What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Bryn]

Cornelius Cardew: The Tiger's Mind, Night Piece (John Tilbury). Much clearer recording than was possible at Cafe OTO for the Day Piece last Tuesday.



The 'score'.

[Joseph K]

Beethoven 6 - Cleveland Orchestra/Szell

[pastoralguy]

Haydn. Symphonies 44, 28 & 49

The Moscow Chamber Orchestra, without conductor. (As the cd info has it!)

OLYMPIA

I was in North Berwick today, a place I go often due to my work, and I've noticed this disc in the local Oxfam shop in previous visits. I've always passed since I've not been sure what to expect but it's terrific, very fine playing that's both considered and exciting. Lots of bright open 'e' Strings in the last movement of the 'Trauer'.

Well worth hearing for any lover of Haydn who fancies splashing out £0.79 on Amazon!

[teamsaint]

Giving the BaL winner a listen, and enjoying it a great deal.

[bluestateprommer]

Juggling two boxed sets of various sizes, and at various rates:
1. The 1990s reissue of Haitink's Concertgebouw series of Brahms symphonies, serenades and overtures, which I hadn't ever heard and stumbled across at a used book store, slightly worse for wear on a few CDs, but not too bad overall. That aside, big, rich sound from the orchestra, but not too heavy so far, very pleasurable to listen to.
2. The Q-Disc Concertgebouw Anthology from the 1970s, 3 CDs done. This is going to take a lot longer to work through .

[jayne lee wilson]

Bach
Keyboard Concertos BWV 1052-1058. Cherny/Orchester le Phenix. Sony 24/96, Qobuz Studio.

Telemann.
"Frankfurt Sonatas" Violin Sonatas. Von der Goltz etc., apartemusic 24/96, Qobuz Studio.

Too chilly in the stereo seat so, huddled by the corner storage heater, needed something to flow soothingly along....these two recent releases have given much pleasure in the last few weeks....

[jayne lee wilson]

Nielsen Symphony No.4 "Inextinguishable".
NYPO/Gilbert. Da Capo SACD/CD.
A triumph! One of the peaks of the cycle, dense with phenomenal sonic matter, worlds forming and colliding, pools of calm and exploding concepts, a performance in a single breath in sound of poetically apt spaciousness, overwhelming weight and power......
but....but....but....
That grand rhetorical slowing for the end.... DJF felt it was close to a fatal flaw.... for myself, if I'm with the symphony as I was tonight, in the moment, and given the splendour power and unity of the whole reading.... it has the grandeur of the universe as its expansion decelerates...

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Piano Concerto. Cello Concerto.
Louis Lortie/Paul Watkins/BBCSO/Gardner. Chandos SACD/CD.
A shatteringly intense Cello Concerto, with a strikingly individual solo contribution: surely one of the best on record of this 20th-C classic, with sound of a startling presence and realism I've rarely heard equalled, let alone surpassed.

These two composers complement so well: the directness, drive and fullness of the one; the fantasy, sparkle, spikiness and unpredictability of the other. The double cycle continues....

[visualnickmos]

R Strauss
Don Quixote
New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein

Prokofiev
Symphony no. 5
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Vernon Handley

A beautifully raucous 'Don' - love this recording. Mr Handley's Prok. 5 - always a WOW! Leaves one breathless. Every detail shines through in this driven recording. Marvelous stuff for a Sunday morning.

[BBMmk2]

Vaughan Williams
Concerto for two pianos, in C major
Louis Lortei & Hélène Mercier(pianists)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.80
Delius
Suite for Violin & Orchestra
Haydn Wood
Violin Concerto in A minor
Tasmin Little(Violin)
BBC PO
Sir Andrew Davis

Frederick Delius
Brigg Fair
Piano Concerto in C minor(original version)
Idyll Printemps
Paris - Song of a Great City.
Howard Shelley(piano)
RSNO
Sir Andrew Davis
Appalachia
Song of the High Hills
OliviaRobinson
Andrew Rupp
Edward. Owen
BBC SO & Chorus
Sir Andrew Davis.

[Joseph K]

Messiaen - Des canyons aux etoiles - Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Chung

[pastoralguy]

[B]

Prokofiev
Symphony no. 5
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Vernon Handley

Mr Handley's Prok. 5 - always a WOW! Leaves one breathless. Every detail shines through in this driven recording. Marvelous stuff for a Sunday morning.

I've considered purchasing this cd a couple of times but, iirc, it got a lukewarm review in Gramophone. Since I already have the Szell/Cleveland disc I've tended to pass but I may reconsider due to your enthusiasm, nick!

[pastoralguy]

Schoenberg. Violin Concerto.

Hilary Hahn, violin.

Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by ESA-Pekka Salonen.

I see Isabelle Faust has a recording of the work being released c/w Verklarte Nacht on February 28th.

This in on again since I'm DETERMINED to get to know it despite it being a very tough nut to crack!

[Bryn]

This in on again since I'm DETERMINED to get to know it despite it being a very tough nut to crack!

It is? Can't say I have ever found it so. Stravinsky, not known for his love of Schoenberg's work, held the latter's violin in the highest regard.

[visualnickmos]

I've considered purchasing this cd a couple of times but, iirc, it got a lukewarm review in Gramophone. Since I already have the Szell/Cleveland disc I've tended to pass but I may reconsider due to your enthusiasm, nick!

I think it's still going for the price of a café crème ! Like you, I also have Szell's, and did hesitate for a while before going for it. Glad I did.....

[Stanfordian]

Richard Strauss
Rosenkavalier Suite
Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks
Four Last Songs
Anja Harteros (soprano)
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Mariss Jansons
Recorded Live: 2006 (Rosenkavalier), 2009 (Till Eulenspiegel’s) Herkulessaal & 2009
Philharmonie, Munich (Lieder)
BR Klassik

Dieterich Buxtehude – Complete Organ Works
Harald Vogel (organ)
Recorded 1986-1993 using 17 North German organ
MDG Gold - 7 CDs with bonus DVD
Dipping into this today