What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Leon]

Well having been a member of this forum for many years, using the term 'greatest' can be fightin' words - just saying! 

Noted.  However, the claim I was responding to was, in fact, that the Villa-Lobos string quartets were the "greatest" of the 20th century.  I think it is a claim that can be defeated by simply looking to see which quartets have been given the most attention by major ensembles and both the Bartok and Shostakovich quartets have been recorded many times more often than the V-L quartets (as good as they are).

[Karl Henning]

Symphony № 6, « Sinfonia semplice » FS116
Danish National Symphony
Michael Schønwandt

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[Mirror Image]

Noted.  However, the claim I was responding to was, in fact, that the Villa-Lobos string quartets were the "greatest" of the 20th century.  I think it is a claim that can be defeated by simply looking to see which quartets have been given the most attention by major ensembles and both the Bartok and Shostakovich quartets have been recorded many times more often than the V-L quartets (as good as they are).

I think it's fair to say that the VL SQs are one of the greatest SQ cycles of the 20th Century.

[Lisztianwagner]

Yes, Ilaria, Neumann was great in this music. Thankfully, there are several good Martinu conductors still floating like Belohlavek and Walter Weller. They're still carrying the torch.

Agreed; I haven't listened to Weller's recordings yet, but Belohlavek is an excellent Martinu conductor (his version of the Piano Concertos with Leichner is outstanding), and so is also Neeme Järvi.

[The new erato]

Absolutely overwhelming in all ways imaginable:

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[KeithW]

Absolutely overwhelming in all ways imaginable:

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Looking forward to it - this was in the big pile of things that I received yesterday.  There are some good prices at Amazon MP for those interested.

Now:

Richard Strauss / Piano Sonata in B minor / Glenn Gould

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[madaboutmahler]

Now:

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Harmonielehre

Such a great work!
Listening to this performance at the suggestion of John, it is certainly an excellent performance so far! Great playing. The middle section of the first movement was very beautifully played!

Edit: On listening to this again, I appreciate even more the beauty of the piece. What astonishing sound worlds in the second movement. Hauntingly beautiful.

This is certainly a favourite of mine!

[listener]

finishing the box:
BRAHMS    Symphonies 1 & 3,   Haydn Variations
Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra
DVORAK  Overtures - opp. 91,92,93 In  Nature's Realm, Carnival, Othello
Slavonic Rhapsosy op. 45/2
Vienna State Opera Orch.     / Laszlo Somogyi

[DieNacht]

May I ask, how is the Somogyi/Dvorak ? It´s a bit strange how this conductor seems so ignored by CD-reissues, in spite of belonging to the often lively Westminster label production ...

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Harmonielehre

Such a great work!
Listening to this performance at the suggestion of John, it is certainly an excellent performance so far! Great playing. The middle section of the first movement was very beautifully played!

Edit: On listening to this again, I appreciate even more the beauty of the piece. What astonishing sound worlds in the second movement. Hauntingly beautiful.

This is certainly a favourite of mine!

Glad you enjoyed it, Daniel. As you can see on Amazon, this recording is pretty hard to get ahold of but I was lucky enough to snatch one up for a good price almost a year ago.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Listening to Symphony No. 6.

[madaboutmahler]

Glad you enjoyed it, Daniel. As you can see on Amazon, this recording is pretty hard to get ahold of but I was lucky enough to snatch one up for a good price almost a year ago.

Thanks, John. I really do appreciate you finding the performance for me!
Yes. I really really am very keen to get the MTT recording. Hopefully it might decrease in price just a little!

[Mirror Image]

Thanks, John. I really do appreciate you finding the performance for me!
Yes. I really really am very keen to get the MTT recording. Hopefully it might decrease in price just a little!

It's an expensive recording, but it's worth every penny.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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Listening to the Piano Concerto.

[johnshade]

KeithW

Richard Strauss / Piano Sonata in B minor / Glenn Gould

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GG wrote that Richard Strauss was the greatest musician of the 20th century. He use to have great fun playing transcriptions of passages from the operas.

[Gold Knight]

On Spotify:

Gustav Mahler--Symphony No.9, featuring the New York Philharmonic led by Alan Gilbert.
Samuel Barber--Symphony No.1, Op.9 and Symphony No.2, Op.19, performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop.

[Cato]

CD #7 - The Impromptus and Poems!    0:)

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[Leon]

CD #7 - The Impromptus and Poems!    0:)

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I found this box on Spotify so I will join the fun tonight.  What I have in my personal collection are Ruth Laredo and Vladimir Ashkenazy.

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It will nice to hear a newer recording and the other works besides the sonatas.

[madaboutmahler]

Now, listening to a favourite:

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Symphony no.4

Just love it!

[listener]

May I ask, how is the Somogyi/Dvorak ? It´s a bit strange how this conductor seems so ignored by CD-reissues, in spite of belonging to the often lively Westminster label production ...

This disc was avalable on cd as MCA MCAD 80098
Quite acceptable, and when issued on lp it was a good way to hear these pieces.  Now after many years I rather like the sound of the Czech winds on Supraphon.  The set of the 3 overtures fits together quite nicely, the love/nature theme shows up as the romantic theme in Otello.
Westminster was an interesting label with its American and European sourcing (French particularly).