What are you listening 2 now?

[JBS]

First listen



These recordings date to 2006, and the Trio at least seems to have been issued before as part of this


This is an MI performance.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Brahms, Johannes - Piano Music w/ Jonathan Plowright - 5 discs now on sale at PrestoMusic - reviews attached, if interested.  Dave

P.S. click on image to enlarge!

Plowright was my gateway into Brahms' solo piano works. I bought each of these discs back in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns. Great stuff!

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, 1891 Vienna Revision by Bruckner himself. Ed. Guenter Brosche
Deutsches Symphonie-Ochester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly

[Brian]

Wowza! Elsa Barraine is a totally amazing rediscovery, like a stylistic mix of Hindemith's counterpoint, early Bacewicz' combination of melody and spike, and the more modernist works of Les Six. There is a little bit of heaviness and dramatic urgency that deliberately reflects the political tumult of her time, including the elegiac short work called Pogromes and especially the utterly bleak doom-laden Tombeau that closes the CD. But there is also suave French wit in places like Symphony No. 2's very Poulencian (in fact even Respighian) finale. Symphony No. 1 begins with a Dukas-like bassoon solo, and its "slow" movement (there is a vivace interlude) is my favorite track on the disc, with a really huge variety of moods.

Barraine studied with Dukas in the same class as Duruflé and Messiaen, and was lifelong friends with the latter. She was also an active member of the French Resistance during WWII. A really noteworthy person and a great composer. CPO had better record the complete works, and fast!

Previous GMG posts about Barraine:

from pjme, about the backstory of Symphony No. 2 (1938): https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,30196.msg1586032.html#msg1586032

from Harry, a review of this CD: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,29166.msg1616309.html#msg1616309

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Dutilleux Préludes



Dutilleux is my favorite postwar French composer bar none.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

More Dutilleux --- Mystère de l'instant

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Enescu Vox maris, Op. 31



An absolute masterpiece.

[Que]

Andreas Staier is playing a Steinway model-D dating from 1901. Despite the 39 mins playing time since this is "just" the piano quintet, this would have been a great recording were it not for the absolutely ridiculous sound engineering....

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-11464/

https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/oct04/brahms_quintet_staier.htm

[Linz]

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major op. 92
Symphony No. 8 in F major op. 93, Overture "Leonore II" op. 72
Berliner Philharmoniker, Eugen Jochum

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra and Don Quixote · Vienna Philharmonic, Clemens Krauss.

[Spotted Horses]

Wowza! Elsa Barraine is a totally amazing rediscovery, like a stylistic mix of Hindemith's counterpoint, early Bacewicz' combination of melody and spike, and the more modernist works of Les Six. There is a little bit of heaviness and dramatic urgency that deliberately reflects the political tumult of her time, including the elegiac short work called Pogromes and especially the utterly bleak doom-laden Tombeau that closes the CD. But there is also suave French wit in places like Symphony No. 2's very Poulencian (in fact even Respighian) finale. Symphony No. 1 begins with a Dukas-like bassoon solo, and its "slow" movement (there is a vivace interlude) is my favorite track on the disc, with a really huge variety of moods.

Barraine studied with Dukas in the same class as Duruflé and Messiaen, and was lifelong friends with the latter. She was also an active member of the French Resistance during WWII. A really noteworthy person and a great composer. CPO had better record the complete works, and fast!

Previous GMG posts about Barraine:

from pjme, about the backstory of Symphony No. 2 (1938): https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,30196.msg1586032.html#msg1586032

from Harry, a review of this CD: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,29166.msg1616309.html#msg1616309

I listened to Pogromes from that release and found it very engaging. Looking forward to finding time for the other selections on the release.

[JBS]

CD 3

Čtyři sonáty s přezdívkami a dvě bagately

Piano Sonata. 8 in c minor Op 13 Pathetique
Piano Sonata. 14 in c sharp minor Op 27 no 2 Quasi una fantasia
Piano Sonata. 26 in E Flat major Op 81a Les Adieux
Piano Sonata. 15 in D major Op 28 Pastoral*
Bagatelle in A Major Op 33 no 4
Bagatelle no 25 in a minor WoO 59 Fur Elise

*Live recording from Prague 4 Feb 1970. The others were recorded in 1964 and 1969 in New York City.

[Linz]

Camille Saint-Saëns Symphonic Poems
Orchestre National de Lille, Jun Märkl

[brewski]

Martinů: Double Concerto (François-Xavier Roth, conductor / L'Orchestre National de France / Cédric Tiberghien, piano). A new favorite version of this classic, recorded in 2020. At 20 minutes, swifter than some versions, not a bad thing.
 

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Continuing on with the Sibelius symphonies --- now playing Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52

[Symphonic Addict]

@Symphonic Addict what do you think of Nielsen's Aladdin? I don't think I have ever read your opinion of this work.

A wondrous piece that holds my interest whenever I listen to it. March and Dance and Chorus from the act III and The struggle between Hindbad and Aladdin from the act V are some of the best parts that are not included in the suite IMO. I wish there was at least another complete recording.

[Symphonic Addict]

Respighi: Ballata delle Gnomidi, Suite for strings and organ in G major and Adagio con variazioni for cello and small orchestra

The more I revisit Respighi's music, the more I like it. Ballata delle Gnomidi is a smashing piece full of wizardry and scintillating orchestral colour. I'd love to hear that work live. The other two pieces show a more placid expression, yet rather beautiful and moving (in Adagio con variazoni). I'll leave the charming Trittico Botticelliano for other day.

[Linz]

Ottorino Respighi Quartetto dorico, Quartetto d'archi di Venezia

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

A wondrous piece that holds my interest whenever I listen to it. March and Dance and Chorus from the act III and The struggle between Hindbad and Aladdin from the act V are some of the best parts that are not included in the suite IMO. I wish there was at least another complete recording.

Thanks for the feedback. I might have to revisit this soon. Tonight, I'll play Delius' Hassan as a follow-up to Nielsen's Aladdin.

[Linz]

Carl Nielsen Pan and Syrinx, Flute Concerto, Symphony No. 3 "Sinfonia  Espansiva'
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner