What are you listening 2 now?

[ritter]

Staying in la douce France:


Mainly for the String Quartet, op. 112 by Florent Schmitt (is this the work's only recording?). But of course, the Ravel SQ isn't half bad as a filler either....

[prémont]

Funnily, Wöldike seems more appreciated abroad these days than at home, where he's rarely promoted or mentioned, except by certain choral music connoisseurs

While we are at Wöldike, I would like to strike a blow for his recording of the Brandenburg concertos from the early 1950es (rereleased on CD by Classico 2005), OOP and seemingly disappeared into the air by now. They were some of the earliest so called pre-authentic interpretations and at least as groundbreaking as the contemporary Wenzinger recording, even if modern instruments were used. 

[Madiel]

Listening to the Sarah Walker / Malcolm Martineau recording of Fauré's Le jardín clos, prompted by Madiel's recent post. I'm afraid that it's unlikely that this will ever be one of my favourite song cycles by the composer...

I don't know if it will ever a top choice for me, either, but it definitely helps to have a better singer!

Edit: for example I think she makes the 2nd song a lot more interesting than most singers I tried.

And overall there's actually some shape and colour from one song to the next.

[Madiel]

Because it's quite simply one of the most gorgeous albums I've ever stumbled across and I need help going to bed...

[Harry]

A brand new release (2019) and irresistible for me, after listening to the samples, and definitely one of my best buys so far this year.

A Consort's Monument.
Fantasies, Ayres and Dances by: Ferrabosco-Ward-White-Lupo-Dering-Coperario-Lawes-Jenkins-Simpson-Monteverdi.

L'Acheron, Francois Joubert Caillet.

This ensemble with Viols of all sorts and measures, which evokes all characteristics of English music, has a pedigree going as far back as the Renaissance. An emphasis on repertoire written for a consort of Viols. And glorious it is, positively addictive, in such fine sound. L'Acheron consists of musicians that have heart for this music, touching and wildly expressive.
Recommended.
Please more of this stuff.

[vandermolen]

Staying in la douce France:


Mainly for the String Quartet, op. 112 by Florent Schmitt (is this the work's only recording?). But of course, the Ravel SQ isn't half bad as a filler either....

I have a number of 'forgotten records' releases including Sauguet's First and Third symphonies. They are an impressive label run by a genuine enthusiast who puts little personal notes in with the discs.

[ritter]

I have a number of 'forgotten records' releases including Sauguet's First and Third symphonies. They are an impressive label run by a genuine enthusiast who puts little personal notes in with the discs.

Indeed! A very pleasant fellow, who resurrects many worthwhile recordings (many times of works not available elsewhere). He's done a great job making much of  Florent Schmitt's music available to the CD collector.

THREAD DUTY:

Let's give Heitor Villa-Lobos's music another try...



From the complete set, which I bought some years ago for a pittance and IIRC never listened to any of it since  (which is a pity, because Naxos packaged this in such a way that the 8 CDs take up as much shelf space as a set that would contain the complete works of Mozart and Haydn combined  )

[André]

[André]

A brand new release (2019) and irresistible for me, after listening to the samples, and definitely one of my best buys so far this year.

A Consort's Monument.
Fantasies, Ayres and Dances by: Ferrabosco-Ward-White-Lupo-Dering-Coperario-Lawes-Jenkins-Simpson-Monteverdi.

L'Acheron, Francois Joubert Caillet.

This ensemble with Viols of all sorts and measures, which evokes all characteristics of English music, has a pedigree going as far back as the Renaissance. An emphasis on repertoire written for a consort of Viols. And glorious it is, positively addictive, in such fine sound. L'Acheron consists of musicians that have heart for this music, touching and wildly expressive.
Recommended.
Please more of this stuff.

I commented recently on another release by L'Achéron, the Second livre de pièces de viole by Marin Marais. It is excellent. They also recorded the Premier livre, but since I have that in another version I didn't buy it.

[j winter]

First listen:  Myaskovsky Symphonies 1 & 25, Svetlanov

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I have a number of 'forgotten records' releases including Sauguet's First and Third symphonies. They are an impressive label run by a genuine enthusiast who puts little personal notes in with the discs.

