What are you listening 2 now?

[Florestan]

I was completely joking, sorry! The booklet gives no information about the plot, but its subtitle is "The Retribution."

It's Freischuetz reloaded, Hunters Chorus included. 

2. Toni der Wildschütz, oder Die Hand der Vergeltung (Tony the Poacher, or the Hand of Retribution) (1848).

Liszt conducted this opera at the Weimar Court Theatre in 1849. Themes from the Hunting Chorus and Styrian pastoral elements of this work are found in his transcription Halloh! (S404/R159, 1849).

        It is the characteristic music for the hunt that frames the other material in the transcription. (23)

The original, rather weak libretto was written by Franz von Elsholtz (1791-1872) and was titled Die Hand der Vergeltung (1852). In 1854 Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer (1800-1868), Ernest's close collaborator,  revised it, and the title was changed to Tony der Wildschütz (Tony the Poacher).

Set in late sixteenth century Bavaria, the work demonstrates Ernest's passion for hunting, nature, and love of folk inspired music. It also shows his courage to treat a theme that had already very successfully been treated by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) in Der Freischütz (1821). (24)

Source: https://mldd.blogspot.com/2018/04/ernest-ii-duke-of-saxe-coburg-and-gotha.html

[Florestan]

it's always nice to get Beethoven in happier, more relaxed moods.

It's the only Beethoven I care for. 

[Lisztianwagner]

Richard Strauss
Also sprach Zarathustra

Giuseppe Sinopoli & NY Philharmonic

[Madiel]

It's the only Beethoven I care for. 

Really, I had no idea...

[Harry]

Streaming =  44.1 KHZ, 16 bit.
Recording: Wien, Radio Kulturhaus, 12.-13. & 16.6.2020

Walter Braunfels.
Orchestral Works.
Don Gil, Prelude.
Divertimento.
Ariel's Song.
Serenade.
ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Gregor Bühl.

I am very much impressed by this recording, majorly so!

Walter Braunfels is one of those composers whose music died twice. Once, when the National Socialists declared his art "degenerate" and again, when the "aesthetic paradigm shift" (Udo Zimmermann) after the Second World War marginalized contemporary tonal music.

"Gradually some people are beginning to remember that I - as a descendant of a tonal age - am still alive and creating today." (Walter Braunfels, 1946)

"Gregor Bühl and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra leave no doubt: this music belongs back in concert life." (Audio, June 2021)

"Gregor Bühl proves himself not for the first time to be an adequate interpreter of Braunfels' music." (Fono Forum, August 2021)

"Since the 1990s, the works of composer Walter Braunfels have been rediscovered. Gregor Bühl and the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna lend his music bouncy momentum and double bottom." (concerti.de)

[Florestan]

A Hoibe, bittschee! 

[Mandryka]

Extremely impressive -- I can see why people rate his Debussy so highly, in these preludes at least. He understands about how piano resonances contributes to this music, and the rhythms seem natural and easy in his hands.

Ducretet-Thomson had Thyssens-Valentin for Faure and Ferber for Debussy. Someone there knew what they were doing when it came to classical piano music. I shall have to investigate the label I think.

[Harry]

George Antheil.
Orchestral Works.
Symphony No 1, "Zingareska".
Suite from the "Capital of the World".
McKonkey's Ferry.
Nocturne in "Sky Rockets".
The Golden Bird.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgards.

I already have the CPO recordings on CPO, but I read so much positive reviews about Storgards take, That I felt the need to check it out. To start with, the recording sounds top notch. Brilliant, how much detail is revealed. I know quite well why I like this music! Antheil orchestrates in a very dense manner, not through too many notes, but making the subject matter speak from all angles. Some say he just produced a heap of notes in a technical fashion, rational machine like, but that is a lot of bull. He draws you quickly into a sound world that enchants and delivers in all quarters, be it magic, intro or extroverted, curious pricking into musical quarters as a happy child interested in wonders, and surprised what comes out, well magic.

[Madiel]

Poulenc: Miroirs Brûlants (Burning Mirrors)



I keep saying this in different ways, but Poulenc is a stunning songwriter. And @Florestan if you don't know this stuff you need to try it - there's a light touch to his music, at least when it's performed as well as this set (halfway through the series of 5 discs, and I am thoroughly happy with my choice).

Apparently, the first of this pair of songs was one of Poulenc's own favourites. From this and other evidence he seems to have been a fairly good judge of his own work.

[Florestan]

Poulenc: Miroirs Brûlants (Burning Mirrors)



I keep saying this in different ways, but Poulenc is a stunning songwriter. And @Florestan if you don't know this stuff you need to try it - there's a light touch to his music, at least when it's performed as well as this set (halfway through the series of 5 discs, and I am thoroughly happy with my choice).

Apparently, the first of this pair of songs was one of Poulenc's own favourites. From this and other evidence he seems to have been a fairly good judge of his own work.

Thanks. That set is on my radar ever since you first posted it. 

[Roasted Swan]

Streaming =  44.1 KHZ, 16 bit.
Recording: Wien, Radio Kulturhaus, 12.-13. & 16.6.2020

Walter Braunfels.
Orchestral Works.
Don Gil, Prelude.
Divertimento.
Ariel's Song.
Serenade.
ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Gregor Bühl.

I am very much impressed by this recording, majorly so!

Walter Braunfels is one of those composers whose music died twice. Once, when the National Socialists declared his art "degenerate" and again, when the "aesthetic paradigm shift" (Udo Zimmermann) after the Second World War marginalized contemporary tonal music.

"Gradually some people are beginning to remember that I - as a descendant of a tonal age - am still alive and creating today." (Walter Braunfels, 1946)

"Gregor Bühl and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra leave no doubt: this music belongs back in concert life." (Audio, June 2021)

"Gregor Bühl proves himself not for the first time to be an adequate interpreter of Braunfels' music." (Fono Forum, August 2021)

"Since the 1990s, the works of composer Walter Braunfels have been rediscovered. Gregor Bühl and the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna lend his music bouncy momentum and double bottom." (concerti.de)

To the bolded text - I knew a girl like that once [what on earth does this mean in the context of music?!?!]

[vandermolen]

Stanford: Piano Concerto No.2
Like a cross between Rachmaninov (without the memorable tunes) and Brahms but has its moments:

[Traverso]

A Hoibe, bittschee! 

A good day to you Andrei 

https://youtu.be/V6oYfd9-2o0

[Harry]

To the bolded text - I knew a girl like that once [what on earth does this mean in the context of music?!?!]

Yes that was also a big question mark for me!

[Florestan]

A good day to you Andrei 

https://youtu.be/V6oYfd9-2o0

Goedemiddag, Jan!

[Florestan]

To the bolded text - I knew a girl like that once [what on earth does this mean in the context of music?!?!]

 

[Florestan]

[Papy Oli]

First listen. Hat-tip to @foxandpeng .

Tabakov - Symphony No.7




Pardon my French... but.... bl@@dy Nora....!!!!!     

[Harry]

Igor Stravinsky.
Greeting Prelude.
Symphony in C.
Divertimento, Symphonic Suite for Orchestra from the Ballet "The Fairy Kiss".
Circus Polka.
Symphony in Three movements.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Davis.
Recording venue MediaCityUK, Salford, Manchester; 26 April 2019 (Symphony in C) & 21 and22 March 2022 (other works). SACD.
PT 74 minutes.

Marvellous performances in very good sound. I enjoyed it greatly, all of it. Stravinsky knew how to score a few notes into a masterwork. The Symphony in C is one of them, just marvel at the second movement and all is revealed. This CD lands at the top of my list.

[Traverso]

Ravel

Concerto for the left hand in D major

Cleveland Orchestra 
Pierre Boulez