What are you listening to now?

[J.A.W.]

Now: Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op.61 - Thomas Zehetmair with Frans Brüggen/Orchestra of the 18th Century - Philips

[Harry]

Some very fine Baroque music, not to be missed!

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/11/graun-johann-gottlieb-and-carl-heinrich.html?spref=tw

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1. Such a masterpiece and incredible performance.

[jfdrex]

A non-blind blind listening:  Three recordings of Beethoven's Egmont Overture, played in succession:

Cluytens, Berlin Philharmonic
Szell, Cleveland Orchestra
Klemperer, Philharmonia

And which performance did I find the most satisfying?

[André]

Bellini:  Norma, Act II. The most sublime music I can think of. Caballé, Vickers, Patané. The interpretation too  is sublime. No tenor need apply when Vickers so handily sweeps the board. A miraculous interpretation  in cavernous airplane hangar sound.

Mahler: symphony no 8. Frankfurt RSO, Eliahu Inbal (Denon). I didn't expect to be overwhelmed, but I was.

Beethoven: symphony no 3. Montreal Syymphony, Kent Nagano. Large symphony orchestra playing almost as a PPP band: lots of swells on notes, very little vibrato, etc. The horns in the scherzo are the best I've ever heard. Fresh, sensitive, exciting. I didn't expect to be thrilled, but I was.

[Moonfish]

A non-blind blind listening:  Three recordings of Beethoven's Egmont Overture, played in succession:

Cluytens, Berlin Philharmonic
Szell, Cleveland Orchestra
Klemperer, Philharmonia

And which performance did I find the most satisfying?

Sounds like a fun time! The Egmont Overture makes ones house shake!  Hope your neighbors like it! 

[Moonfish]

Haydn: Symphonies Nos 82 & 87             Berliner Philharmoniker/Karajan

[Ken B]

Haydn: Symphonies Nos 82 & 83             Berliner Philharmoniker/Karajan

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What's the verdict?
Reactions to this set tend to be polarized.

TD Disc 22, French concert pieces with soloists, including Saint-Saens PC4
Lennie box

[Moonfish]

I like Bernstein's earlier efforts, the youthful vitality carries the day, despite the interest of the 'probing for feeling' later style. My Sunday opener:



From when he had New York in his hip pocket.

You are so right Gurn about Bernstein's charisma. His energy and musical outreach seems to have been tremendous in the 1960s.  The more I listen and read about his life the more impressed I am. New York must have been under a Bernstein spell. The NYP certainly sound like they are!!!!

[Moonfish]

What's the verdict?
Reactions to this set tend to be polarized.

It is good and well performed in good sound, but it does not exactly draw me into the music like some other performances of Haydn's symphonies.

[André]

Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheus. Montreal Symphony, Kent Nagano. Overture and extracts, avout 25 minutes. I didn't think there was much music worth hearing in this, but I actually enjoyed this string of appetizers. After hearing this and symphonies 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 I think I'll like this intégral set as much as my favourite ones.

Mozart: concertos 3 and 4. Zino Francsescatti, NYPO, Bruno Walter. Sony.

[Moonfish]

From this set:


Claude Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien - Michael Lonsdale (narrator). vocal soloists, Brighton Festival Chorus, Orchestre National d'Île-de-France, Jacques Mercier (cond.)

How is that performance, Ritter? I listened to Ansermet's rendition of Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien a while ago and was completely enchanted by Debussy's composition. I am not familiar with Mercier at all..   
How is that Debussy set?

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes, Gurn, excellent and recorded in crystal clear sound which is amazing for recordings from almost 60 years ago.

Nice cover, indeed, both Brahms and Tchaikovsky seem Thunderbirds' characters. 

  Thanks, I now have it on the list. T'Birds and all.

You are so right Gurn about Bernstein's charisma. His energy and musical outreach seems to have been tremendous in the 1960s.  The more I listen and read about his life the more impressed I am. New York must have been under a Bernstein spell. The NYP certainly sound like they are!!!!

Yes, this was when West Side Story was still playing on Broadway, Young Peoples' Concerts were on broadcast TV; Lenny was King of the World back in '64. As he should have been; he's the public persona who turned me on to the music I still love today! 

[jfdrex]

Sounds like a fun time! The Egmont Overture makes ones house shake!  Hope your neighbors like it! 

Indeed!  Those Berlin horns and trumpets really let loose with everything they had.  Wonderful to hear how they sounded before Karajan came and tamed them and ruined everything!

[Ken B]

  Thanks, I now have it on the list. T'Birds and all.
Yes, this was when West Side Story was still playing on Broadway, Young Peoples' Concerts were on broadcast TV; Lenny was King of the World back in '64. As he should have been; he's the public persona who turned me on to the music I still love today! 

I think his star is rising again after some eclipse.  I remember the general feeling of failure that people attached to him a couple decades ago. Part of a reaction against overhype but also against "show business" and his era. it's true as a composer he's no American Beethoven, but so what? He was the public face of serious music in America, and a terrific one, a solid Broadway composer, and a first class conductor. Judged by what he achieved he was exceptionally successful.

[jfdrex]

I think his star is rising again after some eclipse.  I remember the general feeling of failure that people attached to him a couple decades ago. Part of a reaction against overhype but also against "show business" and his era. it's true as a composer he's no American Beethoven, but so what? He was the public face of serious music in America, and a terrific one, a solid Broadway composer, and a first class conductor. Judged by what he achieved he was exceptionally successful.

Bernstein's posthumous reputation seems to be faring much better than those of several of his contemporaries whose stars blazed brightly during their lifetimes.  (Karajan and Solti are two who come to mind.)

As for Bernstein's decline as a composer (and, to some degree, as a conductor) later in his life, see this column by Terry Teachout--"Importantitis, Enemy of Art: How to Wreck a Career in One Easy Lesson":  http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB120311487595072493   

[Lisztianwagner]

On spotify:

Claude Debussy
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Images

[Moonfish]

Haydn: Three Piano Sonatas (H.20, 44 & 46)       Rosen

A wonderful performance in excellent sound. My first urge is to listen to it again. Rosen weaves magic with these Haydn sonatas. Rich and vibrant!



from
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[EigenUser]

Simeon Ten Holt Canto Ostinato. This is outstanding. My kind of minimalism -- very similar to Reich in a way.
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[listener]

DUPRÉ.  Requiem   Dupré conducting
WIDOR: Organ Sonatas 5 & 9 "Gothic"
Marcel Dupré at the organ of Saint-Suplice, Paris