What Are You Listening To Now? - II

[BBMmk2]

It's not half bad. Better than I expected. Anthony Payne does a marvellous job with his orchestrations.

Thanks! I'll have to be extra nice to Mrs.BBM

"The Sony Great Wagner Recordings Vol.1"

Der Fliegende Hollander.

James Morris, Deborah Voigt, Ben Heppner,
Jan-Hendrik Rootering,
Paul Groves, Brigitta Svendes,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, James Levine.

[Alison]

Diana Burrell: Concerto for Brass and Orchestra currently live from the Barbican.

I suggest the BBC needs to revisit its commissioning policy: this sounds like meaningless doodling and wholly without merit.

[Beef Oven!]

Diana Burrell: Concerto for Brass and Orchestra currently live from the Barbican.

I suggest the BBC needs to revisit its commissioning policy: this sounds like meaningless doodling and wholly without merit.

Harsh

[Alison]

Harsh

What a relief to turn to Haydn! Just saying.

[Beef Oven!]

What a relief to turn to Haydn! Just saying.

Papa’s Home

[Stanfordian]

Diana Burrell: Concerto for Brass and Orchestra currently live from the Barbican.

I suggest the BBC needs to revisit its commissioning policy: this sounds like meaningless doodling and wholly without merit.

A couple of years ago none other than Riccardo Chailly stated that commissioning new works is one of the hardest things a music director and his organisation can do. Evaluating the worth must be so challenging. That's why I suppose that the same tried and tested composers get the Lion's share of the commissions such as John Adams and Wolgang Rihm.

[Stanfordian]

Shostakovich
Cello Concertos No’s 1 & 2
Alisa Weilerstein (cello)
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Pablo Heras-Casado
Recorded 2015 Herkulessaal, Munich,
Decca

Weinberg
Works for Violin & Piano, Vol. 2
Stefan Kirpal (violin), Andreas Kirpal (piano), Gundula Kirpal (violin II)
Recorded 2010 KUBIZ Unterhaching (CD 1) & 2012 Burghausen, Germany (CD 2)
CPO

[Petrushka]

Handel: Messiah
Elizabeth Harwood (soprano), Marjorie Thomas (contralto)
Gerald English (tenor), Kim Borg (bass)
Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus
Halle Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli

Given in the King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on December 6 1964

Enjoying this. There is a some hiss and inter-movement audience noise for those bothered about such things but the mono sound otherwise has splendid body and presence and is considerably better than I would have expected in a radio recording of this age. In any case, the ear very quickly adapts.

Anyone considering a purchase shouldn't hesitate.

[Suffolkcoastal]

This evening:

Listening to my scores - recent purchases 17:

Liszt:
A Faust Symphony - study score

[BBMmk2]

Handel: Messiah
Elizabeth Harwood (soprano), Marjorie Thomas (contralto)
Gerald English (tenor), Kim Borg (bass)
Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus
Halle Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli

Given in the King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on December 6 1964

Enjoying this. There is a some hiss and inter-movement audience noise for those bothered about such things but the mono sound otherwise has splendid body and presence and is considerably better than I would have expected in a radio recording of this age. In any case, the ear very quickly adapts.

Anyone considering a purchase shouldn't hesitate.

Have done and yes, fully concur. I received the Sir Andrew Davis new recording of messiah today, will play it tomorrow.

[Petrushka]

Have done and yes, fully concur. I received the Sir Andrew Davis new recording of messiah today, will play it tomorrow.

I'd like to see an unbiased review of the Davis version before committing myself but it certainly looks intriguing.

I've now heard the Barbirolli recording in full and what a shame that the applause is cut so short at the end. One has the impression throughout of eavesdropping on a live performance and a bit of the clearly thunderous ovation would have been absolutely right. A pity if the original recording was so truncated.

[Stanfordian]

Poulenc
Concerto for organ, strings and timpani
Saint-Saëns
Symphony No. 3 ‘Organ’
James O’Donnell (organ)
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Recorded live 2014, Royal Festival Hall, London
LPO label
My preferred account of the 'Organ' Symphony!

Thuille, Poulenc, Françaix - Sextets
Thuille
Sextet for piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn, op. 6
Poulenc
Sextet for piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, FP 100
Françaix
L’heure du Berger for piano and string quintet
Margarita Höhenrieder (piano)
Kammerharmonie der Sächsischen Staatskapelle Dresden
Released 2016 - Klosterbibliothek Polling - No recording date given.
Solo Musica
Stunning playing!

[Pianorak]

Scriabin
Piano Sonatas 1-4
Peter Donohoe

[BBMmk2]

I will indeed, Pet, put one up but being a fan of Andrew Davis, might not be unbiased but I will give it my best shout.

Hiya Stan, that recording of the Poulenc, seemed to have escaped my attention. Looks very good combination!

[Petrushka]

Mozart: Piano Concerto No 24

[interval]

Bruckner: Symphony No 4

Staatskapelle Berlin
Daniel Barenboim (piano/conductor)

Given in the Royal Albert Hall, London, September 5 2016 at the BBC Proms.