What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Schumann
Symphony No. 3
Bernstein
VPO

That twofer converted me to Schumann.

[listener]

SCHUMANN Symphony 2, Overture to Hermann and Dorothea
Philharmonia Orchestra       Muti, cond.
HAYDN  Trumpet Concerto in E^b
Ib GLINDEMANN  Trumpet Concerto
Knud Hovaldt, trumpet     Scandinavian Philharmonic Orch.
Ib Glindemann, cond.
The soloist and conductor are both Danish, no details are given about the origin of the orchestra.

[Bogey]

[karlhenning]

Bill, did I PM you, or did I imagine it? : )

[Drasko]

Nos. 21 & 22

[mahler10th]

.[asin]B000026CWK[/asin]
I really like this one, such a good 9th from an unexpected source. No "what an interesting edition" half-praise for this one - it's just a really neat performance by a conductor who can get a second-tier orchestra to rise to the occasion. The recorded sound is unexpectedly good, with the brass sounding especially clear, and technically they don't seem particularly troubled by this exposure either.

Second-tier orchestra.  Explain this please?  Which RSNO recordings have been technically troublesome?

[Antoine Marchand]

Second-tier orchestra.  Explain this please?  Which RSNO recordings have been technically troublesome?

[Lethevich]

Raff #6 and Rautavaara #7.

Second-tier orchestra.  Explain this please?  Which RSNO recordings have been technically troublesome?

I can't recall any that are even approaching scrappy (that would be third-rate, surely), but the Bruckner 9th has less of the projection and weight to the strings than the top ensembles can produce from every player being ridiculously seamlessly integrated, and there is less of a psychological tension carrying between section to section... it's hard to describe - the recording in question feels enthusiastic but lacks the final sense of a seamless, melded outpouring that the absurdly highly trained orchestras have. As good as the brass is in terms of hitting notes, an orchestra like the Berlin Philharmonic seem to be able to do this, and then add even more levels of finesse or projection (Bruckner is a particularly appropriate comparison here).

My favourite recordings by the RSNO (and similar orchestras) are for interpretive reasons rather than sheer orchestral heft - for example I like Gibson's Sibelius a lot, but the orchestral sound conjured up isn't the same as, say, Maazel with the WP, similarly their Järvi R. Strauss is excellent but I can't see an argument being made for it matching orchestras like the Sk. Dresden in polish. I still listen to orchestras like this just as often, though, as they tend to record repertoire or conductors that I am more interested in.

[Sadko]

Bach: Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) a-moll BWV 989

Bach/Feinberg: Konzert a-moll nach Vivaldi BWV 593

Bach: Konzert nach Marcello d-moll BWV 974

Paisiello: 6 Rondos


Zinaida Ignatieva, piano

(... makes me want to get her Chopin album ...)

[Lethevich]

Why don't I listen to this piece more often? I am SILLY.

[asin]B000EBD84K[/asin]

[mahler10th]

Raff #6 and Rautavaara #7.
I can't recall any that are even approaching scrappy (that would be third-rate, surely), but the Bruckner 9th has less of the projection and weight to the strings than the top ensembles can produce from every player being ridiculously seamlessly integrated, and there is less of a psychological tension carrying between section to section... it's hard to describe - the recording in question feels enthusiastic but lacks the final sense of a seamless, melded outpouring that the absurdly highly trained orchestras have. As good as the brass is in terms of hitting notes, an orchestra like the Berlin Philharmonic seem to be able to do this, and then add even more levels of finesse or projection (Bruckner is a particularly appropriate comparison here).
My favourite recordings by the RSNO (and similar orchestras) are for interpretive reasons rather than sheer orchestral heft - for example I like Gibson's Sibelius a lot, but the orchestral sound conjured up isn't the same as, say, Maazel with the WP, similarly their Järvi R. Strauss is excellent but I can't see an argument being made for it matching orchestras like the Sk. Dresden in polish. I still listen to orchestras like this just as often, though, as they tend to record repertoire or conductors that I am more interested in.

Thank you Sara, comprehensive response which is perfectly on the money.

I like Gibson's Sibelius a lot, but the orchestral sound conjured up isn't the same as, say, Maazel with the WP, similarly their Järvi R. Strauss is excellent but I can't see an argument being made for it matching orchestras like the Sk. Dresden in polish.

Yes.  I wish I didn't, but I feel the same way, you are right about the orchestral sonorities.  I think there are only a few degrees to go before the RSNO hit all the right marks, but they are BIG degrees and a greater conductor who actually takes time to develop the Orchestral fusion would lift them to where they should really be...although Jarvi is our Conductor Emeritus, he doesn't spend much time in Scotland at all....:-(   Stéphane Denève is a boiling conductor, pretty brilliant, but he's not lifting my home band in the way I hoped he would when he arrived.   
We have Peter Oundjian taking the reins soon...I haven't heard ANYTHING conducted by him, or even seen him quoted...we'll see what happens.
Thank you for a great response.

EDIT:  Five Days in September: The Rebirth of an Orchestra - Peter Oundjian and the TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - a documentary...I'm going to have to get it or view it....

[Lethevich]

[...] although Jarvi is our Conductor Emeritus, he doesn't spend much time in Scotland at all....:-(   Stéphane Denève is a boiling conductor, pretty brilliant, but he's not lifting my home band in the way I hoped he would when he arrived.   
We have Peter Oundjian taking the reins soon...I haven't heard ANYTHING conducted by him, or even seen him quoted...we'll see what happens.

I wish that I could have feelings of connection to a local ensemble like this - the south-west is the only part of England without a professional orchestra. The nearest (Bournemouth) is harder to reach than the distance as the crow flies would imply , which is a fuss

[Sadko]

Mikola Lisenko: Krashchi tvori [Best of]

Rada Lisenko, piano; Choirs; Ukrainian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Volodimir Sirenko

[Lethevich]

Easily in my top 5 chamber music recordings just for the D.804. That terraced central theme in the first movement has never sounded so frigidly beautiful.

Such a piercing, incisive ensemble as the Mosaiques quartet seems suitably fitting given that I have a dentist appointment tomorrow

[PaulR]

Symphony #6

Not at all familiar with Martinu as I perhaps should be, but gotta start somewhere!

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD18 from the following set for a first listen ...



This CD is the same as the one below.

[Brahmsian]

.[asin]B000026CWK[/asin]

I really like this one, such a good 9th from an unexpected source. No "what an interesting edition" half-praise for this one - it's just a really neat performance by a conductor who can get a second-tier orchestra to rise to the occasion. The recorded sound is unexpectedly good, with the brass sounding especially clear, and technically they don't seem particularly troubled by this exposure either.

Royal Scottish National Orchestra - Second Tier - NOT!

Georg Tintner - 10th Tier Conductor - YES!

Tintner did such a brutal, hack job with the Bruckner symphonies.  They are god awful.  No wonder he leapt to his death.   

[mahler10th]

Classical enough for me.  And Classic too.

[mahler10th]

Royal Scottish National Orchestra - Second Tier - NOT!

Georg Tintner - 10th Tier Conductor - YES!

Tintner did such a brutal, hack job with the Bruckner symphonies.  They are god awful.  No wonder he leapt to his death.   

Steady on!  Seems a bit heavy handed to me.  I'll have to get Clemenza or my brother Sonny to send you a message...

[Brahmsian]

Steady on!  Seems a bit heavy handed to me.  I'll have to get Clemenza or my brother Sonny to send you a message...

Too bad, send them away if you must.  I'm really sick and tired of hearing this Tintner is God of Bruckner bullshit.