What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

For me, that glare is a bug not a feature 


I feel sorry for the players;  I want them to have better control of the instrument . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Again—how beautiful this is:

Shostakovich
Symphony № 11 in g minor « 1905 », Op.103
BSO
Nelsons

[asin]B07CXC3311[/asin]

[Draško]

[Madiel]

Stravinsky, Orpheus

[asin]B002HESQLC[/asin]
This lovely work does seem rather different from the 'neoclassical' works that precede it in Stravinsky's output.

[Karl Henning]

Stravinsky, Orpheus

[asin]B002HESQLC[/asin]

This lovely work does seem rather different from the 'neoclassical' works that precede it in Stravinsky's output.

It is one-of-a-kind.

[cilgwyn]

Playing here,now! I absolutely love the strange nocturnal atmosphere of the Chinese Symphony by Bernard Van Dieren. It really is quite beautiful and haunting. The performance and recording quality really is superb. Whoever it was who left money to record this definitely got their money's worth. Although,sadly,they won't have been able to hear it!! Lovely choice of artwork,too!

               

[Biffo]

Vaughan Williams : A Sea Symphony - Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus conducted by Leonard Slatkin with Thomas Allen and Benita Valente. Fine performance,  the Philharmonia Chorus are excellent, the only blemish is the rather feeble soprano soloist though she improves in the Finale.

[aligreto]

Vivaldi: Orlando finto pazzo, Atto secondo [De Marchi]

[aligreto]

Jill Gomez is a singer's singer. Whether she sings Mozart or Canteloube, she throws her heart into the experience like few do. Netania Davrath has this repertoire under her skin, and it's high praise indeed to put Gomez in the same company. Vernon Handley is much more than a mere accompanist here, and the RLPO play beautifully. Even the cover art is excellent: one of Canteloube's most fetching songs is La fiolairé (The Spinning Girl), the subject of the art cover by Millet, Une chevrière auvergnate.

A winner.

Agreed on all counts 

[Mandryka]

An extremely impressive performance of JSB's 6th cello suite by Rocco Filippini, original and inspired. The lean, taut, grey-shaded, muscular sound is extraordinary. Magisterial, restrained, engaged. Discovered this morning, I've been bowled over by it all day.

[aligreto]

Poulenc: 7 Chansons [Crespin/Wustman]

[André]

More Bach cantatas (149-151 by Leonhardt), more Keilberth Icon box...

[king ubu]

first spin ... nice stuff, nothing all too deep I guess, but most enjoyable to wind down after a long day

[aligreto]

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 4, 1930 version [Kitajenko]





I really like this version of this work for its musical language and the textures resulting from its scoring as well as its wonderful harmony and counterpoint. The second movement is particularly appealing with its wood winds initially singing out with those disconcerting lower register strings; all making for wonderful, atmospheric music. The harmonies in this movement are particularly intriguing and absorbing; a really wonderful movement. The second movement also benefits from those beguiling wood winds; the third movement scherzo like movement flits about in a very appealingly refined way. The two outer, more assertive and dramatic movements contrast very well with the magical like inner movements and this leads to great balance to my ear. This is a very compelling work.

[Karl Henning]

Gandolfi
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation
Part III
xiii. Fractal Terrace
xiv. The Jumping Bridge
xv. The Quark Walk
xvi. The Nonsense
ASO
Spano

[Zeus]

Sances: Dialoghi Amorosi
Scherzi Musicali
Ricercar

[asin] B076LF4HND[/asin]


also...

Scott: Chamber Works
Gould Piano Trio, et al.
Chandos

[asin] B002VFCE8I[/asin]

[aligreto]

Playing,now. The Wyn Morris Beethoven cycle continues. Dubbed the "Welsh Furtwangler". There was a time when you seemed to find these IMP cd's in places like Woolworths and WH Smiths. I like André's description of Wyn Morris'  conducting. "A potent mix of big, bold playing, allied to interpretive gruffness. Splendidly recorded, too". Very fiery. Yet,I like the more serene passages in the Sixth symphony. I think Wyn Morris could have been a much more famous conductor? (We'll never know!) His biographies and obituaries make very interesting reading. His personality seems to have been as gruff and fiery as his Beethoven. He seems to have destroyed his own career by rubbing everyone up the wrong way. He also got some publicity,I remember,for getting Margaret Thatcher to narrate a recording of Copland's Lincoln Portrait. I don't want to get into politics here,but I think I will give that one a miss! Some of the Beethoven cd's can be found very cheaply,indeed. I'd recommend trying,say,the cd of 4 & 5 or 7 & 8,first (you get two for your money) but No 3 is often very cheap. Leave No 6,to last,maybe? Collect that one if you warm to his approach? You can also get a box set,I believe? I've got the original cd's. There does seem to be a renewal of interest in his work,recently. His conducting got rave reviews and critical acclaim at the time. It was all downhill,then! The only Mahler recording I have by him is of No 5. I like that very much. I remember the s/h cd I bought had scratches and scuff marks all over it,but always seems to play! There does seem to be a bit of a renewal of interest in his conducting,lately. Most of the comments I've read are very positive. I have read that he used modern orchestras,but had a HIP approach. I wouldn't know about that;but I like what I'm hearing!

I was intrigued enough by Cilgwyn's recent posts on Beethoven to enter this particular realm. Contrary to Cilgwyn's advice my personal preference is to opt for Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony first when I encounter a new [to me] interpreter. The reason is that I have been listening to this work since my [distant] early teens and I still love every minute of it. I had mentioned that I have a few works by Mahler under Morris which I enjoy so I thought that I would give his Beethoven a go starting with this one. On first listen I am very pleased with what I have heard. Yes it is assertive and buoyant music making but it is also very lyrical and captures the essence of the work for me; the key points in it [for me] stand up very well indeed. The question now is do I really need another Beethoven Symphonic cycle? Based on what I have heard here the answer is yes I think that I just might. I will certainly investigate further.

[Malx]

Kancheli Styx - Yuri Bashmet, Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev.

This work is growing on me - its possible my earlier apathetic response to the piece was due to some degree to the lack of quality of the sound from Spotify (free). I now have the disc and listening now I feel the entire piece sounds as if it has a greater coherence than on previous occasions.
The choral lines and orchestral parts are much easier to follow and form a better whole.

[prémont]

An extremely impressive performance of JSB's 6th cello suite by Rocco Filippini, original and inspired. The lean, taut, grey-shaded, muscular sound is extraordinary. Magisterial, restrained, engaged. Discovered this morning, I've been bowled over by it all day.

Sounds promising. Unfortunately I have to wait a week for the item I ordered to arrive.

[Kontrapunctus]

A stunning live recording (December 25, 1957) of a Bach-Busoni recital by Grigory Ginzberg, which was the first half of the concert. I have no idea why they didn't include the second half and make it a 2-CD set. The sound is not great--rather distant and in mono--but the playing is incredible. The main downside is the horrific coughing! I hope the one gentleman who chose quiet spots in which to erupt sought medical attention after the concert.