What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

Yeah, I just got bored with the first symphony last night. It was really late too, so I needed something to perk me up and Villa-Lobos hit the spot. I have re-listened to Holmboe's Symphony No. 5, which a member here Jowol (? I think that's his name) loved and I was quite disappointed. Perhaps Holmboe isn't for me? I'll return to him someday, but not any time soon.

Mon ami, be at liberty to revisit Holmboe if/when you please! I should only suggest that late in the day, when you're tired, may not be the best time, either for you or for the composer, that you essay an inaugural listen.

Hey! Maybe you should try the quartets first? . . .

[DavidRoss]

Gotta get cracking today, thus time for some Mendelssohn 4th!



Say, Karl--whom are you quoting in your signature?  (Newbies might not recognize the irony    )  And I succumbed to the lure of Android over the weekend.  Maybe I've been seduced (at least after I studied the manual enough to sort out the OS to my liking...less immediately intuitive than I'd prefer), but I think I've finally found a cell phone where all the bells and whistles are more than just annoying distractions interfering with its proper use as a phone!

[Mirror Image]

Mon ami, be at liberty to revisit Holmboe if/when you please! I should only suggest that late in the day, when you're tired, may not be the best time, either for you or for the composer, that you essay an inaugural listen.

Hey! Maybe you should try the quartets first? . . .

Yes, I suppose you are right, but as I may have told you before (or not), that I have listened to Holmboe for a year or so and I'm still not feeling the music at all.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Listening to a riveting account of The Miraculous Mandarin. Rattle knows this music well and conducts with total authority.

P.S. It still doesn't best Dohnanyi's account with the Vienna Philharmonic. The percussion is what sets this performance over the edge into total musical bliss.

[listener]

Sir Arthur SULLIVAN Macbeth Overture; Cello Concerto; Te Deum
BBC Symphony Orch., Mackerras cond.     Te Deum: BBC Concert Orch.  Corp, cond.
Paul Watkins, cello
live recordings.   The cello concerto is lovely.
The discs that come with magazines are often real treasures.
DEBUSSY: 6 Épigraphes Antiques, Petite Suite, Mache Écossaise - piano 4-hands
Lindaraja, En Blanc et Noir  - 2 pianos
RAVEL: Ma mère l'oye   piano 4-hands
Sites auriculaires - 2 pianos;  Frontispiece - 2pianos 5-hands
Jean-Philippe Collard, Michel Béroff (+Katia Labèque)

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Listening to Riverrun and it's a very interesting symphony to say the least. It's a shame Albert died so young. Who knows what direction his music would have gone in?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Yes, I suppose you are right, but as I may have told you before (or not), that I have listened to Holmboe for a year or so and I'm still not feeling the music at all.

The first time I 'felt' Holmboe's music was with his Symphony No. 7. Because of a recent Holmboe love fest here, I downloaded Symphony No. 10, which I'll listen to when I'm in the mood... But I must say - I have had my difficulties, too. And I'm still not quite sure I'll ever like him as much as, say, RVW, Nielsen, or even Simpson.

[CD]

Speaking of Simpson...

[Sergeant Rock]

Vaughan Williams, A Pastoral Symphony, Boult, LPO




Sarge

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Speaking of Simpson...

Excellent works, both!

[Mirror Image]

The first time I 'felt' Holmboe's music was with his Symphony No. 7. Because of a recent Holmboe love fest here, I downloaded Symphony No. 10, which I'll listen to when I'm in the mood... But I must say - I have had my difficulties, too. And I'm still not quite sure I'll ever like him as much as, say, RVW, Nielsen, or even Simpson.

Well as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm not going to be revisiting Holmboe anytime soon. There's so much out there that I need to hear and also also revisit. Funny you mention Simpson because I was thinking the other day that I need to give his symphonies another spin. I don't recall being too impressed with his music either, but I need revisit the music. I guess the thing that I don't like about someone like Holmboe or Simpson is there's really nothing that jumps out at you and the music is like a labyrinth, but not in a mysteriously cool Berg way, but more like I'm completely lost from beginning to end. There just doesn't seem to be much to latch onto. This, of course, are just my observations.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Well as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm not going to be revisiting Holmboe anytime soon. There's so much out there that I need to hear and also also revisit. Funny you mention Simpson because I was thinking the other day that I need to give his symphonies another spin. I don't recall being too impressed with his music either, but I need revisit the music. I guess the thing that I don't like about someone like Holmboe or Simpson is there's really nothing that jumps out at you and the music is like a labyrinth, but not in a mysteriously cool Berg way, but more like I'm completely lost from beginning to end. There just doesn't seem to be much to latch onto. This, of course, are just my observations.

Well, both composers are rather dispassionate and very much preoccupied with process, more than expression. Perhaps that is what thwarts your attempts to connect with them. There isn't much softness or Eros there, either. In Simpson there is great intensity, but it isn't of a personal nature. If you're looking for that, you will be disappointed. I must admit, I like my own composers a bit less abstract, too.

[Drasko]

[CD]

Well, both composers are rather dispassionate and very much preoccupied with process, more than expression. Perhaps that is what thwarts your attempts to connect with them. There isn't much softness or Eros there, either. In Simpson there is great intensity, but it isn't of a personal nature. If you're looking for that, you will be disappointed. I must admit, I like my own composers a bit less abstract, too.

I like to think of etchings or line drawings in contradistinction to layers of paint or watercolors.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I like to think of etchings or line drawings in contradistinction to layers of paint or watercolors.

Not a bad analogy, but more applicable to Holmboe than Simpson, I think. A symphony like the latter's Ninth is so massive, 'etchings or line drawings' is just too small...

[The new erato]

Afine disc, interesting music, giveaway price.

[Mirror Image]

Well, both composers are rather dispassionate and very much preoccupied with process, more than expression. Perhaps that is what thwarts your attempts to connect with them. There isn't much softness or Eros there, either. In Simpson there is great intensity, but it isn't of a personal nature. If you're looking for that, you will be disappointed. I must admit, I like my own composers a bit less abstract, too.

Yes, I guess I'm looking for personal expression rather than someone who views music as some kind of process. Speaking of musical expression, now playing:

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Listening to the magnificent Ma Vlast. I believe this is my favorite recording of it with Kubelik.

[CD]

First listen: Disc two of this set (piano sonatas 5-10):



Moving away from the lush romantic works and more into the superheated mystical late works. I feel like I can stay here.

[Mirror Image]

Afine disc, interesting music, giveaway price.

Schreker is a very interesting composer. The Chamber Symphony is a wonderful work.

Now playing:

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Next up:

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[Conor71]

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1, Overtures
Dvorak: String Quartets Nos. 6 & 7