What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[SonicMan46]

Bunch of 'new' CDs but no time - fortunately have a long weekend coming up! 

Mozart, WA - Clarinet Works w/ Wolfgang Meyer on a basset clarinet (copy from Rudolf Tutz, Innsbruck), Patrick Cohen on a fortepiano (Anton Walter, Vienna 1790) + the Quatuor Mosaiques - wonderful bargain from BRO (Berkshire Record Outlet) -   

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD12 - Bach Cello Suites from this set for a first listen ...

[Sid]

Benjamin Lees
String Quartets 1, 5, 6
Cypress String Quartet
Naxos

Basically I think that this is quite conservative music but well written. The 1st quartet is from 1952 whilst the other two are from 2002 & 2006. The sleeve notes say Lees was particularly inspired by Britten & Shostakovich, but I also think that he is close to the neo-Romantics like Walton & Barber. There is much contrast here, and a kind of Lisztian or Wagnerian sense of thematic development, Lees seems to start off with a 'leading motif' which is constantly being transformed throughout the work. He also splits up the quartet between the 2 violins on the one hand, and the viola and cello on the other. Often there is a contrast between the different instruments highest and lowest registers. Carter also did this in some of his string quartets, but Lees "take" on this technique is more listenable, if not quite as edge of your seat compelling. Lees' juxtaposition of various moods and textures are said to come from his interest in Cubist and Surrealist art. I think that keeping this in mind when listening is quite interesting. I particularly like the second movement of the 5th quartet, marked arioso. The violins sing like birds at a very high register, which gets higher and higher, while the cello and viola interject with comparatively menacing sounds. Messiaen comes to mind here, but unlike him I don't think that Lees was literally transcribing birdsong. This 5th quartet is the most immediately appealing on the disc, it "was chosen by Chamber Music America as one of its 101 Great Ensemble Works."

[SonicMan46]

Now playing CD12 - Bach Cello Suites from this set for a first listen ...

Stuart - we have a whole thread on these works!    There is HEATED debate there, so you must mention 'who' is playing the Suites in this box?  Plus, I can't remember if you've visited this thread?  There are so many different options, opinions, debates, etc. - Dave 

[Bogey]

Nocturnes 1-5

[Lethevich]

Symphony No.4 and various suites.



Edit: Ugh he is a dreadful symphonist. The third is fine, but that seems to be a one-off. The concerto and other works are great though.

[PaulSC]

Stuart - we have a whole thread on these works!    There is HEATED debate there, so you must mention 'who' is playing the Suites in this box?  Plus, I can't remember if you've visited this thread?  There are so many different options, opinions, debates, etc. - Dave 

1-2 Bach Brandenburg Concertos La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken
3 Bach Overtures Collegium Aureum, F. Maier, H.-M. Linde
4 Bach Musical Offering Ensemble Sigiswald Kuijken, G. Leonhardt
5 Bach Great Organ Works Gustav Leonhardt
6 Bach The Art of Fugue Berliner Bach Akademie
7 Bach Goldberg Variations Gustav Leonhardt
8 Bach Inventions and Sinfonias Gustav Leonhardt
9 Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier Gustav Leonhardt
10 Bach Works for Lute Julian Bream, George Malcolm
11 Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin Rudolf Gähler
12-13 Bach Cello Suites Guido Schiefen
14 Bach Motets Cantus Cölln
15 Bach Sacred Cantatas Max van Egmond, Frans Brüggen
16 Bach Secular Cantatas Collegium Aureum, Reinhard Peters
17 Bach Christmas Oratorio Gächinger Kantorei, Bach Collegium Stuttgart
18-19 Bach St. John Passion, Bach-Ensemble der St. Matthew Passion EuropaChorAkademie, J. Daus
20-21 Bach Mass in B minor Balthasar-Neumann-Chor, Freiburger Barockorchester, Thomas Hengelbrock
22 Bach / Magnificat/ Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Vivaldi Beatus Vir Gloria Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling
23 Buxtehude Organ Works Rainer Oster
24 Corelli 6 Concerti grossi Tafelmusik, Jeanne Lamon
25 Corelli Sonatas Op. 5 ("La Follia") Frans Brüggen, Anner Bylsma, G. Leonhardt
26 Couperin Concerts Royaux Ensemble Sigiswald Kuijken
27 Frescobaldi Fiori Musicali Canticum, Christoph Erkens
28 Fux Requiem Clemencic Consort, Rene Clemencic
29 Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks, Orchestre de Chambre Water Musik Jean-François Paillard
30 Handel Organ Concertos Op. 4 Collegium Aureum, Rudolf Ewerhart
31 Handel Concertos M. Messiter, London Festival Orchestra, R. Pople
32 Handel Te Deum, Chandos Anthem "Let God Arise" Vocalsolisten Frankfurt
33 Handel Messiah The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy
34 Handel "Rinaldo", "Alessandro" La Grande Écurie et La Chambre du Roy, J.-C. Malgoire, La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken
35-36 Handel "Julio Cesare", "Tamerlano", J. Malafronte, N. Treigle, "Serse" R. Jacobs, N. McGegan
37-38 Lully Ballet Le Bourgeois Gentil- Capriccio Stravagante, homme, Divertissements Skip Sempé, La Petite Bande
39 Monteverdi/ Vespro della Beata Vergine / La Grande Écurie et Charpentier Te Deum La Chambre du Roy, Jean-Claude Malgoire
40 Pergolesi Stabat Mater Wolfgang Gröhs, Stefanie Kopinits, Gabriella Bessenyei, Europa Symphony
41 Pergolesi La serva padrona Collegium Aureum
42 Purcell / Locke Anthems and Hymns David Cordier, Gustav Leonhardt, Harry van der Kamp
43 Purcell "Dido and Aeneas", "The Fairy Queen", "King Arthur" Tafelmusik, Jeanne Lamon
44 Rameau Suites from "Les Indes Galantes", "Pygmalion", Collegium Aureum, La Petite Bande, "Zoroastre" G. Leonhardt
45 A. Scarlatti Duet Cantatas Dominique Labelle, Christine Brandes
46 D. Scarlatti Sonatas "Pour le Clavecin" Andreas Staier
47 Schütz Psalms of David Musica Fiata Köln, Frieder Bernius
48 Schütz Symphoniae Sacrae II Musica Fiata Köln, La Capella Ducale
49 Telemann Suite "Don Quichotte" a.o. Cis Collegium Mozarteum, J. Geise
50 Telemann Concertos from "Tafelmusik" Collegium Aureum
51-52 Vivaldi L'Estro Armonico St. Petersburg Soloists, Michail Gantvarg
53 Vivaldi Le Quattro Stagioni, Ensemble Sigiswald Kuijken, Concertos for Oboe La Petite Bande
54 Vivaldi Concertos for Violin Pinchas Zukerman
55 Vivaldi 6 Concertos James Galway, I Solisti Veneti
56 Froberger/Kerll/ Organ Works Pachelbel Gustav Leonhardt
57 Bach/Handel Choruses Mormon Tabernacle Choir
58 Carissimi/ Jephte/ D. Scarlatti/Vivaldi Stabat Mater Cantus Cölln, Konrad Junghänel
59 (Anon.) Missa Salisburgensis, Hymnus "Plaudite Tympana" Escolania de Montserrat
60 Pachelbel/Albinoni and others Barock Highlights Ramón Vargas, The Harp Consort, Andrew Lawrence-King u.a.
61 English and German e-booklet (pdf) with comments

[Que]

Following Harry's example with the seventh and final disc of this set.

[asin]B003UW6WEI[/asin]

Q

[Bulldog]

1-2 Bach Brandenburg Concertos La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken
3 Bach Overtures Collegium Aureum, F. Maier, H.-M. Linde
4 Bach Musical Offering Ensemble Sigiswald Kuijken, G. Leonhardt
5 Bach Great Organ Works Gustav Leonhardt
6 Bach The Art of Fugue Berliner Bach Akademie
7 Bach Goldberg Variations Gustav Leonhardt
8 Bach Inventions and Sinfonias Gustav Leonhardt
9 Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier Gustav Leonhardt
10 Bach Works for Lute Julian Bream, George Malcolm
11 Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin Rudolf Gähler
12-13 Bach Cello Suites Guido Schiefen

Guido is quite a choice.  I don't think I've ever heard a more coarse set of performances.

[Harry]

I will play both CD'S of this set today. As fine a journey through centuries of culture, as any of the sets Savall has compiled over the years. This is a very colourful expedition with at every corner a musical surprise. I urge to take a peak into the kitchen of Jordi Savall and companions, you might find it extremely interesting.


[asin]B001GAQR50[/asin]

[Harry]

Guido is quite a choice.  I don't think I've ever heard a more coarse set of performances.

This box is a mixed blessing, many good recordings, but also not that good. To many excerpts instead of the complete compositionS. That kept me away from it.
I think the DHM Baroque box is a far better option.

[jlaurson]

J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750),
Cantatas v.11
J.E.Gardiner / EBO
SDG


2nd disc... no wobble-problems so far. :-)

[mc ukrneal]

I haven't listened to this one in a while - Tomasek Piano Concertos. Jan Simon the pianist with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Valek. Thoroughly wonderful stuff.
[asin]B000FWHTAM[/asin]

[Harry]

I haven't listened to this one in a while - Tomasek Piano Concertos. Jan Simon the pianist with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Valek. Thoroughly wonderful stuff.
[asin]B000FWHTAM[/asin]

I looked for it at Abeille but could not find it for a good price, so I will be patient. But then I found many Supraphon bargains.

[mc ukrneal]

I looked for it at Abeille but could not find it for a good price, so I will be patient. But then I found many Supraphon bargains.

No rush! (yet)      

[mc ukrneal]

Now listening to Thomas' Mignon. Such an under-rated piece. I really enjoy the sound world here. This is the one with Almeida conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra and has Horne, Welting, Vanzo, Zaccaria, and von Stade singing. So many wonderful tunes and all of it played/sung well throughout. I post the two different incarnations of it (the pink one being the more recent release).

[Bogey]

Thanks again, George.

[Harry]

Leo Weiner is getting under my skin more and more. His sound world has something magical old times over it, or at least a crossing over from the old to the new times, but with many lingering remnants of the past. That transition period is much to my liking. It is also well played and recorded.


Violin Sonatas No. 1 and 2.
Pereg recruiting dance.
Wedding dance.
Three Hungarian folk dances.
Twenty little easy pieces.

[asin]B002B4TFTK[/asin]

[springrite]

Now listening to Thomas' Mignon. Such an under-rated piece. I really enjoy the sound world here. This is the one with Almeida conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra and has Horne, Welting, Vanzo, Zaccaria, and von Stade singing. So many wonderful tunes and all of it played/sung well throughout. I post the two different incarnations of it (the pink one being the more recent release).

Enticing! I have neen thinking about getting this work for more than a decade but my move back to China put a stop to it, for now. I may try to get it now...

Now listening:

Haydn Symphonies (The Bear and The Philosopher), Salonen

I love Salonen in 20th century works AND Haydn!

[Brahmsian]

Schubert

Symphony No. 4 in C minor,  D417 "Tragic"
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D485

Wiener Philharmoniker
Istvan Kertesz
Decca

So beautiful.  I just love the Andante to the 4th Symphony so much.