What are you listening to now?

[Mandryka]

I've gone straight to Acts IV and V, and this recording is a great achievement (but I must confess that--once again--I simply cannot warm to Jon Vickers's singing   ).

Not even in nuit d'ivresse?

The live one that Colin Davis recorded, with Ben Heppner not Vickers,  is worth trying to hear. I was at the concert, and it really was memorable. 

[EigenUser]

I just listened to Schoenberg's Chamber Symphony no. 2, op. 38, on Spotify after the recent interesting posts about it....

That's a great piece! Not sure if I've heard this recording. My favorite one is with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. They take a very, very lively tempo with the 1st half of the 2nd movement which I like very much.

An odd work, though. As much as I like it, I never figured out the 2nd movement. It starts off so cheerful, but roughly 2/3rds through it suddenly turns cold and emotionless.

Currently listening to "spineless Debussy": Toru Takemitsu's Dream/Window (hint hint )
[asin]B0000034XI[/asin]

[ritter]

Not even in nuit d'ivresse?

The live one that Colin Davis recorded, with Ben Heppner not Vickers,  is worth trying to hear. I was at the concert, and it really was memorable.

Perhaps I should rephrase: it's not Vicker's singing I dislike, it's his interpretative approach (here and elsehwere--e.g., Parsifal, Siegmund, Tristan). He sounds crass  (sorry, can't find a better term) and constantly aggressive to me, lacking in lyricism when required (this is purely a matter of personal taste, of course). And his pronunciation leaves a lot to be desired, to the point of torturing the ear at some points (really unaccpetable in a singer of this stature).

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Matthias Pintscher's Idyll - performers unknown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YnNP_mI7t4

I love this piece! He conducted it in Melbourne last year...but unfortunately I wasn't around to see it.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Thanks to amw I am listening to this cool piece for the first time: Piano Concerto no. 3 by Skalkottas.

[Mandryka]

Perhaps I should rephrase: it's not Vicker's singing I dislike, it's his interpretative approach (here and elsehwere--e.g., Parsifal, Siegmund, Tristan). He sounds crass  (sorry, can't find a better term) and constantly aggressive to me, lacking in lyricism when required (this is purely a metter of taste, of course). And his pronunciation leaves a lot to be desired, to the point of torturing the ear at some points (really unaccpetable in a singer of this stature).

I think Vickers' default style was like a powerful and brutal force. I can see he's aggressive in this sense: you feel as though you're listening to an epic personality who's demanding your attention. People who like him sometimes see this as an interpretive strength -- in fact I think it is a strength for Canio and Otello. He could be refined (I'm thinking of a live Sigmund/Brunhilde duet from the Met with Karajan conducting, or Act 3 of Parsifal)

His pronunciation of French is not good. But I've heard worse (Peter Pears for example.)

[Madiel]

The relatively light (although somewhat acidic) Primavera, op.55

[asin]B0054RVSRS[/asin]

Followed by the dark powerhouse Symphony No.8, op.56

[asin]B000027DT8[/asin]

EDIT: The 3rd movement tends to remind me of the same movement in Sibelius' 4th for some reason.

[Mandryka]

Karin Nelson plays the Scheidemann Magnificats, and I'm really impressed by the quality of the music. Karin Nelson wrote a doctorate on these magnificats, which I'd like to see, I managed to find this tantalising glimpse on the web.

https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/23266/2/gupea_2077_23266_2.pdf

[listener]

music for Glass Harmonica  (the instrument, not Philip) by 
MOZART: Adagio and Rondo, Adagio  K. 617,617a  REICHARDT: Rondeau in B^b  RÖLLIG: Quintet in c
J.A.P. SCHULZ: Largo in c   J.G. NAUMANN: Quartet in C
Bruno Hoffmann, g.h., and strings
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: On Wenlock Edge   Gerald English, tenor
IRELAND: Epic March, Suite: The Overlanders
West Australian S.O.,  David Measham, cond.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

May have time for one or both of these this AM :

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

Delayed thread duty from yesterday, and likely to be repeated today: Petrushka

[asin]B000006CRW[/asin]

After struggling to feel much enthusiasm for The Firebird from the same set, Petrushka was highly enjoyable.

The funny thing is, reviews of this tend to criticise Petrushka the most.

I don't know whether I need new Stravinsky (this is my only recording of these works) or a new set of ears.

Have you heard the Colin Davis/Concertgebouw Firebird on Philips?- the performance is riveting. The accents Davis employs with the Russian rhythmic musical asymmetry of "The Infernal Dance" fall like thunderbolts. The recording quality is stellar.



