New releases

[silvestrione]

Ah, thanks for all this information. Birtwistle and Benjamin have speaking roles then. I'm ashamed to say I don't know the full Soldier's Tale, only the intriguing Suite. But I shall definitely go for this!

[Bryn]

Ah, thanks for all this information. Birtwistle and Benjamin have speaking roles then. I'm ashamed to say I don't know the full Soldier's Tale, only the intriguing Suite. But I shall definitely go for this!

My favourite recording of the work is a bit of a sting:

[AmpH]

TELEMANN COLLECTION ( Harnoncourt , Bruggen etc )

Very much looking forward to hearing this , to be released this Friday.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Telemann-250th-Anniversary-Nikolaus-Harnoncourt/dp/B01MY6NF1S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1489006564&sr=8-2&keywords=telemann+collection

[gurnemanz]

Re Soldier's Tale. I went to a remarkable Prom in 1971 - this one. It started at 7pm and was in three parts with a staged Soldier's Tale in the middle. Part three with the Tippett and Berio began at 10 pm. Signor Berio was on hand to conduct his Laborintus and, as I remember, Tippett appeared on stage and took a bow.

[Alison]

Re Soldier's Tale. I went to a remarkable Prom in 1971 - this one. It started at 7pm and was in three parts with a staged Soldier's Tale in the middle. Part three with the Tippett and Berio began at 10 pm. Signor Berio was on hand to conduct his Laborintus and, as I remember, Tippett appeared on stage and took a bow.

Would that the Proms could deliver such a brilliant programme these days.

The eight week season is so often touched by routine.

[jayne lee wilson]

Wonderfully propulsive, hard-edged, big-wind small-string Posthorn, sound and balance familiar and much loved from the Brautigam/Willens Piano Concerto series, just a shade more explicit in its detail which is offered in stunningly-resolved hi-res immediacy of sound.

At first I wondered if Willens wasn't keeping tempo and rhythm on too strict a leash, but when the wind soloists came in through the middle movements, I was charmed by their freshness and individuality - Willens offsets this against the discipline of the orchestral passages to compelling effect. Just listen to the beauty-and-the-beast flute/bassoon dialogue in the first minuet.

Strings then take over for the KLeine Nachtmusik. I left this behind initially (familiarity bites...!), then went back for it after the vivid impression left by the k320. Strikingly remade, with unusually emphasised dynamic and rhythmic articulation, and wonderfully pure upper string tone, on the edge-of-edginess but never over it. The k525 includes an extra movement placed 2nd, the minuet from the k80 String Quartet, and quite exquisite it is.

(24/96 purchased from eclassical, playback: wavs in JRiver MC)

[silvestrione]

Re Soldier's Tale. I went to a remarkable Prom in 1971 - this one. It started at 7pm and was in three parts with a staged Soldier's Tale in the middle. Part three with the Tippett and Berio began at 10 pm. Signor Berio was on hand to conduct his Laborintus and, as I remember, Tippett appeared on stage and took a bow.

Wow what an astonishing programme! There must be a tape of it somewhere.

I love Songs for Dov, though it takes a forceful tenor to be heard through the orchestra at times, in a live performance.

[Bryn]

Wonderfully propulsive, hard-edged, big-wind small-string Posthorn, sound and balance familiar and much loved from the Brautigam/Willens Piano Concerto series, just a shade more explicit in its detail which is offered in stunningly-resolved hi-res immediacy of sound.

At first I wondered if Willens wasn't keeping tempo and rhythm on too strict a leash, but when the wind soloists came in through the middle movements, I was charmed by their freshness and individuality - Willens offsets this against the discipline of the orchestral passages to compelling effect. Just listen to the beauty-and-the-beast flute/bassoon dialogue in the first minuet.

Strings then take over for the KLeine Nachtmusik. I left this behind initially (familiarity bites...!), then went back for it after the vivid impression left by the k320. Strikingly remade, with unusually emphasised dynamic and rhythmic articulation, and wonderfully pure upper string tone, on the edge-of-edginess but never over it. The k525 includes an extra movement placed 2nd, the minuet from the k80 String Quartet, and quite exquisite it is.

(24/96 purchased from eclassical, playback: wavs in JRiver MC)

I was tempted, but resisted. I will listen to tonight's broadcast of the Posthorn Serenade with the same performers, however.

[Dave2002]

30 box from Naxos - no idea what's going to be in it - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...e_epc__1p_1_ti

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

30 box from Naxos - no idea what's going to be in it - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...e_epc__1p_1_ti

Details (and a smidgin cheaper) here:

http://www.europadisc.co.uk/classical/131088/30_Years_of_Naxos:_The_Anniversary_Collection.htm

Click on "About" in the yellow box, and scoll down). Too many duplications/unwanteds here for me, but this does seem excellent value at the current offers.

[jayne lee wilson]

A 5 4th, 24/48 Phi/Outthere Download (Qobuz)....

Exceptional recorded sound, open and spacious; incisive and transparent orchestral style with terrific momentum; andante very pure vibrato-less cantabile yet with sharply rhythmic attack; drama and power saved only for the true climaxes. Revelatory!
(Choral works? 4 times through the symphony...never played them yet....)

[MickyD]

Dare I ask how you think it compares with the ORR/Gardiner version?

[Dave2002]

Details (and a smidgin cheaper) here:

http://www.europadisc.co.uk/classical/131088/30_Years_of_Naxos:_The_Anniversary_Collection.htm

Click on "About" in the yellow box, and scoll down). Too many duplications/unwanteds here for me, but this does seem excellent value at the current offers.

You may be right about duplications/unwanted, and I've not done the detective work to check, but one only has to be interested in approx 5 of the CDs to be breaking even compared with buying at single CD prices. 10 or more and it starts to be attractive. I suspect there are some gems in there, yet also a few which I would not wish to give house room. Should be good value for anyone who doesn't have a large collection, with a diversity of works in the box.

[jayne lee wilson]

Dare I ask how you think it compares with the ORR/Gardiner version?

Herreweghe's Brahms 4 is obviously more Romantic - warmer, more expressively moulded phrase and dynamic, greater sense of urgency and drama, forward momentum, nice point and lift to the rhythm.... Fresher, more inviting acoustic too. Better balance - lovely, blended wind/brass/strings, where the ORR emphasise brass/winds slightly. JEG (RFH live, bit airless) does sound rather stiff, rhythmically, in this recording... in the notes he emphasises the work's strong connections to Baroque practices, perhaps leading to a somewhat austere performance. That approach perhaps sounds better in the choral works..

The Outhere notes to the Herreweghe Brahms 4th (not included in the Qobuz files) can be viewed here....

https://www.outhere-music.com/en/albums/symphony-no-4-alt-rhapsodie-schicksalslied-lph-025/booklet

(I always think of WALL-E when I see this record company name...)

[BBMmk2]

May I recommend The Sixteen/Harry Christophers recording of Poulenc's Choral music? Very sublime indeed.