What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Antoine Marchand]

That looks nice, Antoine.

Yes, Dave, it's a beautiful performance; a bit more dramatic than Koopman's recordings today.

[Mn Dave]

Thank you for the kind replies, Coop and Antoine.

I am now listening to the second disc in this set.
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[not edward]

A first spin of this just-arrived disc:

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I didn't really get beyond Eschenbach's painfully slow Memorial to Lidice; perhaps it will fade with repeat listenings but tonight I found it a truly shattering experience.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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A great recording. I always get an uneasy feeling from Szymanowski's music and this isn't meant as a criticism. It never stays in one place too long and it has this searching quality to it that I find alluring.

[Sid]

@ opus106 - Those Monteverdi videos look interesting, I'll have to watch them when I get the time. I've really been enjoying his Vespers of 1610 of late. What a genius he was!...

Last night's listening went like this -

ANDRE RIEU - "Dreaming" album
(Andre Rieu, violin & arrangements)
Andre Rieu & his orchestra
Universal Music Australasia

MONTEVERDI - Vespers of 1610
Bonus tracks: MONTEVERDI - Salve, O Regina; ALLEGRI - Miserere mei; SCHUTZ - 3 Latin Motets; PALESTRINA - Stabat Mater
Pro Cantione Antiqua UK, Mark Brown, Edgar Fleet, Collegium Aureum, Musica Fiata & Hannover Boys Choir, Heinz Hennig, direction.
Alto label (2 disc set)

LALO - Piano Concerto
Marylene Dosse, piano/Stuttgarter Philharmoniker/Matthias Kuntzsch, cond.
Pilz label (Germany)

The Rieu album & Lalo Piano Concerto were first listens.

I kind of expected the Andre Rieu album to be a bit schmaltzy, but on the whole it was quite restrained, if anything. My favourite piece on the album was Beethoven's Romance in F, which Rieu played very well. Rieu didn't hog the limelight as soloist, there were also other tracks featuring the principals of his 42 piece orchestra, and 2 tracks were choral. These were nostalgic and lyrical evergreens that everyone knows, the only two pieces unknown to me were the opening track called Ballade penned by Rieu and his conductor father, and a choral piece called Aimer (Romeo & Juliet) by someone called G. Presgruvic. Rieu's arrangements were tasteful and well done, but to fit 18 tracks on the album he cut some of them considerably. Eg. the Beethoven piece was just under 5 minutes, but the original is probably more than double that length. I would have preferred him to just play the originals and have less tracks on the album. I'm not really into compilation albums, but this was okay. The whole thing has a kind of nostalgic and sad feel, far less flamboyant and upbeat than his interpretations of waltzes and operetta.

Then the Monteverdi Vespers set, including some substantial bonus tracks from Allegri, Schutz and Palestrina. Monteverdi's Vespers can be interpreted flexibly in terms of forces used to perform them. Monteverdi would usually have a 25 strong choir at St Mark's Venice (which was quite a huge choir at that time) along with a handful of instrumentalists (or just solo organ). The work would be performed by larger forces if there was a festival or feast day on, when more musicians would be hired. This recording, a collaboration of UK and German musicians under the baton of Heinz Hennig, was done in 1978 for North German Radio and subsequently issued on the Harmonia Mundi label. It's now on the boutique budget Alto label. The acoustic is that of a large space, it was recorded in a monestary in Germany. It's quite reverberant and appropriate for the many echoes that permeate this work. The sound is less clear than some more recent recordings, but I'm not an audiophile so it doesn't really bother me.

The bonus tracks are just as good as the title work. Schutz's Latin Motets have this sense darkness and tragedy. They show the influence of his teacher Gabrieli, as well as Monteverdi, and look forward many centuries to the sacred works of Bruckner. The Allegri Misere mei was originally performed with improvised ornamentation from the vocalists, but since the Baroque period these improvisations have been notated and set in stone, more or less. It's another dark work, which was sung in the Vatican three times during Holy Week. The Vatican didn't allow it to be published, but the teenaged Mozart got around this by exactly scoring the 12 minute long work after having heard it live on a visit to Rome. Needless to say, that must not have been very easy, this is a highly complex work. In contrast to the Schutz and Allegri, the Palestrina work on the set has this light, ethereal and delicate quality. It's no surprise that the likes of Debussy were said to have been great admirers of this guy's music.

