What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Joseph K]

Boulez: Dérive 2 - members of the West Eastern Divan Orchestra/Barenboim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R85-2DIxSY&t=49s

[DublinJimbo]

I wasn't aware of this work at all. It's quite a discovery, wonderfully recorded and performed.

Apologies for this contribution's appearance out of context. It concerns the Berlioz Messe solennelle, from Hervé Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel.

[DublinJimbo]

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker op. 71 (complete ballet)
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia “Evgeny Svetlanov” / Vladimir Jurowski

Absolute joy from beginning to end. This is the real deal. The verve and forward drive are toe-tappingly irresistible (surely any decent ballet company would be inspired to give of their best for such an involving realisation of Tchaikovsky's glorious score). I listened to this on earphones in hospital while recovering from surgery. It kept me sane and brought a smile to my face — ah, the healing power of music!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

— ah, the healing power of music!

- hope all went well and you made/are making a complete recovery, DubJim.

[cloughie]

- hope all went well and you made/are making a complete recovery, DubJim.

Indeed so, hope you are on the mend!

[Stanfordian]

Brahms
‘Choral Works’
Schicksalslied, Op. 54
Warum ist das Licht gegeben den Mühseligen, Op. 74/No. 1
Nänie, Op. 82
Drei Gesänge, Op. 42
Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang, Op. 17/1
Geistliches Lied, Op. 30
Rundfunkchor Berlin,
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Gijs Leenaars
Antonio Adriani (horn), Elsie Bedleem (harp)
Recorded 2018, Großen Sendesaal Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin
Sony Classical - new release

Haydn
Symphony N. 88 in G major, Hob. I:88
Symphony N. 92 in G major ‘Oxford’, Hob. I:92
Symphony N. 94 in G major ‘Surprise’, Hob. I:94
Wiener Philharmoniker / Leonard Bernstein
Recorded live 1983-85 Wiener Musikverein, Austria
Deutsche Grammophon

[Pulcinella]

Myaskovsky
String quartet box just arrived.
CD1 tracking fault about 14 minutes in on final track (track 9).
Anyone else got the same problem?

[Master Jacques]

Myaskovsky
String quartet box just arrived.
CD1 tracking fault about 14 minutes in on final track (track 9).
Anyone else got the same problem?

Grinding my teeth to see this box has appeared, as I spent considerable time and money sourcing the five separate discs in May! For what it is worth I don't have that problem with my Quartet No.3 Teme e variazioni.

I have been underwhelmed by much of the music in this set, likewise the performances - and hope you can put me right as to what I might have been missing.

[Pulcinella]

Grinding my teeth to see this box has appeared, as I spent considerable time and money sourcing the five separate discs in May! For what it is worth I don't have that problem with my Quartet No.3 Teme e variazioni.

I have been underwhelmed by much of the music in this set, likewise the performances - and hope you can put me right as to what I might have been missing.

Thanks for that: I'll try it again (already did on same system after inspecting in case there was an obvious speck) on a different player later, but I've already reported to the supplier (and asked if they could check any replacement in case it is a batch pressing fault).
For what it's worth, I was impressed with what I'd heard up to the point where the CD started skipping.

[HighlandDougie]

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker op. 71 (complete ballet)
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia “Evgeny Svetlanov” / Vladimir Jurowski

Absolute joy from beginning to end. This is the real deal. The verve and forward drive are toe-tappingly irresistible (surely any decent ballet company would be inspired to give of their best for such an involving realisation of Tchaikovsky's glorious score). I listened to this on earphones in hospital while recovering from surgery. It kept me sane and brought a smile to my face — ah, the healing power of music!

DJ - all the best for a full and speedy recovery (and for you posting discoveries which the rest of us can - shamelessly - exploit). One for you (if you haven't already heard it/don't find it too intense for a serene recovery) - Pavel Haas Quartet Shostakovich SQs 2, 7 & 8. Remarkable.

