What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[BBMmk2]

Ernest J Moeran
Overture to a Masque
Symphony in G minor.
Ulster Orchestra, Vernon Handley.

Vaughan Williams
Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus.
Five Tudor Portraits.
Jean Rigby, John Shirley-Quirk,
Robert Burton, Michael, Cox, Tim Hugh,
LSO & Chorus, Richard Hickox.

J S Bach
Viola da Gamba Sonatas
Sonata No.1 in G major, BWV1028
Capriccio in Bb major, BWV992*
Sonata No.2 in D major, BWV1028
Capriccio in E major, BWV992*
Sonata No.3 in G minor, BWV1029
Jaap ter Linden(viola da Gamba), *Richard Egarr(harpsichord).

G F Handel
8 Great Suites for Harpsichord.
Suites nos.1 - 4, HWV126 - 129.
Richard Egarr(harpsichord).

[Bryn]

Inspired by the quality of his playing of the Prokofiev Piano Concertos with the Moscow PO, Vladimir Krainev playing the Shostakovich Piano Concertos with the Moscow Virtuosi and Leningrad PO respectively (Vladimir Spivakov and Alexander Dimitriev conducting) recorded in the early to mid '80s. Good, but not up there with his Moscow Prokofievs.



(The Preludes are played by Elena Varvarsova. I have yet to listen to them.)

[ahinton]

Inspired by the quality of his playing of the Prokofiev Piano Concertos with the Moscow PO, Vladimir Krainev playing the Shostakovich Piano Concertos with the Moscow Virtuosi and Leningrad PO respectively (Vladimir Spivakov and Alexander Dimitriev conducting) recorded in the early to mid '80s. Good, but not up there with his Moscow Prokofievs.



(The Preludes are played by Elena Varvarsova. I have yet to listen to them.)

As one who in general terms yields to no one in my admiration for Shostakovich, I do have reservations about much of the music he wrote for his own instrument, the piano, espewcaily to solo works (as distinct from the two piano trios, the piano quintet and the three sonatas for stings and piano). To me, the 24 Preludes are the most successful of these, the later 24 Preludes and Fugues seeming to be rather a mixed bag of fortunes, for all the real gems there.

[Bryn]

Over the next few days, Sorabji: Sequentia Cyclica ... [224kbps ABR mp3s of Theme and Variations 1 to 13 (2h55m56s); Variations 14 to 21 (1h8m18s); Variation 22, Passsacaglia with 100 variations (1h21m57s); Variations 23 to 26 (35m16s);Variation 27 - Fuga (1h2m36s)]. A performance given in a private house by Jonathan Powell in June 2010. Data rate chosen to squeeze the whole thing onto a single 703MB CD-R.

[jayne lee wilson]

Martinu
Violin Concertos 1&2. Suk/Czech PO/Neumann. Supraphon 1973/1976. Lossless Download Qobuz.
Piano Concerto No.3. Palenicek/Czech PO/Ancerl. Ancerl Gold 2002. Supraphon 1962(?). Lossless Download Qobuz.

Playback:Audirvana+Integer2 (WAVs).

Several fine recordings later from Koukl, Firkusny, Faust et al... but these are the Martinovian Classics from the Czech-orchestral fountainhead, the perfectly-matched Rudolfinum acoustic. The Palenicek/Ancerl of the 3rd Piano Concerto is my favourite of all individual Martinu Concerto issues. It has that lofty, Apollonian-Brahmsian grandeur familiar from Firkusny, but effortlessly broadens its range to something more adventurous and 20thC-volatile.... (vide Koukl). Tongues of fire from that orchestra, and 24-bit Ancerl-Gold remastering doesn't hurt either...a Martinovian epitome.

I've always wondered, reading the somewhat patronising comments from critics and reviewers on the 3rd Piano Concerto over many years, why none seem to hear it for what it is: Martinu's hommage to Brahms, in love and lovable, including a slow movement which is explicitly so, so wittily and imaginatively it will charm and seduce anyone who knows the Brahms B flat Concerto well.

(And I STILL can't identify which Brahms piece for solo piano is quoted there, shortly after the andante's opening... anyone...?)

