What are you listening 2 now?

[Mandryka]

I got into piano music partly because of hearing Gilels play a Schubert A minor sonata. It seemed both relaxed and intense at the same time, paradox, like a meditation I suppose. Same feel here in Beethoven op 26. Great music making IMO.

[Karl Henning]

Finnissy: Gershwin (Nicolas Hodges, piano). Have been listening to this gorgeous album for over 20 years, and somehow it says "summer." Finnissy's arrangements are sensitive, maintaining Gershwin's melodies amid phrasing and harmonies that set off sparks. Hodges obviously loves these pieces.

-Bruce

Thanks for the reminder:

[DavidW]

Haydn PTs, excellent recording. I might end up listening to the entire series.

[Linz]

Purcell English Baroque music from the 17th Century
Lawes for recordr & harpsichord
Locke
Matteis  Pedro Memelsdorfff recorder, Andraas Staier harpsichord

[VonStupp]

Gustav Mahler
Symphony 9
Czech PO - Ančerl

VS

[Todd]

First impression: very stylish delicate dancing playing. Very high recording volume; I had to crank it way down (following a Chandos album) because the high notes were attacking my eardrums. On low level the treble is tamed and the music is pleasing.

If you have not heard his Ravel, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

TD:



Three Wolfie works.

[Linz]

Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major, 1878 Version Ed. Leopold Nowak, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Dennis Russell Davies

[ShineyMcShineShine]

Could I just say every time I see your Mrs Mills avatar I have a chuckle.

BTW the "original" Boaty McBoatFace was in the BBC news again just 2 days ago!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy849kzep98o

I'm glad. My memory has gotten so bad I can't even remember her name anymore. I have to google something like "english popular pianist party". And I have no recollection of what Mrs Mills has to do with Boaty McBoatFace. 

[Linz]

Joseph Haydn Complete Piano Sonatas, Rudolf Buchbinder CD6

[Symphonic Addict]

Glazunov: String Quartet No. 7
Langgaard: String Quartet No. 1

[Symphonic Addict]

Atterberg: Symphony No. 8 and Symphony for strings

Once again, the slow movement is the star in the case of the 8th. This ridiculously bewitching music made me drop a tear, I confess. In the 4th movement, some melodies from previous movements are interwoven in interesting counterpoint. Just great music despite how conservative it is for its time. The luscious Symphony for strings is delectable from beginning to end and features some alluring harmonic ideas. Only the 9th is missing in my traversal of his symphonies.

[Karl Henning]

Gustav Mahler
Symphony 9
Czech PO - Ančerl

VS

Thanks for the reminder! I should cue this up soon.

[Madiel]

Schubert Lieder



Something reminded me that one of the opportunities provided by Hyperion albums going online is the chance to try the Schubert Lieder edition in full. I bought 4 volumes second-hand just because those were ones I could get at the time at a decent price.

The truth is, though, despite my attraction to complete sets of things, that I don't find teenage Schubert terribly rewarding. And there's a lot of teenage Schubert here. Listening to a whole album is... okay, but not a highlight of my day. So perhaps it's best if I don't try to fill my shelves with the whole edition.

Interestingly, the version of the album booklet that's being provided to streaming services cuts out all of Graham Johnson's overwritten song commentaries.

[Symphonic Addict]

Liszt: Hungaria, Hamlet & Hunnenschlacht

[JBS]

Schubert Lieder



Something reminded me that one of the opportunities provided by Hyperion albums going online is the chance to try the Schubert Lieder edition in full. I bought 4 volumes second-hand just because those were ones I could get at the time at a decent price.

The truth is, though, despite my attraction to complete sets of things, that I don't find teenage Schubert terribly rewarding. And there's a lot of teenage Schubert here. Listening to a whole album is... okay, but not a highlight of my day. So perhaps it's best if I don't try to fill my shelves with the whole edition.

Interestingly, the version of the album booklet that's being provided to streaming services cuts out all of Graham Johnson's overwritten song commentaries.

They are also missing from the Decca Janet Baker box, which includes this CD as another result of Hyperion being bought.

[Madiel]

They are also missing from the Decca Janet Baker box, which includes this CD as another result of Hyperion being bought.

Damn you Hyperion and your increased availability!

[AnotherSpin]

I got into piano music partly because of hearing Gilels play a Schubert A minor sonata. It seemed both relaxed and intense at the same time, paradox, like a meditation I suppose. Same feel here in Beethoven op 26. Great music making IMO.

I was listening to Gilels before I even knew what music was. All Soviet homes had radio relay points that sounded continuously from 6 a.m. to midnight. Alongside the usual propaganda, there was a lot of serious music, and Gilels, together with Richter and Oistrakh, they were playing very often. Later I learnt that they all lived and became musicians in my town.

[steve ridgway]

Varèse: Arcana

[Irons]

Bridge: Overture "Rebus".



Lesson learned, not all late Bridge modernist and introspective. "Rebus" his last completed work is a brilliant piece and not without humour.

[Madiel]

Nielsen: String quartet no.2 in F minor (op.5)



Whoo. That first movement is a Nielsenian powerhouse (and the longest in any of the quartets apparently). I found a review of this recording saying that the quartet treats the opening theme "as an apocalyptic event" so maybe other performances wouldn't hit in quite the same way.

The 2nd movement reportedly was rewritten several times, but the final result is intriguing and lovely. Heck, the whole quartet is pretty good. Contemporaries thought so, it was a success from the beginning.