What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

Howard Hanson: Symphony No.6
This is the one that I know least but I'm delighted to hear it again - it has some very moving passages, especially in the first Adagio. One section, towards the end, reminded me of the storm section from Benjamin Britten's Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes. I'm now listening to the poetic Serenade for Flute, Harp and Strings:

[Mandryka]

A really good Quadran pavan!  Lots of brio and colour, and relief, sub-climaxes

[Irons]

Janáček: Amarus - Cantata for soloists, chorus and orchestra (performers here)

A fabulous piece and recording. I find the story of Amarus sad and moving, a perfect vehicle for the music of Janacek.

[Irons]

Nice cover image too!

Looks like Regent Street.

[Mandryka]

FFG's Chopin.  Finally.  It's sort of a mixed bag, though mixed at a very high level.  FFG plays very well, of course, but his Chopin does not rise to the same stratospheric qualitative highs as his Brahms and Beethoven, or even to his Debussy and Murail.  The selected Nocturnes are knockouts, the Ballades high caliber, the Fantaisie as well.  Really, the lesser works for me are the selected Etudes, the Op 58 Sonata, and the two Waltzes, kinda, sorta.  FFG just doesn't deliver Chopin playing that sounds enough like what I typically prefer.  It's like he wanted to out-Cortot Cortot in making some of the music sound quintessentially French.  The Etudes are sometimes just blurred blobs of music.  The Waltzes have some of that, but it doesn't sound unpleasant.  So, from a playing standpoint, it's a bit mixed.

Sonically, it is nearly miraculous.  FFG uses a 1905 Pleyel, and to my ears, grands from the first quarter or so of the 20th Century sound best of all, more or less irrespective of maker.  The middle and high registers sound colorful and decay nicely, resulting in a bright but not obnoxious sound.  (Would that FFG had used this or a similar instrument for his Debussy!)  Whatever slight misgivings I have about interpretations fade to oblivion as the gorgeous sounds flood my ears.  The instrument forced a change in technique, so that may account for the interpretive approach, but taken as a well-recorded whole, the sonic plusses combined with the still formidable interpretive plusses, reduced by the interpretive minuses still yields an exceptional listening experience.  I will return to this set. 

Well that prompted me to listen to op 58 again and each time I go back to it I have  fewer reservations about it. Good nocturnal vibes in the largo!

Listening now for the first time to his Marc Monnet CD. New composer for me, as far as I remember.

[Mookalafalas]

Home from work. Glass of wine. Wanted piano, but also intensity. Thought I'd try this.

Whoa baby! Hit the spot.

[Que]

Spotify comes in handy for listening to this wonderful OOP (soon we will have forgotten all about what that even means...) lute recording:

[vandermolen]

Looks like Regent Street.

Yes, I agree Lol.

[Harry]

Alonso Mudarra. (I510-1580)
Seville 1646.
Tres Libros de Musica en Cifras Para Vihuela.
Hopkinson Smith.
Recorded in 1991. CD is OOP.

I have been a fan of Hopkinson Smith's style of playing since his early days, and I mourn the loss of availability of many of his recordings, but Qobuz offers a lot of OOP discs, so that's comfort. Fine performance and recording.

[Florestan]

Another order from Presto landed today. First up

Paging @Florestan

The comparison to Mozart is very appropriate here. These concertos are equal to WAM's violin concertos (composed at almost the same time), or possibly even better, especially in the slow movements.

Thanks, will investigate.

[Que]

Alonso Mudarra. I510-1580)
Seville 1646.
Tres Libros de Musica en Cifras Para Vihuela.
Hopkinson Smith.
Recorded in 1991. CD is OOP.

Fine performance and recording.

I like that one as well. 

[Traverso]

Erbach

Starting today with this promising music....

CD 1





 

[Traverso]

Erbach

While listening it is clear that I love this music. It is spatially recorded, but fortunately not too much so that you can feel the space in which the organ is located. The fact that the music leans strongly towards Sweelinck is without a doubt a recommendation.
The melodic sobriety of the Ricercar Secondi Toni, it's contemplative character and yet a singing tone is delightful to listen to. Looking forward to the other discs.

