What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

Berg
Three Pieces, Op. 6
Three Pieces from the "Lyric Suite" (version for string orchestra)

Wiener Philharmoniker
Abbado

[Symphonic Addict]

Going by this I would like to explore the other Zemlinsky  quartets. Thanks for tip to give the 1st a miss.

I mean the String Quartet in E minor, not the Op. 4, which can be heard on this recording:

[Sergeant Rock]

Agreed; it is a wonderful, beguiling work. I had the great pleasure of hearing the work performed live a number of years ago.

I've heard it live too: Tennstedt conducting the Cleveland with soloist John Mack, the orchestra's principal oboist. Glorious.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

"Papa"
Symphonies in D nos. 93 & 96
COE
Abbado

[André]

+1

The 2nd disc has the most interesting pieces IMO.

I tend to agree. I know the symphony in its two-movement revised version, and it's a superb work. Pending re-appraisal in its original three-movement form on the second disc of the CPO set, I'll reserve my judgment.

[JBS]

Hmm.  Not sure how to describe this concerto.  It's sort of one half 20th Century NeoRomantic, and one half Serialist, and it can't make up its mind what it wants to be.

I do like the result, however.

One significant warning about this CD: there are no couplings, only the Concerto, which is approximately 55 minutes long.

[André]

A fun disc, but be warned: this is very simple, sometimes simplistic music, meant to accompany danced action in a kind of dadaist spoof (Francis Picabia was the set decorator of Relâche). 17 of the 41 tracks clock in under a minute, so a lot of it goes by in a flash. There are some really funny moments, and at least one movement, the Ouverturette from the ballet Relâche(*) is simply hilarious. I wish I could see as well as hear it!

(*) relâche is a theatre term meaning 'no show tonight'.  Titling a ballet Relâche is an absurdity. To compound it, on the night of the premiere on November 24, 1924 the choreographer was ill and the show was cancelled. Therefore the billboards announcing 'Relâche' (the show) were pasted over with the word 'relâche' (no show tonight) !!

[André]

I bought this disc for a couple of bucks, interested in trying a new composer, the Estonian Jaan Rääts (student of Eino Heller and teacher of Lepo Sumera and Erkki-Sven Tüür - nice pedigree!). As for the coupling, it is the Brahms second piano concerto. I know Peter Rösel, a great pianist and Brahms specialist, but the arch-obscure orchestra (Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau) and conductor (Golo Berg) didn't exactly promise a great musical event.

Dessau is a town from the former GDR obliterated by Allied bombing in 1945. It was a military target, the production center of the infamous Zyklon-B gas. Dessau's population today is about 90000. Before the nazis, it was the hotbed of the Bauhaus movement, the town where you could meet architects Walter Gropius, Mies van der Hohe, and painters like Kandinsky and Paul Klee. Not an artistic wasteland, then.

Why couple Brahms and Rääts? Simply because this disc gives us the program of the orchestra's 7th concert of the 2003-2004 season from 28 May 2004. No fancy explanation, it's that simple. So, how was the concert?

It starts with the concerto. Right from the opening horn solo I sat up and took notice. «Wow! This is beautiful», I thought. Golden-toned, solid, as good as Brahms would have dreamed of. Rösel enters right after that, with a firm, confident, rythmically flexible account of the piano part. And so it goes. The whole orchestra is as good as its principal horn player, the conductor is right on the money and the concerto's magnificent architecture is clearly in excellent hands. I already love a good half dozen other interpretations (Magaloff, Backhaus, Rubinstein, Gilels, Anda, Bishop) and this version will join them at the top.

Then, the symphony. It was composed in 1967 and is in five movements. It lasts 30 minutes. The notes mention its neoclassical language with strong jazz influences - unusual for that period of musical history. Well, guess what? Kurt Weill was born in Dessau, and there is a lively Kurt Weill festival (link to the 2020 festival:
https://www.kurt-weill-fest.de/pages_en/kwf_2_0_0_0.html). Now, that's a connection! I can understand why the Rääts symphony was programmed by the Dessau orchestra. Not that there is a similarity of language, but an artistic kinship, definitely. The work gradually leaves off the jazz tunes and instrumental effects (first two movements) and becomes more 'symphonic' as it progresses. The slow movement (#4) is ruminative, brooding without becoming oppressive. Very nice. I must listen to this again soon.

