What are you listening 2 now?

[Irons]

Some years ago I tried my hand (ear) at Maxwell-Davies by buying some of his 'Naxos quartets'. I wasn't moved. It didn't do much one way or another. A few years later I gave another try at his music by going for some symphonies (2, 3, 6). Big, long, bulky, 50-shades-of-grey things that didn't leave an impression. Last month I decided to give one last chance at Maxwell-Davies' music by going for some of his 10 Strathclyde concertos.

The title of the series refers to the region of Scotland that used to form a kingdom in the Middle-Ages (roughly from 500-1100 AD). Sometime in the 1970s Scotland was organized in Regional Councils and the name Strathclyde was ressuscitated (etymologically meaning Valley of the Clyde River, which runs through Glasgow). It's the region of southeastern Scotland that has Glasgow as its main city. The SRC commissioned the concertos from Maxwell-Davies, the composer intending them as study pieces. They were all dedicated to and premiered by soloists of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

I's more fun to read about the Middle Ages kingdom and recent scottish politics than listening to this music. I found them severely lacking in colour (shades of grey like I said, what with double bass and bassoon as solo instruments). I also found them rather formless and devoid of musical incident. The last piece on the disc is titled A Spell for Green Corn: the MacDonald Dances. I thought they'd be based on the familiar tune Old MacDonald Had a Farm, which would have brought much needed cheerfulness. I was wrong. It's yet another dedication thing, this time to local fiddler Donald MacDonald. Its folk like theme is gently lilting and its subsequent working out rather tame - none of Malcolm Arnold's irresistible gaiety, inventiveness and catchy rythms. The 20-minute piece ends with a mild flourish.

I find Maxwell-Davies' music serious to the point of dourness. That may just be me being a boeotian though. Try him and live to tell the tale.

Don't know about the music but an interesting post just the same.

[Que]

Like in vol. 5, I  find the performances here stronger than the previous volumes (though they were more than fine): more tempo, more energy, stronger articulation.

[Traverso]

Wow, I never heard of him! I thought only four of Bach's sons became composers. That is incredibly embarrassing for me since I've read two different biographies of Bach.

He was not the son of JS but certainly family.There are many more composers with the name Bach and they are related.

[Traverso]

How do you like the recording, Jan?

It would not be my first choice I think,I have only listened to it once so I have to be careful.My first impression is that it sounds academic not engaging so to say.Ullmann is more to my liking but I haven't a  recording that satisfies me.Kelemen is fine but not fulfilling al my wishes.I like the Leonhardt recordings wich he made but they very limited in number and far from complete.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

It would not be my first choice I think,I have only listened to it once so I have to be careful.My first impression is that it sounds academic not engaging so to say.Ullmann is more to my liking but I haven't a  recording that satisfies me.Kelemen is fine but not fulfilling al my wishes.I like the Leonhardt recordings wich he made but they very limited in number and far from complete.

Yes Leonhardt recordings sound excellent! Kelemen is just average for me.

[Todd]

D958.

[Iota]

Mozart: Symphony No. 36 in C major, K425 'Linz

Brilliant. Fizzing exuberance, irrepressible Mozart charm, and an electric kind of alertness* that seems to bring detail and character tumbling out of every bar, everything feels absolutely new. Invigorating, exciting stuff.

* the sort of alertness that's perhaps at its sharpest in the young (bastards ..) and at 24 years old he 'is' young, but he looks about twelve on the cover!

[brewski]

Dvořák: Nocturne for String Orchestra (Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, recorded 13 February 2024). Incredibly, don't recall ever hearing this piece, and it's worth many listens. 

-Bruce

[Linz]

Georg Philipp Telemann Concerto pour instruments à vent Camerata Köln

[AnotherSpin]

Perhaps nothing sensational that could cause a strong immediate short-lived excitement in the listener. Just a good performance.

[Que]

Wow, I never heard of him! I thought only four of Bach's sons became composers. That is incredibly embarrassing for me since I've read two different biographies of Bach.

He was not the son of JS but certainly family.There are many more composers with the name Bach and they are related.

According to my little Classical Music encyclopedia the grandfathers of Johann Bernhard and Johann Sebastian were brothers, so that would make them 2nd cousins?

[Traverso]

Muffat

Toccata Prima 1-9

 

[Spotted Horses]

CPE Bach, Prussian Sonatas No 3, 4



I continue to find this music interesting, but I can't imagine listening to 40 CDs of this stuff. I think I'll call my exploration of CPE Bach keyboard music complete.

[Spotted Horses]

Saint-Saens Symphony No 2.



I'll grant that this recording by Macelaru is more engaging than the old Martinon recordings on EMI. But the single word characterization that comes to mind is innocuous. Saint-Saens just isn't my thing, I guess.

[Mandryka]

Another recording in the series that is well done. (I skipped vol. 2 with troubadour songs)
Some minor drawbacks: the inclusion of instrumentalised versions (I don't need, I don't want them...) and rather slow tempi overall, the songs expressing sadness in particular. I think it takes away from the expressiveness and emotional impact. However, this was recorded in 1995. Performance practices have moved on since then.

I'm just thinking of Tetraktis -- do you think they take this music faster? I'm not sure, but I'm prepared to bet there's no consensus about this.

[Que]

I'm just thinking of Tetraktis -- do you think they take this music faster? I'm not sure, but I'm prepared to bet there's no consensus about this.

No consensus, but more of a general trend, I think. Though I'm not saying: the faster, the better, BTW... The Ockeghem songs by Cut Circle vs Blue Heron are a case in point.

[Mandryka]

No consensus, but more of a general trend, I think. Though I'm not saying: the faster, the better, BTW... The Ockeghem songs by Cut Circle vs Blue Heron are a case in point.

Re Blue Heron and Cut Circle, I think Americans have always done it fast -- think of Pomerium and Sequentia.  But of course there's no Ockeghem on that CD! 

Have a listen to Graindelavoix doing Binchois -- Amoureux Sui -- you'll hate it.

Did you go to Antwerp or Utrecht concerts this year, @Que ?

[Que]

Dvořák: Nocturne for String Orchestra (Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, recorded 13 February 2024). Incredibly, don't recall ever hearing this piece, and it's worth many listens. 

-Bruce

Nice! I never heard it before (in this version).

Originally the slow movement of his String Quartet No.4 of 1870 (not premiered until 1990), reused as one of the slow movements of his String Quintet No.2, but withdrawn and published separately.

[VonStupp]

Franz Schmidt
Symphony 1 in E Major
Detroit SO - Neeme Järvi

I've never been wholly attracted to late-Romanticism, but I have held onto the early Chandos recordings of Franz Schmidt.

I imagine there have been more Schmidt symphony sets introduced since, which are now considered better, but I don't know if I am enthusiastic over this music enough to invest more. I do rather like the Baroque finale of this symphony, however.
VS

[nico1616]

Shostakovich 8 resembles a bit his 5th, so it falls easier to digest than a lot of his other symphonies.