What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[smittims]

One of the relatively few Richter studio recordings of Schumann, perhaps, but of other composers he made quite a lot: see the big EMI box.

The Fantasy in C is I think arguably Schumann's finest work , and it looks forward pointedly to Tristan und Isolde. Wagner virtually quotes it on two occasions.

My choice this morning: Der Rosenkavalier , act One, in the Decca/Solti recording. I've never been as enthusiastic about this as others, maybe because I don't find the solo singing so outstanding as in the famous Karajan Columbia version. I know Regine Crespin is highly regarded in France, but she doesn't seem to have made many recordings, her Berlioz/Ravel with Ansermet and her Sieglinde with Solti the only other well-known ones I know. Yvonne Minton seems to me to give the most satisfying performance in this set.

[Pulcinella]

One of the relatively few Richter studio recordings of Schumann, perhaps, but of other composers he made quite a lot: see the big EMI box.

The Fantasy in C is I think arguably Schumann's finest work , and it looks forward pointedly to Tristan und Isolde. Wagner virtually quotes it on two occasions.

My choice this morning: Der Rosenkavalier , act One, in the Decca/Solti recording. I've never been as enthusiastic about this as others, maybe because I don't find the solo singing so outstanding as in the famous Karajan Columbia version. I know Regine Crespin is highly regarded in France, but she doesn't seem to have made many recordings, her Berlioz/Ravel with Ansermet and her Sieglinde with Solti the only other well-known ones I know. Yvonne Minton seems to me to give the most satisfying performance in this set.

Do you know this Rosenkavalier highlights disc (under Varviso) featuring Crespin, smittims?

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8027525--strauss-r-der-rosenkavalier-highlights

And Crespin features in Dervaux's Carmelites too:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7996236--poulenc-dialogues-des-carmelites

But you're right: she doesn't seem to have much of a recorded legacy.

[gurnemanz]

Liszt Orchestral Songs - Something intriguing, compelling and a bit different for Lieder fans from Aparté
Chorus Viennensis
Orchester Wiener Akademie/Martin Haselböck

1. Die Lorelei, S.369 – Stephanie Houtzeel (mezzo-soprano)
2. Die drei Zigeuner, S.374 – Thomas Hampson (baritone)
3. Die junge Nonne, S.375/1 (after Schubert) – Sunhae Im (soprano)
4. Gretchen am Spinnrade, S.375/2 (after Schubert) – Sunhae Im (soprano)
5. Lied der Mignon, S.375/3 (after Schubert) – Sunhae Im (soprano)
6. Erlkönig, S.375/4 (after Schubert) – Thomas Hampson (baritone)
7. Der Doppelganger, S.375/5* (after Schubert) – Thomas Hampson (baritone)
8. Die Vätergruft, S.371* – Thomas Hampson (baritone)
9. Weimars Toten, S.303* – Thomas Hampson (baritone)
10. Le Juif errant, S.300* – Thomas Hampson (baritone)
11. Der Titan (Auf des Athos blauen Felsenspitzen), S.79/2* – Tomasz Konieczny (bass-baritone) and Chorus Viennensis.

[smittims]

I've not heard the Varviso/Crespin Rosenkavalier highlights disc, only read a review in which the reviewer, remarkably, seemed unaware that Crespin had made a complete recording of the work!

Quite a few years later she turned up unexpectedly on a CBS Masterworks LP singing Fench songs with piano, including some interesting Satie items. This was reissued a few years ago in a SONY compendium of their Satie recordings.

[richardfinegold]

Dmitri Shostakovich. Violin Concerto No.1 in a minor.

Arabella Steinbacher, violin.

Symphonieorchestra des Bayerischen Rundfunks conducted by Andris Nelson’s. Orfeo label.

That’s a heavy duty lineup. How did you like it?

[Master Jacques]

But you're right: she doesn't seem to have much of a recorded legacy.

Her recorded legacy is strong - and international, for a 20th century French singer - isn't it?

Aside from that Rosenkavalier and the first Carmelites, there is the much-reissued French orchestral song album under Ansermet (an EMI GROC, and some critics' idea of the very best in this Ravel and Berlioz repertoire), plus a host of off-air live opera issues on CD. And lest we forget, there is also her superlative Sieglinde for Solti in the Decca Ring, added to her Brünnhilde in DG's Walküre under Karajan. There's some complete Offenbach, too, of course. And much-lauded highlights from Les troyens. It all counts!

