What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Stanfordian]

Ooh - I must give that a listen........

Hiya Cockney Sparrow,

This Muti Verdi Requiem from Munich is one of the best that I've heard.

[jayne lee wilson]

That looks tasty!

Often very beautiful and lyrical, Petrassi's Monologhi date from right across his creative career, from 1933 to 1980, just as the Concerti per Orchestra do. His invention and imagination have a visionary sheen.
The notes are excellent, though the CD-inlay tracklist is missing on the streamed booklet. A pity as the tracklist doesn't follow the chronological order; although the notes explain why, and the different approaches a listener might take...
(The 7 Pieces are for: Piano, Guitar, Flute(s), Viola, Guitar, Violin, Harp.)

One of the best discoveries of my listening year, for sure.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Hiya Cockney Sparrow,

This Muti Verdi Requiem from Munich is one of the best that I've heard.

Thanks very mich for the recommendation. Translating intention into action, its tee'd up on the streaming service ready for tomorrow morning (not exactly early hours listening.......)

[BBMmk2]

Bach - Transcriptions
Including
Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 (Orch Ottorino Respighi)
Chaconne from Partita No.2 in D minor BWV 1004(Orch Joachim Raff)
Prelude & Fugue in Eb major, BWV 552, “St Ann” (Orch. Arnold Schoenberg)
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonard Slatkin.

[Bryn]

Beethoven: works for piano and cello [+ piano and horn sonata arr. for piano and cello] (Isserlis and Levin). I am not exactly short of recordings of these works, neither using historical nor modern setup instruments but these, due to Hyperion's antipathy towards streaming, have had to await the availability of a reasonably priced "used: very good" set. Isserlis uses vibrato sparingly and to good effect (i.e. not laid on with a trowel). A very well-thought-out and played survey.

[Stanfordian]

‘Nuits’ – Véronique Gens
Mélodies from Berlioz, Chausson, Fauré, Hahn, La Tombelle, Lekeu,
Liszt, Louiguy, Massenet, Messager, Ropartz, Saint-Saëns & Widor
(Transcriptions for string quartet & piano by Alexandre Dratwicki)
Véronique Gens (soprano)
I Giardini
Recorded 2019 Salle Philharmonique de Liège, Belgium
Alpha Classics

Ropartz
Piano Trio in A minor
String Trio in A minor
Prélude, marine et chansons
Alexis Galpérine (violin), Cécilia Tsan (cello), Jean-Louis Haguenauer (piano)
Ensemble Stanislasb
Recorded 1995 (Piano Trio, Prélude) & 2006 (String Trio) Salle Poirel, Nancy
Timpani

[jayne lee wilson]

Beethoven: works for piano and cello [+ piano and horn sonata arr. for piano and cello] (Isserlis and Levin). I am not exactly short of recordings of these works, neither using historical nor modern setup instruments but these, due to Hyperion's antipathy towards streaming, have had to await the availability of a reasonably priced "used: very good" set. Isserlis uses vibrato sparingly and to good effect (i.e. not laid on with a trowel). A very well-thought-out and played survey.

You got to these last year, yeah? Saturnalia soundtrack here.....

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/beethoven-complete-works-for-fortepiano-and-violoncello-nicolas-altstaedt-and-alexander-lonquich/jz1jkjkhdviaa

[Bryn]

You got to these last year, yeah? Saturnalia soundtrack here.....
https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/be.../jz1jkjkhdviaa

Bien sûr.

[pastoralguy]

Brahms. Concerto for violin and’cello.

Joshua Bell, violin and Steven Isserlis, ‘cello. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

A £2 charity shop find which I discovered was signed by the artists! I seem to remember this cd getting a Luke warm review somewhere so I avoided it but it’s lovely playing. I’m especially enjoying Bell’s playing even though he’s not one of my favourite violinists.

[pastoralguy]

Schumann. Violin Sonatas 1 & 2
Eva Graubin, violin and Theodore Paraskivesco, piano.

This recording is an old friend as I had it on cassette tape and used to play it often in the 80’s when I was a young violin student. Alas, the tape long since disappeared so I was delighted to find the cd in a charity shop today. This is one of those recordings that probably sounded better when I used to play it through my radio/tape ghetto blaster since the cd highlights the slightly boxy recording.

I can’t find much information about Ms. Grauvin who appears to have disappeared and is only referred to as a teacher for some players I’ve not really heard of. The Schumann cd seems to have been her only recording so I have no idea what happened to her career. There was a reference to her having been involved in a serious car accident so that my have had an effect on her playing ability.

Now listening to Carolin Widmann, violin & Dénes Várjon, piano. An ECM disc.

Very fine playing and an infinitely better recording but it’s just not quite got what Ms. Graubin and Mr. Paraskivesco’s recording has.

[Stanfordian]

Bruckner
Motets
St. Bride's Church Choir / Robert Jones
Recorded 1994 St. Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London
Naxos. A favourite recording, in fact I consider it a Naxos great.

Hans Werner Henze
Symphony No. 2 for large orchestra
Symphony No. 10 for large orchestra
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Marek Janowski
Recorded 2012/13 Haus des Rundfunks, RBB, Berlin
Wergo

[BBMmk2]

Yesterday and today, an Elgar session

Yesterday’s

Sir Edward Elgar
Organ Sonata in G major, Op.28
“Enigma” Variations, Op.36
Transcribed for organ, by Keith John
Keith John (organ of the Temple Church, London)

Violin Sonata in E minor, Op.82
Piano Quintet in A minor, Op.84
The Nash Ensemble

Overture: Froissart, Op.19
Dream Children, Op. 43
The Music Makers, Op.69
Bach/Elgar
Fantasia in C minor, BWV537, Op.86
Jane Irwin (mezzo-soprano)
Hallé Choir & Orchestra
Sir Mark Elder.

Symphony No.1 in Ab, Op.55
Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli

Introduction & Allegro
Sinfonia of London
Sir John Barbirolli

Symphony No.2 Eb, Op.63
Hallé Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli

Elegy, Op.58
Sospiri, Op.70
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli

[BBMmk2]

Today’s listening

Brahms
Piano Sonata No.3 in F minor, Op.5
Fantasien, Op.117
Adam Laloum, piano.

Erkki-Sven Tuür
Violin Concerto (1998)
Aditus for orchestra (2000 Rev.2002)
Exodus for Orchestra (199)
Isabelle van Keulen (violin)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Paavo Järvi

[Stanfordian]

Wagner, Berg & Mahler – ‘Orchestral Songs’ – Anja Harteros
Wagner
Wesendonck-Lieder
Berg
Sieben frühe Lieder
Mahler
Rückert-Lieder
Anja Harteros (soprano)
Münchner Philharmoniker / Valery Gergiev
Recorded 2018 (Wagner); 2020 (Berg); 2019 (Mahler), Philharmonie, Munich
Münchner Philharmoniker MPHIL (own label) new release

[Hitch]

Bartók
Romanian Folk Dances Sz.56 (arr. violin & piano)
Kurt Nikkanen, Rohan De Silva
Collins Classics

Be warned, Spotify cuts short the fourth movement.