What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[RichardB]

I thought it was time to launch myself into listening to a complete Ring des Nibelungen, not having done so for a while. Rather than the default Karajan recording, I decided this time on Janowski's 1983 version with the Dresden Staatskapelle which I haven't heard since it came out. So far (anvils about to begin) so good, although Peter Schreier as Loge just doesn't have that weirdness that Gerhard Stolze had for Karajan. The orchestra sounds beautiful of course.

[Joseph K]

Now - Scriabin sonata no. 4 - Maltempo

[BBMmk2]

Now - Scriabin sonata no. 4 - Maltempo

Looks interesting!

Having a dip into this cycle. It, I think was Barenboim’s earlier one. Uses the Haas Edition.

Bruckner
Te Deum
(Jessye Norman, Ruth Welling, sopranos
Yvonne Minton, mezzo-soprano,
David Randall, tenor, Samuel Randy, bass,
Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus,
Daniel Barenboim)
Symphony No.3 in D minor “Wagner “
Symphony No.4 in Eb major, “Romantic”
Symphony No.5 in Bb major
Symphony No.7 in Eb major
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim.

[pastoralguy]

Beethoven. Symphonies 4 & 8

André Previn conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. RCA.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Score following - Days 453-458

C M von Weber:
Der Freischutz (complete)

A Webern:
Passacaglia op1
Five Pieces for String Quartet op5
Six Pieces for Orchestra op6a
Six Bagatelles for String Quartet op9
Five Pieces for Orchestra op10
String Trio op20
Symphony op21
Concerto op24
Das Augenlicht op26
String Quartet op28
Cantata No 1 op29
Variations for Orchestra op30
Cantata No 2 op31

M Williamson:
Piano Concerto No 2
Symphony No 5 'Aquero'

H Wolf:
Italian Serenade for String Quartet

H Wood:
Symphony op21

A von Zemlinsky:
Lyric Symphony

[Joseph K]

Looks interesting!

Sounds interesting, too!

I'm about to listen to the sixth. While I greatly admire all of Scriabin's piano sonatas, I absolutely love the late ones. They're archetypal, visionary, so exquisite... that mystic chord of his, there is something almost hedonistic about it as well as proto-psychedelic... all expressive types seem to dissolve into each other... and while across the last five sonatas there is definitely a consistency of harmonic language (based on that chord) it is used to powerful, dazzlingly colourful ends.

And, listening (to the eighth, now) Maltempo has the measure of them. His tempos are judicious and the recorded sound is very good.

[RichardB]

Maltempo has the measure of them

- despite his name! Those are great recordings, my favourite Scriabin sonata set. The beginning of no.7 doesn't quite have the thunderously orchestral sound of Roberto Szidon but makes up for this in transparency.

[Joseph K]

The beginning of no.7 doesn't quite have the thunderously orchestral sound of Roberto Szidon but makes up for this in transparency.

My thought exactly!

And yes, it's my favourite too.

I've just now finished listening to Ferneyhough's Ploetzlichkeit, having listened previously to Liber Scintillarum. Fantastic works both. Pity the booklet does not list the particular instrumentation of Liber...

[RichardB]

Pity the booklet does not list the particular instrumentation of Liber...

Flute/piccolo, oboe/english horn, clarinet/bass clarinet, string trio

[Piazolla]

Every so often I do my own Malcom Arnold symphony cycle, I have the Naxos set and gradually work my way though them, each time I come back to them they grow on me more and more. Even the more demanding ones that I weren't so keen on have now become deeply rewarding experiences.

[Joseph K]

Flute/piccolo, oboe/english horn, clarinet/bass clarinet, string trio

Thanks.

[Stanfordian]

Rachmaninov
Symphony No. 2, Op. 27
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin /Robin Ticciati
Recorded 2020, Großer Sendesaal, Haus des Rundfunks Berlin,
Linn, new release

[Alison]

Every so often I do my own Malcom Arnold symphony cycle, I have the Naxos set and gradually work my way though them, each time I come back to them they grow on me more and more. Even the more demanding ones that I weren't so keen on have now become deeply rewarding experiences.

[BBMmk2]

Sir Charles Mackerras - Life with Czech Music - Dvorak and Smetana
CD 1
Dvorak
Slavonic Dances, Opp.46 & 72
CD 2
Symphonic Variations
Symphony No.6 in D major, Op.60.
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Charles Mackerras.

A wonderful box set, so far.

[BBMmk2]

The Christmas Album
Canadian Brass.