What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Stanfordian]

Elīna Garanča - ‘Revive’
Opera arias from Saint-Saëns, Mascagni, Cilea, Berlioz, Verdi, Mussorgsky, Massenet, Thomas, Ponchielli, Leoncavallo
Elīna Garanča (mezzo-soprano)
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana,
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana / Roberto Abbado
with Jennifer O’Loughlin (soprano)
Recorded 2016 Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia, Spain
Deutsche Grammophon

Poulenc
Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano, FP 43
Sextet for piano and wind quintet, FP 100
Flute Sonata, FP 164
Clarinet Sonata, FP 184
Oboe Sonata, FP 185
Ensemble Arabesques
Recorded 2018 Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal, Cologne
Farao Classics

[peterthekeys]

Shostakovich - Symphony 4 (Mariss Jansons recording).

In the finale, the half-suppressed insanity and panic, the comminatory brass outbursts, and the exquisitely slow descent into extinction are touching the spot for me like no other music I've heard recently.

[ahinton]

Shostakovich - Symphony 4 (Mariss Jansons recording).

In the finale, the half-suppressed insanity and panic, the comminatory brass outbursts, and the exquisitely slow descent into extinction are touching the spot for me like no other music I've heard recently.

I find that entirely unsurprising! I'm not sure that the composer ever quite scaled those heights (or depths) again in the four decades since completing this extaordinary work...

[silvestrione]

Vaughan Williams Symphony no. 5, LPO Boult, 1953 recording.

How disappointing that this work, which I so loved once, just doesn't do it for me any more.

On the other hand:
Birtwistle The Shadow of Night Halle/ Wigglesworth NMC

I think I'm starting to prefer this piece to Earth Dances: a wider range of feeling and expression, more human.

[peterthekeys]

Shostakovich - Symphony 4 (Mariss Jansons recording).

I'm not sure that the composer ever quite scaled those heights (or depths) again in the four decades since completing this extaordinary work...

I entirely agree. Every time I hear it, it impresses me more (that ending is just devastating!) It was also the first of his works which made me realise just what an impact Mahler had made on him.

Apparently after the premiere (in the early 1960s), Shostakovich himself said that he thought that it was better than many of his later symphonies.

[Quarky]

Plodding my way through Haydn's symphonies - up to no. 60 this morning. It seems there is a natural break point about halfway through around no. 50 with enlarged forces, etc.

However what is interesting is Classic FM's rankings of the symphonies: https://www.classicfm.com/composers/...dn-symphonies/

As regards the top 10, 8 of 10 are early symphonies composed before no 50. I think I might turn around and start from the beginning again.....

[Bryn]

Rather more impressed than you were with the G Major Concerto....marvellously agile, powerful, sonorous wild beasts & a glittering Orpheus....the room filled with splendour... but business difficult & demanding today, & I need that walk..... more later I hope...

Given that JPC can send the new CPO ser of the Piano Concertos from stock for a little over £25 (including p&p), it is somewhat surprising that QOBUZ do not, as yet, have that set available for either download or streaming. I have emailed them regarding this lack and will advise if and when they reply.

[jayne lee wilson]

Given that JPC can send the new CPO ser of the Piano Concertos from stock for a little over £25 (including p&p), it is somewhat surprising that QOBUZ do not, as yet, have that set available for either download or streaming. I have emailed them regarding this lack and will advise if and when they reply.

Amazon's release date is 01/05, so it may appear on Q with the Friday New Releases....
Only time for (i) and (ii) of the Haselbock Pastoral so far.... utterly gorgeous musically, & sound & tempo giusto in the profoundest sense...... I never heard a more beautiful brook than this one...(intrigued to hear if the finale lives down to RC's comments....(I bet it doesn't....)..)

But on the buzz today, Food shop too, so listening much postponed....

[rauschwerk]

Plodding my way through Haydn's symphonies - up to no. 60 this morning. It seems there is a natural break point about halfway through around no. 50 with enlarged forces, etc.

However what is interesting is Classic FM's rankings of the symphonies: https://www.classicfm.com/composers/...dn-symphonies/

As regards the top 10, 8 of 10 are early symphonies composed before no 50. I think I might turn around and start from the beginning again.....

Plodding????

You know, of course, that the numbering of many of Haydn's early symphonies is seriously non-chronological. And if you want someone else's opinion, read the writings of a connoisseur, not some hack hired by Classic FM to produce entertaining copy.

[Bryn]

Amazon's release date is 01/05, so it may appear on Q with the Friday New Releases....
Only time for (i) and (ii) of the Haselbock Pastoral so far.... utterly gorgeous musically, & sound & tempo giusto in the profoundest sense...... intrigued to hear if the finale lives down to RC's comments....(I bet it doesn't....)..

But on the buzz today, Food shop too, so listening much postponed....

Here's hoping, and that 24 bit will be available, now that they are coming from CPO. I take it the recordings of opera 58 and 61a will be those already issued by Alpha.

[Quarky]

Plodding????

You know, of course, that the numbering of many of Haydn's early symphonies is seriously non-chronological. And if you want someone else's opinion, read the writings of a connoisseur, not some hack hired by Classic FM to produce entertaining copy.

I would be obliged if you would kindly recommend someone.

[rauschwerk]

I would be obliged if you would kindly recommend someone.

With pleasure . You can get hold of H C Robbins Landon's volume in the BBC Music Guides without spending a fortune (try Abe Books for starters)

[Quarky]

With pleasure . You can get hold of H C Robbins Landon's volume in the BBC Music Guides without spending a fortune (try Abe Books for starters)

That's brilliant! Thank you very much.

[ahinton]

I entirely agree. Every time I hear it, it impresses me more (that ending is just devastating!) It was also the first of his works which made me realise just what an impact Mahler had made on him.

Apparently after the premiere (in the early 1960s), Shostakovich himself said that he thought that it was better than many of his later symphonies.

He did indeed; he told his friend Isaac Glikman this (I believe that the two sat together at that première in Moscow in December 1961). It was certainly infinitely finer than the symphony that he had just then completed! And yes, the impact of Mahler is more apparent in parts of no. 4 than in most other Shostakovich works.

[gradus]

Finzi vln. conc.