What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Papy Oli]

No.28
No.27
No.26

[jlaurson]

Big Band Bach

J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concertos Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig Riccardo Chailly Decca 2 CDs

Apparently, Jens wrote the product's description: 

"In 2010, Maestro Riccardo Chailly records Johann Sebastian Bach for Decca for the very first time with 3 releases. Having conducted the illustrious Gewandhaus Orchestra since 1986, this esteemed conductor's association with Leipzig is but one year less than Bach's. Chailly's profound musicality illuminates three of Bach's large-scale masterpieces: The St. Matthew Passion, the Brandenburg Concertos and the Christmas Oratorio. Played on modern instruments, Chailly's Bach beautifully demonstrates that vivid, stylistically aware performance is not the exclusive preserve of period instrument ensembles. The first release from this trilogy, the Brandenburg Concertos, showcases the Orchestra's expert soloists. Collectively, they celebrate the orchestra's renaissance under its charismatic Italian music director".

No, that description wasn't written by Jens because he knows perfectly that the Branderburgs are not really large-scale works (if it is a reference to the number of performers). 

To be fair to the product description writer (not me!), the Matthew Passion, and with some kindness and good will the Christmas Oratorio, too, could be construed as "large scale". The Brandenburgs, well... now they are. 

(Actually, Chailly's BBs are tight and quicksilver performances that veer, unsteadily, between the two camps. Now I'm waiting for Thielemann to record them with the Dresden Staatskapelle. (Since he isn't wanted by the Munich Philharmonic, anymore. We'll see when that orchestra ever records for DG again. Ha!)

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD4 - Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 from this set ...

[SonicMan46]

 

Q - I've own the older version of these works (pic added above) for years and love the performances, the group, and the recording quality - just curious if you (or others, of course) might have heard both now?  That new offering looks appealing! 

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD6 - Symphony No. 9, the last CD from this set to be played ...

[SonicMan46]

Now playing CD12 - Symphonies in D, 33 & 34 from this set in a hurry.  Now that the Pinnock's set has arrived ...this should be it for HIP Mozart Symphonies....

 

OK Stuart - lookin' forward to some 'blow by blow' comparisons of some of these works in the future!  Dave 

[Coopmv]

OK Stuart - lookin' forward to some 'blow by blow' comparisons of some of these works in the future!  Dave 

I like both Pinnock and Hogwood and in fact attended a concert by the English Concert with Pinnock in the mid 80's on a date at the New York Met (the museum, not the opera house), I think Pinnock and Hogwood both have their relative strengths and relative weaknesses.  When it comes to choral works, I think Hogwood has an edge while Pinnock clearly has an edge for pure instrumental works.  I am much less familiar with Pinnock's Mozart Symphonies, though I was not particularly impressed when I once heard one of the symphonies off some local classical FM station.  OTOH, I have owned Mozart Symphonies by Hogwood on both CD and open-reel tapes for years ...

[SonicMan46]

Vanhal, Johann Baptist (1739-1813) - Flute Quartets, Op. 7, Nos. 2,3,6 w/ Uwe Grodd (on a metal flute) and the Janaki Trio (all strings) - these are beautiful performances; only wished that Naxos was even more generous by adding the remaining 3 works as a 2-CD offering! 

Now, the above is a 'new' arrival; I also own the composer's Oboe Quartets w/ Sarah Francis on Helios; these are also listed as Op. 7 and included all 6 works (but in much shorter movements); according to the liner notes, this opus set was written for a 'solo instrument' + strings, the former being either flute or oboe - of course, a common practice in those days - bottom line is that this is wonderfully melodic and beautiful music on either instrument!

Now these works appeared in the early 1770s - a 'period' flute would have appealed to me - 

   

[jlaurson]

Listening for alleged differences

Felix Mendelssohn B. Symphony No.3 "Scottish", 1842 London Version & Draft sketches Piano Concerto No.3, Reconstruction by M.Bufalini Hebrides Overture "Fingals' Cave", 1830 Rome Version (ed.Hogwood) Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig Riccardo Chailly Decca

So far I can't tell any difference, really. I must have sailed right by bars "428-466". And differences in orchestration. ("Hey, wasn't that tertiary three-note phrase just now given to a Flute instead of an English Horn??")

But the "Scottish" is a totally rockin' performance that I'd not want to miss no matter what version it was.

[karlhenning]

But the "Scottish" is a totally rockin' performance that I'd not want to miss no matter what version it was.

It's a great symphony, a little unjustly overshadowed by the 'Italian'.

[jlaurson]

It's a great symphony, a little unjustly overshadowed by the 'Italian'.

My second favorite after the 2nd ("Lobgesang"). And in the "Scottish" I love the completely shameless way in which Wagner quotes from Mendelssohn in his Flying Dutchman. Did he even change the key-signature? 

[SonicMan46]

Kraus, Joseph Martin (1756-1792) - Symphonies, Vol. 3 w/ Petter Sundkvist & Swedish Cham Orch - this completes my collection of the 4 volumes of these symphonic works (although much of Kraus' music has likely been lost, including other symphonic works!) - this is an outstanding series by a talented composer, known as the 'Swedish Mozart' (dates virtually identical except for 1 yr death - Kraus succumbed to TB).   

 

[Antoine Marchand]

Purcell - The Fairy Queen
Carolyn Sampson (soprano) - Andrew Carwood (tenor) - Michael Bundy (bass)
Gillian Keith, soprano 1 - Rebecca Outram, soprano 2 - William Towers, counter tenor - Robert Murray, tenor
New English Voices
Accademia Bizantina
Ottavio Dantone (conductor)
Recorded at Teatro Rossini, Lugo di Romagna, Ravenna, July 2001
ARTS 47679-2 [65.19 + 67.07]

Until now I just had the Norrington's version of this beautiful and entertaining semi-opera in 5 acts. IMO this rendition with Dantone and his people -superbly recorded in live- exceeds in every aspect my previous version. Highly recommended.

HERE a fair review on MusicWeb International.



   

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD3 Nocturnes vol 1 by Adam Harasiewicz from this set ...

[Lilas Pastia]

Listening for alleged differences

Felix Mendelssohn B. Symphony No.3 "Scottish", 1842 London Version & Draft sketches Piano Concerto No.3, Reconstruction by M.Bufalini Hebrides Overture "Fingals' Cave", 1830 Rome Version (ed.Hogwood) Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig Riccardo Chailly Decca

So far I can't tell any difference, really. I must have sailed right by bars "428-466". And differences in orchestration. ("Hey, wasn't that tertiary three-note phrase just now given to a Flute instead of an English Horn??")

But the "Scottish" is a totally rockin' performance that I'd not want to miss no matter what version it was.

Well, there are certainly differences in the 4th movement. Listen to the Amazon sample here. Unless Chailly brings out totally different voices than what I'm used to hear.

And, if I'm not mistaken, the end of the Hebrides clip also sounds unfamiliar.

[karlhenning]

First listen!:

Langgaard
Symphony № 1, "Klippepastoraler" ("Mountan Pastorals"), BVN 32 (1908-11)
Danish National Symphony
Thos Dausgaard

Langgaard – The Symphonies Danish National Symphony Orchestra Thos Dausgaard Da Capo 7 CDs

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD4 Nocturnes vol 2 by Adam Harasiewicz from this set ...

[CD]

'pon Lethe's rec:

[karlhenning]

Carter
Dialogues
Nicolas Hodges, pf
London Sinfonietta
Ollie Knussen

[karlhenning]

First listen!:

Carter
ASKO Concerto
Asko Ensemble
Ollie Knussen