What are you listening 2 now?

[foxandpeng]

It's some while since I've listened to Gergiev's account. When at the top of his game Gergiev is one of the best. I fell under the spell of Schnittke's Concerto for Three while watching a broadcast on St Petersburg television, G. conducting. And when he brought the Mariinka to Worcester's Mechanics Hall, they blew the roof off playing the Leningrad Symphony.

I do think he has something in the #4, and I need to get a grasp of him in the rest, I think. The Leningrad has a real place in my heart, so this would have been amazing!

I've not yet gotten to a second listen of the Makela recording, but my first impression was similar to yours. The Gergiev is my favorite recording of the Fourth because of its intensity, but my opinion is undoubtedly flavored by the fact the Gergiev was my introduction to the symphony.

Glad to hear I'm not alone!

[Daverz]

Andre Caplet: Épiphanie for cello & orchestra

Nice piece.

[foxandpeng]

Pēteris Vasks
Cello Concerto 1
Tampere PO
John Storgårds
Ondine

Never heard a piece of music by Vasks, outside of his piano music of course, that I've not come to love.

Both Cello Concertos work for me, but particularly #2. #1 first, though 🙂

[Karl Henning]

Wm Schuman
Song of Orpheus
Yehuda Hanani, vc

[NumberSix]

Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35
Yuja Wang

[foxandpeng]

Pēteris Vasks
Orchestral Works
Uladzimir Sinkovich
Cello Concerto 2, 'Klātbūtne'

Vasks:

'With every breath I am here in this world with all my ideals and dreams of a better world.'

Long may he and his music breathe resilience, perseverance and hope into his hearers!

[foxandpeng]

Wm Schuman
Song of Orpheus
Yehuda Hanani, vc

Yeah, I'm in. There is unexpected beauty here. Thanks, Karl.

[André]

My gesture towards Anton's big day, another go at his much-loved Fourth, which has thus far eluded me in terms of setting my pulse racing in the way other Bruckner symphonies do.
It seems a very decent performance, full of delightful detail, a sense of great spaces/giant breaths, endless melodic charms peeking out from the score etc. And there's plenty I do like about the symphony, the first movement for example, and the rest of the symphony has all sorts of Bruckner goodies to enjoy, but somehow it just doesn't quite hang together for me. I'm not even really sure why, perhaps one day that will change, but for now I just feel like I'm treading water a lot of the time. Having said that, as always there's plenty to catch the ear, and my revisit has by no means been entirely unrewarding or unenjoyable.
Happy b'day, Mr B.

The 4th has a somewhat problematic finale (he made various versions and revisions). For me a performance that nails the coda is a successful one. Unfortunately not very many achieve that. You must hear clearly the pulsating viola figurations underneath the brass chorales and violins. That can only be achieved when the tempo is slow and rock steady. Try Celibidache, Ballot or Hrusa to hear that coda properly handled.

[Bachtoven]

She's certainly a fine pianist and can cope with the ferocious difficulties of the Piano Concerto, but I can't help wondering how much better John Ogdon, for whom it was written, would play it. Until such a recording surfaces, this will do nicely. The other works are very good, too.

[André]

I've not yet gotten to a second listen of the Makela recording, but my first impression was similar to yours. The Gergiev is my favorite recording of the Fourth because of its intensity, but my opinion is undoubtedly flavored by the fact the Gergiev was my introduction to the symphony.

I'm not a Gergiev fan, but his reading of the 7th symphony (Leningrad) with the combined Kirov and Rotterdam orchestras is hugely impressive and a top recommendation imo.

[André]

Böhm's conducting is direct, unfussy, slightly leisurely and surprisingly tough in places. The WP play like angels cleaning up the sweets table. An unusual combination, but quite appropriate for Brahms.

[Traverso]

You forgot to mention the poets, Jan --- bad form when quoting them in full.     

We should be glad that there seems  always room for improvement,don't act as the fly on a dunghill ,cleaning its legs.... 

[foxandpeng]

Dmitri Shostakovich
Cello Concertos 1 and 2
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
WDR Sinfonieorchester
Hyperion

Outstanding, of course. #2 most of all. Last ones tonight, but a great way to close out Friday into Saturday's small hours.

[Bachtoven]

Another fine new release. He certainly has mellowed over the years--I sort of prefer his darker, more violent and complex earlier music.

[steve ridgway]

Scelsi: Anagamin

[steve ridgway]

Szymanowski: Litany To The Virgin Mary

[steve ridgway]

Xenakis: Psappha (Ciampolini, 2006)

[Harry]

I do think he has something in the #4, and I need to get a grasp of him in the rest, I think. The Leningrad has a real place in my heart, so this would have been amazing!

Glad to hear I'm not alone!

You never walk alone, I walk with you  

[Harry]

Dmitri Shostakovich
Cello Concertos 1 and 2
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
WDR Sinfonieorchester
Hyperion

Outstanding, of course. #2 most of all. Last ones tonight, but a great way to close out Friday into Saturday's small hours.

That was my impression too,

[Que]

Yesterday listening was interrupted a couple of times, therefore another run...   Excellent recording BTW, one for the shortlist.