What are you listening 2 now?

[ritter]

First listen to the music of Jacques Chailley, with this CD that landed today:



Chailley (1910-1999) came to my attention because he wrote a ballet, La Dame à la licorne, to a scenario by Jean Cocteau, premiered in Munich in 1953 (that work has been recorded under the baton of Manuel Rosenthal, but I'm not prepared to fork out the astronomical price that's being demanded for the only used copy I've been able to locate  ). He was mainly known as a writer on music and a teacher, and his behaviour during WWII seems to have been controversial (although he was a member of the Front National des Musiciens resistance group). As an interesting side note, his mother was Céliny Chailley-Richez, who had a distinguished career as a pianist (I have several recordings in my collection of her conducted by Enesco, or accompanying him). According to the liner notes of this CD, his father Marcel (a cellist) played in the world première of Enesco's Octet.

Tonight I'm listening to his String Quartet from around 1935, when the composer was in his mid-20s and composed partly in Amsterdam (he was studying with Willem Mengelberg). Curious piece, that sounds as if Gabriel Fauré had decided to join Les Six, but quite enjoyable. The two wartime Pièces contemplatives (Organum and Alleluia), also for string quartet, sound archaïsant, and are delightful, the latter including a soaring soprano line (mostly singing, you guessed it, "Alleluia!"  ).

The remainder of the CD is a Sonata for Solo Violin, and two Duos for Violin and Viola (the violist is the composer's sister Marie-Thérèse). These are genres I usually don't care for much, so I might or might not listen to them tonight. 

Nice painting on the cover, BTW; it's by Jacques Villon (brother of Marcel Duchamp).

[Madiel]

Simpson, Symphony No.1

As conducted by Sir Adrian Boult with the London Philharmonic, in 1956 according to Idagio. The sound quality is pretty good.

I will be duty bound to try the Handley version on Hyperion after this, seeing as I've not heard since it 2014, to find out if it's dull and lifeless. To be honest, my memory banks are suggesting to me that Boult might indeed be quite a bit more exciting. Thought I think no.1 is one of the symphonies in the Hyperion set that I liked better anyway.

EDIT: Now that I'm a lot more familiar with Nielsen, the resemblances between Simpson and one his favourite composers are strikingly obvious.

[classicalgeek]

Riding my coattails again I see. First with Ives and then Canteloube and now with Franck. Anyway, some great stuff you've been listening to lately.

I often get inspiration from what fellow GMGers are listening to - and that includes you!   I admit, my listening to that recording of the Chants d'Auvergne was because you were listening to it earlier. And with the wonder of streaming services like Spotify, I can cue up just about anything!

NP:

Lutosławski
Paroles tissées
Piotr Kusiewicz (tenor)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Antoni Wit

From this set -

That set was part of my mega-box-set order from Presto! About two thirds of it arrived last week (including the Lutoslawski box), and I'm looking forward to digging in!

The first OCO recording I bought, back when first released:

CD 39

Schoenberg
Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4
Erste Kammersymphonie, Op. 9
Zweite Kammersymphonie, Op. 38

Excellent stuff! Definitely my preferred recording of the Chamber Symphonies... and probably Verklärte Nacht too.

TD: Over the weekend:

Respighi
Belkis, Queen of Sheba
Philharmonia Orchestra
Geoffrey Simon



Entrancing stuff, with a lot of faux-Middle Eastern music, and of course splendidly orchestrated... Respighi's orchestral works really are a feast for the ears!

And I had to listen to a set I picked up at the record store - one of my favorite recordings of Beethoven's Piano Concertos:

Beethoven
Piano concerto no. 3
Leon Fleisher, piano
Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell



A classic set, and with good reason - Fleisher was at the top of his game, and it's hard to imagine anyone bettering Szell's accompaniments. Only one reservation: while the orchestra sounded crisp and clear, the piano sounded fuzzy and unfocused. But that's a minor issue - an outstanding performance overall.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Side one from this live recording:



I particularly liked the Korte work (that's Oldrich F. Korte if you're curious to check out the composer).  It was written between 1951-'53 and is a two-movement sonata.  Also on Side 1, two works by a then young Josef Suk--both written when he was 19.  His Love Song (Op. 7, No. 1) and a Humoresque (Op. 7, No. 2).

"Fresh from the cleaners" here.  I also cleaned a LP of Chopin's Preludes of his. 

PD

EDIT:  The recordings were done on the 18-19th of December in 1984 at the House of Artists, Prague.

The album looks very interesting!

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Lutosławski
String Quartet
Lutosławski Quartet

[André]

[Mirror Image]

I often get inspiration from what fellow GMGers are listening to - and that includes you!   I admit, my listening to that recording of the Chants d'Auvergne was because you were listening to it earlier. And with the wonder of streaming services like Spotify, I can cue up just about anything!

That set was part of my mega-box-set order from Presto! About two thirds of it arrived last week (including the Lutoslawski box), and I'm looking forward to digging in!

