What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Jonathan]

The first year of Liszt's Annees de Pelerinage. I am impressed by the harmonies and the novel way in which chords are distributed across the piano.

Who was the pianist Joseph K?

As for my own listening - I am very, very impressed with my disc of the Liszt Symphonic poems transcripions from Toccata Classics (volume 3 in their ongoing series) - I really cannot believe that someone is capable of playing music of this complexity! It is phenomenal. I really do urge anyone who is interested in this sort of thing to have a listen - it is available via all the usual outlets. I'll probably post some more detailed thoughts about it later on in this thread.

[Joseph K]

Who was the pianist Joseph K?

As for my own listening - I am very, very impressed with my disc of the Liszt Symphonic poems transcripions from Toccata Classics (volume 3 in their ongoing series) - I really cannot believe that someone is capable of playing music of this complexity! It is phenomenal. I really do urge anyone who is interested in this sort of thing to have a listen - it is available via all the usual outlets. I'll probably post some more detailed thoughts about it later on in this thread.

Lazar Berman. Who is the pianist in the CD you mention?

I think Liszt does melancholy like no other composer.

[pastoralguy]

Tchaikovsky. Violin concerto.

Kyung-Wha Chung, Violin.

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit. (Decca)

Saint-Saëns. Works for Violin and Orchestra

Tianwa Yang, violin.

Malmö Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marcus Soustrot. (Naxos)

Lovely playing. A lot of unfamiliar music that deserves to be heard more often.

[cloughie]

Lazar Berman. Who is the pianist in the CD you mention?

I think Liszt does melancholy like no other composer.

You're right but there are others that are relatively cheerless - Hindemith and Berg come to mind!

[Beef Oven!]

One of my favourite performances of Mahler 9. I can't explain why, but it really reminds me of Barbirolli's EMI Mahler 9, my first CD of this work, IIRC.

Recorded live in 1971.

[Stanfordian]

JS Bach
Violin Concertos, BWV 1041, 1042, 1052 & 1060
Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin)
Berliner Barock Solisten
with Serge Zimmermann (BWV 1060)
Recorded 2017 Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Dahlem, Berlin
Hanssler Classic

CPE Bach
Piano Concertos - Volume 4
Piano Concerto in A minor, Wq.1
Piano Concerto in D major, Wq.45
Piano Concerto in E minor, Wq.15
Michael Rische (piano)
Berliner Barock Solisten
Recorded 2017 Jesus-Christus-Kirche Dahlem, Berlin
Hanssler Classic

[Joseph K]

You're right but there are others that are relatively cheerless - Hindemith and Berg come to mind!

Actually as I was typing that the other composer that sprung to mind when it comes to melancholy was Mahler.

[Richard Barrett]

One of my favourite performances of Mahler 9. I can't explain why

Well, it's just a highly visionary performance by a conductor who in his time could combine the attention to detail and structure of a Boulez with a much more expressive and poetic character. I don't think anyone's really captured the [there are no words for it] of the final pages of the score as convincingly as Maderna. You can see why all the radical young Dutch composers in the late 1960s campaigned publicly for him to be made chief conductor of the Concertgebouw.

Now playing here: Ligeti, Cello Concerto/Chamber Concerto/Melodien/Piano Concerto by the BIT20 Ensemble on BIS. Excellent performances of these (the first three anyway) classics of NEW MUSIC.

[Beef Oven!]

Thank you Richard. Pretty much it, I guess!

I didn't know that Maderna was so popular in Holland.

[teamsaint]

Thank you Richard. Pretty much it, I guess!

I didn't know that Maderna was so popular in Holland.

Can't really ignore such strong recommendations, so here it is on Youtube. Not sure how the sound quality compares with the CD, Obviously.

[BBMmk2]

Beefy, what's your favourite Mahler 9?

Bruckner
Symphony No.6.
Bavarian RSO, Haitgink.

In the past I never really "warmed" to this Bruckner Symphony but with this recording an entirel;y different matter! Wow!

Brahms
Violin Concerto in D major, Op.77*
*Frank peter Zimmermann(violin)
Robert Schumann
Piano Quartet in Eb major, Op.47
Frank Peter Zimmerman(violin), Emanuel Ax(piano)
RCO Chamber Solists.
Piano Quartet in Eb major, Op.47

[cloughie]

Beefy, what's your favourite Mahler 9?

Bruckner
Symphony No.6.
Bavarian RSO, Haitgink.

In the past I never really "warmed" to this Bruckner Symphony but with this recording an entirel;y different matter! Wow!

Brahms
Violin Concerto in D major, Op.77*
*Frank peter Zimmermann(violin)
Robert Schumann
Piano Quartet in Eb major, Op.47
Frank Peter Zimmerman(violin), Emanuel Ax(piano)
RCO Chamber Solists.
Piano Quartet in Eb major, Op.47

Haitgink sounds rather insulting, Bbm!

[BBMmk2]

Haitgink sounds rather insulting, Bbm!

Indeed he does!

I forgot to to mention:-
Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op.15
Emanuel Ax(piano) RCO Bernard Haitink(cloughie)

[Beef Oven!]

Beefy, what's your favourite Mahler 9?k

That's a very tough question and I can't say. And it changes from month to month.

Recently I've really enjoyed Rattle's BPO from a few year's ago. Will always love HvK's two recordings and of course Maderna. Abbado hits the spot CSO & BPO both. Place in my heart for Glorious John's EMI (pretty intense, on reflection).

Like many forumites I'm sure, I've attended more M9s than I could shake a stick at. Jertzy Unspellable and the LSO about twelve years ago, Haitink a few years before that and Gergiev circa 2008 stick out .....

P.S. "Haitgink" is fabulous!

[Beef Oven!]

ferney, any chance of starting a Mahler 9 thread in Composers (Mahler section)? Kicking off with post #2639 from here.

Plus RB's previous comment.