What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Joseph K]

Birtwistle - Tragoedia - Ensemble Intercontemporain/Boulez

[jayne lee wilson]

.....the JLW Alternative-Bruckner series continues....

Bruckner Symphony No.6.
Bergen SO/Dausgaard. BIS SACD New Release.

Vital, incisive, and so full of interpretative interest and originality as to be fairly described as radical, the only earlier readings I’m reminded of are the similarly volatile Andreae or Venzago.
Dausgaard shapes the music very individually (far more so than the recent LSO/Rattle, outstanding as that was) so although the timings look very quick, there’s plenty of time for the gesangs to sing and breathe and relax - very wide-ranging tempi here. Agile and light on its feet, wide-open punchy climaxes. Wide dynamics too, with some breathless pps (the ending of the adagio is marvellously drawn-out in its hushed raptness).....

Exceptional textural transparency from the glorious BIS sonics.... Dausgaard ensures every detail musically tells...…
So gosh wow… far too much to take in, in one go; only one thing to do then…..

(the online BIS note says: "with further Bruckner instalments to come...." ...so even more wow....looks at least as promising as the Rouvali Sibelius....)

[Joseph K]

Birtwistle - Tragoedia - Ensemble Intercontemporain/Boulez

Now, same composer and performers: Five Distances for Five Instruments.

[Jonathan]

Earlier on, Joseph Moog's latest disc of the Liszt Sonata, the 2 Franciscan legends, the Dante Sonata and the Czardas obstinee. Very impressive.

[pastoralguy]

Arnold Schoenberg.

Verklärte Nacht. Op.4.

Isabelle Faust, violin

Anne Katharina Schreiber, violin

Antoine Tamestit, viola

Danusha Waskiewicz, viola

Christian Poltéra, 'cello

Jean-Guihen Queyras, 'cello

Harmonia Mundi. Released yesterday.

Incredibly refined playing!

[pastoralguy]

Beethoven. Piano Trios No.5 in D. Op.70 No.2 'The Ghost' & No.7 in Bb. Op.97

Renaud Capuçon, violin

Gautier Capuçon, 'cello

Frank Braley, piano.

Erato. Released yesterday.

Sublime!!

[pastoralguy]

Bartok. Violin Concerto No.2

Baiba Skride, violin

WDR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eivand Aadland. Orfeo.

I've been looking forward to hearing this for some time. Skride is such a thoughtful, gentle player I did wonder if she would have the sheer demonic quality to bring this work to life. She does, but she's a gentle demon.

[edashtav]

Schoenberg / Sibelius Violin concerti. Hilary Hahn Swedish RSO Essa-Pekke Salonen

This revelatory CD, very strongly recommended by fellow boarders, has just arrived. I checked what was written on these threads when it was first issued, nearly a decade ago. This comment by the late Chris Newman summon my feelings better than I can express them:
"My first reaction is "WOW! WOW!! and THRICE WOW!!!". I am so used to the dreadful orchestral noises on the old 1960s Vox Turnabout LP with Wolfgang Marschner and the Southwest German Radio SO under Michael Gielen. Hahn and her colleagues make Schonberg sound as beautiful as the Sibelius that follows it on her CD. It could be Brahms or Bruch. Magnificent. Maybe it is a tad more closely miked than I would prefer but with such beauty of tone and technique like Hahn's who am I to complain?"

And what of the Sibelius? A decent performance with some lovely 'sotto voce' playing high on her E string from the ever accurate Hahn but I miss the emotional turmoil and sheer agony of my favourite version from the ill-starred Christian Ferras with the BPO under HvK, who also add an powerful Tapiola.

[pastoralguy]

Schoenberg / Sibelius Violin concerti. Hilary Hahn Swedish RSO Essa-Pekke Salonen

This revelatory CD, very strongly recommended by fellow boarders, has just arrived. I checked what was written on these threads when it was first issued, nearly a decade ago. This comment by the late Chris Newman summon my feelings better than I can express them:
"My first reaction is "WOW! WOW!! and THRICE WOW!!!". I am so used to the dreadful orchestral noises on the old 1960s Vox Turnabout LP with Wolfgang Marschner and the Southwest German Radio SO under Michael Gielen. Hahn and her colleagues make Schonberg sound as beautiful as the Sibelius that follows it on her CD. It could be Brahms or Bruch. Magnificent. Maybe it is a tad more closely miked than I would prefer but with such beauty of tone and technique like Hahn's who am I to complain?"

And what of the Sibelius? A decent performance with some lovely 'sotto voce' playing high on her E string from the ever accurate Hahn but I miss the emotional turmoil and sheer agony of my favourite version from the ill-starred Christian Ferras with the BPO under HvK, who also add an powerful Tapiola.

Don't forget the wonderful Ida Haendel with Paavo Berglund conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 1976/77!

[edashtav]

Don't forget the wonderful Ida Haendel with Paavo Berglund conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 1976/77!

I heard Ida play the Concerto live twice with my former home orchestra ( the BSO), but I've overlooked her recording. I see it's quite a Collectors' item and some copies are available at high prices. I've stepped carefully through that minefield and found a CD of the VC, but not the other Sibelian violin and orchestra shorter works, for < £4 which I've ordered. Thanks very much, pastoralguy, for reminding me of this classic version that will refresh happy memories and may bring into question my devotion to Ferras and Herby.

[BBMmk2]

Claudio Abbado The Decca Years
CD 4
Bruckner
Symphony No.1 in C minor
(Linz version, 1866)
Wiener Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado
Prokofiev
CD 5
Symphony No.1 D major, Op.25, “Classical”
Symphony No.3 in C minor, Op.21b
Suite from “Chout”.
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado.

[Bryn]

Bartok: Symphony in E flat major DD 68, BB 25 (1902) in a performing version by Denijs Dille:

I had previously only known the version for 2 pianists which occasionally used to turn up on TtN.

[Pulcinella]

I was more taken by the Hahn than the new Faust recording of the Schoenberg, but that could be because I listened in fairly quick succession so was in the right 'mindset' for the Hahn (which I played second).
I need to listen to the piece a few more times though, to get more familiar with it.

[Pulcinella]

I heard Ida play the Concerto live twice with my former home orchestra ( the BSO), but I've overlooked her recording. I see it's quite a Collectors' item and some copies are available at high prices. I've stepped carefully through that minefield and found a CD of the VC, but not the other Sibelian violin and orchestra shorter works, for < £4 which I've ordered. Thanks very much, pastoralguy, for reminding me of this classic version that will refresh happy memories and may bring into question my devotion to Ferras and Herby.

This is the coupling I have, a bit cheaper than £4, too!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B000027KG8/ref=tmm_acd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=

[jayne lee wilson]

.....Release Reprise....

Skalkottas. Sinfonietta; Concerto for Piano, Violin an Orchestra; Suite for Violin and Orchestra.
Sols/Athens Philharmonia/Fidetzis. BIS SACD.

Into sharper focus off the physical disc, the stunningly realistic BIS sound has lifted this to another level....brilliant album.

Skalkottas Classical Symphony for Winds, Harps and Percussion. Athens SO/Tsialis. NAXOS CD.
Still coming to terms with this...more of a popular wind band piece than I anticipated, but.... still much to fascinate....

....awaiting the delayed arrival of the Herreweghe Bruckner 5 and the AAMB LvB Pastoral...(haven't got round to streaming the latter yet...)