What are you listening 2 now?

[Traverso]

Bach

Passacaglia

Matthias Havinga





I have a soft spot for this Dutch organist

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, 1877 Version, Leopold Nowak, with 1876 Adagio added Bruckner Orchestra Linz, Markus Poschner

[Traverso]

Bach and Bruhns

So lovely....

Reviewers about Matthias' organ playing:

"He is one of perhaps ten organists who make emotion and musicality immediately palpable for the listener"

"...playful, refined timing and dangerously fast footwork. Havinga is a master of his craft.

[ritter]

This:



I'm actually liking this quite a bit. Can it be that Toscanini was really good with Brahms?

[Mandryka]

This:



Can it be that Toscanini was really good with Brahms?

He was and it does seem like a paradox . How can this fiery Italian be so passionate about stodgy boring old Brahms?   But he was.

[Lisztianwagner]

William Alwyn
Elizabethan Dances
Oboe Concerto

Jonathan Small (oboe)
David Lloyd-Jones & Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

[Bachtoven]

I'm enjoying these new releases today. I bought the Elcock as a hi-res download.

[Linz]

Johann Sebastian Bach Mass in B Minor, Freiburger Barockorkester,  Thomas Hengelbrock CD6 & 7

[DavidW]

SQs 11 and 13 which finishes off the album!

[Todd]

[kyjo]

Britten: Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes; Saint Nicolas

Those orchestral selections from Britten's operatic masterpiece (one out of several, actually) comprise some of the most distinctive, original and fantastic music by any English composer of the 20th century. I have yet to hear the complete work, I have high hopes for it.

The cantata Saint Nicolas inhabits a very different sound world, one devotional and religious and it's great. The choral writing is touching in some parts. Another interesting feature of this work is the orchestration, which calls for piano duet, string orchestra, organ and percussion plus vocal soloists (tenor and four boys) and chorus. A wonderful surprise.

Heartily agreed with regard to both works! I had the opportunity to perform Saint Nicholas a couple months ago at my university. Despite the fact that it was written with younger performers/audiences in mind, it manages to be a sophisticated and satisfying work containing a great variety of moods and styles. Some movements are bright and tuneful, some are majestic and devotional, and others are mysterious and harmonically complex. Britten is a composer I used to be rather ambivalent towards, but lately I've really come to marvel at his genius, ingenuity, and imaginative spark.

[kyjo]

Shout out to @Mirror Image for putting this on my radar.  A fantastic recording of chamber works that are on par with his finest symphonies and symphonic poems!  Also it was my first listen on my new Airpod Max's and it sounded great.

Indeed, these lovely works showcase a more intimate, less "brooding" side to Bax than his orchestral works do. On the other hand, his epic and stormy Piano Quintet is a symphony in all but name.

[kyjo]

Rubbra: Violin Concerto

The 2nd movement is beautiful!

Indeed, as is the first movement! My only gripe with this otherwise fine work is that the third movement ends in a rather abrupt, frivolous manner which doesn't fit the character of the work as a whole.

[kyjo]

Finzi: Cello Concerto.

As with Clarinet Concerto and sure there are others, a joyous carefree finale.

An absolute masterpiece which I had the opportunity to play (or, at least, attempt to play - it's treacherously difficult!) recently with piano accompaniment in a recital. There's something so endearing about the life-affirming, carefree finale with its incredibly catchy main theme - it's remarkable that Finzi was able to write such joyous music while quite literally on his deathbed!

[Crudblud]

It has been many years since I last listened to Schnittke. What previously struck me as merely idiosyncratic and wild now strikes me as idiosyncratic and wild and incredibly thoughtful.

[kyjo]

The First Symphony is a really fine work - a classic example of a robust, optimistic mid-20th century American symphony. There are echoes of populist Copland and neoclassical Stravinsky, but Foss is his own man. I'm looking forward to hearing that new Naxos recording!

[Cato]

The First Symphony is a really fine work - a classic example of a robust, optimistic mid-20th century American symphony. There are echoes of populist Copland and neoclassical Stravinsky, but Foss is his own man. I'm looking forward to hearing that new Naxos recording!

It used to be that a new work by Lukas Foss was a pretty big event!  Yes, an excellent piece!


Thanks to Dayton Public Radio, an early work by Hector Berlioz: it is a "barn burner" !   

[Karl Henning]

It has been many years since I last listened to Schnittke. What previously struck me as merely idiosyncratic and wild now strikes me as idiosyncratic and wild and incredibly thoughtful.

Great to "see" you!

[JBS]

Tonight--
First Elgar's 2nd from here. Recorded in 2018, but released now.

Then Haydn's Forty-Fifth (the "Farewell") and Forty-Sixth

CD 7 from

[AnotherSpin]

Op. 106