What are you listening 2 now?

[VonStupp]

WA Mozart
Great Mass in C Minor, K. 427

Ileana Cotrubaș, soprano
Kiri Te Kanawa, mezzo
Werner Krenn, Tenor
Hans Sotin, bass

John Alldis Choir
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Raymond Leppard (rec. 1974)

For this afternoon:

VS

Mozart is definitely channeling Handel in this work. Very telling that the soprano solos were meant for Constanze as well.

This 2000 remastering job was an upgrade for me from an earlier iteration I had (pictured below). The chorus is wonderfully clear, even in the 8-part double chorus numbers, and everything is superbly balanced. I am at a loss as to why this performance has been subjugated to the Red Line series for so long.

The simplicity of Cotrubaș' soprano matches well with a young Te Kenawa, the high point of this recording.

Leppard's tempos might languor, only exceeded by Karajan I am sure, but the drawn out Kyrie is simply divine notwithstanding.

VS

[Roasted Swan]

This disc, at a total of 42'47" might be a little short on time but who cares with performances of this quality. Stokowski's performances of these two Tchaikovsky peices have rightly acquired legendary status and anyone who loves Tchaikovsky and/or these works shoud definitely have them in their collection. An all time great disc.

For sure a genuinely great recording - with of course the New York Phil masquerading under this rather odd name for recording contract purposes!

[Spotted Horses]

I'm up to the Divertimento K247.



This is an elegant piece, beautifully put together but not making as strong an impression as some other from the same time (such as K251). The first Menuetto and the Adagio are the highlights. I have an HIP recording of the work, which I may listen to tomorrow.

[Biffo]

Beethoven:

Coriolan Overture
Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra in C major - with Josef Suk violin, Josef Chucro cello & Jan Panenka piano
Symphony No 2 in D major

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karel Ancerl - live recordings from 1966, 1964 and 1968

[Mirror Image]

Jean Sibelius
Symphony No.5

Lovely, Ilaria. Karajan was always incredible in Sibelius. I own that 2-CD set, but I upgraded to this one upon its release:



Everything has been remastered and there's even a blu-ray audio disc included, but I haven't heard any of it yet. I have a stereo system, but it isn't setup for surround sound. Maybe one day!

[Mirror Image]

Now playing:

Vaughan Williams
A Pastoral Symphony
New Philharmonia Orchestra

Symphony No. 4 in F minor
New Philharmonia Orchestra

Sir Adrian Boult

From this newly acquired Warner/Tower Records hybrid SACD set with a new remastering -

[Brian]

Celebrating Madiel's bounty.

[Mirror Image]

Ralph Vaughan Williams
Tuba Concerto
Piano Concerto

Patrick Harrild, tuba
Howard Shelley, piano
LSO - Bryden Thomson

Of the many string orchestra and concertante works on this set, these are the most epically scored of the lot.

VS

Are you enjoying this set, VS? Where you familiar with these works previously?

[Mirror Image]

Continuing on with the Hartmann symphonies...

Symphony No. 5
Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra
Michael Schønwandt

From this set -



A Stravinskian Neoclassical work, but filtered through Hartmann's own compositional lens. Fun!

[aligreto]

Holst: Walt Whitman Overture [Braithwaite] played by London Philharmonic Orch.





This is obviously quite early Holst. It is rather effusive and profusely lyrical. There are, however, portentous voices in evidence here.

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Fellas even if I lurk in ancient lore most of the time, I'm listening to one of my favorfite LPa Deutsch Gramophone Charles Yves, Carl Ruggle, Walter Piston, great amercan composers witch I tend to forgot whit the Boston Orchestra Mint but it for 2$

I know I 'm cheap skate, the vynil ain't work a fortune but it's a good recording
.Any sane or classical music lover of the respective era would agree.

[Papy Oli]

Contains a gorgeous BWV 82 for soprano.

[Karl Henning]

Showed up on my Apple Music suggestions so giving the piano concerto a first-time listen.

Whaddya think?!

[Mirror Image]

NP:

(B.) Tchaikovsky
The Murmuring Forest Suite
Saratov Conservatory Symphony Orchestra
Kirill Ershov



Next up:

Elgar
The Music Makers, Op. 69
Dame Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano), Frederick Jackson (director)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir
Sir Adrian Boult

From this set -

[Karl Henning]

NP:

Hanson
Symphony No. 4, Op. 34, "Requiem"
Oregon Symphony
Kalmar

I should revisit that piece.

[Mirror Image]

I should revisit that piece.

It's gorgeous, Karl. I liked this performance, too.

[Karl Henning]

First sample of today's happy arrival...

Haydn: Op.64/6 in E flat major

Splendid!

[Papy Oli]

A first listen to Dvorak's Requiem.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Peter Mennin: Symphony No. 5. Miller/Albany.




 

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Penderecki
A sea of dreams did breathe on me...
Olga Pasichnyk, Ewa Marciniec, Jarosław Brek
Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
Antoni Wit



Next up:

Szymanowski
Stabat Mater, Op. 53
Aleksandra Kurzak, Agnieszka Rehlis, Dmitry Korchak, Artur Rucinski
Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
Jacek Kaspszyk