What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Never heard of this - it looks right up my street!  I wish someone would licence the timpani back catalogue for re-release - so many interesting discs!!!

I regret the dismantling of that label. Some of the most esteemed stuff they recorded (to me) was Ropartz's chamber music and symphonies (especially his 4th Symphony), all of the Cras's discs, Pierné's ballet Cydalise et le chèvre-pied and some ballets by Auric.

[Symphonic Addict]

Based on quick sampling, will definitely have to give it a listen.

It's pretty attractive indeed. Music written with the only goal to give pleasure.

[Symphonic Addict]

Kalabis: His three piano sonatas

Neither entirely challenging nor overtly easy to the ear, but rather intriguing and absorbing. I was taken by the last two sonatas the most. Music that demands attention.

[LKB]

Bach

Longing for music that goes to my heart.....Jesu meine Freude......

I've performed four of the Motets over the years, including Jesu meine Freude. And for the most part, it sings as sweetly as it sounds. 

[Que]

[Irons]

Stanford: Six Irish Rhapsodies.

1 & 5, OK but underwhelming. 3 & 6, featuring violin (3) and cello (6) with great charm and played superbly by Mordkovitch and Wallfich. 4, the most famous of the six judged by T.F. Dunhill as Stanford's most beautiful orchestral composition "full of wild natural poetry and the scoring more inspired then that of the symphonies". My personal favourite is 2. Love this piece which possess not only great delicacy - beautiful scoring for harp - but also floor shaking climaxes. As a stand alone tone poem the second Irish Rhapsody is not far removed from Bax in my view.
I have enjoyed listening to all six this week.

[Que]

I was curious about this recording since I was impressed by Buccarella's debut solo recording "Toccata".

[LKB]

I was curious about this recording since I was impressed by Buccarella's debut solo recording "Toccata".

Speaking of " Fantasia ", I was actually listening to a recording ( instead of my memory ) before a job task I've just completed. Now I'm back to the recording, which is:

While my musical memory is quite good, the shifting subtleties and tonal richness of this famous rendering is to an extent that my head simply can't do it justice. I must happily bow to the unassailable glories and - as I have done for decades with this release - listen.

[Traverso]

Debussy

CD 1

[vandermolen]

Howard Hanson: 'The Lament for Beowulf'
The World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Interlochen
The Mormon Youth Chorus and Symphony
Cond. Howard Hanson (Citadel CD)
Best performance I have heard, with a great sense of rhythmic urgency at the start, slightly faster than usual.
Also, this CD features 'Pan and the Priest' one of Hanson's best tone poems.

[Linz]

Rachmaninov Symphony No. 3 in a Minor, Op. 44
Shostakovich Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 54, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn

[vandermolen]

Rachmaninov Symphony No. 3 in a Minor, Op. 44
Shostakovich Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 54, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn

Fine performances of both works.

[SonicMan46]

Grieg, Edvard - Piano Music w/ Antonio Pompa-Baldi & Nicholas Roth - saw Pompa-Baldi at our local symphony about 12 years ago and was impressed (he's now head of the piano dept. in Cleveland) - he's recorded 12 CDs for Centaur of the composer's piano works - I own 10 volumes (two not in my collection are the Violin Sonatas and Piano Concerto which I have on other CDs). Probably my favorite are the Lyric Suites which are well done by Pompa-Baldi, but the Roth 3-CD set is its equal if not a little bit better - reviews attached.  Dave

   

[kyjo]

I resisted my listening notes and was reminded that I was very impressed with Wellesz Symphonies 1-5. I resumed with the sixth today. I did enjoy it thoroughly, but my notes suggest I was more taken with the earlier works. Maybe Wellesz' style changed, or maybe my brain changed.

Wellesz's later symphonies are quite a bit thornier and without the appealing neo-Brucknerian/Mahlerian aspects of the earlier ones. It should come as no surprise that I also prefer the earlier ones.

[kyjo]

Harty: Piano Concerto and Violin Concerto (Malcolm Binns, piano; Ralph Holmes, violin)

The Piano Concerto is a rather weak piece. It sounds very Rachmaninovian and little substantial. Things get better and more focused with the Violin Concerto. I found the slow movement to have the most compelling music overall.

I disagree about the PC, which I find very enjoyable despite (or maybe because of? ) its Rachmaninoffian derivations. And yes, the VC is a fine piece.

[NumberSix]

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Emil Gilels
Reiner, Chicago

[VonStupp]

Enrique Granados
Dance of the Green Eyes
Gypsy Dance
The Night of Death
Dante

Gemma Coma-Alabert, mezzo
Jesús Alvarez Carrión, tenor
Lieder Càmera
Barcelona SO - Pablo González

Whoa! I didn't expect Granados to turn into Liszt or Wagner.
VS

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Enrique Granados
Dance of the Green Eyes
Gypsy Dance
The Night of Death
Dante

Gemma Coma-Alabert, mezzo
Jesús Alvarez Carrión, tenor
Lieder Càmera
Barcelona SO - Pablo González

Whoa! I didn't expect Granados to turn into Liszt or Wagner.
VS

Nice compositions. Hope other orchestras will record them too in near future.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

English guitar concertos.

[Todd]