What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[peterthekeys]

But doesn't No.1 offer the greater resolution, the harmonic consolation at the end...?
Whereas No.2 seems to say "in my end is my beginning.... but the mystery continues..."

Two highly original masterpieces, wonderfully well-served by a whole flurry of recordings in the last few years. The recent Le Double on Naxos is marvellous - as good as any. Both Naxos discs form yet another excellent Dutilleux capsule collection...

Totally agree about both being masterpieces (no.2 first hooked me - I find that the ending stays with me for hours; no.1 impresses me more every time I hear it).

I always associate the title "Le Double" with the idea of the Doppelganger.

[peterthekeys]

Nielsen Symphonies - LSO under Colin Davis

I came to the Sibelius symphonies under Davis quite recently, and was blown away by them. When I realised that he'd done the Nielsen as well, I had to give them a try. Fabulous performances, and stunning sound. Up to now, for me at least, the Bernstein has been far away my favourite performance of the fifth - but I've found that the Davis challenges this (in particular, the only one which gets at the same sense of terrified panic in the finale's fast fugue).

[jayne lee wilson]

Nielsen Symphonies - LSO under Colin Davis

I came to the Sibelius symphonies under Davis quite recently, and was blown away by them. When I realised that he'd done the Nielsen as well, I had to give them a try. Fabulous performances, and stunning sound. Up to now, for me at least, the Bernstein has been far away my favourite performance of the fifth - but I've found that the Davis challenges this (in particular, the only one which gets at the same sense of terrified panic in the finale's fast fugue).

That is a truly great 5th isn't it? And a recent Gramophone Collection shortlisted choice...
Even among the bewilderingly many fine cycles to appear after 2014, this Davis 5th does stand out....

[Edgy 2]

Mendelssohn

Complete works for Violin and Piano

Nomos Duo (Nicholas Milton/Nina-Margret Grimsdottir)

Brahms

String Quartet Op 67

Takacs Quartet

Weinberg

Violin Concerto,Symphony No 4

Ilya Gringolis,Warsaw Philharmonic,Jasec Kaspszyk

[jayne lee wilson]

Mendelssohn String Quintets Op.18 & Op.87.

L'Archibudelli. Sony Vivarte CD.

and

Leipziger Streichquartett/Barbara Buntrock. MDG Gold CD.

***

Dutilleux
Symphony No.1.
Orchestre National de Lille/Casadesus. Naxos 24/96/Qobuz.

Terrific 1st....at one time you would rummage around to seek scarce copies of Baudo, Bychkov or Barenboim....then Tortelier seemed a magnificent icebreaker... now our cups of Dutilleux truly runneth over....

[HighlandDougie]

Weinberg

Violin Concerto,Symphony No 4

Ilya Gringolis,Warsaw Philharmonic,Jasec Kaspszyk

Hmm, Edgy, the HMV/Melodiya LP of Leonid Kogan/Moscow PO/KK was a mainstay of my listening when I was a student a very long time ago (and which I was delighted to find was in a recent KK box set). So, good? Worth buying? The sound on the 1960s Melodiya issue isn't too bad but something a bit more modern would be good - I haven't lost my fondness for both works.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Earlier

Bach: Fantasia & Fugue BWV 537

Toccata & Fugue BWV 538 “Dorian”

Preludes & Fugues BWV 539, 541, 535a

The ongoing survey of the Simon Preston organ works box

Now:

Roger Smalley: Symphony - Sydney SO, Patrick Thomas

[Edgy 2]

Hmm, Edgy, the HMV/Melodiya LP of Leonid Kogan/Moscow PO/KK was a mainstay of my listening when I was a student a very long time ago (and which I was delighted to find was in a recent KK box set). So, good? Worth buying? The sound on the 1960s Melodiya issue isn't too bad but something a bit more modern would be good - I haven't lost my fondness for both works.

Well HD the sound is crystal clear and the performances faultless.
These are probably my favourite recordings of both works so highly recommendable

[BBMmk2]

Mendelssohn String Quintets Op.18 & Op.87.

L'Archibudelli. Sony Vivarte CD.

and

Leipziger Streichquartett/Barbara Buntrock. MDG Gold CD.

***

Dutilleux
Symphony No.1.
Orchestre National de Lille/Casadesus. Naxos 24/96/Qobuz.

Terrific 1st....at one time you would rummage around to seek scarce copies of Baudo, Bychkov or Barenboim....then Tortelier seemed a magnificent icebreaker... now our cups of Dutilleux truly runneth over....

What’s the Naxos recording like? I have the Tortelier and Morlot sets.

[Stanfordian]

Anna Moffo Sings Opera Arias
Arias by Gounod, Puccini, Meyerbeer, Bizet, Rossini, Delibes
Anna Moffo (soprano)
Rome Opera Orchestra / Tullio Serafin
Recorded 1960, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Sony/BMG Living Stereo CD

Poulenc – Chamber Music, vol. 2
Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise for cello and piano, FP80
Serenade, Chansons gaillardes for cello and piano, FP42
L'Invitation au Chateau for clarinet, violin and piano, FP138
Un Joueur de Flute Berce les Ruines for solo flute, FP14
Villanelle for piccolo (pipe) and piano, FP74
Deux Mélodies for baritone and piano, FP162
Le travail du peintre for baritone and piano, FP161
Martin Rummel (cello), Eva-Maria May (piano), Corinna Desch (violin),
Andreas Schablas (clarinet), Ahran Kim (flute), Damien Gastl (baritone)
Paladino Music CD

[Joseph K]

Disk 2 of the aforementioned Dutilleux set - L'Arbre des songes (violin concerto) - Olivier Charlier (violin)

Forgot what a striking opening this piece has.

[Joseph K]

Disk 2 of the aforementioned Dutilleux set - L'Arbre des songes (violin concerto) - Olivier Charlier (violin)

Forgot what a striking opening this piece has.

EDIT! I was actually listening to Métaboles! I was mistaken about which CD I put in.

[jayne lee wilson]

What’s the Naxos recording like? I have the Tortelier and Morlot sets.

Truly excellent in all respects - another really good one. Lucky Dutilleux, well represented on record now....
The Naxos Casadesus is especially impressive in the first movement - all very clear texturally, it can often be just a little too misty at first...

No-one else pick up that aforementioned Lutosławski parallel there?

[Pulcinella]

EDIT! I was actually listening to Métaboles! I was mistaken about which CD I put in.

Easily done!

I have the three Tortelier Chandos CDs, so must have a Dutilleux session soon and give them all another spin.
I have Isaac Stern playing the violin concerto too (ONF/Maazel), coupled with his early recording of the Bernstein Serenade; I would imagine that the Chandos is a better (and better recorded) performance, but I don't think I've listened to them in close succession.

[BBMmk2]

Truly excellent in all respects - another really good one. Lucky Dutilleux, well represented on record now....
The Naxos Casadesus is especially impressive in the first movement - all very clear texturally, it can often be just a little too misty at first...

No-one else pick up that aforementioned Lutosławski parallel there?

Re the Lutoslawski parallel? Hmmm... now you mention it yes!

Mahler
Das Lied von der Erde
Magdalena Kozená (soprano)
Stuart Skelton (tenor)
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Sir Simon Rattle

Bernstein
Symphony No.2, “The Age of Anxiety “
Krystian Zimerman (piano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon Rattle

Haydn: An Imaginary Journey
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Simon Rattle