What are you listening 2 now?

[steve ridgway]

Nono: Fragmente-Stille, An Diotima

..and relax. 😌

[Mapman]

Barber: Violin Concerto
Perlman; Ozawa: Boston

Not my favorite recording of this great piece. I think the violin is recorded too prominently, such that the dialog between soloist and orchestra is lost.



Dvořák: Symphony #9
Muti: Philharmonia

This performance is excellent!

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

So, what did you think of what you heard?

K

Oh Kalevala, it was so utterly gorgeous and enchanting. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's voice brings me so much pleasure. I wish she was still around, because I'd send her message detailing how I believe she's not of our earth, but also how much all the performances I've heard with her have meant to me.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Act II:

Handel
Hercules, HWV 60
David Daniels (alto), Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Michel Maldonado (double bass), Yvon Repérant (harpsichord), Claire Giardelli (cello), Mirella Giardelli (organ), Richard Croft (tenor), Sébastian Rouland (chorus master), Lynne Dawson (soprano), Gidon Saks (bass), Marcos Pujol (bass)
Les Musiciens du Louvre, Chorus Of Les Musiciens Du Louvre
Marc Minkowski

From this set -




About Handel's Hercules:

Handel characterized this piece as a "musical drama," to be sung in the theater, but unstaged, rather than either oratorio or opera, but it has been performed as both during its history. Like many of his masterworks, such as Messiah, it was written in a short time, from mid-July to mid-August, but it shows no signs of haste. At its first performances at the King's Theater in London, it was very badly received, and many of the composer's supporters blamed this on the extra-musical vagaries of fashionable society rather than on any deficiencies in the work itself. In addition, Handel had hoped to make his music more accessible to the general public by lowering ticket prices, but this did not draw the larger audiences he had hoped for, which also contributed to his calling off further performances. He was deeply disappointed by its failure, which probably contributed to his later illness. Today it is considered one of his strongest musical-dramatic works, behind only Samson and Semele.

The musical characterization is extremely vivid, though the male characters are rather stock types. The music for Hercules is appropriately robust and extroverted, even a bit simple-minded and pompous. Iole's is deeply tragic, as she relives the death of her father, supported by the almost weeping punctuation of the orchestra. This scene is one of the strongest of the opera, coming immediately after the lively march introducing Hercules and his chained captives, and all the more vivid for the contrast. Later her character is developed a bit more, as she expresses her refusal to consider Hyllas' proposal in firm, dignified music, or the crystalline clarity Handel uses to depict her innocence and compassion for those caught up in the tragedy of Dejanira's jealousy. It is Dejanira herself, though, who is the most three-dimensional of the characters, as we see her love, jealous anger, and final desperate remorse, expressed accordingly in melting pathos, furious runs and biting stacatto phrases, and burningly frenzied lines. Handel's mastery is made clear in the way that even when one emotion dominates, others are hinted at. For example, in her first aria, chromatic phrases alternate between more direct cadences, giving her emotions more complexity and a foreshadowing of the darker side of her love.

[Article taken from All Music Guide]

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

And keeping with a theme of Handel...

NP:

Tippett
Fantasia on a Theme of Handel
Howard Shelley, piano
Bournemouth SO
Hickox

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Sonatas 5-8
Opus 10 Numbers 1-3
Opus 13 "Pathetique"

What do you think of this cycle with Lortie, Jeffrey? I'm only asking because, at some point, I may be in the market for another Beethoven Piano Sonatas cycle. About a month or so ago, I went through the András Schiff cycle on ECM and loved every second of it (which actually reminds me I need to finish out his other Beethoven recordings on ECM).

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Last work for the night:

Bach
Am Abend Aber Desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42
Barbara Schlick, Howard Crook, Gérard Lesne
La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale Gent
Herreweghe

[steve ridgway]

Varèse: Density 21.5

[Que]

Revisiting:



Excellent recording!    Like I pointed out before, this Czech ensemble is developing a real knack for Franco-Flemish composers. And this recording - the 1st of a series of three - fills a major gap in the Jean Richafort discography.

