What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Florestan]

Hmmm.... where's the volin, I wonder... and the bow... 

[Harry]

Hmmm.... where's the volin, I wonder... and the bow... 

She doesn't need them, she is convincing on her own merit.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have always admired Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem (although Britten isn't (yet) one of my favourite composers) - a dark and powerful work, in which influences of Mahler and Shostakovich appear perfectly assimilated. Elgar's In the South starts out as an English Don Juan (Strauss) but becomes very Elgarian soon after. Marvellous work. I like Barbirolli's performances - grand in the Britten, fiery in the Elgar. [Haven't listened to the Young Person's Guide, nor to the Partita.]

[Harry]

Got this as many on GMG as a gift from JPC, and the content does not disappoint at all. A firm admirer I am of his Symphonies, these Concert Overtures are as convincing. I love them, and into the deal the excellent recording and performance, its a welcome present any time.

[Florestan]

She doesn't need them, she is convincing on her own merit.

Yep... after all it's a digit-al recording... 

[Harry]

A recording I was very excited to get, for it contains the World premières of Foerster's Violin Concertos. I never heard them before, and they are marvellous, every bit as I expected it to be, after listening to his Symphonies. Passionate, with beautiful melodies. Although the playing of the violinist is a bit cool and distanced, the performance in itself is more than laudable. Excellent accompanied by the BBC SO.


[asin]B001AYAL2M[/asin]

[mc ukrneal]

A recording I was very excited to get, for it contains the World premières of Foerster's Violin Concertos. I never heard them before, and they are marvellous, every bit as I expected it to be, after listening to his Symphonies. Passionate, with beautiful melodies. Although the playing of the violinist is a bit cool and distanced, the performance in itself is more than laudable. Excellent accompanied by the BBC SO.


[asin]B001AYAL2M[/asin]

I have had the symphonies from MDG on my wishlist, but do you think these make a better starting place? Or stick with the symphonies first?

[Harry]

I have had the symphonies from MDG on my wishlist, but do you think these make a better starting place? Or stick with the symphonies first?

That posses to be a bit of a problem. I have the first two volumes of the MDG recordings, but I did not buy the third one. It is not that well played by a orchestra that is a times at a total loss what and how to play. Tempi are often too slow, and the recordings are so so. Diffuse often, missing details all over the place, no, I could not really recommend them, but since those are the only modern recordings available apart from the MP performances which I prefer above the MDG, there is not really a choice, if you want to have the Symphonies. So, are the Violin concertos a better place to start? Yes, I think so, it is well recorded, and performed, live recordings, but no audience noise, and it gives you all the orchestral details so important with Foerster.

[Harry]

All composers on this disc, apart from CEF Weyse and JPE Hartmann were unknown to me, like August Enna, Poul Schierbeck, Louis Glass, Finn Hoffding. But the music is beautiful, well performed and recorded.
Its always exciting to discover unknown works.

Odense SO, Ole Schmidt.


[asin] B000CNF550[/asin]

[Harry]

From this box CD I. Complete Works for Violin and Piano.

Elegy for Violin and Piano.
Concerto for Violin and Piano.
Sonata in C major for Violin and Piano.

Wonderful performances, maybe a bit too much echo in the recording, but that is compensated by the fine interpretations.


[asin] B001AYAL22[/asin]

[Florestan]

Robert Schumann

Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major op. 38 "Spring"

Riccardo Muti / Philharmonia Orchestra

[mahler10th]

BARTOK
Violin Concerto 2
Dudamel
LAPO
Leila Josefowicz, violin

What a carry on.  Severe violin virtuosity a necessary pre-requisite before attempting to play.  It is here with Josefowicz.  I do not hear her 'playing the violin'.  Rather, she performs the piece with the same sort of intense brutality that Dudamel calls from the Orchestra.

This is not a piece I have heard before, and I feel I must get a commercial version which has the same level brilliance.  Any ideas?   

[Florestan]

Niels Gade

Symphony No. 1 op. 5

Christopher Hogwood / Danish NSO

[Sergeant Rock]

BARTOK
Violin Concerto 2
Dudamel
LAPO
Leila Josefowicz, violin

What a carry on.  Severe violin virtuosity a necessary pre-requisite before attempting to play.  It is here with Josefowicz.  I do not hear her 'playing the violin'.  Rather, she performs the piece with the same sort of intense brutality that Dudamel calls from the Orchestra.

This is not a piece I have heard before, and I feel I must get a commercial version which has the same level brilliance.  Any ideas?   

Chung/Solti

Sarge

[Florestan]

[asin]B0000016C7[/asin]

My favourite Swedish composer in one of his best works. 

[Harry]

[asin]B0000016C7[/asin]

My favourite Swedish composer in one of his best works. 

That is indeed a nice recording Andrei, I has it almost for aeons.

[Harry]

Again from Supraphon a vintage recordings box from the analogue times. Recordings date from 1973.
CD II.

Waltzes, opus 54.
Eclogues, opus 56.
Moderato in A major.
Album Leaves sine op.
Piano Pieces, opus 52.

Apart from the fact that this must be the best played recording of Dvorak's piano music, there is also another quality in this performance which endears it to me instantaneously. and that is the playing of the old school, from bygone times. The lyricism with which Kvapil plays is nothing short than amazing, and I am drawn to it unavoidably, over and over again. It doesn't matter if you have already piano music played by somebody else, this is essential for your collection. Strongly recommended!


[asin]B0036V4DJE[/asin]

[PaulR]

[asin][B003DQWPB0[/asin]
Well recorded for the most part.  The basses are balanced well with the piano.  I'm not familiar with works, but techinically, the sound impressive.  Musically, on the other hand, is less impressive.

[Sergeant Rock]

Bruckner, Symphony #5, Maazel conducting the SOBR




Sarge

[Opus106]

http://www.youtube.com/v/Y0RZfgsCes0

Gabriel Fauré / André Messager - Souvenirs de Bayreuth: Quadrille on themes from Wagner's Ring

I don't recognise most of the tunes, although Wagner played this way in general along with the picture conveys some of the humour.