What are you listening 2 now?

[foxandpeng]

Bent Sørensen
String Quartet 1 'Alman'
Arditti String Quartet

Sørensen rarely puts a foot wrong, IMHO.

Always complex and interesting.

[JBS]

Another first listen


Program:
Aaron Jay Kernis: Concierto de "Dance Hits" (1998)
Astor Piazzolla: Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneon "Hommage à Liege" (1985)
Kernis: Lullaby (version for violin and guitar) (2014)
Roberto Sierra: Pequeño Concierto (1998)
Kernis: Soliloquy (for solo guitar) (2016)
The CD title is taken from the first movement of the Kernis concerto, which is derived from an earlier Kernis work for guitar and string quartet. The Sierra is for guitar and five instruments: violin, cello, flute, oboe, and clarinet. The orchestra is a conductor-less ensemble, but Kernis conducts his own concerto and Thomas Derthick conducts the Sierra.

Naxos says all but the Piazzola are world premiere recordings, but the orchestral works were recorded in 2005, the Sierra in 2017, the two smaller works in 2018 and 2020. The CD was issued in 2021.

Tanenbaum was the dedicatee for the Sierra work, the Kernis concerto, and "Soliloquy".

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Vaughan Williams Two Hymn-Tune Preludes



Although this work is a miniature, it captures the beauty of RVW during its short duration.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Vaughan Williams Concerto Gross for String Orchestra

[Symphonic Addict]

Miloslav Kabeláč
Symphony 1 for Strings and Percussion
Marko Ivanovic
Prague RSO

I think it was last summer that I spent some time with this excellent cycle for the first time. Immensely gratifying.

One of the greatest Supraphon recordings of the last years. I revisited the entire cycle a while ago and I found them all tremendous, save the 5th which is for soprano and orchestra. A sort of experiment that didn't go completely well in my view.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Vaughan Williams Sir John in Love



I can't remember the last time I've listened to this opera, but it's got be close to 15 years, which is when I bought this Meredith Davies EMI recording. Anyway, with the notable exception of Riders to the Sea, I don't know RVW's operatic output very well. I've listened to The Pilgrim's Progress maybe twice and I've never listened to Hugh the Drover (which I'll listen to tomorrow night).

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Miloslav Kabeláč
Symphony 1 for Strings and Percussion
Marko Ivanovic
Prague RSO

I think it was last summer that I spent some time with this excellent cycle for the first time. Immensely gratifying.

One of the greatest Supraphon recordings of the last years. I revisited the entire cycle a while ago and I found them all tremendous, save the 5th which is for soprano and orchestra. A sort of experiment that didn't go completely well in my view.

I completely concur, gentlemen. This Kabeláč symphony cycle seems to not have garnered much attention, which is too bad. It is completely worth getting to know as are the chamber works, which a complete set has been released on Capriccio not too long ago.

I also love this recording:

[brewski]

Bent Sørensen
String Quartet 1 'Alman'
Arditti String Quartet

Sørensen rarely puts a foot wrong, IMHO.

Always complex and interesting.

Totally agree. A few weeks ago I heard the Danish String Quartet in his Doppelgänger, inspired by Schubert's last string quartet. Hoping they will record it, as one of the four works they commissioned by four different composers, responding to Schubert's late works.

[JBS]

One of the greatest Supraphon recordings of the last years. I revisited the entire cycle a while ago and I found them all tremendous, save the 5th which is for soprano and orchestra. A sort of experiment that didn't go completely well in my view.

I remember liking the first four symphonies, not being impressed by the Fifth (like you), and not caring for the Sixth, which is a choral symphony.

