What are you listening 2 now?

[Traverso]

Bach

Now after several months of listening to the sacred Bach cantatas (Harnoncourt/Leonhardt, Suzuki and Ton Koopman) it is clear again that the performances under the direction of Harnoncourt and Leonhardt are again and convincingly my first choice. The recordings and my love for these recordings and admiration has only increased.
I love the recordings of Suzuki and Ton Koopman but it is undeniable that the impression that the recordings in the series "Das Alte Werk" make on me and are the most strongly etched in my memory.
I have found another review by Hurwitz where he fortunately speaks somewhat more positively about Bach and where he cherishes the complete  box with Bach cantatas like a baby in his arms.

[Spotted Horses]

Bach

Now after several months of listening to the sacred Bach cantatas (Harnoncourt/Leonhardt, Suzuki and Ton Koopman) it is clear again that the performances under the direction of Harnoncourt and Leonhardt are again and convincingly my first choice. The recordings and my love for these recordings and admiration has only increased.
I love the recordings of Suzuki and Ton Koopman but it is undeniable that the impression that the recordings in the series "Das Alte Werk" make on me and are the most strongly etched in my memory.
...

Although I have not gotten anywhere close to listen to all of them, I have the same reaction to the Das Alte Werk series with Harnoncourt and Leonhardt.

[Roasted Swan]

Thanks for the feedback, @vandermolen and @Roasted Swan. I'm with @Roasted Swan in that prefer the 1920 version of A London Symphony. The comparisons of the originally-conceived A London Symphony to Bax's Spring Fire and Bantock's Hebridean Symphony are quite fascinating. It might be fun one day to listen to all three works back-to-back, which I may do sometime down the road.

Oh and @vandermolen that is quite interesting that Brabbins has become your RVW cycle of choice. My favorite is still the Previn/LSO on RCA. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a weak link in his entire cycle. But Brabbins' performance of A London Symphony (the 1920 version) is still my favorite for this particular symphony.

Back in the day I spent ages deciding between these two box sets of LPs;



After much debate - I went for Previn and I must admit its the complete cycle I still love the most - just don't ask me to rationally justify that!

I agree the Brabbins revised No.2 is very good (although the coupling with the RCM "brass band" which doesn't exist does annoy me) but my favourite revised version is Martin Yates;



fine sound, fine performance and interesting coupling.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Back in the day I spent ages deciding between these two box sets of LPs;



After much debate - I went for Previn and I must admit its the complete cycle I still love the most - just don't ask me to rationally justify that!

I agree the Brabbins revised No.2 is very good (although the coupling with the RCM "brass band" which doesn't exist does annoy me) but my favourite revised version is Martin Yates;



fine sound, fine performance and interesting coupling.

Very nice. I'll have to revisit that Yates recording. I've got it (somewhere). I agree the coupling in the Yates is perhaps more substantial (the Concerto for Two Pianos is a fantastic work), but I still love the Variations for Brass Band. It's nice hearing RVW in a different context like this brass band work.

As for RVW complete symphony cycles: I, too, love the Boult cycle, but Previn just edges him out and this is due to what I gather as more energized performances. Although, Boult's recording of A Sea Symphony in this stereo cycle is still my benchmark performance. The same for Symphony No. 6. Boult weaved some magic in these particular performances like no other.

[Traverso]

Although I have not gotten anywhere close to listen to all of them, I have the same reaction to the Das Alte Werk series with Harnoncourt and Leonhardt.

There is a certain surplus that makes you more involved and that is more than just executing everything with flying colors.

[Roasted Swan]

Very nice. I'll have to revisit that Yates recording. I've got it (somewhere). I agree the coupling in the Yates is perhaps more substantial (the Concerto for Two Pianos is a fantastic work), but I still love the Variations for Brass Band. It's nice hearing RVW in a different context like this brass band work.

As for RVW complete symphony cycles: I, too, love the Boult cycle, but Previn just edges him out and this is due to what I gather as more energized performances. Although, Boult's recording of A Sea Symphony in this stereo cycle is still my benchmark performance. The same for Symphony No. 6. Boult weaved some magic in these particular performances like no other.

