What are you listening 2 now?

[hopefullytrusting]

Starting my morning out right, with Clare Hammond playing Scriabin's Piano Sonata No. 5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY70L0W5TnY

Now, we are entering Scriabin's powerhouse era, and this is clear from the jump - dynamically, rhythmically, sonically - this is a completely different world, and Scriabin the "mystic" has arrived. The gap between this sonata and the previous 4 is a universe, even if I like 4 more than 5 I know fully well that I am an outlier on that, but I am naturally a contrarian - that comes part and parcel with my trade.

The pianist is lovely, as is the piano and the recording setup. All professional-grade, and this is the kind of piece that you want to be seen at all angles - it is vibrantly electric, at the end you should feel more energized, more awake, ready to take on the day, even though what has been required of you has pushed you to peak exhaustion. Scriabin's digs so deep into the bass that it feels eruptive, and then he just explodes with these intricate patterns of imperceptible finger movements with the left - extraordinary to listen, extraordinary to watch, especially up close.

I've not really watched a pianist's hands this closely before, but it is helpful that they are aesthetically pleasing. I would not like to see my hands up that close, lol.

Compositionally, this is a sonata that I can follow in its form - it makes sense to me, at least, how it flows, seamlessly, from section to section - in the story that it is telling - fiery passion edging yet toward Batailliean orgasm.

Highest recommendation.

[Brian]

Clare Hammond has an adventurous repertoire. On Friday I listened to her excellent recording of etudes by Helene de Montgeroult, a French noblewoman who lived a wild life in the Revolution, being imprisoned with her husband (who died in jail), being tried for treason, and securing her freedom by playing the court an improvised set of variations on La Marseillaise! Montgeroult then became the first female professor at the Paris Conservatoire, but a less competent man was entrusted with the writing of a piano playing textbook, so she went solo and wrote her own 800-page opus on piano playing that included more than 100 etudes. Hammond recorded a couple dozen of them a few years ago and they are wonderful.

TD:



I can't remember the last time I heard the Sonata No. 2, which is so thoroughly overshadowed by the earlier sonata that I forgot it existed!

And coming up later:

[Brian]

I can't remember the last time I heard the Sonata No. 2, which is so thoroughly overshadowed by the earlier sonata that I forgot it existed!

DEFINITELY did not remember that the scherzo here is the same scherzo from Symphony No. 1! (With a different trio)

[hopefullytrusting]

Clare Hammond has an adventurous repertoire. On Friday I listened to her excellent recording of etudes by Helene de Montgeroult, a French noblewoman who lived a wild life in the Revolution, being imprisoned with her husband (who died in jail), being tried for treason, and securing her freedom by playing the court an improvised set of variations on La Marseillaise! Montgeroult then became the first female professor at the Paris Conservatoire, but a less competent man was entrusted with the writing of a piano playing textbook, so she went solo and wrote her own 800-page opus on piano playing that included more than 100 etudes. Hammond recorded a couple dozen of them a few years ago and they are wonderful.

That recording is actually how I came across her!

[Irons]

Promise me she has young(ish) children!

Not an excuse, 25 and 22. Being creative in arts and crafts is her release. 

[Wanderer]

[SonicMan46]

Christoph Graupner (1683-1760)
Concertos & Ouvertures
L'arpa festante.


As court conductor in Darmstadt for many years, Christoph Graupner left behind an extensive oeuvre that has only recently been comprehensively explored on disc. Like his contemporary Telemann, Graupner repeatedly and creatively modified the Baroque suite and concerto forms, placing particular emphasis on tonal variety. The suites and concertos recorded here are exemplary of Graupner's outstanding position as a composer of the German late Baroque. The quality of all compositions is without question exemplary, as are the performances and sound. (recorded in 2017)

Hi Harry - just checked my Graupner collection, and only one duplication so piques my interest, esp. since this is a period band - looking around the CD is going for full price although there is a $10 USD MP3 option at Prestomusic - will look further.  Thanks for the tip - Dave

[Mister Sharpe]

For one reason or another, I don't own many boxed sets and certainly not as many as I crave. I knew a classical fan who - with just a very few exceptions - ONLY collected boxes! His tastes were wide-ranging and he would get a nearly maniacal look in his eyes discussing them - they were what he termed "treasure chests of sound" and I felt like I was in the presence of a demented pirate from the Caribbean. Though I didn't catch the box bug from him, I do now refer to them as "treasure chests of sound", this one esp., even though there are disappointments engineering-wise; still, Kapell's playing is so captivating I hardly notice.  Of course, I'm heading straight for Prokofiev's 3rd PC and then Khachaturian's PC, the latter causing quite a stir when first released. Check him out in this recording of Mozart's 17th PC https://slippedisc.com/2021/04/unheard-william-kapell-concerto/.  I sure wish Kapell had recorded Mozart's 8th Piano Sonata (my favorite of the bunch) but you know what they say about wishes...

[Kalevala]

Not an excuse, 25 and 22. Being creative in arts and crafts is her release.

A friend and I went to one of the big box home improvement stores yesterday; he just about had a fit over all of the Christmas/winter holiday blow up yard displays, wreaths, etc. (all with a smaller amount of Halloween "stuff" also on display).

I remember when you wouldn't see winter displays in stores until after Thanksgiving!    For folks here in the US, do you remember when the big display window reveal at Macy's in NYC was a big deal?

K

[AnotherSpin]

[Todd]

4.

[Brian]

And coming up later:

Unfortunately, just for my personal taste, I liked the first track and then liked each successive track less and less. Rather boring in places. The orchestra sounds like a small opera pit ensemble.

[AnotherSpin]

Jacobus de Kerle: Da Pacem Domine

Huelgas-Ensemble, Paul Van Nevel

[Linz]

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, 1887/90 Mixed Versions. Ed. Robert Haas
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

[Linz]

Joseph Haydn Sinfonia concertante in B flat major Hob. I:105
Wiener Philharmonker
Missa in tempore belli, Hob. XXII:9
Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks