What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

I found that set illuminating and rewarding.  I should note that for much of the music, I have no other recordings, and about half of it I had never heard before I listened to the set.   
My reaction to Boulez is essentially, he got better as he got older.  At least, the later the date of composition, the more I like the piece.  The arrangement of the set, in chronological order,  helped confirm that as I listened to it.  And it's not a matter of getting used to Boulez's style as I listened more.  I still dislike Marteau sans Maitre, and the recording of it that I least dislike was actually one in which Boulez did not participate.

I suppose the most important factor in that set is the question of how much of Boulez on DG do you already have?

Most interesting.

[North Star]

Listening to the essence of Ralph...

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 6
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Handley

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Bournemouth Symphony
Silvestri
[asin]B00156ZWV0[/asin]

[Traverso]

I found that set illuminating and rewarding.  I should note that for much of the music, I have no other recordings, and about half of it I had never heard before I listened to the set.   
My reaction to Boulez is essentially, he got better as he got older.  At least, the later the date of composition, the more I like the piece.  The arrangement of the set, in chronological order,  helped confirm that as I listened to it.  And it's not a matter of getting used to Boulez's style as I listened more.  I still dislike Marteau sans Maitre, and the recording of it that I least dislike was actually one in which Boulez did not participate.

I suppose the most important factor in that set is the question of how much of Boulez on DG do you already have?

I agree with that

[aligreto]

Reicha: Wind Quintet Op. 91 No. 5 [Academia Wind Quintet of Prague]





This is a wonderful performances of this captivating music. The music is played with such grace but also with assertion in a great recording.

[aligreto]

The thought occurred to me to revisit the Mackerras, but it is gone. Sold to some used-CD shop at some point...

I found I have several others that I forgot about, Reiner and Kondrashin. Probably several more lurk in all those ICON boxes I have.

Kondrashin is also one of the versions that I also own.

[Jo498]

Also a bit pricey. $60!

I was lucky, I put the Mackerras anthology on my watch list because it tended to be cheaper than the single Suk disc which was mainly what I wanted. I would have to look up how much I finally ended up paying, but certainly not more than around one full priced disc (i.e. about 15 EUR), probably less. (I am poor and thrifty and I can wait.)

[listener]

DOHNÁNYI: Symphony no.1 in d, op. 9
London Philharmonic Orch.    Leon Botstein cond.
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Concertos 1 & 2,  Capriccio Brillante op. 23
Anton Kuerti, piano   London Philharmonic Orch. again,  Paul Freeman cond.
Concerto 2 sounds new to me, #1 must be the popular one picked for concerts.

[SymphonicAddict]

Symphonies 5 & 6

This Mahler dose has been invigorating. Both performances are quite convincing. My only complaint about the 5th is that the Adagietto was somewhat underwhelming. And above all, the 6th was terrific. I'm not sure if it was cataclysmic enough when I asked for the wildest performance of it, but it was fitted to my tastes. BTW, the Andante moderato is to die for!!

[Daverz]

Symphony No. 2

[asin] B019STIIHA[/asin]

This is near my ideal for this symphony.  Beautiful, colorful playing by the LSO, and the sonics hold up very well.  The dynamic range isn't up to modern digital standards, but I find this makes it easier to listen to in my living room.

...The coupled Concerto Academico for violin, a work I had not previously paid much attention to,  is very finely played by James Buswell. 

[JBS]

A relatively short, relatively early Handel opera.
[asin]B073WMPZSC[/asin]
About 115 minutes. Dates from 1713, but there is no firm evidence it was ever actually performed.

The title character is a very fictional version of the Roman dictator Sulla, and is actually the opera's villain.

[Zeus]

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - The First Solo Organ Recording
Iveta Apkalna
Berlin Classics



Maybe better if you have a subwoofer.

Not my cup of tea.

[Kontrapunctus]

The Partitas today. Great playing and sound.

[André]

Disc 2. Sophisticated, savant music with wonderful tunes and harmonies.


Disc 1 is all I could manage in a single sitting.


When I bought this I didn't realize I already had the 2 longest works on the disc. Much as I love Yun's symphonies and other orchestral music, his chamber music is a harder sell.


Glorious singing and very good sound in the 3 Rückert lieder. The rest is uneven, both as execution (serious intonation problems in a few spots) and sound (peaky, with the voice discolouring when singing loud). Still, the Mahler is worth the modest asking price.


Disc 5, sonatas 8, 25, 24, 18. Excellent both in terms of programming and interpretation.

[JBS]

Second listen confirms, possibly upgrades my previous impression. This is a performance that is, if not top tier, very close to it.
[asin]B07GW4CM3S[/asin]
Zinman is tops in seeing the finale as a serene ascent into Heaven, Maderna and now this are not far behind.

[Ken B]

Graeme Koehne
The Persistence Of Memory

A lovely 10 minute piece https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=apNA2pfzD4k

[Florestan]

A gentle, mellow, almost lullaby-like Requiem --- to the memory of my beloved mother who unexpectedly passed away two weeks ago.

[GioCar]

Very sad news. My deepest condolences to you and your family, Andrei

[Harry]

A gentle, mellow, almost lullaby-like Requiem --- to the memory of my beloved mother who unexpectedly passed away two weeks ago.

You both have my deepest sympathy, God will be with you in these days of sorrow. I will remember her in my prayers.

[vandermolen]

Symphony No. 2

[asin] B019STIIHA[/asin]

This is near my ideal for this symphony.  Beautiful, colorful playing by the LSO, and the sonics hold up very well.  The dynamic range isn't up to modern digital standards, but I find this makes it easier to listen to in my living room.

...The coupled Concerto Academico for violin, a work I had not previously paid much attention to,  is very finely played by James Buswell.

I think that the RCA Previn set contains possibly the finest versions of the 1936 edition of 'A London Symphony' and definitely 'A Pastoral Symphony' . I don't know better versions of Symphony 8 and possibly No.5 as well.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B0072A4HIW[/asin]
From the Third Book of Psalms (1614)

A gentle, mellow, almost lullaby-like Requiem --- to the memory of my beloved mother who unexpectedly passed away two weeks ago.

Devastating news... my heartfelt condolences, Andrei.
Wishing you and your family strength in this time of sadness.

Q