I'm happy to be of service. Unfortunately, I can only cue up what I've ripped from my collection, but don't worry it's about 120 days worth of music right now (around 380 GB). So I basically have my own streaming service at my fingertips. Anyway, I think you'll dig Lutosławski once you receive that Wit set.

[Mirror Image]

Time to compare and contrast: Debussy's La Damoiselle élue, L. 62 in two different arrangements -

Natalie Dessay (soprano), Philippe Cassard (piano), Karine Deshayes (mezzo-soprano)
Le Jeune Choeur de Paris

Jocelyne Taillon (mezzo-soprano), Barbara Hendricks (soprano)
Orchestre de Paris, Choeur de l'Orchestre de Paris
Daniel Barenboim



From this set -

[Symphonic Addict]

Very much agree Cesar. I find the symphony to be powerful and moving and that's a fine recording.

There is also a recording on Naxos, Jeffrey (which I haven't heard yet).

Indeed! It's interesting how different each of the four movements are from each other: a stormy, dramatic first movement, a lush, almost Korngoldian slow movement, a sardonic, almost Bartókian scherzo, and a massive finale which is a variations and fugue on a Bach chorale. Due to this, maybe it doesn't completely "hang together" as a coherent symphonic structure, but that's relatively unimportant considering how effective the music is.

Good analysis, Kyle. I share your views about it. The 1st is also outstanding!

[Symphonic Addict]

Oh yes, The Tower of Babel is stirring stuff, indeed. Ludolf could be quite dramatic when he wanted to be! The accompanying orchestral suite Forest Walk is an interesting work - rather harmonically advanced and almost expressionistic in places. It has a glorious "sunrise" of an ending! Regarding his other works, I enjoy his colorful, folksy orchestral suite From the Mountains, less so his rather unmemorable 1st Symphony. I've yet to hear his ballet Lackschmi or his SQs.

You'll love the ballet and the 3rd SQ. Really both major works in the Danish leagues.

[Symphonic Addict]

You need to listen to the new recording from Jonathan Nott on Pentatone:



The arrangement is done by Nott and it's the most complete this suite has ever been. Worth a listen.

Thanks for the tip, John. I do intend to hear the whole opera someday, and I think the Abbado recording will be a good option.

[Symphonic Addict]

Saint-Saëns: Symphony in F "Urbs Roma", Orchestre National de l'ORTF/Jean Martinon, from the Warner Saint-Saëns Edition which arrived today. First listen to an enjoyable symphony which Saint-Saëns seems to have disowned, can't think why!

The other day I took a listen to the famous 3rd and wow, it could be the best modern recording and performance of the piece as far as I am concerned.

[Symphonic Addict]

NP:

Lutosławski
String Quartet
Lutosławski Quartet

Love this piece. I imagine this recording to be top-notch.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks for the tip, John. I do intend to hear the whole opera someday, and I think the Abbado recording will be a good option.

You're welcome. Thankfully, there are several options in Pelléas et Mélisande. My favorites are Haitink, Baudo and the afore mentioned Abbado. This is the kind of work that has to kind of float over your ears and you just close your eyes and become engulfed in the unique atmosphere that Debussy created. The next time I listen to it, I want to follow along with the libretto, because I want to get a better idea of not only what is actually sung, but what's happening on the stage. Most of the time with opera, I just read a synopsis and allow the music to "speak for itself", but I do see the value in following the action via the texts.

Love this piece. I imagine this recording to be top-notch.

A fine recording, indeed. I can't honestly imagine it being bettered. But there are many noteworthy performances available.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Saint-Saëns
Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 14
Andrea Lucchesini (piano), Andrea Lumachi (double bass)
Quartetto di Cremona



I'm just now getting around to playing this recording, which I bought last month (amongst several other Saint-Saëns recordings). This is a lovely performance --- gorgeously performed. I'm familiar with Andrea Lucchesini due to his recording of Berio's solo piano music which I had bought several years ago (it is also excellent). I never heard of the Quartetto di Cremona previously.

[Madiel]

Dvorak, Rhapsody in A minor (Symphonic Poem)



Written between the 4th and 5th symphonies. There are only a handful of performances of this work available. This one apparently has a good reputation, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

[Madiel]

Dvorak - a couple of recordings of the Nocturne (string orchestra version), and then...

Serenade for Strings



I don't think I've tried this recording before. Sounds pretty good!

[Mirror Image]

Last work for the night:

Malipiero
String Quartet No. 3, "Cantari alla madrigalesca"
Orpheus String Quartet



Such wonderful SQs. I'm not a huge fan of Malipiero, but there are several works of his that I continue to have great affection for like the piano concerti, Sinfonia No. 6, "Degli archi" and, of course, these SQs.

[Klavier1]

[Harry]

Johann Gottfried Walther.

Complete Organ Music, volume VI.
Chorale setting V.

Simone Stella plays on a Francesco Zanin organ, 2006.


Well it's certainly music I love to come back to. It gives every mood a place, be it contemplative or joyous, and fits with bouts of melancholy. So it will always please my cravings.
Organ sounds perfect.