What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Sergeant Rock]

I'll raise a glass to many years for you, Sarge!

Thank you, Karl.

Thread duty: Slow movement of Stenhammar's First is coming to a close...and there is the coolest brass chorale bursting out. It's almost a direct rip from the Bruckner Seventh Adagio. I love musical thieves 

Sarge

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Today my haul from Abeille came in, amongst it this recording, from the archives of Supraphon. I was eagerly awaiting it, since the Janacek's are one of my favourite Quartets, and I was curious how their Smetana, recorded in 1963 would sound. Well I can be short, fabulous, the best interpretation so far I heard of the two SQ, excellent intonation, warm blooded performance with some pretty amazing fiddling, especially in the Con moto movement of the first Quartet. But also some fine technique in the Allegro movement of the second Quartet, made me sit up in attention. Fine sound! Fiddlers of the old school, more and more I get a liking for it.
And as a surprise the second SQ from Vitezslav Novak, full blooded, innovative and with some marvellous string writing. Recorded in 1957 in mono, the sound can hold its ground, clean as a whistle, no compression, no distortion. Recommended.

[mahler10th]

Came this morning.  Hell, I'll be here for ages until it finishes...

[Karl Henning]

Don't just sit there, Johnnie: build a cathedral! ; )

[SonicMan46]

Schubert - Piano & Violin Sonatas (or vice versa) - just comparing the two that I own below - Manze has been a favorite and my only one for a while; just added the BRO bargain w/ Golub & Kaplan - probably will keep both since one is w/ fortepiano & the other a modern keyboard -

 

[Lisztianwagner]

Carl Nielsen
Symphony No.5

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[TheGSMoeller]

. [asin]B0037L0D9W[/asin]

I don't listen to much Mahler, and when I do it seems to be to some of the more unpopular choices for conductors, Norrington and Boulez. I find these two allow the notes to dictate the emotions without the melodrama. For example, faster tempi and without exaggerated ritardandos. Norrington's 19-minute finale of #9 offers an underlining sense of hope along with the sadness of fading. And a thrilling Rondo-Burleske reminds me of DSCH's #10s second movement, it drives and drives to it's intense final bars.

[nesf]

Eroica, I need something familiar and loved at the moment, tried something new (Elgar's Cello Concerto) and couldn't get into it at all.

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[Opus106]

tried something new (Elgar's Cello Concerto) and couldn't get into it at all.

Hmm....

(Just hmm...-ing.)

Thread duty: BWV 66 | Gardiner (Archiv)

This and BWV 6, the cantata which opens the disc, were both composed for the second day of Easter; but beyond that, I think it is a nice pairing in terms of the feelings that they convey.

[KeithW]

tried something new (Elgar's Cello Concerto) and couldn't get into it at all.

Persist - this was one of my earliest pieces - Du Pre and Barbirolli - bought when I was around 12 years old.  I still love it.

Thread duty: Takacs Quartet and Brahms

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[Opus106]

Thread duty: BWV 66 | Gardiner (Archiv)

This and BWV 6, the cantata which opens the disc, were both composed for the second day of Easter; but beyond that, I think it is a nice pairing in terms of the feelings that they convey.

What a beautiful duet with "opposing" lyrics going alongside each other, and the writing for the violin solo is simply delightful.

[madaboutmahler]

And as a surprise the second SQ from Vitezslav Novak, full blooded, innovative and with some marvellous string writing. Recorded in 1957 in mono, the sound can hold its ground, clean as a whistle, no compression, no distortion. Recommended.

Good evening, Harry! Always delighted when I see Novak come up in the listening thread. A composer I love very much who deserves to have far more recognition. He was only a recent discovery for me really, it was only a few months ago that I started listening to his music. Pieces I particularly adore are 'Lady Godiva', 'Toman and the Wood Nymph' and '8 Nocturnes for Soprano and Orchestra'. I shall be listening to the 'South Bohemian Suite' and 'De Profundis' very soon.

