What are you listening 2 now?

[springrite]

I can't blame Harry because it was already on my list.

Blame him anyway. He likes it.

[JBS]

A change-up from Mozart


CD 4
Quartets 10, 12, 14

[Symphonic Addict]

Interesting. I haven't yet spent time with that box.

That Sixth was worth my time, certainly.

[Symphonic Addict]

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade

As long as I don't burn myself out with this piece, I keep finding it so fresh, invigorating, magical.

[hopefullytrusting]

Transitioning to the night with Lina Yoo Min Lee's playing of Prokofiev's Piano Sonta No. 1 Op. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4WQ1Amo2BA

What a contrast to the Scriabin I just finished earlier in the day, loud, pounding, and bits and pieces of melody in between the clusters of sound. For such a "small" piano sonata, it is massive in size - this is a "macho" piano sonata - one written by someone unsure of themselves but trying to fake it until they make it. Written by a young man, with too much energy, too much libido - it oozes with that unexpressed feeling of being horny all of the time but not being able to do anything about it - you can just feel that exasperation, that frustration being dealt with every time he bangs and suplexes the keys.

I also love how it peters out, and then enters a false sense of security - but you can feel the urgent pleading underneath - just waiting to escape. It won't be contained; it is a voice that must be heard, and I think that is a good philosophy to take, especially if one is insecure or unsure of themselves. Just do it, so he did. This is like, oh - you think I can't compose; I'll show you, and then discovering - oh, I really can compose, and rather than show them, I showed myself, and then begins the process of refinement and sophistication as your work out all the details.

I especially enjoyed how anti-climatic its ending is - keeping in line with the horny metaphor I brought up prior - you think you are going to get paid off, and then you do except there are no dividends. And - it was too short, lol. And - it didn't last long enough, lol. Okay, enough with the euphemisms.

High recommendation. What a smashing Op. 1 - that's how you do it!

[steve ridgway]

Luc Ferrari–    Visage V

[steve ridgway]

Cowell - Two Songs (Poems Of Catherine Riegger)

[steve ridgway]

Scelsi - Tetratkys For Flute

[steve ridgway]

Xenakis - Ioolkos For Large Orchestra

[steve ridgway]

Messiaen - Éclairs Sur L'Au-Delà...

[Spotted Horses]

Messiaen - Éclairs Sur L'Au-Delà...

That's the first Messiaen I ever heard. I remember I found it weird.

[steve ridgway]

That's the first Messiaen I ever heard. I remember I found it weird.

It is unusual but I get the feelings of awesome possibilities beyond what we normally see. The composer was very religious but seems to have tried to expand both his view of the world and his musical techniques.

Wikipedia says

"Expression of theological ideas from the Catholic faith, and an often ecstatic intention, are characteristic of the composer"

and that the three threads of the composition are

"the light, representing Jesus, links to space and astronomy, and birdsong".

[Harry]

Guillaume Dufay (ca. 1397-1474).
Wind music from 15th-century Italian Courts.
L'alta bellezza.

Almost all of the chansons on this recording are from the manuscript MS. Canon. Misc.213, preserved in the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford. This monumental collection of sacred and secular polyphony was assembled after 1435 in or near Venice, probably by a professional musician for his or her own use. Unfortunately, this individual can no longer be identified, but possible "suspects" include the composers Johannes de Quadris, Bartolomeo da Bologna und Bartolomeo Brollo. Whoever this person was, they were clearly a great admirer of both Dufay and Binchois; a number of both composers secular works would be lost were it not for this manuscript.
I somehow missed this recording when it was released in 2018, but glad I found it in the dungeons of Qobuz. Disciplined playing, every note perfect, tempi spot on, and expression at a maximum. The voicing of the instruments is a small miracle, thus a perfect start for morning listening. The sound is clear as a bell, closely miked. Considering the instruments one should keep the volume low, and in the context of its time it was played as background entertainment, and that is a wise choice anyway.

[Que]

A Franco-Flemish mass a day, keeps the doctor away! 


