What are you listening 2 now?

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner G minor overture and Symphony in D Minor, 1869 Ed. Leopold Nowak
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Bantock The Witch of Atlas

[brewski]

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (Bychkov / Czech Philharmonic, live recording from October 2024). Beautifully performed, filmed, and recorded in the Rudolfinum in Prague.

[JBS]

I have been meaning to explore more Britten, and now seemed a good time to do it.

I usually think of Barber and Vaughan Williams when it comes to the 20th-Century English-language art song, but after my recent listening, I think Britten needs to be there too.
VS

First stop for Britten's songs would be



TD
A trio of Mozart piano concertos


No. 14 in E Flat K449*
No. 23 in A K488*
No. 25 in C K503**

Josef Vlach conductor
*Czech Chamber Orchestra
Recorded May 4 and April 11-12, 1974
**Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded February 3-4, 1973

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

I have been meaning to explore more Britten, and now seemed a good time to do it.

I usually think of Barber and Vaughan Williams when it comes to the 20th-Century English-language art song, but after my recent listening, I think Britten needs to be there too.
VS

Since you're talking about English-language art songs, I also rather like Ives, Rorem and Finzi (in addition to those composers you already mentioned).

What else would you like to explore of Britten's oeuvre or have you pretty much stopped for now?

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Last work for the night --- Debussy Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp



I listened to The Nash Ensemble's recent Debussy chamber recording on Hyperion via Presto Music streaming and I've determined that the magic is gone. These earlier performances on Virgin Classics are atmospheric and just more beautifully performed. Of course, this may be my own bias coming into play as this 2-CD set was the first Debussy/Ravel chamber recordings I ever bought. But doing a side-by-side comparison of the new recording of Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp and this older one: something just felt off in the newer recording. It actually turned out be a blessing in disguise of sorts as I did originally buy the new Hyperion recording, but the seller I bought it from (I forget whether it was JPC or Amazon) were out-of-stock and didn't know when they would be getting it back in, so I just put it on the back burner. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't buy it again.

These older Nash Ensemble performances would actually be taken with me to the desert island --- this is how much I love them.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Alright, one more more work for the night --- Glazunov 3 Études, Op. 31

[ritter]

I derived mild enjoyment form Cantata. Mass left me indifferent. I love sacred music precisely because of what it conveys, but this didn't strike any chord at all. As for Noces, I've rarely encountered a piece of music that irritated me so much.

Curious how people react differently to music, isn't it? I find the Cantata simply boring, the Mass leaves me too indifferent, but I consider Les Noces one of the greatest compositions by Stravinsky (and of all time by anyone, if you press me).

Good day to you, André! 

[AnotherSpin]

18 Chorales "Leipziger Choräle"

6 Chorale Preludes "Schübler-Chorales"

Hans Fagius

[pjme]

I find the Cantata simply boring, the Mass leaves me too indifferent, but I consider Les Noces one of the greatest compositions by Stravinsky (and of all time by anyone, if you press me).

Great! exactly my thoughts!

[Que]

. 

This is a set I considered buying back in the day (2008), but I decided to pass since the approach by Erik van Nevel and his Currende Consort in Renaissance Music didn't quite appeal to me. Another reason was that the thematic programming seemed a bit hotchpotch to me. Now with streaming I have the opportunity to visit the set.

Volume I "Andriaen Willaert and Italy", which focuses on Adriaen Willaert, Ciprioano de Rore, Giaches de Wert and organ music by Giovanni de Macque, seems to quite match my earlier expectations. It starts off with a solo organ piece (nice), a motet performed in a rather languid way by a largish choir accompanied by winds, a song transcription by or recorder and harpsichord, followed by a madrigal sung in a cappella (which comes off best). And after that: lather, rinse and repeat.

All in all a mix of things with bits and pieces I like. As a recording this doesn't work for me.

[Que]

     

Missa Salve Diva Parens, Salve Regina (motet)

Well, after that I needed a thorough Franco-Flemish rinse - purist's style! 
Download-only, unfortunately.

[AnotherSpin]

I've listened to this recording a few times lately and must say I've reassessed my initial opinion - slightly downward. While I absolutely love the transparency of textures and perfect tempi, the vocal contributions disappoint somewhat.

The vocal soloists emit sounds that are so instrumental in quality that they tend to lose verbal acuity and meaning.

Savall starts the Kyrie, Gloria and Credo with an anticlimactic mf - and then proceeds to up dynamics and adopt sharper accents to good effect - but why that desultory opening phrase ?

Ormandy's performance opts for exactly the opposite approach: big, bold, generous in tone and intent - just like Bernstein, but with more close-up sound. It's not a matter of tempi: Savall and Ormandy's overall timings are within 10 seconds of each other. Ormandy is emotional and effusive, Savall is reserved, reverential and unwilling to let emotions break through.

Curiously, both boast an extremely enthusiastic timpani principal. I don'y think I've heard this specific instrumental part of the Missa played with such verve.

For thirty years now, people have been swooning at the mere mention of Jordi Savall — breathless voices, eyes rolling heavenward, as if he's some kind of saint. And all this time, I've felt like a guest at someone else's party. He just doesn't move me. There's something about it all that feels a bit put-on, a bit overrated. But hey, that's just me — I get that others hear something I don't

[Traverso]

Bach

Vol.6 CD 2

[Traverso]

Vivaldi

 

[Harry]

Anonymous - Habsburg Violin Music ex Vienna.
See for details back cover.
Gunar Letzbor, Violin- Ars Antiqua Austria.
Recorded: 2013, Augustiner stift, St. Florian, Altomonte Saal, Austria.

Every bit as beautiful as the previous 2 volumes. Performance, and  sound are exemplary. Letzbor is a fabulous Violinist, his art takes your breath away at times.

[Karl Henning]

I derived mild enjoyment form Cantata. Mass left me indifferent. I love sacred music precisely because of what it conveys, but this didn't strike any chord at all. As for Noces, I've rarely encountered a piece of music that irritated me so much.

Interesting. I once heard the Mass live. Its cool temper is unusual for the genre, to be sure. I felt much the same about Les noces the first time I heard it (decades ago) Now, I love it. Oh, and I heard that one live in St Petersburg.

[VonStupp]

Mass left me indifferent.

Had I not prepared Stravinsky's Mass for performance, I would have had trouble with it as a listener. It does exist at arms length as a sacred work. Something about spending a few months learning the ins and outs of a composition helps endear a tricky piece of music.
VS

Since you're talking about English-language art songs, I also rather like Ives, Rorem and Finzi (in addition to those composers you already mentioned).
What else would you like to explore of Britten's oeuvre or have you pretty much stopped for now?

I think I am going to transition from his vocal and choral music to his instrumental works. I am also traversing Haydn's symphonies and some of Alfvén's music as well. With work and family going on at a fever pitch during May, time for listening is inconsistent, so it is slow going at the moment.
VS

[Lisztianwagner]

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.6

Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker

[Traverso]