What Classical Music Are You Listening To?

[HutchFan]

I've been listening to lots of Robert Schumann's music for solo piano over the last few days. Mostly as performed by Claudio Arrau -- but also Argerich, Kissin, Alexeev, Perahia, et al.

I've also ordered a Geza Anda box that includes 2 CDs of Schumann's music. Looking forward to hearing it. (The box is "The Art of Geza Anda" on Brilliant Classics, a reissue of his solo piano recordings originally on DG.)

Edited October 4, 2016 by HutchFan

[A Lark Ascending]

Marvellous music and Casper David Friedrich covers to boot. 

[soulpope]

[alankin]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 
– Quartet for Strings No.1 in G major K80
– Quartet for Strings No.2 in D major K155 (134a)
– Quartet for Strings No.3 in G major K156 (134b)
– Quartet for Strings No.4 in C major K157
– Quartet for Strings No.5 in F major K158
Paolo Borciani (violin), Elisa Pegreffi (violin), Piero Farulli (viola), Franco Rossi (cello) – Quartetto Italiano (Philips / Decca Music)

 
 

[A Lark Ascending]

The Higdon off the first. Yet to really connect to either of these records.

Very enjoyable collection of varied pieces from the first forty years of the 20thC. Brahms, Ireland, Bridge come to mind....even Stravinsky in the later pieces. Despite writing only a small body of work she seems to have quite a following - I notice two new releases of largely the same music in 2016 alone.

Another listen. The Cello concerto is especially beautiful. Would love to hear it live.

Just started Bostridge's recent book 'Winter Journey' which examines 'Winterreise' with a chapter to each song, exploring the songs and poems but venturing much more widely. Very impressed so far - he admits to having never studied music so approaches it more as a cultural historian (his degree was in history). Nicely down to earth and unpretentious yet displaying an incredibly wide knowledge of music, history, literature etc. Prior to seeing a performance of 'Winterreise' in Sheffield next month (by someone else).    

Edited October 5, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[soulpope]

[Balladeer]

Christian Schulz - Romanza (Oceanbar Records)

Lovely guitar recital featuring mostly modern Latin American composers.

[alankin]

Édouard Lalo – Symphonie espagnole pour violon et orchestre Op.21
Max Bruch – Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor Op.26
— Yehudi Menuhin (violin) – San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – Pierre Monteux (RCA Victor Red Seal / Sony Classical)

 
 

[soulpope]

On 4.10.2016 at 7:52 PM, alankin said:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 
– Quartet for Strings No.1 in G major K80
– Quartet for Strings No.2 in D major K155 (134a)
– Quartet for Strings No.3 in G major K156 (134b)
– Quartet for Strings No.4 in C major K157
– Quartet for Strings No.5 in F major K158
Paolo Borciani (violin), Elisa Pegreffi (violin), Piero Farulli (viola), Franco Rossi (cello) – Quartetto Italiano (Philips / Decca Music)

 
 

A magnificent chamber music ensemble ....

[A Lark Ascending]

9-12; Symphony A/B (Partita) in B flat major (snappy little titles!). 

The latter whilst making a fruit cake, as Bach intended.

First three pieces in order to try and make more sense of what I heard Hewitt play t'other night. The above guide book proved very helpful (not recommended to 'the connoisseur'). I find the idea of two hands playing three lines of music very hard to get my head round. I'm not really able to hear all three at once - when I've focused on the lower line I miss the other two and have to redirect my ears. The complexity of this music is staggering (and the inventions were apparently teaching tools!) and I've only got a bare grasp of it. However, I was completely floored by the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue. Music I've played many times but I think I only heard it yesterday. 

This morning:

  

 

Edited October 6, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[soulpope]

[soulpope]

[A Lark Ascending]

The Bach was perfect to listen to whilst the evening descended. Excellent notes from Hewitt herself to guide you through this collection of shorter pieces. 

The following morning:

Th'arp off latter. 

Edited October 7, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

Disc 1 of the first. Nancarrow is relatively new to me - starts with pieces that sound like upended boogie-woogie, in places rather Latin and then onto later more abstract things. You're inclined to think this music was an inspiration for free jazz piano but it only seems to have become widely know after that was well established. Exciting, original stuff.  

No. 8

Edited October 8, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[alankin]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  
– Symphony No.32 in G major K 318
– Symphony No.35 in D major K 385 "Haffner"
– Symphony No.39 in E flat major K 543
English Chamber Orchestra – Jeffrey Tate (EMI Classics)

 
 

Edited October 8, 2016 by alankin

[alankin]

Now playing:
Yuquijiro Yocoh – Variations on Sakura
Stephen Dodgson – Fantasy-divisions for Guitar
Manuel Ponce – Sonatina meridional
Heitor Villa-Lobos – Chôros No.1 for Guitar
Antonio Lauro – Vals Criollo
Jorge Gomez Crespo – Norteña
Vicente Emilio Sojo – 5 Venezuelan Melodies (Transc.: Alirio Diaz)
Agustín Barrios Mangoré – Danza Paraguaya No.1
— John Williams — Music from England, Japan, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Mexico (Columbia Master Works / Sony Classical) 

Edited October 8, 2016 by alankin

[StarThrower]

[soulpope]

Earlier today :

Indispensable ....

[A Lark Ascending]

Disc 2 of the first. Way too complex to take in on one listen (or, I suspect, on several dozen listens) but the music has an immediately thrilling effect. The Johnston is equally compelling, utterly in its own world. Must get the discs of the other quartets.  

One of my favourite Mozarts - and one of the pieces that turned Mozart from someone I listened to every now and then because I thought I ought to to someone I genuinely enjoyed. 'Amadeus' was to blame! 

4 has never been a favourite (1/5/7/8/9 are my frequent fliers) but yesterday afternoon this really clicked. 

This morning, more Mozart:

 

Edited October 9, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

Whilst painting a ceiling (Adam's hand is proving especially tricky):

The glorious Quintet off the latter.

I love those Brahms serenades. Always make me want to buy lederhosen and go and hunt boar. 

SQ5 off Spotify. Don't know Rochberg at all. But there's a nice short article in the new Gramophone recommending American string quartets and this one gets a thumbs up. Quite late 19thC in feel initially though later you enter a world not unlike Schoenberg or Berg at their less severe. Early days but worth following up. 

[soulpope]

Earlier today .... :

[alankin]

Ludwig van Beethoven 
– Sonata for Piano No.19 in G minor Op.49/1
– Sonata for Piano No.21 in C major Op.53 "Waldstein"
– Sonata for Piano No.23 in F minor Op.57 "Appassionata"
– Sonata for Piano No.25 in G major Op.79
– Sonata for Piano No.26 in E flat major Op.81a "Les Adieux"
Eric Heidsieck (piano) (EMI Music France)

Edited October 10, 2016 by alankin

[mikeweil]

Excellent virtuoso playing on two fabulous sounding copies of 16th century Italian harpsichords. Mostly rarely heard composers, but fantastic music.

The title was translated incorrectly, it should be "Late 16th century Venetian harpsichord", not 'last" ... 

[Larry Kart]

1 hour ago, mikeweil said:

Excellent virtuoso playing on two fabulous sounding copies of 16th century Italian harpsichords. Mostly rarely heard composers, but fantastic music.

The title was translated incorrectly, it should be "Late 16th century Venetian harpsichord", not 'last" ... 

Aymes' Frescobaldi is excellent IIRC.

[mikeweil]

Agreed, I have them all. They are my first recommendation whenever someone asks me for a Frescobaldi keyboard recording.

Edited October 10, 2016 by mikeweil