What are you listening 2 now?

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, 1873 Original Version Ed. Leopold Nowak, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Dennis Russell Davies

[Karl Henning]

[André]

Thank you kindly for the recommendation. I must confess, for quite some time now, I have found that which is elegant and serene to be at least as appealing, if not more so, than garrulousness and gloom. At any moment, I would gladly trade that which sets the mind ablaze for that which calms it and fills it with hope.

Very nicely put, and I totally agree !

[André]

Live recording, September 1984

One of the very, very, very best - ever.

[André]

Listened to it 4 times this week. Not a perfect work, but a hugely engrossing one.

[foxandpeng]

Listened to it 4 times this week. Not a perfect work, but a hugely engrossing one.

Any other Danielpour recs?

[foxandpeng]

William Schuman
Symphony 6
Gerard Schwarz
Seattle SO
Naxos


This is one of my favourite Schuman symphonies, I think - possibly because it is austere, or thorny, or craggy, or challenging, or disturbing, or one of the many other review adjectives. Possibly because I have spent most time with 6, in order to follow its landscape.

Point is, I like it 🙂

[Linz]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Symphonies CD 8
Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K.183/K.173dB
Symphony No, 29 in A major K.201/K.186a
The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

[André]

Any other Danielpour recs?

Definitely: his 3rd symphony (+couplings - my favourite) on Delos/Naxos, his Concerto for orchestra (+ coupling, Sony), his very fine quartets 2-4 (Arabesque), his symphony Darkness in the Ancient Valley (NAxos). His piano concerto 'Metamorphosis' (coupled with the not-to-be-missed 2nd concerto by George Perle, on Harmonia Mundi). A lot of his works involve a soprano voice in one of the movements (like Mahler's 4th). Danielpour is American-born from Persian (Iranian) parents. He is definitely an American composer, but heavily influenced by persian rythms, melodies and poetry.

[Symphonic Addict]

Saint-Saëns: Works for violin and orchestra (Havanaise, Morceau de concert, Introduction et Rondo capriccioso, Caprice andalous, Romance op. 48, Romance op. 37)

Addictive. This gentleman had a gift to write memorable, colourful and vivid music for sure.

[hopefullytrusting]

Gonchigsumlaa's Symphony No. 2 conducted by Esipov with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUcClN92NOk

I've always been drawn to Mongolia, in a romantic sense, given its weather - from my perspective - it is a hellscape, so I don't think I would ever choose to live there, but it is one of those things that lies back in the recesses of my mind, and every now and then - makes itself known. Today, was such a day. Maybe its the landscapes, or maybe it is because all the images/videos I've seen of the place are so charming (but, of course, image/videos are merely the best slices of the apple). All that is to say is how I happened upon Gonchigsumlaa, who is considered one of the founders of Mongolian classical music, and, well, the symphony does not disappoint, but it also will not blow your socks off.

There are some very interesting elements to it - for example, compared to a "western" symphony it is highly dissonant, so that definitely helps push the piece into the above average tier for symphonies, but it is still restrained - entrapped by the so-called "classical" tradition, and so it doesn't truly fulfill its promise (of which there are many hints toward in the piece) - of a truly "Mongolian" sound, one that is not simply a mimic of a tradition that is not its own, which is not to say the work is imitative, as it most definitely is not.

It's has the spring, fair-like quality of Delius combined with a more pastoral-minded Borodin, if you can sort of imagine what that might sound like. The music is delightful, the performance and recording are both just decent - you could tell, I think, that everyone was professional, but I didn't feel the zest of passion - this felt like this was a job (honestly, I also understand that, I mean you get hired out - to play what? to play who? I get that reasoning).

All in all, I would recommend listening to this symphonies. The good far outweighs the bad, and those spring, fair-like sections really shine - music to make you feel good.

[foxandpeng]

Definitely: his 3rd symphony (+couplings - my favourite) on Delos/Naxos, his Concerto for orchestra (+ coupling, Sony), his very fine quartets 2-4 (Arabesque), his symphony Darkness in the Ancient Valley (NAxos). His piano concerto 'Metamorphosis' (coupled with the not-to-be-missed 2nd concerto by George Perle, on Harmonia Mundi). A lot of his works involve a soprano voice in one of the movements (like Mahler's 4th). Danielpour is American-born from Persian (Iranian) parents. He is definitely an American composer, but heavily influenced by persian rythms, melodies and poetry.

Thank you for this. Some things I might enjoy and some outside my usual listening,  but good to have some pointers!

[JBS]

First listen to this, the last of the Carter CDs I got earlier last week.


Duo and the Sonata for Violincello and Piano are about 20 minutes each; the rest are considerably shorter.  Four of them I already have in a different performance (on Naxos).

[San Antone]

Schoenberg : Piano Music
Peter Hill

[JBS]

Something completely different from Carter

[Symphonic Addict]

Rubinstein: The two cello concertos

Not nearly as good as the last two piano concertos and violin concerto. The composer on autopilot mode.

[steve ridgway]

Bach - Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (Second Tier from @coffee)

Lots of clever, changing patterns of many short notes cycling without much dynamic variation, producing a mechanical, hypnotic effect. The lack of any development and similarity of the pieces would make it work well as background music one might notice only intermittently without feeling one had missed anything .

[Que]

https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2020/May/Morales_lamentations_CDM2048.htm

http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/BIS_2277_CapellaDeMinistrers_CdM2048.html

[steve ridgway]

Beethoven - Symphony #5 in C minor (exploring @coffee Second Tier)

I have a copy of the Reiner recording in The Complete RCA Album Collection so gave it a try and found it more listenable than that in the Boulez Complete Columbia Album Collection (both "unwanted bonuses" in the very cheap Supraphonline downloads). Reiner takes it faster and flows quite smoothly whereas Boulez seems to think the notes need to be separated by audible gaps so one can appreciate just what brilliant choices of notes they are. Which may be more appropriate for music of the 20th century Darmstadt school such as Nono.

(Note Reiner still has his sweater on while Boulez needs to go so far as loosening his tie ).

[AnotherSpin]

Never been an fan of the Symfonie Fantastique by Colin Davis and the Concertgebouworkest (despite being with the Concertgebouworkest).
But Markevitch with the Berliner (DG) will blow your socks off!

Much obliged for the recommendation of Igor Markevitch's rendition. I've always found recordings by this gentleman of Ukrainian extraction — whom certain, ahem, enthusiastic imperial dreamers insist on claiming as their own — rather compelling. While the digital transfer of the original DG recording with the Berliners could benefit from a touch more aural depth and refinement, the performance itself is positively riveting.