What Classical Music Are You Listening To?

[mjzee]

 

Kurt Masur - The Complete Warner Classics Edition, disc 51.

Edited May 18, 2024 by mjzee

[ejp626]

I'm listening to different versions of "Curtain Tune" from Purcell's Timon of Athens.  I was just at a Tafelmusik concert, and this piece really grabbed my attention.  Curiously, while Tafelmusik has recorded an entire CD of Purcell's Ayres, this piece was not included.  Perhaps it will be on some later release.

So far the version I am liking the most (or at least has the same zest as Tafelmusik) is by Tim Mead & Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien.

[soulpope]

10 hours ago, mjzee said:

Kurt Masur - The Complete Warner Classics Edition, disc 51.

Excellent Cover Photography ....

[EKE BBB]

[soulpope]

8 minutes ago, EKE BBB said:

Interesting reading ....

[HutchFan]

Continuing my recent Clara Haskil kick with Mozart:

That Gothic photo of Haskil on the cover makes her look über-menacing & sinister.  Seems like an odd choice for these elegant, lovely works.  Not to mention the contrast with the cherubs on the fortepiano lid!   

 

[Ron S]

On 5/12/2024 at 7:08 AM, Referentzhunter said:

Interesting and if so for what reason/reasons ... ?!

I only heard the first symphony on Youtube. 

This was the first complete Nielsen symphony cycle, if I recall correctly (at least outside of Denmark), and is still very highly regarded from what I've heard and read.  I currently have 4 complete Nielsen symphony cycles in my collection, including this one.  At its current low price in this Alto release, I figured it was worth picking up.  

Edited May 13, 2024 by Ron S

[Peter Friedman]

[HutchFan]

3 hours ago, Ron S said:

This was the first complete Nielsen symphony cycle, if I recall correctly (at least outside of Denmark), and is still very highly regarded from what I've heard and read.  I currently have 4 complete Nielsen symphony cycles in my collection, including this one.  At its current low price in this Alto release, I figured it was worth picking up.  

I think Schmidt's Nielsen cycle is terrific too.   Those recordings were my gateway into his music.

 

Edited May 13, 2024 by HutchFan

[soulpope]

7 hours ago, HutchFan said:

I think Schmidt's Nielsen cycle is terrific too.   Those recordings were my gateway into his music.

My "door opener" to Nielsen's symphonies was the cycle by Michael Schonwandt/DNRSO , especially Symphony 2 won me over ....

[Referentzhunter]

On 5/12/2024 at 3:08 PM, soulpope said:

Who was your "winner" .... ?

Oistrach/Ormandy, for the cutting tension !

 

[Referentzhunter]

15 hours ago, HutchFan said:

I think Schmidt's Nielsen cycle is terrific too.   Those recordings were my gateway into his music.

 

... and what leads to make you enjoy his compositions if i may ask so ?

Is there any spiritualism ? Any passages you recommend me to listen to for clear impressions ?

[soulpope]

34 minutes ago, Referentzhunter said:

Oistrach/Ormandy, for the cutting tension !

Fair enough ....

[Referentzhunter]

21 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Continuing my recent Clara Haskil kick with Mozart:

That Gothic photo of Haskil on the cover makes her look über-menacing & sinister.  Seems like an odd choice for these elegant, lovely works.  Not to mention the contrast with the cherubs on the fortepiano lid!   

 

ahh ... Clara Haskil/Ferenc Fricsay giving a nice Mozart experience. Classic stuff. Bye the way for some reason Ferenc Fricsay delivers most of the time a majestic performance (for me). And yes, Haskil has probably a proper connection with mister goatman himself ! 

[Referentzhunter]

thriftstore-find i will keep ...

[HutchFan]

32 minutes ago, Referentzhunter said:

... and what leads to make you enjoy his compositions if i may ask so ?

Nielsen's music strikes me as being full of "life force."  It has a sort of transcendent, supra-human vitality.

I'd recommend his Fourth Symphony, subtitled "Inextinguishable."  That was Nielsen's first work that captured my ear.

I think this image does a great job of representing Nielsen's music:  The living EARTH & SEA.  

 

22 minutes ago, Referentzhunter said:

ahh ... Clara Haskil/Ferenc Fricsay giving a nice Mozart experience. Classic stuff. Bye the way for some reason Ferenc Fricsay delivers most of the time a majestic performance (for me). And yes, Haskil has probably a proper connection with mister goatman himself ! 

@Referentzhunter, just to confirm: mister goatman refers to W.A. Mozart, correct?

 

Edited May 14, 2024 by HutchFan

[HutchFan]

1 hour ago, Referentzhunter said:

Oistrach/Ormandy, for the cutting tension !

Yes, I agree!  Oistrakh/Ormandy is a magnificent performance, my "go to" for Sibelius' VC.

But I will also confess that -- on purely subjective grounds -- Heifetz's vibrato does not appeal to me.  I MUCH prefer Oistrakh's sound (or others) in most repertoire, relative to Heifetz.

 

[Peter Friedman]

[HutchFan]

Now giving this new-to-me LP a first listen:

Vincent d'Indy: Symphony No. 2 / Michel Plasson & the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse (EMI, 1982)

These French La Voix de Son Maître LPs are such beautiful objects -- and the music is consistently terrific too.

[soulpope]

8 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Now giving this new-to-me LP a first listen:

Vincent d'Indy: Symphony No. 2 / Michel Plasson & the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse (EMI, 1982)

These French La Voix de Son Maître LPs are such beautiful objects -- and the music is consistently terrific too.

Good one ....

[soulpope]

Recorded in August 1989 .... Elly Ameling a perfect Schubert Lied singer .... case closed ....

[mikeweil]

[Peter Friedman]

[Peter Friedman]

Schubert - Piano Sonatas D.568   and   D.850

[HutchFan]

Liszt - Liebstraum: Favorite Piano Works / Jorge Bolet (Decca)
CD 2

 

 

14 hours ago, soulpope said:

Elly Ameling a perfect Schubert Lied singer .... case closed ....

Agreed.

The way she handles Brahms & Schumann ain't too shabby either.