What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

I like the piece even better than Fabricius, MI.  Probably prefer the piano solo version, though the orchestral version is certainly pleasant, atmospheric & colorful.  And again, it's curious that the piano solo version runs almost ten minutes longer, but does not seem at all 'too slow'.

[Todd]

   



Two outstanding new piano discs.

Nelson Freire's Liszt is one of the better Liszt recital discs to come along in a while, at least for me.  Largely avoiding more conventional virtuosic pieces, Freire instead plays gems like the Consolations, Harmonies du soir, and other tasty items.  To be sure, the third Hungarian Rhapsody has its moments, as do other pieces, and when Freire has to, he plays with effortless virtuosity that isn't at all flashy but is nonetheless ear tickling.  But most of the time his playing is gentler, more nuanced, and more beautiful.  Aided by some of the finest recorded sound I've heard, this is one his best discs and one of the best discs of the year.

Herbert Schuch's latest is at the same high level, except when it comes to sound.  The first disc of the twofer is given over entirely to Schumann.  It opens with a "reconstructed" Sehnsuchtswalzer Variationen, based on a theme of Schubert, which is notable for having the same opening as Carnaval.  It's an interesting if not great work, but Schuch plays beautifully.  Next is Papillons, and it's the best new recording I've heard since, well, since Nelson Freire's recording.  Energetic, nuanced, playful, colorful, it's got it all.  Ditto the Op 4 Intermezzos.  The big work here is Carnaval, and it's a doozy.  Schuch masters the alternating musical personalities, and the march is as vital as any I've heard.  He includes the Sphinxes movement, which he plays as an antecedent to Helmut Lachenmann's Guero, which he recorded previously, and the hyper-modern sound is perhaps a bit out of place.  Or perhaps not.  Indeed, he plays a couple pieces in a "modern" fashion as opposed to a romantic fashion.  I think that's part of what makes it successful.  The second disc is brief and contains tasty bon-bons.  A set of variations by Czerny (titled Sehnsuchtswalzer – I see a connection), a group of dances by Schubert, and finally the Invitation to the Dance by Weber.  All are superbly played.  Everything is.  Only a slightly metallic sound mars things at all.  Another purchase of the year.  Schuch has not yet let me down.  I can't wait to hear what's next from him.

[karlhenning]

First Listen to this recording:

Liszt
Années de pèlerinage — Deuxième année: Italie, S.161
Louis Lortie

(And my Dover score to these has just landed!)

[asin]B004LHOZZO[/asin]

[kishnevi]

First Listen to this recording:

Liszt
Années de pèlerinage — Deuxième année: Italie, S.161
Louis Lortie

(And my Dover score to these has just landed!)

[asin]B004LHOZZO[/asin]

Quelle coincidence!  I was giving that whole recording my first run through this morning, as well.  But since I'm not really familiar with the Annees as a whole,  I'm not going to pretend to give an informed opinion.   (Uninformed opinion--I'm glad I got it, and it will bear continued rehearings.)

[Mn Dave]

Now:
[asin]B000002S5A[/asin]

[Opus106]

The album cover thing doesn't work properly with the MP3's ASIN, Dave.

[Mn Dave]

The album cover thing doesn't work properly with the MP3's ASIN, Dave.

Oh, is that what it is? Thanks for the tip.

[Opus106]

Oh, is that what it is? Thanks for the tip.

You're welcome.

I'll take your lead and listen to some Scarlatti as well (haven't done that in a long time).

[asin]B000026M87[/asin]

[bhodges]

Tristan Perich (of 1-bit Symphony fame). He's a cross between Reich, Riley and a SID chip, often venturing into sound art (or whatever it's called). Currently listening to All Possible Paths (mp3).

Nice to see someone else listening to Perich! I have the 1-Bit Symphony (in its beautiful packaging) - an oddly endearing piece.

--Bruce

[Mn Dave]

LvB #6
[asin]B0029LJ9IM[/asin]

[listener]

MOZART  Clarinet Concerto   - Jack Brymer
               Bassoon Concerto  - Gwydion Brooke
Royal Philarmonic Orch.     Sir Thomas Beecham, cond.
Might be over-creamy smooth for some, but just right fr me today.
COPLAND   Piano Concerto                  MENOTTI  Piano Concerto in F
Earl Wild, piano              Symphony of the Air
Copland cond. Copland,  Jorge Mester cond. the Menotti
TCHAIKOVSKY   Piano Pieces op. 72     Viktoria Postnikova, piano
Delightful, often overlooked collection of 18 pieces.  It includes several "genre" pieces and tributes to Schumann and Chopin.    Beautiful playing.

[karlhenning]

Another First Listen™!

Busoni
Piano Concerto in C, Opus 39 [BV 247] (1902-04)
Marc-André Hamelin, pf
CBSO
Men's Voices of the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
Mark Elder

[asin]B000038I6D[/asin]

[Antoine Marchand]

This beautiful disc:

[Mn Dave]

LvB Sym 5
See my previous image.

[karlhenning]

Good name for a band, Dave's Previous Image . . . .

[Mn Dave]

Good name for a band, Dave's Previous Image . . . .

Good name for a prog band, you mean. 

[karlhenning]

Nah, could go Indie, too.

[Mn Dave]

Nah, could go Indie, too.

Yeah, those indie band names suck.

[Mirror Image]

I like the piece even better than Fabricius, MI.  Probably prefer the piano solo version, though the orchestral version is certainly pleasant, atmospheric & colorful.  And again, it's curious that the piano solo version runs almost ten minutes longer, but does not seem at all 'too slow'.

The Persian Hours has many wonderful moments and some of these moments are so subtle that you have to really pay attention you will completely miss a texture, but that's the great thing I have found with Koechlin, or any composer I enjoy, the more I go back to their music and I catch things I've never heard before. I don't know if I like The Persian Hours better than Le Docteur Fabricius, but it sure is work I enjoy immensely.

[Mn Dave]

Now:
[asin]B00004WMWV[/asin]