What are you listening 2 now?

[vandermolen]

Lepo Sumera: Symphony No.2
'Modern' music with a soul - like Salmenhaara

[vandermolen]

Whether I understood it or not, I enjoyed the trip.

Now:

Maiden-Listen Monday!

Gianfrancesco Malipiero
Sonata a 5 (1952)
Laura Newell, hp
Stuyvesant Quartet

Listen to the Bax as well Karl

[Harry]

Guirne Creith.
Concerto in G minor, for Violin and Orchestra.

Thomas Pitfield.
Violin concerto in one movement.

Richard Arnell.
Concerto Lirico for violin and Orchestra.

Lorraine McAslan, Violin.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Martin Yates.
Recorded in 2008, Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow.
TT.= 64:00.

This is music very much to my liking. Never heard of two composers on this disc, Creith and Pitfield, but listening to their compositions, I am happy discovering them. Creith wrote a very Romantic work, and which one can wallow in the sumptuous warmth of a continuous melody of great charm. The recording is good, safe for the Violin which to my taste is too closely recorded, especially in the first movement of this concerto.There is a terrific front to back image, with all the detail for grabs. All three works are written in a romantic style and a conservative harmonic idiom. Creith's concerto is lush and sensuous, while Pitfield's concerto is modally inflected, Arnell concerto in one movement is sweet, very original and as good as any other composer in his time.
Well worth hearing!

[Madiel]

Brahms: string quartet No.1

Melos Quartet

I'm having another listen at home because, to be honest, trying to have it as semi-"background" at work was not a total success. Not for this sort of music.



Hells bells, that first movement is good. And relentless. Yes, it's obsessive music in C minor built on very few motifs. I wonder where Brahms could have seen a precedent for that kind of music, hmm?

da-da-da-dum...

[Lisztianwagner]

Karl Amadeus Hartmann
Symphonies No. 2 & 4

Rafael Kubelik & Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

[Harry]

Maurice Emmanuel.
Symphonies No. 1 & 2.
Ouverture pour un conte gal.
Suite Française.
Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra - Ljubljana, Emmanuel Villaume.
Recording: Ljubljana, décembre 2010.
TT.= 62:00.

I find these works surprisingly balanced and refined in its detailing of all the orchestral layers, its style speaks of French elegance, creating dozens of gorgeous melodies floating onwards to ones senses. The performance is a little laid back, a bit too relaxed, but nevertheless engaging. Sound is good! The orchestra could be a bit more refined, to hear all the beautiful scoring for winds.

The work of certain creators seems to contradict their outward appearance. Just as the refinement, the discretion with its slightly ironic reserve, and the perfectly civilised elegance of an Albert Roussel gave absolutely no hint of his Dionysian verve, similarly the serene gentleness, exquisite kindness and wise erudition of Maurice Emmanuel concealed — very little, to tell the truth — an authentic joie de vivre, a healthy forthrightness that was occasionally brilliant and bracing in its roughness but one in which an attentive ear, that of the heart — this key defying all the locks of appearance — will perceive the ingenuous tenderness of a solo violin or the joyful babbling of a flute or a clarinet.
 
Precisely!

[Madiel]

Schumann: Overture, Scherzo and Finale op.52



I find it helpful to know that Schumann considered these to be a suite of 3 'character pieces' that could be played separately (though earlier he was calling it a symphony, he changed his terminology). It stops me looking for anything too Serious.

[Harry]

Lionel Sainsbury.
Cello Concerto.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Martin Yates.
Recorded: May 2011, Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow.
TT= 33:30.

John Foulds.
Cello Concerto.
Bournemouth SO, Martin Yates.
Recorded June 2011, Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset.
TT= 36:18.
In both concertos, Raphael Wallfisch, Cello.

Sainsbury is a composer I encountered for the first time when listening to a cello concerto by Foulds.
That was not a punishment, on the contrary, I like this modern melodious work, thoroughly tonal I must add. His language appeals to me. Its a romantic work full with broad gestures, and filigree detail. And a fine performance it gets, well recorded. I have a few CD's with music by Foulds and intended to buy more, but I can stream them now, especially when a lot of Dutton disc are OOP, like this one actually.
Its a worthwhile addition to my library for sure!

[Harry]

Composer : Edmund Rubbra
Recording : Sinfonia concertante (Hickox - 1996)
Performers : Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Howard Shelley (piano)

I am a great fan of Rubbra's music, especially these recordings, and a few I have on Lyrita, which are also treasured.

[Todd]

[Que]

On Spotify:



Not on gut strings, but clearly historically informed. It's very good.

[Madiel]

Chopin

Rondos, opp.1 and 5
Nocturnes, op.9

[vers la flamme]

Edward Elgar: Piano Quintet in A minor, op.84. Peter Donohoe, Maggini Quartet

First listen, sounds good.

[Brahmsian]

Edward Elgar: Piano Quintet in A minor, op.84. Peter Donohoe, Maggini Quartet

First listen, sounds good.

Is this via the Maggini Quartet Naxos English string quartets box set?

[Harry]

Icelandic Works for the Stage.

Jórunn Viðar (1918–2017)
Eldur (1950) (Fire) Ballet for Orchestra.

Páll Ísólfsson (1893– 1974)
Veislan á Sólhaugum (1943)for Orchestra
Incidental music to the play The Feast at Solhaug, (1855) by Henrik Ibsen.

Úr Myndabók Jónasar Hallgrímssonar (1945), (From Jónas Hallgrímsson's Picture Book)
Incidental Music for String Orchestra.

Jórunn Viðar
Ólafur Liljurós (1952), Ballet for Orchestra.

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Rumon Gamba.
Sound engineer Jonathan Cooper
Assistant engineer Georg Magnússon
Recording venue Eldborg, Harpa, Reykjavík, Iceland; 13– 15 June 2022.
TT.= 65:00


This is a fascinating journey, I am duly impressed by the works, performance and SACD sound.

[vers la flamme]

Is this via the Maggini Quartet Naxos English string quartets box set?

I do not have that box unfortunately but I have a number of the original issues of its contents as single discs, and this I expect would be one of them (though I haven't looked to see that the box actually contains this CD).

[vers la flamme]

Gabriel Fauré: Piano Quartet No.1 in C minor, op.15. Domus

I love all of Fauré's piano chamber music, but this may be my favorite.

[Brahmsian]

I do not have that box unfortunately but I have a number of the original issues of its contents as single discs, and this I expect would be one of them (though I haven't looked to see that the box actually contains this CD).

I only have two discs out of the 20 in the box set. Considering getting it as it is at a good sale price at Presto.

[Harry]

I only have two discs out of the 20 in the box set. Considering getting it as it is at a good sale price at Presto.

I would strongly advise you to do so.

[Irons]

Edward Elgar: Piano Quintet in A minor, op.84. Peter Donohoe, Maggini Quartet

First listen, sounds good.

This was the first music I heard after a hospital stay and op. The slow movement of the Quartet hit me hard. The power of music!