What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Harry]

I really liked the atmosphere of Symphony No. 7 - quite dark and beautiful.

Of course it is.

[Harry]

George Frederick McKay.

Sinfonietta, No. 4.

Song over The Great Plains.*

Ludmilla Kovaleva, Piano.*
National Radio SO of Ukraine/John McLaughlin Williams.

The Sinfonietta is a marvelous piece, as is the Song........
He belongs clearly to the selective group of American composers I love to hear.

[Kullervo]

What?

I'm confused too. Is there something implicitly wrong with Pollini's Chopin?

[Haffner]

I have a message:

^{GEORGE YOUR INBOX IS FULL!}


Listening to: Haydn op.55 "The Razor" Kodaly Quartet

Marvelous. My favorite String Quartet writer is Haydn on an overall level, though I admire and love so many others.

Part of it is due to the fact that Joseph Haydn hada bit of Attention Deficit Disorder. One can almost hear him thinking during the writing of certain quartets "oh, I don't need to use that melody again", and/or "let's play a trick and stop this movement here" and/or "let's change the key of the alto and cello, but keep the melody in the same key",etc. snickering madly as he watches to make sure the Prince Eszterhazy doesn't catch him being wicked.

[Bogey]

Guest coming over this morning for a breakfast of bagels and fresh fruit.....in the cd tray:

Mozart SQ's KV 159, 169, 168, 169, 170  0:), 171, 172, 173 Quartetto Italiano

along with the first three discs from:



Good morning.

[Haffner]

Guest coming over this morning for a breakfast of bagels and fresh fruit.....in the cd tray:

Mozart SQ's KV 159, 169, 168, 169, 170  0:), 171, 172, 173 Quartetto Italiano

along with the first three discs from:



Good morning.

^JA! Go, Bill!

You already know what kind of day I think you're having...Bellississima! 

[Bogey]

^JA! Go, Bill!

You already know what kind of day I think you're having...Bellississima! 

Pull up a chair and grab a plate Andy.

[Haffner]

Pull up a chair and grab a plate Andy.

The Eb minor Trio, please!(I'm sittin' down and smiling! )


Couldn't help but grab my copy of the BAT!

[Harry]

George McKay.

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.

Suite on 16th Century Hymn Tunes.

Sinfonietta No. 4.

Song over The Great Plains.*

Brian Reagin, Violin.
Ludmilla Kovaleva, Piano.*
National Radio SO of Ukraine/John McLaughlin Williams.

As a whole this disc is a absolute winner, and heartily recommended, just listen at the fourth movement "Choeur Celeste" from the Hymn Tunes, and you hear and see a glimpse from heaven if ever there was one.
State of the Art recording and performance.

[Drasko]

[beclemund]

After a full week of Bruckner, the top Mozart works thread got me motivated to listen to his operas again to pick a favorite--very hard to do, but I'm willing to give them all a good listen to try.

[Lilas Pastia]

Comments, please! .

[beclemund]

How is the transfer on that? I have been meaning to explore Kabasta's and Abendroth's Bruckner's symphonies.

[Drasko]

Comments, please! .

Just started listening: swift, flowing, very tender and combustive alternatingly, some swish and hiss.....

[Harry]

Osvaldas Balakauskas.

Symphony No. 4. (1998)

Lithuanian National SO/Juozas Domarkas.

Fascinating stuff, no wonder he is one of the leaders of the modern school in Lithianian. what a powerful compositions, steeped deeply into the cultural heritage of this country. Fine recording and performance.

[Drasko]

How is the transfer on that?

Quite good, some sporadic swish and some hiss but with decent presence and detail for '42 recording. Better than Furtwangler ever got.

[Harry]

Osvaldas Balakauskas.

Symphony No. 5. (2001)

Lithuanian National SO/Juozas Domarkas.
Romualdas Staskus, Oboe.
Igor Kramarev, Trumpet.

Excellent composition with tones of big band and Jazz, and very well mixed. I really like this music.

[George]

I have a message:

^{GEORGE YOUR INBOX IS FULL!}

Thanks!

I didn't realize it. 

I will fix it immediately.

(edit) Yes, it's fine now. Sorry!   

[SonicMan46]

Hindemith's Wind Quintet

James - picked that up recently - love all of these pieces on a 2-CD set - great value & performances in one package! 

[bhodges]

Dvorak 5 (LSO/Kertesz). Maybe I'm in an unsympathetic mood, but I find this symphony rather ordinary compared with those that were to follow.

Iv'e just gotten acquainted with this work in the last year or so, after hearing it live twice: last year with Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra, and then just a week ago with Riccardo Muti and the New York Philharmonic.  Excellent as both were, the symphony seems to me a preface to the last four.  It has its moments -- many of them -- but ultimately doesn't show the overwhelming imagination and refinement of the last ones.  Still, though, worth hearing as a "ramp up" to what he achieved in those later symphonies.

Right now, listening to:

Nørgård: Spell (Trio Ondine) - From 1973, has elements of minimalism, and becomes more compelling with each listen.
Nielsen: Piano Trio No. 1 (same) - Written when he was 18, it's more conventional than his later work, but valuable for a snapshot at the time.  Excellent work by the Ondine players.
Anders Nordentoft: Doruntine (same) - A composer new to me.  The title is also the title of a novel by an Albanian author, Ismail Kadare, about a medieval princess who "experiences an extraordinary life."  (Not sure how this is reflected in the music, but I like the piece anyway.)

--Bruce