What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Bryn]

And?

Upstanding[sic] performance from the chin-held instruments. Isabelle seated, as usual. Typical Wolff, well presented.

[Mandryka]

Upstanding[sic] performance from the chin-held instruments. Isabelle seated, as usual. Typical Wolff, well presented.

I think the only thing I’ve ever really enjoyed by Wolff is the improvisation with Larry Polansky and Kui Dong.

Anyway, I’m having my own private Rihm festival, this morning this

https://plaist.bandcamp.com/album/wolfgang-rihm-ber-die-linie

[BBMmk2]

This afternoon Saint-Saens Second piano concerto in the solo piano arrangement by Bizet on a new Piano Classics CD. Very impressive!

Sounds interesting!

Today, a session of listening to the recordings of the Sinfonia of London/John Wilson.


Korngold
Symphony in F# major, Op.40
Theme & Variations, Op.42
Straussiana
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson

Respighi
The Roman Trilogy
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson

English Music for Strings
Britten
Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge Lament,H117
Lennox Berkeley
Serenade for Strings, Op.12
Bliss
Music for Strings, F123
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson

Duttileaux Le Loup
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson

Ravel Orchestral Works
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson.

[pastoralguy]

Brahms. The String Sextets.

The Belcea Quartet with Tabea Zimmermann, viola and Jean-Guinean Queyras, ‘cello.

Alpha-Classics.

I’m loving this recording the more I’m listening to it. Having said that, surely I’m not the only member of this board who feels guilty about enjoying music in a comfy house with a full belly while so much suffering is going on?

[Stanfordian]

Donizetti
‘Roberto Devereux’, three act lyric tragedy (prem. 1837)
Elisabetta, (Queen of England) Nelly Miricioiu (soprano);
Roberto Devereux, (Earl of Essex) José Bros (tenor);
Sara, (Duchess of Nottingham) Sonia Ganassi (mezzo-soprano);
Duke of Nottingham, Roberto Frontali (baritone);
Lord Cecil, Robin Leggate, (tenor);
Raleigh, Graeme Broadbent (bass)
Chorus and Orchestra of Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London / Maurizio Benini
Recorded 2002, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London
Opera Rara 2CDs

[Stanfordian]

Brahms. The String Sextets.

The Belcea Quartet with Tabea Zimmermann, viola and Jean-Guinean Queyras, ‘cello.

Alpha-Classics.

Hello PG,

I have that new CD too but I have not played it yet but will over the weekend. I have seen the Quartet and the two soloists all seperately live in concert and all are first class players so I'm looking forward to hearing the CD.

[BBMmk2]

Starting a theme of listening to Handel’s Oratorios.

Handel
Athalia
Joan Sutherland Athalia
Emma Kirkby Jesabeth
Aled Jones Joas
Joad James Bowman
Mathan Anthony Rolfe Johnson
Abner David Thomas
Choir of New College Oxford
Academy of Ancient Music
Christopher Hogwood

[Bryn]

Having been constrained by a combination of health and transport difficulties to miss today's Lunchtime performance of the Liszt piano solo arrangement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony at City University Performance Space (Prof.* Ian Pace), I have had to 'make do' with the fine recording of the work by Yury Martynov (1837Erhard).

[RichardB]

Arthur Honegger, Symphony no.3, with the Bern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mario Venzago.

As I mentioned in another thread, Maestro Venzago is conducting on my home turf this evening, but unfortunately I have another engagement that I can't change, so I went along to the dress rehearsal this morning to see him conduct this work, which he clearly has a strong connection to. My OH reckons the first movement sounds like one of Bernard Herrmann's Hitchcock scores; I think an aliquot of Prokofiev is also present. It does get a bit ponderous, but the third movement, and the way it eventually expands on the end of the second, is completely convincing both on the CD and live. The programme also contains a work for trumpet and orchestra by Christian Jost which struck me as unfocused and threadbare; I had the opportunity to meet and chat with the maestro who is a charming individual (also with the orchestra) - he said that he'd wanted the trumpet concerto by B A Zimmermann instead, but that the budget didn't extend to hiring the necessary five saxophonists, which no doubt is why that marvellous piece isn't performed more often.

[Bryn]

Arthur Honegger, Symphony no.3, with the Bern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mario Venzago.

As I mentioned in another thread, Maestro Venzago is conducting on my home turf this evening, but unfortunately I have another engagement that I can't change, so I went along to the dress rehearsal this morning to see him conduct this work, which he clearly has a strong connection to. My OH reckons the first movement sounds like one of Bernard Herrmann's Hitchcock scores; I think an aliquot of Prokofiev is also present. It does get a bit ponderous, but the third movement, and the way it eventually expands on the end of the second, is completely convincing both on the CD and live. The programme also contains a work for trumpet and orchestra by Christian Jost which struck me as unfocused and threadbare; I had the opportunity to meet and chat with the maestro who is a charming individual (also with the orchestra) - he said that he'd wanted the trumpet concerto by B A Zimmermann instead, but that the budget didn't extend to hiring the necessary five saxophonists, which no doubt is why that marvellous piece isn't performed more often.

At least he was not forced to resort to Honegger's 2nd.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I’m loving this recording the more I’m listening to it. Having said that, surely I’m not the only member of this board who feels guilty about enjoying music in a comfy house with a full belly while so much suffering is going on?

I was musing on 'enjoying' music and it occurred to me that at the moment it is something to escape to and for the soul to enjoy, rather than for us to enjoy in a purely hedonistic sense (I know that's not what you mean!) as we might more normally.

My listening today started with Beethoven's cello sonata opus 5 no. 2, played by a Russian - Rostropovich - and a Ukrainian - Richter, and recorded, it so happens, in June 1962.

Life-enhancing music, as is op. 97 (Kempff/Szeryng/Fournier) which is playing at the moment.

[RichardB]

At least he was not forced to resort to Honegger's 2nd.

I wouldn't have minded that too much... although I guess importing an international soloist (Simon Höfele) to play it might have been thought a little extravagant.

[pastoralguy]

Mozart’s Piano Concertos No.15 in Bb, K.450 & No.21 in C K.467.

Alfred Brendel, piano. ASMF conducted by Neville Marriner. This is a cd I found in a charity shop for a pound yesterday. It’s an original ‘Blue Face’ cd from the first tranche of discs issued by Philips. I’ve built up a wee collection of these discs over the years. Very heavy boxes!

[pastoralguy]

I was musing on 'enjoying' music and it occurred to me that at the moment it is something to escape to and for the soul to enjoy, rather than for us to enjoy in a purely hedonistic sense (I know that's not what you mean!) as we might more normally.

My listening today started with Beethoven's cello sonata opus 5 no. 2, played by a Russian - Rostropovich - and a Ukrainian - Richter, and recorded, it so happens, in June 1962.

Life-enhancing music, as is op. 97 (Kempff/Szeryng/Fournier) which is playing at the moment.

[pastoralguy]

Jón Leifs. Organ Concerto. Op.7

Björn Steinar Sólbergsson playing the Hans Gard Klais Organ at the Hallgrim’s Church, Reykjavik.

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra conducted by En Shao. (BIS)

50p charity shop find. Oddly enough, I’ve picked up a few of this composer’s discs on the BIS label recently. Not really sure what to make of it. Seems very noisy!