I agree about Previn - I prefer his Sea Symphony too because he has John Shirely-Quirk who for me is the sound of British vocal music!  Re the Variations - I think they are a tremendous piece but need to be heard played by a proper brass band - the timbre and collective sound is so different from an orchestral brass group.  Brabbins recorded it with the Tredegar band. Here is that band playing the work at the 2022 Proms;

[foxandpeng]

Havergal Brian
Symphonies 21 and 26
Alexander Walker
New Russia State SO
Naxos

And I'm back to feeling the same old disappointment. It isn't that these symphonies are bad, because they obviously aren't. They are just a bit meh. Not at all memorable or interesting. I haven't been concentrating on the music, because I have been reading at the same time, but HB doesn't do enough to hold my attention. No moments of, 'that was good, I need to rewind/replay that bit'. Nothing to grip me or arrest me. Nothing to surprise me.

I might need to try harder, I don't know.

Scorecard? 'Must do better'.

Sorry 😬🫤😟

[T. D.]

Gesualdo: Tenebrae for Good Friday

What can one say about Gesualdo?  Amazing, ethereal, ahead of his time?

Reminds me to listen to this today! (I have the Graindelavoix recording.)

[Iota]

Maderna: Aura (1972)
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Sinopoli

The combination of refinement and intensity in Maderna's music is just breathtaking.

[Harry]

Havergal Brian
Symphonies 21 and 26
Alexander Walker
New Russia State SO
Naxos

And I'm back to feeling the same old disappointment. It isn't that these symphonies are bad, because they obviously aren't. They are just a bit meh. Not at all memorable or interesting. I haven't been concentrating on the music, because I have been reading at the same time, but HB doesn't do enough to hold my attention. No moments of, 'that was good, I need to rewind/replay that bit'. Nothing to grip me or arrest me. Nothing to surprise me.

I might need to try harder, I don't know.

Scorecard? 'Must do better'.

Sorry 😬🫤😟

No worries, it took me many years before I could listen properly to Brian.

[foxandpeng]

No worries, it took me many years before I could listen properly to Brian.

I hope that I have sufficient years remaining!

[Harry]

I hope that I have sufficient years remaining!

I am sure of it my friend! My last prayer was that we both would get at least 150 years extra on earth, so plenty opportunities to absorb Brian at any given time.      

[Cato]

Maderna: Aura (1972)
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Sinopoli

The combination of refinement and intensity in Maderna's music is just breathtaking.

Bruno Maderna as a conductor was also an experience: if you can find his recording of Schoenberg's Jakobsleiter from the 1970's, listen to it!

[Cato]

Bruno Maderna as a conductor was also an experience: if you can find his recording of Schoenberg's Jakobsleiter from the 1970's, listen to it!

In fact, here it is!  From 1972, a live radio broadcast from The Netherlands!

Not an inappropriate work for Good Friday!

https://soundcloud.com/daniel-plante-511223801/schoenberg-jakobsleiter-die-1972-hilversum-maderna

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony no. 2 in C Minor, 872/77 Mixed Versions. Ed. Leopold Nowak
Wiener Philharmoniker, Riccardo Muti

[Lisztianwagner]

Franz Liszt
Via Crucis

Reinbert de Leeuw & Collegium Vocale Gent

[Symphonic Addict]

Yet another first listen ever this week:

Bach: St. John Passion

[VonStupp]

Benjamin Britten
Paul Bunyan

James Lawless as Paul Bunyan
Pop Wagner as Narrator
Dan Dressen as Johnny Inkslinger
Elisabeth Comeaux Nelson as Tiny
Plymouth Music Series - Philip Brunelle

Well, I gave Britten's operetta a shot. It is certainly lighter than what I know Britten for, both music and plot, where there are some delightful humorous setups, particularly in Act I. The story get a little heavier in Act II, and Paul Bunyan pontificates a fair bit too much at the end.

The Minnesota chorus and orchestra are wonderfully prepared by Philip Brunelle, though. While the title character never sings or appears on stage, here he receives a booming voice of authority, but I don't think we ever hear from Babe the Blue Ox. Cowboy poet Pop Wagner's shtick in Britten's Three Ballads is akin to the singing Rooster narrator in Disney's Robin Hood (1973).

VS




My wife thought Paul Bunyan was dead on the cover art, but W.H. Auden's libretto provides the answer:

One night he dreamt he was to be
The greatest logger in history.
He woke to feel something stroking his brow
And found it was the tongue of an enormous cow.

[ritter]

Franz Liszt
Via Crucis

Reinbert de Leeuw & Collegium Vocale Gent

Good idea, Ilaria!

Joining you with the same work, but in Reinbert de Leuuw's earlier recording on Philips (from 1984).

[Linz]

Bach St. Johns Passion  Collegeum Vocale, La Cahapelle Royale, Philippe Hereweghe