What are you listening 2 now?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Igor Zhukov: Tchaikovsky and Scriabin.

[André]

👍👍👍

[Linz]

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op.36, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

[brewski]

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra (Lionel Bringuier / Royal Scottish National Orchestra, recorded 8 March 2025). Always glad to hear a new version of this piece, and Bringuier and the RSNO do a beautiful job. Edges are a bit smooth, so if you like your Bartók angular and gritty, this might not suffice. But it's gorgeous.

[Karl Henning]

Whenever I am introducing someone to contemporary classical music, I inevitably always use the pianist Vicky Chow. Here she is performing Vincent Corver's arrangement of Steve Reich's Piano Counterpoint:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx8r0wUh39o

Chow's playing is absolutely brilliant, and I am always astounded how she keep it all in order. Reich may, on the surface, appear to be a simple composer, but this piece will, I think, swiftly dispel that myth. We're approaching Nancarrow-like time signatures, and he was composing for a machine (player piano). The motion is constant, and it is repetitious, which means our muscles can be lulled into compliance, so the pianist must be ever vigilant to maintain that line. I mean I think it is worth it in the end, but I can see how others might disagree.

Highest recommendation for those who know what they are getting into. If your more traditional (classical era to pre-modern), then I might say not to test your waters with this, as there are better pieces of contemporary music to whet your appetite.

I'm in!

[JBS]

And now Beethoven from a different angle

[Karl Henning]

M. Weinberg: Symphony No.14
New purchase. I enjoyed this although that is perhaps the wrong word. It is rather a 'gnarly' work as David Hurwitz would say and listening to it is not 'a walk in the park'; however, my attention was held throughout. Very good booklet notes by the sadly missed Per Skans. I certainly will want to listen to it again:

Soon, I address the q. of wheyher i've heard it yet.

[hopefullytrusting]

Ligeti's San Francisco Polyphony conducted by Nott with the BPO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvpU3hWBLak

For some reason, I feel that Ligeti is a fantastic complement to Reich, at least structurally. Obviously, the exist in different sonic worlds, but you can tell that the dissonance that Ligeti deploys isn't noise, as there is a guiding logic behind it all ultimately constraining and controlling the piece. I like how this work sounds wild, but is, in fact, I think, one of the most tightly controlled piece. It is a piece that I think a yogi would define as edgework, where one pushes the body as far as it can go and then just a bit more - reaching the full extent of the note and then just a bit more. Overall, the piece is invigorating and refreshing.

Highest recommendation!

[hopefullytrusting]

Ligeti's Six Bagatelles for Wind Quinten\t (Carion) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txMWXvD8kL4

I feel Ligeti would have loved this realization of his work. Not only is the playing wonderful, they added a whole element of choreography to the mix, so not only is their awesome interplay between instruments, all balanced well, there is an equal amount of engagement with the movement of libs. I also loved how central the bassoon was to everything (it functioned much like the saxophone does in a jazz quintet). I know subtly often isn't often awarded, and this is, indeed, a bold take - it is basically a classical music video, which is super cool, as I don't think I've ever see once before.

High recommendatinon

[JBS]

Definitely not a bagatelle

At the moment, Summer is marching in.

[DavidW]

Definitely not a bagatelle

At the moment, Summer is marching in.

Also went with Mahler, one of my favorite contemporary M9s. It was emotionally devastating:



I found an interview of Ivan Fischer discussing the symphony. I will have to watch it tonight or tomorrow.

[Madiel]

Rossini (arr. Sedlak) for winds



So far I've listened to the Barber of Seville half of the album, and it's very enjoyable. Moreso than the similar disc of Mozart opera highlights. I think Rossini's music more readily fits this medium, though of course there could be other factors, including Sedlak's skill and just my frame of mind - though given I'm currently dealing with a reasonable amount of nausea I don't think that last factor is a major bias in favour. So let's put down how much I'm enjoying this, in spite of nausea, to Rossini and Sedlak.

EDIT: The overtures in the 2nd half of the album are just as good, if not better.

[Que]

On this recording: Missa 'Mittit ad Virginem' and three motets.

[Madiel]

Schumann

3 Poems, op.119
Poems of Queen Mary Stuart, op.135

[Madiel]

Schumann: Piano Quintet



Apparently this is my first listen for quite some years. I do tend to reach for the Piano Quartet a little more readily. But I'm certainly enjoying the reacquintance at this stage.

[foxandpeng]

Peter Maxwell Davies
Symphony 6
PMD
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Naxos

Revisiting after listening again with great profit in the small hours. Always worth the effort.

[Traverso]

Ockeghem


Requiem
Missa Mi-Mi