What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? IV

[Master Jacques]

Der Stein der Weisen, Mozart, Henneberg, Schack, Gerl and Schikaneder
Boston Baroque, soloists, d. Martin Pearlman
Telarc CD80508 (2-CD)

The Philosopher's Stone was a fantasy opera written collaboratively in Vienna, just before The Magic Flute, and inhabiting the same fantasy-pantomime-philosophical ground as its immortal successor. The five composers are an interesting group: here Schikaneder not only wrote the text, but also some of the music. Johann Baptist Henneberg, the primary composer, also conducted the first performance (as he did The Magic Flute's); Benedikt Schack sang Tamino in the later opera, and also the tenor lead in this one; while Franz Xaver Gerl was the first Sarastro, and sings a similar role here.

Then there is Mozart, whose contribution probably extends well beyond the two numbers for which he is 100% guaranteed responsible. Schack's tenor arias, which are developed much as Tamino's are in the later opera, certainly make one sit up and listen.

It's a joy to hear, not at the elevated level of The Magic Flute, but entertaining and cogent, with plenty to charm and even move us. A fascinating and delightful listen.

[richardfinegold]

Vaughan Williams
Symphony no. 9
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
A recent Gramophone Collection recommendation

I listened to the Bryden Thomson/LSO recording on Chandos after reading that article. I had not listened to it or any recording for years and my system had been upgraded in the interim. There is a lot of low level detail that I don’t recall that really enhanced my appreciation.

[smittims]

re the last two posts:

Schikaneder also mounted a sequel to the Magic Flute, called The Labyrinth. Mozart not available , the music was by Peter de Winter. It was broadcast on Radio 3 about ten years ago.

The more I listen to the last two Vaughan Williams symphonies the more I am convinced they are among his finest works.

[Pulcinella]

Dutilleux: L'arbre des Songes (*)
Maxwell Davies: Violin Concerto (**)

Isaac Stern (violin)
(*) Orchestre National De France, Lorin Maazel
(**) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn

I don't think I've heard the PMD concerto before.

[Stanfordian]

Rossini
‘Matilde di Shabran’ (prem. 1821 Teatro Apollo, Rome)
Melodramma giocoso in two acts. Revised Naples version
Annick Massis (Matilde), Juan Diego Florez (Corradino Cuor di Ferro), Bruno Taddia (Raimondo Lopez), Hadar Halevy (Edoardo), Marco Vinco (Aliprando), Bruno de Simone (Isidoro), Chiara Chialli (Contessa d'Arco), Carlo Lepore (Ginardo), Gregory Bonfatti (Egoldo), Lubomir Moravec (Rodrigo)
Prague Chamber Choir,
Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia / Riccardo Frizza,
Recorded live 2004 at Rossini Opera Festival, Teatro Rossini, Pesaro
Decca, 3 CD box set

[Master Jacques]

Dutilleux: L'arbre des Songes (*)
Maxwell Davies: Violin Concerto (**)

Isaac Stern (violin)
(*) Orchestre National De France, Lorin Maazel
(**) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn

I don't think I've heard the PMD concerto before.

It's a good piece, cogent and memorable. Some time after that disc appeared it became the PMD 1st Violin Concerto, of course. The 2nd (with one of those gorgeous 'Scottish folk' slow movements) has, shamefully, never been recorded or released on CD, as far as I know.

[smittims]

Dvorak, Symphonic Dances, op.48 and 72 complete. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik. 1955.

Ths is an old favourite I have on an Eclipse Lp I bought for 99p new when it came out . Originally on two full-price discs coupled (oddly, I think) with Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet. It was transferred to CD in the old 'Decca Legends' series : glorious vintage string and woodwind playing. This recording spoils all other performances for me, even Kubelik's stereo remake with the Bavarian Radio orchestra.

[oliver sudden]

It's a good piece, cogent and memorable. Some time after that disc appeared it became the PMD 1st Violin Concerto, of course. The 2nd (with one of those gorgeous 'Scottish folk' slow movements) has, shamefully, never been recorded or released on CD, as far as I know.

But at least we can hear it. (This is part 1 of 3, I hope the others are also up...(edit: yes they are, at least at the moment)) https://youtu.be/cGoOZpiFBcI?feature=shared

What is it that makes people seek out this sort of thing on youtube just so they can write nasty things underneath it?

