What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[not edward]

[longears]

Nonets and Septets - Martinu: Nonet for wind quintet & piano quartet, H. 144 (fragment) / Jiri Jaroch: Detska Suite (Children's Suite) / Villa-Lobos: Chôros No. 7 / Stravinsky: Septet / d'Indy 

By the National Chamber Players under Lowell Graham.  So much lovely music, so little known.  Sigh. 

[Lethevich]

Heather Harrison reminded me that I owned this CD by mentioning a Penderecki concerto in another thread.



I have major problems with these works, but for some reason I can't bring myself get rid of the disc. I admire atmospheric, broody, insular, melodic music, and pieces of audacious length (it seems to be easy for modern composers to retreat into "micro" forms), but at the same time I can't find myself able to call these works "great", and even to call them good would require caveats - I like the idea of them, and I sort of enjoy listening to them, but they're really annoying me at the same time... Basically, I like the idea of owning them, and the idea of the music, but actually listening to them makes me almost change my mind...

[George]

Excellent transfer and performances here. This sure came in handy last night, which was nearly sleepless.   

[Que]

Q

[wilhelm]

[Harry]

Heather Harrison reminded me that I owned this CD by mentioning a Penderecki concerto in another thread.



I have major problems with these works, but for some reason I can't bring myself get rid of the disc. I admire atmospheric, broody, insular, melodic music, and pieces of audacious length (it seems to be easy for modern composers to retreat into "micro" forms), but at the same time I can't find myself able to call these works "great", and even to call them good would require caveats - I like the idea of them, and I sort of enjoy listening to them, but they're really annoying me at the same time... Basically, I like the idea of owning them, and the idea of the music, but actually listening to them makes me almost change my mind...

Yes I think I get that.....

[not edward]

Heather Harrison reminded me that I owned this CD by mentioning a Penderecki concerto in another thread.



I have major problems with these works, but for some reason I can't bring myself get rid of the disc. I admire atmospheric, broody, insular, melodic music, and pieces of audacious length (it seems to be easy for modern composers to retreat into "micro" forms), but at the same time I can't find myself able to call these works "great", and even to call them good would require caveats - I like the idea of them, and I sort of enjoy listening to them, but they're really annoying me at the same time... Basically, I like the idea of owning them, and the idea of the music, but actually listening to them makes me almost change my mind...

This sounds like my experience with almost all-post-return-to-Romanticism Penderecki (I'd vote the sextet, clarinet quartet and maybe the 3rd symphony as the only exceptions to this rule.

Just been listening to Chailly's Mahler 7. I had high hopes of Chailly in this symphony, and on first listening they're amply justified: though Chailly sees the work rather differently than my previous favourites do, I can see this recording ranking up with Zender, Scherchen and the Sony Bernstein in my personal pantheon.

[gmstudio]

Yup, one of the best Mahler 6th's, IMO.   

[Solitary Wanderer]

[Mark]

All being well (and once my wife and daughter have fallen asleep), I'm hoping to spin this gem:

[Solitary Wanderer]

Well, I've had this disc for over 20 years  :

Vivaldi ~ Famous Concerti Academy of St.John/Tibor Tomasek on the Donau label.

Its excellent, but this morning it malfunctioned while playing for the first time  I may need to upgrade to another version.

[wilhelm]

[BachQ]

All being well (and once my wife and daughter have fallen asleep), I'm hoping to spin this gem:

Perhaps you should start a thread on Smetana's SQ's?

[Mark]

Perhaps you should start a thread on Smetana's SQ's?

Lemme guess. You were a jester in a previous life?

[Mark]

Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht - Runnicles/BBC Symphony Orchestra. Sounds a bit Straussian to me. Isn't there a string quartet version, too?

[not edward]

Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht - Runnicles/BBC Symphony Orchestra. Sounds a bit Straussian to me. Isn't there a string quartet version, too?

String sextet, actually. I strongly prefer it to the orchestral one.

[Mark]

String sextet, actually. I strongly prefer it to the orchestral one.

Ah, I see. Yes, the orchestral version is a bit ... syrupy. Doesn't sound at all like the mould-breaking Schoenberg we all know and love from a decade later.

[Mark]

Inspired by member, some guy, I'm now playing Poulenc's Piano Concerto for the first time in ages. Pommier is the soloist, with Hickox conducting the City of London Sinfonia on Virgin.

[Lethevich]