What are you listening 2 now?

[SonicMan46]

Korngold, Erich (1897-1957) - String Quartets & Piano Quintet w/ the Aron Quartett and Henri Sigfridsson on piano - new arrival from JPC; well done (reviews attached for those interested).  Dave

P.S. as mentioned by one reviewer, discs are a little 'stingy' at 57+/45+ mins each - another work likely could have been added?

 

[aligreto]

Vinci: "L'Harmonie du Monde" [Music by contemporaries of Leonardo da Vinci]

[Florestan]

an unexpected but improving hospital stay

Wishing you a quick and full recovery.

[Brahmsian]

Wishing you a quick and full recovery.

Andrei, somehow you quoted me, but you probably meant to quote foxandpeng.

[SimonNZ]

[Cato]

It's been decades, I ought to listen to Utrenja.

Yes, Penderecki's Utrenja was and is an all-around fave!

Also, an excellent work for LENT!

In writing to Luke Ottevanger today, I recalled a late work (c. 1963) by Stravinsky.

Abraham and Isaac

In that era, there was always* great excitement about a new work coming from Igor Stravinsky, always* followed by great disappointment that the new work was not from the same world as The Firebird or (even) The Rite of Spring. 


* Okay, maybe not always, but it seemed that way! 

[Florestan]

Andrei, somehow you quoted me, but you probably meant to quote foxandpeng.

Oooops, my bad indeed. Thanks for pointing it out. I corrected my post.

[Cato]

In that era, there was always* great excitement about a new work coming from Igor Stravinsky, always* followed by great disappointment that the new work was not from the same world as The Firebird or (even) The Rite of Spring. 


* Okay, maybe not always, but it seemed that way! 

I should have added a few more comments about the above: at that time the "buzz" was that Stravinsky - in order to stay relevant with the professoriat against e.g. Boulez, Stockhausen, et alii - had defected to the "Serialist Camp" under the malign influence of the Svengali-like Robert Craft. 

I also recall a whispering campaign that Robert Craft was more responsible for the later, serial works, but if you look at the scores (See Abraham and Isaac above), they are often not strictly "serial," showing (I think) that Stravinsky's musical ideas were not about to be boxed in by any system!

Stravinsky may have been an alcoholic, but he was not weak-willed, from what I knew then and have learned since! 

[Brahmsian]

It's been decades, I ought to listen to Utrenja.

@Cato
@Karl Tirebiter Henning
@DavidW

Wit Naxos will no doubt serve you well in Utrenja.  However, if you do happen to find a copy or are able to stream the older early 70s recording through Andrzej Markowski, THAT is the one to go by!  I find this is one performance where Wit doesn't quite get the intensity of the work, and Markowski succeeds more in doing so.    Problem is, it might be a difficult find.

[j winter]

Picked up this one, and the similar pairing of PCs 9 & 18, used for about the price of a Coke.  Quite enjoyable, very elegant, sprightly tempos with clean textures and a slightly astringent HIP-influenced reduction of vibrato.  Not revelatory, but glad to have these, even amongst the 50 gazillion versions already on the shelf...

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 4 in E Flat Major, 1878/80 Version (1880 with Bruckner's 1886 revisions) - Ed. Leopold Nowak, Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

[71 dB]

It is strange that for many the organ is an instrument that has little interest. That is a pity because much organ music is of high quality.

When I first got into classical music 25+ years ago I avoided organ music thinking it must be really annoying "church music", but I was gradually proven totally wrong. Whenever I listen to quality organ music I am surprised/reminded how much I like and enjoy it. Epic music!

[Christo]

Beste newcomer of the past year, one of the most beautiful symphonies I know (her Third, 1965):

[Linz]

Schubert Symphony No. 5 in B flat major D 485, Symphony No. 9  in C major "Great. D 944, Symponieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Eugen Jochum

[Lisztianwagner]

Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartet No.15

Guarneri Quartet

[DavidW]

@Cato
@Karl Tirebiter Henning
@DavidW

Wit Naxos will no doubt serve you well in Utrenja.  However, if you do happen to find a copy or are able to stream the older early 70s recording through Andrzej Markowski, THAT is the one to go by!  I find this is one performance where Wit doesn't quite get the intensity of the work, and Markowski succeeds more in doing so.    Problem is, it might be a difficult find.

I can stream that, it is the only other recording I found.  I chose the Wit recording randomly.  I couldn't have asked you because it was 4 am my time, you probably weren't up!

[Cato]

When I first got into classical music 25+ years ago I avoided organ music thinking it must be really annoying "church music", but I was gradually proven totally wrong. Whenever I listen to quality organ music I am surprised/reminded how much I like and enjoy it. Epic music!

Allow me to recommend Louis Vierne's organ symphonies, if you do not already know them!

[Bachtoven]

Well, this is a huge disappointment. I can't imagine what attracted her to it, but I hope she was well compensated. It's bad enough to be a massive hit. 

[ritter]

Cross-posted from the Falla composer thread, prompted by OrchestralNut's enthusiastic comments on the composer:

...
I'll join you with some Falla tonight  :



Rafael Orozco (born in Córdoba — the third movement of Nights... is "In the Gardens of the Sierra de Córdoba") was very attuned to Falla's music, and his brilliant sound combines beautifully with the nocturnal, impressionistic orchestral textures of Noches en los jardines de España. A superb recording.

[Linz]

Béla Bartók Music for stringss, percussion and celesta SZ 106, Concerto for orchestra Sz 116, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Rafael Kubelik the last CD in this set