Current Listening Vol IX [2023]

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Art Rock

Discussion Starter · 5 mo ago

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Here we go again. In the past, this popular thread had to be re-started a number of times because the files got to big for the software used. The latest restart was with volume VIII, which accidentally practically coincided with the start of the new year 2022. Many members thought this was actually a good idea to pick a new year for a new thread, so with 2023 upon us (already or soon, depending on where you live), we are starting a new thread.

Links to previous Current Listening threads:
Current Listening Vol I
Current Listening Vol II
Current Listening Vol III
Current Listening Vol IV
Current Listening Vol V
Current Listening Vol VI
Current Listening Vol VII
Current Listening Vol VIII

A few suggestions (as if anyone bothers reading this):

Many members appreciate if you would not just post a CD cover or an embedded YouTube link. It would be helpful if you would post at least a short description (like composer, work, performers). This holds especially for videos, because not all YouTube videos can be seen in every country, and they tend to disappear over time.

It would be even better if you can post a little bit about your own take on what you are listening to. No need for extensive reviews, but a few lines would make the thread clearly more valuable to other members.

These are suggestions, not rules. They are not subject to intervention by the moderating team.

Have fun, Happy New Year, and enjoy listening to classical music as always!

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Knorf

· #16 · 5 mo ago

J.S. Bach:
Motet: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225
Cantatas for the Sunday After Christmas:
Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, BWV 152
Das neugeborne Kindelein, BWV 122
Gottlieb! Nun geht das Jahr zu Ende, BWV 28
Gillian Keith, Katharine Fuge, Joanne Lunn, Daniel Taylor, Jame Gilchrist, Peter Harvey
The Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner

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Knorf

· #35 · 5 mo ago

Bohuslav Martinů: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bryden Thomson

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Knorf

· #171 · 5 mo ago

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
Leontyne Price, Maureen Forrester, David Poleri, Giorgio Tozzi
New England Conservatory Chorus
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch

It's been awhile since I last listened to this awesome and fierce performance of the Ninth. Highly recommended!

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Knorf

· #175 · 5 mo ago

Sofia Gubaidulina: The Light of the End
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Andris Nelsons

Incredible music from an incredible composer.

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Knorf

· #180 · 5 mo ago

2

Richard Stauss: Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mariss Jansons

An electrifying performance of my own personal favorite among Strauss's tone poems!

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Knorf

· #254 · 5 mo ago

Joseph Haydn: Symphonies No. 93 in D major, No. 94 in G major "Surprise," and No. 95 in C minor
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, Ádám Fischer

I was led to believe that the "London" symphonies from this cycle were substantially weaker or less memorable than the rest, but that's total rubbish. These are excellent performances! It is true that, from these earlier recordings to the symphonies recorded last in the cycle, Fischer and the AHHO noticeably moved towards a leaner and generally quicker style. But that in no way invalidates the top-shelf quality of these earlier recordings, and I think the difference between them has been rather exaggerated. Seeing as the complete cycle took over a decade to complete, it's rather understandable.

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Knorf

· #371 · 5 mo ago

Anders Eliasson: Symphony No. 1
U.S.S.R. Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky

Anders Eliasson (1947-2013) is another of of those composers whose music deserves far more attention and exposure, in my opinion. His First Symphony from 1986 is simply outstanding. It's been a while since I last listened to it, and was immediately reminded that, yes, this thing is realy, really good. Highly recommended!

The companion works on this disc are also terrific, a Bassoon Concerto written for Knut Sönstevold, and an amazing work for sting orchestra entitled Ostacoli ("Obstacles").

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Knorf

· #404 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D major
Concertgebuoworkest Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein

It's been ages since I Iistened to this recording. In truth, my feelings about it are mixed. For sure, there are many fantastic, genuinely inspired moments. The Concertgebuow Orchestra sounds superb, at very nearly a historical best (especially the woodwinds), and the recording quality is honestly terrific. But there are some interpretive choices here and there that to me are questionable at best, usually in the slow direction, and some inflections here and there that are rather, well, affected in their effect.

Still, it's a recording well worth a revisit, and for sure the good bits are really, really good, such as finding here just about the most convincing performance I've ever heard of the third movement. Also, I have no reservations whatsoever about the tremendous playing in the finale.

ETA: Compared to Bernstein's New York Philharmonic version, I definitely find the later one to be much more polished in execution and dramatic cohesion.

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Knorf

· #406 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Bohuslav Martinů: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bryden Thomson

The Third is my favorite among Martinů's six symphonies; I've long been borderline obsessed with the second movement, especially. I think this one is now perhaps my favorite recording of this symphony. It's stunning!

Edit: added the Fourth.

