What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

I want to disagree strongly. I don't know how good this performance is, but ever since hearing Rachmaninov's First live at the Concergebouw in Amsterdam many years ago, I rate it very highly indeed. It is varied and powerful. The Finale is extremely exciting. Even Robert Simpson speaks highly of R's symphonic firstling in 'The Symphony', which is saying a lot, as he wasn't really a great fan of romantic music. Let me quote him:

"As a piece of symphonic composition the D minor is much superior to the other two: as an artistic whole, created naturally and without strain, it leaves little to be desired." And: "All four movements are thematically genuinely integrated."

So - I'm a bit baffled about your assessment, to say the least.

Perhaps Anissimov is related to Glazunov?  In which case, his illustrious ancestor made a hash of the piece, too 

[BachQ]

Quote from: Mark on December 16, 2007, 06:14:40 PM

I'll post my thoughts once I've heard it all the way through.

Please!

YES!   

Please! ........ Please! ..........

[ChamberNut]

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3, in C minor, Op. 37

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano;
Chamber Orchestra of Europe;
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

[Kullervo]

Saturday's listening:





The piano quintet and string quartet

[greg]

I want to disagree strongly. I don't know how good this performance is, but ever since hearing Rachmaninov's First live at the Concergebouw in Amsterdam many years ago, I rate it very highly indeed. It is varied and powerful. The Finale is extremely exciting. Even Robert Simpson speaks highly of R's symphonic firstling in 'The Symphony', which is saying a lot, as he wasn't really a great fan of romantic music. Let me quote him:

"As a piece of symphonic composition the D minor is much superior to the other two: as an artistic whole, created naturally and without strain, it leaves little to be desired." And: "All four movements are thematically genuinely integrated."

So - I'm a bit baffled about your assessment, to say the least.

it sounds like something an amateur would write, but he did get better. It's not 100% bad, but (especially in the first movement) many of his themes sound too uninspired not really inventive.... the Finale, though, is possibly the best part.
but i've never really been excited by the Rachmaninov 2nd either, so maybe a simple explanation is that i don't care much for him writing in the genre and i like him writing in other genres better, maybe?...

[karlhenning]

Saturday's listening:

Say! We were on much the same page with the Opus 109.

[greg]

Gilgamesh and Voyage into the Golden Screen

right now in the middle of Gilgamesh, what a mystic and original opera!

[karlhenning]

. . . so maybe a simple explanation is that i don't care much for him writing in the genre and i like him writing in other genres better, maybe?...

Maybe.  So listen to other things; it may be, 15, 20 years down the road, your ears will take to these better.

Or, maybe not.

[Kullervo]

Say! We were on much the same page with the Opus 109.

I always get chills during "full fathom five" and Prospero's interlude.

[Harry]

Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Trio, opus 1, for Violin, Cello, and Piano.
Suite opus 23, for two Violins, Cello and Piano, (left hand)

Trio Parnassus.

This fine recording from MDG, passed through my hands while putting the details in my database, and the listening notes were that good, that I decided to play it again. And by Jove it is fine. Sumptuous playing, well recorded, and music that goes strange places.

[johnQpublic]

Take heart, Chinese letter-name guy, formerly known as Greg.

I find Rach's 1st weak too; although there are some fine moments throughout.

Personally by the third movement I'm sick of hearing the opening motif.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

it sounds like something an amateur would write, but he did get better. It's not 100% bad, but (especially in the first movement) many of his themes sound too uninspired not really inventive.... the Finale, though, is possibly the best part.
but i've never really been excited by the Rachmaninov 2nd either, so maybe a simple explanation is that i don't care much for him writing in the genre and i like him writing in other genres better, maybe?...

Thanks for the explanation. As karhenning said, maybe your ears will one day get attuned to its beauties, and if not, there are enough other pieces to love...

[greg]

Thanks for the explanation. As karhenning said, maybe your ears will one day get attuned to its beauties, and if not, there are enough other pieces to love...

yep, like the Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead, Piano Concertos, etc.  0:) 0:) 0:)

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

yep, like the Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead, Piano Concertos, etc.  0:) 0:) 0:)

Exactly!!

[Drasko]

[Que]

Looks intriguing, Drasko.  Is it interesting music? Good peformance?


Currently spinning:



Q

[bhodges]

No music wanted since last Friday, when I heard Andrey Boreyko make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in Shostakovich's Symphony No. 4.  (Review of Thursday night here, when he also did Ibert and Ravel.  I just heard the Shostakovich by itself, on the following night.)

Not only was it one of the best Shostakovich performances I've ever heard, by anyone, Boreyko made a strong case for this symphony being at the top of the composer's (impressive) heap.

--Bruce

[Papy Oli]

Good Evening All

[ChamberNut]

No music wanted since last Friday, when I heard Andrey Boreyko make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in Shostakovich's Symphony No. 4.  (Review of Thursday night here, when he also did Ibert and Ravel.  I just heard the Shostakovich by itself, on the following night.)

Not only was it one of the best Shostakovich performances I've ever heard, by anyone, Boreyko made a strong case for this symphony being at the top of the composer's (impressive) heap.

--Bruce

Bruce,

I'm very happy to hear you enjoyed the performance Friday evening! 

Ray

[Peregrine]

SQ 19