What are you listening 2 now?

[Harry]

Niccolo Zingarelli.
Le Sinfonie Milanesi, Volume I.
Atalanta Fugiens, Vanni Moretto.
Played on Authentic instruments.

When I bought this CD in 2013, I already had my doubts about the performance and music. After some years coming back to it, I still have the same ambivalent feeling.
The music is nice but not special, in that respect there are better composers in this competitive field. A bit middle of the road easy listening music. Performance is not really giving me goosebumps, but rather sleepy moments. In this series by HM there were more recordings, but I never bought the follow ups. Sound is a bit bland. My two cents anyway.

[Tsaraslondon]

Beethoven: Sonata no, 11 in B flat, Op.22
Schumann; Etudes Symphoniques, Op. 13
Chopin: Nocturne in F, Op. 15 no. 1
Debussy: Cloches à travers les feuilles
Stravinsky: The Firebird (Finale)

Recorded live at a concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 11 May 1969, this is a wonderful disc. From the classically poised Beethoven, through the tempestuously Romantic Schumann, the wistfully delicate Chopin through to the marvellously transparent Debussy, this is fabulous playing.
 

[Daverz]

D'Avalos manages to get playing of real fire from the Philahrmonia and the Franck symphony especially emerges with a dynamism and attack it can sometimes lack.  The brass have a field day (which I rather enjoy) - well engineered too.  The Chausson is a great work and gets a strong performance too.  Definitely a disc I will return to.

I looked up the Fanfare review (by Adrian Corleonis), and it is glowing:

   One might have to go back to the recordings of Monteux, Paray, and Munch to find
   performances of these works so effortlessly integrating line with harmonic opulence,
   breathing suppleness with brazen splendor, or consistent vividness with an unfailing
   grasp of design. [...]

Unfortunately, I don't see this streaming anywhere except youtube.

[Harry]

Alexander von Zemlinsky.

Symphony No. 1 in D minor.
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major.
Slovak Radio SO, Ludovit Rajter. Symp No.1)
Slovak PO, Edgar Seipenbusch. (Symp. No.2)

These performances are not really good, serviceable, I would say.  They put some effort in getting the maximum out of the music, but detailing is undernourished, due to the fact that the orchestra had not enough time and resources to give a stellar interpretation. The sound is so so, nothing to write home about.  In the Tutti's it gets a bit uncomfortable, especially in the brass.  I like these youthful romantic works, composed during a turbulent era.
Discovered a Hyperion recording of both symphonies, so that's on the order list.

[Operafreak]

Malipiero

Paolo Carlini (bassoon), Damiana Pinti (mezzo-soprano)

Camerata Strumentale 'Città di Prato', Marzio Conti

   

[Harry]

Japanese Classics.

Komei Abe.

Symphony No.1. (1957)
Divertimento for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra. (1951)
Sinfonietta. (1964)
Russian PO, Dmitry Yablonsky
Alexey Volkov, Saxophone.

Very well recorded this imaginative music by one of the greatest composers from Japan. Very appealing and approachable.

[Florestan]

Paris & Linz symphonies

[aukhawk]

Up to the Sonata No 2 for unaccompanied violin, Ibragimova



Listening to this recording inspires awe, at the compositional technique and at the performance technique.
I don't know what amazes me more about the Fugue, that Bach could make contrapuntal voice leading seem natural on a four string bowed instrument, or that Ibragimova could make it sound effortless to play.

In a TV interview a couple of years ago Ibragimova cited the 3rd movement of this 2nd Sonata as her favourite movement of all the S&Ps.

[aligreto]

Barber: Die Natali [Alsop]





I have not heard this work before. It is not an original work by Barber but is rather an arrangement of several popular Christmas carols arranged by Barber. I like the orchestral voicing in these works. The orchestration has wonderful texture and sonorities throughout.

[vandermolen]

Soundtrack (features music by Wagner and Orff as well as original material). It works well IMO.

[Roasted Swan]

Soundtrack (features music by Wagner and Orff as well as original material). It works well IMO.

When I first saw this film (Odeon Leicester Square circa 1981?) I had never heard any of Wagner's Ring.  So all I knew was that the use of the music from the final battle through to Arthur returning Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake and his death was just bloomin' AMAZING.  I sat through the credits to see that it was Wagner but still didn't know which bit went where(!)  When I finally tracked down Siegfried's Funeral Music I was SO delighted.  To this day whenever I hear; "du-bah du-bah daaaa.... PA PA...... PA PA" I'm taken back to Leicester Square!!

[Harry]

Isang Yun.

Symphony No.1.
No.3 in one movement.

Filharmonia Pomorska Bydgoszcz, Takao Ukigaya.

Always been a great fan of Yun, as if the Tao speaks to me.
Excellent performance and recording.

[Papy Oli]

Afternoon all,

JS Bach - Brandenburg Concerto #3 (Linde Consort)
JS Bach - Trio Sonata #6 (Power Biggs)
JS Bach - Sonata for Violin & Continuo in E Minor BWV 1023 (Grumiaux, Jaccottet, Mermoud)
 

[Harry]

Eugene Ysaye.
Sonata in A minor for two Violins.
String Trio "Le Chimay".
Sonata for Solo Cello, opus 28.
Henning Kraggerud and Bard Monsen, Violins.
Lars Anders Tomter, Viola.
Ole Eirik Ree, Cello.
Recorded in 2007.

Superb.

[Papy Oli]

Berg - Der Wein

Pierre Boulez, NYP, Jessye Norman

[Papy Oli]

Berg - Lyric Suite (Pierre Boulez, NYP)

Ligeti - 10 Pieces for Wind Quintet (Clear and Cloudy DG Box)

[Que]

This is familiar music from other recordings. Maybe Asperen has redefined Dieupart's biography and maybe he has done some clever score adjustments, but nonetheless this is recognisably the Dieupart we all know and love.

The playing relishes the flamboyant, the superb. This is definitely music for the galerie de glaces. There is a hint of melancholy, but it's all very extrovert, grand and lavish. The instrument is a goodie. I can listen to Asperen much longer than Jalôto's recording, for example. Also worth noting that there are two suites which hadn't been recorded before.

Sounds promising! 

[Papy Oli]

Stradella - "Chare Jesu Suavissime" (Il Seminario Musicale, Gerard Lesne, Sandrine Piau)

Leonardo Leo - Concerto per violoncello solo con violini in A Major (Chiara Banchini, Ensemble 415) 

[Harry]

Music in Germany from Schütz to Bach.
CD IV.
Music by:

Dietrich Buxtehude, Nicolaus Bruhns, Johann Christoph Bach, Johann Michael Bach, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Performers are Ricercare Consort, Concerto Vocale, Vox Luminis.

All excerpts of course, but exceptional interpretations. This box is a treasure for me.

[Karl Henning]

for less than ridiculous prices

(* chortle *)