What are you listening 2 now?

[JBS]

That's a pleasantly absurd cover.
TD
Repeat listen to the Goldberg Variations

[steve ridgway]

Strauss: Tod und Verklärung

[Bachtoven]

[andolink]

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphony no.4 in C minor, op.43 (1935-36) [64:59]
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko
rec. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 9-10 February 2013.
NAXOS 8.573188 [64:59]

[Florestan]

That's a pleasantly absurd cover.

Hadn't paid much attention to it but now that you put it this way, I agree.

[Florestan]

Reed can really write for wind ensemble/concert band.

With such a name, it would be surprising if he didn't. 

[Roasted Swan]

David inspired me to try out the recent recordings of another regional/rural Russian ensemble:



Spectacular orchestral sound for a provincial orchestra, with booming old-school brass and a rather unusually-toned celesta. Just finishing 5 (with a Bernstein-fast finale) and it's so good I'll keep rolling with 6 and maybe 9.

I've been impressed by all of thes Sladkovsky recordings; Rach/Tchaik/DSCH (especially the concerti set).  As you say - old school Soviet sound and interpretations but I enjoy hearing that appraoch well played and in good modern sound.

[Harry]

Marco Uccellini.
Works for violin & BC.
Recorded in 1998, at the Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt/Main, Sendesaal.
See for details back cover.

This recording was previously unknown to me, but by accident found it in the Database of Qobuz. Since the works of Uccellini are not spread wide and large in regard to recordings, I naturally picked this up, and am pleasantly surprised by the content and performance. Uccellini is in his way quite an accomplished composer, a virtuosic artist actually. So recommended of course. Sound is very good.

[Irons]

Odd how things work out. Not listened to Concierto de Aranjuez for many years and then through circumstances listened to the piece twice on following days!

After spinning the classic Decca account conducted by Argenta. The following day purchased a Philips CD in a charity shop for 99p. Pleased to report both outstanding.

[springrite]

Corelli: La Folia (Ensemble Fitzwilliam)

Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op. 6 (Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra)

[Florestan]

I have to find Adam a place in my list of favorite composers. His inexhaustible melodic invention and colorful orchestration bowled me over.

And speaking of ballet, isn't it quite curious that the genre seem to be mostly a Franco-Russian specialty?

[vandermolen]

Great Martinu piece. I have so many huge Kubelik boxes I assume I have it somewhere.

It's a 1950 recording from Abbey Road Studios in London.

[Florestan]

[vandermolen]

VW String Quartet No.2
I bought this at the last day of the Somm sale from Presto. It's a fabulous, deeply moving, performance and recording - as good as I have heard:

[Harry]

Walther/Westhoff/Bach.
See for all details back cover.

A nice programm and well played and recorded. Easy going, but alert to the felicities of all composers. on this disc. Excellent instruments, well tuned. A ensemble that makes you sit up. Walther and Westhoff are not overly represented, so a CD with their music is always welcome with me.

[foxandpeng]

Anton Bruckner
Symphony 00 'Studiensinphonie'
Simone Young
Philharmoniker Hamburg
Oehms Classics

More Bruckner 00, while I get my head round its structure, main highlights, tunes, important moments, and general familiarity.

Never heard of Simone Young (not that this matters), but it seems ok to me

[foxandpeng]

Try No.6 Danny - described somewhere as 'A Requiem for the 20th Century' - arguably his greatest work (much as I like No.3)

William Schuman
Symphony 6
Gerard Schwarz
Seattle Symphony
Naxos

Good to be exploring this a little further. Your rec is helpful, as my previous attempts at getting a handle on Schuman's symphonies have all been pretty short-lived. Determination this time Poking Schuman is also helpful in providing a different texture to all the Bruckner I have been listening to, but sits nicely with my preference for a bit of sturm und drang

[Florestan]

[Roasted Swan]

I have to find Adam a place in my list of favorite composers. His inexhaustible melodic invention and colorful orchestration bowled me over.

And speaking of ballet, isn't it quite curious that the genre seem to be mostly a Franco-Russian specialty?

I suppose if you mean in the 19th Century then possibly - but not sure that holds true at all into the 20th.  The British Ballet tradition via Sadlers Wells and Marie Rambert with the likes of Constant Lambert as Musical Director and choreographers like Rambert/Ashton/de Vallois/MacMillan for starters represent a very healthy tradition (and much great music along the way.....).  Then the USA with Balanchine/Martha Graham/Jerome Robbins etc etc likewise.....

[Florestan]

I suppose if you mean in the 19th Century then possibly - but not sure that holds true at all into the 20th.  The British Ballet tradition via Sadlers Wells and Marie Rambert with the likes of Constant Lambert as Musical Director and choreographers like Rambert/Ashton/de Vallois/MacMillan for starters represent a very healthy tradition (and much great music along the way.....).  Then the USA with Balanchine/Martha Graham/Jerome Robbins etc etc likewise.....

Oh, I was thinking about composers, not choreographers or dancers. What ballets can rival those of Adam, Delibes, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Stravinsky in terms of fame and popularity? Maybe Minkus with Don Quijote and Falla with El amor brujo and El sombrero de tres picos. For the rest, name one single famous and popular German, Italian, English, American or whatever non French, non-Russian ballet.