What are you listening 2 now?

[Karl Henning]

Until I attended a 7th and 8th grade Honors Musicians Concert yesterday, (over 150 students ages 12-14 from our semi-rural region were performing in choirs and orchestras) I had never heard of Pavel Chesnokov !

The student orchestra performed a version of his Salvation is Created:

An incredible work for Basso Profundo, at one point the music sinks to the note G1 for the Bass soloist!

Here at last I'm listening.

[Karl Henning]

An incredible work for Basso Profundo, at one point the music sinks to the note G1 for the Bass soloist!

The descent of a diminished twelfth at about 4:45 is jaw-dropping!

[André]

Symphony no 9. Symphonic Poem 'From the Book of Job'.

The 9th symphony was completed in 1950. 5 movements, 43 minutes' duration. This disc has been roundly demolished by David Hurwitz. Which, fine. We all know what to do when DH mocks, hisses and throws a tantrum: buy the disc (or sample via your favourite e-library).

I didn't find anything musically repulsive or off-putting in the symphony. Apparently Brun suggested a program for the work. I haven't read the notes to the original release (the individual Guild discs had fine liner notes, alas not included in the Brilliant box set). A fleeting quote of the familiar 'Gaudeamus igitur' tune makes an appearance in the 4th movement titled 'In the Circle of Friends'. That was the only indication of some kind of program or musical description I could find.

So, is this good ? Too early to tell. I should listen to it a couple more times before forming an opinion. If I have an epiphany I'll write about it in due course.

[Mapman]

Brahms: String Quartet #1, Op. 51/1
Ebene Quartet

I'm impressed. I was a bit hesitant to start listening to Brahms' string quartets due to their uneven reputation. I'm glad I listened, because I like this!

[JBS]

I never persuaded myself to go for the Schubert set. To be honest I don't find Schubert Lieder as engaging as Schumann. Although it might also be I don't want more Graham Johnson and his liner notes in my life...

I do want to try the Goerne sometime.

As it happens I'm listening to another CD from the Fischer-Dieskau/Moore Schubert set*, and while I don't precisely agree with you, you do have a point. The two great song cycles (Schone Mullerin/Winterreise) are at a level most of Schubert's lieder don't come close to.

Goerne's set is very much worth having, and includes the song cycles (plus Eschenbach playing D960).

*CD 9, which contains mostly lieder from the D500 range. The most famous one on this CD is probably Death and the Maiden D531.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP:

Elgar
Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 65
Philharmonia
Sir Andrew Davis

From this 2-CD set -




A mighty fine performance of one of my favorite works from Elgar.

[steve ridgway]

Smetana: Vltava (Moldau)



I just wanted to see if it was the same tune I know from this. It was and I rather enjoyed it .

[Madiel]

Mozart: Divertimenti etc.



The highlight here is the Divertimento no.2, K.131.  Really charming, and especially interesting for the lengthy menuets with multiple trios in them. The Divertimento no.1, K.113 is rather less substantial. There's also a separate menuet that's over before it has time to register.

I'm not sure how often I'm going to want to listen to Mozart's Musical Joke. Some of it is only a little bit wrong... and some if is VERY wrong. The horn passage in the menuet is spectacular.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Last work for the night:

Brahms
Sonata in F minor for Clarinet/Viola & Piano, Op. 120/1
Thea King (clarinet), Clifford Benson (piano)

From this set -

[steve ridgway]

Subotnick: Passages Of The Beast

[steve ridgway]

Subotnick: Passages Of The Beast

This ran on to the next track on my music player, Parallel Lines, interestingly conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas .

[Madiel]

Mozart, arranged by Triebensee



I have to admit that this pretty much washed over me. Maybe if I was more familiar with the 2 operas it would make a difference, but I suspect I'd still miss the singing.

Moderately pleasant background music, but not much more than that for me.

[Que]

Only available in digital format. IMO one of the better performances by the now defunct The Sound And The Fury.
Two masses by Marbrianus de Orto (Marbriano Dujardin) in this recording: Missa "Mi Mi" and the Missa "L'Homme Armé", that has also recorded by Cut Circle under Jesse Rodin. An excellent composer and close colleague of Josquin Desprez. I hope for more of his music to be recorded.

[Harry]

Only available in digital format. IMO one of the better performances by the now defunct The Sound And The Fury.
Two masses by Marbrianus de Orto (Marbriano Dujardin) in this recording: Missa "Mi Mi" and the Missa "L'Homme Armé", that has also recorded by Cut Circle under Jesse Rodin. An excellent composer and close colleague of Josquin Desprez. I hope for more of his music to be recorded.

Cannot find this recording on Qobuz. Searched under composer name and performers. Horrible artwork though!

[Selig]

Excellent, as expected.

[Florestan]

Mozart, arranged by Triebensee



I have to admit that this pretty much washed over me. Maybe if I was more familiar with the 2 operas it would make a difference, but I suspect I'd still miss the singing.

Moderately pleasant background music, but not much more than that for me.

Exactly what it's meant to be. 

[Florestan]

I never persuaded myself to go for the Schubert set. To be honest I don't find Schubert Lieder as engaging as Schumann. Although it might also be I don't want more Graham Johnson and his liner notes in my life...

I do want to try the Goerne sometime.

You can just f#$%k the liner notes and just enjoy the music. The soloist line-up in that series is stellar. 

Although I agree that 30 CD worth of Schubert Lieder might be fit only for Schubert fanatics.

[Madiel]

You can just f#$%k the liner notes and just enjoy the music. The soloist line-up in that series is stellar. 

Although I agree that 30 CD worth of Schubert Lieder might be fit only for Schubert fanatics.

I want to read the lyrics. But in the original CDs there's so much of his gunk to wade through. Funnily enough, the digital versions of the booklets cut out all his commentary.

I do mean to listen to the series but I only want one disc every 6 months to a year! I own 4 of them physically.

[Madiel]

Exactly what it's meant to be. 

Well probably, but the operas aren't meant to be background music. And when it comes to Mozartean background music I think Mozart's own divertimenti are rather better.

[pi2000]

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K453
Walter Klien (piano), Minnesota Orchestra, Skrowaczewski

What a glorious creation this work is, one of my favourites. Like many of the concertos it feels as if Mozart is just continuing to write opera, just for different forces. A lovely performance from Klien and Skrowaczewski, duetting like any good pair of Mozart operatic characters.

Any significant difference with the previous Vox edition?