What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[AndyD.]

Boy, when you can say something good about Karajan and criticize Beethoven's 9th in the same post, and no one even bothers to eviscerate you, you know the site is dead.  Where is everybody?

I'm good at detecting fun.

[AndyD.]

Shostakovich - Viola Sonata, Op. 147: II. Allegretto (Creitz/Sarbu)

[Brahmsian]

From the library, a first listen!

Gliere

Bronze Horseman Suite
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra, Op.91

Richard Watkins, horn
BBC Philharmonic
Sir Edward Downes

Chandos

[Brahmsian]

Shostakovich - Viola Sonata, Op. 147: II. Allegretto (Creitz/Sarbu)

I've got to listen to this work!   I pretty much love most of what I've heard of Shostakovich.

[Scarpia]

I'm good at detecting fun.

Maybe you should sit down for this, I wasn't kidding.   

[AndyD.]

Maybe you should sit down for this, I wasn't kidding.   

You might get a big kick out of this, I get put to sleep by the Adagio of Beethoven's 9th. The only performance I've heard of it that didn't bore me to tears is the Furtwangler Nazi-era.

I've got to listen to this work!   I pretty much love most of what I've heard of Shostakovich.

I actually checked it out first on you tube. It's extremely interesting.


Now: Smetana String Quartet #1 (Moyzes Quartet)

The counterpoint after half of the 1st movement is borderline jaw dropping.

[listener]

BOËLLMANN    Suite Gothique, op. 25      Suite 2, op. 27     12 Pieces for "Grand Orgue"
Patrice Caire      Callinet-Rousseau (1845) and several others organ, Saint-Bonaventure, Lyon
Very well played and recorded, the music seems closer to the spirit of Victorian parlour pieces at times.
LISZT   Piano music  vol.1     Leslie Howard
Waltzes:     3 Mephisto, 4 Valses Oubliées, Bagatgelle sans tonalité, 6 others

[bhodges]

Last night, a very fine Mahler Symphony No. 6 with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic.  Most impressive was the sheer playing of the ensemble, with lots of detail, and great dynamic contrast.  Also welcome was one of the quietest audiences I've heard in a long time--much less rustling and fidgeting than is sometimes the case. 

Best of all: at the very end, after the spellbinding final few measures, Gilbert held his hands up for a good 15-20 seconds in silence, without anyone in the audience blurting out, "Bravo!" as is so often the case.

--Bruce

[Brian]

Thoughts shortly, in the Sibelius thread!

[Papy Oli]

good evening 

[George]

I've got to listen to this work!   I pretty much love most of what I've heard of Shostakovich.

Look no further...

[oyasumi]

I now have Nino Rota's e minor piano concerto on, and am ashamed that I have not heard of it, or the composer, earlier. This is a top-class concerto.

[karlhenning]

Skryabin
Sonata № 5, Opus 53 (1907)
Sonata № 6, Opus 62 (1911/12)
Sonata № 7, Opus 64 (1911/12)
Sonata № 8, Opus 66 (1912/13)
Sonata № 9, Opus 68 (1911-13)
Sonata № 10, Opus 70 (1912/13)
Maria Lettberg

Skryabin – The Solo Piano Works Maria Lettberg 8 CDs + DVD

[Marc]

I don't really know what it means for recorded music to have "humanity." You didn't respond to it the way you wanted, and you attribute this to the music, rather than to yourself, or to some tangible aspect of the performance.

You're right there. It's something personal indeed (hence the IMO): in many pieces Von Karajan's recordings leave me quite unmoved. But in this 9th I find the first two movements very impressive and exciting!

[....]
With regard to the finale of Beethoven's 9th, I don't have much to add. The main emotion I feel when listening to it is extreme impatience for it to end. Therefore I respond well the Karajan's relatively brisk tempo.

Yes, the Finale is a tricky movement, and works best when experienced live in concert, not at home sweet home .... IME (in my experience ) that is.
I must say that Herreweghe did a great job though .... even in my home sweet home. He delivers a very refined and convincing build-up to the climax.

[AndyD.]

DeBussy String Quartet no.1 (Kodaly SQ)

Still by far my favorite piece by the composer.

[Sid]

More solo piano stuff:

Carter, Barber - Piano Sonatas


I'm beginning to hear more "romance" for want of a better term in these works, especially the Carter. There's a "warmth" in Carter that I don't find as apparent in other atonal composers (although I understand that this work was still largely tonal).

Saygun - piano works


This is a good collection of this composer's solo piano music, from the 1930's to the 1970's. He was kind of like a Turkish Bartok, and actually knew that composer well when he came to Turkey. Saygun's works have this trademark limping rhythm and a strong bass. I especially like the opener "From Anatolia," and the 12 preludes (the last one sounds like a slightly more tamer version of a Ligeti etude). "Inci's Book" is in the tradition of Debussy's "Children's Corner" or Faure's "Dolly Suite." The Turkish pianist on this recording plays well, and some of the pieces sound technically quite difficult...

[Conor71]

Good morning ,
Some sacred music - first listen to the Requiem: This was a great piece, I recognized a few of the themes from it, I guess it is a famous work!. The recording of SMP is awesome - part of a set of Karl Richter's old-school Sacred bach which i recently purchased.
Overall some great listening and not too heavy even for this time of day.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from yet another BIS set I bought last month for a first listen ...

[Mirror Image]

That's a favourite of mine - can't say I've never heard this described as lovely before though. I love the drama of the first movement, and the total opposite carefree whimsy of the final movement. In such a short work it manages to contain a microcosm of Arnold's personality, typified by that juxtaposition of contrasting seriousness against a total lack of it. It is also extremely English. 

How do you feel about Arnold's symphonies? Personally, I really enjoy them, especially Nos. 5 & 6.

[MN Dave]

Brand new. It sounds great and I like the cover.