What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

This entire recording:



A superb recording all-around. Performances are top-notch.

[Todd]

Disc 3.  Half good, half meh.

[Symphonic Addict]

Two magnificent works by the Russian Nikolai Roslavets. This Chamber Symphony (which employs nine solo woodwind, two horns, trumpet, piano, string quartet and double bass) would come being his second one, and quite possibly the title chamber symphony might be misleading as this is a meaty work lasting almost 56 minutes. An impressive piece with attractive pathos and dissonances. The another work In den Stunden des Neumonds (In the hours of the New Moon) is not a mere filler. It's a haunting, evocative and alluring piece tinged with certain "dark" impressionist gestures. It reminded me of Bax, Debussy and Scriabin at their most somber. A winning CD all-around.

[Mirror Image]

One more work for the night:

Rachmaninov
Preludes, Ops. 23 & 32
Ashkenazy

[The new erato]

A very pretty disc:



Very listenable music, the Romance is very pretty and overall (as with the disc with symphony no 2 and the violin conCerto) much better than the disc with symphony no 1.

[vandermolen]

This disc is dynamite ! Although recorded sound leaves a bit to be desired in the 1st symphony (mono), this is as urgent and passionate a performance as Stokowski-National Philharmonic. Pohjola's Daughter is absolutely perfect: spooky, dangerous, harrowing. As good as Barbirolli's Hallé, and better played. The 5th is on the same level, Sargent tightening the screws in the big crescendos to stunning effect. I only wish he had let the timpani go banshee in the coda of the first movement. This joins my favourite version (Rozhdestvensky) on top, followed by Davis-Boston and Karajan-BP on EMI.

Edit: big hat tip to Jeffrey for his unwavering advocacy of these classic performances 

I'm really glad that you think highly of these performances André. My older brother had the CFP LP of Symphony No.5 which I liked even before I had much interest in classical music. I have heard many other recordings (I like the original version of No.5 recorded by Vanska) but none have made as much impression on me as the Sargent.

TD: Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem. I've been playing this fine performance a lot recently:

[vandermolen]

A very pretty disc:



Very listenable music, the Romance is very pretty and overall (as with the disc with symphony no 2 and the violin conerto) much better than the disc with symphony no 1.

+1

[vandermolen]

Elgar's finest IMO.

Lennox Berkeley: 1st Symphony.



A master of orchestration, nimble and engaging as always. I have always thought Berkeley, in a good way not the most profound of composers. He is about the music but funnily enough the slow movement made me think of the Pathétique.

I love the Concerto for Two Pianos on that fine LP - one of my favourite Lyrita LPs. It was a pity that they split up the two works for the CD release.

[vandermolen]

A couple of first listens.  One a new release;



intelligent programme impressively played.

Then an old disc but one I've only just bought;



I'm no David Hurwitz fan but he strongly recommended this version in his recent comparative survey of Job and he's right.  Its an excellent, dynamic performance.  Produced by the great Paul Myers for Naxos.  Well worth hearing even if you know other versions.....

Yes RS, I noted Hurwitz's admiration for that performance as well.

[vandermolen]

Some Sibelius whilst doing stuff around the house:  Disc 7 (The Wood Nymph & Lemminkainen Suite and Disc 9 (Suite from Kung Kristian II, Suite from Pelleas and Melisande, and Incidental Music to The Tempest)...Disc 9 whilst decorating the tree.

PD

p.s. From The Essential Sibelius on BIS

Great choice of Sibelius's music PD! Do you know the Complete Tempest Music (BIS) and the Complete Karelia Music (Ondine and BIS - Ondine is better IMO)? They are not to be missed!
Review:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/Feb05/sibelius_Karelia.htm

[vandermolen]

NP:

Walton
Sinfonia concertante
Eric Parkin (piano)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Jan Latham-Koenig

The Sinfonia Concertante is one of my favourite Walton works.

[Madiel]

I feel there's a reasonable chance that tonight will be string quartet night, I've got a mental programme lined up.

Haydn op.33/6



Thoroughly happy with this album, it's been a source of pleasure across all 6 quartets.

[Que]

Morning listening:



IMO Beauty Farm's best recording so far. Whatever my misgivings with some of their other recordings, the performances here of previously unrecorded music by a major Franco-Flemish composer more than makes up for it.
Noel Baldeweyn was bssed in Mechelen and was a contemporary of Desprez, De la Rue and Pipelaere - great stuff.
A revindication of the label Fra Bernardo as well: this time no carboard slipcase without notes, but a slim jewel case with actually very interesting notes on the composer and the music.
The only thing missing now.... is a cover that connects to the art of Baldeweyn's time. 

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/frabernardo_FB1709761.html

Q

[Madiel]

The only thing missing now is a cover that connects to the art of Baldeweyn's time. 

I wish I understood the strategy with those covers.

[Madiel]

Beethoven op.135

[The new erato]

Absolutely outstanding recording of wonderful music from the young Hahn.

[Madiel]

Dvorak op.105

[Que]

Interestingly, the basso continuo part is performed on an early fortepiano after Christofori (1726).

FANFARE review: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=799395

Q

[Roasted Swan]

Another excellent BBC Music Magazine disc.  A slightly odd combination of works but all receiving wonderfully vibrant and dynamic performances.  The programme is;

Prokofiev Symphony No.5
Malcolm Sargent: An Impression on a windy day
Elizabeth Maconchy: Overture Proud Thames
Percy Grainger:  Marching Song of Democracy

A genuine pleasure from first to last....

[Madiel]

It's only taken me 6 months to get around to the next work in this set...

Das Lied von der Erde