What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

For a repeat of Haydn's symphony No.62 I went with Adam Fischer this time. Still enjoying.

[JBS]

I'm noticed that Amazon.com is selling the complete Armida Mozart set for $29.99, which seems anomalously low, given that Presto has it listed for $85.

I just ordered it, thank you!
But Amazon won't actually deliver it for another three weeks (April 13)

TD

Speaking of Mozart, another listen to this

[vandermolen]

Your notes on Miaskovsky 23 are superlative, Jeffrey. They've really opened my eyes as well as helping open my ears. I also think this is one of my favourite symphonies so far. Miaskovsky's marshalling of folk songs and melodies is outstanding.

Listening again for the umpteenth time today.

Thanks very much Danny - I like No.23 very much. It was an early record library discovery for me coupled with Rodion Shchedrin's equally fine 1st Symphony. I'm very pleased that my notes helped enhance your enjoyment of the Symphony 23.

[vandermolen]

A fairly dark start to the day.
Martinu: 'Gilgamesh' (live Festival Hall, London 1995)
Sung in Czech with English narration - one of his greatest works I think:

[vandermolen]

Nicolai Miaskovsky
Complete Symphonies
Symphony 24
Svetlanov
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia


First run at 24

One of the best of the later symphonies I think Danny.

[Harry]

Joseph Marchand. (1673-1747)
Suites de Pieces Melee de Sonates Nr.1-7 for Violine & BC.
CD I from III.
Première Suite in A.
Deuxième Suite in B.
Troisième Suite in C.

{OH!} Trio.
MARTYNA PASTUSZKA violin.
KRZYSZTOF FIRLUS viola da gamba.
ANNA FIRLUS harpsichord & positive organ.

Anna Firlus, joue un positif Stanisław Pielczyk 2008 et un clavecin J.C. Neupert d'après F.E.
Blanchet, 1737.
Enregistré entre mai 2020 et mai 2021 en l'église luthérienne Saint Jean, Mikołów, Pologne.

A first listen to this composer. I never heard of him before, save that he was mentioned in connection with other composers from his time. These are thoughtful readings, very well performed and recorded.

In 1707 Joseph Marchand published his seven suites de pièces mêlée de sonates pour le violon et la basse. Marchand, who is completely forgotten today, played the violone in the prestigious Chapelle Royale and other ensembles under Louis XIV.

His suites introduced the dangerous double trill for the first time. With his wealth of ideas, the beauty of his harmonies, his virtuosity and his concern for balance of forms and voices, Marchand stands worthily in the tradition of Marin Marais, Sainte-Colombe or François Couperin.

[Que]

Morning listening on Spotify:



A random discovery - I was just in the mood for some early organ music. Good pick though!
A Portuguese composer of significance: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Rodrigues_Coelho

[Harry]

Morning listening on Spotify:



A random discovery - I was just in the mood for some early organ music. Good pick though!
A Portuguese composer of significance: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Rodrigues_Coelho

Looks interesting, on my playing list!

[Que]

A first listen to this composer. I never heard of him before, save that he was mentioned in connection with other composers from his time. These are thoughtful readings, very well performed and recorded.

I see you still take time to discover new music. And French Baroque music, what's there not to love?  Thanks for posting!

Looks interesting, on my playing list!

It is pretty good! Think you might like it.

[Tsaraslondon]

The last of my Caballé recitals is a two disc complilation, taken from EMI's catalogue, all recorded in the 1970s. Thus we have excerpts from her complete recordings of Il Pirata, Mefistofele (Margherita this time), Turandot (the title role), Guillaume Tell, Giovanna d'Arco and I Puritani, plus a few arias from her Puccini Arias disc with Mackeras, Verdi arias with Guadagno, the Meyerbeer from a disc of duets she made with her husband, Bernabé Martí and a couple of songs from a recital with Alexis Weissenberg.

I'm beginning to think that some of these compilation discs work better thanthe usual operatic recital discs. The Puccini items certainly benefit from being peppered throughout the disc, as a string of Puccini soprano arias, one after another, can start to sound a bit samey and I really enjoyed listening to these two discs at a single sitting. It is good to be reminded how good a singer Caballé was throughout the 1970s. Very occasionally, she can sound a little affected, a little too self conscious, but at her best, she can compare with the greats of the pre-LP era.

Though this recital listening project is an exerices in whittling down my recital section, much of which I rarely listen to, it is interesting that I ended up deciding to keep all my Caballé discs.

