What are you listening 2 now?

[Florestan]

I was expecting this to be good..

But it's better. It approaches Rubinstein level of excellence.

@Florestan IIRC you have this, don't you?

Yes, you're right, but I haven't listened to it yet. Based on your recommendation I will make it top priority.

[Roasted Swan]

One more run into the 5-disc set of orchestral works by Imants Kalnins. I've listened to each work 3 times now. There's not a dud in the set, however the cello concerto and 3rd symphony proved slightly intractable. But the rest !

- Top shelf stuff: the oboe concerto and the 6th symphony. Both are absolutely splendid and completely original in their fusion of the popular with the sophisticated. On the same level but much smaller in scope are the two short orchestral works (a film music number and a small tone poem): they ooze tunefulness and fine craftsmanship. All of these provide a nice dose of musical endorphins.

- Almost as good are the 4, 5th and 7th symphonies. The latter reminds me in its relation to the others of Prokofiev's own 7th vs the first: unfussy, tuneful and genial. The others have some formidable moments/movements, but are a tad uneven. Still, totally worth anyone's time.

-Symphonies 1 and 2 are very fine too, although they clearly start with a sense of purpose: the composer wants to convey a Message. As things go along, the music becomes more tuneful and swinging. Good stuff.

All told, this set is an absolute must if you enjoy the music of Schnittke, Pärt, Aho but wished they were not so damned serious and knew how to spin a good tune.

Thanks for the insightful and enthusiastic summary - music I will certainly seek out.  FWIW Presto have the complete set currently as a FLAC download for just £12.00 (in the UK at least) which seems pretty reasonable.....

[Que]

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/shining-a-light-on-a-hidden-renaissance-gem-obrecht-s-missa-maria-zart

https://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2019/10/capella-pratensis-serves-up-a-dutch-treat-with-epic-obrecht-mass/

[Traverso]

Masterpieces of French Harpsichord Music



part of this box

[Florestan]

[Traverso]

Purcell

CD 3

[Harry]

Elizabeth Virginals Music.

Anthony Holborne.
The Queenes New Year's Gift.
Orlando Gibbons, Lord of Salisbury Pavan, Lord of Salisbury Galliard, The Queenes Command.
William Byrd, Earl of Oxford's March, Carman's Whistle, The Queenes Almain, Lullaby.
Giles Farnaby, Walter Erle's Pavan, Tower Hill.
Martin Peerson, Pipers Pavan.
John Bull, Pipers Galliard, Chromatic Pavan, Chromatic Galliard.
William Tisdale, Mrs Katherin Tregian's Pavan.
Anonym, A Ground, Can shee excuse, Pakington's Pownde.

Sophie Yates, Virginal.
Recorded: 2003.

To me these readings of the Elizabethan Virginal Music have a private air about them, as if I was eavesdropping on intimate music-making. Much has to do with the instrument, and Yates style of playing. She always finds the right manner for all these works, the small and unassuming, the intricate and emotionally charged. Her sense of rhythmic flexibility is subtle. Her articulation of simultaneous musical strands - no mean feat even in the simplest of works performed on the virginal, is a delight! And it is recorded in such a way that it invites extensive listening. For me this CD is a resounding success. 

[Florestan]

[Harry]

Ildebrando Pizzetti,(1880–1968)
Violin Sonata in A major (1918–19)
Tre canti (1924)

Mario Castelnuovo,Tedesco (1895–1968)
Sonata quasi una fantasia Op 56 (1929)
Tre vocalizzi Op 55 (1928) arranged for violin and piano (1930) by Mario Corti (1882–1957).

Hagai Shaham, Violin.
Arnon Erez, Piano.
Recorded in Jerusalem Music Centre, Israel, 2010.

