What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Que]

Q

[Harry]

Thank you so much for the suggestion Harry  , first off, I don't want to do that. secondly, no explanations as to what I am listening to are necessary. 

So that means that you are just telling us what you listen too, but that discussing about music is not your issue?
I regret that very much.

[mn dave]

This is the WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO? thread, after all.  0:)

[Harry]

I discuss music in other threads when it interests me Harry. Thanks for the concern.

So if you post without comments the music does not interest you, Hmmm, very interesting.
Nah I meant very boring

[mn dave]

Himmelskonig, sei willkommen, BWV 182

Suzuki

How's that for boring? 

[karlhenning]

Hovhaness
Symphony No. 22, City of Light
Seattle Symphony
Dennis Russell Davies

[Kullervo]

How does it sound? Four Amazonians like it lots.

On first listening: exuberant late romantic pieces, but with a classical balance and civility. If you like Brahms's chamber pieces I think you would enjoy these. I haven't listened to the later quartets yet, but will certainly report when I do.

[mn dave]

On first listening: exuberant late romantic pieces, but with a classical balance and civility. If you like Brahms's chamber pieces I think you would enjoy these. I haven't listened to the later quartets yet, but will certainly report when I do.

Thanks very much, Corey. That's going on my list.

[greg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obW7GIa-XzE&feature=related

[rickardg]

Carl Maria von Weber
Quintet for strings and clarinet (arr. for orchestra by Jean-Jaques Kantorow)
Martin Fröst, clarinet
Tapiola Sinfonietta/Jean-Jaques Kantorow

[The new erato]

Elgars Light of Life. Boring, bombastic stuff.

[Moldyoldie]

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 "Organ"; Carnival of the Animals
Poulenc: Les Animaux modèles (Model Animals)
Maurice Duruflé, organ
Aldo Ciccolini & Alexis Weissenberg, pianos
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Georges Prêtre, cond.
EMI
The old '60s Angel LP release of this recording of the popular Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony was my first experience with it, and frankly, it sounded awful -- muddy, distorted, an utter grate on "virgin" ears -- only ameliorated years later by finally "splurging" on the LP of the now-legendary Munch/BSO.  My getting this bargain-priced CD was based on price, compelling reviews, and a predilection to give everything at least a second chance, especially after so many years.  That the recorded sound on this CD is quite good for its ultra-spacious approach sort of substantiates what I've often read about certain domestic LP pressings of imported sub-masters and the resultant generational degradation.  In any case, this was recorded in the ultra-reverberant acoustic of Salle Wagram in Paris, apparently concurrent with the organ and not with it dubbed in later as is often the practice.  While the performance itself is grand, sonorously blended, and expansive; one gets the impression that the venue is as much on display as the music. Many orchestral details otherwise evident in modern recordings are consequently lost in the thick voluptuous velouté.  However, I often enjoy hearing this symphony performed in a "natural" acoustic and as something other than an in-your-face woofer-busting "sonic spectacular".  Comparatively speaking, conductor Prêtre's tempos often border on lumbering, but the reverberance almost dictates it. The symphony is nonetheless brought home memorably with the final chords allowed to hang and dissipate wholly into the ether.  I'd suggest to modern fans of the Organ Symphony to give this a try, especially at the price. While it's certainly more deliberately expansive and "grand" than the seemingly smaller-scaled and more incisive Martinon recording of about ten years later, it also contrasts with the classic Munch/BSO and Paray/DSO recordings which precede it by a few years, making for an inexpensive alternative.

To me, Carnival of the Animals is a diversion; I suppose this performance is as good as any for the price as many of the tunes are catchy and ring familiar.  However, this is my introduction to Poulenc's Les Animaux modèles (Model Animals), an orchestral suite from a ballet composed in 1942. Whatever it has to do with the animal kingdom mostly escapes me, but it certainly displays an episodic program and some beautiful orchestral writing, mostly prototypical of 20th century French Romanticism, while evoking a modicum of drama interspersed with a mostly uplifting and dancing lilt throughout.  I just might return to this soon for further scrutiny.

