What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[MickyD]

The Festetics complete Haydn SQs (Op. 9 to 77) is an out and out bargain on QOBUZ, (£20.99).

Agreed, but not for the likes of those of us who prefer the old-fashioned CD medium!

[Bryn]

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (Sara Mingardo, Contralto, Boys and Girls of the Cologne Cathedral Choir, Schola Heidelberg Women's Choir, Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra, François-Xavier Roth, Conductor).

[Bryn]

Agreed, but not for the likes of those of us who prefer the old-fashioned CD medium!

Does your computer not have CD burning facilities? I know many modern laptops do without an optical drive, so a USB optical disc burner might be needed.

[MickyD]

Does your computer not have CD burning facilities? I know many modern laptops do without an optical drive, so a USB optical disc burner might be needed.

You will be horrified to know that I have no idea! Think I've mentioned before on the Forum how much of a technophobe I am.

[peterthekeys]

Delius: Koanga (the Groves recording). Haven't heard it for ages; I've just bought a copy of the vocal score, with the revised libretto, so I'm following it through with that for the first time. The new libretto vastly improves both the characterisation and the flow of the drama.

I first heard it on an old valve radio in 1972, when the BBC broadcast it live from Sadler's Wells. I still remember how it electrified me (even with most of the original libretto intact). There was a tremendous ovation at the end of act II - it sounded as though the audience simply erupted. It almost had a note of astonishment in it, that a composer who was (and is) so often dismissed as turning out rambly and incoherent music, could produce something so strong and powerful, and evident of a magisterial technique (the way that Delius hints at La Calinda throughout the first part of act II, so that when it arrives, it slips perfectly into place, is just superb).

La Calinda was the first piece by Delius which really turned me on to his music, and in particular, the running semiquaver lines which he fits on to the tune - melodically of almost equal interest to the tune itself. Apparently Delius once admitted to Fenby that at Leipzig, his counterpoint had been admired - no wonder.

Masterpiece.

[teamsaint]

You will be horrified to know that I have no idea! Think I've mentioned before on the Forum how much of a technophobe I am.

A plug in USB cd drive, as described by Bryn, should be incredibly easy to install and use. And useful. And cheap.

Otherwise not worth bothering with.......

[jayne lee wilson]

HAYDN QUARTETS OP.76 1-6. LONDON HAYDN QUARTET. HYPERION CDs 2021.



Noting earlier comments, my response to these is entirely positive, with rhythmic poise, crystalline clarity and a tonal purity of lean refinement; nothing overstated or rhetoricised, but certainly no lack of expressiveness or energy here. They remind me of the Kuijken Quartet whose Mozart I so admire, with a response of similar subtlety and detail in dynamic and phrase. Lovely, textured warmth in the lower registers.

(Odd "noises off": a soft "brushing" sound in busier passages, somewhere to the right of the soundstage.... violist's, cellist's, movements or breathing? I wasn't sure...)

Very searching accounts; they go deep, deep into the largo of, well, the Largo; easing so gently into the minuet, before an energetic, but precisely controlled finale. Wonderful reading, very thought-through in its larger span.
The Fifths is marvellously done. With first and second half repeats, the first movement presents as a superbly urgent, expansive, elaborately inventive structure. The adagio has such depth and eloquence. The word “searching” comes to mind again…

First of the Londoners’ Haydn series I’ve listened to attentively, but checking my impressions against online excerpts of the previous volume and Gramophone reviews they seemed to hold up pretty well..

