What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Stanfordian]

Mieczysław Weinberg
Cello Concertino, Op. 43bis
Fantasy for cello and orchestra, Op. 52
Chamber Symphony No. 4, Op. 153
Pieter Wispelwey (cello)
Jean-Michel Charlier (clarinet)
Orchestre Les Métamorphoses / Raphaël Feye
Recorded 2021 Muziekcentrum de Biljoke, Ghent, Belgium
Evil Penguin, CD

[edashtav]

I suppose it's the sulphur mines at Machowa - the Lutoslawski Little Suite was written for the village

Yes, indeed, Roger.
Treat yourself to Brimstone & Treacle.

[Roger Webb]

Yes, indeed, Roger.
Treat yourself to Brimstone & Treacle.

Thanks ed. don't mined if I do!

[Petrushka]

Willi Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic, 'Johann Strauss Concert' Decca LXT 5432. Lovely photo of the inside of the Sofiensaal, where, presumably, it was recorded.

That LP was included as a CD in the Boskovsky Complete Recordings box issued a few years ago by Decca and it is indeed the Sofiensaal. The recording was made there in December 1957 and was, in fact, the first of the Strauss Family discs that Boskovsky made with the VPO.

[pastoralguy]

Bizet. Carmen and L’ arlésienne suites.

Les Musiciens du Louvre. Mark Minkowski.

Another £1 charity shop find! Delighted to see it was a Gramophone Disc of the Month.

Beautiful music making.

[Roger Webb]

George Weldon and the Philharmonia orchestra : 'Popular Concert no.1' Columbia 33SX 1032,

and Willy Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic, 'Johann Strauss Concert' Decca LXT 5432. Lovely photo of the inside of the Sofiesaal, where, presumably, it was recorded.

.

The front cover of LXT 5432 is not the Sofiensaal (locally Sofiensale, as there are several halls), the hall pictured is the theatre in the Hofburg Palace, back in 1958 Boskovsky gave concerts there - I doubt the recording was made there though - it probably was made in the main hall of the Sofiensale (as Petrushka indicates above) - made famous as the recording venue for many Decca recordings and seen in the Humphrey Burton film 'The Golden Ring', which related the Solti Ring story.

We visited the Sofiensale last time we were in Vienna, now restored after the disastrous fire that nearly destroyed the building. It is now an upmarket 'boutique hotel' and health club with café - you can just walk in and go upstairs, past the charred sign which used to stand outside, to a balcony and look down on the room where all those famous recordings were made....and then go and have a coffee in what was John Culshaw and the Decca team's flat!

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks ed. don't mined if I do!

What a mine of knowledge there is on this forum. Collectively we could take over Radio 3 and make it back into like it used to be!



Sulphur so good!

[Pulcinella]

What a mine of knowledge there is on this forum. Collectively we could take over Radio 3 and make it back into like it used to be!



Sulphur so good!

Or sol-fa so good?

[Roger Webb]

Or sol-fa so good?

Sofa and some music's good for me

[edashtav]

Sofa and some music's good for me

Guys: please stop these puns, we've sulphured enough, already.

How do chemists get rich?
They combine sulphur, tungsten and silver.

[Roger Webb]

Guys: please stop these puns, we've sulphured enough, already.

How do chemists get rich?
They combine sulphur, tungsten and silver.

SWAG?

[edashtav]

SWAG?

Yes lute is correct.

[Roger Webb]

Yes lute is correct.

As I got both yours correct, may I set one?

I noticed Roy Plomley being discussed on another thread, what is the connection between him and a Suffolk composer? No, not DiD, that's too easy.....an additional clue, Sir Velo may be on the recieving end.

[cloughie]

Or sol-fa so good?

A real tonic!

Just listened to Faure Requiem - Arleen Auger, Ben Luxon KCCh ECO Philip Leger

[Master Jacques]

Ah yes, The MInes of Sulphur. Thanks, Master Jacques, I had forgotten that.

I thought Victory was the best of his operas, but it cost a fortune to mount, given the fact that it required a fully-costumed, on-stage professional ladies' string orchestra (in accordance with the Conrad novel) so after its first revival at the Royal Opera - like the premiere, brilliantly cast - it sank without trace.

Musically, I think Victory had more to it than The Mines of Sulphur, which seems very dated and 'hammy' now; or A Penny for a Song, which worked largely thanks to the brilliance of the original John Whiting play - though that probably scuppered it too, as its comedy was far more effective. The play is still occasionally done, the opera (as far as I know) is not.