A favourable review by Johan van Veen:

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/MusiqueEnWallonie_MEW2308.html

[Que]

Now playing Act II:

Handel
Hercules, HWV 60
David Daniels (alto), Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Michel Maldonado (double bass), Yvon Repérant (harpsichord), Claire Giardelli (cello), Mirella Giardelli (organ), Richard Croft (tenor), Sébastian Rouland (chorus master), Lynne Dawson (soprano), Gidon Saks (bass), Marcos Pujol (bass)
Les Musiciens du Louvre, Chorus Of Les Musiciens Du Louvre
Marc Minkowski

From this set -

Does the set come with notes & texts, on paper of in Pdf?

[Harry]

Orlando Furioso. ( in the music of the sixteenth century)
Of loves and ladies, knights and arms, I sing, of courtesies, and many a daring feat.
Madrigali sul Poema di Ludovico Ariosto.
La Compagnia del Madrigale.
Recorded: nella Chiesa della B.V. Maria del Monte Carmelo al Colletto, Roletto - Pinerolo (Torino) 2009.2010.

This ensemble is composed, among others, of members of the two renowned Italian vocal ensembles La Venexiana and Concerto Italiano, and this one can hear. To begin with no countertenors thank God. Secondly the voices fit so well together and blend so perfectly that it is an absolute pleasure to hear such a fine performance, in very good sound. I was surprised hearing such beauty on this dreary morning, it lifts my spirits sky high where I might find some rays of the hiding sun.

[Harry]

Does the set come with notes & texts, on paper of in Pdf?

Cannot find this box on Qobuz.

[Que]

Does the set come with notes & texts, on paper of in Pdf?

Found the answer on Amazon... So, NO texts... (in THREE languages!  )

PACKAGING:
41CD lift-off box with Gold foil
Each work housed in an individual gate-fold wallet
100-page three-language booklet featuring track lists, artist photos and a new article by Lindsay Kemp

[Harry]

John Bull.
Organ Works.
In Nomine Walsingham.
Leon Berben, Organ, Robert Dallam, 1653.
Pitch: A= 385-390 at 15°C.
Temperament: Slightly modified mean tone, at 6 perfect thirds.
Recorded: Church Saint Brandan, Lanvellec, France, 2021?.

I also have the recording on the label IFO, were Thilo Muster is the performing artist. he is playing on the Organ of the  St. Thomas de Cantorbery Mont Saint-Aignan (France, probably built in the 15th century). Pitch: A=440 Hz, Meantone temperament. These days the sound of this organ is fashioned on the music by Titelouze. anyway it sounds beautiful.
The Organ Leon Berben is using also sounds fantastic, no doubt about that. I like the clear-headedness of Berben, with clean lines, slightly faster tempos which I like, and little or no sentimental inklings. He has his own style which he adheres to. SOTA sound. Recommended at your own risk. I deny any involvement.

[Traverso]

Bach

Matthäuspassion

I have several performances, the last one I purchased was the Pichon recording but this one with Leonhardt seems to be my all time favorite.

[vandermolen]

I find this to be a moving and spiritually uplifting work - very fine in this performance:

[Que]

[JBS]

What do you think of this cycle with Lortie, Jeffrey? I'm only asking because, at some point, I may be in the market for another Beethoven Piano Sonatas cycle. About a month or so ago, I went through the András Schiff cycle on ECM and loved every second of it (which actually reminds me I need to finish out his other Beethoven recordings on ECM).

So far (2 CDs in) it's fine but no reason to suggest it over any other cycle. I have a number of cycles, but I've no clear favorite. I don't like Annie Fischer. I do like Paul Lewis more than most people here.
Perhaps you might try Paul Badura-Skoda's fortepiano set.
I do like Schiff, btw.

[Madiel]

Dvorak: Gypsy Melodies



It seems crazy to me that I haven't listened to this work for more than two and a half years, because some part of my brain doesn't think I've even owned this excellent album for that long.

Marta Infante is so utterly ravishing in the 2 slower songs, I just want to put those two on repeat and feel the world stop.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Does the set come with notes & texts, on paper of in Pdf?

Unfortunately not, but I can always look up the sung texts online.