What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[George]

Mozart Symphonies 25 and 40

Bruno Walter/NYPO

[prémont]

And I'm willing to take the risk of being labelled a HIP-fundamentalist 

Ooh, our new chief inspector in the Baroque police 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Let me guess: `I could never quite grasp the fact that it was created by a mere human being' (Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco V. on W.'s Tristan und Isolde)? 

Brilliant!

[Kullervo]

(Wozzeck)

[SonicMan46]

I believe K452c is only 1 movement.  From the web:  Middle Mvmt to a Kybd Concerto
Begun probably in Apr 1784 in Vienna; probably beginning of slow mvmt to KV 453, or, a lesser possibility, to KV 459.

Yes, that ASV disc of the Piano Quartets peaked my interest; K. 452 is the Mozart Piano-Wind Quintet; assume that the work on the disc under discussion is a transcription of the wind quintet for piano-strings?  Maybe some clarification may help from the OP?  I love Huggett & Sonnerie, and could be easily enticed to obtain 'another' version of these compositions along w/ a transcription of the wind quintet! 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Such nice music. 
And I'm willing to take the risk of being labelled a HIP-fundamentalist  ....by stating that in my experience these pieces work only on period instruments.

Q

Well, being a semi-HIPster I can sympathize with this sentiment to an extent. For instance I really love Bach played in a fairly strict HIP style (a loosening up, I mean), if not really requiring 'authentic' instruments to make the music bloom (keyboard, mainly).

Mozart benefits greatly from HIP style as well, but for me the more it gives way to "100% HIP" the less interesting it becomes. For me there's a happy middle-ground where HIP scholarship and modern sensibilities meet to create perfect musical symmetry. After all, the kernels of romanticism reside in Mozart's music and slighting it does the music a disservice. However, "Klempererizing" the music does it no great favors, either.

It's actually strange talking like this as at one point I was a flag-waving Mozart HIPster myself with plenty to prove to the masses (before GMG). Owned everything from HIP operas, to chamber (including the piano quartets), to orchestral, etc... Even owned Badura-Skoda's complete fortepiano sonata box.

But to say the least things changed and today I can't fathom Mozart without a bit of romantic 'retouching'.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Afternoon, Johan and others! 

Evening, Johan and others!

I'll download Lennox Berkeley's First Symphony when my eMusic subscription is renewed in a few hours' time. Maybe I'll share your enthusiasm (again).

[Christo]

Evening, Johan and others!

I'll download Lennox Berkeley's First Symphony when my eMusic subscription is renewed in a few hours' time. Maybe I'll share your enthusiasm (again).

Good night, then. 0:) In the meantime, my admiration for Berkeley's Second and Third has been growing - I'm not sure the Second won't win from the First, in the end. I know well that his symphonies aren't popular, generally speaking, but I happen to love and admire his very precise, conceptual style. Something similar might be said of Alan Rawsthorne, who, imho, fits in the same category.

[pjme]

Earlier this evening, on ARTE : Mahler's 8th with Christoph Eschenbach conducting the orchestre de Paris , choruses from Paris, London and Vienna. Erin Wall, Nora Gubisch, Franco Pomponi etc .....Staged at the Bercy arena, earlier this year. Quite effectif, not the greatest soloists though - yet a convincing recording for TV.

P.

[karlhenning]

Let me guess . . . .

No; actually, I felt that Tristan bore its duration quite well.

[karlhenning]

(Wozzeck)

What do you think?

[Que]

Well, being a semi-HIPster I can sympathize with this sentiment to an extent. For instance I really love Bach played in a fairly strict HIP style (a loosening up, I mean), if not really requiring 'authentic' instruments to make the music bloom (keyboard, mainly).

Mozart benefits greatly from HIP style as well, but for me the more it gives way to "100% HIP" the less interesting it becomes. For me there's a happy middle-ground where HIP scholarship and modern sensibilities meet to create perfect musical symmetry. After all, the kernels of romanticism reside in Mozart's music and slighting it does the music a disservice. However, "Klempererizing" the music does it no great favors, either.

It's actually strange talking like this as at one point I was a flag-waving Mozart HIPster myself with plenty to prove to the masses (before GMG). Owned everything from HIP operas, to chamber (including the piano quartets), to orchestral, etc... Even owned Badura-Skoda's complete fortepiano sonata box.

But to say the least things changed and today I can't fathom Mozart without a bit of romantic 'retouching'.

