What are you listening to now?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

A wonderful friend of mine sent me this recording recently, so I've just started listening to it, starting at no. 1!



I'm loving the sound on this one. And I think Solti gets the strings to play measured tremolos at the start of the 7th, which makes this recording sooo much more awesome than most! Epiiiiic

[listener]

And the music? 

re Kuhhandel
like uninspired outtakes from Mahagonney, predictable if you've been exposed to enough of his stage music.
Confession: I had to discontinue part way through, I'm on a strong medication for gout, will resume in the morning and add:
MILHAUD: Symphoniette for Strings, Cortège funèbre and Concerto for Marimba and Vibraphone and Orch., RADANOVICS: Introversion
Nebojša Jovan Živkovič, marimba/vibraphone  Austrian Chamber Orch.  Ernst Theis, cond.

[The new erato]

.[asin]B00SN6G8AE[/asin]

This is a very fine work, conforming my already high opinion of Caldara. The recording is sumptuos, the MI ensemble plays wonderfully (and I don't miss gut strings one bit), a couple of the singers occasionally overdoes the vibrato without seriously hindering my enjoyment, in all -very fine!

[The new erato]

  re Kuhhandel
like uninspired outtakes from Mahagonney, predictable if you've been exposed to enough of his stage music.
Confession: I had to discontinue part way through, I'm on a strong medication for gout, will resume in the morning and add:

I find the Capriccio version of ths pretty spirited and more "operetta" kind of fun (I'm pretty sure this was meant as a lighthearted work) than a serious political piece.

However; wish you a speeedy recovery!

[Harry]

After an initial listen to disc one, I thought the various works sounded somewhat samey. Which however doesn't mean the individual works aren't very fine, or that the singing is less than wonderful. Sampled one or two at a time, this is very good.

I played all the discs in one go, and wished there was even more of it. Sameness? For me, not at all.  So I played the Petrarca Madrigals afterwards, they are probably more to your liking.

[The new erato]

I played all the discs in one go, and wished there was even more of it. Sameness? For me, not at all.  So I played the Petrarca Madrigals afterwards, they are probably more to your liking.

They are more varied indeed, that is in the nature of a madrigal I think.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Derives. Two beautiful pieces of music I surely can't live without. <3

[Cato]

Derives. Two beautiful pieces of music I surely can't live without. <3

Yes!  The richness and excitement in the works are rich and exciting!   

[Wakefield]

Erich Wolfgang Korngold: The Korngold Project, Part 1
Daniel Rowland (violin), Priya Mitchell (violin), Julian Arp (cello), Luis Magalhães (piano)

[asin]B0107T9DEW[/asin]

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

Rachmaninoff The Isle of the Dead, Ashkenazy conduring the Concertgebouw




Sarge

^ Right on.

The Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw Isle of the Dead is sans pareil for my tastes and inclinations. The build-ups and climaxes are unrivaled. The tempo is just right. Its the most atmospheric, cinematic, and absolutely otherworldly sounding reading I've ever heard.

The only passage I think is done better is the caressingly bittersweet part with the strings in the middle of the piece, which Pletnev completely owns in my book. Pletnev does that section so beautifully that it gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes.

[Bogey]

Rachmaninoff The Isle of the Dead, Ashkenazy conduring the Concertgebouw




Sarge

Got to be a desert isle disc on many lists.

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

Got to be a desert isle disc on many lists.

Its one of the first cd's I've ever owned.

An older classical friend of mine put it in my shopping basket when I was shopping and first getting into classical music, saying only, "Required listening."

[Bogey]

Its one of the first cd's I've ever owned.

An older classical friend of mine put it in my shopping basket when I was shopping and first getting into classical music, saying only, "Required listening."

You owe 'em a lunch....maybe two.

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

You owe 'em a lunch....maybe two.

Ha.  Ha.  Ha.  Ha.  Ha.

'Hundreds,' in fact- and I have.

He's cultural gold bullion to me- and I treat him accordingly. . .

I remember when he played me the last movement of the Ashkenazy Rachmaninov First Symphony with the Concertgebouw late one night at his house.

It was around eleven-forty at night, and I said to him, "I have to have this. . . 'RIGHT NOW!'"

- So we rushed down to Tower Records in my car reckless-endangerment style- and got it just before Tower closed.

Dumb and dangerous, true; but fun- and I got the CD so that I could hear it the next day at my house. Ha. Ha. Ha.

The music was just 'that important' to me.

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

Now:



Listening to Petrushka. Still one of the best performances of this ballet around.

^ I like it.

I like the Decca Dorati better.

And I like the thirties Stokowski bestest.

[San Antone]

[Todd]

[Harry]

I've only ever listened superficially, it maybe would help to study how he set the texts.  My impression is that the music isn't expressive - it's just consistently drab. Neither does it contain any catchy tunes. Or major musical events.

You know, after I have read this it's hard to take you seriously. Better still I am going to ignore you! The consistent drab is coming from you, not Willaert. You're totally out of line and tune in this discussion.

[Sadko]

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

Lev Oborin
All-Union Radio Symphony Orchestra
Nikolay Anosov

[Florestan]

For me not every composer has to storm the gates of Heaven. ...

Amen, amen, amen!