What are you listening to now?

[Mandryka]

A particularly sensual and languid performance of Grimace's machauvian double song Se Zephirus/Se Jupiter, in Tetraktys's  second Chantilly CD.  The elapsed time is much longer than other performances through the addition of instrumental interludes and a slow basic pulse. I think this is wonderful music and a wonderful interpretation.

[Wanderer]

.[asin]B004WEHL4I[/asin]

[Harry]

.[asin]B004WEHL4I[/asin]

Good morning Tasos. A long time since you have been here.

[Turner]

I was only barely aware of Leo Sirota, but purchased this today as much to listen to him as Rubinstein's Près du ruisseau and Tchaik's Sonata in G.  A wise move on all three counts and a most generous disk at 75 and a half minutes.

I did not know this pianist & his intriguing biography, except as an occasional name just seen in titles of transcriptions. Thank you for putting some attention to him - there´s some interesting material on you-tube, I see. 

[Madiel]

Piano Concerto No.5
[asin]B0000026O8[/asin]

[Turner]

The final two CDs of this set
[asin]B004VRXEWY[/asin]
Rudolph Simonsen Clarinet Quintet and Two String Quartets
Music for (mostly) a capella choirs performed by Chamber Choir Hymnia

Generally this box has been a pleasant listen, but nothing more.  The best music is by composers already known such as Holmboe and Poulenc.  Some of this music is truly contemporary, such as this choral CD (works dating from 1995 and 2003), but some clearly not (Hindemith, Szymanowski, Poulenc-- the Simonsen works are actually from the 1920s).

The only piece in the entire set I actively disliked was Norgard's Spell (for piano trio). Is that work characteristic of him?

Even that trio in itself gets performances quite different from each other, some more, some less attractive. Nørgård´s output is one of the most multi-facetted of 20th-century composers, so there isn´t a unifying style at all - he starts with an almost late-Sibelius-like or Holmboe-style sound world (1st Symphony, early string orchestra works, early clarinet trio, early cello solo sonata), then comes a lot of different experiments, both with musical structures, expression and exotic inspiration.

I personally love the early Clarinet Trio opus 15, my favourite Paula LP recording not having been released on CD, but the Kontrapunkt CD release is good too, the sound could have more warmth though. On that disc, the LIN ensemble also plays Spell - possibly in a less aggressive way than your Classico recording. There are versions for piano trio (Jalina trio) and clarinet trio (other recordings).

For some completely different pieces, try the 3rd Symphony, the percussion concerto "For A Change" with Mortensen, the Piano Concerto with Salo, the 6th Symphony, the 2nd Piano Sonata. The list could go on ...

[amw]

This rendition of the Shostakovich Violin Concerto started a bit on the uninvolved side but I do not think I have ever heard a finer performance of the cadenza. Worth getting for that alone.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

#morninglistening to another #Bach:http://amzn.to/2lmWTVh  on @outheremusic
Terrific music ... http://ift.tt/2lOoAY6

[Harry]

Another instalment from this box of goodies. CD 6. I finally succumbed to Hogwoods interpretation.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2017/02/haydn-joseph-1732-1809-almost-complete.html?spref=tw

[Turner]

Nørgård, Piano Trio "Spell" (1973)

- LIN Ensemble, version for clarinet trio /Kontrapunkt
- Jalina Trio /Classico

It´s a quite thorny, stumbling piece, yet also with some simple, quasi-minimalist, repetitive patterns. As such it is not among the most ambitious or important of Nørgård´s works, but it gets better with several hearings, IMO, and one has to be in the mood for it. The version for piano trio is a transcription by Olesen from 1997 & I think it is probably a softer introduction to the work, due to the instrumentation, whereas the version with clarinet is more expressive, but maybe also contains more details and contrasts. 

[Madiel]

Symphony No.22, with the slightly dubious nickname of 'Philosopher'...

[asin]B009LNI0T0[/asin]
...because by the last movement it's a headlong rush.

[eljr]

Vilde Frang
Mozart: Violin Concertos 1 & 5; Sinfonia Concertante

Release Date
February 24, 2015
Duration
01:17:20
Genre
Classical
Styles
Concerto
Recording Date
April 3, 2014 - April 5, 2014

[Madiel]

Nørgård, Images of Arresø

[asin]B00000467D[/asin]
Because it's only a few months since I last listened to Spell and over a year since I last gave this considerably later piece (1996) a go. Arresø is where Vagn Holmboe lived.

[eljr]

Vilde Frang
Britten, Korngold: Violin Concertos

Release Date
February 26, 2016
Duration
58:07
Genre
Classical
Styles
Concerto

[Florestan]

A few goodies over the weekend.





If you like Sarasate's music, you'll like Manen''s music as well.

Note to Harry: on your blog you wrote that Joan Manen didn't particularly like the violin. Given that he was a virtuoso violinist, your source is obviously wrong. 



Chances are you've never heard of Deodat de Severac but if you like French Late Romantic piano music you should remedy that asap.

[Madiel]

First listen to Klavierstücke, D.946

[asin]B0000041MS[/asin]

[Turner]

First listen to Klavierstücke, D.946

[asin]B0000041MS[/asin]

That one is really good, IMO 

[Madiel]

That one is really good, IMO 

Yes, I'm certainly happy with having chosen Brendel for this repertoire. And really, I've seen nothing but praise.

[Harry]

A few goodies over the weekend.





If you like Sarasate's music, you'll like Manen''s music as well.

Note to Harry: on your blog you wrote that Joan Manen didn't particularly like the violin. Given that he was a virtuoso violinist, your source is obviously wrong. 



Chances are you've never heard of Deodat de Severac but if you like French Late Romantic piano music you should remedy that asap.

My source is the Naxos booklet, were his violin concerto is coupled with Lalo's. I may presume that they would not write that down if it were not true, unless Naxos is in error.

[Florestan]

My source is the Naxos booklet, were his violin concerto is coupled with Lalo's. I may presume that they would not write that down if it were not true, unless Naxos is in error.

I do believe they really are as wrong as it gets. How could one be a virtuoso violinist and not like the violin? The booklets of the discs above tell a very different story and given they are written by the President of the Joan Manen Association I credit them unreservedly.