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Knorf

· #414 · 5 mo ago

Neo Romanza said:
I have a special fondness for Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3. Great to see you listening to Martinů. He's a composer that I feel has a lot of fans, but he just hasn't broken into the mainstream repertoire. His music doesn't get many performances outside of the Czech Republic it seems.

I first encountered Martinů's music when I performed the second bassoon part of his wonderful Sextet for piano and winds, in 1988. I was 18. I got to know quite a lot of his chamber music, starting with the Nonet, and have been fortunate enough to perform the aforementioned Sextet again as well as the terrific Quatres Madrigaux for woodwind quartet. Sadly, though, never any of his orchestral music.

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Knorf

· #483 · 5 mo ago

3

Anton Webern: Symphony, Op. 21
London Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (1969)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan (1974)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez (1994)

Doing some comparative listening of three of my favorite performances of this miraculous, gorgeous little piece.

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Knorf

· #486 · 5 mo ago

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy, 1812 Overture
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti

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Knorf

· #834 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

HenryPenfold said:
Can't you simply write something, perhaps a couple of sentences about the recording/performance/dates/performers &cetera, rather than just posting pictures of CD covers? This thread would be utterly boring and pointless if we all just uploaded pictures of various CDs.

It's best practice for the accommodation of anyone visually impaired as well, to post some minimal description of the linked picture, not to mention courteous also for people who wish to reduce data consumption but still participate. But there are those who simply will not extend even that much minimal common decency.

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Knorf

· #841 · 5 mo ago

cybernaut said:
Ahh, I didn't realize. I will start putting info.

No worries, really!

My comment is about a couple posters who voiced strenuous opposition to the idea in the past, as if it were some massive affront to include just a little information: at least the composer, composition, and performer(s), in text. I mean, if one is unwilling to share just that much, especially if it is from a multi-set, or a compilation where the picture doesn't even include anything specific, why bother sharing at all?

In any case, it's clear that this is a recommendation and is not something the moderators will address in their moderation.

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Knorf

· #1,106 · 5 mo ago

Paul Hindemith: Symphony in E-flat
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein

This is such a great symphony that I cannot understand its neglect. Baffling.

Anyway, I've loved it for years, especially with such a deeply commited and empathetic performance as this one! Highly recommended; all of the works recorded here are given stellar performances.

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Knorf

· #1,107 · 5 mo ago

Simplicissimus said:
Didn't know Solti/CSO recorded Schönberg, I need to check it out. My one source for Schönberg is Michael Gielen, and I've been listening to him and his orchestras a lot lately. Time to branch out.

Solti's Moses und Aron is top-shelf stuff!

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Knorf

· #1,109 · 5 mo ago

Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 100
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

It's been ages since I listened to this recording, and I was wondering whether I still rated it as highly as I once did. Answer: yes. It's excellent, a vigorous and exciting interpretation that absolutely does the work justice. Perhaps I retain one or two others as favorites, so what? This one is a blast!

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Knorf

· #1,250 · 5 mo ago

Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 8 (9) in C major, D. 944 "Great"
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall

New arrival. (I think I'm using this as a trial run in consideration of getting Savall's Beethoven symphony cycle.)

Wow, is this an interesting performance! It is vividly detailed, with plenty of imagination and heaps of gusto. Yet somehow it's coming across to me as a bit mannered, or overly studied. I'm enjoying the performance nonetheless very much, and the ideas may well grow on me. The recording quality is top shelf, as almost always for Alia Vox.

I will say it's a pity the disc with the "Unfinished" Symphony didn't include some more Schubert, especially something such as his incidental music to Rosamunde. An opportunity missed, I say.

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Knorf

· #1,292 · 5 mo ago

Hans Rott: Symphony No. 1 in E major
Gustav Mahler: Andante allegretto "Blumine"
Anton Bruckner: Symphonic Prelude in C minor
Bamberger Symphoniker, Jakub Hrůša

New arrival. The Rott symphony I've heard about but never listened to before; I learned somewhere that Mahler held this work in very high esteem. I'll need another listen or two before I'll know whether I agree.

Speaking of Mahler, I'm pretty sure I've heard "Blumine" before, years ago, but I couldn't remember a note of it. I think Mahler was right to cut it from the First Symphony, but it's an attractive work in its way. And of course the Bruckner is a piece hardly anyone knows anything about at all, seeing as it was only published with Bruckner's name officially attached in 2022.

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Knorf

· #1,358 · 5 mo ago

3

String quartets for me today.

Johannes Brahms: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51 No. 2
Emerson String Quartet

This week's selection for the string quartet listening thread.

Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36
Takács Quartet

Zoltán Kodály: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10
Alexander String Quartet

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