What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Piano Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 6

A new release containing all the piano concertos of the most renowned Bulgarian composer. I must say that this work is spectacular, colourful, poetic, and above all, very romantic in the post-Tchaikovsky tradition. It also features Bulgarian folk gestures in the 3rd movement mostly. Any fan of Rachmaninov, Kabalevsky (1st Concerto) and Glazunov's piano concertos could enjoy this music.

[Irons]

Schoenberg: Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra - After the Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No.7 by Handel.



That will teach me for describing Schoenberg as "dry". Schoenberg filtered through Handel is a brilliant foot-tapping listen.

[Symphonic Addict]

Ross Edwards: Symphony No.1 'Da Pacem Domine' (1992)
A very moving, lamenting and sad minimalist-type work in memory of his friend the conductor Stuart Challender, who died young, and also a plea for peace at the time of the First Gulf War.
Strongly recommended.
I think that this was one of the many works which André of this forum introduced me to:

His Violin Concerto Maninyas is great too.

[Symphonic Addict]

Symphony No. 5

The slow movement of this work is one of his best ones.




Carwithen: String Quartets

Utterly enchanting. The 1st quartet is especially fine.

[Todd]

[André]

I last heard this disc about 4 years ago. I had forgotten how good - very good - it is. This is major late romantic stuff, written in the first quarter of the 20th century. Brand is the title of a piece by Ibsen (of Peer Gynt fame). Schjelderup made up his own musical construction in 9 continuous sections, Zarathustra-like, with titles such as Journey through fog and storm towards the highest peak, Love in suffering and desire, All or nothing!, My god is a hero, He who has beheld Jehovah must die, and so forth. Stirring stuff. The music is alternatively turbulent, passionate, lyrical and runs continuously for almost 34 minutes. Not a moment is wasted.

The symphony was written in 1923 when the composer, who had settled in Bavaria some years before, decided to write a symphony evocative of his native country. This, too, has movement titles. The first one is The Sea. Towering waves crashing on steep cliffs, gloomy skies and the like, it's all there in sumptuously orchestrated late-romantic gestures. I thought that movement the most impressive, but the work hangs together well. Orchestra and sonics are excellent. Enthusiastic comments on Amazon, and a very positive review by the hurwitzer. Recommended !

I'm sure Harry must know this disc. Who else?

[Symphonic Addict]

I last heard this disc about 4 years ago. I had forgotten how good - very good - it is. This is major late romantic stuff, written in the first quarter of the 20th century. Brand is the title of a piece by Ibsen (of Peer Gynt fame). Schjelderup made up his own musical construction in 9 continuous sections, Zarathustra-like, with titles such as Journey through fog and storm towards the highest peak, Love in suffering and desire, All or nothing!, My god is a hero, He who has beheld Jehovah must die, and so forth. Stirring stuff. The music is alternatively turbulent, passionate, lyrical and runs continuously for almost 34 minutes. Not a moment is wasted.

The symphony was written in 1923 when the composer, who had settled in Bavaria some years before, decided to write a symphony evocative of his native country. This, too, has movement titles. The first one is The Sea. Towering waves crashing on steep cliffs, gloomy skies and the like, it's all there in sumptuously orchestrated late-romantic gestures. I thought that movement the most impressive, but the work hangs together well. Orchestra and sonics are excellent. Enthusiastic comments on Amazon, and a very positive review by the hurwitzer. Recommended !

I'm sure Harry must know this disc. Who else?

Me too, André. Brand is exciting indeed, but I'm not as enthusiastic as you with the Symphony. It has atmosphere but pales in memorability. I thought the best movement was the first one.

[Daverz]

Toch: Symphony No. 3 - Pittsburgh Symphony, William Steinberg



https://www.discogs.com/Toch-Hindemith-Martin-Toch-Hindemth-Martin/release/9956875

The strings come up somewhat glassy on this old stereo recording, but it's still the best recording of this work.  The Hindemith is also with Steinberg conducting Pittsburgh (he also recorded it with Boston for DG).  The Martin is conducted by Stokowski, and is one of the great recordings of that work, if in crude but effective stereo.

[JBS]

Bought this earlier today.
[asin]B089TV17F7[/asin]

After a first listen, I think it's not too bad.  It runs for about 91 1/2 minutes, with the CD split coming in the middle, between variations 15 and 16.  Lang Lang's approach might be described as contemplative or meditative, with an emphasis on bringing out the melodic line.  Even the quicker passages are not as fast as other pianists play them, although they are sped up enough to make the necessary contrast. I wouldn't label it a "romantic" approach.