Eroica, I need something familiar and loved at the moment, tried something new (Elgar's Cello Concerto) and couldn't get into it at all.

The Elgar Cello Concerto is an absolute favourite of mine. Such a beautiful piece, hopefully you will come to like it in the future.

[listener]

HAYDN Symphonies  no.26 in d (Lamentation), 22 in E^b (Der Philosoph), 53 in D (L'Impériale)
Musici di San Marco        Alberto Lizzi
COPLAND    Short Symphony
                   Appalachian Spring
IVES      Symphony 3 "The Camp Meeting"
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra      Dennis Russell Davies

[nesf]

The Elgar Cello Concerto is an absolute favourite of mine. Such a beautiful piece, hopefully you will come to like it in the future.

Hmm....

(Just hmm...-ing.)

Persist - this was one of my earliest pieces - Du Pre and Barbirolli - bought when I was around 12 years old.  I still love it.

Oh persist I shall. It's got everything to do with my mood tonight and nothing to do with the music. Since I like my "moody" music I expect myself and Elgar to get on pretty well.



Thread duty:

Bruckner No. 4.

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[KeithW]

Continuing with Takacs - the Bartok cycle

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[Lisztianwagner]

Now, from Howard's Liszt series:
Wagner-Liszt Piano Transcriptions

Spinnerlied aus Der fliegende Holländer
Ballade aus Der fliegende Holländer
Ouvertüre zu R. Wagners Tannhäuser
Pilgerchor aus Tannhäuser
Zwei stücke aus Tannhäuser und Lohengrin (Arrival of the Guests at Wartburg/Elsas Brautzug zum Munster)
Isoldes Liebestod aus Tristan und Isolde
Walhall aus Der Ring des Nibelungen
Feierlicher Marsch zum heiligen Graal aus Parsifal

[Conor71]

Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 1 In C Minor Op. 4


I listened to some solo Piano music yesterday after spending the last few weeks listening to mainly Orchestral stuff and it did my spirit good so repeating the experience today.
Im not so familiar with the first Piano Sonata as I am with the last 2 but its still an interesting work - This set of Chopin's complete Piano Works is great and Magaloff's playing leaves nothing to be desired, definetely one of my best purchases of last year!.

[kishnevi]

. [asin]B0037L0D9W[/asin]

I don't listen to much Mahler, and when I do it seems to be to some of the more unpopular choices for conductors, Norrington and Boulez. I find these two allow the notes to dictate the emotions without the melodrama. For example, faster tempi and without exaggerated ritardandos. Norrington's 19-minute finale of #9 offers an underlining sense of hope along with the sadness of fading. And a thrilling Rondo-Burleske reminds me of DSCH's #10s second movement, it drives and drives to it's intense final bars.

I liked Norrington's Mahler (and Bruckner) with the exception of M2, which impressed me so badly I have to wonder if it was my mood that day or something. 

Speaking of Mahler, this arrived today and was immediately viewed/listened to:


Only obvious flaw was a tenor who seemed to be straining an awful lot; otherwise, everything was precisely what it should have been--except that somehow it didn't come off, and the final moments didn't have the grandeur or sublimity or something. One heard several hundred people singing, but not the stars and planets and universe resounding that Mahler wrote about. The DVD of M2 is much better--one of the best Resurrections I've heard.  But this one--not quite on target.   

Jens, I seem to remember you attended this concert, and had a good opinion of it?

[Todd]

[madaboutmahler]

A solo piano transcription to the first movement of Scheherezade. Performed by Rachmaninov.
I just searched Scheherezade on youtube for some quick listening as I am transcribing it for violin/piano for myself and Scarlet (my amazing duet-partner) to play, and this particular recording came up. Was so intreged that I have spent the last half-hour listening to it over and over again. How on earth is it possible for this to be transcribed for just ONE piano?!!

Such a fascinating document!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGf0xpcSpok

Ok, now for Gergiev's performance on youtube.