What Classical Music Are You Listening To?

[Peter Friedman]

Mozart - Symphonies No.25, 30, 33 Krips / RCO

[soulpope]

7 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

Mozart - Symphonies No.25, 30, 33 Krips / RCO

Outstanding ....

[mjzee]

Brahms needed an editor.  His compositions run too long.

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, mjzee said:

Brahms needed an editor.  His compositions run too long.

Probably not all of them, but some "quality control" would haven been of help .... btw it is particularly ironic that he accused Bruckner of this (and was part of a movement which destroyed Bruckner's career during his lifetime) .....

[Peter Friedman]

Schubert - String Quartets D.32, D.74, D.353

[mjzee]

11 hours ago, soulpope said:

Probably not all of them, but some "quality control" would haven been of help .... btw it is particularly ironic that he accused Bruckner of this (and was part of a movement which destroyed Bruckner's career during his lifetime) .....

For instance, I just listened to this Brahms's Piano Concerto #1.  Should it really take 52 minutes?  Couldn't it have been shortened to 30 or even 25?

[soulpope]

8 minutes ago, mjzee said:

For instance, I just listened to this Brahms's Piano Concerto #1.  Should it really take 52 minutes?  Couldn't it have been shortened to 30 or even 25?

Both Brahms Piano Concertos are monoliths, no question ....

[HutchFan]

I strongly disagree with the sentiment that Brahms' piano concertos (or his works in general) are too long.  . . .  However, there might be problems with that particular Barenboim/Barbirolli interpretation.  (I'm not familiar with it.)

But listen to Szell/Serkin (for a faster, leaner reading) or Gilels/Jochum (for a slower, massive reading).

Yes, Brahms' piano concertos are BIG -- they're symphonies with piano accompaniment as much as they're concertos.  But they're also MAGNIFICENT.

IMO, of course.   

 

Edited December 9 by HutchFan

[soulpope]

11 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

I strongly disagree with the sentiment that Brahms' piano concertos (or his works in general) are too long.  . . .  However, there might be problems with that particular Barenboim/Barbirolli interpretation.  (I'm not familiar with it.)

But listen to Szell/Serkin (for a faster, leaner reading) or Gilels/Jochum (for a slower, massive reading).

Yes, Brahms' piano concertos are BIG -- they're symphonies with piano accompaniment as much as they're concertos.  But they're also MAGNIFICENT.

IMO, of course.   

 

@ "HutchFan" : could not resist 😎 .... off course a complete exaggeration, still making ironically the point his Piano Concertos are hard to digest ....

[HutchFan]

Yeah.  I understand that the assertion that "Brahms' compositions are too long" is NOT a new opinion. *

 

 

* However, the same sorts of accusations have been brought against Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner, Liszt, Mahler, Bruckner, and probably every other composer of the Romantic era.

 

 

[soulpope]

4 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

Yeah.  I understand that the assertion that "Brahms' compositions are too long" is NOT a new opinion. *

* However, the same sorts of accusations have been brought against Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner, Liszt, Mahler, Bruckner, and probably every other composer of the Romantic era.

 

Btw Brahms suffered life long from excessive self-criticism .... what a irony ....

[Peter Friedman]

Mahler is the composer where the length of his compositions makes it hard for me to connect with them. I would much rather listen to Brahms symphonies and concertos.

Currently listening to Chopin's Mazurkas by Nedia Reisenberg.

[mjzee]

Thanks all for your comments.

[HutchFan]

Now playing:

As heard in Stokowski's Complete Decca Recordings - Phase 4 Stereo box set.

 

Edited December 9 by HutchFan

[HutchFan]

Another disc from Stoki's big Phase 4 set:

[mjzee]

Riccardo Muti - The Complete Warner Symphonic Recordings, disc 13.

[soulpope]

6 hours ago, mjzee said:

Thanks all for your comments.

Thnx for sharing your view initially .... it's not easy to critize composers/recordings pozentially being favourites of other members .... but it is a vital part of the forum to discuss/communicate and (especially) the Classical Music Thread is no exemption ....

[soulpope]

2 hours ago, mjzee said:

Riccardo Muti - The Complete Warner Symphonic Recordings, disc 13.

Can't go wrong with Sviatoslav Richter .... btw excellent Cover Photography ....

[soulpope]

Alain Planès with his astute view on Haydn .... magnificent ....

[soulpope]

Standout Sibelius performances ....

[HutchFan]

8 hours ago, soulpope said:

Thnx for sharing your view initially .... it's not easy to critize composers/recordings pozentially being favourites of other members .... but it is a vital part of the forum to discuss/communicate and (especially) the Classical Music Thread is no exemption ....

Agreed!  The discussion is the point.

After all, we're just expressing our individual perspectives.

 

[Peter Friedman]

Haydn & Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel

[Peter Friedman]

[mikeweil]

12 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

That's a painting by Max Klinger, showing the three great loves of his early life.

[mjzee]

Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir - The Complete Decca Recordings, disc 10.