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Doing something a bit differently this evening. Was thinking of going to my Mahler/Chailly collection tonight, but instead, turning to my Berlin archives within The Digital Concert Hall instead.

Abbado’s first symphony with Berlin in 1989; Mahler’s 1st. Fascinating watching him conduct.

medici.tv has this performance as well, watched it yesterday myself, it's quite wonderful 😇

 

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The second release in Stile Antico’s ‘Golden Renaissance’ trilogy on the Decca Classics label commemorates 400 years since the death of the superb English composer William Byrd. Our programme focuses on the music of his final years, written for the clandestine Catholic services of his Essex patron, including his timeless Mass for Four Voices and his exuberant Propers for the Feast of the Assumption. We also perform several of his “sacred songs” in both English and Latin, and his mighty Tribue Domine, a homage to the music of an older generation of composers.

Stile Antico splendidly showcase Byrd’s intense imagination, exuberance and general magnificence… our spirits are lifted by Byrd’s powerful art and the singers’ tonal variety, expressive warmth and terrific ensemble panache.
The Times

 

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Anatol Vieru: Symphony No. 5, Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra (Romanian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Romanian Radio Chorus, Ludovic Bàcs, Anatol Vieru, Natalia Gutman, Oleg Kagan, Olympia)

Anatol Vieru (1926 - 1998) was a Romanian music theoretician, pedagogue, and composer. A pupil of Aram Khachaturian, he is arguably the best known Romanian composer after Enescu.The CD starts with the double concerto from 1979. It has its moments (especially the extended folk dance like sequence in the second half), but overall it does not convince me. The choral fifth symphony from 1985 is more to my liking, even though it is not a lost masterpiece. This is my second and last CD of this composer. I see there's lots more to explore on YouTube, maybe later this year.

Here in Romania the best known Romanian composer after Enescu is actually Ciprian Porumbescu. Unfortunately he died of phthisis in his late '20s and never made it to international fame.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciprian_Porumbescu

 

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Sergiu Celibidache conducts Schumann – With Daniel Barenboim

Münchner Philharmoniker

www.medici.tv

In 1991, at the Stadthalle Erlangen, the dynamic duo made up of Daniel Barenboim and Sergio Celibidache brilliantly interpret Schumann's Piano Concerto. The pianist's exquisite control and finesse are enhanced and accentuated by the world-class playing of the Munich Philharmonic, allowing the sublime intimacy of this masterpiece to shine like never before.
The lone piano concerto in its composer's repertoire, this poignant and beloved work was written in 1841, only achieving widespread recognition years after its premiere. That Schumann was able to complete the concerto at all is a tribute to his talent and tenacity, following the permanent damage he sustained in his right hand in 1832. The cause is still debated—tendonitis, dystonia, or the side effect of a treatment for a sexually transmitted disease—but whatever the reason for this life-altering injury, it did not prevent Schumann from producing this work of incomparable beauty, executed to perfection in this timeless recording.

 

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The Leuven Chansonnier (1470-75) includes fifty compositions by leading 15th-century Franco-Flemish names as Johannes Ockeghem, Antoine Busnoys, and Firminus Caron but also twelve newly re-discovered works, found in no other source! The Ensemble Sollazzo brings a selection of this music to life in the present recording in the most refreshing and brilliant interpretation. The Sollazzo Ensemble was founded in 2014 in Basel and brings together musicians with a strong interest in late medieval and early renaissance repertoires. The ensemble is directed by fiddle player Anna Danilevskaia and benefits from the different musical backgrounds of its members: while some of them come from Early Music families, others have found their calling via modern classical music, theatre or even musical.

 

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Mariss Jansons conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra — With Janine Jansen, Thomas Hampson and Lang Lang

Gala concert for the 125th anniversary of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam

www.medici.tv

Mariss Jansons, Lang Lang, Janine Jansen, Thomas Hampson, and musicians from top European orchestras join forces to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Concertgebouw, one of the world's leading concert halls.
The Concertgebouw was officially inaugurated on April 11, 1888 (though the first concert would not be held until November 3). Public interest was so great that Amsterdam experienced its very first traffic jam (of carriages). 125 years later, during the month of April 2013, the RCO and the Concertgebouw organized an anniversary concert together.
Under the baton of chief conductor Mariss Jansons, the orchestra welcomes three popular guest soloists: Lang Lang performing Prokofiev's virtuoso Piano Concerto No. 3 (third movement), Janine Jansen playing Saint-Saëns's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (one of the violinist's most beloved scores, a rendition rapturously received in the Concertgebouw hall) and Thomas Hampson singing Lieder by Gustav Mahler. Musicians from the RCO, the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks also join forces for a performance of the Elégie from Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. The concert, which opens with a prelude from The Master-Singers of Nuremberg by Wagner, closes with Richard Strauss's orchestral suite for Der Rosenkavalier. Like Mahler, Strauss conducted the orchestra many times during his career.

