What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[North Star]

I think you getting the Bartok Boulez set is much more essential to you than me getting the Haitink Beethoven set. Don't you think? Plus, there's still music by Bartok that you haven't even heard yet, so this will be an essential acquisition for you. This said, I don't really need another Beethoven cycle really because I don't even listen to the ones I have.

I hope you're enjoying the Martinon Debussy performances. He's still, in my opinion, the top Debussy conductor. Boulez and Haitink are fine, but Martinon has that little extra bit of magic that keeps me coming back to his set. His Ravel is especially fine too. I own the EMI set where it collects both composers' orchestral works.

It's an outrage that EMI discontinued the Debussy/Ravel box. I have the EMI 2-fer of Ravel and Brilliant 4-Disc Debussy, and they're both superb in every way, as is the DG Boulez Bartok

[Mirror Image]

It's an outrage that EMI discontinued the Debussy/Ravel box. I have the EMI 2-fer of Ravel and Brilliant 4-Disc Debussy, and they're both superb in every way, as is the DG Boulez Bartok

Yeah, it's incredibly ridiculous that EMI continues to practice these poor marketing decisions, but that's just the way it is. What's even more ridiculous is when I asked EMI to replace the sixth disc of the Jansons Shostakovich set, they wouldn't honor their product and send me a replacement copy and they still continue to release this set with the defective CD. I hate this company like poision.

[nesf]

More Sibelius, he's suiting my mood. No. 2 this time.

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[Lethevich]

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Based on the first disc, I don't care much for Segerstam's orchestral style. The 11th symphony could not sustain my interest. The baritone part in No.14 was well-written and I enjoyed it more, though it was overly-long. His writing has moments of great power but is often just somewhere between terse and drab. His quartet on the other hand is much better, it begins with an almost orchestral mass of passive-aggressive musical lines (not outright attacking each other, but doing their best to wiggle out of each others way). The language is quite recognisable so far. Anyone who digs Penderecki, Schnittke, etc, will enjoy this. Less bleak and neurotic, but fun, strange, terse music. Mercurial, but without the associated elegance, brusque but honest. I hope more of his quartets get recorded.

Edit: pre-post proof-reading is for suckers

[listener]

a disc celebrating the National Symphony Orchestra's (Washington DC) 30th year
SMETANA The Moldau                     Hans Kindler, cond.
CRESTON   Symphony #2: Intermezzo and Dance     Howard Mitchell, cond.
WAGNER; Siegfried's Rhine Journey        Antal Dorati, cond.
TCHAIKOWSKY    Meditation     M. Rostropovich, cond.  Isaac  Stern, violin
then chamber music by KODALY:
Serenade for 2 violins and viola op.12
Intermezzo for string trio
Sonatina for Cello and Piano
Adagio for cello and piano
Capriccio for solo cello
Prelude and Fugue (BACH WTC 1:8 transcription) for cello and piano

[nesf]

My introduction to Bach's Organ Works from last year:

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Ton Koopman's full set of organ works is tempting.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Listening to The Fall of Berlin. Great stuff!

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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My favorite recording of Honegger's music. Jarvi and the Danish National Symphony seem like an odd match for this music, but they excel here. I wish Jarvi recorded all of Honegger's orchestral works.

[Sadko]

Verdi: La forza del destino

Price, Domingo, Milnes, Cossotto
LSO, Levine

[kishnevi]

First listen to this recording.

Excellent first three movements, and the fourth movement would be excellent if it weren't for the surprisingly loud and sustained burst of audience/stage noise part of the way into the Adagio.

BTW, the pose on this cover--it looks to me like Bernstein was imitating, if not parodying, one of Karajan's favorite cover poses, complete with blazer over sweater.   Anyone else see that?

[Bogey]

Quite good.  There are a few moments of less than perfect intonation, but then this is live.  I'd say the Columbia recording is better, but that's one of the very finest available.  Being an unabashed fan of the Budapest Quartet, I simply must have all of their LvB.

I picked up an lp of theirs last week.  They had two of them, but nothing in the "early".  The one I snapped up Op. 133 and Op. 135, No. 16.  Have not spun it yet.  It seems they cycled on vinylfrom reading the back of the lp.  I will report in the LvB SQ thread after a listen.  Be kind of cool to collect the cycle....nice 6 Eye set that would be.

[DavidW]

Bach Magnificat and Cantata 8 twice again:
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And then one of the desert islands Bernstein DG Mahler 5, boy can that Vienna Philharmonic play!!

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[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Such fantastic music. This was a great discovery of mine last year.

[Que]

Good morning



Wholemark of this set seems to use the various instrument settings that were customary at the time, so apart from harpsichord and organ, also strings (violin, alto, 2 viols) and harp. The harpsichord that Aymes plays, a copy after Ælpidio Gregori 1726/37, sounds particularly nice with that typical clear, slim toned piquant sound of an Italian harpsichord, but without the slight brittleness of the one on the Vartolo set.

Q

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Graceful, intimate, warm, life affirming music in excellent performances and sound. This series is a truly amazing journey through the mind of Haydn. Essential listening in my view.

Volume IV.
C major, E flat major, D minor. Hoboken XV, 21/22/23.

[Florestan]

Concerto for Fortepiano in D major Op. 13 No. 2 (with an Andante con spirito to die for)
Concerto for Fortepiano  in E-flat major Op. 14 "Bailleux" (with an Andantino to die for)

[springrite]

BTW, the pose on this cover--it looks to me like Bernstein was imitating, if not parodying, one of Karajan's favorite cover poses, complete with blazer over sweater.   Anyone else see that?

Surely he is doing that. But for a more effective parody, Lenny needs to look far more pretentious.


Now listening (tonight's Scandinavian night):

Sallinen: The King Goes Forth to France
Kullervo
String Quartets
Songs of Life and Death
Saariaho: Du Cristal .... a la Fumee

[mc ukrneal]

Listening to the Tausch (and Sussmayr) Clarinet Concertos on Hyperion again. Really not a huge fan of clarinet, but these are very nice pieces. The sound of the instruments is warm and in firm control (meaning technically - no overblowing). Brings a real smile to my face as I listen (and quite soothing surprisingly). For those looking for something new at the turn of the 19th century, this should get strong consideration for sure (and would top off an order at Abeille if you need to add something for shipping purposes ). 
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[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Listening to the Tausch (and Sussmayr) Clarinet Concertos on Hyperion again. Really not a huge fan of clarinet, but these are very nice pieces. The sound of the instruments is warm and in firm control (meaning technically - no overblowing). Brings a real smile to my face as I listen (and quite soothing surprisingly). For those looking for something new at the turn of the 19th century, this should get strong consideration for sure (and would top off an order at Abeille if you need to add something for shipping purposes ). 
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A wonderful disc indeed, very cheap at Abeille's

[listener]

CHERUBINI:  Credo for 8 voices;  Motet "Nemo Gaudeat"; Madrigal "Ninfa crudel" ; Antiphon on a canto fermo ottavo tono for 6 voices
RAI Chorus, Nino Antonellini, cond.
The Credo lasts 26:57, and does not appear to be intended for part of a mass.  The notes admit it is vast and complex, and offer no further help.