What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Bruckner
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, WAB 101
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Jochum

[Brian]

Starting to work through the Ballets Russes box, and tonight playing this curiosity:



Schumann's Carnaval, orchestrated by Arensky, Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Kalafati, Nikolai Tcherepnin, Liadov, and several others.

First ever listen.

[JBS]

Second listen


"Copland if he was a Brasiliero" might suggest how this music feels.

[Todd]

Starting to work through the Ballets Russes box, and tonight playing this curiosity:



Schumann's Carnaval, orchestrated by Arensky, Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Kalafati, Nikolai Tcherepnin, Liadov, and several others.

First ever listen.

I fear asking how the Carnaval sounds.

[Mirror Image]

Joining JBS, but this will be a first-listen:

Guerra-Peixe
Symphonic Suite No. 1, "Paulista"
Goiás PO
Neil Thomson



What struck me immediately was the Villa-Lobos meets Guarnieri harmonies, melodies and rhythms. I don't really hear a Copland influence, but the energy of the piece reminds me more of Bernstein.

[Brian]

I fear asking how the Carnaval sounds.

You fear correctly. The various Russians' approach is to soften and sweeten them all, so the headlong rush of momentum you get when a great pianist starts in on one of the miniatures is totally absent. My favorite is the way that the Chopin number seems to start in media res, as if you're crashing into the climax of one of the nocturnes. Here, it's just a gentle clarinet solo. There isn't even a violin in "Paganini." Robert Irving may be hurting by insisting on ballet-dance-able tempos. I will say that Glazunov's concluding March is kind of delightfully Russian in color; doesn't sound German anymore at all.

It's coupled with the Ozawa/Boston Firebird, and I can't think of a bigger contrast. Next time I reach for this disc from the box, it's gonna be real hard choosing between primal energy and primal naptime.

Glad everyone else is listening to Guerra-Peixe tonight. That disc is fantastic. The Good Stuff for sure.

[Madiel]

Starting to work through the Ballets Russes box, and tonight playing this curiosity:



Schumann's Carnaval, orchestrated by Arensky, Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Kalafati, Nikolai Tcherepnin, Liadov, and several others.

First ever listen.

The world needs more of these sorts of recordings. I mean, I'm not for a second suggesting that the repurposed ballet scores are sensational music, but they are an important part of the story of ballet.

I think even the Warner box is missing a fair few of the adaptations that the Ballets Russes used, because a lot of them just haven't been recorded. The disc below includes the music of Les Orientales, from the same Ballets Russes season as both Carnaval and The Firebird, but that required reconstructing a couple of the orchestrations that had been lost.

[Brian]

The world needs more of these sorts of recordings. I mean, I'm not for a second suggesting that the repurposed ballet scores are sensational music, but they are an important part of the story of ballet.

I think even the Warner box is missing a fair few of the adaptations that the Ballets Russes used, because a lot of them just haven't been recorded. The disc below includes the music of Les Orientales, from the same Ballets Russes season as both Carnaval and The Firebird, but that required reconstructing a couple of the orchestrations that had been lost.

I agree; I'm certainly glad I heard it once and would like to hear the rest of the Ballets Russes unrecorded rarities. It gives you a glimpse into what was popular and prized back then, and into how they saw the original score.

[bhodges]

After watching Ravel's Boléro, choreographed by Maurice Béjart, a friend urged me to watch this one with Christoph Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris. Eschenbach simply stands at the podium, basically conducting with only his head (and all but glaring at the ensemble), until he finally "begins" conducting near the end. Most interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlODBWUj8-s

--Bruce

[JBS]

Joining JBS, but this will be a first-listen:

Guerra-Peixe
Symphonic Suite No. 1, "Paulista"
Goiás PO
Neil Thomson



What struck me immediately was the Villa-Lobos meets Guarnieri harmonies, melodies and rhythms. I don't really hear a Copland influence, but the energy of the piece reminds me more of Bernstein.

I didn't mean Copland influenced him--meant more "this is how Copland might have written music if he had been Brasilian and not USA".
V-L is a fair reference, but "Circle of Friends" might sound more Ginasteran.
TD
WAM before bedtime

[bhodges]

Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole (Haitink / Concertgebouw) - I had forgotten how languid and easygoing Haitink is here, though there are plenty of fireworks, too.

--Bruce

[Todd]

You fear correctly. The various Russians' approach is to soften and sweeten them all, so the headlong rush of momentum you get when a great pianist starts in on one of the miniatures is totally absent. My favorite is the way that the Chopin number seems to start in media res, as if you're crashing into the climax of one of the nocturnes. Here, it's just a gentle clarinet solo. There isn't even a violin in "Paganini." Robert Irving may be hurting by insisting on ballet-dance-able tempos. I will say that Glazunov's concluding March is kind of delightfully Russian in color; doesn't sound German anymore at all.

Oof.  Worse than expected.  I will never listen to it.  Thank you for saving me the time and misery.

[Operafreak]

Bliss: Cello Concerto, Music for Strings & Two Studies

Tim Hugh (cello)- English Northern Philharmonia, David Lloyd-Jones

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Delius
Brigg Fair
Hallé
Barbirolli

From this set -



Absolutely ravishing and the fidelity of this remaster is as good as it'll ever get.

[Madiel]

Time for six foot two of Russian gloom.

Piano Concerto No.2

[Que]

Agree w/ Harry - I've had this rather unusual set, i.e. done by seven violin students (see brief quote below and more at the link, i.e. Fanfare review) - this is really 'one-stop' shopping - all the concertos on 3 discs well performed and good sound (I paid $18 on Amazon for the set in 2015 and not much more now) - recommended!  Dave

I'll definitely try more from the set! Even though on my Spotify some tracks are "blocked" - probably meant as an incentive to buy.  Indeed well recorded and there is a lot of orchestral detail to enjoy.

[Maestro267]

Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Berlin PO/Karajan

[Mandryka]

Sharp and spiky shards of glass mixed with discharges from a Van Der Graaf generator and burrs of metal. Nice.

[Harry]

Sharp and spiky shards of glass mixed with discharges from a Van Der Graaf generator and burrs of metal. Nice.

That's one way of explaining this performance, it made me grin from ear to ear.

[Que]

Before on Spotify:



I guess this will go on the list for a purchase of the physical set.

Now: