What are you listening 2 now?

[atardecer]

Albéniz - Iberia performed by Alicia de Larrocha



A highly rated recording, it is very good but is the only one I have. I would like to listen to other versions of this work, any recommendations are welcome.

[Que]

2nd disc with the Missa Myn liefkens bruyn ooghen (melody on the song "My love's brown eyes") and the Missa sine nomine

Noel Bauldeweyn was choir master in Mechelen, a post previously held by Jean Richafort and Jacques Champion, and well known and highly regraded in his days. As a member of the 3rd generation of the Franco-Flemish School, he was a contemporary of Josquin Desprez.

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/frabernardo_FB1709761.html

[Harry]

Henry Purcell.
The Complete Sacred Music.
CD II.
Recorded in 1992.
From my CD Collection.


In the morning this is beautiful music to start with. Despite some misgivings about the English Choir tradition, this is beyond doubt, a performance that cannot be bettered. Recording is fine, detailed and with just enough air around the soloists and choirs. As a sideline it must be said that further on the CD some of the solo voices, especially the high tenors are to closely recorded, and because of it there is distortion. I did not really expect this from the Hyperion engineers. There were moments that I had to put the volume drastically lower to avoid pain on my ears.

[Harry]

French Organ Masters.
From Louis XIII to Louis Philippe.
Les Ensembles de l'art nouveau voulu par Louis XIV.
Guillaume Gabriel Nivers.
Kei Koïto, Organ* & Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Dominique Vellard.
Nicolas Lebeque.
Martin Gester, Organ*.
Salome Haller, Mathilde Etienne, Marie Benedicte Souquet, Sopranos. Muriel Ferraro, Mezzo.
Jacques Boyvin.
Aude Heurtamatte, Organ**.
Andre Raison.
Serge Schoonbroodt, Organ***.
Gilles Jullien.
Frederic Desenclos, Organ*.

Instruments.
*= Jean Bozard, 1714, Saint St. Michel en Thierache.
**= F.H. Clicquot, 1783/Souvigny.
***= J.F. Lepine, 1752, Sarlat.

Superb performances!

[Harry]

George Lloyd,
Concerto for Violin and Strings, No.2, (1970)
Concerto for Violin and Winds, No.1, (1977)
Christina Anghelescu, Violin.
Philharmonia Orchestra, David Parry.
Recorded in 1998, in the Henry Wood Hall, London.

This recording is hard to get, and at prices that are over the top. But Qobuz provided it, and I can finally listen to these Violin concertos. I have all his Symphonies on CD, and many others, but never managed to get the said concertos. I am a huge admirer of Lloyds music, and the waiting was worth it, for these are simply put, quite good works. And the performance is riveting and well done too. did not know the Violinist but she is fully up to the task. The sparks literally drop from her instrument.

[Que]

[Traverso]

Mozart

piano concertos 19-20 & 21

London Symphony Orchestra
Witold Rowicki 19 & 21
Alceo Galliera 20

[Harry]

Alexander Grechaninov.
Symphony in B minor, opus 6, (1894)
Russian state SO, Valery Polyansky.
Recorded in 1995, at the Large Hall, Moscow.

I am finally able to listen to the Orchestral compositions, and leave all the vocals on this CD for what they are. After all I do not have to buy this CD. Streaming is doing me a lot of good here. I wanted the Symphonies for a long time on Chandos, but it had always the wrong couplings for me.
So I enjoy this Symphony no.1, a romantic work, well performed and recorded.

[Todd]

[Harry]

Cesar Franck.
Les Eolides
Symphonic Variations, for Piano and Orchestra.
Symphony in D minor.
Louis Lortie, Piano.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier.
Recorded in 2000, at the New Broadcasting House, Manchester.

A fine Chandos recording, and Tortelier clearly in his prime. Les Eolides is a work that always had a special place in my memory. It has a  dreamy spectrum, and tonal expression is in my book awesome. Franck is a excellent orchestrator, and has many surprises up his sleeve that will impress and struck multiple lines of emotion.

[Madiel]

Albéniz - Iberia performed by Alicia de Larrocha



A highly rated recording, it is very good but is the only one I have. I would like to listen to other versions of this work, any recommendations are welcome.

de Larrocha recorded it several times, and according to some that's not actually the best of her versions! But you possibly want someone else.

[Madiel]

Haydn: string quartet in A major, op.9/6



On a first listen, the last one in the opus might be the most immediately enjoyable. Both the opening and closing movements are Presto (the finale is very short) and everything is light and bright. Even the Adagio is pretty breezy.

Definitely satisfied with picking the Leipzig for opus 9. I'll get to them in op.17, but we'll go around the first set again before that.

[Mapman]

Perhaps try his Fantasy-Pieces for clarinet and piano? I borrowed it from my college's library and had fun playing through them, especially the 2nd.

I listened again last night to Gade's Fantasy-Pieces. It's actually the 3rd that I had enjoyed. Yesterday I was also impressed by the 4th.

[Henk]

Sounds like action to me, with happenings, transitions and sentiments involved. Beautiful. Greatly performed.

[VonStupp]

Richard Wagner
Das Liebesverbot, Overture
Die Feen, Overture
Tristan und Isolde: An Orchestral Passion
  arr. Henk de Vlieger
RSNO - Neeme Järvi

Leibesverbot is the breeziest I have heard Wagner. Probably the castanets...
VS

[Madiel]

Mozart: Symphony no.6



Wolfgang's first confirmed 4-movement symphony is delightful.

[Karl Henning]

[Karl Henning]

[Harry]

Niels Wilhelm Gade.
Orchestral Works.
Volume I.
Symphony No.2 & No.8.
Discarded slow movement from Symphony No.8.
In the Highlands, overture for Orchestra.
Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Hogwood.
Recorded in 1999.

Having an older set on the BIS label, I thought it time to listen to a more modern version, and I must admit I was curious after Hogwood's interpretation. Well its broader and slightly better recorded, but I miss the intimacy of the Jarvi set. Still Hogwood is pretty good too.

[Spotted Horses]

Schubert Sonata D958, Badura-Skoda, Fortepiano (first three movements so far).



Wow, this is a highlight of the set. Badura-Skoda playing and sound of the fortepiano brings out something unique in this music.