so decided to invest in the box, esp. at that price.  The discs are in cardboard sleeves but the 'original' cover art (which is often rather attractive, including the pic chosen for the box!) is on each; accompanied w/ a nice booklet.  BRO is selling at least 3 of the 'single' Hyperion discs of these works at $7 each, so the complete box set is a great bargain for those interested! - 

[mc ukrneal]

Without hesitation I recommend the following:

A Hundred Years of Italian Opera

Meyerbeer: Margherita d'Anjou

Mercadante; Zaira

Ricci: La Prigione di Edimburgo

Donizzetti : Ugo Conte di Parigi

This Youtube channel is a great place to sample at length and decide about which recording you'd like to buy.

Thanks for that. I was going through them, but it takes time and having a few to target (start with) is helpful.

[karlhenning]

First listen!

Korngold
Violin Concerto in D, Opus 35
Gil Shaham
LSO
Previn

[listener]

Organ music   -     Helmut Walcha at the Schnitger organ in Cappel
     LÜBECK and BRUHNS   3 P&F's each    SCHEIDT 2 sets of chorale variations

SCHMITT     La Tragédie de Salomé              Psalm 47

[karlhenning]

First listen!

Korngold
Much Ado About Nothing Suite, Opus 11
Gil Shaham, vn
André Previn, pf

[karlhenning]

Again, because after all, this is the first day I've actually heard the "kleine Modernsky" satire whose existence I've known of for decades . . . .

Schoenberg
Drei Satiren für gemischten Chor, Opus 28
Members of the London Sinfonietta
BBC Singers
Boulez

Schoenberg – Pierre Boulez Edition II 6 CDs

[karlhenning]

First listen!

Schoenberg
Sechs Stücke für Männerchor, Opus 35
BBC Singers
Boulez

Schoenberg – Pierre Boulez Edition II 6 CDs

[Tom 1960]

Mili Balakirev - Symphonies and Symphonic Poems
The Philharmonia, Yevgeny Svetlanov conductor