In the notes Lang Lang describes starting to play the work for Harnoncourt, only to be interrupted by the conductor, who told him the work needed "a greater sense of solitude" and that the pianist look for a place of "stillness" in himself. Maybe this Zen-like approach appealed to a pianist who comes from the land where Zen was developed. It certainly seems to inform his performance.

My version, the one linked, has only the studio performance.  There's a four CD version available with both the studio and a live concert performance. Obviously I have no idea of how the latter comes across.

I won't play it often, but I don't regret the purchase.  It is probably worth at least one listen via a streaming service.

[Todd]

[Symphonic Addict]

Violin Concerto

A satisfactory performance. However, I didn't feel moved by it. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for that work.




Violin Sonatas 1 & 2

Little is said of these pieces and they're very good, typical but also fascinating Schnittke.




Concerto for piano and strings

Schnittke wrote excellent concertos and this particular piece is one of my favorites.

[Harry]

I last heard this disc about 4 years ago. I had forgotten how good - very good - it is. This is major late romantic stuff, written in the first quarter of the 20th century. Brand is the title of a piece by Ibsen (of Peer Gynt fame). Schjelderup made up his own musical construction in 9 continuous sections, Zarathustra-like, with titles such as Journey through fog and storm towards the highest peak, Love in suffering and desire, All or nothing!, My god is a hero, He who has beheld Jehovah must die, and so forth. Stirring stuff. The music is alternatively turbulent, passionate, lyrical and runs continuously for almost 34 minutes. Not a moment is wasted.

The symphony was written in 1923 when the composer, who had settled in Bavaria some years before, decided to write a symphony evocative of his native country. This, too, has movement titles. The first one is The Sea. Towering waves crashing on steep cliffs, gloomy skies and the like, it's all there in sumptuously orchestrated late-romantic gestures. I thought that movement the most impressive, but the work hangs together well. Orchestra and sonics are excellent. Enthusiastic comments on Amazon, and a very positive review by the hurwitzer. Recommended !

I'm sure Harry must know this disc. Who else?

I know it and love it! Its a forgotten gem.

[Traverso]

CD 13


Lots of unknown repertoire that I wouldn't have discovered without this attractive set.

[vandermolen]

Not this one, my friend  .

I wonder who it was - but I'm grateful to them.

TD
Bliss: A Colour Symphony
This set is very well reviewed in the current BBC Music Magazine:

[vandermolen]

I last heard this disc about 4 years ago. I had forgotten how good - very good - it is. This is major late romantic stuff, written in the first quarter of the 20th century. Brand is the title of a piece by Ibsen (of Peer Gynt fame). Schjelderup made up his own musical construction in 9 continuous sections, Zarathustra-like, with titles such as Journey through fog and storm towards the highest peak, Love in suffering and desire, All or nothing!, My god is a hero, He who has beheld Jehovah must die, and so forth. Stirring stuff. The music is alternatively turbulent, passionate, lyrical and runs continuously for almost 34 minutes. Not a moment is wasted.

The symphony was written in 1923 when the composer, who had settled in Bavaria some years before, decided to write a symphony evocative of his native country. This, too, has movement titles. The first one is The Sea. Towering waves crashing on steep cliffs, gloomy skies and the like, it's all there in sumptuously orchestrated late-romantic gestures. I thought that movement the most impressive, but the work hangs together well. Orchestra and sonics are excellent. Enthusiastic comments on Amazon, and a very positive review by the hurwitzer. Recommended !

I'm sure Harry must know this disc. Who else?

Amazon tells me that I ordered it in 2010, so clearly I need to fish it out! 

[Papy Oli]

Ethel Smyth - Chamber music Vol. 1 & 2

Really lovely stuff.

[vers la flamme]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Triple Concerto in A minor for flute, violin & harpsichord, BWV 1044. Aurèle Nicolet, Gerhart Hetzel, Karl Richter, Münchener Bach-Orchester

I believe this was one of Richter's last recordings. Great performance from all forces. This set is amazing, the Brandenburgs especially; the Overtures less so (too slow) but all in all I'm very happy to have it.

[vandermolen]

His Violin Concerto Maninyas is great too.

Thanks Cesar - I'll give that a listen to.

[vandermolen]

Erkki Salmenhaara (1941-2002)
Symphony No.4 (1971-2)
Absolutely briliant!
Powerful, moving, inspiriting, tonal. Interesting booklet notes from Kalevi Aho.
A definite recommendation to 'the usual suspects' (those who, more or less, share my musical tastes here).
This one had to come from Finland:

[Traverso]

Telemann

CD 11

This CD contains the beautifull Overture in A minor.When I hear this suite by Telemann, I am filled with a melancholy joy. It is a work on a modest scale with the recorder as the leading instrument by no means an instrument that arouses many people's attention.