What are you listening to now?

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Martinu's 6th:



Wow....there are no words that can describe my feelings of this performance right now. Once I've assimilated my thoughts, I'll post them in the Martinu thread.

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Martinu's 6th:

For a second time.

[kishnevi]

I have had this CD for years, but have not listened to it for a long time, since I remember being not impressed with it

Perhaps I was less familiar with Martinu's style then--it was probably my first exposure to the composer--, but tonight gave me a much better feeling about this CD. Yet strangely the VC2 seemed less interesting than the companion pieces--the same reaction as with the Faust recording on HM.


Followed by a second listen to


And now
Monteverdi
Settimo Libro dei Madrigali (1619)
La Venexiana

[André]

My turn for some Martinu 



And some cello concertos:



Mostly for the Hindemith, a jewel of a work I never tire of. The Dvorak is a very lyrical, almost pastoral interpretation.

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I have had this CD for years, but have not listened to it for a long time, since I remember being not impressed with it

Perhaps I was less familiar with Martinu's style then--it was probably my first exposure to the composer--, but tonight gave me a much better feeling about this CD. Yet strangely the VC2 seemed less interesting than the companion pieces--the same reaction as with the Faust recording on HM.


Followed by a second listen to

I've seen this disc before, but having several performances the VCs already, I never bought it. You may just not like Violin Concerto No. 2 and that's certainly okay that you don't. Personally, I love the work (and all of Martinu's concerti really). I'm showing my bias here of course. I would say try your hand at the Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 or the Oboe Concerto or even that oddball Harpsichord Concerto, which is such a blast to listen to as it has absolutely riveting interplay between the solo harpsichord part and the solo piano part. They off of each other at several points in the work and it's a delight to hear. I'd also turn your attention to the chamber music, which will keep you busy for quite some time. There's so much to explore in Martinu's oeuvre. This is a composer that made a huge impression on me as I was first getting into classical music and that joy and love for his music has never diminished. His music puts a goofy smile on my face each time I hear one of his works.

I wish I could say I had the same enthusiasm for Enescu, but he's a composer that has constantly baffled me. I still don't understand his music and I don't think I'll ever fully appreciate him the way many members here do.

[Todd]

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My turn for some Martinu 

Sweet! I don't know these performances, but would love to know your opinion of them.

Thread duty -

Flos campi:

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More RVW:

[kishnevi]

I've seen this disc before, but having several performances the VCs already, I never bought it. You may just not like Violin Concerto No. 2 and that's certainly okay that you don't. Personally, I love the work (and all of Martinu's concerti really). I'm showing my bias here of course. I would say try your hand at the Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 or the Oboe Concerto or even that oddball Harpsichord Concerto, which is such a blast to listen to as it has absolutely riveting interplay between the solo harpsichord part and the solo piano part. They off of each other at several points in the work and it's a delight to hear. I'd also turn your attention to the chamber music, which will keep you busy for quite some time. There's so much to explore in Martinu's oeuvre. This is a composer that made a huge impression on me as I was first getting into classical music and that joy and love for his music has never diminished. His music puts a goofy smile on my face each time I hear one of his works.

I wish I could say I had the same enthusiasm for Enescu, but he's a composer that has constantly baffled me. I still don't understand his music and I don't think I'll ever fully appreciate him the way many members here do.

I am with you about Enescu: coming after Martinu he seems a bit bland. Although the music itself is excellent, it so fsr doesn't connect with me.

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I am with you about Enescu: coming after Martinu he seems a bit bland. Although the music itself is excellent, it so fsr doesn't connect with me.

The first movement of the Suite No. 3, "Villageoise" is the only thing I've liked by Enescu. Everything else I've heard, which includes all three (composer completed) symphonies, the two rhapsodies, all three suites, and several chamber pieces has left me cold.

[André]

Sweet! I don't know these performances, but would love to know your opinion of them.

That'll be easy: it's the only disc of the quartets I know and have  . I heard the 3rd in concert some 3-4 years ago (Talich Qt IIRC) and  it's every bit as good as I remember it from that night. The 1st shows Martinu's indebtedness to Dvorak. Generally speaking, the Prazak is an high energy band. I sometimes find them (or the engineering?) aurally tiring.

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That'll be easy: it's the only disc of the quartets I know and have  . I heard the 3rd in concert some 3-4 years ago (Talich Qt IIRC) and  it's every bit as good as I remember it from that night. The 1st shows Martinu's indebtedness to Dvorak. Generally speaking, the Prazak is an high energy band. I sometimes find them (or the engineering?) aurally tiring.

Ah, okay. Well, since I seem to be in a recommending mood, the Panocha Quartet's set is superb, but recently I've acquired the Stamitz Quartet's cycle, but haven't heard any of their performances with the exception of their performance of the 3rd SQ. Speaking of SQ3, that's awesome you saw this work in concert with the Talich Quartet to boot! I'm so jealous of you right now.

[kishnevi]

The first movement of the Suite No. 3, "Villageoise" is the only thing I've liked by Enescu. Everything else I've heard, which includes all three (composer completed) symphonies, the two rhapsodies, all three suites, and several chamber pieces has left me cold.

The Rhapsodies leave you cold?

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The Rhapsodies leave you cold?

Yeah, there's nothing by Enescu that I've warmed up to with the exception of that afore mentioned movement from Suite No. 3. His musical language just doesn't gel with me.

[Brian]

I wish I could say I had the same enthusiasm for Enescu, but he's a composer that has constantly baffled me. I still don't understand his music and I don't think I'll ever fully appreciate him the way many members here do.

Gotta agree with you here. I've tried a bunch of his mature chamber and orchestral music, but can never find a way in. Symphony No. 3 last month (from that amazing Vlad Jurowski LPO box) nearly bored me to tears.

[SymphonicAddict]

Excellent choice.

It's a very good cycle indeed.

[Alek Hidell]

CD 2&3 of this wonderful set

[asin]B015D441OI[/asin]

Incidently, 49€ on Amazon.de for 8CDs + a book 70pages×3 languages.  This should be in the super duper bargain thread.

It's even cheaper than that at Presto Classical's box set sale: https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/classical/products/8078423--the-time-of-monteverdi ... and so now my eye has fallen upon it - a pox upon thee, Spineur! 

TD: joining in the late Martinů-fest with this, on Spotify -

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Gotta agree with you here. I've tried a bunch of his mature chamber and orchestral music, but can never find a way in. Symphony No. 3 last month (from that amazing Vlad Jurowski LPO box) nearly bored me to tears.

No argument here, but a simple nodding of the head.

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Cello Sonata, FP 143 from this excellent recording:

[SimonNZ]

James Dillon's Nine Rivers, Part 2: L'ECRAN parfum - Jessica Cottis, cond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04J3i8ozKwk&list=PL92daSvtsQKEvVkuGIGCWGmNxlTfPBpIO