Sibelius: Symphony No. 2; En Saga
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan, cond.
EMI
This was purchased mostly as an afterthought (it was less than $5) to complete a collection of Karajan's now budget-priced late-'70s/early-'80s Sibelius symphony recordings with the Berlin Philharmonic on EMI (I've probably reviewed the others somewhere on this thread), but also out of curiosity to hear if his interpretation of the popular Second Symphony differs from that of about twenty years earlier with London's Philharmonia Orchestra.  That earlier recording, while not among my very favorite renditions of the Second, still manages to command attention as authoritative and most expressive; also, the playing is magnificent and the vaunted recording very fine. 

Other than seemingly broader, more flowing lines, less overtly emphatic phrasing and attacks, along with one of the more deliberately expansive renditions of the big finale I've yet heard (over a full minute longer at 16:39), I can't say this later performance otherwise offers much of a substantive difference in interpretation with the earlier Philharmonia performance.  In my opinion, it comes down to how the listener takes to Karajan's willfully stretched, often solemnly rendered finale here. I'll admit it took me awhile, and a few listens, to comfortably adjust.  I have to question whether or not the finale ultimately sounds organic with the overall conception here; I haven't come to a conclusion.  Other than some ugly and unforeseen ensemble difficulties in the big (and apparently challenging) lead-up to the finale, the Berlin Philharmonic sounds every bit the great orchestra one would expect.  While not nearly as vividly recorded, I'll take this later Karajan performance any day over James Levine's hasty and ill-measured '90s performance with the Berliners on Deutsche Grammophon.

En Saga was recorded a few years prior to the symphony and exudes plenty of requisite atmosphere and cinematic storytelling.  Karajan takes it fairly straightforward, slowing appreciably and effectively in the final third, and the orchestra responds very well -- a most satisfying mini-epic, if perhaps not the last word in this piece.

Schmidt: Symphony No. 2
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, cond.
CHANDOS
I'm on a second go-round with this work, following close on the heels of a virgin voyage late last night.  Having become refamiliarized with Schmidt's symphonic masterpiece, the Symphony No. 4 (Mehta/WP recording), a sidle backwards seemed in order.  My word! If one likes to luxuriate non-stop in a certain manner of Late Romantic expression that flows from a seemingly limitless font of symphonic invention, this is for you!  I'm not sure what else I can add other than Järvi and the Chicagoans manage to hold it all together in a most satisfying manner.   I'd also guess, however, that this may be "too much" of a good thing for many listeners; it was somewhat the case for me last night.  Perhaps experienced Brucknerians might adjust to the length and architecture more readily, though this is very much of its own expressive style, dating from 1913.

[mn dave]

Some very nice pieces on here I've not heard before.

[karlhenning]

Some very nice pieces on here I've not heard before.

Such as . . . ?

[mn dave]

Such as . . . ?

Actually lots, by Quilter, Gabrilowitsch, Moszkowski and on and on...

[donaldopato]

Karl Amadeus Hartmann  Symphony # 2 "Adagio für Grosses Ochester"

Ingo Metzmacher Bamberg SO EMI set of all 8 Symphonies

[imperfection]

Wilhelm Furtwaengler
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Beethoven symphony no.9, "Choral" in D minor, op. 125
Wartime recording, 1942

This is the most apocalyptic, intense and fiery version I've ever heard. Its power is unbelievable...the timpani sound like mortar rounds being fired on the battlefields during the time of the recording. At the closing bars of the finale, the cymbal crashes sound like large caliber machine guns firing--no exaggeration.

The only problem is that I don't know which recording this is, as WF and the BPO made 2 Beethoven ninths in 1942, one in March and one in April. If anyone has both, please head to the "Great recordings" section of this forum and read my thread, I posted the recording there, see if you can help me identify it. Thanks ! 

[karlhenning]

Sergei Vasilyevich
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Opus 43
Howard Shelley
RSNO
Bryden Thomson

Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 3 (Sinfonia espansiva), FS 60
SFSO
Herbert Blomstedt

[Dundonnell]

Hovhaness
Symphony No. 22, City of Light
Seattle Symphony
Dennis Russell Davies

Only another 66 to go

[Kullervo]

RVW - Symphony No. 2 "A London Symphony", Tallis Fantasia (Haitink/London Phil)
and first listen to: Fauré - Piano Quartets (Samson François, piano/Jean-Claude Bernède, violin/Guy Chêne, viola/Paul Boufil, cello)