What are you listening 2 now?

[The new erato]

The Lemminkäinen Suite from the complete BIS series. Again a superb recording and holy cow what music.

And the first disc from this cycle which I intend to revisit:

[The new erato]

Would that be the final version of the fifth, or the original?

The original.

[pjme]

I hardly know Searle at all Danny and this symphony was a fine discovery. The opening reminded me of Rosenberg. Boult did not shy away from these more modernist scores.

It would be nice to have this score in good sound!

Idem for "The haunting"! A great score to a -still- quite memorable film.

[Madiel]

Poulenc: suite pour piano.

Which always strikes me because I think it's the only Poulenc piece I ever tried to learn to play.

[Todd]

[Madiel]

Poulenc: Le Gendarme Incompris



Incidental music for a Cocteau play that apparently only ran for one performance (well, plus a dress rehearsal).

This recording has a lot of dialogue in it that doesn't seem necessary - in particular there's one very long passage with no underlying music that could be cut. The alternative recording I'm aware of seems to do the same thing. A curiosity that I don't really need to add to my Poulenc collection.

[Karl Henning]

[vandermolen]

It would be nice to have this score in good sound!

Idem for "The haunting"! A great score to a -still- quite memorable film.

The Abominable Snowman is fabulous - what a score! Thanks for posting it here.
I think that you can find a more modern recording on the excellent CD below. Do you know Frankel's score for 'Curse of the Werewolf' (another 'doomed processional' - also on the CD) - another great score?

[Traverso]

Bach

Eberhard Geisler
Musikalisches Opfer

Eberhard Geisler interprets Bach's Musical Sacrifice as a key work for an understanding of art that seeks universality in fidelity to tradition and at the same time brings about the abolition of boundaries.

Created as a defense of his work against Frederick II, Bach's work BWV became famous in 1079 and has remained highly enigmatic. The book outlines the composer's desire for freedom, which would also make him a role model for the avant-garde: Anton von Webern would take up the work, as would Sofia Gubaidulina and others who, in the midst of the warlike confrontations of the 20th century, saw it as a testimony to a spirituality that reconciled on all sides. Bach had at that time conceived the project of overcoming the Enlightenment through a universalism focused on the Christian tradition, and in doing so not only anticipated the ideas of philosophers such as Hamann or Schelling, but also established a concept of art that is once again topical.

[Traverso]

Scarlatti

I am a proponent of the harpsichord where these sonatas are concerned. However, these performances are stunningly beautiful played, as was the case with Cara Haskil, among others.

[foxandpeng]

David Diamond
Symphony 1
Gerard Schwarz
Seattle SO
Naxos

Harrison to Diamond. Diamond is undoubtedly one of my favourite American composers.

[pjme]

The Abominable Snowman is fabulous - what a score! Thanks for posting it here.
I think that you can find a more modern recording on the excellent CD below. Do you know Frankel's score for 'Curse of the Werewolf' (another 'doomed processional' - also on the CD) - another great score:

I remember now that you mentioned this score by Frankel several times before - I'll definitely will give it a try.
As a teenager I saw most of the Dracula/Hammer films. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were just perfect for these vehicles...
The symphonic scores to these films gave the often cheap/wacky design/ art direction some well needed "gravity".

[foxandpeng]

David Diamond
Symphony 2
Gerard Schwarz
Seattle SO
Naxos

I waver around which is my favourite Diamond symphony. Today, #2 has it on account of the beauty and melody of the musical landscape that he paints in the opening movement. Tomorrow, of course, may well be #3, #4, #5 or #6, which often rise fastest. 

[Irons]

Humphrey Searle: Symphony No.1
LPO Boult
Darkly impressive:

I wonder why Jeffrey that Eloquence chose a LXT mono transfer for a 1960 recording when Lyrita issued the same recording in very good stereo sound?

[SonicMan46]

Koželuch, Leopold (1747-1818) - Keyboard Sonatas w/ Jenny Kim & Kemp English on fortepianos; 50 works were recorded by each performer - Kim is now in a Brilliant box although I bought her recordings on release in 4 separate multi-disc jewel boxes; was not going to buy English but Bro had a bunch for only $5 each, so I now own 8 of his 12 CDs - just listening to a few and enjoy both fortepianists equally - attached a bunch of reviews; the MusicWeb comments on all of Kim's recordings also comparisons to English, for those interested.  Dave

   

[DavidW]

The performance is middle of the road.  What would have been a forgettable recording is elevated by interesting solo piano improvisations on the symphonies.

[foxandpeng]

Peter Maxwell Davies
Symphony 1
PMD
BBC Philharmonic
Naxos

Something more brooding to accompany the close of my work day. I have a friend who has just relocated to Stromness, so seeing his snaps plus the need for something more gritty, leads inexorably here...

[Cato]

This work came up under Pieces Which Have Blown you Away Recently: Jean Martinon and his Symphony #2!

[VonStupp]

Isaac Albéniz
Concierto fantástico, op. 78
Rapsodia Española, op. 70 (San Sebastián)

Enrique Granados
Concerto Patético (ed. Mestre)
Danzas Españolas: No. 2 (orch. Mestre)
Allegro de Concierto (orch. Mestre)

Melani Mestre, piano
BBC Scottish SO - Martyn Brabbins

VS

[Spotted Horses]

I decided to forgo my listening "projects" and just listen to something on a whim. One of my favorite pieces by Debussy, Pour le Piano.

Lasry, on a period piano.



All of a sudden, it's not my favorite piece anymore. Leaden.

Switch to another recording that had pleased me in the past, Arrau, the old Columbia recording. (On CD, but I originally heard in on vintage vinyl.)



Limited technology, but magical.