What are you listening 2 now?

[Le Buisson Ardent]

NP:

Stravinsky
The Firebird (1910 complete version)
London Philharmonic
Vladimir Jurowski

From this 2-CD set -



When I'm in the mood for The Firebird, which seems like always, I never listen to the suite anymore. For me, The Firebird has some of Stravinsky's most atmospheric music in it and it seems the suite cuts a good bit of this out of it. To be honest, I've never been too fond of ballet suites anyway as I seem to always gravitate towards the entire work. This is a great performance from Jurowski/LPO. For those interested, Jurowski has several other recordings of Stravinsky on the LPO label --- here they are:

[Karl Henning]

On Saturday I heard part of the Piano Concerto #2 by Tomas Svoboda, a Czech-American composer who died a few years ago.  He was born in Paris in 1939 to Czech parents.  They returned to Czechoslovakia for a while, but then escaped the Communist regime there and came to the U.S. in 1964.

I was very intrigued by what I heard: late Schoenberg meets Bartok...sort of: the work's nature was difficult to categorize.

The concerto was recorded with the First Piano Concerto, but the CD is difficult to find: it is not on YouTube.

The 1999 recording is by The Dayton Philharmonic, Neal Gittleman conducting, Norman Krieger was the pianist.


This has the Symphony #1 (composed at age 16), Overture of the Season, and the Concerto for Marimba:

I'm in! (Thanks for the reminder!)

[Karl Henning]

Also, how did I forget how much I love this?

[Le Buisson Ardent]

NP:

Nielsen
Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva"
Royal Scottish Orchestra
Bryden Thomson

From this OOP set -

[Symphonic Addict]

Urspruch: Symphony in E-flat major

A well-constructed, ambitious and engaging symphony (1881) with some hints of Brahms and foreshadowing Weingartner, perhaps. Its only flaw? It lacks memorable material, tunes that give it more distinctiveness. The final movement is a pretty good fugue (or has fugal passages, not sure if all the movement is like that) and the best music is to be found there.

[Symphonic Addict]

NP:

Nielsen
Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva"
Royal Scottish Orchestra
Bryden Thomson

From this OOP set -

What did you think? Thomson's set may not be the best out there, but I find it consistent overall.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

What did you think? Thomson's set may not be the best out there, but I find it consistent overall.

Oh, I'm rather enjoying it so far. He has a great energy and feel for this music.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

And for something complete different (and rather obscure):

Hristić
The Legend of Ohrid
Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR
Moshe Atzmon

From this OOP recording -



For anyone that likes Khachaturian's Spartacus or Gayane will do well to check out Hristić's The Legend of Ohrid.

[steve ridgway]

Penderecki: Aus Den Psalmen Davids

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Continuing on with the Guarnieri symphonies --- now playing the 5th with John Neschling leading the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra on BIS:

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Penderecki: Aus Den Psalmen Davids

Thumbs up! I'm a huge fan of Penderecki. It took me quite some time to come to terms with his music, but when I finally had that "lightbulb moment", I bought just about everything I could find on CD. I tend to like the Wit-led performances in the orchestral and choral works the most due to their more restrained approach. I have found when you pull back a little bit, the music comes more alive and breaths more.

[steve ridgway]

Thumbs up! I'm a huge fan of Penderecki. It took me quite some time to come to terms with his music, but when I finally had that "lightbulb moment", I bought just about everything I could find on CD. I tend to like the Wit-led performances in the orchestral and choral works the most due to their more restrained approach. I have found when you pull back a little bit, the music comes more alive and breaths more.

Ah, I must have struck lucky as most of my collection is the Wit recordings on Naxos . I also have some conducted by Penderecki himself so might compare them at some point.

Now playing Messiaen: Un Vitrail Et Des Oiseaux

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Last work for the night:

Berg
String Quartet, Op. 3
Leipziger Streichquartett

[steve ridgway]

Roussel: Symphony No.3

[Uhor]

Interesting combination of three pastoral symphonies.

[steve ridgway]

R. Strauss: Metamorphosen

I'm amazed that his country being reduced to rubble around him actually inspired the 80 year old composer to write such a significant piece of music. I can imagine his feelings of looking back on the good times in his life and the happy audiences enjoying performances of his works in concert halls and opera houses now bombed and burnt .

[Irons]

Holst: Oriental Suite "Beni Mora".

[vandermolen]

Holst: Oriental Suite "Beni Mora".

I think very highly of Sargent's Holst recordings.

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: Job, A Masque for Dancing
LSO, Boult
Arguably the greatest recording:

[Que]

Vihuela duets. I recently got this on disc.