What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Pulcinella]

Colin Davis did, of course, record both the Sym. in 3 mvts and the Sym. in C back in the '60s during his first spell with the LSO.

Probably the next versions I got to know after the composer's own.
I found the CD transfer rather tame (low voltage) though, as I did those of his Sibelius symphony set with the BSO, also on Philips.
Early days of CD transfer, I wonder? Perhaps they've been remastered since.

[pastoralguy]

Beethoven. Violin Concerto.

Wolfgang Schneiderham, violin. The Lucerne Festival Strings conducted by Herbert Bon Karajan. Live from 1961.

I picked up a boxed set in a charity shop entitled ‘Karajan - Beethoven’. ‘Milestones of a Legend’.Other components of this set seem to be from his Philharmonia and 1962/63 Berlin Philharmonic sets.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Fondly remembered as LXT5015 in its royal blue sleeve!

Those early unlaminated LXT sleeves looked very shabby, but nowadays they’d be regarded with great approval, being environmentally friendly.

[Joseph K]

Ferneyhough - Kurze Schatten II - Mauricio Galeano

[pastoralguy]

Agnes Zimmermann. Three violin sonatas.

Mathilde Milwidsky, violin and Sam Haywood, piano.

Very interesting music and absolutely GORGEOUS playing!

[Alison]

Really enjoying the Stravinsky/Andrew Davis SACD mentioned above.

Unusual clarity in both the conducting and recording, Davis a master of orchestral timbre and rhythmic precision.

Playing of a similar level to the BBCPO’s Vw/Tippett Prom this season. Outstanding.

[Pulcinella]

Really enjoying the Stravinsky/Andrew Davis SACD mentioned above.

Unusual clarity in both the conducting and recording, Davis a master of orchestral timbre and rhythmic precision.

Playing of a similar level to the BBCPO’s Vw/Tippett Prom this season. Outstanding.

Just found on Deezer (I've no idea who uploads there!) so saved in my system for streaming later.

[antongould]

Just found on Deezer (I've no idea who uploads there!) so saved in my system for streaming later.

How are you getting on with Sounds pulcers ..... ?????

[Pulcinella]

How are you getting on with Sounds pulcers ..... ?????

No time to explore further yet: too busy being retired, ha ha!
(Volunteer work, choir committee and follow-up, choir practice itself.....)

Just listened to the new Andrew Davis Stravinsky though: partner around so at a rather subdued volume.
Quite impressed, but Circus Polka seemed a bit too elephantine, and the Sin3 a bit ponderous in places; liked the SinC though.
I'll certainly listen again over the weekend.

I need to find something I want to hear via Sounds. A 'Through the night' possibly the best option, to avoid all the usual R3 hyperbole and nauseating chat!

[pastoralguy]

Mozart.

Piano Sonatas K.283, K.282 and K.545.

Claudio Arrau, piano.


Philips. Recorded 9/1985

[Dave2002]

Dvořák: String Quartets 12 & 13
Janáček: String Quartet No 1
Pavel Haas Quartet BBC Music Magazine CD

Recently I heard a really good performance by the Pavel Haas Quartet on R3 - I think it was the American Quartet.

I put on this CD - and I'm really not sure if it's the same performance as the broadcast one. Some of this CD is really not so "sweet" - and the recordings were taken from live performances. Partly I'm wondering if the slightly rough sound is due to the equipment I'm using to listen with - an old fashioned boom-box - as it's currently convenient. I shall take the CD next door to play on much better equipment later on or in the coming days, to see if it sounds any better.

However, particularly in the second of the Dvořák quartets, the CD seems to capture a very different flavour - the sort of effects one often hears only in live concerts, and which get all but eliminated in the near "perfection" of studio or edited recordings. By the end I was thoroughly "into" this one.

[richardfinegold]

Mozart.

Piano Sonatas K.283, K.282 and K.545.

Claudio Arrau, piano.


Philips. Recorded 9/1985

Those late Arrau Mozart recordings just didn’t do much for me. How did you like it?

[richardfinegold]

Dvorak. VC with Milstein/Steinberg, Cello Concerto with Fournier/Szell/Berlin PO. This disc is from HDTT and only cost around $9.
I had never previously heard either, although they are well known recordings. The VC is simply staggering. For years this has been Suk /Ancerl for me but this simply sweeps them aside. Milstein soars, and the choices of rubato, particularly in the finale, makes the development sound much less repetitive than the Supraphon. The latter sounds a bit more echo-Bohemian, but I think it’s a good think to de emphasize the attractive folky qualities in favor of a more symphonic sweep.

The Cello Concerto is less impressive though still enjoyable. The primary interest for me is Szell, because the only other recording of him in this work I have heard is the 1930s version with Casals. The soloist is recorded quite closely. There are lots of good things on display-the Berlin Horn at the beginning of I is a case in point, as is the ending of the slow movement-but I found my attention wandering a bit in the outer movements

[BBMmk2]

Yesterday’s listening.

As it was Vernon Handley’s birthday yesterday, I had a session of his recordings.

Delius
Florida Suite
North Country Sketches
2 Small Pieces for Orchestra
Air & Dance.
Ulster Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vernon Handley

Bax - Orchestral Works Vol.2
Spring Fire
Northern Ballad No.2
Northern Ballad No.3 “Prelude for a Solemn Occasion”
Mediterranean
Symphonic Scherzo
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Bryden Thomson
Vernon Handley

Vaughan Williams
A Sea Symphony
Joan Rodgers (soprano)
William Shimell (bass-baritone)
Ian Tracey (organ)
RLPO Choir
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Vernon Handley

Today’s listening

Franz Schmidt
Symphony No.4 in C major
Music for Orchestra in One Movement
Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill Petrenko

Mahler
Symphony No.7 in E minor
Bavarian State Orchestra
Kirill Petrenko

[Stanfordian]

Amilcare Ponchielli
‘La Gioconda’ dramma lirico in quattro atti (1876)
La Gioconda - Renata Tebaldi; Enzo - Carlo Bergonzi; Barnaba - Robert Merrill;
Laura - Marilyn Horne; Alvise - Nicola Ghiuselev; La Cieca - Oralia Domínguez
Zuàne - Silvio Maionica; Isèpo - Piero De Palma; Un Pilota - Silvio Maionica
Orchestra e coro dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma / Lamberto Gardelli
Recorded 1967 Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma
Decca Grand Opera series, CD remastered studio stereo