Thanks for you interesting perspective! Let me elaborate: there is something in Mozart's chamber music, and particularly when a (forte)piano is involved, that seems to give an approach on period instruments an additional edge in comparison to other genres. I'm not sure why this is, but this is my experience sofar.

But yes, I agree that Mozart's music can take at times a Romantic touch, particularly in the symphonies and concertos and in his operas.

Q

[scarpia]

I must say, this is an awesome recorded performance.

[Moldyoldie]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 4
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, cond.
SONY (fr. Complete Symphonies)
The Bernstein/NYPO recording of Symphony No. 4 has what has to be the spookiest, most mysterious and outright gripping opening I've ever heard in this work...WOW!    That bass decrescendo is stretched and sustained for what seems like forever!  It begins a very effective distended traversal of the morose first movement.  What's certainly unique in this overall performance, however, is that the "feeling of distendedness" never ebbs through the entire length of the symphony. Bernstein and Company make sure we hear every instrumental nuance supposedly put forth in the score at a tempo that seemingly never exceeds a hard and firm andante, despite allegro markings to the contrary beginning with the second movement.  Even following an incredibly slow and haunting third movement (conventionally appropriate as it's marked Il tempo largo), the finale marked allegro creeps along slowly as an exercise in cool, moodily modernist musicmaking with every solo and instrument group highlighted. Perhaps owing to this, as well as the compressed '60s sound, there's no "Sibelian Soup" served up here!  Still, the outbursts of brass and the glockenspiel/bells pierce through the chilling soundscape with great effectiveness.

Unlike the equally idiosyncratic performance of No. 6 in this set, Bernstein isn't quite as convincing here, though the committment to his boldly distended conception of the Fourth is certainly evident.  I won't dismiss this performance, but merely add it to a growing list of Fourths whose every performance reveals something incredibly interesting, even if it's usually on its own terms.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

In the meantime, my admiration for Berkeley's Second and Third has been growing - I'm not sure the Second won't win from the First, in the end. I know well that his symphonies aren't popular, generally speaking, but I happen to love and admire his very precise, conceptual style. Something similar might be said of Alan Rawsthorne, who, imho, fits in the same category.

I like Rawsthorne, so I don't expect many difficulties with Berkeley... We'll see (and hear).

[M forever]

The Bernstein/NYPO recording of Symphony No. 4 has what has to be the spookiest, most mysterious and outright gripping opening I've ever heard in this work...WOW!

Apparently you haven't heard Maazel/WP (Decca) yet!

[Peregrine]

[Drasko]

        Etude-tableaux op.39

[Harry]

Earlier this evening, on ARTE : Mahler's 8th with Christoph Eschenbach conducting the orchestre de Paris , choruses from Paris, London and Vienna. Erin Wall, Nora Gubisch, Franco Pomponi etc .....Staged at the Bercy arena, earlier this year. Quite effective, not the greatest soloists though - yet a convincing recording for TV.

P.

Yes, saw that too, quite passable. 

[greg]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 4
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, cond.
SONY (fr. Complete Symphonies)
The Bernstein/NYPO recording of Symphony No. 4 has what has to be the spookiest, most mysterious and outright gripping opening I've ever heard in this work...WOW!    That bass decrescendo is stretched and sustained for what seems like forever!  It begins a very effective distended traversal of the morose first movement.  What's certainly unique in this overall performance, however, is that the "feeling of distendedness" never ebbs through the entire length of the symphony. Bernstein and Company make sure we hear every instrumental nuance supposedly put forth in the score at a tempo that seemingly never exceeds a hard and firm andante, despite allegro markings to the contrary beginning with the second movement.  Even following an incredibly slow and haunting third movement (conventionally appropriate as it's marked Il tempo largo), the finale marked allegro creeps along slowly as an exercise in cool, moodily modernist musicmaking with every solo and instrument group highlighted. Perhaps owing to this, as well as the compressed '60s sound, there's no "Sibelian Soup" served up here!  Still, the outbursts of brass and the glockenspiel/bells pierce through the chilling soundscape with great effectiveness.

Unlike the equally idiosyncratic performance of No. 6 in this set, Bernstein isn't quite as convincing here, though the committment to his boldly distended conception of the Fourth is certainly evident.  I won't dismiss this performance, but merely add it to a growing list of Fourths whose every performance reveals something incredibly interesting, even if it's usually on its own terms.

hmmmmmm makes me wonder if i was an influence in deciding to listen to this?