[Serial_Apologist]

re the last two posts:

Schikaneder also mounted a sequel to the Magic Flute, called The Labyrinth. Mozart not available , the music was by Peter de Winter. It was broadcast on Radio 3 about ten years ago.

The more I listen to the last two Vaughan Williams symphonies the more I am convinced they are among his finest works.

I have always had a special fondness for the Eighth, which gets less mention than any of the others and when it is is often referred to as the slenderest of the nine. Are any of them slenderer than the others, I ask rhetorically? We used to be told at one time that some composers do not "travel" as well as others - Reger and (believe it or not) Mahler often being cited in that light. It was often alleged that Vaughan Williams's music did not go down well anywhere outside this country. My German girlfriend in the early 1970s told me that The Sea Symphony - possibly the most "British" of VW's symphonies in its idiom - was the top favourite work of her sister; I well remember buying the version I have of No 8 - the Previn - and one day returning to work to find Susanna singing one of the melodies from the slow movement of No 8 - not the chorale but the mostly descending one preceding it - not by any means the easiest of melodies to sing.

[Jonathan]

Now spinning - Theodore Gouvy - Symphony no.1 in E flat, Op.9 from the CPO recording with Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, conducted by Jacques Mercier. A recent cheap purchase from eBay, and a very welcome one. What a cheerful, jolly and interesting piece. Symphony no.2 soon...

[oliver sudden]

It was often alleged that Vaughan Williams's music did not go down well anywhere outside this country.

Here in Germany I would be inclined to say: it’s a bit hard to know how it would go down here because no one ever plays it! I’m glad to hear the Germans of your acquaintance liked it. The Germans I know haven’t a clue and I can’t really blame them. And you’d think it would be just the sort of thing the repertoire could do with, what with being both accessible and good.

[JSB Rules]

For me, at this time of year, it has to be Christmas music by Michael Praetorius. It transports me to another world (ok, a C17th German church, of which I have no knowledge!) and affirms my faith in God and in mankind; at least until I hear the next news bulletin! And of course the great Christmas oratorio by the guv'nor!

[smittims]

Vaughan Williams used to be popular in America where several of his works had their first recordings. And I once heard a gripping performance fthe F minor symphony by the Hungarian radio orchestra. I think it's more in Latin countries (France southwards) where he's unapprecrated.

I'm tired of hearing his eighth called 'little' , often, I think, by writers who just copy what others have written without thinking. It's longer and more heavily scored than several symphonies which no-one calls 'little' : Barber's first, Harris' third, Sibelius' seventh,etc. I think it's a profound work full of memories, from the opening trumpet notes, taken from Holst's hymn-tune 'Valiant Hearts' which used to be sung on Remembrance Day, to the Bach chorale reference (known in England as 'Be near me, Lord, when dying') at the opening of the third movement.

[gurnemanz]

The Leipzig Gewandhaus has a very good online concert archive and out of curiosity I checked Vaughan Williams. They did the Tallis Fantasia in 1927 (with Furtwängler) but waited until 1961 to do it again. No symphony until 2000, when Andrew Davies conducted the 5th. In November of the same year Roger Norrington did the 3rd Pastoral (coupled with Beethoven's 6th of the same ilk).

Norrington was back in 2002 with the 5th. He did two VW symphonies in 2003, with the 4th in March and the 2nd in November. Also in 2003 the American conductor, Hugh Wolff, programmed The Lark Ascending and Walton's 1st. They must have got a taste for VW because Norrington was back in 2005 with 6th and with the Two Piano Concerto in 2007, which he coupled with Walton's First. They did VW Tuba Concerto in 2008 but since then nothing.

I attended a concert of English music at the Gewandhaus in 1974 conducted by James Lockhart. They did Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide, Henry Purcell Suite of Songs from Orpheus Britannicus (arranged by Britten) and Holst Planets. I see Andrew Manze did the Planets in 2017. I was in Leipzig recently and a Gewandhaus regular told me Manze was a frequent and popular guest conductor. I see he did the Britten Piano Concerto with Benjamin Grosvenor in 2003, Britten's 100th birthday year.

[oliver sudden]

The Leipzig Gewandhaus has a very good online concert archive and out of curiosity I checked Vaughan Williams. They did the Tallis Fantasia in 1927 (with Furtwängler)

Be still my beating heart!

I see he did the Britten Piano Concerto with Benjamin Grosvenor in 2003, Britten's 100th birthday year.

Hang on a tick…