What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Brian]

Beethoven | Piano Concerto No 4
Leon Fleisher
Cleveland Orchestra; George Szell

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD7 from this set for a first listen ...

[Brahmsian]

Bartok

String Quartet #5

Emerson SQ
DG

[Mirror Image]

A decent recording IMO ...

I prefer Svetlanov's recordings of these works, but then again, I never liked Jarvi's work with the Gothenburgers too much anyway. I find his work with the Scottish National Orchestra or the Philharmonia much better.

[Brahmsian]

Bartok

Piano Concertos 1-3

Stephen Kovacevich, piano

London Symphony Orchestra (#1 and #3)
BBC Symphony Orchestra (#2)
Sir Colin Davis

Philips (Eloquence budget re-issue)

[AndyD.]

Bartok

String Quartet #5

Emerson SQ
DG

YEAH! I can't wait to get my copy next month!

[karlhenning]

YEAH! I can't wait to get my copy next month!

Splendid!

[DavidRoss]

Now playing:



Why not? It seems the thing to do!

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD8, the last CD from this set for a first listen ...

[Conor71]

This one arrived a couple of months ago - first listen to this work .

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD4 from this set for a first listen. 

[Mirror Image]

This one arrived a couple of months ago - first listen to this work .

What do you think of this work? I have only heard Messiaen's Turangalila-Symphonie and found it to be quite strange, but I really need to listen again. I have the recording with Chung on DG.

[Conor71]

What do you think of this work? I have only heard Messiaen's Turangalila-Symphonie and found it to be quite strange, but I really need to listen again. I have the recording with Chung on DG.

Its pretty cool so far - kind of reminds me of Planet of the Apes music .
I only have a couple of Messiaen discs - this one, Turangalila and Quartet for the end of time which I have ended up liking quite a bit. I do find Messiaen quite strange too, but in a cool 60's Sci-Fi kind of way! - dont know if I will end up getting more of his works though .

[Harry]

Charles Tournemire.
Symphony No. 7 "Les Dances de la Vie".
Moscow SO, Antonio de Almeida.
Recorded in 1995.

To start with a very good recording, a massive front to back image, all detail can be heard, no clogging of instruments, the spatial image between desks is quite something. I must admit that I never heard this composer before, but browsing the Marco Polo catalogue, and listening to samples, it made me curious enough to try out the 7th symphony lasting almost 90 minutes. And the time went by in a jiffy, for this is a great work of art. There was not a moment that the length bothered me, on the contrary, I thought it to short. I don't know how he managed it, but he did. Its like traveling in a impressionistic painting, with multifarious surprises whatever angle you look at it. Lucid scoring, really a massive orchestra, its one of the great discoveries for me this year. The Moscow SO under Almeida make it a great performance, they do not miss a beat, and keep the tension firm in place. I would say a firm recommendation all around.

[Conor71]

0:)

[SonicMan46]

Bach, CPE - Trio Sonatas, Wq. 144-151 w/ Remy (on harpsichord) & Les Amis de Phillippe - 2CD set (each CD just 51", so could have added at least one and maybe 2 more works to each disc) - but the music is wonderful, and into that early classical transitional period that I do enjoy - 

P.S. I do like the cover art, sort of like Miro, but back notes state Gunther Nussbaumer, 2003 - not sure why chosen but CPO seems to usually have interesting art work on their covers, and I do own a LOT of their CDs! - 

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD5 from this set for a first listen ...

[Mirror Image]

Its pretty cool so far - kind of reminds me of Planet of the Apes music .
I only have a couple of Messiaen discs - this one, Turangalila and Quartet for the end of time which I have ended up liking quite a bit. I do find Messiaen quite strange too, but in a cool 60's Sci-Fi kind of way! - dont know if I will end up getting more of his works though .

Thanks for getting back to me on this. I'm probably not going to get any Messiaen anytime soon. I don't think his music adds up to that much. It just didn't do much for me, but I'm hoping this is only a passing opinion. As his music has been highly regarded by musicians and fans alike.

[CD]

Finally got my LP player working. Listening to this:

[Lethevich]

I expected these to all be extremely slow and sparse, but the tempo, while generally being on the broad side, undulates nicely. The music isn't quite as minimal as I had expected either, but unlike other music by the composer I had heard there is quite an engaging moment by moment appeal to the pieces - sometimes frigidly still, sometimes silkenly creeping - with a highly internal logic that doesn't make the large set feel particularly long despite essentially being almost wallpaper music. It's odd - like Satie it daringly flirts with a lack of substance, and its great success is that it's still worth listening to.

His 3rd symphony I recall being quite memorable, with an attractive evocation of bells in the slow movement. Overall his style does feel a little repetetive, but the sound he creates is very attractive.