What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Stanfordian]

Great! Perhaps her first recital disc? A wonderful stage performer at ROH. I'll be ordering the CD, I'm a fully paid-up fan. ( I also pick up on the Peter Beczala discs you post here - only seen him live once, and he made a great impression. Covid 19 put paid to his appearance this season at the R Opera House.....

I agree with every word you write! Yes, its her first ever recital album.

In my view Jaho and also Beczała are not even at their peak yet.

One afternoon at Dresden, in interview Beczała said to me that he must be doing something right, or words to that effect, as he had been booed at La Scala. I believe Caruso, Callas, Pavarotti, Tebaldi, Scotto, Freni, Bartoli, Fleming, Alagna, et al were all subject to booing by La Scala loggionisti; so he's in good company.

That same evening at Semperoper, Dresden, Beczała sang the title role in Lohengrin with Netrebko as Elsa; both of whom were making their full Wagner debuts.

[cloughie]

I have the EMI Phoenixa recording (CDM 7 63955 2) and, yes, the Cello Concerto is mono.

I have the Pye Virtuoso (PVCD8384) which is also Mono which suggests that Pye did not have it before EMI took over the Pye Classical Catalogue (#11683) - Phoenixa used the Nixa bit of the old Pye days! I think that it may have been one of the Mercury engineered recordings which used 35mm film and the Stereo tape had deteriorated and was thus unuseable for the transfer (as was the fate of the Steinberg Beethoven Choral finale - Command Classics also used film!)

[HighlandDougie]

Mahler: Song Cycles (Lieder eines fahrenden gesellen; Rückert-Lieder; Kindertotenlieder); Symphony No 9 in D major

Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)/Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra/Marc Albrecht (Pentatone SACD); Bamberg Symphony Orchestra/Herbert Blomstedt (Accentus CD)

While the singing and orchestral playing aren't half bad, the great pleasure to be had from this disc is the recording. Perfect balance between soloist and orchestra, the subtlety of Mahler's scoring is beautifully captured. Best recorded Mahler I know.

I've forgotten which forumista recommended the Blomstedt 9th (apologies to whom it might have been) but I'm very glad to have bought it. Well-recorded, if not quite up to Pentatone standards, in the Bamberg Concert Hall in June 2018, so HB was a mere 90 years old. Clear-eyed, schmalz-free Mahler - and all the better for it.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Score following - Days 121, 122, 123 & 124

Elgar:
Coronation Ode op44 (vocal score)
Introduction & Allegro for Strings op47
Pomp & Circumstance March No 3 in C minor op39 no3
The Kingdom op51 (vocal score)
Pomp & Circumstance March No 4 in G major op39 no4
Symphony No 1 in A flat major op55
Violin Concerto in B minor op61
Symphony No 2 in E flat major op63

[BBMmk2]

Score following - Days 121, 122, 123 & 124

Elgar:
Coronation Ode op44 (vocal score)
Introduction & Allegro for Strings op47
Pomp & Circumstance March No 3 in C minor op39 no3
The Kingdom op51 (vocal score)
Pomp & Circumstance March No 4 in G major op39 no4
Symphony No 1 in A flat major op55
Violin Concerto in B minor op61
Symphony No 2 in E flat major op63

That’s very heavy going!

I have my hi-fi up and running. Now what celebratory music shall I have on?

[Pulcinella]

That’s very heavy going!

I have my hi-fi up and running. Now what celebratory music shall I have on?

Parry's I was glad, or the Hallelujah chorus?

Well done. Sounds like you're settling in well.

[Bryn]

That’s very heavy going!

I have my hi-fi up and running. Now what celebratory music shall I have on?

Mahler 2?

[cloughie]

That’s very heavy going!

I have my hi-fi up and running. Now what celebratory music shall I have on?

Saint-Saens: Sym 3

[BBMmk2]

I’ll play both of those then!

[gurnemanz]

Beecham's 1959 Beethoven Mass in C with The Beecham Choral Society and soloists Jennifer Vyvan, Monica Sinclair, Richard Lewis and Marian Nowakowski. Maestro and RPO on great form in a pioneering recording of what was at the time an undervalued work.

[Dave Payn]

That’s very heavy going!

I have my hi-fi up and running. Now what celebratory music shall I have on?

How about the recent Respighi Roman Trilogy recording by Sinfonia of London/John Wilson?

[Jazzrook]

Viniciu Moroianu plays Dinu Lipatti
Fantasie op. 8, Romanian Athenaeum, 2017:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=sfnPg68aB98

JR

[Pulcinella]

Faure
Piano quartets and Piano quintets
Quatuor Ysaye/Pascal Roge

Just listening, not trying to understand.

[gurnemanz]

Franck: String Quartet, Piano Quintet in strikingly vibrant sound and performances from the Quatuor Danel with Paavali Jumppanen on cpo. I got the disc based on reviews and because I didn't know the String Quartet, which he composed in his late 60s shortly before his death.

[BBMmk2]

Mahler
Symphony No.2 in C minor, 'Resurrection'
Eteri Gvazava(soprano) Anna Larsson (contralto)
Orefeon Donostiarra
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Claudio Abbado

Bruckner
Symphony No.4 in E minor
(2nd Edition 1878-1880, L Nowak)
Symphonieorchester des Bayrischen Rundfunks
Lorin Maazel