TD
Second go at the Borusans

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Another first listen


Program:
Aaron Jay Kernis: Concierto de "Dance Hits" (1998)
Astor Piazzolla: Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneon "Hommage à Liege" (1985)
Kernis: Lullaby (version for violin and guitar) (2014)
Roberto Sierra: Pequeño Concierto (1998)
Kernis: Soliloquy (for solo guitar) (2016)
The CD title is taken from the first movement of the Kernis concerto, which is derived from an earlier Kernis work for guitar and string quartet. The Sierra is for guitar and five instruments: violin, cello, flute, oboe, and clarinet. The orchestra is a conductor-less ensemble, but Kernis conducts his own concerto and Thomas Derthick conducts the Sierra.

Naxos says all but the Piazzola are world premiere recordings, but the orchestral works were recorded in 2005, the Sierra in 2017, the two smaller works in 2018 and 2020. The CD was issued in 2021.

Tanenbaum was the dedicatee for the Sierra work, the Kernis concerto, and "Soliloquy".

Thank you for the post about the interesting disc! I will check it out.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Alfred Cortot: The Late Recordings, Vol. 3 (Recorded 1949-1951).

[Symphonic Addict]

I completely concur, gentlemen. This Kabeláč symphony cycle seems to not have garnered much attention, which is too bad. It is completely worth getting to know as are the chamber works, which a complete set has been released on Capriccio not too long ago.

I also love this recording:

Yes! I had forgot about that fine CD.

[Symphonic Addict]

I remember liking the first four symphonies, not being impressed by the Fifth (like you), and not caring for the Sixth, which is a choral symphony.

The Sixth is for clarinet and orchestra and it's a barn-burner! Pehaps you meant the 8th, which is for soprano, chorus, organ and percussion, but unlike you, I really enjoy it. Its ritualistic and brooding atmosphere is something else.

[brewski]

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra (Kubelik / Boston SO). First time hearing this 1974 recording, which has been highly praised elsewhere. Liking it. A lot.

[Symphonic Addict]

Moszkowski: Piano Concerto in B minor

A very good work and it holds rather well despite its length (54 minutes). Some passages reminded me of the lightness of Saint-Saëns.

[JBS]

The Sixth is for clarinet and orchestra and it's a barn-burner! Pehaps you meant the 8th, which is for soprano, chorus, organ and percussion, but unlike you, I really enjoy it. Its ritualistic and brooding atmosphere is something else.

You're right. I think it must have been the Seventh I was not impressed by, not the Fifth, because I remember not caring for the symphony coupled with what I now realize is the Eighth.

It's obviously been too long since I listened to this cycle. But my general memory is that I liked the earlier symphonies more than the later ones.

[JBS]

TD
First listen to Bavouzet's new recording of Ravel
Tonight CD 1

[foxandpeng]

One of the greatest Supraphon recordings of the last years. I revisited the entire cycle a while ago and I found them all tremendous, save the 5th which is for soprano and orchestra. A sort of experiment that didn't go completely well in my view.

That was exactly my experience. 

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Britten Les Illuminations, Op. 18



I've always liked Jill Gomez's voice. I remember especially from the Boulez recording of Ravel's song cycles for Columbia (Sony) where she did a tremendous job in Trois poèmes de Mallarmé.

[Harry]

GIOVANNI FELICE SANCES, (c.1600-1679)
DIALOGHI AMOROSI.
SCHERZI MUSICALI, Nicolas Achten.
Recording: Provinciaal Museum Begijnhofkerk Sint-Truiden, 2017.
Cover illustration: Annibale Carracci, Venus, Adonis and Cupid (c.1590)

A fine bunch of singers presenting the delightful music by this composer of whom I have admittingly very little in my collection. And by what I hear this recording is a very good start to get more by him. Giovanni Felice Sances held one of the most prestigious musical posts in Europe from 1669 as Imperial Court Kapellmeister in Vienna, which is a very telling fact. And by what I hear he can be confidently described as a baroque grandmaster. A clear and detailed sound, well placed in the Provinciaal Museum Begijnhofkerk. Lots of air around the singers and instrumentalists. The only possible drawback in this recording could be that the voice of Reinoud van Mechelen is too closely recorded, and sounds shrill at times, especially when he performs solo pieces. The recording is to blame not his voice.