One mystery remains: despite the clear indications that this is a live concert, not a sound, not a peep is heard from the audience. No applause at the end either. I would have sworn this was recorded in the studio. The sound is excellent.

[Daverz]

Thanks for the great review, André.

I searched for "raats symphony" on Qobuz, and it came up with "Symphony of Dead Rats".   

[JBS]

Starting this set
[asin]B003Y3MYWW[/asin]
CD 1
14 Bagatelles BB 50
2 Elegies BB 49
6 Romanian Folk Dances BB 68
Sonatina BB 69
3 Hungarian Folk Tunes BB 80b
Like most of Bartok's music for piano, I have never heard this music before (or at least, don't remember ever hearing it)

[Christo]

Still in Honegger mood, some fine newbies:

[Irons]

I mean the String Quartet in E minor, not the Op. 4, which can be heard on this recording:

Thanks for clarification.

[Mookalafalas]

got the big Boulez box several years ago, and played very little from it. Today I'm very wound up, and suddenly got the urge. Played the Lulu suite, and have moved on to
(only pic I could find at Amazon)
   Am enjoying it immensely, with some good scotch. At high volume.

[Irons]

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring.



In one fell swoop Boulez's "Rite" has reached no.1 on my shelves of this work.

[Tsaraslondon]

This is Ralph Moore's top choice in his Aida survey.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Jun/Verdi_Aida_survey.pdf

I note that the old Callas/Serafin recording is one of his favourites. Mine too. The Nile Scene with Callas and Gobbi is the most riveting on disc, and I actually prefer Serafin's way with the score than anyone else's. Still, this Muti set has always been a good central recommendation and I think it's one of the best things Caballé ever did on disc. 

[vandermolen]

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring.



In one fell swoop Boulez's "Rite" has reached no.1 on my shelves of this work.

I remember that fine old CD. I think that his Debussy recordings are very good as well. I've also been discovering his fine Mahler recordings thanks to the kindness of John (MI) of this forum.

Thread duty. I notice that Europadisc has this great (IMO) symphony on special offer at the moment:

[vandermolen]

The Balada really clicked for me when heard as an homage to the "machine" works of the 20s by Mosolov and Antheil.

Now playing: Malipiero Symphony No. 6

[asin] B082JP4W94[/asin]

(Amazingly, there is already a Naxos/Marco Polo recording of the 6th conducted by Antonio de Almeida.)

A lovely and substantial symphony for strings.

And before the neighbors were home, cranked up the volume for Berglund's recording of Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 4:



Though I'd recommend the Berglund Icon set as a "best buy".  Lots of fantastic performances in that.

[asin] B00DKAH74Y[/asin]

I'm looking forward to receiving the Malipiero and totally agree with your recommendation of the Berglund set and the separate VW release (which is included in the box I think).

TD:
Yesterday I had a nice afternoon CD concert of Falla's dreamy 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain' followed by Rawsthorne's Piano Concerto No.2 from this set:

[Mookalafalas]

In one fell swoop Boulez's "Rite" has reached no.1 on my shelves of this work.

A lot of Boulez love here at GMG today.
   Not in the mood for Rite, but you've inspired me to queue up this next

[Tsaraslondon]

Barbirolli is often my go to conductor for Elgar and these are both wonderful performances, the Enigma being recorded with the Philharmonia in 1962 and Falstaff with the Hallé in 1964.

[Tsaraslondon]

Mozart: Cosi fan Tutte [Bohm]





I think that Mozart is always safe in the hands of Bohm.

Oh gosh, I remember those LPs, which I acquired in my early 20s. I now have it on CD, but all these postings of LPs and their covers are making me very nostalgic and wishing now that I hadn't got rid of all my LPs. I simply don't have room for them.