[frankbridge]

Die Zauberflöte

Mozart

ARJ(RIP)/Argento/James/Denley/Schmidt/Hoch/Upshaw/de May/Hauptmann/Bär/Pierard/Bonner(RIP)/Tubb/Trevor

Schütz Choir/London Classical Players

conducted by Roger Norrington

EMI Reflexe CDS 754 287-2

and three lions too

[Stanfordian]

Brahms - ‘Choral Works’
Schicksalslied, Op. 54
Warum ist das Licht gegeben den Mühseligen, Op. 74/No. 1
Nänie, Op. 82
Drei Gesänge, Op. 42
Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang, Op. 17/1
Geistliches Lied, Op. 30
Rundfunkchor Berlin,
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Gijs Leenaars
Antonio Adriani (horn), Elsie Bedleem (harp)
Recorded 2018, Großen Sendesaal Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin
Sony Classical - new release

Schubert
Piano Quintet, ‘Trout’
Mendelssohn
Octet, Op. 20
Henschel Quartet members: Christoph Henschel (violin), Monika Henschel (viola), Mathias Beyer-Karlshøj (cello); Diogenes Quartet: Stefan Kirpal (violin), Gundula Kirpal (violin), Alba González i Becerra (viola), Stephen Ristau (cello) with Gregory Maytan (viola); Gerold Huber (piano), Alexandra Hengstebeck (double bass),
Recorded 2019 Himmelfahrtskirche, Sendling, Munich
Solo Musica - new release

[jayne lee wilson]

Beethoven Piano Concertos 3 & 5. (Disc 2 From complete cycle).
Brautigam/Kölner Akademie/Willens. BIS CDs. New Release.

I keep going back over all the performances, picking out those wonderful slow movements, the way the finales have both expressive subtlety and wind-and-brass led dynamic variety and power (5th's finale remarkable in this respect) perhaps above all: how Brautigam's art of the fortepiano seems to have reached even greater levels of beauty and elegance, virtuosity and controlled mellow resonance.... there's a rippling, songful liquidity to the faster passages, especially with the McNulty/Walter, which lingers in the mind afterward. This, set off against the ebullient, rich, colourful brass and winds, the exceptional purity and serene tonal character of the strings, creates a uniquely memorable impression....

Not returned to RB's earlier modern-instrument set (Steinway D/Norrkoping/Parrott - my previous favourite) yet.... need to dwell upon the new one a while longer....

[Bryn]

Beethoven Piano Concertos 3 & 5. (Disc 2 From complete cycle).
Brautigam/Kölner Akademie/Willens. BIS CDs. New Release.

I keep going back over all the performances, picking out those wonderful slow movements, the way the finales have both expressive subtlety and wind-and-brass led dynamic variety and power (5th's finale remarkable in this respect) perhaps above all: how Brautigam's art of the fortepiano seems to have reached even greater levels of beauty and elegance, virtuosity and controlled mellow resonance.... there's a rippling, songful liquidity to the faster passages, especially with the McNulty/Walter, which lingers in the mind afterward. This, set off against the ebullient, rich, colourful brass and winds, the exceptional purity and serene tonal character of the strings, creates a uniquely memorable impression....

Not returned to RB's earlier modern-instrument set (Steinway D/Norrkoping/Parrott - my previous favourite) yet.... need to dwell upon the new one a while longer....

Re. the 'slow movement' (and finale) of the 5th, can I again recommend watching/listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9nF_n625_Q

and from the same stable, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF-iN-lbAog

[jayne lee wilson]

Re. the 'slow movement' (and finale) of the 5th, can I again recommend watching/listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9nF_n625_Q

and from the same stable, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF-iN-lbAog

Thankyou so much for this - just watched the first one about the 18th/19th C. pianos and orchestras, with striking points about the roles of violinist-leader and pianist-leader with differing roles in the same performance, and the 19th C's view of art, history, the role of the soloist etc....
Wonderful piece, brilliantly presented - everyone should watch this.