For the moment I'm still revisiting some early English Polyponhy, with another amazing recording by the Binchois Consort:



https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2017/May/100_years_war_CDA68170.htm

[Harry]

Zacara de Teramo (c.1360-1416)
Enigma Fortuna.
Volume.3 Secular music I.
La Fonte Musica, Michele Pasotti.

The third CD in this box, and every bit as exciting as the first two.

[AnotherSpin]

A Franco-Flemish mass a day, keeps the doctor away! 


[..]

Just got back from the doctor. All's well so far - maybe the early music helped. 

[Harry]

Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (1705–1770)
Flute Quartets, Op.12.
Wilbert Hazelzet, Baroque Flute.
Fantasticus.


Such has been the fate of Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (1705–1770), a celebrated composer and violinist in his own time, whose name today only triggers the memory of music historians and 'Baroque' violinists aiming to broaden their repertoire and unearth treasure troves of forgotten repertoire. Yet, as the French writer Pierre-Louis d'Aquin de Château-Lyon (1720–1796) wrote of Guillemain in the sixth letter of his 1752 Lettres sur les hommes célèbres (reprinted in 1754 as Siècle liéraire de Louis XV): 'his hand was dazzling', and he was 'perhaps the most nimble and extraordinary violin[ist] one could hear'. His Flute Quartets bare witness of his compositional art, which is fluent and confident in expression. His intrinsic knowledge of the Flute is evident, and assured. These works are not flashy pieces, but portray elegant art, and sophistication in musical conversation.
No mention is made of which Baroque flute Hazelzet is using, but is has a soft tone, and no unwanted signs of stress. The BC is of the same order, all is well balanced. The sound is a bit diffused, and stands a bit too much in the  reverb of the Schuil church, which masks details, so no clear focus I'm afraid, but gentle on ones ears. Later on in the recording the sound gets a bit more focused.
It reminds me  of a few lines of Emily Bröntes poem "The Prisoner"-
First a hush of peace, a soundless calm descends,
Mute music soothes my breast, unuttered harmony,
That I could never dream, till earth was lost to me-.
I have no idea why these words presented themselves to me while listening to these Flute quartets.

[Harry]

Louis Aubert (1877-1968)
Chamber music.
Sillages, Violin Sonata, Habanera, Feuille d'images.

I never heard music by Louis Aubert, never even heard of him, yet it seems as if I know this music, or remember fragments of the same sort music. Who knows. "Sillages", a piece for Piano, is robust as well as poetic, it carries the stamp of its time and place. Wrestling with the last remnants of romanticism, and gently pushes itself in a new musical reality. Very clear headed and also inviting. Sillages carries expressionism and impressionism harmoniously and is giving due to this new reality, An inviting and startling composition, especially the second movement "Socorry".
The violin sonata is a tad bolder and outgoing, The second movement is trodding along with a firm tone turning into a lament of sorts. It is clearly trying to find its comfort zone. Quietly expressive, I like this line of thought. The last two pieces on this disc Habanera, & Feuille d'images are written for Piano Four hands. The performances are in line with the music. Sound is good without being obtrusive.

[Que]

[Madiel]

I might as well... Beethoven: Piano sonata in E flat, op.7



Oh YES. Goode's first movement is actually a fraction faster overall than Kovacevich's, but it's so much lighter in feel. The music skips along and sparkles. It's marvellous.

And then Goode's Largo is the slowest of the 3 recordings I own. It's got repose - and the silences are so important to this movement as I found out myself when playing it in a hall. It's got personality. It sings. Occasionally the tempo suddenly changes, but this is a minor point compared to the all benefits of this reading.

It's really those first 2 movements where getting the feel of this sonata is difficult, and Goode is really convincing. After that, it's more a question of not stuffing it up. The scherzo-minuet has a good feel to it. And while the finale again has some curious little tempo shifts... it's really more in the nature of the music (it's not the most satisfactory rondo) and the feel of the main section fits with poco allegretto e grazioso.

There are probably better op.7 performances out there (especially if anyone makes the finale fully convincing), but of the ones I have this is clearly my preferred take.