[Harry]

Alessandro Grandi.
Vesper Psalms, "Laetatus sum".
Accademia d'Arcadia & UtFaSol Ensemble, Alessandra Rossi Lürig.

Accademia d'Arcadia
Laura Martinez Boj cantus, Maria Chiara Gallo cantus, Maximiliano Baños altus, Enrico Torre altus, Roberto Rilievi tenor, Riccardo Pisani tenor, Leo Moreno tenor, Renato Cadel bassus, Alessandro Ravasio bassus, Gian Andrea Guerra violin, Giovanni Bellini, theorbo, Luigi Accardo organ.
Pitch: A 465 Hz, Temperament: Meantone 1/6 comma
Recording dates: July 2019 Church of San Francesco della Vigna, Venice, Italy.
Cover picture: Young Palma (Jacopo Negretti), David defeats Goliath, 1590-1595.


A new recording by this ensemble that makes quite a good impression.
Grandi was a towering figure in the Italian musical scene in the early 17th century, and a deputy of Claudio Monteverdi no less, and was regarding by his contemporaries as on the same level as Monteverdi. His works are a bit larger on scale, characterized by their expressive modernity, which makes abundant use of chromaticism and ornamentation, among other things. But all within proportion. I find it to be a worthwhile release. I liked  the highly praised motets CD, Celesti Fiori, so for me a logical choice to acquire this music too. A very good performance and recording, but with a warning! There are two counters in this set, thus in track 10 they come out forcibly, quite unnecessary, but it gave me a start, so I will make a mental note of it, for it quite disturbed my equilibrium. They should be boiled in their own pudding I'd say!

[Harry]

Erbach

While listening it is clear that I love this music. It is spatially recorded, but fortunately not too much so that you can feel the space in which the organ is located. The fact that the music leans strongly towards Sweelinck is without a doubt a recommendation.
The melodic sobriety of the Ricercar Secondi Toni, it's contemplative character and yet a singing tone is delightful to listen to. Looking forward to the other discs.

I could not agree more Jan! This set has been a highlight for me too, because it is so close to Sweelinck's idiom.

[Todd]

[vers la flamme]

Tonight's livestream from Aspen was terrific.

Aspen Festival Orchestra
Robert Spano, conductor
Daniil Trifonov, piano

Brian Raphael Nabors: Of Earth and Sky: Tales from the Motherland
Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F major
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

The Nabors was quite interesting, very much influenced by Bernstein and Copland, worth a second hearing.

Though I would love to know why the Gershwin replaced the originally-programmed Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto, never mind. Trifonov was clearly having a great time, as was the orchestra. He did an encore that I didn't recognize, but sounded like Debussy.

The Stravinsky was fantastic, with the orchestra going for broke, especially the percussion section. The musicians are young Aspen students, with mentors from orchestras around the country playing alongside them. The principal bassoon was Daniel Matsukawa of the Philadelphia Orchestra, whose opening solo was glorious.

There are 5 more livestreams, and at least based on today, highly recommended.

https://www.aspenmusicfestival.com/how-to-watch-amfs-virtual-events/2023-livestream-events

-Bruce

Nice! I met Mr. Nabors a couple months ago at a premiere of his Piano Quintet here in Atlanta. Super nice guy.

[Madiel]

Some light Sibelius.

Suite mignonne
Suite champêtre
Suite caractéristique

[Harry]

Leo Weiner.
Serenade.
Divertimento, 1-5, op.20, 24, 25, 38, 39.
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi.
Recording venue Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn (taken from live performances); 9 and 10 November 2015 (Serenade, Divertimentos Nos 3 and 4), 24 March 2016 (Divertimento No. 5), and 27 –29 June 2016 (Divertimentos Nos 1 and 2).

Say Leo Weiner and I am in! I love practically all his output, and have already many recordings in the waiting modus. The sound world is captivating and his orchestration fabulous. The man was full of good music pouring out in abundance. Music that gladdens the heart. Fine performance and recording.

[Traverso]

Bal-Kan

CD 1