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[Ducasse]

#1

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by Cato - Today at 12:49:49 PM

Concerning my catching of a part of Au Jardins de Marguerite by Ducasse this morning on the radio:

Indeed, a couple of weeks ago.

https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,29166.msg1559672.html#msg1559672

It is a large  one hour symphonic poem with chorus and solo voices . lyrics by the composer , after Goethe.

So somebody at that radio station really enjoys the work!  It would be unusual to program it again after only a month!

[Ruth Gipps, Symphony no. 3 (1965)]

#2

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by Christo - Today at 12:48:57 PM

Time and again, as I don't have time for listening to music for months in a row, but still find some during a few car tours: Ruth Gipps, Symphony no. 3 (1965), one of the most wonderful symphonies I know, and indeed the very best "Third" I know. Listened to it again this morning while touring through neigbouring Germany, and was overwhelmed again: simply superb.

Let me add the picture, not a bad portrait of her either:

[microwavé]

#3

The Diner / Re: Cato's Grammar Grumble

Last post by Cato - Today at 12:45:41 PM

Like how some people here say microwavé

Not to give him a hard time, because even for educated native speakers, English is almost as much journey as destination ... I smile to hear a chap make erudite a four-syllable word.

Oh my!  Imagines the great difference between  crudités and crudities    !

Recently, at a vacation cabin in California, an acquaintance needed to call a plumber.  Since the cabin is operated somewhat like a hotel, he worked for the management and was left alone to repair a garbage disposal, while the owner went off on an errand.  When she returned, a crudely lettered note was on the kitchen counter.

" ALL FIXED!  USE ONLY LIQUID'S! "     

Apparently basic grade-school spelling is not needed to join the local plumber's union!  😇

Plus, and much more interesting from the viewpoint of Logic and Ontology: can a garbage disposal be considered "fixed," if only liquids (with or without an apostrophe) are allowed to go through it?   

Can it therefore even be considered a garbage disposal?    

#4

Great Recordings and Reviews / Re: Bach Six Partitas

Last post by bioluminescentsquid - Today at 12:13:36 PM

WTF! Bach's keyboard music is nowadays still mostly played on anachronistic instruments.

Not sure how many Taskin harpsichords Bach got to play during his life

#5

Opera and Vocal / Re: Favorite vocal recitals on...

Last post by knight66 - Today at 12:02:22 PM

Michael Spyres produces interesting recitals. His latest one, In the Shadows, seems to be predicting the direction of his career. It moves chronologically from Mehul through some obscure but very worthwhile repertoire to Wagner who was four when Mehul died. Spyres can sing long mellifluous lines, he would still be a gift to Mozart's music. But he can also manage the flexibility needed by Rossini and the heft for Beethoven's Florestan. He uses words intelligently conveying character and emotion, lovely shadings in the Beethoven which is rarely sung with such subtlety. He will be singing Sigmund, but on this disc only goes as far as Die Feen, Rienzi and Lohengrin.

The orchestral sound in luminous, original instruments of Les Talens Lyriques under Christophe Rousset. You certainly get your money's worth, the disc lasts 85 minutes.

Knight

#6

The Diner / Re: Cato's Grammar Grumble

Last post by Mandryka - Today at 11:54:57 AM

Not to give him a hard time, because even for educated native speakers, English is almost as much journey as destination ... I smile to hear a chap make erudite a four-syllable word.

Like how some people here say microwavé

[String Quartet no. 1 in G major]

#7

Composer Discussion / Re: Sir Arnold Bax

Last post by kyjo - Today at 11:47:25 AM

Today I happened to listen to Bax's "In Memoriam" which appears as the last track on this disc;



a really impressive disc - mainly devoted to Elgar - but with this substantial/rare Bax work as the "filler"  Regarding the Elgar works; I do enjoy "The Spirit of England" - with wonderful choral writing and utter sincerity in its ardent-eyed patriotism.  The Voice in the Wilderness is still a rarity - a work for narrator, soprano solo and orchestra but it receives a very convincing performance here and a rather touching one too.  One thing struck me listening to the Funeral March from Grania & Diarmid (which is glorious) - I think Anthony Payne must have borrowed an idea or two (and the orchestration) from the last great climax for his Symphony 3 realisation.

Which brings me to the Bax.  Written around the time of "Garden of Fand" this is Bax at his creative early peak.  A tremendously powerful work - but of course one that would sit uneasily with the powers that be given its support of Paedrig Pearce and the Irish Rebellion.  This is a substantial work 17:03 with Elder and 14:52 with Handley in its only other recording.  Both are very fine but I rather like the extra little bit of grandeur and grief Elder finds.  But a tremendous work and one that deserves to be much better known.  Bax's original orchestration was lost for decades so it was never played in his lifetime.  But Bax did mine the score later in life to use a theme in his film music for Oliver Twist which is why it might sound familair.

One VERY curious error in the Halle release booklet.  The great Micheal Kennedy states that the work is an orchestration of the cor anglais, harp, string quartet work from 1916 also "In Memoriam Paedrig Pearce".  Its not - its a completely unrelated work albeit on the same subject [there's a recording of the chamber work on Chandos].  VERY surprised Kennedy could make this mistake and that it was not caught pre-publication.  The existence of the 2 different works is clearly documented by Graham Parlett for one.

Absolutely! As I've said before, In Memoriam is one of Bax's finest and most deeply affecting works. There are only a few moments in his symphonies (e.g. the codas of nos. 3 and 7) that can match the level of immediate emotional poignancy found in this work IMO.

The other day I revisited a seldom-discussed but favorite Bax work of mine, the String Quartet no. 1 in G major (in the Maggini Quartet recording on Naxos). This is undoubtedly one of Bax's sunniest, most tuneful works - a lot like "Dvorak goes to Ireland" in places! The slow movement is quite touching and nostalgic, while the finale is a tremendously fun folksy romp. Sheer delight! To be honest, I haven't even listened to Bax's 2nd and 3rd SQs yet - any views on these?

#8

Opera and Vocal / Re: Beethoven Missa Solemnis

Last post by Atriod - Today at 11:46:18 AM

The two I could listen to forever - Klemperer and Blomstedt. 

#9

Opera and Vocal / Re: Beethoven Missa Solemnis

Last post by knight66 - Today at 11:44:16 AM

I have quite a few versions of the Missa Solemnis and I think both the Suzuki and the live Kubelik with Donath, Fassbaender etc each have it all. I assumed the Suzuki might be looking backwards to Bach and have slimmer textures, but I found plenty of muscularity and fire in it, as well as the contemplative. A lot of the live Kubelik performances that have appeared since he died have been proved to be top recommendations, and this terrific performance can be come with a really excellent Beethoven 9th.

Knight

#10

Great Recordings and Reviews / Re: Favourite pianist who emer...

Last post by Atriod - Today at 11:43:01 AM

There is one more pianist I am thinking of just on the tip of my tongue that I can't bring to the forefront!

It came to me, Denis Matsuev! Not always a fan of his solo recordings as he can be brash, I have greatly liked him in every concerto I've heard him in. Possibly (would require some real thought put into it) the best performances of Rach's two middle concerti for digital era recordings. Phenomenal Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Schehedrin as well. A pianist that seems to know what he is good at and mostly sticks with it.