What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Harry]

Goodmorning all!

Joseph Haydn.

Complete Piano Trio's.

CD 6.

In D major, Hob. XV/16.
In G major, Hob. XV/15.
In F major, Hob. XV/17

Van Swieten Trio.
Marion Moonen, Flute.

Instead of a Violin we have the Flute as the second instrument, and that works well enough.
Technical finesse is the name of the game here. Their playing has a sureness and ease that leaves most ensembles behind. Their reading of the G major trio, the second movement "Andante" , to which the Flute and cello  imbuing the ravishing second movement with a fine balance, that is amazing. And in the Finale, lyricism is combined with a infectious elan.

[Harry]

Mendelsohn.

Complete Chamber Works.

CD 6.

SQ in A major, opus 13.

Sharon Quartet.

A well thought out performance. Played with a certain ease, that will give you good insight.
I like it a lot, this measured emotional intensity.

[Kullervo]

Your views on these...?

Like I told Harry, I'm the wrong person to ask as this is the only Chopin disc I have. Sounds good to my ears, though. But hey, what do I know? 

[Mark]

Was listening earlier to Osmo Vanska conducting Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies. Only, not those from his emerging BIS cycle, but performances with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra captured during the 1996 BBC Proms season. Very, VERY different to the approach he's taking these days - what a difference even a decade can make to a conductor's interpretative standpoint.

[Harry]

Mendelsohn.

Complete Chamber Works.

CD 6.

Piano Quartet in B minor, opus 3.*

Konzertstuck for Clarinet, Bassethorn & Piano in f major, opus 113.**

*
The Schubert Ensemble of London.
Licensed from ASV Records, recorded in 1996.


**
Rainer Schumacher, Clarinet.
Gerhard Albert, Bassethorn.
Roland Keller, Piano.

Licensed from Bayer Records.

All in all very good performances and recorded well also. Spirited playing, with lots of gusto and pure energy.
Well worth the modest investment.

[sidoze]

Your views on these...?

Oh you know me, I can't resist this one.

To clarify my stance on this I will take an extra-musical view. Let's first of all compare two American pianists--one Garrick Ohlsson, two Tzimon Barto--who both recorded the Chopin Preludes for EMI.

First of all we will look at their career-forming accolades.

Garrick Ohlsson: the first American winner of the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, 1970, won at the age of 22.
Tzimon Barto: winner of the "Most Outstanding Student Award" at the Tanglewood Institute.

However, putting these awards into perspective, the year of 1970 was not the most fruitful of years for the old Warsaw-based competition, what with second prize going to Mitsuko Uchida and third to a still unknown pianist called Piotr Paleczny. As it has been established in the minds of certain individuals that anything associated with or partnered to a certain female Japanese pianist must intrinsically withdraw into silenced embarrassment, Garrick Ohlsson's ostensibly coveted award is here made null-and-void and the victor of round one--in spite of any lack of early international recognition--is clearly Tzimon Barto.

Secondly--and finally, because I want to go--let us pursue the crucial factor of physical presence at the instrument. The person on the right in the first photo is Garrick Ohlsson. The person in the photo at the bottom of this post is Tzimon Barto.

     

Based on these pictures it can be extrapolated that any recording by Garrick Ohlsson would have added and unwanted resonance from the presence of his belly on the keyboard. Therefore once again Tzimon Barto must exit this round with a clear victory and an unassailable vote of confidence in all matters extra-musical. It is not particularly relevant--especially not as the case is closed--but there is the added incentive to vote Barto as the pianist has the physical capacity to carry his own instrument while on tour.

[Scriptavolant]

Getting into Berio.

[Greta]

Because I'm listening to digital radio this Sat. morning, this is on again this weekend, and I really do like it a lot....

Pieter Hellendaal
Concerto Grosso V in D Major
Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Jan William de Vriend, conductor

I don't know that I have listened before to any other Dutch composers from that time period. 

[Harry]

Because I'm listening to digital radio this Sat. morning, this is on again this weekend, and I really do like it a lot....

Pieter Hellendaal
Concerto Grosso V in D Major
Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Jan William de Vriend, conductor

I don't know that I have listened before to any other Dutch composers from that time period. 

Hmmmm, there quite a few of them Greta. Hellendaal is not much recorded, and really good quality performances are not available, alas.

[Greta]

I just love the Hellendaal! It's almost over now. This same recording I have heard on here twice now on weekends.

I don't think it is available though...  It is very fine, and the music so lovely!

[Harry]

Siegfried Wagner.

Complete Orchestral Works.

CD7.

Violin concerto.
Der Kobold, opus 3.
Concertino for Flute and small Orchestra.
Die Heilige Linde, opus 15.
Das Marchen vom dicken fetten Pfannekuchen.*

Ulf Hoelscher, Violin.
Andrea Lieberknecht, Flute.
Dietrich Henschel, Baritone. *

Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz/Werner Andreas Albert.

A glorious close to this fabulous box, which I enjoyed immensely. All the music presented on this disc has a high and undeniable emotive punch that hits right into your heart. The degree of boldness and dept of expression are simply amazing. And the sound throughout is gorgeous.
Siegfried Wagner will be on my playlist for all times.

[johnQpublic]

Suppe - Overture to "Cannebas" (Pollack/Marco Polo)
Brahms - Piano Quartet #1 (Les Musiciens/Harmonia Mundi)

[Kullervo]

Tcherepnin - Rhapsodie Georgienne (Gülke, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz)

[Harry]

I just love the Hellendaal! It's almost over now. This same recording I have heard on here twice now on weekends.

I don't think it is available though...  It is very fine, and the music so lovely!

This one is available Greta!

6 Concerti Grossi.
European Community Baroque Orchestra/Roy Goodman.

I have it and its good!
All other recordings and the one you mention, are temporarily out of stock.
And a very good morning to you.

[George]

In keeping with the tone set by Harry and Que:



I can say this about very few works, but these trios are such a delight! 

[Kullervo]

Going through all my recent downloads...

Now onto Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen - Frere Jacques

[Harry]

Ture Rangstrom.

Symphony No. 2 in D minor. "Mitt Land".

Intermezzo drammatico.

Norrkoping SO/Michail Jurowski.

I am totally immersed in this wonderful composer. He is in the middle of Romanticism, and glides into my heart so easily, that it almost feel as if I have known him all my life. A fine orchestrator and melodiist, not a note is too much. All is in good place and well paced.
A kaleidoscopic room with a view! Never saw such beauty before in such guise. A rich panoply of colours and moods. Marvelous.
Good sound.

[Kullervo]

Ture Rangstrom.

Symphony No. 2 in D minor. "Mitt Land".

Intermezzo drammatico.

Norrkoping SO/Michail Jurowski.

I am totally immersed in this wonderful composer. He is in the middle of Romanticism, and glides into my heart so easily, that it almost feel as if I have known him all my life. A fine orchestrator and melodiist, not a note is too much. All is in good place and well paced.
A kaleidoscopic room with a view! Never saw such beauty before in such guise. A rich panoply of colours and moods. Marvelous.
Good sound.

Nice, he's on my (short) list of "Scandinavian symphonists to hear"

[Kullervo]

The sixth

[Que]

First hearing on this one.
It's much more mellow and lyrical than I'd expected of Klemperer.
No sight of the slow/"granite" Klemperer of some later recordings - this one is alive!

Q