What are you listening 2 now?

[Florestan]

I sympathize with this thought, I often think, "some thoughts are so deep that they never come to the surface" and must dwell in dark cellars forever. Some classical pieces, although cleverly composed, are the equivalent of sentimental songs in a clever disguise.
Did you know that Harnoncourt never recorded a Mahler symphony.
It was too much of a document and an exhibition of the composer's suffering, in his opinion. He found it shameless, many people relish it. I prefer to listen to Bruckner  over Mahler or even better to Mozart.

Music as intimate diary. Well, Schumann is the prime suspect in this respect, what with his compositions recording his love for Clara and the torments it inflicted on him. Of Kreisleriana, he wrote to her:

  I'm overflowing with music and beautiful melodies now – imagine, since my last letter I've finished another whole notebook of new pieces. I intend to call it Kreisleriana. You and one of your ideas play the main role in it, and I want to dedicate it to you – yes, to you and nobody else – and then you will smile so sweetly when you discover yourself in it.

And much as I love it, I can't help feeling that listening to it is like reading a love letter not addressed to me.

[foxandpeng]

Indeed, a delightful work! I'll forewarn you, though - it's decidedly more lighthearted than most of Bax's works. But then again, Bax is like Leroy Anderson compared to Tabakov, Schnittke, or Pettersson!

But just as worthwhile!

[foxandpeng]

7,8,11 and 12 are favourites of mine (11 I head live with GL conducting and he sent a nice reply to my fan mail afterwards).

TD
Yesterday
Daniel Jones: Symphony No.4 - in Memory of his friend Dylan Thomas.
I find this work to be rather moving:

Daniel Jones and George Lloyd are high in my esteem. I applaud both of you in your fine musical tastes 🍾

[ritter]

It's been ages since I listened to any Frank Martin. A (tenuous) connection between Caledrón's play The Great Theatre of the World (which I saw live last night), through Hofmannsthal, to Martin's Six Jedermann Monologues, mad me pull out this disc.



Great stuff!

[Traverso]

Music as intimate diary. Well, Schumann is the prime suspect in this respect, what with his compositions recording his love for Clara and the torments it inflicted on him. Of Kreisleriana, he wrote to her:

  I'm overflowing with music and beautiful melodies now – imagine, since my last letter I've finished another whole notebook of new pieces. I intend to call it Kreisleriana. You and one of your ideas play the main role in it, and I want to dedicate it to you – yes, to you and nobody else – and then you will smile so sweetly when you discover yourself in it.

And much as I love it, I can't help feeling that listening to it is like reading a love letter not addressed to me.

It's the irony of life that some fine people never get the recognition they deserve.

[Florestan]

It's the irony of life that some fine people never get the recognition they deserve.

What do you mean? I might have an idea but I'm not sure I got it right. 

[San Antone]

Niels Gade : String Sextet in E-Flat Major, Op. 44
Ensemble MidtVest

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Nightshade Rounds - Sharon Isbin.

[Traverso]

What do you mean? I might have an idea but I'm not sure I got it right. 

  I'm just kidding to suggest that you also long for a similar adoration, which unfortunately has not been yours....

[Florestan]

I'm just kidding to suggest that you also long for a similar adoration, which unfortunately has not been yours....

See? Not at all what I had in mind, that's why I asked. 

Well, I might have relished a love letter from Clara. One from Robert, though, would have made me shudder... 

[Hitch]

Gorecki - Harpsichord Concerto, Op.40
Mahan Esfahani

Harpsichord tuners probably have a love/hate attitude towards Gorecki's piece, especially the vivace, for it will keep them in work. While it is refreshing to hear such uncompromising, rollicking minimalism played on a harpsichord, one cannot help but worry for the innocent and elderly instruments that will get the stuffing knocked out of them if this particular concerto comes a-calling.

[Spotted Horses]

How do you like it? I had bought that a looong time ago, and very quickly re-sold it.

I normally go HIP/PI in Mozart, but these recordings are unique in their way. And the EMI Electrola recording is much more vibrant than the DG recordings which, inexplicably, were made at almost the same time.

[Spotted Horses]

Mozart, Divertimento KV439b No 5 for 3 basset horns. This is a bit eccentric in its form, slow-fast-slow-fast-slow, with the fast movements a menuetto and a polonaise.



A quirky little gem.

[Linz]

Franz Schubert The Piano Sonatas, CD3
Wilhelm Kempff

[Spotted Horses]

Franz Schubert The Piano Sonatas, CD3
Wilhelm Kempff

Kempff was a magician with Schubert. I just wish DG had better audio on some of those recordings. In some cases, annoyingly thin and brittle piano tone. This seems like a case where someone could find a better source tape to master.

[Linz]

Arthur Honegger Jeanne D'Arc au Bucher, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Serge Baudo

[Brian]

Hurwitz-inspired listen to Mackerras' inspired mashup of loads of early Verdi tunes into one delightfully bouncy half-hour ballet suite.



Extremely fun light music. Did not know it existed until his video, though I'd known about Pineapple Poll for years.

So the canon of Great 20th Century Light Music Mini-Ballets Glamming Up Romantic Composers would include:

Offenbach/Rosenthal - Gaîté Parisienne
Verdi/Mackerras - The Lady and the Fool
Sullivan/Mackerras - Pineapple Poll
Rossini/Respighi - La boutique fantasque

Why didn't anybody do this for the zarzuela??

[vandermolen]

Daniel Jones and George Lloyd are high in my esteem. I applaud both of you in your fine musical tastes 🍾

[NumberSix]

Arthur Honegger

Honeggar, Honeggar was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.

[Symphonic Addict]

The last two symphonies of Schnittke

The 8th is a more fitting conclusion to this exceptional cycle than the unauthentic 9th which I felt to be a little incongruous.

Having heard all of these symphonies, I rank them this way:

2, 1, 5, 8, 3, 4, 7, 6, 0 and 9




And the last two quartets of Taneyev (5 and 6)

Once again very impressed by these 9 works. I didn't find any dud, not even the earlier ones. Ranking them is a bit more difficult, but the absolute winner for me is the 4th. A sovereign masterwork.