What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Wanderer]

[asin]B000000AVB[/asin][asin]B000025U3H[/asin]

[Que]

That Que looks absolutely yummy. Pray give us/me your votes about this one.

It's from my archives and sadly OOP. I have it as part of this limited edition 3CDset:



Spanish secular songs form the 16th century, with soprano Marta Almajano. Nice, straightforward performances, beautifully sung. A very pretty disc indeed!

The Gramophone review:

This new recording of songs and vihuela music from sixteenth-century Spain by the ensemble La Romanesca comes from the excellent Glossa label. Many of the pieces have been recorded at least once, if not dozens of times before, but this CD will take pride of place among my recordings of this repertory. The group perform with true fantasia but without any of the mannerisms — the excesses and the understatements — of many of their predecessors and rivals: they seem to hit it just right. They have mostly selected songs with a strong popular flavour — precisely those songs that have attracted most attention because they are simply so attractive — but their realizations are restrained in terms of instrumental accompaniment (plucked strings, viol and a smattering of percussion), but full of musical vitality — in other words, the emphasis is, justly, on the music and not the 'orchestrated' arrangement of it.
The players, led by Jose Miguel Moreno, are brilliant, and the singer, the soprano Marta Almajano, shines as much in this repertory as she does in the baroque music she has recorded with both this group and Al Ayre Espanol. She brings out per fectly the lyricism inherent in the popular-inspired court song tradition — take, for example, Vasquez's lovely De los alamos vengo: these songs demand an elusive blend of sophistication and simplicity. The instrumentalists make the most of the virtuoso element already making itself felt in the works of the vihuelists and Ortiz's recercadas. It's good to have a `straight' version of Encina's MOs vale trocar, which is often treated in an upbeat manner at odds with the text. The same applies to Vasquez's Con que la lavare, although I find this just a touch too slow. Overall, and above all, it is purely a pleasurable experience to listen to this disc. [...] take it with you wherever you go, and especially to that desert island. TK

Q

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

It's from my archives and sadly OOP. I have it as part of this limited edition 3CDset:



Spanish secular songs form the 16th century, with soprano Marta Almajano. Nice, straightforward performances, beautifully sung. A very pretty disc indeed!

The Gramophone review:

Q

Of course OOP, sort of expected that.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Another one from my to listen pile, is this extraordinary beautiful recording, not OOP

Musicalische Fruhlingsfruchte. (Musical Spring fruits)

German Chamber Music from the 17th Century

Music by: Dietrich Becker, Nikolaus Adam Strungk, Johann Adam Reincken, Dietrich Buxtehude, Kaspar Forster, Johann Theile.

Works for Viola da Gamba and BC.

Performed by CordArte on period instruments.

I have listen to this cd one on the 20th of January 2011, and it gathered dust in my pile of to listen CD'S, as so often.   Bright and happen concerts, well played, a virtual find, for, many of the compositions I never heard before from the composers mentioned. The instruments used give me extreme pleasure, so well blended they are in this recording. The booklet is rather tastefully made, and give plenty of info about the composers and works. A digipack with a fine cover image, "Michelangelo Caravaggio's Boy with a fruitbowl" 1593.

[DieNacht]

Have been listening a lot to Tcherepnin´s 4th Piano Concerto lately. It is a very beautiful work and a successful example of mild chinoiserie-influences not resulting in a too simple pastiche, IMO; Rachmaninov-like and "impressionist" traits also.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

The Second Symphony by Asger Hamerik sounds like a meandering river, slowly searching its way, and making the best out of its encounters on its way to.... The first two movements feel like that, as if it is searching its destiny. One fine melody after another pours out, but nothing has a definitive face, it all like, lets try this or that, until he comes to the third and fourth movement, especially the fourth, it which it becomes a raging river, that lashes out from time to time. It gets a poetic expression, and walks with a brisk pace through the landscape. Long strides which at 8:00 till 8:40 culminates into a ethereal melody, made out of Brass and violins, exquisite!  The most powerful of all movements. Excellent recording and performance.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Niels Gade's Third Symphony is considered one of his very best, less derivative as the first two. I am not to sure of that, hearing more then a inkling of his beloved master Mendelssohn. Not that I think its a problem, far from it, the work oozes Gade all over the place, from its intricate melodies, towards a certain sweetness. Its well constructed too, especially in the third and fourth movements. The balance is tasteful and delicate, with some fine writing for brass, woodwinds, and first violins. It has more face as the earlier works, although that does not mean they have less quality as the third. Its very life affirming, and embracing! Sound is okay, but I do not like the acoustics from the Stockholm hall.

