What are you listening to now?

[SymphonicAddict]

Are you referring to Noches en los jardines de España or the whole disc?

Oh sorry, I forgot the work. Yes, Noches en los jardines de España. That recording seems to be highly praised.

[SymphonicAddict]

CD1

Piano Trio No. 1 in D major Op. 5
Piano Trio No. 2 in F-sharp major Op. 7

These are some of the most beautiful piano trios I've ever heard, music right up my alley. No deep philosophizing, no self-torturing angst, no fist-shaking at fate --- just an uninterrupted flow of dreamy, gentle, jocular and heartfelt melodies, the outpouring of an essentially happy and sunny soul, although by no means devoid of her own shadows and sorrows.  Perfect blend and balance of voices. Reminded me of Haydn, Mozart and Mendelssohn in overall feeling, and of Reynaldo Hahn (EW-F's almost exact contemporary) in having the gut to write such music around 1900.  Excellent.

Interesting Andrei! I look forward to listening to those trios. The Piano Quintet is another delight, absolutely lovely. But the String Quintet is much less compelling.

[SymphonicAddict]

Great selection Cesar! That is probably my favourite Englund CD and I really like both symphonies. My favourite CD of that incomplete Ivanovs cycle is the one containing the film music 'Late Frost in Spring'.

I'm gonna check whether I have that Ivanovs CD.

[SymphonicAddict]

Bonnal: Streichquartette Nr.1 & 2 - Le Quatuor Debussy.

[asin]B0098PC7YK[/asin]

I like that CD too. Quartets in the vein of Debussy and Ravel.

[SymphonicAddict]

Weber - Clarinet concertos and Overtures (again)

Some entertaining concertos with personality. They always give me a smile to my face.

Weber was a master about overtures, some of them are on par with those by Beethoven, and they outstand in the romantic era overall.

The Austro-German composers (and Tchaikovsky) were the strong points of Karajan imho, and this recording clearly shows that management of repertoire. For instance, Der Beherrscher der Geister Overture receives an unmatched reading here. It's a mix between thrill and fun. An excellent miniature all around.

[NikF4]

Schmitt: Chamber Music - Prague Wind Quartet/Czech Nonet/Wiesner.

[asin]B0000560NP[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Haydn
Symphony #47 in G
AAM
Hogwood

[San Antone]

ALEXEI LUBIMOV : MESSE NOIRE

Messe Noire was the second ECM recital debut for Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov, following his enigmatic debut, Der Bote. It remains one of his freshest and most luminous programs, forging from the composers of his homeland what Reinhard Schulz describes in his liner notes as "a cosmos in which free spirits gather together." The image is apt, for in the "Hymn" of Igor Stravinsky's Serenade in A (1925), which opens the disc, we do indeed encounter a galactic ocean of impressions. From the gentle reverie of lost love to the grumbling belly of despair, it encapsulates Stravinsky's penchant for emotional directness, as in the processual Romanza that follows and all the way through to the frayed Finale. The Sonata No. 2 op. 61 (1943) of Dmitri Shostakovich rather chooses ebullience as its quill, and marks with it a playful inter-relationship between the left and right hands in a volleying of motifs. An off-kilter Largo leads us to a plaintive Moderato, which provides one of the more sustained, gloomier contractions on the album.

Sergey Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7 op. 83 (1942) introduces characteristic buoyancy before quickly fading into a quieter spell, inhabiting the after-effect with the oral passion of a missionary. This ebb and flow of pensive dips is the sonata's overall modus operandi, epitomized most movingly in the Andante. This dynamism is only strengthened by Lubimov's mature sense of syncopation. The boisterous reverie that is the final Precipitato brings that same play of weight and lightness to bear on more wistful statements. After this rousing feast, we are treated to desert in the form of Alexander Scriabin's Sonata No. 9 op. 68 (1913). Marking time with seemingly reserved energy, its gorgeous contours actually build toward an arresting resolution.  (TYRAN GRILLO. BETWEEN SOUND AND SPACE: ECM RECORDS AND BEYOND)

[André]

The Black Venus portrays Azucena, Eboli, Elisabetta, Ulrica and Lady Macbeth. The disc also includes Venus from Tannhäuser and 6 lieder by Brahms. A 360 degrees vocal panorama.

[San Antone]

Messiaen : Visions de l'Amen - Yvonne Loriod

[SymphonicAddict]

Violin concerto No. 2

Besides Undine, this is the only work I know of this composer, and what curious it is! To me sounds very theatrical, like a play but in music, even it has a part for a reciter. Not too challenging, it makes a good impression.

[JBS]

Violin concerto No. 2

Besides Undine, this is the only work I know of this composer, and what curious it is! To me sounds very theatrical, like a play but in music, even it has a part for a reciter. Not too challenging, it makes a good impression.

I have the Naxos recordings of the VCs plus Vivaldiana. I have to say they left me feeling Henze was not my cup of tea, so to speak.

TD
First listen
[asin]B07KLQF9SH[/asin]

[Ken B]

Wolf-Ferrari
Cello concerto op 31

First listen.

On to

Wolf-Ferrari
Violin Concerto op 26
Ulf Hoelscher, violino -
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alun Francis

First listen

Though I will probably only do the first movement tonight

[SymphonicAddict]

I have the Naxos recordings of the VCs plus Vivaldiana. I have to say they left me feeling Henze was not my cup of tea, so to speak.

It's easily understandable! If I hadn't been into this kind of stuff earlier, I wouldn't have liked it either, but now I am more tolerant to this music.

[Mirror Image]

Thank you for those embedded videos; I quite enjoyed them!  Will keep an eye out for his Nonesuch LPs.   

My listening earlier today:



Looking through my LPs, I noticed that I have both the stereo and mono versions; alas, the stereo copy doesn't look very nice.  I cleaned off the mono one and played it instead.  Great performance!  I don't know Mahler's symphonies well at all so it was nice to dip into them.

Best,

PD

You're welcome! Jacobs' Debussy has become a reference for me. Of course, he didn't record all of Debussy's solo piano music, but I really wished he had.

[Mirror Image]

Enescu
Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 13
Lawrence Foster, conductor
Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo



Really amazing work. Of course, the orchestration is first-rate, but there's much more to this work than orchestration. There is a musical narrative happening. I still won't say that orchestral music is Enescu's strongest point, but there's nothing unworthy about this symphony and it's his first, so I can't wait to revisit the other two.

[TheGSMoeller]

Ligeti - Ramifications
Boulez / Ensemble InterContemporain

[TheGSMoeller]

[NikF4]

Koechlin: Ballade for Piano & Orchestra - Myrat/Rigutto/Monte Carlo Philharmonic.



Early morning post-workout listening.

[Que]

Morning listening:

[asin]B0002IPZ78[/asin]

Q