What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Opus106]

French First Listens

Pascal Dusapin
Reverso

[I hadn't even heard of this composer before. Five minutes into it... sounds mysterious, diabolic and wonderful!]

Henri Dutilleux
Metaboles

Maurice Ravel

Le Tombeau de Couperin
Daphne et Chloe (orchestral suite)

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France|Myung-Whun Chung

Salle Pleyel, Paris
December 10, 2010

[SonicMan46]

One of my preferred discs of CPE Bach:

 

Les Amis de Philippe

Antoine - seconded and 'thumbs up' on that CPE disc - 

For myself this morning, a bunch of 'small' packages arrived in the mail yesterday; for starters:

Galuppi, Baldassarre (1706-1785) - Keyboard Sonatas w/ Luca Guglielmi (pic inserted above); this is a fun disc (my 3rd by this Venetian composer & keyboard performer) - five different 'reconstructed' instruments from the period are used (2 harpsichords, clavichord, organ, & fortepiano); the liner notes contain images of all instruments - probably should scan them and post in the 'old instrument' thread; stimulus for my purchase was this review in Fanfare quoted HERE - 

[DavidRoss]

Please give your comments on this one, David. I have an eye on it.

I'd be interested in your comments as well, Dave - when I first played the disc, there seemed to be some moments of real magic, but also a lack of contrast which suggested to me that maybe it's not to be heard in one sitting...

Apparently I agree with you, Brian, since I shut it off about halfway through.  There's a great deal of hypnotic beauty.  I love its atmospheric quality, the surface tranquility with a hint of some disturbing development lurking beneath, and I love the ethereal harmonics, but it's a bit much for sustained listening.  Like certain long-winded symphonies, I think it might be improved by some judicious editing.  It verges on self-indulgence similar, say, to some of Keith Jarrett's lengthy solo improvisations, or George Winston's new-agey pianism.  But I think it will draw me back from time to time, for it's unique and lovely.

[Harry]

This is a lot of fun, excellent antidote against depression

[DavidRoss]

Listening to Violin Concerto right now and what a wonderful work this is.

Yes.

[Opus106]

This is a lot of fun, excellent antidote against depression

Strange as it may seem, I prefer dark/sinister/sad/tragic music when I'm down (and in the mood to listen to music). It actually makes me feel better.

[Mirror Image]

I'm not a huge fan of Bax. I find his music to be a bit like a watered-down version of Debussy's La Mer. Has anyone else around here had the same experience with his music? I wouldn't dream of saying this on the Bax thread, it's a bit too much a negative (& possibly controversial?) opinion to have around here...

Well Sid not all Bax sounds like "watered-down Debussy." His symphonies, in my opinion, are some of the strongest to come out of England in the 20th Century. There's much more dissonance to these works than his tone poems, which many are especially fine like Spring Fire or Tintagel. It's all a matter of perception, as you would say, you're either willing to make the little extra effort to find the gems in his output or you're not. Bax's output is large, but I'm sure there's something there you would enjoy. You just have to put the effort into researching and listening to find this information out.

[DavidRoss]

I'm not a huge fan of Bax. I find his music to be a bit like a watered-down version of Debussy's La Mer. Has anyone else around here had the same experience with his music?

Not I.  Bax's music generally seems the opposite of watered-down to me.

[Lethevich]

I don't wish to be seen as overbearing, so I will just quickly add (now that the "supporters" door has opened) that Bax's frequently dark-hued, richly scored chamber music is quite far from Debussy's ideal of sublime clarity and brevity even though he occasionally borrows from that composer's harmonic toolkit.

[SonicMan46]

Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887-1959) - Chamber Works w/ the four instrumentalists listed on the cover art and in various combinations (cello predominates) - mixture of early chamber pieces and transcriptions of later works, i.e. three of the Bachianas brasileiras - the complete liner notes can be found HERE!

This was an 'add-on' from a BRO order to justify the shipping; the 'early' works are in a late Romantic European style, while the later works and transcriptions offer the older Villa-Lobos more in his environment - an interesting disc for fans of this composer - my main complaint is that Pahud can be rather strident on the flute at times but may be the music which I've not heard before - any thoughts would be appreciated. 

[Antoine Marchand]

I have posted many times recordings of the Ricercar Consort, but I have never received any kind of feedback. 



But I am obstinate, so I will continue this "marketing" work of one of the best Baroque ensembles in existence. 

