What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[knight66]

The big work of the day for me: Bach's St Matthew Passion in Paul McCreesh's recording.  Here he took exactly the opposite tack as in his more recent, and spellbinding take on Haydn's The Creation; rather than a massive choir, he uses individual voices for the different choirs and obviously uses individuals for the specific parts.  The result is a light, transparent, and quick, nimble reading.  The singers are all superb, and the clarity is quite refreshing.  The only onther version I know is Harnoncourt's superb second recording, but I can see myself turning to this one first.  Top-notch stuff.

I have a fair few versions; but I find I neglect them all for this one. Despite being so pared down, it does not feel Spartan. The drama is very present. Apart from the opening chorus being a notch too fast, I cannot fault it.

Mike

[Bulldog]

The big work of the day for me: Bach's St Matthew Passion in Paul McCreesh's recording.  Here he took exactly the opposite tack as in his more recent, and spellbinding take on Haydn's The Creation; rather than a massive choir, he uses individual voices for the different choirs and obviously uses individuals for the specific parts.  The result is a light, transparent, and quick, nimble reading.  The singers are all superb, and the clarity is quite refreshing.  The only onther version I know is Harnoncourt's superb second recording, but I can see myself turning to this one first.  Top-notch stuff.

The McCreesh is very good, but I'll take either Herreweghe as my favorite.

[Subotnick]

Time to unwind after a hard day at work.



TTFN.
Me.

[Fëanor]

John Corigliano:  Symphony No. 2

[Mozart]

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/glj1LZcYWZ4&fmt18

This seems to be the only thing I can listen to today, and only this performance. I guess the overly romantic orchestra is what makes me like it, even if it's not performed this way now.

[Brian]

Tonight's Greyhound bus ride playlist started off with a distinctly Czech flavor, before a detour to Poland at the end.

SMETANA | Bartered Bride - Overture and three dances
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra; Theodore Kuchar

MARTINU | Memorial to Lidice
Minnesota Orchestra; Osmo Vanska

JANACEK | Glagolitic Mass and Sinfonietta
Various soloists; Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Karel Ancerl

DVORAK | Symphony No 6
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Rafael Kubelik

CHOPIN | Four ballades, five mazurkas, a barcarolle and a berceuse
Ivan Moravec (Supraphon and Vox)

[Harry]

Goede morgen mijn vrienden.

From this box the last two cd's.
Volume IV & V.
Venetian Easter Mass & Music for San Rocco.

[springrite]

William Stephenson playing Busoni:

Suite Campestre
Two Transcriptions of Bach Chorale Preludes
Elegy #1
Sonatina #4
Sonatina #6
Elegy #7


Next up: Busoni Early Piano Works played by Ira Maria Witoschynskyi

[Harry]

From this box:

Das Lied von der Erde.
Jard van Nes, soprano.
Peter Schreier.

Having difficulties with this work all my life, this performance doesn't make it any better. Schreier is too lightweight, and van Nes is approaching it carelessly. The orchestral playing is disappointing also, so this ends on top of the 8th symphony to be given away.

[val]

SIBELIUS:     Spring Song, Lemminkainen Legends, Pélleas et Melisande, Kuolema, Swanwhite

/ Bournemouth Orchestra, Berglund


Good interpretations of the two pieces from Kuolema and the incidental music of Swanwhite. Beecham was better in Pélleas et Melisande and Karajan in the Swan of Tuonela, but in general Berglund offers very decent versions, with energy and a remarkable coherence.
This box of 8 CD, with Kullervo, the seven Symphonies and most of Sibelius orchestral works seems to me the best global presentation of Sibelius. He offers the best versions of Kullervo, Luonnotar, the two cantatas opus 32 and 92, King Christian and Swanwhite. In some other works it must be completed by great interpretations of conductors such as Beecham, Bernstein, Barbirolli or Karajan.

[Lethevich]

For some inexplicable reason, despite my love for Haydn, I am far less familiar with his London symphonies than the Paris or sturm und drang ones. Attempting to rectify that.



(Not a great choice of cover subject, but are they ever?)

[Harry]

From this box:

Symphony No. 10 Deryck Cooke second performing edition 1976.

[springrite]

Magnard - Chant funebre

What a magnificent piece!

[Bogey]

Good morning.

[mn dave]

[karlhenning]

Haydn
Symphonies Nos. 87 in A, 85 in B-flat (La reine), and 86 in D
some HIP-ish group

[Henk]

S. 3, 4

[Bulldog]

Listening to Craig Sheppard's account of Bach's WTC Book 1 on Romeo Records.  Eschewing legato phrasing, Sheppard offers up a compelling brew of detached playing.  Also, his counterpoint gives equal priority among voices.

[mozartsneighbor]

Great to learn, I didn't know! My only visit to the Alentejo was three years ago, when I saw Mertola and surroundings, a visit I enjoyed very much. Still, I was able to buy there a couple of CDs with "typical" Allentejo folk-music and I'm still impressed with it. To me, this type of music is a monument of an unexpected "Moorish" style, quite unique in Europe.

I don't know how Braga Santos fits into that picture. But I do know that I love his symphonic variations on an "Alentejo" theme, and also the impressive series of symphonies (the first four) he wrote there, inspired by the landscape and the people, while staying in the summer house of his teacher, Luís Freitas Branco. In my perception, the landscape (the Alentejo I saw) and the music combine very well.  

Great to learn that you love it, too! I myself learnt to know Braga Santos just a decade ago, on the base of the series of Portugalsom recordings that are probably your main source too. My first encounter was with his Third Symphony, with the London Symphony Orchestra under Alvaro Cassuto, on Portugalsom. I still find it marvelous and I'll never forget the experience of first hearing it: like a "close encounter of the third kind".

BTW, what's the Braga Santos you prefer?  

Mertola is nice, but it isn't deeply Alentejo-like culturally and in terms of landscape in my view, since it is close already to the border with Algarve.  The High Alentejo further to the north is thought by most to be more beautiful -- if you ever get a chance I would recommend a trip that takes in Évora, Estremoz, Vila Viçosa, Reguengos de Monsaraz, and Arraiolos. They are all within 30-50km of each other. Évora and R. de M. are both UNESCO  World Heritage towns, I think.
I also discovered Braga Santos through those Portugalsom recordings, when I was 14 or so. My brother had a couple.
It's difficult to say exactly, but my favorite is possibly Symphony # 4. The Third is very good too, though. It's a close call.
I was reading recently that indeed Braga Santos had only a passing interest in folk music, so that might explain why the theme doesn't sound so authentic.

[Wanderer]

I know his disc with Liszt / Schubert.
Can you share your impression on this recording?

Very characterful playing, scintillating even. Definitely above average and, thus, recommended.

Folk Music of Greece.
Sirtos Ensemble.

Also seriously OOP, still one of my best folk music cd,s.
Please Tasos send me more.......

I'm not aware of this ensemble (are they based in Greece or abroad?), Harry. Are you familiar with other bands, such as Opisthodromiki Kompania? Their lead singer - she began her career with them - was Glykeria (she's one of the leading folk singers in Greece today, you might've heard of her).  Whereas I don't actually collect recordings of folk music, my parents do have several albums (vinyl mostly) in Pyrgos. I'll see what I can do for you, they're bound to visit by month's end.

PS. Some youtube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL1y39C4yLE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRmc75niJ-E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVUFbSSs6lg&feature=related