What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Roger Webb]

Most grateful for the recommendation. What an interesting man. The influence of his teacher (Duparc) can clearly be heard but the music has a distinctive voice. Quite why, I don't know, but at times Bax sprang to mind - and, more obviously, Frank Bridge.

Glad you like it...I've been trying to get various programmes on Radio 3 interested in Cras (amongst others) with 'mixed' success! Bax yes...in fact Michel Fleury who did the sleeve notes for the Timpani complete edition of Cras mentions Bax. If you like what you heard you may also like to hear some Paul le Flem, another Breton. His 'Magicienne de la Mer' is very typical as is his first Sym.
on Timpani 1c1123.

[french frank]

But music retailers have had a hard time there as here! I know, I was one.

Yes, I recognised you by your avatar - a good likeness, if I may say so!

[HighlandDougie]

Saariaho: Four Leino Songs (Orchestral Version)

Anu Komsi (Soprano)/Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Sakari Oramo

Sibelius: Luonnotar, Op. 70

Lise Davidson (Soprano)/Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Ed Gardner

A good combination, IMV. There was a fine performance of the Saariaho songs on R3 on Tuesday evening which had me listen again to them. And the Sibelius came to mind - especially in this gripping performance. Puts Gwyneth Jones/Antal Dorati ever so slightly in the shade, again IMV.

[silvestrione]

There was a Diapason cover CD a while ago with a few of the Psalms but also Clairières dans le ciel sung by Eric Tappy. That was splendid.

The Ravel/Debussy thing for me is that some of Debussy is some of the most perfect music I know (La Mer, Pelléas & Mélisande…) but there’s somehow more Ravel that I could under no circumstances do without.

Good thing he wrote it then, eh?

I'm the other way round. Only the Piano Concerto in G, really, is in that category, so far. What two or three pieces would you add?

[Pulcinella]

I'm the other way round. Only the Piano Concerto in G, really, is in that category, so far. What two or three pieces would you add?

Only two or three?

Shéhérazade
Gaspard de la nuit
L'enfant et les sortilèges

And I'd be sobbing over what had been left out!

[Master Jacques]

Ah Master Jacques, probably my favourite Cras CD! I was lucky enough to hear the Quintet for flt, hp and str trio when I was last in Paris - members of the Opera orchestra do Sunday lunchtime concerts at the Salle Garnier...worth looking out for. Do you know the Inghelbrecht sonata for flute and harp? Robert Aitken plays it on BIS CD 650.

Mine too, I must say! And no, I don't know the Inghelbrecht - having stood by his grave in the Montmartre cemetery three months ago, I really must hear his flute and harp sonata. Thank you very much for the pointer.

[Roger Webb]

Yes, I recognised you by your avatar - a good likeness, if I may say so!

Well, a good likeness for 30-odd years ago!...I wonder, would I recognise you, perhaps not from your avatar!

Just settled down to listen to Mahler 6 live from France Musique....poor engineering as usual, dynamic range manipulation a joke!

[Roger Webb]

Mine too, I must say! And no, I don't know the Inghelbrecht - having stood by his grave in the Montmartre cemetery three months ago, I really must hear his flute and harp sonata. Thank you very much for the pointer.

Inghelbrecht actually lived up the hill in Montmartre at 26 Rue Norvins, this was also the address of the celebrated R-26 a meeting place for artists and musicians (incl. late night sessions by Django and 'Hot Club' members).

If you do track the BIS CD down (it's on Qobuz, but hard to find) have a listen to the 'Quatre Danses Médiévales' by Joseph Lauber...another composer not often heard.

[french frank]

.I wonder, would I recognise you, perhaps not from your avatar!

No, just one of thousands. You may be amused to know you were discussed here back in 2012 in a discussion on Lost record shops.

Currently listening (prompted by Pulcinella a few posts back) to Ravel, Gaspard de la Nuit, Martha Argerich.

[oliver sudden]

Only two or three?

Shéhérazade
Gaspard de la nuit
L'enfant et les sortilèges

And I'd be sobbing over what had been left out!

For me: a piano concerto, yes, but the other one, for the left hand.
Gaspard for me too.
But I don't know if there's another piece in the repertoire (not even Das Lied von der Erde) that has quite such a direct link to my tear ducts as L'Enfant et les sortilèges. The final chorus obviously, but also the squirrel's aria. That enharmonic modulation is so cruelly wonderful.

(Just outside this illustrious group: La Valse, the piano trio, and the second of the songs for choir ('Trois beaux oiseaux du paradis').)

[Roger Webb]

No, just one of thousands. You may be amused to know you were discussed here back in 2012 in a discussion on Lost record shops.

Currently listening (prompted by Pulcinella a few posts back) to Ravel, Gaspard de la Nuit, Martha Argerich.

Found the post on 'lost record shops'...and yes 'morning Roger' it was, I used to be 'all day Roger' until I semi retired...oh, and the shop was actually called Bristol Classical Discs not Records. Before that I had Pastoral Music in Christmas Steps. Thanks for letting me know about the post.

Listening to a great Prokofiev PC 3 with Alex Malofeev on R3 at the moment.

[oliver sudden]

Well, a good likeness for 30-odd years ago!...I wonder, would I recognise you, perhaps not from your avatar!

Just settled down to listen to Mahler 6 live from France Musique....poor engineering as usual, dynamic range manipulation a joke!

I hope at least the Andante was in second position

[Roger Webb]

I hope at least the Andante was in second position

Um! Thought about this a lot over the years. Have you read Norman del Mar's examination of the question in his Eulenburg Edition? His preference was for slow movt. 2nd. And I bow to his extensive knowledge of the score...but! I think it makes more sense as Mahler first wrote it. The ends of movements 'join' better with the beginnings of following movements with the slow movement third, particularly the transition from slow to last movt. Surely Mahler's intention for the opening of the last movement is bringing one round from a dream ( slow movt) to the reality of 'the struggle must go on'. This magical moment goes for nothing if the scherzo is third - the magic is lost anyhow if there's applause between movements! The greatest perf I ever attended was Proms LPO Tennstedt, must have been mid 80s, he did scherzo 2nd - the first half of the Sym. was relentless! The slow movt magical...and no applause before the last movt....in fact not much at the end; everyone was stunned!

[silvestrione]

For me: a piano concerto, yes, but the other one, for the left hand.
Gaspard for me too.
But I don't know if there's another piece in the repertoire (not even Das Lied von der Erde) that has quite such a direct link to my tear ducts as L'Enfant et les sortilèges. The final chorus obviously, but also the squirrel's aria. That enharmonic modulation is so cruelly wonderful.

(Just outside this illustrious group: La Valse, the piano trio, and the second of the songs for choir ('Trois beaux oiseaux du paradis').)

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about the Trio, I've always loved that. Must give L'Enfant another listen...

[kindofblue]

Found the post on 'lost record shops'...and yes 'morning Roger' it was, I used to be 'all day Roger' until I semi retired...oh, and the shop was actually called Bristol Classical Discs not Records. Before that I had Pastoral Music in Christmas Steps. Thanks for letting me know about the post.

Listening to a great Prokofiev PC 3 with Alex Malofeev on R3 at the moment.

Agree about the performance, it was so energetic and powerful.