[bhodges]

French First Listens

Pascal Dusapin
Reverso

[I hadn't even heard of this composer before. Five minutes into it... sounds mysterious, diabolic and wonderful!]

Henri Dutilleux
Metaboles

Maurice Ravel

Le Tombeau de Couperin
Daphne et Chloe (orchestral suite)

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France|Myung-Whun Chung

Salle Pleyel, Paris
December 10, 2010

Cool concert!  I've heard a little Dusapin: his opera Faustus: The Last Night (on DVD--fascinating, performed on a giant clock face), and a short, dazzling piano etude that Nicolas Hodges did as an encore earlier this year. 

And that Dutilleux piece is terrific--at least, I thought so after a few listens.  He would probably be on my list of "top ten living composers."

--Bruce

[Opus106]

Cool concert!  I've heard a little Dusapin: his opera Faustus: The Last Night (on DVD--fascinating, performed on a giant clock face), and a short, dazzling piano etude that Nicolas Hodges did as an encore earlier this year. 

Let me know if you want to listen to it. Now I'm curious to listen to the rest of the work (Reverso is part of Seven Solos for Orchestra).

And that Dutilleux piece is terrific--at least, I thought so after a few listens.

Indeed. Initially, I thought it wouldn't be something I would end up liking, but as the piece progressed it grew on me, and the ending was terrific!

I will revisit these works soon.

[Brian]

Apparently I agree with you, Brian, since I shut it off about halfway through.  There's a great deal of hypnotic beauty.  I love its atmospheric quality, the surface tranquility with a hint of some disturbing development lurking beneath, and I love the ethereal harmonics, but it's a bit much for sustained listening.  Like certain long-winded symphonies, I think it might be improved by some judicious editing.  It verges on self-indulgence similar, say, to some of Keith Jarrett's lengthy solo improvisations, or George Winston's new-agey pianism.  But I think it will draw me back from time to time, for it's unique and lovely.

I think my reaction was much the same as yours. Magical moments, but there need not have been an hour of them - or, they need not have been programmed on disc in an unending string. Here I wrote that I thought the best bits were at the very start, but that may simply have been because the novelty had not worn off. Definitely a unique listening experience, but maybe not in the dose Otte prescribes.

[jlaurson]

listening to my own 2010 top choices to refresh the memory. Hartmann is hard stuff, and great.


Best Recordings of 2010 Countdown

# 5
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2010/12/best-recordings-of-2010-5.html

Hartmann, Mahler

[Scarpia]

I don't wish to be seen as overbearing, so I will just quickly add (now that the "supporters" door has opened) that Bax's frequently dark-hued, richly scored chamber music is quite far from Debussy's ideal of sublime clarity and brevity even though he occasionally borrows from that composer's harmonic toolkit.

I've been listening to Bax chamber music lately, and would agree that his work in the genre is quite unique.   With regard to Bax orchestral music, I'd also contribute my impression that although there is similarity in the harmonic and orchestral toolkit, I don't find it very similar to Debussy in the way it is put together.   There is the festive music, which has no obvious parallel in Debussy.  In the more sensuous tone-poems Bax seems to favor big build-up's to obscenely indulgent climaxes, which strike me as the opposite of the string of glittering beads that Debussy typically produces for us.

[jlaurson]

I have posted many times recordings of the Ricercar Consort, but I have never received any kind of feedback. 

But I am obstinate, so I will continue this "marketing" work of one of the best Baroque ensembles in existence. 

Have it. Like it. Am not necessarily crazy about it... and mine has a different cover. Yours looks photoshopped.

listening to my own 2010 top choices to refresh the memory. Hartmann is hard stuff, and great.


Best Recordings of 2010 Countdown

# 5
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2010/12/best-recordings-of-2010-5.html

Hartmann, Mahler

[Harry]

I have posted many times recordings of the Ricercar Consort, but I have never received any kind of feedback. 



But I am obstinate, so I will continue this "marketing" work of one of the best Baroque ensembles in existence. 

Antoine my friend I have many recordings from this fine ensemble, so do not fear, I am another admirer.

[Harry]

When I listened the first time to this recording on the 22-2-2010, I was not convinced, neither the performance, and recording did me much favors, and certainly the music itself did not work for me, as a wrote in a extensive review on that date. Second listen confirmed my somewhat negative impression, it still doesn't touch me, apart from the third movement of the third symphony, that touch me quite deeply. O, well will try later again. The only thing that was right throughout where the tempi, spot on, I'd say.

[Brian]