What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde
Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
James King, tenor
Haitink
Concertebouw



I'm just playing the Der Abschied movement. I know this is blasphemy to a certain member who doesn't frequent GMG any longer, but I don't care. This last movement really is like a symphony or symphonic poem by itself.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B00FMTD218[/asin]
Discovered on Spotify, now receiving the "proper" treatment....
Again it are the unusual scorings that provide an extra bonus!

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Jan14/Graupner_suites_ODE12202.htm

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/ingratiating-graupner-suites/

Q

[Irons]

I think, basically, the Martinů symphony set that gets a universal recommendation is from Bělohlávek with the BBC Symphony Orchestra on the Onyx label. I'm still not 100% onboard with the audio quality, but the performances I believe save the day here. As a second choice, I'd highly recommend Järvi's cycle on BIS with the Bamberg Symphoniker. You really can't go wrong with either of cycles, so, really, I'd flip a coin to decide or go for whatever set is the cheapest. As I stated earlier, I don't like Thomson's Martinů at all as I believe he drives the music way too hard. Of course, there's a huge world of music to explore outside of the symphonies and string quartets, so if you need any other pointers about where to go next or just feel like asking some more questions, please feel free to ask. Martinů is one of my favorite composers and, through the years, I've amassed a rather large collection of his music. It's crazy how things just pile up and accumulate over time.

How does Neumann compare with above? I recall you listening to one of the set recently.

[Tsaraslondon]

Muti's first recording of the Verdi Requiem, made in 1979, a performance with a wide dynamic range, speeds often either thrillingly fast (the Dies irae) or slower than usual (the Lacrymosa).

He has a fine quartet of soloists, though some have been bettered on other sets. With Scotto you have to offset the wonderfully committed and imagainative use of the text with the occasional squaliness on top. I'm prepared to put up with it for what she brings to the table in dramatic awareness  and specificity. Baltsa is just about ideal in the mezzo role, Luchetti and Nesterenko are less interesting but never inadequate.

An interesting alternative to my other favourite version (Giulini).

[Tsaraslondon]

Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde
Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
James King, tenor
Haitink
Concertebouw



I'm just playing the Der Abschied movement. I know this is blasphemy to a certain member who doesn't frequent GMG any longer, but I don't care. This last movement really is like a symphony or symphonic poem by itself.

I often play just the Abschied and this is the recording I used to own on LP, having heard Baker sing it under Kempe at the Royal Festival Hall (a performance which has now been issued on CD).

My favourite performance of the work, though is the live Kubelik, which is absolutely shattering. Have you heard it?

[Harry]

CD 4 from this fine box.

Quatre Polonaises, opus 1.
Caprices en forme de Valse, opus 2.
Romance variee, opus 3.
Valses Romantiques, opus 4.
Romanze.

The previous three discs are played with panache, by an insightful performer. She has the sensitivity of a woman's touch, the mind to understand what Clara Schumann meant to express. And the result is magical.
Good sound too.

[pjme]

A composer I'd not heard of before.  Music as described in Wikipedia article is accurate, coming out of the French style during the late 19th to early 20th century.

Very rare. Hardly any contemporary recordings.

https://www.wrightmusic.net/pdfs/gustave-samazeuilh.pdf

I found these old studio performances:

https://www.youtube.com/v/IH3FAPchLo8

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

https://www.youtube.com/v/8Rvq6Rf6LOQ

[vers la flamme]

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.3 in D minor. Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic. I have been taking a break from Mahler for the past several days following a huge binge that lasted several weeks, but I just really wanted to hear the 3rd symphony, especially the Pan Awakes movement. I may or may not listen to the complete symphony.

This is from the Sony box set, I just prefer the LP album artwork.

[Traverso]

Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde
Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
James King, tenor
Haitink
Concertebouw



I'm just playing the Der Abschied movement. I know this is blasphemy to a certain member who doesn't frequent GMG any longer, but I don't care. This last movement really is like a symphony or symphonic poem by itself.