[Suffolkcoastal]

Score following - Days 251-254

W A Mozart:
Violin Concerto No 1 in B flat major k207
Violin Concerto No 2 in D major k211
Violin Concerto No 3 in G major k216
Violin Concerto No 4 in D major k218
Violin Concerto No 5 in A major 'Turkish' k219
Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major k364
Bassoon Concerto in B flat major k191
Concero for Flute, Harp & Orchestra in C major k299
Flute Concerto No 1 in G major k313
Flute Concerto No 2 in D major k314
Andante for Flute & Orchestra in C major k315
Horn Concerto No 1 in D major k412
Horn Concerto No 2 in E flat major k417
Horn Concerto No 3 in E flat major k447
Horn Concerto No 4 in E flat major k495
Clarinet Concerto in A major k622

[BBMmk2]

Frank Bridge Orchestral Works
The Collector’s Edition
Dame Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano)
Philip Langridge (tenor)
Roderick Williams (baritone)
Alban Gehardt (cello)
Howard Shelley (piano)
BBC NOW Chorus of Wales
BBC NOW
Richard Hickox

[MickyD]

It struck me as I listened again to the London Haydn Quartet just how one can form prejudices when the time of day or one's mood is not at its best. I think my earlier, more negative remarks must have been formed on one of my off days! Has anyone else experienced this?

[Richard Barrett]

It struck me as I listened again to the London Haydn Quartet just how one can form prejudices when the time of day or one's mood is not at its best. I think my earlier, more negative remarks must have been formed on one of my off days! Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes. Although not with this particular ensemble.

My plan now is to go through the entire LHQ series beginning with op.9, and downloading op.76 when I get there. (I know opp. 20 and 33 reasonably well, the other sets between vaguely and hardly at all.)

[Cockney Sparrow]

It struck me as I listened again to the London Haydn Quartet just how one can form prejudices when the time of day or one's mood is not at its best. I think my earlier, more negative remarks must have been formed on one of my off days! Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes! I've started to ask myself if I would enjoy listening to a certain piece of music - whether I'm in the right mood/setting/time of day to give the music proper consideration and (chance of) enjoyment. Having just posted elsewhere on audio equipment/reproduction/audiophilery...... (not forgetting the factor of my hearing abilities as I age....)

[Stanfordian]

Koechlin - 'Orchestral Songs'
Quatre Poèmes d'Edmond Haraucourt, op. 7
No. 2 - Deux Poèmes symphoniques, op. 43
No’s 1 & 2 - Poèmes d'Automne, op. 13
No. 1 - Deux Poèmes d'André Chénier, op. 23
No’s 1 & 2 - Trois Mélodies, op. 17
No’s 2, 3 & 4 - Études antiques, op. 46
No. 1 - Six Mélodies sur des poèsies d'Albert Samain, op. 31
Chant funèbre à la mémoire des jeunes femmes défuntes, op. 37
Faure (arranged Koechlin)
Chanson de Mélisande
Juliane Banse (soprano)
SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR / Heinz Holliger
Recorded 2000-2010 various locations
SWR Music - CDs 1 & 2 from Edition Charles Koechlin (7 CD set)

Saint-Saëns - ‘Chamber Music for Wind Instruments & Piano’
Sonata for oboe & piano, Op. 166
Sonata for clarinet & piano, Op. 167
Sonata for bassoon & piano, Op. 168
Romance for flute & piano, Op. 37
Caprice sur des airs danois et russes, for flute, oboe, clarinet & piano, Op. 79
Ensemble Villa Musica
Recorded 1991, Furstliche Reitbahn, Bad Arolsen, Germany
MDG Gold

[gradus]

Brahms op117 played by a young German pianist,Fabian Muller, in a recording from the Schwetzingen Festival on R3 today.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes. Although not with this particular ensemble.

My plan now is to go through the entire LHQ series beginning with op.9, and downloading op.76 when I get there. (I know opp. 20 and 33 reasonably well, the other sets between vaguely and hardly at all.)

I just decided to do exactly this myself !.... but with the Festetics via Qobuz...started last weekend with Op.9 and Op.17, going well...they must be one of the most distinctive sounding of all such ensembles. Gorgeously warm, deep and textured.

I'm sure there are very serious listeners here who can whistle Op.9 or Op.17 in the street but its a new adventure for me...
I only ever came in at Op.20 or 33 before...