What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[cloughie]

Beethoven. Violin Concerto in D.

Alan Loveday, violin.

The Royal Danish Orchestra conducted by George Hurst.

This is a record I've long waited to hear since I've loved Loveday's playing since hearing his solos on the classic Kempe 'Scheherazade' with the RPO.

Alas, Loveday's recordings have escaped the revitalisation of transfer to cd so I've taken the initiative and had a rather scratchy Lp transferred to cd. Alas, despite the efforts of an excellent company from Wales I use, there's no denying this Lp isn't great. There are a couple of 'jumps', one being during the soloist's first entry and another during the statement of the theme in the second movement. However, once one knows that they are there, they become slightly more bearable.

Lovely playing from Loveday despite the limitations of the recorded sound. I wonder if the master tapes still exist.

It would be good to have on CD - another Saga LP I’d like to see on CD is the early Gibson Sibelius 3&6.

[Bryn]

It would be good to have on CD - another Saga LP I’d like to see on CD is the early Gibson Sibelius 3&6.

3 and 7, surely? https://www.musicstack.com/item/1574744

I had this one:

[pastoralguy]

I bought that Lp at an SNO concert circa 1978. Really wish I'd kept it.

[BBMmk2]

Sir Arnold Bax
Piano Quintet in G minor
String Quartet No.2 in G minor
David Owen Norris, (Piano)
Mistry Quartet

[richardfinegold]

This CD was considered to be a major improvement on the original Philips CD issue by the Gramophone critic (forget who) of the day but although I have that first CD I never did take the plunge and get this Pentatone reissue.

I see that re-mastered boxes are forthcoming of Haitink's Mahler and Bruckner sets, complete with blu-ray discs and while I'd be in the market for those, I'm wondering if it would make more sense to wait for the inevitable Haitink complete box.

I have the Haitink M5 on Pentatone but didn’t realize the other recordings from that cycle were also being released. Since I had never owned the original M5 I couldn’t comment on any improvements but it does sound much better than the CD reissue of 9 from the same cycle

[Bryn]

I have the Haitink M5 on Pentatone but didn’t realize the other recordings from that cycle were also being released. Since I had never owned the original M5 I couldn’t comment on any improvements but it does sound much better than the CD reissue of 9 from the same cycle

I don't think the Blu-rays in the new boxes exploit the 4 channel masters as Pentatone did. As far as I know, they are just 2 channel remasters. However, I would be more than pay to be proved wrong.

[bluestateprommer]

Listening to this Philadelphia Orchestra broadcast on WRTI now:

https://www.wrti.org/post/philadelphia-orchestra-wrti-901-distinctive-american-program-pianist-garrick-ohlsson

I've heard Cristian Macelaru a few times in concert, and he's OK/borderline 'meh' as a conductor, IMHO. His vocabulary of conducting gestures seems a bit limited, but he comes across as a very affable and enthusiastic chap in his radio chatter. In other words, he's a nice guy / "plays well with others" type. He is taking over Bychkov's (and Saraste's) old orchestra, at the WDR in Cologne. Maybe after that behavior on tour with Saraste and the WDR SO reported in another thread, Macelaru might 'nice them up' a bit.

CM's suite from Moby Dick was a good arrangement, where Heggie's original music is very tonal and audience-friendly. Peter Grimes it ain't, but it's OK. Garrick Ohlsson did a fine job with the Barber Piano Concerto, with solid support from CM (to give him credit) and the Fabulous Philadelphians. The concerto itself sounds more often than not in the outer movements like much sound and fury, signifying not all that much (again IMHO). The full-length orchestral version of Copland's Appalachian Spring is coming up soon.

[pastoralguy]

Kalevi Aho. Two Wind Quintets

Die Berliner Philharmoniker Bläserquintett.

BIS

A cd I bought Mrs. PG for Christmas. Finally listening to it. Very interesting music.

[Petrushka]

Walton: Comedy Overture: Scapino
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn

Tippett: Triple Concerto
György Pauk (violin), Nobuko Imai (viola), Ralph Kirschbaum (cello)
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis

[interval]

Arnold: Symphony No 9
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Vernon Handley

[pastoralguy]

Tchaikovsky. Violin Concerto.

Igor Oistrakh, violin.

The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Oistrakh.

Melodiya label. Transferred from tape to cd.

[jayne lee wilson]

Walton: Comedy Overture: Scapino
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn

Tippett: Triple Concerto
György Pauk (violin), Nobuko Imai (viola), Ralph Kirschbaum (cello)
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis

[interval]

Arnold: Symphony No 9
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Vernon Handley

Fine program....!
(A Tale of contrasted slow movements, the one uneasily-paradisical, but the other....)

I still hope to try an Arnold Cycle soon, but the year has begun somewhat demandingly IRL....
Still, the Tax Return has finally gone in....

[BBMmk2]

Fine program....!
(A Tale of contrasted slow movements, the one uneasily-paradisical, but the other....)

I still hope to try an Arnold Cycle soon, but the year has begun somewhat demandingly IRL....
Still, the Tax Return has finally gone in....

That be one concert I’d love to attend!

[Stanfordian]

‘French Cello Concertos’ – Hee-Young Lim
Saint-Saëns
Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 33
Lalo
Cello Concerto (1876)
Milhaud
Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 136
Offenbach
Les larmes de Jacqueline - Élégie,
Massenet
Meditation from ‘Thaïs’
Hee-Young Lim (cello)
London Symphony Orchestra / Scott Yoo
Recorded 2018 Abbey Road, Studios, London
Sony Classical – Outstanding new release

‘Confidence’ – Julien Behr
French Romantic arias from Gounod, Delibes, Messager, Joncières, Holmes, Bizet, Godard, Lehár, Chabrier, Thomas, Duparc, Trenet
Julien Behr (tenor)
Orchestre de l'Opéra de Lyon / Pierre Bleuse
Recorded 2017, Auditorium de Lyon, France
Alpha Classics – Another outstanding new release

[BBMmk2]

Hiya Stan! A rather good selection of French music there!

The Heaton Collection vol.4
Wilfred Heaton
Sinfonia Concertante for Cornet and Brass Band*
Music for Brass Sextet(Toccata Oh, The Blessed Lord)
Variations.
The Peter Graham Collection
Peter Graham
Montage; Harrison’s Dream;
In League with Extrordinary Gentlemen**
Th Torchbearer.
Martin Winter(Cornet )*; David Thornton(Euphonium)
Black Dyke Band, Dr Nicholas J Childs.

The Variations by Wilfred Heaton, is a highly original work for brass band, in more ways than one. Not only in the way that it’s composed,but it’s length. The work lasts for around half an hour which is quite unique in the brass band world. Usually an extended work in this medium, would last up to 20 minutes these days, but half an hour is unique.

Berlioz
Grande Symphonie Funebére et Triomphale
Orchestre d’Harmonie de la Paix de la Préfecture de Police de Paris
Philippe Ferro

[Edgy 2]

Walton: Comedy Overture: Scapino
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn

Tippett: Triple Concerto
György Pauk (violin), Nobuko Imai (viola), Ralph Kirschbaum (cello)
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis

[interval]

Arnold: Symphony No 9
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Vernon Handley