What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[karlhenning]

Dmitri Dmitriyevich
String Quartet No. 9 in E-flat Major, Opus 117
Emerson Quartet

[71 dB]

Rodrigo - Piano Music 1 - Artur Pizarro - Naxos 8.557272

[Harry]

Rodrigo - Piano Music 1 - Artur Pizarro - Naxos 8.557272

Inspired, no doubt!

[Cato]

Sonatina Sopra ("Veni Emmanuel")  and Studies in Impermanence for solo clarinet by...Karl Hennng.

See my reviews under "Hennings Headquarters"!

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,92.40.html

[PaulR]

Shostakovich:  14th Symphony Gogolewskaya (soprano)/Aleksashkin (Bass)/Jansons/SOBR

Good morning all

I like this recording

[Harry]

Vagn Holmboe.

Symphony No. 18, opus 105.

Aarhus SO/Hughes.

The introduction of this symphony is pitch black, not often, apart from Pettersson, did I encounter such desolate notes, that communicate so forcibly to my heart. Poco sostenuto, going over in a Allegro Espansivo, at around 3:00. My dears, as Fagin said, it is really devastating what is launched against me, all innocent and all that.
A marvelous piece of cunning music, and very well performed.

[Sergeant Rock]

Listening to Pettersson's 16th:

I believe with Pettersson because of the length of the work it becomes too intense for so long, it starts to become irritating.........lets hear your opinion when you hear it.....

Mindful of that quote I was a little worried as I put the disc in the player. Pettersson does occasionally irritate when he lashes onto an idea and won't let it go. I think the guy needed a good editor. But in this case, no, I didn't find it irritating at all. It's a marvelous symphony and should be one of the least daunting for a Pettersson neophyte because of its gentler nature and shorter length.

Many people feel this way especially about his 16th. The ones that don't care for it blame the sax. I myself coming from a jazz background do not mind the sax. 

I'm a saxophone player so this was definitely an enjoyable experience for me. I did fear at first that it would stick out like a sore thumb but when I mentally decided it wasn't a symphony at all but really a concerto, all doubts vanished. I thought the sax was well integrated in the mix too; just part of the orchestral fabric and that lessened the listening challenge.

Also in the Pettersson work possibly if he used a different Sax, say a soprano it might have made a difference. He uses an alto as opposed to a tenor, baritone or soprano.....

The liner notes talk of the elegiac nature of the saxophone's sound and I think the alto expresses that even more than the "sexier" sounding tenor. The alto works perfectly in this symphony which is, like almost everything Pettersson wrote, an elegy. Good thing he didn't employ the soprano sax: Harry would have been climbing the walls, howling in pain

This is an intensely beautiful piece of music. The Cantabile expressivo second section is haunting. I love the way the third section ends, with simple chords on the brass, sounding like a Brucknerian benediction.

Sarge

[Harry]

Sarge let it be clear, I love this Symphony, and as you say the Sax is well integrated into the fabric of the composition.
I love the sound also, but felt at times the notes written for it irritating, but that could well be the object of Pettersson, just to do that.
I must say on my primary system the sax sounded more at one with the orchestra, so it could well be that that was the cause of my irritation. That said I rather hear the sax outside a symphony, as a solo instrument. And the Soprano sax would indeed have me up in the curtains.

[Haffner]

Just got this as a gift from a friend:

[Harry]

Villa-Lobos.

SQ No 7.

Cuarteto Latinoamericano.

Boy what a fine quartet this is. The first movement puts you almost in a welcome coma, that lets you inhibit this sound world with full force. Slide into the second movement were silence is the strongest tool, to make you aware of the beauty, and it goes on in this fashion. These are no doubt the best performances on the market, and it will be hard for any contenders to beat it.
The sound is also topnotch.

[Haffner]

Amazing

[Sergeant Rock]

Amazing

It is amazing...I included it in my Top 30 list.

I saw essentially the same cast conducted by Solti at Covent Garden in 1972. One of the highlights of my life.

Sarge

[Harry]

Villa-Lobos.

SQ no. 15.

CLA.

O, so good!

[Haffner]

It is amazing...I included it in my Top 30 list.

I saw essentially the same cast conducted by Solti at Covent Garden in 1972. One of the highlights of my life.

Sarge

I am green with envy, seeing Elektra live with Solti would have been phenomenal. This is a tremendous performance, and the sound is quite good.

[karlhenning]

Dmitri Dmitriyevich
String Quartet No. 10 in A-flat Major, Opus 118
Emerson Quartet

[Que]

I am green with envy, seeing Elektra live with Solti would have been phenomenal. This is a tremendous performance, and the sound is quite good.

Richard Strauss' operas are quite special.
Tried any others yet?

Q

[George]

I am green with envy, seeing Elektra live with Solti would have been phenomenal. This is a tremendous performance, and the sound is quite good.

As am I. I must get that Solti on DG.

Speaking of green, special thanks to Harry for my new signature.  0:)

[Harry]

As am I. I must get that Solti on DG.

Speaking of green, special thanks to Harry for my new signature.  0:)

O dear, George my fine fellow, I am happy that you are happy with this new signature.

[Haffner]

Richard Strauss' operas are quite special.
Tried any others yet?

Q

Salome is next on my list, though I am hoping for a great dvd rendition, not necessarily the audio yet.

[PerfectWagnerite]

As am I. I must get that Solti on DG.

Get the DECCA version George, the cover is much more startling: