What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[bhodges]

Bartók: String Quartet No. 2 (Quatuor Ébène, videotaped July 30, 2010 at the Verbier Festival, on www.medici.tv) - Marvelous!  Once again, these Verbier broadcasts are a real summer treat.

Edit: Yikes, they are terrific in this piece.  The violent second movement, wow...

--Bruce

[Coopmv]

I think so too. You know, though, we're probably the only two here to feel that way   Colin Davis gets no respect around these parts.

Sarge

I was really impressed with Colin Davis when I first saw him conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra with the Tanglewood Choir in Handel Messiah in some live PBS broadcast many, many Christmas ago.  Unfortunately, I have yet to find out if that live concert exists on some DVD.  Karajan actually considered inviting Davis to conduct the Messiah at his Salsburg Music Festival.  Unfortunately, it never happened. 

[Que]

Concertos 3 & 4.

After decades of living with several recordings of these concertos (I'm getting old! ) I've come to the conclusion that this cycle is one of the extra-specials.

Q

[Coopmv]

Concertos 3 & 4.

After decades of living with several recordings of these concertos (I'm getting old! ) I've come to the conclusion that this cycle is one of the extra-specials.

Q

The stars must be in perfect alignments for Q to be listening to Beethoven, i.e. not baroque or early music ...   

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I think so too. You know, though, we're probably the only two here to feel that way   Colin Davis gets no respect around these parts.

Wrong!!  I love that Davis set, and some other Davis recordings too...

Sarge, please let us know what you think of that Rozhdestvensky Sibelius, OK?

[DavidRoss]

...Sibelius was a Scandinavian composer ...

   Ack!  For much of his life the man and his music were virtually synonymous with Finland!

[Antoine Marchand]

(I'm getting old! )

Do you believe? I have been for three days in bed, with a attack of gout. 

[Coopmv]

On a sweep, I bought all the Rosalyn Tureck's Bach recordings on VAI from Presto, which arrived yesterday.  Now playing this CD for a first listen ...

Excellent performance, which was well recorded at the concert hall at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in NYC.  I have been to that concert hall countless number of times and the most memorable concert I attended there was one given by Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert in an all baroque program ...

[Sergeant Rock]

Wrong!!  I love that Davis set, and some other Davis recordings too...

Sarge, please let us know what you think of that Rozhdestvensky Sibelius, OK?

Glad to see another Davis supporter    I'm going through the Maazel/Pittsburgh cycle now (just put in the disc with the Seventh). Will get to Rozh soon.

Sarge

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from this set, which arrived from MDT a number of weeks ago for a first listen ...

[bhodges]

Another Sir Colin fan here, particularly for his two fantastic recordings of Peter Grimes.  Not sure which one I'd prefer; they're both excellent for different reasons.

--Bruce

[Sergeant Rock]

   Ack!  For much of his life the man and his music were virtually synonymous with Finland!

Yeah, technically Finland isn't part of Scandinavia but we dumb Americans include it anyway. Well, some of us do   Since Finland is next door to Sweden, was historicaly part of Sweden for centuries, and since Swedish was Sibelius's first language, it's easy to think of him as both Finnish and Scandinavian.

[Sergeant Rock]

Another Sir Colin fan here, particularly for his two fantastic recordings of Peter Grimes.  Not sure which one I'd prefer; they're both excellent for different reasons.

--Bruce

We're raising a Davis army here today 

Sarge

[bhodges]

Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 (Quatuor Ébène, videotaped July 30, 2010 at the Verbier Festival, on www.medici.tv) - Following the expert reading of Bartók's No. 2, this just makes me wish I'd been in the audience.  But these broadcasts are the next best thing.

--Bruce

[The new erato]

NYSTEDT, KNUT String Quartets Oslo String Quartet Simax

Well wrought string quartets in a conservative modernist idiom that will fall well on the ears of afficinados of Shostakovich's and similarly styled quartets.

[listener]

Lex VAN DELDEN: Impromptu for Harp, op. 48   Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello, op.95
  Duetto for Violin and Harp,  op.111    Sonatina for alto Saxophone and piano  op. 36
  Sestetto for Strings  op. 97
Edward Witsenberg, harp     Ronald Hoogeveen, violin     Paul Konen, piano
LISZT  Transcriptions and Paraphrases: Eugen Onegin, Il Trovatore, Alcina, Faust, Parsifal, Die Meistersinger, Figaro's Hochzeit
Alan Marks, piano

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD2 from this set for a first listen.  CD1 was excellent ...

[Scarpia]

I think so too. You know, though, we're probably the only two here to feel that way   Colin Davis gets no respect around these parts.

I like Davis, generally.  It is the participation of the BSO which has prevented me from ever listening to the set these many years.

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD, which arrived yesterday for a first listen ...



Here is the track listing.

1. Adagio, for keyboard in G major, BWV 968 (BC L185)    Listen
2. Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181): Friends gather and try t    Listen
3. Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181): They picture the dangers    Listen
4. Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181): The friends' lament    Listen
5. Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181): Since he cannot be dissa    Listen
6. Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181): Aria of the postilion    Listen
7. Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181): Fugue in imitation of th    Listen
8. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Aria    Listen
9. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 1    Listen
10. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 2    Listen
11. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 3    Listen
12. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 4    Listen
13. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 5    Listen
14. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 6    Listen
15. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 7    Listen
16. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 8    Listen
17. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 9    Listen
18. Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ('In the Italian Style'), BWV 989 (BC L179): Variation 10    Listen
19. Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, for keyboard in D minor, BWV 903 (BC L34): 1. Fantasia    Listen
20. Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, for keyboard in D minor, BWV 903 (BC L34): 2. Fugue    Listen
21. Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 (BC L2): Sinfonia    Listen
22. Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 (BC L2): Allemande    Listen
23. Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 (BC L2): Courante    Listen
24. Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 (BC L2): Sarabande    Listen
25. Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 (BC L2): Rondeau    Listen
26. Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 (BC L2): Capriccio    Listen
27. Prelude and Fugue, for keyboard No. 8 in E flat minor (WTC I/8), BWV 853 (BC L87): Prelude in E flat minor, BWV 853    Listen
28. Musette for keyboard in D major (AMN II/22; doubtful), BWV Anh. 126

[Antoine Marchand]

First listen of this 3-CD set, recommended by Gurn (under another label though):







The American Classical Orchestra recorded the complete Mozart Wind Concerti using the orchestra's principals as soloists. These recordings mark the first comprehensive survey of the concerti by an American period instrument ensemble and conductor. Research into various sources has produced some unique material and instruments for use in these recordings.

The American Classical Orchestra was founded by music director Thomas Crawford in 1985 as the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy. It performs on authentic instruments, specializing in repertoire from the 17th to 19th centuries. Interested in reviving and preserving the art of playing period instruments, the American Classical Orchestra also fosters the education of musicians and the public in authentic performance technique. It is comprised of leading period instrumentalists in the New York metropolitan region.

A wonderful set so far.