To finish, I listend to Lalo's Piano Concerto, an obscure work. His most famous work is the Symphonie Espagnole, for violin and orchestra (which is also on this disc) which he wrote for the virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate. Pundits say, however, that Lalo's finest work is his opera Le Roi D'Ys, a late work. The style of Lalo's Piano Concerto reminded me of his contemporaries and friends, Saint-Saens and Franck. It's a fusion of Germanic structure and French finesse. The repetitve melody played by the pianist in the slow middle movement seemd to look forward to Ravel a bit, but it's treatment was quite Brahmsian as well. The finale had the air of a French folk song, a bit like D'Indy's Symphony on a French Mountain Air. This is a work perhaps not in the first rank, but lovers of piano concertos - Romantic ones in particular - will no doubt get something out of it...



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[Scarpia]

I'm not generally a great lover of vocal music, but this release has captivated me.

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Schafer has, to my ears, a very light, transparent voice which she controls with great poetry, perfect for this music, despite the apparent ethnic mis-match.   What I can't bear in this music is a voice which is too heavy or operatic (which is why I found Janet Bakers recordings of Faure Melodies to be a horror).  Schafer cultivates a perfect "chamber music" voice. 

This is another beautiful recording that makes a similar impression on me.

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In any case, if anyone can suggest recordings that are similar to these, I'd be very interested.

[eyeresist]

LALO - Piano Concerto
Marylene Dosse, piano/Stuttgarter Philharmoniker/Matthias Kuntzsch, cond.
Pilz label (Germany)

To finish, I listend to Lalo's Piano Concerto, an obscure work. His most famous work is the Symphonie Espagnole, for violin and orchestra (which is also on this disc) which he wrote for the virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate. Pundits say, however, that Lalo's finest work is his opera Le Roi D'Ys, a late work. The style of Lalo's Piano Concerto reminded me of his contemporaries and friends, Saint-Saens and Franck. It's a fusion of Germanic structure and French finesse. The repetitve melody played by the pianist in the slow middle movement seemd to look forward to Ravel a bit, but it's treatment was quite Brahmsian as well. The finale had the air of a French folk song, a bit like D'Indy's Symphony on a French Mountain Air. This is a work perhaps not in the first rank, but lovers of piano concertos - Romantic ones in particular - will no doubt get something out of it...

I listened to the Symphonie Espagnole the other night, and found it a bore, except for some interesting brass work in the 4th movement. Lalo's Namouna ballet is also not much cop IMO, except for the Wagnerian overture. But the Lalo piano concerto is one of my favourites, and I'm glad someone else has discovered it, or at least heard it.

Rieu looking quizzically at his name, unsure of the font choice

Schutz is a composer I should investigate.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

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A new acquisition. Absolutely beautiful so far. Listening to Partita right now.

[eyeresist]

I listened to the Symphonie Espagnole the other night, and found it a bore, except for some interesting brass work in the 4th movement. Lalo's Namouna ballet is also not much cop IMO, except for the Wagnerian overture. But the Lalo piano concerto is one of my favourites, and I'm glad someone else has discovered it, or at least heard it.

Currently listening to this again. There is admittedly not a lot to it. In the 1st movement, a handful of melodic motifs are recycled continually in not hugely varied form. But it works for me because the cadence of those motifs is strongly affecting, very poignant. The 2nd movement is a simple ballad with eruptions of the main motto theme. 3rd movement addresses the main motifs again, in modified form, but with more of a Beethovenian/Lisztian dramatic flourish - definitely a "finale". Again, I just find the material very engaging, and the modest orchestration is nicely distinctive.

[Scarpia]

Ok, reach the end of my Roussel symphony exploration with Dutoit's recording of the symphony No 1, "Le Poeme De La Foret". 

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Up until now I've been pleasantly surprised by Dutoit's performances.  My impression from earlier listenings to the same set was that they lacked something, but I've been enjoying them more this time around.  However this comes to an end with Symphony No 1.  Not really Dutoit's fault, this piece is from Roussel's early flirtation with Impressionism, and it seems to prove that Impression should be left to Debussy.   The piece is deathly dull, it just seems so aimless and listless.  Life is too short to be spent listening to this stuff.   Had to turn it off. 

[Sid]

@ scarpia - Agree with you about Christine Schafer, I like her voice as well. I've got the Schoenberg disc she did with Boulez, and I think their interpretation of Pierrot Lunaire is top-notch. She's a very refined performer who gives a lot of attention to detail in her performances...

@ eyeresist - As I said, Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole is on the same disc as the Piano Concerto I was listening to last night. I haven't listened to the Symphonie Espagnole for years, I can remember the opening theme but not much else. It'll be high time that I revisited it, because I remember that I enjoyed it quite a bit all of those years ago...

[Sid]

Currently listeing to Heinrich Schutz's motet Heu mihi Domine on Youtube. This perfromance, compared to the one I have on disc, sounds more kind of conversational and less dark. The phrasing is totally different...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tdvYvoxbhg

[Que]

First spin. The number of Van Nevel recordings is steadily growing, and my collection of the Franco-Flemish Renaissance School with it.

Q

[Lethevich]

Only time for No.1 and 2 before I go out :c

[Sid]

HAYDN
The Creation (Disc 2 of 2)
Soloists/Cologne Orch. & Ch./Andreas Spering, cond.
Naxos

LALO
Symphonie Espagnole in D minor, Op. 21
Ruggiero Ricci, violin/Bochumer Symphoniker/Matthias Kuntzsch
Pilz budget label (Germany)

The second half of Haydn's Creation oratorio is less arresting for me than the first half, but altogether it's a great work. Haydn shows his mastery in vocal and instrumental writing throughout. He pays his debts to former great masters of the Baroque, particularly Handel in the finely crafted choral fugues. There's a lot of innovation in this work - from the vague tonality of the opening prelude - the so-called "representation of chaos" - to the leitmotifs that Haydn uses to illustrate the texts in describing various animals. But the main reason why I like it is that it has a "feel good" vibe, it's very optimistic and uplifting.

Then I revisited Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole for violin and orchestra, after a 10 year gap, on this disc I got yesterday. It's really neither a symphony nor a concerto, it's more like a suite. But semantics aside, this is an enjoyable work. Italian-American violinist Ruggiero Ricci, known for his passionate & emotional performances, certainly doesn't let the listener down (& he is ably backed up by the accompanists here, who are unknown to me). Both this work and Saint-Saen's 3rd concerto were written for the Spanish virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate. No wonder they're both two of the most technically demanding works for violinists of the time. The soulful 4th slow movement even reminded me a bit of the gypsy feel of Sarasate's famous Zigeunerweisen. The final movement came across to me to have a festive carnival atmosphere. It was a joy to revisit this, and I liked Lalo's much lesser known Piano Concerto as well, the coupling on this disc. Maybe if someone like Lang Lang would record it and take it on tour, it could garner more audiences. Like the Symphonie Espagnole, it too is a virtuoso piece, but it leans more toward German influences, not Spanish...

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[mc ukrneal]

Now listening to Disc 2 of the Complete Secular Songs of Schubert:
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The singing is consistently wonderful. I particularly liked Geist der Leibe and la pastorella. For those not familiar with this set, it is 7 discs of secular choral music. The particiapants are pretty impressive. The Arnold Schoenberg Chorus is simply outstanding. Some excellent soloists are included, for example: Christopher Prehgardien and Angelika Kirchschlager. The pianists are excellent as well with Andreas Staier, Andras Schiff and Barabara Moser. The range of songs is impressive too, with interesting combinations of chorus (male, female, mixed), soloist and piano. So there is never the risk of getting overloaded with one type of sound for too long. The discs were organized in an interesting way too, with one disc dedicated each to: Transience, Love, Eternity, Heroism, Nature, Celebrations, and Circle of Friends.

Not all the songs are great, but nothing is less than interesting and some are outstanding.

[Florestan]

Haven't heard this one in a while:

Liszt
Poème symphonique № 2, Tasso, lamento e trionfo, S.96
London Phil
Haitink

Terrific set that, Karl, ain't it? 

[karlhenning]

I'm just lapping it up, Andrei!

[karlhenning]

This box has just arrived, and I must start right away with a well-loved item:

JSB
Einige kanonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachtslied ,,Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her", BWV 769
Walcha
recorded 1950 at Ss. Peter & Paul, Cappel

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[Mn Dave]

This box has just arrived, and I must start right away with a well-loved item:

I have that! I should give it a listen.