What are you listening 2 now?

[André]

4 discs of the music of Ljubica Maric covering her entire compositional career (70 years).



Wikipedia article heading:

Ljubica Marić (1909 – 2003) was a composer from Yugoslavia. (...) She was known for being inspired by Byzantine Orthodox church music. She was professor at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade and a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Ljubica Marić is considered to be the most original Serbian composer of the twentieth century and musically the most influential one

.

It's highly surprising that the music of Maric is not known better. She was much admired by Bartok, Shostakovich, Lutoslawski among others. These 4 CDs comprise 28 works composed between 1928 and 1996. During her long career her language evolved and took different turns. There are solo instrument works (flute, cello, piano, even double bass), cantatas, choruses, orchestral pieces, including what is her best known work, the fascinating Byzantine Concerto for piano and orchestra.

All the performances are modern (mid-sixties to mid 2000s) and are well recorded. Some of them have been licensed to Chandos, who issued a cd comprising some of the most substantial opuses, including my two favourites, the aforementioned Concerto and the huge cantata for mixed choir and orchestra Songs of Space. The latter will appeal to amateurs of big choral pieces like the Florent Schmitt's Psaume XLVII, Kodaly's Psalmus Hungaricus, Walton's Belshazzar's Feast or Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky. It is not derivative in any way and does not recall these works' musical language . I'm referring to its scope and the kind of forces involved. A hugely impactful and evocative work.

This fine set issued for the centenary of her death (2009) has no notes, just track listings and recording references. It was gifted to me some 12 years ago by a great, lamented member of GMG.

[Linz]

Antonio Rosetti Contemporaries of Mozart, volume 1 CD7, Symphonies, London Mozart Players, Matthias Bamert

[Traverso]

Here's my favourite Pachelbel Tone 1 fugues, by far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLcvmswgqog

It sounds very good but who is the  artist?

[Mandryka]

It sounds very good but who is the  artist?

Well look at the discussion -- you'll see I asked that very question.

He's just a music lover, based somewhere in deepest small town Texas -- talented though. 

[Roasted Swan]

Some more great BBC Music Magazine discs.....



A good Seejungfrau is always welcome but the real interest here is the "completion" of the Szymanowski song cycle with Oramo's own orchestrations of the 3 songs the composers did not orchestrate.  Very well done and quite an addition to the catalogue I reckon....

then a very respectable Franck D minor Symphony and a 30 year old version of Le Chasseur Maudit to remind folk just what good work Tadaaki Otaka did with the BBC Welsh (as was) as did Mariss Jansons before him

[Iota]

Rachmaninov: 10 Preludes, Op. 23

Some of this is truly lovely playing. Glad to be having something of a reconnection with Ashkenazy lately.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, 1877 Linz version with revisions - Ed. Robert Haas,  Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink

[ChamberNut]

Yet another superb, spellbinding performance by a little-known violinist. I have a surfeit of discs of the Ysaÿe Sonatas and since I'm in the process of culling (well, trying to), I'll keep only the 7 best versions. In order of preference, they are Rachel Kolly d'Alba, Tianwa Yang, James Ehnes, this one, Thomas Zehetmair, Judith Ingolfsson, Kristóf Baráti. I did not like the recent version by Hilary Hahn (she brings the wrong kind of intensity to her playing and is recorded too close). Miss Smeulers has an amazing bow technique, the sound full and pure, with very little vibrato. The recording puts her at a perfect distance, letting the harmonics register fully and capturing her gleaming tone within a solid aural image.

These discs range in timing from 55 to 78 minutes. The music can take wildly different approaches. The main ingredients are a stupendous technique, a full, pure tone and an intense commitment that must be felt throughout the cycle with no lapse in concentration.

Since you are a self-proclaimed Ysaÿe sonata junkie, I'm curious if you have heard these? Performed by Karl Stobbe, our assistant principal violinist with the WSO. Perhaps it's one of your culling victims? 

PS - I have yet to ever hear these works. As of yet.

[Madiel]

Finishing off this album today.



The Polish Fantasy is really very good. Somewhat in the same musical family as Rachmaninoff on a happier day. The Overture is also nicely done. None of this is absolutely essential, but I think if I can pick up this album for a reasonable price on my next shopping expedition I might add some Paderewski to my collection, which is not something I was expecting. There were other composers in Wit's Polish recordings I was more curious about.

