Pieces that have blown you away recently

[foxandpeng]

My recent listening to Beethoven symphonies with Vänskä and Minnesota has been pretty memorable. Surprisingly so, for my listening choices, although everything Vänskä touches feels a bit 'Midas-y' ...

[arpeggio]

Reminder.  From OP.

"Since I am always on the lookout for new composers and music one of my favorite threads in another forum is "Pieces that have blown you away recently".  This is a thread where a person can post their experiences with a new work they have never heard before or a new composer."

"This would not be a thread for a person who already has fifty recordings of Beethoven's Fifth and he just acquired his fifty-first.  This thread is for a person who had never heard Beethoven's Fifth and his initial exposure to it was awesome."

[arpeggio]

In another thread I submitted a post about a CD set I purchased dedicated to the music of John Mackey.

I am currently listening to the The Frozen Cathedral.  This is a new work for me.  WOW.  It is literally blowing me away. 

I found this fantastic You Tube of The Marine Band Performing the work.

[André]

The Byzantine Concerto for piano and orchestra and the cantata Songs of Space for mixed choir and orchestra by the serbian composer Ljubica Maric. Available (I think) on Chandos.

[Duke Bluebeard]

I've been revisiting some of William Alwyn's music lately (I just recently got into chamber music --- particularly the SQs) and I have to say I'm currently obsessed with his Symphony No. 4. What an incredibly compelling piece this is to behold! The two performances I listened to were the composer's own with London Philharmonic on Lyrita and Hickox with LSO on Chandos. Both were powerful performances.

[Irons]

I've been revisiting some of William Alwyn's music lately (I just recently got into chamber music --- particularly the SQs) and I have to say I'm currently obsessed with his Symphony No. 4. What an incredibly compelling piece this is to behold! The two performances I listened to were the composer's own with London Philharmonic on Lyrita and Hickox with LSO on Chandos. Both were powerful performances.

I will spin Alwyn's own recording of the 4th post haste. Talking of obsessions, I have one with his SQ No.1. 

[Duke Bluebeard]

I will spin Alwyn's own recording of the 4th post haste. Talking of obsessions, I have one with his SQ No.1. 

I really like all of Alwyn's symphonies, but the 4th is really special to my ears. I don't know his 1st SQ too well, but I'll need to revisit it. I own the Chandos recording with the Quartet of London.

[Christo]

I've been revisiting some of William Alwyn's music lately (I just recently got into chamber music --- particularly the SQs) and I have to say I'm currently obsessed with his Symphony No. 4. What an incredibly compelling piece this is to behold! The two performances I listened to were the composer's own with London Philharmonic on Lyrita and Hickox with LSO on Chandos. Both were powerful performances.

As some ancient Hebrews used to express their positive emotions: Amen!

[Christo]

Ljubica Maric

My younger brother even made a CD with her music in his series "New Tonality", with which he tried to storm the market in Amsterdam in the nineties. With some success: the CD with the two-piano version of Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt -- recorded at night in Maria Minor in Utrecht, I wrote a clumsy booklet the same night -- quickly sold 300,000 copies (!). Ljubica Marić was less popular, we never heard much about her since then.

[Irons]

I really like all of Alwyn's symphonies, but the 4th is really special to my ears. I don't know his 1st SQ too well, but I'll need to revisit it. I own the Chandos recording with the Quartet of London.

Which out of the three recordings I own the best. Quartet of London make the most out of the magical Adagio of 1st SQ.

[Duke Bluebeard]

Which out of the three recordings I own the best. Quartet of London make the most out of the magical Adagio of 1st SQ.

I'm glad I chose wisely. What do you make of his other SQs, especially the later ones? Have you heard any of those works?

[Irons]

I'm glad I chose wisely. What do you make of his other SQs, especially the later ones? Have you heard any of those works?

I have not heard any of the thirteen student quartets. Out of the 'big' three the first is my favourite, followed by the third. The second, I find puzzling as the title 'Spring Waters' suggest a pastoral piece which does not come over that way to me at all. 'Three Winter Poems' on the other hand does. A lovely short work for string Quartet.
The Rasumovsky Quartet recorded all three quartets and 'Three Winter Poems' for Dutton on a single CD which is convenient but the wonderful Adagio of the first pales when compared with Quartet of London on Chandos. The Tippet Quartet are excellent on a Somm CD with 'Three Winter Poems' and SQ3.
Possibly not on CD the Gabrieli Quartet are also very fine for Quartet No.1.