I recenrly purchased the Kubelik recording,some people found that is was an even better recording than with Haitink.
The performance with the Concertgebouw orchestra remains my favoriete on all accounts,Baker is more overwhelming and Haitink is my Mahler director par excellente,the orchestra and the acoustics of the music-hall is a real bonus,it sounds beautifull.

[vers la flamme]

I recenrly purchased the Kubelik recording,some people found that is was an even better recording than with Haitink.
The performance with the Concertgebouw orchestra remains my favoriete on all accounts,Baker is more overwhelming and Haitink is my Mahler director par excellente,the orchestra and the acoustics of the music-hall is a real bonus,it sounds beautifull.

It is you who put me on to this great Haitink recording of Das Lied von der Erde several months ago when I said I had never heard the work before, and this recording remains my favorite. I am finally getting it on CD, I've been waiting on it in the mail for some time now. I have the Philips twofer bundled with the other song cycles.

[Harry]

The second volume with the Sacred works by Johann Kuhnau. in what is to be completed in the coming years.

Solists:
Heidi Maria Taubert, Soprano.
David Erler, Alto.
Tobias Hunger, Tenor.
Friedemann Klos, Bass.

Kuhnau is a predecessor of Johann Sebastian Bach, a fact that should not be overlooked. Kuhnau's sacred works/Cantates can stand alongside Bach, they are of the same quality and spiritual worth. So that is why this series is so important. Gregor Meyer the instigator of this series and conductor made the choice to exclude a choir, and let this be sung by the soloists, which I think is a very good choice. The intimacy and small scale form is gorgeous. And thus the understandability of text is excellent, and there is never any cluthering in the choir parts. All is well balanced, and beautifully recorded.

[Traverso]

It is you who put me on to this great Haitink recording of Das Lied von der Erde several months ago when I said I had never heard the work before, and this recording remains my favorite. I am finally getting it on CD, I've been waiting on it in the mail for some time now. I have the Philips twofer bundled with the other song cycles.

Congratulations,Des Knaben Wunderhorn is also a beautiful recording with Jessye Norman

[Traverso]

Bach

Cantatas

CD39

[aligreto]

Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 [Oistrakh/von Matacic]





It is always a delight to hear this work and this version was no exception. Oistrakh delivers a wonderfully engaging performance.

[San Antone]

Very rare. Hardly any contemporary recordings.

https://www.wrightmusic.net/pdfs/gustave-samazeuilh.pdf

I found these old studio performances:

https://www.youtube.com/v/IH3FAPchLo8  https://www.youtube.com/v/VjiDHiu_CxU  https://www.youtube.com/v/8Rvq6Rf6LOQ

Yes, very rare - thanks for the clips.

TD

Just finished:



Haydn : Piano Sonata No. 62
Zhu Xiao-Mei

Now:



Brahms : Sonata in F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1
Richard Goode & Michael Tree

[Traverso]

Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 [Oistrakh/von Matacic]





It is always a delight to hear this work and this version was no exception. Oistrakh delivers a wonderfully engaging performance.

A great box that can purchased for a very low cost.

[Harry]

I consider this set of the opus 1, by Vivaldi as one of the best on the market, as I said in an earlier review.
It is such a pleasure to listen to this interpretation. Gatti lets the music shine and glitter.

[aligreto]

A great box that can purchased for a very low cost.

I would go so far as to say a treasure trove

[aligreto]

Dennehy: That the Night Come





This is a six song cycle for soprano and ensemble based on poems by WB Yeats. Everything about this is magical; the haunting voice of Dawn Upshaw, the scoring for each song and the overall atmosphere.

[Karl Henning]

Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 [Oistrakh/von Matacic]





It is always a delight to hear this work and this version was no exception. Oistrakh delivers a wonderfully engaging performance.

Magnificent!