What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Saint-Saëns: Le Déluge - Oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra

It didn't sound like particularly inspired to me, save for the part II L'arche - Le déluge. That was the highlight of the piece, quite impressive and dramatic indeed.

[brewski]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 6 (Paavo Berglund / Bournemouth SO). Liking this version a lot so far. The first movement is quite slow and deliberate — not a minus, just an observation.

Orchestral execution is excellent, and ditto the sound quality.

[T. D.]

[Symphonic Addict]

Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No. 1

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP:

Sallinen
Symphony No. 4, Op. 49
Symphony No. 2 "Symphonic Dialogue", Op. 29
Horn Concerto "Campane ed Arie", Op. 82
Mauermusik, Op. 7
Esa Tapani, horn
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Ari Rasilainen

[steve ridgway]

Messiaen - Méditations Sur Le Mystère De La Sainte Trinité

[hopefullytrusting]

Komitas's Piano Dances played by Armen-Levon Manaseryan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA3M8bdB7vw

Extraordinary is a word that is too frequently used and not analyzed, but, as an appellation, it is a term perfectly designed to designate someone such as Komitas who is truly extra/ordinary, in all senses. If what I've read online is to be considered true, all enjoyers of Armenian music owe him a huge debt, as he is one of the main people who kept it alive during the genocide (discovering and rediscovering). These dances are those that would be heard in the village cafe (I'm thinking here of the belly dance scene in The Secret of the Grain - a scene which is also extra/ordinary), and would be well-paired with these dances.

High recommendation.

[Harry]

GUILLAUME COSTELEY. (C. 1530-1606)
Mignonne, allons voir si la Rose.
SPIRITUAL AND AMOROUS SONGS IN RENAISSANCE FRANCE.
LUDUS MODALIS.
Recorded in November, 2011 at the church of Saint Martin, Brémontier-Merval, France.

I have definitively fallen for the art of Ludus Modalis. Such fine voices, such harmony and perfect balance. They feel themselves wholly in the service of the music they perform, and that is exactly what you hear. I do not often perceive such synergy. Costeley is not a composer that had a prominent place in my musical journeys, but this CD clearly fixed that error abundantly. A large number of chansons are in four and five voices, some of which are descriptive (La prise du Havre), serious or moralising, others of a clearly rustic nature or even raunchy (Grosse garce noire et tendre) It's the third CD of this ensemble I have heard in the last couple of weeks, and that has gone from strength to strength. It does not get better as this. Perfectly recorded and performed. Very much recommended.

[Harry]

Louise Farrenc.
Piano Quintet No. 1. opus 30.

Camille Saint Saëns,
Quintet for Piano and Strings, opus 14.
Ironwood, on authentic instruments.
Recorded: 2019-2020 at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Eugene Goossens Hall Ultimo, Sydney.

A wonderful recording well performed too. An original Erard concert grand piano from 1869 is used, and sounds fabulous. You are transported back in time to the salons of 19th-century Paris in a blink of an eye. Both works are favourites of mine, especially the Quintet by Farrenc.

[Que]

Excellent performances.
A drawback for me is that the ensemble decided that it was a good idea if 6 out of 14 madrigals would also be recorded in their transcription for harpsichord... According to booklet in that way it is easier to hear the harmony...   These transcriptions are actually well played by Elam Rotem, but I'd rather have heard more madrigals on this recording. The harpsichord transcriptions deserve their own recording!
Despite the misgivings on the programming choice, still an impressive recording.

Another recommended recording:

[Que]

[...] I have definitively fallen for the art of Ludus Modalis. Such fine voices, such harmony and perfect balance. They feel themselves wholly in the service of the music they perform, and that is exactly what you hear. I do not often perceive such synergy. [...] It's the third CD of this ensemble I have heard in the last couple of weeks, and that has gone from strength to strength. It does not get better as this. Perfectly recorded and performed. Very much recommended.

Hear, Hear! 

The wonderful Costeley songs are rarely recorded. Perhaps you recognize this older one?

[Harry]

Berthold Goldschmidt.
Orchestral Works.
See back cover for details.
David Geringas, Cello.
Magdeburgische Philharmonie, Mathias Husmann.
Recorded: 1994, at the Theater am Jerichower Platz, Magdeburg, Germany.

A rerun, long overdue, from my collection. There is not much recorded by this fine composer, but of what is available I have most excluding the vocal works. Also a chance to hear the excellent David Geringas, forgotten by most, but he was a artist of great standing, and always produced a balanced tone. And the works are not without charm and convince by their solid craftsmanship.  Structural clarity,  lively immediacy of expression, a CD that takes my breath away.  Well worth hearing and having. SOTA sound.

[Harry]

Hear, Hear! 

The wonderful Costeley songs are rarely recorded. Perhaps you recognize this older one?

Yes I saw that too, and will in time try  the interpretation of A Sei Voci,  because I rate them as a an ensemble very highly.

[Que]

Yes I saw that too, and will in time try that one too, although A sei voci is also a fav with me, having quite some recording of them.

I have it on the shelves as well, and it is very good - but Ludus Modalis takes it to another level.

[Harry]

I have it on the shelves as well, and it is very good - but Ludus Modalis takes it to another level.

That is correct!

[Madiel]

Giving the Pejačević symphony a spin - this might be the second time I've ever tried it, though I'm not certain. I chose to stream the CPO recording, though it's nice there's more than one to choose now.

[foxandpeng]

Berthold Goldschmidt.
Orchestral Works.
See back cover for details.
David Geringas, Cello.
Magdeburgische Philharmonie, Mathias Husmann.
Recorded: 1994, at the Theater am Jerichower Platz, Magdeburg, Germany.

A rerun, long overdue, from my collection. There is not much recorded by this fine composer, but of what is available I have most excluding the vocal works. Also a chance to hear the excellent David Geringas, forgotten by most, but he was a artist of great standing, and always produced a balanced tone. And the works are not without charm and convince by their solid craftsmanship.  Structural clarity,  lively immediacy of expression, a CD that takes my breath away.  Well worth hearing and having. SOTA sound.

I learn much from these posts, my friend. Thank you.

TD:

Rued Langgaard
The Early Recordings 1957-1981:
Symphonies and Orchestral Works
Symphony 4, 'Løvfald'
John Frandsen
Danish NSO
Danacord

Another spin. Loving it, really.

[foxandpeng]

Edmund Rubbra
Symphony 7
Richard Hickox
BBC NoW
Chandos

Good music day so far!

[Harry]

BACH, Johann Sebastian (1685—1750)
The Complete Organ Works.
Volume VII.
Masaaki Suzuki playing the Arp Schnitger Organ of Martinikerk, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Recording: 20th—24th November 2023 at Martinikerk, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Pitch: a' = 465 Hz.
Tuning: after Hinz, Variant of Neidhardt.



Although the afternoon was meant for Orchestral music, I was sorely in need of some Bach, and not any Bach but what is produced by this wizard Suzuki on the Arp Schnitger organ in Groningen. I heard this instrument so often when at a concert, and I confess this instrument sounds true to life on this recording, of which I never heard it in this way before, and there are many recordings of this organ in my collection. Volume VI was gorgeous already, but VII goes even further by refining all the details even more in focus. And my speakers go low, very low, in that I feel the Praestant 32', not entirely of course, but quite enough.
I will treasure this set above all else.

[Que]