What are you listening 2 now?

[Symphonic Addict]

Bruch: String Octet
Ensemble Ulf Hoelscher

A nice work, but very conservative for 1920.

A formidable, energetic, superb work, featuring a rather poignant slow movement. In spite of it may sound a little anachronistic, I think it's fabulous.

[Symphonic Addict]

Bridge: String Quartets 1 and 2

Astoundingly good music.

[Mapman]

Bach: Cantata BWV 164, "Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet"
Leusink, et al.

[André]

I've rarely heard performances of anything that attempt to sound so different from all others. These are bracing, excitable, sometimes electrifying performances, with the significant proviso that the amazing x-ray clarity is achieved at the expense of the music's dynamic range. Note values are strictly adhered to, with not a microsecond added for emphasis. Allegro movements are fast and speed up to fever point in the codas. Rests become micro-pauses, and micro become nano-pauses. The music has barely time to breathe but still manages to come across as noble and romantic.

The orchestra achieves marvels of cohesion and precision, with balances that make every strand clearly audible (wind detail is amazing). Big fortissimos usually involve the brass and timpani burying the strings and winds and require a slight expansion of the basic tempo to make their effect. Nézet-Séguin shirks those extra decibels for the sake of clarity and rythmic propulsion. It's like a basketball game played by heavily caffeinated 5'6'' japanese players: it will be lightning fast but those vaulting slam dunks just won't be there. As a supplementary set to a more traditional one, this is a very interesting quartet of performances in which the conductor's focus on rythm blows away the cobwebs.

[Mapman]

Schubert: Symphony #1
Karajan: Berlin

I decided to revisit this as I have no memory of the 1st symphony. That's because it is not very memorable. The 2nd theme in the first movement is similar to Beethoven's Eroica theme (used in the 4th movement, the variations, etc.).

This recording is also a good example of the criticism that Karajan buries the woodwinds. There were many moments where I wished that the winds were more prominent.

[Symphonic Addict]

Kaljo Raid: Symphony No. 2 'Stockholm'

[Mirror Image]

Hi John - assume you have some duplications of his works.  I've not done any back-to-back comparisons of Lettberg vs. Hamelin in the piano sonatas; their approaches are different so nice to own both.

Now for those who do not know, Lettberg is a 'Scriabin scholar' with a PhD; her thesis (described below) was based on an analysis of his 10th piano sonata (and no, I've not read it and likely would be lost -  )  Dave

Very nice, Dave.

[Mirror Image]

Now playing after an especially annoying day...something that just warms my heart:

Diamond
Symphony No. 3
Seattle Symphony
Schwarz

[Mirror Image]

I've rarely heard performances of anything that attempt to sound so different from all others. These are bracing, excitable, sometimes electrifying performances, with the significant proviso that the amazing x-ray clarity is achieved at the expense of the music's dynamic range. Note values are strictly adhered to, with not a microsecond added for emphasis. Allegro movements are fast and speed up to fever point in the codas. Rests become micro-pauses, and micro become nano-pauses. The music has barely time to breathe but still manages to come across as noble and romantic.

The orchestra achieves marvels of cohesion and precision, with balances that make every strand clearly audible (wind detail is amazing). Big fortissimos usually involve the brass and timpani burying the strings and winds and require a slight expansion of the basic tempo to make their effect. Nézet-Séguin shirks those extra decibels for the sake of clarity and rythmic propulsion. It's like a basketball game played by heavily caffeinated 5'6'' japanese players: it will be lightning fast but those vaulting slam dunks just won't be there. As a supplementary set to a more traditional one, this is a very interesting quartet of performances in which the conductor's focus on rythm blows away the cobwebs.

Thanks for the review, André. I haven't heard this Schumann cycle, but I especially like Nézet-Séguin's Mendelssohn cycle with the same orchestra. Top-notch performances --- I'll have to check out his Schumann.