[Harry]

Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722)
Complete Sacred Works Vol. 7.

Opella Musica
Isabel Schicketanz - Sopran
Heidi Maria Taubert - Sopran
David Erler - Altus
Tobias Hunger - Tenor
Friedemann Klos – Bass
Camerata Lipsiensis, Gregor Meyer.
Organ at St George's Church in Rötha. Equal temperament, choir pitch.
A little info on the organ:
In 1614 Josias Ibach of Grimma built an organ in the Church of St George. A contract for the construction of a new organ was drawn up on 22 December 1718 between the church's patron at that time, Christian August, Freiherr von Friesen auf Rötha, and the famous organ builder Gottfried Silbermann as well as his senior journeyman Zacharias Hildebrand, already an established organ builder.  In 1980 the organ was carefully restored at great cost by the firm of Eule in Bautzen.

I bought the first 6 CD'S in this series, because I found them to be indispensable. I will stream the rest for obvious reasons.  Johann Kuhnau's "Sacred Works" are such fine compositions, giving and delivering music of great spiritual worth. They impress and surprise almost in every note or sentence.
Camerata Lipsiensis, Gregor Meyer keeps the quality of the performances at a high level, mention must be made especially, of the two sopranos, Isabel Schicketanz and Heidi Maria Taubert. Clean pure toned they give just the right amount of passion and compassion to the texts. Overall it is well performed and recorded.

[Que]

Another on Spotify:



Very impressive!

[Papy Oli]

Good morning all,

Picking up from last night:

Segovia - 1950's American Recordings Vol.2



some gorgeous music & playing there.

[Harry]

Walter Braunfels.
Orchestral Works.
Carnivale Overture.
Scottish Fantasy, for viola and Orchestra.
Prelude and Fugue.
Barbara Buntrock, Viola.
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Gregor Bühl.
TT = 68 minutes.
Recorded in 2017, Ludwigshaven, Philharmonie.

My ongoing journey into Braunfels's music, and enjoying every minute of it. Fine performance and recording. The Carnivale Overture is a finely structured work, at places it creates a filigree image, and goes out with a very effective bang, which made me wide awake.
The Viola concerto is in all respects a amazing composition, very difficult to bring off, but so robustly wrought and twisted that it must be a "tour du force" to bring of, for soloist and orchestra alike. So I am told by a female friend of mine who is rehearsing this concerto. I am duly impressed too by the Prelude and Fugue, a piece that makes you aware of Braunfels qualities as a composer.

[Harry]

Another on Spotify:



Very impressive!

Your adding music to my already long list! Shame on you!      

[Mookalafalas]

Damn is this good

[Florestan]

Hat tip to @Tsaraslondon and I concur with his positive assessment. The only caveat I have is that the music, being sung in languages I can't understand and mostly in the melancholy / wistful vein, tends to sound samey after a few songs. This is a disc best savored in small doses.

[vers la flamme]

Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No.5. Karel Ančerl, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Stunning performance!

[Tsaraslondon]

Hat tip to @Tsaraslondon and I concur with his positive assessment. The only caveat I have is that the music, being sung in languages I can't understand and mostly in the melancholy / wistful vein, tends to sound samey after a few songs. This is a disc best savored in small doses.

I was listening to the CD, which came with full notes, texts and translations that no doubt add to enjoyment. Nowadays, with streaming platforms, digital downloads and, even in CD issues, the companies seem to think we have no interest in what is being sung and just let the music wash over us. One of my great pleasures has always been to sit down and listen to an opera or recital disc, booklet in hand, and be fully involved in the programme. I'm not sure that's possible if you don't know the material and don't know what the singer is singing about. I listened in one sitting and didn't find it samey at all.

[Tsaraslondon]

No complaints about the voices or the singing itself, but this recital has a peculiarly lifleless and somewhat studio-bound feel about it. We are given duets from Semiramide, Anna Bolena, Norma, Les contes d'Hoffmann, Aida, Madama Butterfly and La Gioconda, which should give us a fairly vaired programme, but, whether it's the fault of the rather soggy conducting of Anton Guadagano, nothing really catches fire and the temperature is tepid throughout. Consequently the best items that are the least dramatic, like the Barcarolle from Les contes d'Hoffman and the Flower Duet from Madama Butterfly.

Verrett is one of my favourite singers and she is not that well represented on disc, but I have a feeling this is making for the jettsion pile.

This was the original cover.