What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Sergeant Rock]

Shostakovich Symphony #6 B minor, Oleg Caetani conducting the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi




Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

That's a great cover! I'd buy it just of that    (although I am apparently one of the few who actually likes the music too).

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

That's a great cover! I'd buy it just of that    (although I am apparently one of the few who actually likes the music too).

Sarge

Strauss' tone poems played a large role in my initial interest in classical music back in high school, will always be some of my favorite.
But of course now I find his chamber/opera/concerti/wind ensemble pieces to be better compositions.

[Gurn Blanston]

This morning's 9th, for a first listen;



Philharmonia Orchestra / Sanderling

I thought the direction to be quite plucky throughout the first 3 movements, but the finale was bafflingly lifeless, and the soloists, especially John Tomlinson (Bass/Baritone) to be singularly uninspired. Ah well....

[nico1616]

Expanding my knowledge of Strauss operas with Daphne.

[Sergeant Rock]

A good performance of Strauss' Op.53, while looking for the cover I came across this other one (either re-issue or original) but I definitely prefer it. 

Gramophone thinks highly of that recording:

"The Minnesota Orchestra play superbly for him, not a whit less impressive than the Berlin Philharmonic with Mehta on CBS. How well defined is the rhythm of the inner parts in the baby's bath episode, for instance, how beautiful the woodwind playing throughout and how magically performed (and recorded) is that astonishing dream sequence after the explicit love scene when fragments of themes float about in an extraordinary harmonic texture. De Waart also succeeds, where other conductors have often failed, by keeping up the excitement right to the end of the finale, heaping Ossa upon Pelion without becoming wearisome. It is one of the strongest and most symphonic, as well as most enjoyable, performances of the work that I have heard, on a par with Maazel's Vienna recording, and the sound is full and richly balanced."

Besides Maazel, I have Szell and Järvi too, both magnificent (I find Kempe less so)...but I have to have that cover 

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

Gramophone thinks highly of that recording:

"The Minnesota Orchestra play superbly for him, not a whit less impressive than the Berlin Philharmonic with Mehta on CBS. How well defined is the rhythm of the inner parts in the baby's bath episode, for instance, how beautiful the woodwind playing throughout and how magically performed (and recorded) is that astonishing dream sequence after the explicit love scene when fragments of themes float about in an extraordinary harmonic texture. De Waart also succeeds, where other conductors have often failed, by keeping up the excitement right to the end of the finale, heaping Ossa upon Pelion without becoming wearisome. It is one of the strongest and most symphonic, as well as most enjoyable, performances of the work that I have heard, on a par with Maazel's Vienna recording, and the sound is full and richly balanced."

Besides Maazel, I have Szell and Järvi too, both magnificent (I find Kempe less so)...but I have to have that cover 

Sarge

I have Jarvi, which is decent, but I've never been completely sold on Jarvi/SNO on Chandos (Prokofiev, Dvorak, DSCH, Strauss). I also have Gerard Schwarz/Seattle that I highly enjoy, and Zinman/Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and Reiner/CSO.

How are the Maazel and Szell recordings, Sarge?

[kishnevi]

His persistence has paid off. Daniel has finally convinced me to listen to the Rosenkavalier Suite    Thielemann conducting the boys from Vienna




This is a good way to get through Rosenkavalier in 20 minutes instead of 3 hours, and without all that annoying yodeling 


Sarge

No, the yodeling is in Arabella, isn't it?

Thread duty:
Wagner, Die Walkure,  Halle Orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder  recorded in performance and rehearsals July 2011
Cast: Siegmund Stig Andersen   Sieglinde Yvonne Howard  Hunding Clive Bayley Egils Silins Brunnhilde Susan Bullock Fricka Susan Bickley  The rest of Wotan's daughters  Miranda Keys, Elaine McKrill, Sarah Castle, Linda Finnie, Katherine Broderick, Alison Kettlewell, Ceri Williams, Leah Marian Jones

Currently at the end of Act I.  So far, so good, up to the level of the Gotterdammerung released last year, we may have a well done cycle in the making here. 

Now on to the talkfest known as Act II.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from the following twofer, another recent arrival for a first listen ...

Rafael Kubelik and the VPO put in some powerful performance on this twofer ...

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD2 - last two movements from Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 6 - from the following twofer, another recent arrival for a first listen ...

[Conor71]

Bach: Mass In B Minor, BWV 232


[asin]B000A5ESP8[/asin]

[Lisztianwagner]

On youtube, now:

Igor Stravinsky
Petrushka

Mariss Jansons
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

[Coopmv]

Now playing the following CD, which arrived a few months ago for a first listen ...

[listener]

vinyl for a session
ROSSINI: Stabat Mater
Thomas Schippers, cond.   (Cincinatti) May Festival Chorus
DONIZETTI: Sonata for flute and harp; SPOHR: Sonata Concertante in E^b op.113
KRUMPHOLZ: Sonata in D;   HOVHANNES: The Garden of Adonis  op.245
Robert Aitken, flute;  Erica Goodman, harp
Catches and Part-Songs - DOWLAND, PURCELL, BYRD, RAVENSCROFT, LAWES
Pro Cantione Antiqua, London

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from the following set, which arrived months ago for a first listen ...

[DavidRoss]

His persistence has paid off. Daniel has finally convinced me to listen to the Rosenkavalier Suite    Thielemann conducting the boys from Vienna
This is a good way to get through Rosenkavalier in 20 minutes instead of 3 hours, and without all that annoying yodeling 

Thanks, Greg, for reminding me of this. It's been too long since last hearing it.

[madaboutmahler]

Now:
[asin]B000001GIY[/asin]
Der Rosenkavalier - Suite

And again!

So brilliant and uplifting! So much happiness!

Good night!

[Lisztianwagner]

Igor Stravinsky
Piano Concerto

[asin]B00000E57M[/asin]

[nico1616]

Now playing CD1 from the following set, which arrived months ago for a first listen ...

Superb performances from Annick Massis (Angelo - her first aria  ) and John Mark Ainsley (San Giovanni) and of course, Minkowski at his most dramatic. Only Laurent Naouri's devil is not at his vocal best.
I also have Hogwood's performance, with Emma Kirkby, and I find it complementary to Minkowski, since it has a great Lucifero in David Thomas.
I could not part with either of those two 

[nico1616]

Now:
[asin]B000001GIY[/asin]
Der Rosenkavalier - Suite

And again!

So brilliant and uplifting! So much happiness!

Good night!

Great, your enthousiasm is contagious
Since I am also exploring Strauss these days, I might as well give that one a try