What are you listening 2 now?

[Florestan]

[Florestan]

KV 482, KV 488, KV 382

Hob XVIII:4

[Harry]

A L'Estampida.
Medieval Dance Music.
The Dufay Collective.
Recorded 2003, Venue unknown
See back cover for details.

As previous recordings by the Dufay Collective, scrumptious. Performances without blemish, and very well recorded. Medieval music gets more interesting in their hands. A pity they do not record that often.

[AnotherSpin]

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 .

That's an interesting question. To what extent does art reflect the world around us. I think, in short, that there is no direct correlation and there shouldn't be.

On the other hand, the way I listen to music, living in a city where a missile could come every moment, has not changed in any way from what it was before the war.

[Lisztianwagner]

The string trios by Hindemith and Schoenberg. A stellar disc. My reference recording for these works,

Good idea, I'll join with this recording:

Paul Hindemith
String Trio No.1

Arnold Schönberg
String Trio

Trio Zimmermann

[Cato]

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:

See also:

http://www.tomassvoboda.com/bio.long.html

Right now: Tomas Svoboda's Concerto for Marimba

A live performance of the Concerto for Marimba by Tomas Svoboda: this work and the Overture of the Season are somewhat different in style from the Piano Concerto #2 which I caught (in part on the radio).

The above concerto has a rather enigmatic opening!  Stick with it!  It takes off into unexpected directions!

[Harry]

Franco Alfano. (1875–1954).
See back cover for details.

A demanding and original composer, creating a magical world that quickly draws you in. Unexpected timbres, and lavishly orchestrated. Impressionistic and sometimes dazzling. The Orchestra is not the best around, and Alfano certainly deserves a better group of musicians. Sound is excellent though, but I feel that I am missing details.

[vandermolen]

Sheng Li-hong
Ocean Symphony
Central Philharmonic Orchestra, Beijing
Cond. Han Zhong-jie (cond.)
An atmospheric Chinese equivalent to Frank Bridge's 'The Sea' from 1980.
Atmospheric and enjoyable in an undemanding way:

[Harry]

Franz Liszt.
The complete Piano Works.
Volume I.
Waltzes.
Leslie Howard, Piano.
See back cover for details.

Qobuz finally put the complete piano works solo in their streaming options. So after many years of waiting, I can finally listen to Howard's integral monumental view on a composer, who escapes me sometimes in understanding.
Sound is good, and as expected the performance too, but that I always knew anyway. It will take me some time of course to listen to all, but time of life given I will succeed.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

NP:

Debussy
Préludes, Book I
Francesco Piemontesi

From this OOP recording -

[DavidW]

Finally trying out another ensemble since I've only listened to Danel:

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Finally trying out another ensemble since I've only listened to Danel:

You've got to give a listen to the Silesian Quartet's cycle on CD Accord, which I believe was boxed up not too long ago. I'm not sure if they're available on streaming since I'm not a subscriber to any service, but I prefer them to the Quatuor Danel.

[Karl Henning]

Right now: Tomas Svoboda's Concerto for Marimba

A live performance of the Concerto for Marimba by Tomas Svoboda: this work and the Overture of the Season are somewhat different in style from the Piano Concerto #2 which I caught (in part on the radio).

The above concerto has a rather enigmatic opening!  Stick with it!  It takes off into unexpected directions!

Nice! I'm in!

[Le Buisson Ardent]

NP:

Sibelius
Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4, Opp. 39 & 63
Minnesota Orchestra
Vänskä

[brewski]

Bacewicz: Overture (Frankfurt Radio Symphony / Marta Gardolińska, conductor). The fantastic opening six minutes to a recent concert in March (that includes Barber and Lutoslawski). Really, this should show up on programs a lot more often — or as an encore.

-Bruce

[Karl Henning]

Bacewicz: Overture (Frankfurt Radio Symphony / Marta Gardolińska, conductor). The fantastic opening six minutes to a recent concert in March (that includes Barber and Lutoslawski). Really, this should show up on programs a lot more often — or as an encore.

-Bruce

An overture as an encore seems counterintuitive, but I know what you mean.

[brewski]

An overture as an encore seems counterintuitive, but I know what you mean.

Counterintuitive, for sure. (Of course, now I'm trying to think of what it might follow, and can't really come up with a suitable prospect.)

-Bruce

[Roasted Swan]

Bacewicz: Overture (Frankfurt Radio Symphony / Marta Gardolińska, conductor). The fantastic opening six minutes to a recent concert in March (that includes Barber and Lutoslawski). Really, this should show up on programs a lot more often — or as an encore.

-Bruce

Don't these folk play well!

[pjme]

Bacewicz: Overture (Frankfurt Radio Symphony / Marta Gardolińska, conductor). The fantastic opening six minutes to a recent concert in March (that includes Barber and Lutoslawski). Really, this should show up on programs a lot more often — or as an encore.

yes, that's excellent and spiffy!



I bought this Lp mainly for Penderecki (ca 1970) but discovered Bacewicz and Serocki (and sold it at least 10 years ago.)

Penderecki– To The Victims Of Hiroshima (Threnody For 52 String Instruments)
Serocki – Sinfonietta For Two String Orchestras (1956)
Bacewicz – Music For Strings, Trumpets And Percussion (1958) – Allegro-Adagio-Vivace

This work by Bacewicz is a lot  tougher and angrier than the mercurial Overture. Bartok and (early) Lutoslavski come to mind,  the unusual orchestration creates  a thrilling soundscape.

Very little Serocki seems to be available nowadays.

[Spotted Horses]

As long as I this release pulled up, I listened to the companion piece, the Sinfonietta No 1.



I was surprised, it is not very symphonic. Made an impression being more of a colorfully orchestrated rhapsody, making use of the characteristic jewish scale. An enjoyable listen. I've listened to this disc before, I'm sure, but retained no memory of it.

My disappeared post yesterday came after a re-listen to Weinberg Symphony No 5, first two movements. Today I've found time to revisit the third and forth movements. Generally I find I connect best with Weinberg's jaunty works, such as the Sinfonietta No 1, the concertos, the ballets. Weinberger's "bleak" style, like the fifth symphony doesn't work so well for me. It strikes me as a sort of technicolor bleakness.