 

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Feasting on Rachmaninov...

"Vibrant soulful and involving... genuinely compelling, authentically tangy accounts of these masterworks, penetrating to the core of their homesick melancholy impossible to resist, big string melodies blossoming voluptuously, a most satisfying account... richness, brilliance and weight."

 

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Naxos' number 1 best seller for December 2022

These two Tenth Symphonies represent powerful statements by composers undergoing the greatest of crises in their eventful lives. Gustav Mahler’s last and incomplete symphony was kept a secret by his widow Alma for many years after his death, the desperate scrawl of ‘Almschi!’ on its final page an outburst at her betrayal of their marriage. Shostakovich’s intense and deeply symbolic Symphony No. 10, considered by many to be his finest, was kept hidden by the composer for fear of Soviet reprisals, and was only performed after Stalin’s death in 1953.

 

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Johann Schein: Opella Nova & Fontana d’Israel

Sagittarius, Michel Laplénie
Schein: Fontana d'Israel
Schein: Israels Brünnlein

Schein: Opella Nova

This is quite a revelation to me, hadn't heard of this composer before. Huge fan of sacred music of all ages 💖 Thank you kindly 😊

 

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Medici.tv are celebrating Sir Simon Rattle. Happy birthday maestro! 🥳

NEW: Sir Simon Rattle conducts Grieg, Mendelssohn and Beethoven — With Vilde Frang

Berliner Philharmoniker

www.medici.tv

The Berliner Philharmoniker's 2016 Europakonzert throws the spotlight on Norway with a Nordic-influenced program recorded at the Baroque church in Røros, Norway—with Sir Simon Rattle taking the helm of the legendary ensemble alongside virtuoso Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang!
Beginning the program is a work by beloved Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, Evening in the Mountains, from his Op. 68 Lyric Pieces—originally written for solo piano but arranged for orchestra by the composer. This majestic piece, brimming with diverse themes, evokes dreams, melancholy, and the ineffable mysteries of nature. The Berlin Phil then joins the reliably excellent Frang for an impeccable rendition of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, one of the quintessential works of German Romanticism, thematically rich and brimming with melody. Frang's encore returns us to the soundscapes of Norway with Veslefrikk, the second movement from Norwegian composer Bjarne Brustad's Eventyrsuite (Fairy Tale Suite) for solo violin. Finally, Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker close out the memorable evening with Beethoven's Eroica Symphony No. 3, a watershed moment in classical music history that broke with traditional symphonic form and paved the way for unimagined formal innovation.

 

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Liverpool struck diamond with this one...

Domingo Hindoyan conducts Beethoven — With Nobuyuki Tsujii

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

www.medici.tv

Extraordinary piano virtuoso Nobuyuki (Nobu) Tsujii joins the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and maestro Domingo Hindoyan for an unforgettable all-Beethoven evening!

The program begins with the Overture from Beethoven's only full-length ballet, The Creatures of Prometheus, a radiant and lively work influenced by operatic music. Next, the astounding Nobu, blind from birth, takes the stage to perform the solo role in Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5, a sweeping and sublime masterpiece that transcends the military style that inspired it, with its heartstoppingly romantic Adagio and sparkling, Hungarian-inflected Rondo. Capping the festivities is the soul-warming "Pastoral" Symphony No. 6, premiered at the same legendary concert as the Fifth: a programmatic, highly evocative work that conjures up the composer's vivid impressions and emotions inspired by a walk through nature.

Watch Nobuyuki Tsuji's performance of Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5! | [THE BEST OF 2022] ✨🎹 Last year, piano virtuoso Nobuyuki Tsujii teamed up with Domingo Hindoyan and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in one of 2022's... | By medici.tv | Facebook

7,6 тыс. views, 433 likes, 159 loves, 10 comments, 144 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from medici.tv: [THE BEST OF 2022] ✨🎹 Last year, piano virtuoso Nobuyuki Tsujii teamed up with Domingo Hindoyan...

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Here's another Medici.tv jewel, what a glorious Maltese Baroque cathedral...

