What are you listening to now?

[Mirror Image]

Discovered this recording recently. Thought that it might interest you. It is quite fascinating to see how conductors & musicians cope with the technical demands (the set up) of this score.

https://www.youtube.com/v/XgFlNB3QeOo

Very cool. A demanding work, indeed.

[Mirror Image]

Come to think of it;buying a s/h copy of the Chandos reissue of the old RCA recording of Nielsen's Fourth,was,actually,what,initially,got me interested in Nielsen again. I was going to buy a copy of his recording of the Fifth,then (and may still do,at some point?).........but it was reading your post about Bernstein's recording of 3 & 5,which led to my buying the Sony set. With regard to Bernstein's recordings. I would honestly say that they are better than anything I have heard,previously. There is just no comparison,to anything I have heard before! Although,I've got to give a nod to Gibson,for getting me to love the Fourth! As to Ormandy's recordings of No's 1 & 6. I understand the Bernstein recordings are the most highly regarded of this set;although Ormandy's recordings are well regarded by some. I usually like Ormandy,though. I only really knew No's 1 & 6,from the Ole Schmidt set;and,I'm afraid,they did little for me. I don't know what you think of Ormandy's recordings of 1 & 6,MI;but this is the first time those symphonies have really "clicked" with me! I don't want to knock Ole Schmidt's recordings,because he was the first to record a complete cycle,apparently;and I know some people enjoy them;but they don't seem to have helped! At least,not in my case!! Oh,and Blomstedt's earlier emi recordings (I had,1-4) don't seem to have helped much,either (I'd forgotten I had those!)!

Ormandy's 1st and 6th are pretty good, but not favorites of mine as, IMHO, he's been bettered by the sheer technical facility of orchestras today and recording technology. I would say Sakari Oramo opened my ears to the Sinfonia semplice like no other conductor has done. This is quite an achievement as I've heard this symphony so many times prior to the Oramo, but no performance had really done it for me. Aside from Oramo's 6th, I would say Gilbert with the New Yorkers and Blomstedt with the San Francisco SO are also noteworthy. In the 1st, I really have never heard a terrible performance. Since it's my least favorite Nielsen symphony and one I don't really listen to much, I don't have as critical of an opinion on the performances I've heard of it.

[Mirror Image]

Prokofiev: String Quartets - Pavel Haas Quartet.

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Thumbs up!

[NikF]

Prokofiev: Violin Sonatas - Kremer/Argerich.

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[kyjo]

Dukas - Symphony in C major

After my reacquainting with La Péri, I decided to play the Symphony too. It's unquestionably one of the greatest French symphonies ever, at least for me it is!!!

I listened to this symphony for the first time a couple months ago (in the Jean-Luc Tingaud recording on Naxos) and was rather disappointed by it. I liked the first movement quite a bit, but the second and third struck me as rather unmemorable and diffuse. I must have another listen, perhaps to the above Slatkin recording this time!

[aligreto]

Mahler: Symphony No. 2 [Bernstein]

[aligreto]

I've always rather liked Alexander Gibson's Nielsen recordings (symphonies 4,5 and tone poems).

Interesting as I do not have any Gibson in Nielsen but I do like his Sibelius.

[kyjo]

Great stuff!

[aligreto]

Knowing of your liking for the black stuff - records not Guinness I hasten to add, a chance that Ole Schmidt may feature?

I'm with vandermolen in being a fan of the 6th and Ormandy's recording of the work.

Very much so as I have his full Nielsen symphonic cycle both on LP and CD.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Reiner, Chicago



A gorgeous recorded performance. For all the big boxes I snagged, I kick myself for missing the Reiner box (which is OOP and is generally offered for outrageous prices where you can find it).

[Mirror Image]

Cello Sonata

[SonicMan46]

Röntgen, Julius (1855-1932) - String Trios, Nos. 1-16 in 4 volumes w/ the Lendvai String Trio - composed in the early 20th century but harking back to the 1800s (Brahms & Dvorak come to mind) - all but one of the Trios were unpublished, residing in the Netherlands Music Institute in The Hague - attached are reviews of each volume, for those interested.  Dave

   
 

[vandermolen]

Cello Sonata

Is that a new release John? Looks like a fine collection of works.

[Mirror Image]

Is that a new release John? Looks like a fine collection of works.

Well, it's not a new release as it was released in 2013. Yes, it's a great disc all-around. The performances are superb. I'd say this is the best Cello Sonata on record (not that there are many of them of course).

[Kontrapunctus]

Great playing and sound. In fact, it inspired me to buy a guitar made by the builder on this recording, Kolya Panhuyzen! (It will be here on Wed...)

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PC2

[NikF]

Prokofiev: Piano Concertos - Krainev/Kitayenko/Moscow Philharmonic.

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I've another set by Krainev with the same conductor but a different orchestra (Frankfurt Radio?) and while enjoying both prefer the Melodiya recording. It seems to have a little more intensity from all involved.

[aligreto]

Vivaldi: Four Seasons [Badini]


   


This is an interesting version for me. It is well played by all and it has a bright clarity about its presentation. Where tempi markings indicate speed, these are moderately quick. However the slow sections are staid and lack atmosphere.

[Mirror Image]

Prokofiev: Piano Concertos - Krainev/Kitayenko/Moscow Philharmonic.

[asin]B00JU5DH4C[/asin]

I've another set by Krainev with the same conductor but a different orchestra (Frankfurt Radio?) and while enjoying both prefer the Melodiya recording. It seems to have a little more intensity from all involved.

I feel the opposite that you do. I feel that the Krainev/Kitajenko with the Frankfurt RSO are, uniformly, better performances. My main beef in this Melodiya set is with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. Scrappy playing at best and the audio quality isn't as alluring as it should be like that found in the Teldec recordings.

[JBS]

Symphony 10 is both interesting to the ear and pleasant. I prefer it by a large margin to Symphony 5, which I thought was too dominated by the Speaker, and came across as a collection of poems with accompanying music, and not something recognizably symphonic. But I tend not to like works which have a spoken text recited to music, so my reaction may simply be another example of that dislike.