Haven't heard of Sauguet nor Schmitt before now; so much music to explore! 

Went back to that Martinu disc.
So glad that I revisited that disc!  Last two works were the Sonata for Viola and Piano No. 1 and the lively and enjoyable Chamber Music No. 1 for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello, Harp and Piano.

Looking at the liner notes, I see that Martinu was inspired by the playing of the American violist *Lillian Fuchs and dedicated a number of the works on this CD (and to a lessor degree) by her brother Joseph, the violinist.  I'm guessing that there might be some folks here who would know of her (if she did) recordings?  If so, I'd love to hear of your recommendations.
*1902-1995

Excellent playing by the 'new' Czech generation of performers.  The CD is from 2008 (How time flies!).

Best,

PD

[vers la flamme]

Franz Schubert: Piano Sonata in A minor, D784. Vladimir Ashkenazy.

This has quickly become one of my favorite Schubert sonatas. Ashkenazy's playing here, recorded when he was in his 20s, is excellent.

[ritter]

Haven't heard of Sauguet nor Schmitt before now; so much music to explore! 
...

i'm not much of a Sauguet fan (I defer to vandermolen on that topic), but as far as Florent Schmitt is concerned, the natural place to start is his best-known work, the ballet La tragédie de Salomé. Stravinsky couldn't help but exclaim "Ah, que c'est beau!" when he first heard it. There's plenty of good recordings of the work out there (for instance, Jean Martinon's on Erato).

[SonicMan46]

Mendelssohn, Felix - Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 5 + Fingal's Cave - finishing up perusing my Felix collection w/ selections from the two boxes below - Dave
.
 

[vers la flamme]

Franz Schubert: Symphony No.8 in B minor, D759, the "Unfinished". Roy Goodman, The Hanover Band.

A great recording from a small band of period instruments, possibly recorded in an airplane hangar, of one of my favorite symphonies.

[MusicTurner]

Bach - Coffee Cantata B211 & Wedding Cantata  B210 / Rilling /Hännsler CD

Tried some Bach harpsichord concertos (HIP) & St.Matthew Passion (Ericson) earlier today, but strangely couldn't take it, found it stressful, on a stressful day - too crispy and too relentless.
The humour and robustness of this fine recording of the Coffee Cantata was more to my taste, however.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

i'm not much of a Sauguet fan (I defer to vandermolen on that topic), but as far as Florent Schmitt is concerned, the natural place to start is his best-known work, the ballet La tragédie de Salomé. Stravinsky couldn't help but exclaim "Ah, que c'est beau!" when he first heard it. There's plenty of good recordings of the work out there (for instance, Jean Martinon's on Erato).

Thank you for the suggestion.   

Last listening:  Takemitsu's Spirit Garden

PD

[Christo]

... Florent Schmitt is concerned, the natural place to start is his best-known work, the ballet La tragédie de Salomé. Stravinsky couldn't help but exclaim "Ah, que c'est beau!" when he first heard it.

Hope Stravinsky heard Schmitt's Dionisiaque Op. 62 one day - as I did last week - i.e. the purest cribbing of the opening of the Sacre I ever encountered, for minutes long. 

[ritter]

Hope Stravinsky heard Schmitt's Dionisiaque Op. 62 one day - as I did last week - i.e. the purest cribbing of the opening of the Sacre I ever encountered, for minutes long. 

I first encountered Dionysiaques for the first time not too long ago, and didn't make a connection to a Sacre at all. Still, it may well be, as Schmitt was a composer at the crossroads of many styles and influences, and his piece was completed right after the Sacre premiere (but perhaps started slightly before).

Me not being into band music very much, I found the work surprisingly attractive. High time I revisit it.

[aligreto]

Wagner: Parsifal [von Karajan]





I listened to this large scale work between yesterday and today. I find that there is some divine music contained herein. When I think of Wagner, I invariably think of this work [in a good way]. That perhaps makes it my favourite opera of his.