What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

Disc 9 is titled "Mozart and Polyphony" and lists:
Prelude and Fugue in C Major, KV 394 (1782)
Sonata in F Major, KV 533 (1788)
Suite in C Major, KV 399 (1782)
Eine Kleine Gigue, KV 574 (1789)
Marche funèbre del Sigr Maestro Contrapunto, KV 453a (1784)
Prelude in F Minor, KV Anh. 32 (1789)
Sonata in C Major, KV 545
Two short Fugues, KV 154a (1772-73)

[Todd]

Disc 10, a smorgasbord of small pieces.  Turns out Rach knew how to play Rach. 

[prémont]

One of these cases where browsing on Spotify leads to buying the "real" thing:



I was not only impressed by the playing, but also the original programming was a major attraction.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Jan/Harmonious_Thuringian_DDA25122.htm

Funny, because it was the programming which made me pass this recording by. I own almost the entire program in several other recordings.

[Papy Oli]

Carl Czerny
Sonatina for Piano Trio in G Major, Op. 104/1
Sonatina for Piano Trio in C Major, Op. 104/2
Sonatina for Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 104/3

(Shin, Havek, Gingher)

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 7 in E Major, 1885 Version with some Modifications by Bruckner. Ed. Albert Gutmann, Berliner Philharmoniker

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Ernest Bloch: Suite Hébraïque, Baal-Shem, etc. Original compositions and viola versions.

[aligreto]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6 [Thomson]





The opening of the first movement is quite turbulent and then settles down for something of a jaunt. This little jaunt leads to wonderful passages with something of a disconcerting undertone. This atmosphere of mild menace is wonderful to my ear. In great contrast to what has preceded it the movement concludes with a very lyrical tone and atmosphere. The movement concludes, however, with a very definitive resolution.
The music of the second movement is dark in tone, a little bleak and also has a sense of menace to it. The wonderful orchestration is very effective in creating this atmosphere. The music gradually builds up to a wonderful crescendo and eventual climax.
The third movement, Scherzo, is also a somewhat turbulent affair. Perhaps agitated might be a better description. Either way there is wonderful power, atmosphere and tension here as the music is well driven.
The atmosphere in the final movement has a sense of the eerie verging on the menacing to it. I dislike making comparisons between composers but this music, to my ears, bears direct comparison to Holst.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Cello, M. 73 with Kantorow and Muller (online).  Fascinating!  Really enjoyed it. 

PD

[ritter]

After a hard week of work, relaxing at home with this new arrival:



The more I listen to Granados' Goyescas, the more I like it. This performance (a live recording that was released by DG —years after it was made— to coincide with the centennial in 2016 of the composer's death) shows Rosa Torres-Pardo's close affinity and full command of this music. All the laudatory remarks I had read are not exaggerated. Great stuff!

[Spotted Horses]

Continuing with the Bach partita No 2 for unaccompanied violin, Ibragimova



This is the one with the famous Chaccone. That and the opening Allemande are awe inspiring movements to me. Ibragimova has a no compromise, intense style, which I think I might compare with Maurizio Pollini. A memorable listening experience.

[Lisztianwagner]

Robert Schumann
Symphony No.4

Hans Rosbaud & Sudwestfunkorchester Baden-Baden

[Mapman]

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.

I posted about the recordings a month or two ago. I agree that the Naxos performances are not that great. I own the Hyperion, and it is much better. You also get the final movement of the 1st symphony!

[Harry]

I posted about the recordings a month or two ago. I agree that the Naxos performances are not that great. I own the Hyperion, and it is much better. You also get the final movement of the 1st symphony!

Thanks for the thumbs up in regard of the Hyperion release. 

[Linz]

Brahms Symphony No. 3 in F major, op.90 and Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

[Bachtoven]

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.
 

Thanks for posting it--I just placed an order at Discogs. The addition of "The Firebird" finale seems odd. At first, I got excited thinking it was the Agosti arrangement for piano. Alas, it's not. I assume it was added for "filler," but I would prefer something by Richter.

[Bachtoven]

The first of several new releases I'll be listening to via Qobuz. This is disappointing. While he is technically adept, his playing is too cautious for my taste.

[JBS]

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.

I have this CD from that series, and from what I remember your description applies to it equally

(As I recall, I was curious how 18th century Frank Zappa sounded. Turned out 20th century Frank Zappa was much more interesting.)

TD

As part of this set

91 minutes in length, so no longuers a la Mehta* here

*my first recording of the Third was Mehta leading the BRSO, so it was a while before I figured out it was a soporific mess.

[vandermolen]

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.

Most interesting - tell us more please Harry. I don't know this composer at all.

[vandermolen]

Composer : Egon Wellesz
Recording : Symphony No. 2 (Rabl - 2002)
Performers : Gottfried Rabl, Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien

My favourite Wellesz symphony.

[vandermolen]

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!!

Nice story - it's actually Perceval who, initially reluctantly, returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake at the end of the film. I had a nice exchange of email with Paul Geoffrey who played Perceval in the film (he was originally considered for the role of Arthur) who told me that the five months filming in Ireland were one of the highlights of his film career.
In my case I saw the film at the ABC Cinema, Fulham Road, London when it first came out (1981). My aunt worked for ABC Cinemas and I always got free tickets and a copy of ABC Film Review Magazine from her!