What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[jayne lee wilson]

Martinu: Symphonies (all six of them)

ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra/Cornelius Meister

Binge-listening (well, start with the 1st and then you get sucked in) at a loud volume. By no means perfect, this is still, for me, the most satisfying of the various symphony cycles I have to hand.

Yes, 1&2 aren't quite "there" are they? WIPs, but still full of interpretative interest .... 3-6 marvellous, some of the very best on record....

Oh God don't get me started on Martinu again.... one of my all-time musical icons.... I must have all or most of the complete cycles and many single-issues....

But I would recommend Meister for a first-time choice now...
Belohlavek twice failed to complete Czech Phil cycles...long story.....the BBCSO/Barbican one is of course integral, but I never shared the almost universal enthusiasm for it, intermittently fine though it is in some ways (not for sound, colour or rhythm....)....

Anyway long story and the footie's hotting up now....

[DublinJimbo]

DJ-are you sure that the Label is DG, and not ECM New Series?

Yes, absolutely positive.
https://www.qobuz.com/ie-en/album/we.../dde5m7tmryfda

[teamsaint]

Beethove SQ Op 130. Alexander String Quartet . Their first recording.
I’m enjoying this a lot.

[Bryn]

Beethove SQ Op 130. Alexander String Quartet . Their first recording.
I’m enjoying this a lot.

Have you listened to the Casals Quartet's Beethoven concert on TtN recently? Very fine playing, I thought.

[Stanfordian]

Mozart
Clarinet Quintet, K. 581
String Quintet, K. 516
Amadeus Quartet,
Gervase de Peyer (clarinet)
Cecil Abramowitz (2nd viola)
No recording details
Deutsche Grammophon
A favourite chamber music CD in my collection. Gervase de Peyer’s playing is quite sublime.

‘Bryn Terfel - Bad Boys’
Opera arias from Boito, Puccini, Donizetti, Verdi, von Weber, Gershwin, Weill, Sullivan, Sondheim, C.M. Schonberg, Ponchielli, Rossini, Beethoven, Gounod, Mozart
Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone)
Swedish Radio Choir and Symphony Orchestra / Paul Daniel
with Balcarras Crafoord, baritone (Spoletta, Tosca)
Anne Sophie von Otter, mezzo-soprano (Mrs Lovett, Sweeney Todd)
Recorded 2009 Stockholm
Deutsche Grammophon

[BBMmk2]

That Bryn Terfel album looks interesting!

Just had Radio 3 on yesterday. Wasn’t feeling up to much listening.

[Stanfordian]

That Bryn Terfel album looks interesting!

Just had Radio 3 on yesterday. Wasn’t feeling up to much listening.

Yes, 'Bad Boys' is one of Bryn's most enjoyable albums. His albums 'Something Wonderful' and 'The Vagabond' are top drawer too. I've seen 'Bad Boys' on amazon for 99p.

[cloughie]

Yes, 'Bad Boys' is one of Bryn's most enjoyable albums. His albums 'Something Wonderful' and 'The Vagabond' are top drawer too. I've seen 'Bad Boys' on amazon for 99p.

His Vagabond album is a gem - very interesting - he takes a few liberties but really adds expression - I compared some of his interpretations of Butterworth’s ‘Shropshire Lad’ songs with a very much more strait-laced versions by John Shirley-Quirk from which I got to know them from the old Saga LP - BT much more interesting.

[teamsaint]

Have you listened to the Casals Quartet's Beethoven concert on TtN recently? Very fine playing, I thought.

They seem to be doing a series of concerts. Good suggestion, will try to catch up later.

Currently: Haydn symphony #39, Adam Fischer.

Might have to seek out another recording to add to the enjoyment.

[jayne lee wilson]

They seem to be doing a series of concerts. Good suggestion, will try to catch up later.

Currently: Haydn symphony #39, Adam Fischer.

Might have to seek out another recording to add to the enjoyment.

If you want a truly tempestuous Tempesta and an inflamed impassioned Passione, this one really burns up the bars....

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/haydn-2032-vol-1-la-passione-giovanni-antonini-il-giardino-armonico/3760014196706

[teamsaint]

If you want a truly tempestuous Tempesta and an inflamed impassioned Passione, this one really burns up the bars....
https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/ha.../3760014196706

Just downloaded, let’s see how it scrubs up on Apple Music.

Thanks.

[gurnemanz]

A sunny morning (!) and did some clearing up of half-dead plants and leftover bits and pieces in the garden. On the headphones I listened with great pleasure to Mitsuko Shirai's Robert Franz recital on Capriccio, with her husband Hartmut Höll accompanying. Lovely mezzo tone which reminds me a bit Brigitte Fassbaender.

[gradus]

His Vagabond album is a gem - very interesting - he takes a few liberties but really adds expression - I compared some of his interpretations of Butterworth’s ‘Shropshire Lad’ songs with a very much more strait-laced versions by John Shirley-Quirk from which I got to know them from the old Saga LP - BT much more interesting.

Couldn't agree more and he has the advantage of Malcolm Martineau at the piano. Some of the songs are almost definitive in the sense that I have difficulty forgetting how Bryn did them when I hear other singers eg the opening phrasing of VW's Youth and Love from The Songs of Travel and unequalled for beauty of line by any other singer that I've heard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEyf3a98Dhc

[cloughie]

Couldn't agree more and he has the advantage of Malcolm Martineau at the piano. Some of the songs are almost definitive in the sense that I have difficulty forgetting how Bryn did them when I hear other singers eg the opening phrasing of VW's Youth and Love from The Songs of Travel and unequalled for beauty of line by any other singer that I've heard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEyf3a98Dhc

There is also the excellent ‘follow-up’ album ‘Silent Noon’ - the beautiful title track and a again Martineau on piano - I never cease to marvel at the quality and ability of accompanists, both on record and personal experience in solos and choirs locally. Most are very modest about their role and their training and background means it is something they just ‘get on and do’ but seeing and hearing them often leaves me in awe of their talent!

[Bryn]

I am not at all sure how I managed to miss this recording when it was released but seeing a copy among the CDs for sale at Cafe OTO on Tuesday night, I used one of my 60 accumulated credits to download the FLAC of it today:



A decade after the performance I am at least catching up with the recording which features:

John Butcher / tenor and soprano saxophones

Ute Kanngiesser / cello

John Tilbury / piano

Christian Wolff / piano, bass guitar and melodica

Edwin (Eddie) Prévost / percussion

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Recorded at the 'Freedom of the City' festival, Conway Hall, London on Sunday the 3rd of May, 2009