 

[pjme]

Ljubica Marić was less popular, we never heard much about her since then.

Hmmm, - should listen to more of her music ..;

https://composers.rs/en/?page_id=1694

[Duke Bluebeard]

I have not heard any of the thirteen student quartets. Out of the 'big' three the first is my favourite, followed by the third. The second, I find puzzling as the title 'Spring Waters' suggest a pastoral piece which does not come over that way to me at all. 'Three Winter Poems' on the other hand does. A lovely short work for string Quartet.
The Rasumovsky Quartet recorded all three quartets and 'Three Winter Poems' for Dutton on a single CD which is convenient but the wonderful Adagio of the first pales when compared with Quartet of London on Chandos. The Tippet Quartet are excellent on a Somm CD with 'Three Winter Poems' and SQ3.
Possibly not on CD the Gabrieli Quartet are also very fine for Quartet No.1.


 

Thanks for the feedback. I bought a Somm disc (w/ the Tippett Quartet) not too long ago for the Alwyn Three Winter Poems, but ended up staying for the Carwithen SQs, which are quite nice. I haven't listened to Alwyn's 3rd SQ on this disc yet.

[foxandpeng]

I have not heard any of the thirteen student quartets. Out of the 'big' three the first is my favourite, followed by the third. The second, I find puzzling as the title 'Spring Waters' suggest a pastoral piece which does not come over that way to me at all. 'Three Winter Poems' on the other hand does. A lovely short work for string Quartet.
The Rasumovsky Quartet recorded all three quartets and 'Three Winter Poems' for Dutton on a single CD which is convenient but the wonderful Adagio of the first pales when compared with Quartet of London on Chandos. The Tippet Quartet are excellent on a Somm CD with 'Three Winter Poems' and SQ3.
Possibly not on CD the Gabrieli Quartet are also very fine for Quartet No.1.


 

Shockingly, to me, I have never really listened to these 😒 ... appreciate the prompt.

[arpeggio]

No matter how much one thinks he knows, it is still possible to discover something new among the core repertoire.

Tchaikovsky composed four orchestral suites.

I was only familiar with the fourth. My orchestra conductor like the Suite #4 "Mozartiana". I have played it a few times over the years.

I enjoyed discovering the other three.

[arpeggio]

I have the The Legend of John Williams set.
In the booklet of the set there is an interview of Mr. Williams.  In it he stated that an early influence was the music of Varese.  He felt that he had to abandon that style of music because it would not work in Hollywood.  Some of his early concert works showed the early influence of Varese.  For example, his Sinfonietta for Wind Ensemble.

I searched out and found on YouTube Soundings.  It blew me away.  It is more in the spirit of this earlier style.

[relm1]

I have the The Legend of John Williamsset.
In the booklet of the set there is an interview of Mr. Williams.  In it he stated that an early influence was the music of Varese.  He felt that he had to abandon that style of music because it would not work in Hollywood.  Some of his early concert works showed the early influence of Varese.  For example, his Sinfonietta for Wind Ensemble.

I searched out and found on YouTube Soundings.  It blew me away.  It is more in the spirit of this earlier style.

Very cool!  I did not know about his early Varese style.

[ChamberNut]

A new discovery that "blew me away" recently. And I am enjoying very much going through this box set.

Respighi - Concerto a cinque

Andrea Tenalia, oboe
Vincenzo Valenti, trumpet
Chiara Petrucci, violin
Maurizio Turriziani, double bass
Desiree Scuccuglia, piano

[lordlance]

Yesterday I revisited Martinu Double Concerto for Two String Orchestra, Timpani and Piano. I remember liking it when I first heard it years ago in the StokowskI BBC Legends disc but rehearing it yesterday with Mackerras on Alto made me truly realize what an absolutely amazing piece of music it was. Good googly goo!

A digression if it's permissable: Any other pieces one recommends for similar combos such as the Bartok, Panufnik Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings, Martin Concerto for seven wind instruments, timpani, percussion, and string orchestra (not heard it though), etc.?