Sébastien Daucé conducts Charpentier's Te Deum — With Ensemble Correspondances

On the occasion of Malta’s EU presidency in 2017

www.medici.tv

To punctuate the celebrations for Malta's 2017 presidency of the European Union, the Ensemble Correspondances, led by the brilliant Sébastian Daucé, headlined this exceptional concert from St. John's Co-Cathedral in the Maltese capital of Valletta! On the program: a selection of the most beautiful choral motets of Henri Dumont, as well as Charpentier's beloved, time-honored Te Deum.
It is to Dumont that we owe the form of the motet pour grand choeur (motet for large choir, or grand motet), created while the composer served as master composer of the Royal Chapel of Versailles under Louis XIV, as well as Master of the Queen's Music. This grand motet form became France's musical hallmark throughout Europe, a symbol of the country's cultural and political influence. While Dumont composed his work in close quarters with the royals, the prodigious Marc-Antoine Charpentier wrote while serving the Duchess of Guise, far from the Sun King's court—though nonetheless with the same aim of glorifying the French monarch, notably with his Te Deum, likely written to honor the victory at Steenkerque in 1692.
Throughout this evening at the 2017 edition of the Valletta International Baroque Festival, the Ensemble Correspondances dazzles with their impeccably realized interpretations of these delicate and elegant works. St. John's Co-Cathedral, a quintessentially Baroque monument, is the perfect backdrop for this gem of a concert!

Enjoy some Baroque grooves with the Ensemble Correspondances under Sébastien Daucé! | ❤️🎶 Charpentier's Te Deum was composed four centuries ago—we can hardly believe it! With this invigorating rendition by the Ensemble Correspondances... | By medici.tv | Facebook

11 тыс. views, 595 likes, 160 loves, 25 comments, 203 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from medici.tv: ❤️🎶 Charpentier's Te Deum was composed four centuries ago—we can hardly believe it! With this...

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Maria Callas sings "Casta Diva" (Bellini: Norma, Act 1) | Norma by Vincenzo Bellini premiered #onthisday in 1831 at the Teatro alla Scala ✨ The title role became signature for Maria Callas, who performed it... | By Warner Classics & Erato | Facebook

133K views, 23 likes, 17 loves, 0 comments, 16 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Warner Classics & Erato: Norma by Vincenzo Bellini premiered #onthisday in 1831 at the Teatro alla Scala ✨ The title...

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Which cantatrice can claim she has embodied the character of Norma better than Maria Callas? The tragic figure of the Gaulish priestess torn between her rank and her love for a Roman proconsul is the emblematic role of Maria Callas, the one she performed most often on stage (almost a hundred times) and with which she attained the status of living legend. Here is the first studio version of 1954 conducted by Tullio Serafin.

 

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I love how this Amazon reviewer glosses over the Orthodox hymns on the album as "compelling in their heartfelt simplicity" Not much of an appreciation for Byzantine sublimities...

"At first glance, this looks like another of those star turns in which a highly publicized singer tackles material calculated to broaden her appeal. But it's much more than that, for Angela Gheorghiu, in addition to possessing one of the great voices of our day, exhibits an affinity for most of the 15 selections on this highly attractive disc. She opens with Romanian Orthodox works that are compelling in their heartfelt simplicity. The rest of the program includes standards, like the Schubert Ave Maria, and traditional Christmas songs, such as "O Holy Night" and "Adeste fideles" (both gorgeously sung with a restraint that averts sentimentality), along with others ranging from the familiar to the seldom heard. One of these rarities is the high point of the disc: Niedermeyer's "Pieta, Signor," sung with spectacular intensity and boasting some thrilling trills. Gheorghiu's so good that this Christmas stocking stuffer becomes a disc for all seasons." --Dan Davis

 

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Charles Gounod (1818-1893): Messe de Requiem in G minor (1891), as recorded in 2010 by Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, conducted by Michel Corboz (with uncredited string quintet, organist and harpist).

With 82 Requiems in my collection, I thought I had pretty much covered the essentials. But in the world of classical music, there always seems to be yet more to discover. Yesterday I stumbled upon this late Requiem by Charles Gounod. And what a lovely work it is (i.m.o). Prestomusic notes that he was still revising parts of it on the day he died of a stroke. Some critics see this Requiem as a bridge between Fauré and Duruflé, although in my view it's much closer to the former. And as with Fauré, Gounod viewed the whole concept of the Requiem more as a message of consolation than for mourning or anxiety.