Pizzetti's Violin Sonata in A major  is by all standards considered the most impressive sonata for violin and piano ever written by an Italian. Well, that's a mouth full of words that for me it has meaning. The first movement is rather erratic and nervy, but that has also to do with the not so sensitive performance of both musicians, who put stress on every note it seems. the musical value is beyond doubt phenomenal, but I would have preferred a more subdued interpretation. I feel the constant urge to say, calm down you boiling copies of a volcano! But then the second movement delivers this on a plate.
Tedesco's sonata is pretty impressive too, but overall the difference between calm and stressful is too much in play, to be enjoyable.

[Iota]

Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36

A work suffused with an irrepressible and rich multilayered melodicism, which never flags or feels overdone, despite its uninhibited nature. A final burst of light in Romanticism's twilight years? Whatever, a great joy for this listener, and done very well by Hayroudinoff. 

[Brian]

Building a streaming playlist out of albums from current/upcoming Big Box releases to convince myself that I don't really need to buy the Big Boxes to enjoy the performances...

[Kalevala]

Gustav Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde

Fritz Wunderlich (tenor), Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano)
Otto Klemperer & Philharmonia Orchestra

It's such a tragedy that Fritz Wunderlich died so young; what a wonderful and talented singer he was.

K

[Traverso]

Mahler

Sympohony No.5

 

[Traverso]

Brahms


Alto Rhapsody op.53

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Clemens Krauss

[Roasted Swan]

Gustav Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde

Fritz Wunderlich (tenor), Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano)
Otto Klemperer & Philharmonia Orchestra

One of the few recordings of any piece where (for me) that version alone is enough and has never been surpassed (pace Janet Baker/Haitink!)

[Spotted Horses]

Reger Clarinet Sonata Op 49, No 1, Klenyan, following up with Hausmann





Hausmann is a bit more forceful, Klenyan more meditative. A satisfying work, but Reger sonatas don't grab me as strongly as Hindemith's. I will make my way through the other two Clarinet sonatas. I think what I really need to do is continue my revisiting of the Reger String Quartets.

[brewski]

Beethoven
Symphony 7
Osmo Vänskä
Minnesota Orchestra
BIS


Late night Beethoven. Would never have thought it. I did think I was probably done listening to Beethoven years ago.

I live and learn.

Those Beethoven performances are terrific. Elsewhere, there has been conversation about the "best" cycle, and while I am no Beethoven scholar, nor expert on various cycles, this one might do very nicely. The orchestral execution is outstanding, and ditto, the clarity of sound provided by BIS.

-Bruce

[André]

2-guitar concertos from 1993 and 1989 by the Italian Carlo Domeniconi and the German Harald Genzmer.

Domeniconi is well-known in the guitar world (he wrote 12 concertos for the instrument among other things), but Genzmer's offering comes as a surprise. I have plenty of his œuvre (some 15 discs) but this is the first and only guitar work of his I've encountered. Mind you, Genzmer was like Hindemith: he had a bottomless imagination (and creative talent) and he could craft a work for kazoo and musical saw on a napkin while waiting for his Starbucks order. Gebrauchsmusik anyone ? Ask, and Uncle Harald will provide !

Joke aside, both works are really lovely, well-crafted and full of spirit. Dale Kavanagh and her partner Thomas Kirchhoff deliver the goods with their usual attention to detail. A fine disc.

[ChamberNut]

2-guitar concertos from 1993 and 1989 by the Italian Carlo Domeniconi and the German Harald Genzmer.

Domeniconi is well-known in the guitar world (he wrote 12 concertos for the instrument among other things), but Genzmer's offering comes as a surprise. I have plenty of his œuvre (some 15 discs) but this is the first and only guitar work of his I've encountered. Mind you, Genzmer was like Hindemith: he had a bottomless imagination (and creative talent) and he could craft a work for kazoo and musical saw on a napkin while waiting for his Starbucks order. Gebrauchsmusik anyone ? Ask, and Uncle Harald will provide !

Joke aside, both works are really lovely, well-crafted and full of spirit. Dale Kavanagh and her partner Thomas Kirchhoff deliver the goods with their usual attention to detail. A fine disc.

Love Domeniconi's music!

[Traverso]

Bach

CD 1