What are you listening to now - I ?

[Suffolkcoastal]

Back to my symphonic journey the last couple of nights.

1841 (concluding)
Schumann: Symphony No 1 'Spring'
Schumann: Symphony No 4
Spohr: Symphony No 7 in C major 'The Earthly & Divine in Human Life'
Verhulst: Symphony in E minor
1842 (begun)
Berlioz: Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale
Berwald: Symphony No 2 in D major 'Sinfonie capricieuse'
Gade: Symphony No 1 in C minor

The Schumann symphonies of course need no introduction from me, but hearing them in symphonic context is very illuminating. Listening to the 4th straight after the 1st also shows the closeness of the thematic material in both works. I'm rather fond of No1 but always struggle somewhat with No 4 although I admire the concept of linking the four movements, I'm not sure what it is but No 4 never really stays with me after hearing it.
The Spohr is a novel work in 3 movements, scored for a 'double' orchestra one of which is really a chamber orchestra of 11 players, the music is programmatic and the contrasts between the chamber and full orchestra are a very novel effect for the time, the invention though not always of Spohr's best is made more interesting by the orchestral and harmonic touches.
It is a pity the E minor was Verhulst's only symphony, it is quite attractive with some occasionally interesting harmonic touches in the 1st movement. The Berlioz I find rather quirky in his only inimitable way, the 1842 version I listened too included the final choral apotheosis. Not a true symphony of course and perhaps a rather required taste but still interesting to hear in context.
The Berwald like all 4 of his completed symphonies is an absolutely fascinating work. There is instantly something about the symphony that is completely individualistic and oddly Scandinavian I can never quite put my finger on why it sounds Scandinavian except that there is a certain distinct openness about the harmony. The central slow movement I find very effective. Finally another Scandinavian, Neils Gade this 1st symphony of his which he sent to Mendelssohn and which resulted in a friendship and Gade becoming Mendelssohn's deputy until the latter's untimely death, has again a certain freshness and touches of individuality inspite of the rather obvious Mendelssohnian features. I was struck by the rather beautiful slow movement for me the best movement and I can understand why Mendelssohn was impressed with the symphony.

[Roehre]

Today:

Tubin:
Symphony no.3 „Heroic“ (1940/’42 rev 1978)

Reimann:
Kuni Ori (1999)

[Bryn]

From DVD - Shostakovich: 'Cello Concerto #2 (Rostropovich/Svetlanov 1966 - probably the premier) and Violin Concerto #1 (Kogan/Svetlanov 1976).

[gurnemanz]

My wife produced a surprise bottle of Prosecco at 10 o'clock . My response was a Cole Porter compilation CD including some tunes appropriate to today's date:

Irving Aaronson- Let's Misbehave
Cole Porter (himself) - You're the Top
Billie Holiday - Let's Do It (some hope)
Marlene Dietrich - You Do Something to Me (great)
Lee Wiley- Looking at You (superb jazzy rendition)
Libby Holman - Love for Sale (?)
Anita O'Day - What Is This Thing Called Love?
Lena Horne - At Long Last Love
Lee Wiley - Find Me a Primitive Man (and why not?)

[cloughie]

My wife produced a surprise bottle of Prosecco at 10 o'clock . My response was a Cole Porter compilation CD including some tunes appropriate to today's date:

Irving Aaronson- Let's Misbehave
Cole Porter (himself) - You're the Top
Billie Holiday - Let's Do It (some hope)
Marlene Dietrich - You Do Something to Me (great)
Lee Wiley- Looking at You (superb jazzy rendition)
Libby Holman - Love for Sale (?)
Anita O'Day - What Is This Thing Called Love?
Lena Horne - At Long Last Love
Lee Wiley - Find Me a Primitive Man (and why not?)

Ever tried Manhattan Transfer's Love for Sale - Absolute magic!

[cloughie]

Back to my symphonic journey the last couple of nights.