[marvinbrown]

  I am mid-way through this set and am amazed at how much I am enjoying it! 

  [asin]B0000501PC[/asin]
  My past experiences with Haydn have been mixed but here I find a continued sustained interest- perhaps my fondness of these interprations has something to do with it. 


  Currently listeing to CD12 Op.50 No.4, 5, and 6 "The Frog".

  marvin
 

[Karl Henning]

Go, Marvin!

[Lisztianwagner]

You know you want to listen to some Liszt, Ilaria! : )

As a matter of fact, I was so tempted! But the great Ludwig had to be honoured yesterday, it was the anniversary of his death.

Speaking of Franz Liszt.....journey to and from the university:

Études d'exécution transcendante


And Richard Wagner.....excerpts from Tristan und Isolde

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

A critic from the newspaper "Flyve-Posten" wrote, that in terms of formal perfection the fourth Symphony may even surpass his earlier works. It is certainly better constructed, and it keeps flowing as easy as the notes allow. The movements are better connected, and the writing is much tighter and economically done, less excess, more to the point. The melodies are far better construed, and that may have let the critic to this conclusion. But as a ongoing development in his creative writing, it is a minor but logical outcome. His music is still based on a bed of sweetness rather than passion, has more of a Mendelssohn approach then anything else, but, and this is not unimportant, he is firmly his own man now. The Danish Mendelssohn, would be a apt description, if anything! 

[Karl Henning]

With a nod to our Alan:

"Wolferl"
Piano Concerto in C, K.415
Uchida
English Chamber Orch
Tate

[Sergeant Rock]

Beethoven Piano Concerto #1 C major, Leon Fleisher, piano, Szell conducting the Cleveland





Sarge

[jlaurson]

Earlier:



J.S. Bach
Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1
Zhu Xiao-Mei
Mirare MIR103
Well possibly my favorite Bach performer. Period. (Well... at least my favorite Bach pianist. Such an instinctive (?) and unpretentious grasp on architecture and musicality...)

now:



A. Dvořák
Stabat Mater
W.Sawallisch / CzPO & Ch /
G.Beňačková, O.Wenkel,
P.Dvorský, J.H.Rootering
Supraphon
This recording comes with at least four different covers, but no matter which is the cover, it's always the same sizzling performance... one of the best.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

I consider the 6th Symphony by Dvorak as one favoured by me, but somehow this performance does no ignite my enthusiasm as other accounts. This performance is somewhat distanced, albeit the playing is very good. Details and dynamics well observed, but the Czech did not have their heart in it as they usual have. Even the Furiant comes out coolly, and that at least should sparkle like hell, but no, fine playing, but that's all. The Fourth movement should be jubilant, but is rather dead beat apart from 8:00 to the end, when suddenly the jubilant tone is there! Chandos made a good recording, better as with the previous performances in this series, so that's a huge plus, but darn, not a committed performance. Its one or the other it seems. Recorded in 1992.



Symphony No. 6 in D major.
Czech PO, Jiri Belohlavek.

[Karl Henning]

As a matter of fact, I was so tempted! But the great Ludwig had to be honoured yesterday, it was the anniversary of his death.

Speaking of Franz Liszt.....journey to and from the university:

Études d'exécution transcendante

Va bene.

[Sergeant Rock]

Beethoven Piano Concerto #2 B flat, Leon Fleisher, piano, Szell conducting the Cleveland




Sarge

[Karl Henning]

JS Bach
Concerto for Two Harpsichords in c minor, BWV1060
Anton & Erna Heiller
I Solisti di Zagreb
Antonio Janigro

From the 99¢ special on Amazon which so disconcerted John's digestion ; )

[Karl Henning]

JS Bach
Brandenburg Concerto № 3 in G, BWV1048
English Chamber Orchestra
johannes Somary

[jlaurson]

From the 99¢ special on Amazon which so disconcerted John's digestion ; )

If I remember correctly, it so disconcerted him long before it reached the primary digestive parts.