[Madiel]

Now doing some Penderecki...



I was introduced to the Threnody over 30 years ago, and really I don't know whether I've ever heard anything else by him since. I do know that there's a big shift in style, and looking over the whole Naxos series it looks like there was a conscious effort to mix together things from different periods which will be interesting. I'm liking Symphony No.3, which is all I've heard thus far.

I also know that Naxos created a couple of box sets out of Wit's Penderecki recordings. So yes, I might have a bit of streaming homework if I keep being interested in what I'm hearing.

[ChamberNut]

Now doing some Penderecki...



I was introduced to the Threnody over 30 years ago, and really I don't know whether I've ever heard anything else by him since. I do know that there's a big shift in style, and looking over the whole Naxos series it looks like there was a conscious effort to mix together things from different periods which will be interesting. I'm liking Symphony No.3, which is all I've heard thus far.

I also know that Naxos created a couple of box sets out of Wit's Penderecki recordings. So yes, I might have a bit of streaming homework if I keep being interested in what I'm hearing.

Will definitely be interested in your thoughts. I have most (if not all) of the Wit/Naxos recordings of Penderecki. All bought individually (and several generously gifted by a friend). Lots of great music across his early to late periods, which of course are quite different! I can say that I now don't necessarily prefer any period over another. There's great music that spans his entire career.

And lots of info in the Penderecki composer thread.

NB - Music from Symphony No. 3 was used in the film Shutter Island.

[Madiel]

NB - Music from Symphony No. 3 was used in the film Shutter Island.

I'll try to remember this if I ever see Shutter Island. I haven't.

[Duke Bluebeard]

Will definitely be interested in your thoughts. I have most (if not all) of the Wit/Naxos recordings of Penderecki. All bought individually (and several generously gifted by a friend). Lots of great music across his early to late periods, which of course are quite different! I can say that I now don't necessarily prefer any period over another. There's great music that spans his entire career.

And lots of info in the Penderecki composer thread.

NB - Music from Symphony No. 3 was used in the film Shutter Island.

And don't forget that Utrenja, The Awakening of Jacob and De Natura Sonoris No. 2 were featured in Kubrick's The Shining.

[Duke Bluebeard]

@Madiel if you need any Penderecki recommendations, then don't hesitate to ask. He's a favorite of mine.

[ChamberNut]

And don't forget that Utrenja, The Awakening of Jacob and De Natura Sonoris No. 2 were featured in Kubrick's The Shining.

Indeed. And Polymorphia and String Quartet 1 in The Exorcist.

[Duke Bluebeard]

Indeed. And Polymorphia in The Exorcist.

Ah yes. Interesting factoid: Kubrick (and perhaps William Friedkin for The Exorcist, too) approached Penderecki with hopes of him writing some music for The Shining. Unfortunately, the composer mentioned that he didn't write film music, so he instead offered those pieces to Kubrick as he thought they would fit the narrative of the film. The rest, as has been mentioned all of our lives, is history.

[ChamberNut]

Ah yes. Interesting factoid: Kubrick (and perhaps William Friedkin for The Exorcist, too) approached Penderecki with hopes of him writing some music for The Shining. Unfortunately, the composer mentioned that he didn't write film music, so he instead offered those pieces to Kubrick as he thought they would fit the narrative of the film. The rest, as has been mentioned all of our lives, is history.

Interesting! Lalo Schifrin was suppose to compose the score for The Exorcist, but Friedkin wasn't happy with it and instead chose several avant-garde pieces from various composers, including Penderecki. There are some remnants of the scapped score by Schifrin, and they sound chilling!

[Duke Bluebeard]

Interesting! Lalo Schifrin was supposed to composer the score for The Exorcist, but Friedkin wasn't happy with it and instead chose several avant-garde pieces from various composers, including Penderecki. There are some remnants of the scapped score by Schifrin, and they sound chilling!

I did not know this --- thanks for the info. I bet writing music for a horror film must be a fun endeavor for the composer.

[Madiel]

By sheer coincidence I'm also planning to investigate Johnny Greenwood's film scores. Penderecki and Greenwood developed something of a mutual admiration.

[brewski]

Janáček: Jenůfa, Prayer Scene (Asmik Grigorian / Royal Opera, London, from 2021). Grigorian was mesmerizing in Salome, and here, too.