[HighlandDougie]

Elgar: Introduction and Allegro op.47; Serenade for Strings in E minor, op.20
Vaughan-Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'

Sinfonia of London with the Allegri Quartet/Sir John Barbirolli

One of my favourite records (I should be saying, "absolutely incredibly spot-on" if I were whoever was on Record Review earlier gushing about Tarik O'Regan). Newly remastered and reissued as an 'Ultra High Quality' CD by Warner Japan (and bought in Hong Kong earlier this week), the depth of sound and the sense of space are certainly impressive (that Temple Church acoustic in the V-W). Typically Japanese in its respect for 'the original issue' in that, unlike other European reissues which add in 'Sospiri' etc, what you got on the original LP is what you get on this CD. The format - UHQCD - is the Denon/Warner rival to Universal's SHM-CD and there is a rather heterogeneous collection of material just reissued or about to appear (more JB - Schönberg's Pelléas for example; Paul Kletzki - Prokofiev 5; Tchaikovsky etc).

[visualnickmos]

Martinu
Violin Concertos 1&2. Suk/Czech PO/Neumann. Supraphon 1973/1976. Lossless Download Qobuz.
Piano Concerto No.3. Palenicek/Czech PO/Ancerl. Ancerl Gold 2002. Supraphon 1962(?). Lossless Download Qobuz.

Hello Jayne
Wearing your 'Martinu hat' - I wondered what your thoughts are on his piano concertos set with Emil Leichner, and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Belohlavek? (Supraphon)
I gather that they are not particularly acclaimed(?) but I have to say that I enjoy them very much and find them very 'bouncy' - lots of great pianistic acrobatics, and (IMVHO) generally good ensemble - all with a genuine Slavic accent... I suppose I'm trying to say - "I can't find anything to be unhappy about, with them" "What do you think?"
Thanks,

[Stanfordian]

Verdi
Otello, tragic opera in four acts
Otello – Stuart Neill, Desdemona – Jessica Nuccio, Cassio – Davide Giusti, Jago –Roberto Frontali, Emilia – Tamta Tarieli, Roderigo – Manuel Pierattelli, Lodovico – Seung Pil Choi, Montano – Giacomo Medici, Herald – Franco Di Girolamo
Coro Lirico Marchigiano Vincenzo Bellini /Carlo Morganti (chorus master)
Pueri Cantores D. Zamberletti / Gian Luca Paolucci (chorus master)
Fondazione Orchestra Regionale delle Marche / Riccardo Frizza
Stage Direction & Set Design – Paco Azorín
Costume Design – Ana Garay
Lighting – Albert Faura
Video Direction – Tiziano Mancini
Recorded 2016 Macerata Opera Festival, Arena Sferisterio, Macerata, Italy
Dynamic Blu-ray

[BBMmk2]

Johannes Brahms
String Quartet in A minor, Op.51 No.1
String Quartet in C minor, Op.52 No.2.
Tackacs Quartet.

[jayne lee wilson]

Hello Jayne
Wearing your 'Martinu hat' - I wondered what your thoughts are on his piano concertos set with Emil Leichner, and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Belohlavek? (Supraphon)
I gather that they are not particularly acclaimed(?) but I have to say that I enjoy them very much and find them very 'bouncy' - lots of great pianistic acrobatics, and (IMVHO) generally good ensemble - all with a genuine Slavic accent... I suppose I'm trying to say - "I can't find anything to be unhappy about, with them" "What do you think?"
Thanks,

I made this comment just the other day on the 20thC Music thread.....

"(I finally got around to Leichner/Bëlohlávek in the Concertos 1-5 and whilst Layton's comment "only of use as a stopgap until something more interesting arrives" as he acclaimed Firkušny/Pešek in 2-4, seems a touch harsh, it comes across as somewhat staid and predictable though usefully strongest in 4 and the rarely-recorded 5. So - go with the Naxos for the Piano Concertos intégrale, supplemented with Kolinsky in 2&4 (best), and/or Firkušny in 2-4.)"

