What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? IV

[Stanfordian]

W.F. Bach, G. Benda, C.P.E. Bach – ‘The Age of Extremes’
Georg Anton Benda
Harpsichord Concerto in F minor
Harpsichord Concerto in B minor
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Les Folies d’Espagne with 12 Variations for solo harpsichord, Wq 118/9
Andante in C minor for solo harpsichord, from Sonatina in C major, Wq 103
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Sinfonia in D minor, Fk 65
Harpsichord Concerto in D major, Fk 41
Il Pomo d'Oro / Francesco Corti (harpsicord & direction)
rec. 2024 Salla della Carità, Padua, Italy
Arcana, CD, new release

Marcelo Álvarez ‘French Arias’
Arias from Gounod, Donizetti, Meyerbeer, Rossini, Verdi, Offenbach, Massenet
Marcelo Álvarez (tenor)
Orchestra & Chorus of the Opéra de Nice / Mark Elder
Recorded 2001, Salle Jedrinsky, Diacosmie, Nice
Sony Classical, CD

[smittims]

W F Bach has a voice of his own, I think , too often overshadowed by the more-obviously gifted CPE.

My last listening was Gianandrea Noseda's wonderful Rachmaninov Prom from 2011. The 'Spring' Cantata never fails to bring tears to the eyes.

Live while you are able to live,
love while you are able to love,
forgive while you are able to forgive
and God will be your judge.

[Stanfordian]

Umberto Giordano – ‘Fedora’
Opera in 3 acts (1897)
José Carreras (Andrea Chénier), Giorgio Zancanaro (Carlo Gérard), Éva Marton (Madeleine di Coigny),
Klára Takács (La mulatta Bersi), Tamara Takács (La Contessa di Coigny), Éva Farkas (Madelon)
Hungarian Radio & Television Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Giuseppe Patané
Recorded 1986 Italian Institute of Culture, Budapest, Hungary
CBS Masterworks, 2 CDs

[gurnemanz]

I happened upon Audite's Barry McDaniel sings Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Duparc, Ravel & Debussy at Presto when doing my own small survey of Schumann's remarkable Der Spielmann. I remembered hearing him quite a lot many years ago but hardly at all recently. I loved his performance of that song and duly acquired the 2CD set. In 2012 Audite issued for the first time Berlin studio recordings from the 60s and 70s. Born in Kansas, USA, he moved permanently to Berlin and became a major figure in the musical life of that city. I am very grateful to Audite's efforts because they have turned out to be some of the most rewarding song recordings in my collection - superb voice with impressive range and interpretative insights.

[smittims]

Yes, Audite's Maureen Forrester set was valuable to me.

I've just heard

Arthur Bliss: Music for Strings. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Hugo Rignold. a Lyrita LP.

Hugo Rignold didn't have an extensive dicography. I used to hear him in BBC Lunchtime Concerts . He did some ballet music for EMI in the 1950s and accompanied Benno Moiseiwitsch occasionally, but this LP (backed by the Meditations on a theme of John Blow) is for me his most distinguished outing on disc. At one time it was the only available recording of this somewhat neglected piece, one of Bliss' best works I think. Over the years I've come to prefer this recording even to Sir Adrian Boult's two versions.

[oliver sudden]

Audite is a superb label. Their Furtwängler box is a staple on my shelves, but also Celibidache and Knappertsbusch…

[gurnemanz]

Yes, Audite's Maureen Forrester set was valuable to me.

I love her voice and also have that set. I don't I have many Audite recordings but do have the Furtwängler box also mentioned above.

My only other Audite is quite recent and also recommendable, if Reger transcription is up your street: his Brandenburg Concertos for piano beautifully played by Norie Takahashi & Björn Lehmann. https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...-piano#reviews

[Sir Velo]

Enescu Piano Qt No. 1 Naxos

I'm an admirer of Enescu but never really took to this work until hearing this performance. The Romanian pedigree of the artists gives the interpretation an extra degree of authenticity missing from, for example, the Schubert Ensemble's otherwise worthy reading on Chandos.

[Barbirollians]

Yes, Audite's Maureen Forrester set was valuable to me.

I've just heard

Arthur Bliss: Music for Strings. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Hugo Rignold. a Lyrita LP.

Hugo Rignold didn't have an extensive dicography. I used to hear him in BBC Lunchtime Concerts . He did some ballet music for EMI in the 1950s and accompanied Benno Moiseiwitsch occasionally, but this LP (backed by the Meditations on a theme of John Blow) is for me his most distinguished outing on disc. At one time it was the only available recording of this somewhat neglected piece, one of Bliss' best works I think. Over the years I've come to prefer this recording even to Sir Adrian Boult's two versions.

Wasn’t he the conductor the only time Jacqueline du Pre played the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No 1 ?

[Roger Webb]

Not anything on Chandos!!! They've withdrawn their catalogue from streaming services - well Qobuz, can't check the rest. Shame, as I use streaming to see if I wanted to purchase new releases.

One of my favourite labels; my CD shop was a main dealership....I think it's a poor decision - there's no doubt that for many people streaming is the future.

[Stanfordian]

Samuel Ramey – ‘French Opera Arias’
Arias from Bizet, Gounod, Massenet, Meyerbeer, Offenbach, Rossini & Ambroise Thomas
Samuel Ramey (bass)
Ambrosian Opera Chorus,
LPO / Julius Rudel
with Claire Powell (mezzo-soprano)
Recorded 1989, St. John's Smith Square, London
Philips, CD

Carl Friedrich Abel
Cello Concerto No. 2 in C major, WKO 60
Sinfonia Concertante No. 1 in B flat major, WKO 42
Sinfonia Concertante No. 2 in D major, WKO 43
Cello Concerto No. 1 in B flat major, WKO 52
Bruno Delepelaire (cello) & Christoph Hartmann (oboe)
Berliner Barock Solisten / Kristof Polonek (direction / violin)
Recorded 2022, Teldexstudios, Berlin-Lichterfelde, Germany
Hänssler Classic, CD

[Pulcinella]

Not anything on Chandos!!! They've withdrawn their catalogue from streaming services - well Qobuz, can't check the rest. Shame, as I use streaming to see if I wanted to purchase new releases.

One of my favourite labels; my CD shop was a main dealership....I think it's a poor decision - there's no doubt that for many people streaming is the future.

A quick search on Deezer showed all Richard Hickox's Chandos releases still available.
The new John Wilson Walton release is also there: lined up for later (though I'm not a great fan of JW).

[Sir Velo]

https://play.qobuz.com/album/m47gb9krgpepa

Schubert Ensemble on Chandos available on Qobuz.

[Roger Webb]

A quick search on Deezer showed all Richard Hickox's Chandos releases still available.
The new John Wilson Walton release is also there: lined up for later (though I'm not a great fan of JW).

Thanks for looking, they appear to be available on Qobuz too, but don't play.....or download........I discovered this last night whilst downloading my holiday listening (the cottage in which we are holidaying from tomorrow doesn't have the internet!)....if you google it the AI says Chandos are giving up streaming services.

[Sir Velo]

No problem here playing either the Schubert Ensemble or the Wilson Walton (absolutely wonderful by the way!) on Qobuz.