What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? IV

[Ian Thumwood]

It is noticeable that academia does not seem to value sweet or popular music with high esteem. This applies to jazz as much as classical music.

i am not a fan of Schoenberg either and am as distracted by serial music as much as the sentimental classical music typified by Tchaikovsky. It is fair to say that few composers receive the volume of negatative cimments as the Russian. I do not feel he is treated evenly by fans an critics.

it does come down to personal taste in any instances yet with Tchaikovsky it seems to go well beyond that. The fact his music is overtly lush makes him an obvious target as does his appeal outside of classical music. It is as if the sweetness of his music is a weakness.

[Quarky]

Notations/ Aimard - from Boulez The Composer Box Set. This box set has been sitting in my bookshelf for well over 10 years essentially unopened!
The big lesson from Sunday's immersion for me was how much emotion and humanity there is in his music, even when doing the 12 note shuffle.
I will be playing all the other CDs in the set - tout de suite.

[Petrushka]

One rule that I made for myself on the Forum was to never rubbish a composer. To do so is to invite understanable scorn and horror from those who adore that composer. Besides which, no-one will be in the slightest bit interested.

I'm always happy, however, to say something positive about the music I love.

[vinteuil]

.

... ah well, I find people's dislikes just as interesting as their likes

[Jonathan]

I've always said that if someone has an opinion (on anything, not just composers and music) that noone, no matter how persuasive they are, will be able to change their mind - even if they put forward the most logical, reasoned and well thought through arguments.

For the record, I like Tchaikovsky!

[Ian Thumwood]

I've always said that if someone has an opinion (on anything, not just composers and music) that noone, no matter how persuasive they are, will be able to change their mind - even if they put forward the most logical, reasoned and well thought through arguments.

For the record, I like Tchaikovsky!

If anyone makes a positive comment about music thst piques my interest , i will check it out.

[Quarky]

I'm not sure that balletomanes would agree with your assessment, Ian. A lot of Tchaik's music is ballet music, where the lushness and sweet sentimentality is acceptable, when combined with the visual dimension.
Tempted to post a link to a dance team interpreting the Classics, but I don't want to lower the tone of these proceedings!

[smittims]

Elgar: Variations, op. 36. The Royal Philharmonic orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham.

One still occasionally hears the fallacy (perhaps from those who haven't listened to him) that Beecham was antipathetic to certain composers. Beethoven is one, though the number of fine Beecham recordings of his music should have dispelled that . Elgar is another. This performance, a live concert not the CBS studio version, is clearly a committed interpretation, more dramatic incidentally than either of Elgar's own recordings. Each 'picture' has its own character and personality.

I think this is a very rewarding recording for those prepared to listen with an open mind. It was released on a SOMM Beecham edition Cd and is avalilable on Spotify.

[Stanfordian]

Pietro Mascagni – ‘L'amico Fritz’
Opera in three acts (1891)
Roberto Alagna (tenor) – Fritz Kobus; Angela Gheorghiu (soprano) - Suzel; Laura Polverelli (mezzo) – Beppe; George Petean (David) - baritone
Chor und Orchester der Deutsche Oper Berlin / Alberto Veronesi
Recorded live 2008,Deutsche Oper, Berlin
Deutsche Grammophon, 2 CDs

[smittims]

Shostakovitch: Symphony no. 12. Maris Jansons, EMI CD.

Shostakovitch's 11th and12th were highly praised officailly in Russia in contrast to his 9th and 10th which had received severe criticism. It's not hard to see why: the titles affixed to the former symphonies and their movements. Yet Mariss Jansons says Shostakovitch told his father Arvid Jansons (or 'Yansons ' as it was sometimes spelt then) ) that the titles were added after the music was composed. So it is quite possible to hear them as abstract symphonies. Certainly the eleventh has become more popular outside Russia in recent years. I've always liked the twelfth too, as it has an onward pulse throughout, and a motto theme. For many years the only available recording was the old Georges Pretre on Classics for Pleasure; now there are many.

[richardfinegold]

Shostakovitch: Symphony no. 12. Maris Jansons, EMI CD.

Shostakovitch's 11th and12th were highly praised officailly in Russia in contrast to his 9th and 10th which had received severe criticism. It's not hard to see why: the titles affixed to the former symphonies and their movements. Yet Mariss Jansons says Shostakovitch told his father Arvid Jansons (or 'Yansons ' as it was sometimes spelt then) ) that the titles were added after the music was composed. So it is quite possible to hear them as abstract symphonies. Certainly the eleventh has become more popular outside Russia in recent years. I've always liked the twelfth too, as it has an onward pulse throughout, and a motto theme. For many years the only available recording was the old Georges Pretre on Classics for Pleasure; now there are many.

I have a couple of complete Shostakovich cycles, and that is the only way that I had obtained the 12th, which to me sounds like it was cobbled together from scraps left out of 11

[smittims]

you may not be far wrong there!

[Sir Velo]

you may not be far wrong there!

When I first acquired a CD of the 12th I was unfamiliar with the piece. Inadvertently I had programmed the first track to repeat on a continuous loop. I remember thinking "Christ this movement is interminable; talk about eking out 2nd rate material " before at the third repetition, the penny dropped.

[Stanfordian]

Antonio Salieri
‘Cublai, gran kan de' Tartari’ (1788)
Mirco Palazzi, Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, Marie Lys,
Aneas Humm, Fabio Capitanucci, Giorgio Caoduro,
Ana Quintans, Lauranne Oliva,
Choeur de Chambre de Namur,
Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe Rousset (pianoforte/direction)
Recorded 2024, Studio RIFFX, La Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris
Aparté, 2 CD set

[Sir Velo]

Bartok Scherzo for Orchestra and Piano Op.2 Zoltan Kocsis; Budapest Festival Orchestra; Ivan Fischer Philips

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8084025--bartok-rhapsody-scherzo-for-piano-and-orchestra

Well, this would make a good party game of guess the composer. My first thoughts were Dohnanyi for it has something of that composer's whimsical humour, or even early Richard Strauss. In fact there is a levity and light heartedness about this piece which seems completely out of character with the serious mature Bartok (although clearly indicated by the title!). However, there are some characteristic moments, particularly in the squawking winds and belligerent percussion in the rousing finale. Brilliantly played and recorded.