...But I did enjoy a fair bit of it. It's lovely music, and if you hadn't heard the others I mention the music itself has such melodic and rhythmic strength and beauty you could still be won over...
In No.1 though, Leichner and Bēhlolávek miss that much lighter, frothier ballets russes character which is so irresistibly expressed by Koukl/Fagen. It has one of those tunes that's in your head for days and has like No.5 (which Leichner does well - the only viable alternative to Koukl really and yes, with the finer orchestra), very few recordings anyway.
If you don't want to go for the Naxos intégrale (though despite the occasionally over-exuberant orchestra, I don't think you'd be disappointed, quite the reverse) do try to hear that Paleniček/Ancerl of No.3 - it would reveal what Leichner /Bēhlolávek are missing very clearly. It's as stunner!

(If you missed it, scroll down here for more....

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?9750-The-Rest-Is-Noise-Listening-To-The-Twentieth-Century-through-its-music/page128

or on the Martinu thread itself...

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?15228-Martinů-Bohuslav-(1890-1959)/page8

[Stanfordian]

Ireland
‘My Song is Love Unknown – The Church Music’
Lincoln Cathedral Choir/Aric Prentice
Charles Harrison (organ)
Recorded 2012 Lincoln Cathedral, UK
Naxos

Delius
String Quartet in E minor (1917) ‘Late Swallows’
Two movements from original three movement version of String Quartet (1916 )
assembled by Daniel Grimley (2016)
Elgar
String Quartet in E minor
Villiers Quartet
Recorded 2016 St. Silas Church, Pentonville, London
Naxos

[BBMmk2]

Ireland
‘My Song is Love Unknown – The Church Music’
Lincoln Cathedral Choir/Aric Prentice
Charles Harrison (organ)
Recorded 2012 Lincoln Cathedral, UK
Naxos

Delius
String Quartet in E minor (1917) ‘Late Swallows’
Two movements from original three movement version of String Quartet (1916 )
assembled by Daniel Grimley (2016)
Elgar
String Quartet in E minor
Villiers Quartet
Recorded 2016 St. Silas Chuch, Pentonville, London
Naxos

Lovely session there, Stan. The Ireland I must investigate.

English Song Series vol.20: Butterworth
6 Songs from a Shropshire Lad; 11 Songs from Sussex;
Bredon Hill and other songs; 11 songs from Sussex.
Roderick Williams(baritone), Iain Burnside9piano).

Vaughan Williams: "Discoveries".
3 Nocturnes(orch. Anthony Payne); Stricken Peninsula(orch. P Lane);
4 Last Songs(orch. Anthony Payne).
Roderick Williams(baritone), BBC SO, Martyn Brabbins.

[Colonel Danby]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

Mass in C minor K427 (edited by Richard Maunder)

Auger/Dawson/Ainsley/Thomas

Winchester Cathedral Choir and Quiristers

Master of Music: David Hill

Academy of Ancient Music

Christopher Hogwood

Decca Editions de L'Oiseau Lyre Florilegium 425 528-2OH

Glorious...

[Stanfordian]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

Mass in C minor K427 (edited by Richard Maunder)

Auger/Dawson/Ainsley/Thomas

Winchester Cathedral Choir and Quiristers

Master of Music: David Hill

Academy of Ancient Music

Christopher Hogwood

Decca Editions de L'Oiseau Lyre Florilegium 425 528-2OH

Glorious...

I couldn’t live without Mozart's music; it's such a comfort.

[BBMmk2]

Lovely session there, Stan. The Ireland I must investigate.

English Song Series vol.20: Butterworth
6 Songs from a Shropshire Lad; 11 Songs from Sussex;
Bredon Hill and other songs; 11 songs from Sussex.
Roderick Williams(baritone), Iain Burnside9piano).

Vaughan Williams: "Discoveries".
3 Nocturnes(orch. Anthony Payne); Stricken Peninsula(orch. P Lane);
4 Last Songs(orch. Anthony Payne).
Roderick Williams(baritone), BBC SO, Martyn Brabbins.

Following on from the above:-

Vaughan Williams
Symphony no.3, "A Pastoral Symphony";
Symphony No.4, in F minor.

RLPO, Andrew Manze.

Sir Arthur Bliss.
A Colour Symphony; Violin Concerto*
*Lydia Mordkovitch(violin), BBC NOW
Richard Hickox