What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

A very seductive work! Top-drawer Ravel, IMHO.

Manuel Rosenthal (who in his youth was close to Ravel and made some outstanding recordings of his orchestral works in the 1950s) orchestrated the songs very effectively, and the live performance of this version from 1960 with the great mezzo Nan Merriman, conducted by Bruno Maderna, no less, is a great favourite of mine.

Sigh. Now why would I want an orchestra when I can have a piano...

I mean, I might try it one day (not now, it's finishing the Mozart Cassation and then bed). But Ravel did such an astounding job of conveying crickets and guinea-fowl, and a swan on the water (nobody does water on the piano better than Ravel**), that I don't feel a great need to try a non-piano version.

**To me, hardly anybody does anything on piano better than Ravel. At times he would be my pick for the greatest ever.

[ritter]

Nothing to sigh about. Listen to it if you wish, don't listen to if if you don't.

But it's a great performance...

[Traverso]

Mozart

piano concertos 24 & 25

[VonStupp]

WA Mozart
Piano Concerto 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482
Piano Concerto 23 in A Major, K. 488

Christian Zacharias, piano
Staatskapelle Dresden - David Zinman

VS

[Iota]

Janacek: Otčenáš (The Lord's Prayer)

I started off listening to the Martin Requiem on this disc and thought the Kyrie was very good. Thereafter things dropped off for me, becoming not bad but feeling a bit predictable and unengaging, and as it showed no signs of picking up, about halfway through I decided to switch to the Janacek, which immediately sprang to life, and stayed that way for its duration.
It's a work I've never heard before (as was the Martin) and seemed quite a curious one, almost suggesting at moments it might break out into a full-throated bel canto tenor aria, then retreating to tamer territory, but always glowing with that Janacek inner vibrancy, even though the very distinctive style found in his well-known works was adumbrated rather than painted in bold colours.

[ChamberNut]

Claude Debussy - The Complete Works

Journey completed!

Overall, it was an enjoyable exploration. A greater appreciation has been obtained for a composer who previously had been received by me rather coldly (with some exceptions). One thing I noticed is that I seem to drawn to his earlier works, rather than his later works. Of course, exceptions are in play. I'm very happy I made the investment!

Just some of the several highlights for me:

Le Gladiateur (one of the few vocal works I found enjoyable). I'm just not into French vocal music.

*Images for orchestra

La Mer (a work that I did know before and previously enjoyed)

Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (ditto, same as above)

Danse sacrée et danse profane for harp and string orchestra (this is an old favourite)

Nocturnes for orchestra

Rapsodie for saxophone and orchestra

Première Suite d'Orchestre

*La Plus que Lente - orchestra version (major bonus points for the Cimbalom!!!)

La boîte à joujoux, for orchestra

Pretty much all the chamber music (wish there had been more!)

*Préludes for piano - particularly "La cathédrale engloutie", which is probably now my favourite work of his.

[Harry]

En Suite.
See back cover for all details.
Recorded: 2014 at Franc-Waret, Belgium.
Front cover: Table clock, 1st quarter of the 17th century.

A remarkably relaxed performance. The stillness of this interpretation makes it very special. The slightly reverberant sound adds space and a introvert scenery. An acoustic suited to the music.

[Traverso]

La Belle Danse

Capriccio Stravagante Les 24 Violons

Skip Sempé

[Harry]

The Mad Lover.
Sonatas, Suites, Fantasias & various Bizzarie from 17th-Century England.
See details on back cover.
Theotime Langlois de Swarte, Thomas Dunford.
Recorded: 2019, Christuskirche, German Protestant Church Paris (France).

Very well done, a performance to like and a recording to match. Two young musicians which you hear, in the way they approach the music. A few new insights into the familiar pieces on this disc, and some things you hardly find to be recorded, so also discovery. The acoustic of the church gives, -I cannot call it other as- stillness. It enhances and opens up the music far beyond a technical recording. A winner in my book, and well worth exploring. SOTA recording.

[North Star]

Janacek: Otčenáš (The Lord's Prayer)

I started off listening to the Martin Requiem on this disc and thought the Kyrie was very good. Thereafter things dropped off for me, becoming not bad but feeling a bit predictable and unengaging, and as it showed no signs of picking up, about halfway through I decided to switch to the Janacek, which immediately sprang to life, and stayed that way for its duration.
It's a work I've never heard before (as was the Martin) and seemed quite a curious one, almost suggesting at moments it might break out into a full-throated bel canto tenor aria, then retreating to tamer territory, but always glowing with that Janacek inner vibrancy, even though the very distinctive style found in his well-known works was adumbrated rather than painted in bold colours.

Otčenáš is one of Janáček's most beautiful works! And there's so much wonderful stuff in his choral works. I would recommend checking out these two albums.




Thread duty


Schnittke
Cello Concerto No. 1

Alexander Ivashkin
Russian State Symphony Orchestra
Valeri Polyansky

[nico1616]

These Bach vocal works were recorded from 1968 to 1972, before HIP and they sound perfect.

[ritter]

Arturo Toscanini conducts Brahms' Symphony No. 1 (NBC Symphony Orchestra).

[Karl Henning]

CD 59
Jumping out of sequence just for this. Wouldn't you?
Recorded Nov 1957

[Spotted Horses]

Martinu, Film en Miniature (for solo piano) Koukl



With a few exceptions Martinu's works for solo piano are on a small scale and seemingly not as ambitious as his orchestral or chamber music. But even the most mundane subject get filtered through Martinu's peculiar sensibility.

Film en miniature is a suite of brief movements. Highlights are a strange tango, and off-kilter waltz and a finale, Carillon, which brackets meltingly beautiful, calm music with jaunty outer sections. Magical functional dissonance.

[Karl Henning]

Martinu, Film en Miniature (for solo piano) Koukl



With a few exceptions Martinu's works for solo piano are on a small scale and seemingly not as ambitious as his orchestral or chamber music. But even the most mundane subject get filtered through Martinu's peculiar sensibility.

Film en miniature is a suite of brief movements. Highlights are a strange tango, and off-kilter waltz and a finale, Carillon, which brackets meltingly beautiful, calm music with jaunty outer sections. Magical functional dissonance.

Love this disc!

TD:

[North Star]

Janáček
Choral Music
New London Chamber Choir
Critical Band
James Wood

[Harry]

Benedetto Marcello.
Six Cello Sonatas.
Sonata No. 1 In F Major   
Sonata No.2 In E Minor   
Sonata No.3 In A Minor   
Sonata No.4 In G Minor   
Sonata No.5 In C Major   
Sonata No.6 In G Major
Anthony Pleeth, and Richard Webb, Cellos, Christopher Hogwood.
Recorded: Rosslyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead. 1978.

Absolutely beautiful, can it be bettered, I think not! Superb recording, and a performance that make you wish for more, rather much more.
 

[pianococo90]

Javier Torres Maldonado
Orior for piano solo

[Karl Henning]

More Mozart minis!

[hopefullytrusting]

Thanks to @(poco)Sforzando for reminding me of this amazing recording: Solti - CSO - Schoenberg - Moses und Aron