[Stanfordian]

Marilyn Horne - ‘Recital’
Airs d'opéra français by Offenbach, Cherubini, Saint-Saens, Auber, Gounod, Massenet, Donizetti, Godard
Marilyn Horne (mezzo-soprano)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo / Lawrence Foster
Recorded 1984, Palais des Congrès, Monte-Carlo
Erato, CD

George Onslow
String Quartet No. 28 in E, op. 54
String Quartet No. 29 in D minor, op. 55
String Quartet No. 30 in C minor, op. 56
Diotima Quartet
Recorded 2009 MC2, Grenoble, France
Naïve, CD

[Stanfordian]

Dmitri Shostakovich. Violin Concerto No.1 in a minor.

Arabella Steinbacher, violin.

Symphonieorchestra des Bayerischen Rundfunks conducted by Andris Nelson’s. Orfeo label.

This Steinbacher recording is my first choice too in the Shostakovich No. 1.

[HighlandDougie]

A rather fine performance of Tippett’s ‘The Rose Lake’ with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Andrew Davis currently on R3. A wonderful piece.

[Ian Thumwood]

I have been playing loads of Prokoviev piano works. The sonatas are terrific but I have also enjoyed the Concertos.especially the first one. I was struck at how "French" some of his work sounded with some of the music sounding not unlike Poulenc - a composer I discovered long ago and have always enjoyed. It transpires that Proboviev spend the 1930s in France which explains how the influence would have rubbed off on him. My perception of Prokoviev being somewhat dour was wide of the mark. Having plunged into his work, the music is lively but in a spikey fashion that previously made Bartok's music appealing. Not sure where to explore next and may give the symphonies ago. In my opinion, his music is a brilliant discovery for me.

[smittims]

I think Prokofiev's sonatas are the major series of the 20th century, though admittedly there's not much competition; indeed, it's interesting how little solo piano music was written by 20th-century composers who had second career as pianists : Stravinsky, Britten, Shostakovitch. Even Bartok's solo output is nearly all short (often very short) pieces. Prokofiev is famously diverse, with many facets, the gently lyrical a frequent contrast to the machine or satirical side of his music, for instance.

The Midsummer Marriage for me today, the famous Philips recording. What a pity Tippett agreed to cuts. When one knows the complete score , they are a disappointment.

[Mandryka]

I have been playing loads of Prokoviev piano works. The sonatas are terrific but I have also enjoyed the Concertos.especially the first one. I was struck at how "French" some of his work sounded with some of the music sounding not unlike Poulenc - a composer I discovered long ago and have always enjoyed. It transpires that Proboviev spend the 1930s in France which explains how the influence would have rubbed off on him. My perception of Prokoviev being somewhat dour was wide of the mark. Having plunged into his work, the music is lively but in a spikey fashion that previously made Bartok's music appealing. Not sure where to explore next and may give the symphonies ago. In my opinion, his music is a brilliant discovery for me.

Be sure to explore the more lyrical, gentle, late Prok - the 9th piano sonata and Cinderella. I love them. I also love the short form piano music, Visions Fugitives.

The violin sonatas are pretty nice too (I think. I've not actually heard them in many years!)

[richardfinegold]

I have been playing loads of Prokoviev piano works. The sonatas are terrific but I have also enjoyed the Concertos.especially the first one. I was struck at how "French" some of his work sounded with some of the music sounding not unlike Poulenc - a composer I discovered long ago and have always enjoyed. It transpires that Proboviev spend the 1930s in France which explains how the influence would have rubbed off on him. My perception of Prokoviev being somewhat dour was wide of the mark. Having plunged into his work, the music is lively but in a spikey fashion that previously made Bartok's music appealing. Not sure where to explore next and may give the symphonies ago. In my opinion, his music is a brilliant discovery for me.

French Culture and language were prefered by the upper classes in Russia before the Revolution, despite the efforts of Russian artists of the late Romanov era to develop a more indigenous culture.

[richardfinegold]

I’ve been playing through the first Mahler set by Bernstein and the NYP. As remastered the Sonics are excellent and the performances have a sense of discovery that isn’t in the DG set

[Stanfordian]

Erwin Schrott – 'Opera Arias'
From Mozart, Verdi, Berlioz, Gounod, Meyerbeer
Erwin Schrott (bass-baritone)
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana / Riccardo Frizza
Recorded 2008 Palau de les Arts ‘Reina Sifia’, Valencia
Decca, CD

'British Works for Cello & Piano' – Vol. 2
York Bowen
Cello Sonata, Op. 64
Arnold Bax
Cello Sonata (1923)
John Ireland
Cello Sonata (1923)
Paul Watkins (cello) & Huw Watkins (piano)
Recorded 2012 Potton Hall, Suffolk
Chandos, CD