What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Renfield]

*raises both eyebrows*

Que, these sound amazing!

I really must investigate: I've nothing of Opus Kura in my collection...

[Harry]

Another composer that has a special place in my heart. Think his craft is a very sound one, with melodies that please my ear. I fine composer, with a marvelous punch in the scoring department.

[SonicMan46]

Well, after another week or so and several more listenings of these late 19th-early 20th century String Quartets by 'little known' composers, I must agree w/ Harry that the music and performances are indeed wonderful - and I adore the cover art (had a previous post commenting on the artist & showing a few more of his works) - I've not reviewed the other works composed by these two 'late romantics' nor the available recordings, but would certainly be interested! 

Kienzl, Wilhelm (1857-1941) - String Quartets, Nos. 1-3 w/ Thomas Christian Ensemble.

Marx, Joseph (1882-1964) - Complete String Quartets w/ same group as above.


 

[Renfield]

The content aside, Klimt is Klimt! Certainly one of my own favourite painters.


Will spin Jochum's Bruckner 2nd from the Dresden Staatskapelle cycle on EMI, in a few minutes. I might end up going through the whole set, as the 9th really did settle in much more comfortably than the last time I'd heard it!

And something to note is that I have the Brilliant version of the cycle, for the sake of not suffering another of those bland EMI boxes. I've suffered it enough with Tennstedt's Mahler; though not to say that Brilliant's covers are exactly, well, brilliant.






Oh, and the Sibelius I listened to the other day, Ashkenazy's, on which I never did report back, I found as pleasantly bland as ever. Very hearty orchestral playing, though. And all in all, a first-class second rate Sibelius cycle! (In my personal view, of course.)

[Que]

*raises both eyebrows*

Que, these sound amazing!

I really must investigate: I've nothing of Opus Kura in my collection...

Heartily recommended! Opus Kura delivers top notch transfers of historical recordings in my experience. Check out the Bruckner 5th with Furtwaengler....


Now:



(The Schumann)

Q

[Lethevich]

As much as I like Duruflé, who was of the same generation, Poulenc's choral music makes his sound completely minor in comparison... Super, super duper.

No music for 4 days as I go on lecturing in Inner Monglolia and a couple of other places. Finally got back and I put a CD on within the first minute. It happens to be:

Tuur: Cello Concerto

Yay, a good one

[Moldyoldie]

Nielsen: Symphony No. 2 "The Four Temperaments";  Symphony No. 3 "Sinfonia Espansiva"
San Francisco Symphony
Herbert Blomstedt, cond.
LONDON
Once again, it's been years since I've heard these.  I just have to ask myself, WHY?  The sheer variety of style and substance put forth by this foremost Danish composer is staggering and quite often breathtaking!  Blomstedt and Company play these works with precision, panache, and total commitment.  And there's nothing to complain about the recording -- extremely vivid, up-close, and with a subtle bloom to make the often hard-edged music comfortably resonant.

[Sergeant Rock]

Listening to the "boring" death-obsessed 15th quartet:




Sarge

[karlhenning]

Listening to the "boring" death-obsessed 15th quartet

[Renfield]

A triumph of a disc, in my estimate; veritable triumph.

[Keemun]

[karlhenning]

Britten
Sinfonia da requiem, Opus 20
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Simon Rattle

[mn dave]

Noice!

[Harry]

Paul Hindemith.
Complete Sonatas for Solo instruments and Piano, Volume V.
Ensemble Villa Musica.

This is wonderful stuff, from the sonata for flute and piano, and the sonata for English Horn and piano, it all amounts to excellence, and I am very glad I bought the complete set on MDG.
Try it, you will like it, I am sure. Played it trice in one go!

[Sergeant Rock]

Listening to a CD from Annie Fischer's Beethoven set: Op.90, Op.14/1, Op.14/2 and Op.101




Sarge

[Opus106]

Listening to the first CD I bought with a violin concerto.

Sibelius
Perlman/Boston SO/Leinsdorf

It's paired with Tchaikovsky's.

[Keemun]

Noice!

Yes. 

Now listening to:

[Renfield]

I'm willing to forgive Dausgaard for using the original version of the 4th symphony on the count of how well he delivers it.

Still, an excellent disc as this might be, the incredible disc with the 1st symphony and the overtures it isn't.

[marvinbrown]

During the past 7 days a Richard Strauss Marathon:

 

  followed by this:

 

  followed by this:

   

  These 3 operas demonstrate Strauss' brilliance when composing for the soprano voice, his favorite voice.  Each of these operas, and most notably Daphne and Ariadne auf Naxos are filled with beautiful melodic music written for a soaring soprano voice- turn the volume up that's what I say.... amazing  0:)!

  marvin

[George]

Listening to a CD from Annie Fischer's Beethoven set: Op.90, Op.14/1, Op.14/2 and Op.101

.....and?