That said though, the best and most pristine 'sounding' Firebird I've ever heard as far as the clarity of the textures goes is definitely the Andrew Litton/Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra on BIS. I love luxuritating in this just for the kaleidoscope of color and nuance of timbre.

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

Prokofiev, second violin sonata, op. 94a, transcription from flute to violin by Prokofiev. Primo stuff. Works this good don't deserve their neglect.



[asin]B00004XQK4[/asin]

Mutter's Prokofiev and Respighi certainly do the cute photogenic cover justice.

[Madiel]

Have you heard the Colin Davis/Concertgebouw Firebird on Philips?- the performance is riveting. The accents Davis employs with the Russian rhythmic musical asymmetry of "The Infernal Dance" fall like thunderbolts. The recording quality is stellar.



That said though, the best and most pristine 'sounding' Firebird I've ever heard as far as the clarity of the textures goes is definitely the Andrew Litton/Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra on BIS. I love luxuritating in this just for the kaleidoscope of color and nuance of timbre.

Thanks. Both of those look quite promising, I will definitely investigate further.

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

A stunning display of virtuoso Mozart arias. I don't think I've ever heard the Queen of the Night's arias sung with such force and bite, and such accuracy. You certainly wouldn't want to mess with this Queen. Moser is also wonderful in the fireworks of Martern aller Arten[ /i], and makes an excellent Elettra and Vitellia, though her voice becomes rather colourless in the lower reaches of Vitellia's Non piu di fiori. It always surprises me Moser didn't record more.

Moser certainly puts her special dramatic stamp on that cd- that's for sure. I've never heard a more thrilling Mozart recital cd sung to such excellent (dramatic) advantage. (Schwarzkopf's finessings are a whole different story ).

The technical virtuosity, the dramatic musical intelligence, the sheer beauty of Moser's silvery high end- I love it all.

. . . and so does a friend of mine, incidentally- who loves heavy metal and Wagner but generally 'can't stand' Mozart.

He came over to my house when I was blasting the Moser Mozart recital cd and I played him the Martern aller Arten.

He just looked at me and said, "Total metal."

- and this from a hardcore Immortal and Amon Amarth fan- the ultimate 'Kick @ss Seal of Approval' for Edda. Ha.  Ha.  Ha.  Ha.

[North Star]

Merula
Hor ch'é tempo di morire, canzonetta spirituale sopra alla nanna
Monteverdi, Salvatore, Händel, Vivaldi, Cavalli, Legrenzi
Sara Mingardo
Concerto Italiano
Rinaldo Alessandrini

   

[Tsaraslondon]

You don't come across many recital discs of Berlioz tenor arias. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the only one. Alagna tackles a wide range of Berlioz's tenor roles, from Aenee and Iopas in Les Troyens, Le Recitant in L'Enfance du Christ, Benedict, Faust and Benvenuto Cellini, through to the tenor arias from Lelio, with Gerard Depardieu, no less, doing the spoken bits, and Berlioz's grandiose arrangement of Le Marseillaise.

On stage Aenee would no doubt have been too heavy for him, and Iopas too light, but he manages them both well here. On the other hand, Cellini, Benedict and Faust would no doubt suit him admirably (he is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, his then wife, for a lovely rendition of the Love Duet). Excellent accompaniments from Bertrand de Billy and the Royal Opera House Orchetra, Covent Garden.

I know that Alagna seems to come in for a lot of bashing these days, but in the right repertoire he was an appreciable singer , and he was always at his best in French music. This is a really excellent disc.

[Tsaraslondon]

Have you heard the Colin Davis/Concertgebouw Firebird on Philips?- the performance is riveting. The accents Davis employs with the Russian rhythmic musical asymmetry of "The Infernal Dance" fall like thunderbolts. The recording quality is stellar.



That said though, the best and most pristine 'sounding' Firebird I've ever heard as far as the clarity of the textures goes is definitely the Andrew Litton/Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra on BIS. I love luxuritating in this just for the kaleidoscope of color and nuance of timbre.

By coincidence this arrived this morning



And I'm listening to it now.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

...I know that Alagna seems to come in for a lot of bashing these days, but in the right repertoire he was an appreciable singer , and he was always at his best in French music...

Agree wholeheartedly. 

[prémont]

Karin Nelson plays the Scheidemann Magnificats, and I'm really impressed by the quality of the music.

This has been on my radar since long. It´s time to order it, I suppose.

[Marsch MacFiercesome]

By coincidence this arrived this morning



And I'm listening to it now.

Tell me what'cha think when you're done, Darlin'.