1841 (concluding)
Schumann: Symphony No 1 'Spring'
Schumann: Symphony No 4
Spohr: Symphony No 7 in C major 'The Earthly & Divine in Human Life'
Verhulst: Symphony in E minor
1842 (begun)
Berlioz: Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale
Berwald: Symphony No 2 in D major 'Sinfonie capricieuse'
Gade: Symphony No 1 in C minor

The Schumann symphonies of course need no introduction from me, but hearing them in symphonic context is very illuminating. Listening to the 4th straight after the 1st also shows the closeness of the thematic material in both works. I'm rather fond of No1 but always struggle somewhat with No 4 although I admire the concept of linking the four movements, I'm not sure what it is but No 4 never really stays with me after hearing it.
The Spohr is a novel work in 3 movements, scored for a 'double' orchestra one of which is really a chamber orchestra of 11 movements, the music is programmatic and the contrasts between the chamber and full orchestra are a very novel effect for the time, the invention though not always of Spohr's best is made more interesting by the orchestral and harmonic touches.
It is a pity the E minor was Verhulst's only symphony, it is quite attractive with some occasionally interesting harmonic touches in the 1st movement. The Berlioz I find rather quirky in his only inimitable way, the 1842 version I listened too included the final choral apotheosis. Not a true symphony of course and perhaps a rather required taste but still interesting to hear in context.
The Berwald like all 4 of his completed symphonies is an absolutely fascinating work. There is instantly something about the symphony that is completely individualistic and oddly Scandinavian I can never quite put my finger on why it sounds Scandinavian except that there is a certain distinct openness about the harmony. The central slow movement I find very effective. Finally another Scandinavian, Neils Gade this 1st symphony of his which he sent to Mendelssohn and which resulted in a friendship and Gade becoming Mendelssohn's deputy until the latter's untimely death, has again a certain freshness and touches of individuality inspite of the rather obvious Mendelssohnian features. I was struck by the rather beautiful slow movement for me the best movement and I can understand why Mendelssohn was impressed with the symphony.

Going by the year were you listening to the original 1841 4 or the later revision. If the orchestra leader is on the money with violin solos it is pure magic!
Also it is strange to think of the Berlioz as a contemporary of the others listed. Never heard the Spohr - maybe it should be on the recommended Breafast list.

[Anna]

The Smiths. Not being recipient of any Valentines, I reserve the right to be miserable. Oh well, You Haven't Just Earned it Yet Baby.
edit: I love Jonny Marr's sparkling guitar and Morrissy really lifts me up.

[cloughie]

The Smiths. Not being recipient of any Valentines, I reserve the right to be miserable. Oh well, You Haven't Just Earned it Yet Baby.
edit: I love Jonny Marr's sparkling guitar and Morrissy really lifts me up.

You man Len's not the Man to cheer you up?

[Beef Oven]

Das Rheingold - Barenboim - Bayreuth etc

[Suffolkcoastal]

It was the revised version I was listening to cloughie, though I've heard the original version on a couple of occasions, I was listening to Sawallisch's Dresden recording btw. With revised works and different versions of the works I have made a decision to generally listen to the symphony in question against the year in which it was originally composed, especially if there are a number of revisions or the revisions occured a number of years after the work was first written. With the various versions of Bruckner's symphonies for example to contend with I think this is the most straightforward way to do it (though with the 9th I'll probably listen to it under 1896 being unfinished at his death). Where symphonies are completely rewritten like a couple of the Langgaard ones then its whichever version I have (i.e. 1915 or 1931).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

:Not being recipient of any Valentines, I reserve the right to be miserable.

I'd blame the rubbish postal system, Anna.

[salymap]

The Smiths. Not being recipient of any Valentines, I reserve the right to be miserable. Oh well, You Haven't Just Earned it Yet Baby.
edit: I love Jonny Marr's sparkling guitar and Morrissy really lifts me up.

No Valentines this year either Anna, you are not alone. My choice Stormy Weather

[BBMmk2]

Very drole, salymap!!

Been listening to:-

Nielsen: Symphonies nos 1 - 3.
San Fransico Symnphony,
Herbert Blomstedt

*Debussy: Le Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.
Irene Jacob(narrator) Elizabeth Atherton(soprano)
Jennifer Johnson, Tove Dahkber,(mezzo sopranos),
BBC NOW Chorus and Orchestra,
Thierry Fischer.

*This sounds like a really good recording and performance of a work that I havnt heard before.

[Roehre]

Today:

Schubert:
Winterrreise op.89 D.911 (the latest BBC MM CD)

Villem Kapp:
Symphony no.2 (1955)

Stravinsky:
Firebird (suite 1945)

Ferneyhough:
String quartet no.6 (2010)

[Bryn]

Making the most of my 48 hour pass at the Berliner Phil's Digital Concert Hall, now listening to Berio's Sequenza X. Lots more listening to do there before my time runs out. Fortunately things are currently running more smoothly than they did for the Rattle Bruckner 9 (in the 2010 revision of the Samale et al completion) this afternoon. I did eventually get to hear it all.