What are you listening 2 now?

[aligreto]

Fauré: Cello Sonata No. 1 [Igloi/Benson]





I always find the music of Fauré to be both interesting and engaging and so it is here in this work. It is a vibrant piece of music in both of the outer movements with a soulful and contemplative inner movement for contrast. As always with Fauré's music, I find there is an inherent tension constantly bubbling beneath the surface.

[André]

Disc 4, the 1876 finale (aka 'Volkfest' plus the alternative versions of various movements in the 1878, 1880 and 1881 versions. That symphony's tangle of versions, editions, alternative movements and the like is just as complicated as that of the 3rd symphony. Bruckner seems to have found his way with the final version of the Romantic. After that it was comparatively smooth sailing, until he hit a snag again with the 8th.

This disc of discarded or unpublished bits of the 4th (including complete performances of the 1876 and 1881 finale) makes for compelling listening. The performances are superb. Hrusa's Bruckner is closer to Schubert and Dvorak than Mahler and Strauss.

[bhodges]

Still combing YouTube for old Haitink performances, and found this excellent Bartók Concerto for Orchestra with the Orchestre National de France, from the Montpellier Festival in 2013. It is more leisurely than some, fair warning, but the payoff is showing off every single measure of the brilliant orchestration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjnbUmbHO9o&t=1931s

--Bruce

[ritter]

Some, mostly early solo piano music by Florent Schmitt. All works on this CD are from before 1904, except for Small Gestures, op. 92 —1940—, and the enigmatic and fascinating Prélude... pour und suite à venir —the composer's last work for the instrument, from 1948–. Beautifully played by Ivo Kaltchev.

[bhodges]

And following up on my previous post, while looking for Bartók's Concerto with Haitink, I stumbled across this version with the Portland Youth Philharmonic (in Oregon), conducted by David Hattner. Yes, there are tons of versions by professional ensembles around, but to see young musicians (from ages 9 to 22) navigating this difficult work reminds me that young players are getting better and better. Inspiring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT5Yyt9LVfE

--Bruce

[aligreto]

Brian: Symphony No. 6 [Fredman]





This is my first time hearing this symphony.

I really like this symphony. It is relatively short but it has a very different and interesting sound world all of its own. I like the musical language and the scoring employed to deliver this very interesting sonic world. The atmosphere of tension and drama is palpable throughout and these elements are achieved by various and different orchestral scoring means, all of which are very interesting, engaging and successful. The harmonies and counterpoint in the work are really wonderful. It also has something of a wonderful spectral quality to it sometimes. There is also a very organic flow to the music; everything is unusual but nothing is unexpected. It is a very fine work in my opinion.

[Karl Henning]

A perennial fave: Kathryn Stott playing Koechlin's Les heures persanes, Op. 65

[MusicTurner]

Fauré: Cello Sonata No. 1 [Igloi/Benson]





I always find the music of Fauré to be both interesting and engaging and so it is here in this work. It is a vibrant piece of music in both of the outer movements with a soulful and contemplative inner movement for contrast. As always with Fauré's music, I find there is an inherent tension constantly bubbling beneath the surface.

Nice, I have that set too and enjoy the cello sonatas, as you say there's an almost stormy character to some of the music.

[vers la flamme]

Claude Debussy: La mer. Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Excellent performance, very symphonic conception, I think.

[VonStupp]

William Wallace (1860-1940)
The Passing of Beatrice
  'Heroine of beauty, pulsing in the rose of Dante's heaven'

BBC Scottish SO - Martyn Brabbins

Beatrice is akin to a Wagner prelude or overture. The breadth of textures, the long string lines, the brass chorales; all are wonderful. Much different than Sir William Wallace's British heroism previously.

VS

[vers la flamme]

Robert Simpson: Symphony No.9. Vernon Handley, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

A very good symphony. My favorite of what little I've heard from this composer. Need to check out more.

[Karl Henning]

Franck Symphony in d minor
BSO
Ozawa

A little surprised to find just how much I like this

[aligreto]

Nice, I have that set too and enjoy the cello sonatas, as you say there's an almost stormy character to some of the music.

Yes, I have always found his music to be exciting.

I have just listened to the short Élégie for cello and piano [Warenberg/Crombach]

I think that the music in the Élégie speaks for itself. It is wonderfully intense, both serene and turbulent at different stages and it is given a very fine presentation here.

[aligreto]

Another short work, this time Barber: A Hand of Bridge [Alsop]

[aligreto]

Brian: Symphony No. 16 [Fredman]





This is another work of Brian's that is very interesting and engaging in terms of its musical language, its harmonies and counterpoint. It is a wonderfully atmospheric work which is achieved through good musical writing, orchestral scoring and textures and the application of varying tempi. Once again I stress the wonderful atmosphere here as it is a key element in this work for me. This is a lyrical but somewhat turbulent symphony which is, nonetheless, very engaging and interesting. The conclusion is different, interesting and invigorating.

[Todd]

D958.

[JBS]

Tonights programming:

As CD 1 of


Followed by another listen to this

[vers la flamme]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Orchestral Suite No.1 in C major, BWV 1066. Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music

Amazing counterpoint in the overture. This is a damn good piece! I guess I always kinda looked at the orchestral suites as superfluous, or not as "serious" as some of Bach's other work, but every time I listen to them I realize how wrong I was.

Edit to add: The wind writing, all throughout the suite, is so damn good!

[classicalgeek]

Last night, more Haydn from the Colin Davis Symphonies box:

CD 14
Symphony no. 93
Symphony no. 99
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis



Lovely performances of both works.

Followed by some Chopin Waltzes:
Waltz in Eb major, op. 18
Waltz in Ab major, op. 34 no. 1
Waltz in A minor, op. 34 no. 2
Waltz in F major, op. 34 no. 3
Waltz in Ab major, op. 42
Claudio Arrau, piano



These are refined, polished performances, but a bit on the slow side, and lacking in that last little bit of drive and power. I like these pieces to be a little more Grande and Brillante myself; the one place this approach works is in the poetic and wistful op. 34 no. 2, and Arrau's playing is exquisite here.

[vers la flamme]

Malcolm Arnold: Symphony No.5, op.74. Andrew Penny, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland

Haven't listened to this in ages, but I think it's my favorite Arnold symphony. Really hitting the spot right now! Between the Bach and this I've made two excellent choices with tonight's listening...