Conductor Michel Corboz chose to use the 1913 arrangement for choir, soloists, organ, string quintet and harp, which i.m.o. works wonderfully well. The sound engineers have done an excellent job, too. All in all, a very rich and profound listening experience. Recommended!
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Hey a million thanks for posting this, I was unfamiliar with Gounod's sacred music. Love it! 💖

 

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Robert Schumann’s works lie at the centre of German Romanticism, with an essentially lyrical style that reflects his quintessential place among the great German composers. From 1840 Schumann switched from writing, primarily, piano music and Lieder, to writing orchestral music, with the joyful First Symphony written in just four days, and the uplifting tone of the Second Symphony a remarkable triumph over depression and illness. But the effectiveness of Schumann’s orchestration in his symphonies has been the cause of much debate. Gustav Mahler’s re-orchestrations from the early 1900s provide models of tasteful modification that are suited to the larger orchestras of today.

 

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Now playing two back-to-back Enescu works before heading off for the night:

Symphony No. 3, Op. 21
BBC Philharmonic
Rozhdestvensky

Piano Suite No. 2 in D Major, Op. 10 "Des cloches sonores"
Raluca Stirbat, piano

Again, I continue to be floored by Enescu's music. I really got into this composer around 3-4 years ago, which is when I had acquired almost all of my current collection of his music. He is often regarded as Romania's greatest composer and I'm certainly not going to dispute this! There is a statue of him in Bucharest I believe and there's even an orchestra named after him there along with a classical festival that attracts musicians/orchestras from all over the world. I also believe there's a university named after him in Bucharest. Anyway, he focused his attention in his earlier life as a concert violinist, but he later dedicated himself to composition. It is known that he had a photogenic memory and could look at a piece of music one time and have it completely memorized. Aside from being a virtuoso level violinist, he was also a gifted pianist. He's certainly one of those rare multi-faceted geniuses that you read about, but never actually come into contact with.

I'm going to do my damnedest to continue to promote his music here as I believe he should be spoken of in the same breath as any of the 20th Century greats.

Our pride and joy, glad you love him so much 😊💖

 

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Yes, indeed! He's such a phenomenal composer. From his orchestral works to the chamber music and solo piano works to his sole opera, Oedipe, he simply astounds me. Much of his music leaves me breathless actually.

Special note

I have met several Romanians through the years and I love these people. Such heart and soul in the way they speak and carry themselves. I'm deeply fascinated by their history, landscape and way of life.

I've really got a thing for these composers from landlocked European countries like Czechia, Hungary, Switzerland and Romania. Austria, too, of course. It's difficult to explain why, so I won't even bother to try!

If you appreciate our culture so much you should give Ciprian Porumbescu a try, he would've been huge internationally had he lived longer. Sadly he died in his late 20s of tuberculosis. Here in Romania he is second only to the great Enescu.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciprian_Porumbescu

 

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This is the 'holy grail' among recordings of this charming music. Originally recorded by Electrecord in the '60s, it's been around in various forms ever since, including a bargain Stradevari CD issue. The performances are so natural and idiomatic that they make even the best of the competition seem stiff and self-conscious. The sound is a bit murky, but everything registers, and you'll hear details and nuances you've never heard before. And if you only know the Rhapsodies, you'll find the Romanian Poem (a huge Mahler-cum-Scriabin extravaganza) quite thrilling. Kudos to Marco Polo for keeping this gem in general circulation.

 

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My first post as a premium member, of my all-time favorite composer. It's a deep and great pleasure to meet you all fine ladies and gentlemen! 🥳 😇

After last years first album ever to be recorded inside the Sistine chapel, Deutsche Grammophon is proud to now announce the follow-up giving a clear sign of the growing bond and collaboration between the label and the Vatican.

Simply titled Palestrina, it is a new release by the worlds oldest choir performed and recorded in the heart of the Catholic Church, and featuring works by the most celebrated Italian musician of his time and reformer of church music: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

Recorded in this, the year of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016) - which Pope Francis has defined as a revolution of tenderness and love giving justice to the world it is pure music carrying the essential message of divine generosity and care, selected by choir leader Massimo Palombella.

The Sistine Chapel Choir has developed greatly in this exclusive relationship and the ensemble is now a proud and significant member of the DG family with much to celebrate and champion: a spiritual place to record the sound of the Vatican the famous Sistine Chapel; special access for our guests and treasures from the Vatican libraries: three world premiere recordings: Palestrinas most famous mass, based on the first printed edition from 1967, and two previously unreleased motets; and performers from a number of countries.