What are you listening 2 now?

[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.

[vandermolen]

Szymanowski: Litany To The Virgin Mary

Great CD!

[vandermolen]

Cyril Scott: Symphony No.1 and Cello Concerto
This CD gets played a lot here - both fine, largely forgotten works. This is my favourite of the excellent Chandos series. The dreamy opening of the Cello Concerto is especially haunting and the Symphony has a number of memorable and inspiriting moments.

[Que]

[Mandryka]

There's a track from Beghin's forthcoming release of these sonatas on spotify.

[Iota]

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.

Thanks, will check those out. Have always liked Celi in Bruckner, the other two I've not heard. I have a feeling it may take more than the coda to resolve my impasse with the symphony, but very interested to hear the details you're talking about, and will see where that leads.

[Traverso]

Fauré

CD 1

I am always amazed at how great the contrast can be between the horrors in the world and the charm that emanates from the very first song of this set, "Papillon et la Fleur".

[Florestan]

I am always amazed at how great the contrast can be between the horrors in the world and the charm that emanates from the very first song of this set, " Le Papillon et la Fleur".

Entirely in line with Faure's own artistic creed:

For me, art, and especially music, exist to elevate us as far as possible above everyday existence.

Some might call it escapism. Let'em, it's entirely their loss. 

And of course --- great cycle of Faure's songs, strong contender for the best ever.

[Madiel]

Holmboe: String Quartet no.1

First listen to this version from the 1960s. It's started quite well.



Edit: And it's continuing well. The final movement goes off like a rocket, molto vivace indeed.

[Irons]

Holmboe: String Quartet no.1

First listen to this version from the 1960s. It's started quite well.



Edit: And it's continuing well. The final movement goes off like a rocket, molto vivace indeed.

I have on LP 2 & 6 from same set will spin soon.                                                           

[Madiel]

I have on LP 2 & 6 from same set will spin soon.                                                           

Someone offered rips of 1&4, 2&6 and 9&10. Given how unlikely it is I'll hear them any other way, I took the downloads.

However... I'm now trying to see whether I can track down the rights holders of the Fona catalogue to say "how about you copy this trend of putting LPs on streaming services?". Based on listening to quartet number 1, this could be a really great set of performances.

EDIT: I've moved on to SQ 4, and it also sounds rather good. Lots of drive.

[VonStupp]

Gioachino Rossini
Péchés De Vieillesse
  Vol. II. Album Français
  Vol. III Morceaux Réservés
Chorus Musicus - Christoph Spering

A parlor room-type vocal recital, with a communal singing aspect from the few choral numbers. Spering is at the harmonium, plus the pipe organ for the rather beautiful Ave Maria.

[SonicMan46]

Ries, Ferdinand (1784-1838) - own nearly 30 discs of Ries' works - listening to the recordings below - most of my CDs include the Piano Concertos (5), Symphonies (4), String Quartets (4), and Piano + Violin Sonatas/Sonatinas (7), the latter w/ Susan Kagan. Ries and Beethoven (see short bio below) were both born in Bonn; "when Ries died, he was so forgotten that no leading music magazine wrote an obituary for him" (LINK below).  Dave

Ferdinand Ries was a German composer. Ries was a friend, pupil and secretary of Ludwig van Beethoven. He composed eight symphonies, a violin concerto, nine piano concertos (the first not published), three operas, and numerous other works, including 26 string quartets. In 1838 he published reminiscences of Beethoven, co-written with Franz Wegeler. Ries' symphonies, some chamber works—most of them with piano—his violin concerto and his piano concertos have been recorded, exhibiting his connection to Beethoven, lying between the Classical and early Romantic styles. (Source)

     

[NumberSix]

Saturday Symphony!



Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Chailly, Leipzig

I have the Gould piano version (by Liszt) cue'd up to follow it, if the mood strikes. I just learned about these piano transcriptions the other day, and I really like what I've sampled (a bit of the full cycle by Cyprien Katsaris); I figured I'd try the Gould. He also recorded the 6th.