What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[BachQ]

Betrayal...

I know .......  I know....... 

[karlhenning]

Rued Langgaard
Symphony No. 14, Morgenen (Morning)
Danish National Radio Symphony & Choir
John Frandsen

Dolcissimo!

[wilhelm]

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
Münchner Philharmoniker
Sergiu Celbidache

[Drasko]

A rare disc of string quartets played by the Galimir SQ: Ravel, Milhaud 7 and Berg Lyric Suite. Recorded 1934-1935 (the Ravel and Milhaud were done in the presence and under the supervision of the composer).

The leader Felix Galimir studied under Carl Flesch and later became violinist and concertmaster of Toscanini's NBC Symphony. Although Vienna born and trained, the Galimirs settled in France for a short decade (three of them left in 1938, one of the sisters staying in Paris). Although it's not mentioned in the notes, I think they were jewish. I wonder what happened to the 'parisian' Galimir...  Felix was an influential teacher in the United States. Among his students are Hilary Hahn, Leila Josefowicz, Ani Kavafian and all the Muir Quartet members.  He taught at Marlboro School of Music, Juillard, Mannes and Curtis until just a few years ago.

This was an eye popping and ear opening listening experience. All players were then in their early twenties. There is an eagerness, relish and sense of discovery to their playing that is unmistakable. They zip through the Ravel in 24:30 (compare to the Italiano's EMI version of almost 31 minutes). Everything is light as a feather, bows barely touching the strings, making the more ferocious diggings in IV all the more startling. This is experienced as a flight of sparrows in a parisian spring rather than that of the italian turtle doves referred above. Goes straight to the top.

The Milhaud is barely 10 minutes long but what a charmer this is. Joie de vivre abounds and the caressing melodies are savoured as they should by the Galimirs. Interestingly, the EMI Quartetto Italiano release also has a Milhaud SQ appended to the Ravel (and Debussy). I wish the Galimirs had chosen the same Debussy SQ instead of Berg's Lyric Suite. Interesting as it is (a study in sonorities in six movements), I've never felt this was convincing as a musical work. In any case, the third movement is as startling here as it is in other versions I've heard (Alban Berg SQ and the LaSalles), probably the only movement I look forward to hear in the Lyric suite.

Sound is very clear and airy. Dynamic range is perforce limited, and there is a higher level of hiss than one is used to. But taken as a whole, this is a very special disc. The Galimirs didn't make any other records. They disbanded in 1938, each member settling in a different country.

My sentiments exactly, glad you liked it.

...and for those whose interest might be piqued by Lilas' review the CD in question is available from BRO for next to nothing:

Ravel, String Quartet in F. Milhaud, Quartet #7. Berg, Lyric Suite. (Galimir String Quartet of Vienna. The Polydor recordings, 1934-35)
Add to cart | Price: $ 1.99 | Country: AMERICA | D/A code: Mono | Code: RR 5007 | BRO Code: 130728 | Label: ROCKPORT
Genre: Chamber Music

[hautbois]

Tchaikovsky, Dvorák: String Serenades
Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker

I don't understand the bad reviews in amazon. This mass of sound hits you, and you just go, OMG.

Howard

[karlhenning]

Rued Langgaard
Symphony No. 4, Løvfald (Leaf-Fall)
Danish National Radio Symphony
John Frandsen

[Maciek]

'Gothic' Symphony by Havergal Brian
(the historic Boult performance)

[marvinbrown]

Brahms, Cello Sonata no. 2 in F Major.


This is honest-to-God the best cello sonata ever published.

OMG.

OMG.


I'm thinking of taking up the cello ..........

  And I shall take up the Wagner tuba (do they still make those  ??)

  marvin

[karlhenning]

Rued Langgaard
Symphony No. 6, Det Himmelrivende (The Heaven-Storming)
Danish National Radio Symphony
John Frandsen

[bhodges]

Karl, which of these Langgaard symphonies are making the biggest impression on you? 

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Karl, which of these Langgaard symphonies are making the biggest impression on you? 

The ending of that Sixth was especially glorious, Bruce! So my answer may well be, "the one I listened to most recently"! 

I've been waiting for the excuse to bring some more Langgaard into my library; I've got a disc of his organ music which I like very much indeed.

[karlhenning]

Hindemith
Konzertmusik for Brass & Strings, Opus 50
Philharmonia Orchestra
Paul Hindemith

[bhodges]

The ending of that Sixth was especially glorious, Bruce! So my answer may well be, "the one I listened to most recently"! 

I've been waiting for the excuse to bring some more Langgaard into my library; I've got a disc of his organ music which I like very much indeed.

Thanks, I don't know these at all.  (I've heard some of his chamber music which was great.)

--Bruce

[not edward]

All this Langgaardage makes me tempted to pull out the 4th and 6th just after I've finished my piecemeal listening to this wonderful disc:

[The new erato]

Melodious and wistful. Fine performances.

[wilhelm]

Radio
BBC Proms
Beethoven
Coriolan, Op. 62
Violin Concerto, Op. 61
Brahms
Symphony No.4, Op. 98

V. Hagner (vl.)
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly

[Valentino]

Stiffening up the power supply of my SOTA was just the right thing to do. No more sour piano tones, just 33 1/3 rpm spot on. Test music:

Beethoven: Piano sonata in E op. 90
1) Moravec
2) Kempff stereo
3) Gilels, but on CD.

Lovely piece of music this. One of my very favourite LvB sonatas.
Who "won"? Moravec.

[Maciek]

Frank Martin - Cello Concerto
Jean Decroos, CBO/Haitink

[bhodges]

Frank Martin - Cello Concerto
Jean Decroos, CBO/Haitink

That's the recording I was trying to recall on the Martin thread.  I quite like the piece...what do you think of it?

--Bruce

[Lethevich]

Vivier - Prologue pour un Marco Polo

Frank Martin - Cello Concerto
Jean Decroos, CBO/Haitink

So, I guess you survived Brian intact?