Classical bLog Cabin

[JANDL100]

No, oddly enough, the album popped up as one of Spotify's recommendations for me. 

Maybe Spotify is keeping an eye on your postings and using them for its own cunning purposes? 

But yes, the variety of instrumentation used does retain this listener's interest. Odd that I enjoyed the bassoon as well, is it an 'authentic' instrument rather than a modern design? - Spotify isn't forthcoming on that point. 

 

[Klassik]

Odd that I enjoyed the bassoon as well, is it an 'authentic' instrument rather than a modern design? - Spotify isn't forthcoming on that point. 

Sì, the liner notes indicate that it is a modern reproduction of a bassoon after Gottlieb Wietfeldt.  A search for Gottlieb Wietfeldt shows that he, and possibly his son, were 18th century bassoon makers.

 

[JANDL100]

Aha, yup, thanks - that would explain why I enjoyed the bassoon. Modern design bassoons get the  from me. 

They don't make them like they used to. Well, they do, but only when they are copying old designs! 

 

[Klassik]

Since the 2 Channel forum seems to think new music is London, Klassik will post some 14th century instrumental music here.  xD Is older better?  Well, here is a chance to find out. 

First up is some music performed on flute.

Quant je suis mis au retour from the famed Guillaume de Machaut:

 

[garn63]

 

[Andrei]

@joshWow, that gave me a shock! 

I have no recollection whatsoever of hearing the Oistrakh performance. And he is not a violinist I favour. 

The image link must have become buggered (technical term). 

Ferras / Karajan - yup, I can believe that. Lovely performance despite an unfortunate bum note in the finale that it's amazing DG didn't sort out. 

That gave me a laugh!  Not a great fan of Oistrakh myself.  I favour Mutter but Kavakos and Kremer good.  A great newish recording is Sebastian Bohren.

 

[Camverton]

I thought I would start at the beginning. Simpson symphony #1, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. Good old YouTube. 

Simpson may have been an eminent authority on Bruckner, but his musical idol would appear to have been Carl Nielsen. Unfortunately I don't like Nielsen, either! 

I'm not sure a Simpson Journey would take me anywhere I particularly want to go. 

There’s an awful lot going on in his 1st Symphony. He did acknowledge that he may have been subconsciously influenced by Nielsen in his some of his other symphonies, so good spot.

I’ve just listened to the 4th symphony again and really enjoyed it. A lovely brooding slow movement after the rollicking scherzo. The scherzo is tremendous; In the style of Beethoven at his most tempestuous fuelled by 20th century nuclear power but still not being able to subsume the quotes from Haydn’s delightful Symphony 76. It definitely needs to be heard loud! One of the things I am noticing with repeated listening are many delightful little phrases and instrumentation that I missed when previously trying to hang on to the fairground ride of orchestral onslaught. There is terrific power in the last movement, with sound trying to escape in every direction.

The scherzo alone is worth a listen if still trying to decide if Simpson is worth exploring.

 

[Klassik]

Here are a couple of oddities for classical music at least.  These are collaborative works from well-known Viennese composers of the late Classical/early Romantic era.   The first Klassik will post is the Grand Duo Concertant for guitar and fortepiano composed by famed guitar composer Mauro Giuliani and Felix Mendelssohn's teacher and friend, Ignaz Moscheles.  Giuliani likely wrote the guitar part and Moscheles the piano part. 

Here is the last movement:

 

[JANDL100]

Ahh, some lovely Holst orchestral pieces - Somerset Rhapsody, Beni Mora, Egdon Heath... 

 

[JANDL100]

Woof! 

I'm seriously impressed by Adam Fischer's Beethoven symphony cycle on Naxos. 

I've only heard 1-3 so far, but they are marvellous in a HIPpy kind of way - taut and fastish, rather than big and romantic. 

 

[JANDL100]

After decades of the occasional dabble, and making no progress getting in to them, I've decided on an all out assault on Mendelssohn's organ sonatas. 

I sampled a few sets and settled on Chandos as having the most awesome sound quality. 

So, here I go.... ceaseless perseverance until I really enjoy them (or get bored)... 

 

[JANDL100]

A marvellous set of Bach solo violin sonatas and partitas, performed by Jaakko Kuusisto on BIS. 

Tragically, the young violinist (and conductor) has just been hospitalised with an apparently inoperable brain tumour.


https://slippedisc.com/2022/01/finnish-virtuoso-is-fighting-for-his-life/

 

[JANDL100]

This is a rather lovely thing, unlikely as it may perhaps seem. 

A concerto for Indian violin and tuba. Conducted by the previously mentioned ill-fated Jaakko Kuusisto, which is how I came across it. 

 

[JANDL100]

I'd imagine that most folk who enjoy Shostakovich chamber music would also like this album of Allan Pettersson chamber music. 

 

[josh]

No more listening since Jan '22

Edit: ah I see it's been continued over here: https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/what-classical-music-are-you-listening-to-now.80205/

 

[josh]

Celibidace's marvellous Bruckner 5.

He takes the Sehr Langsam marking sehr seriously for the slow movement - 24 minutes compared to the usual 15 or so. Heavenly. :x

So I'm v keen to try Celi given your enthusing, especially in the 5th which is one of my favs.

I know you said you didn't like his DG recordings (though you seemed to here!). However the only other ones I've seen are live recordings, like the below. Any thoughts on where best to start?

 

[JANDL100]

Haha, yes, how about that. I'd forgotten I'd liked Celi's DG 5th!

I should revisit them all.

Start where you like - why not the above DG.
See what you make of his pacing.

 

[josh]

Anyone who appreciates Rachmaninov's Vespers (a choral masterpiece of astonishing beauty and power, if you haven't heard it) will very likely love this as well.

Steinberg's Passion Week ......

https://open.qobuz.com/album/0747313366576

Listened to some of these as a palate cleanser after all the Mahler and Bruckner. Really lovely stuff, will be adding to the library

 

[josh]

I've fallen madly/deeply in love with the melancholic ethereal beauty of these string quartets by Armenian / Canadian composer Petros Shoujounian

.

I just couldn't get into these. The 5th was ok but the rest... meh... (I didn't get much sleep last night so that's the best I can do )

 

[JANDL100]

I just couldn't get into these. The 5th was ok but the rest... meh... (I didn't get much sleep last night so that's the best I can do )

Haha, fair enough. That's from the dim and distant past, so I thought I'd try again.

Wowzer, I'm still in love with their sound world.
Melancholic ethereal beauty. Yup.
There's something about the rhythms and intertwining nature of Armenian music that gets straight to my heart. Love it.

 

[josh]

Haha, fair enough. That's from the dim and distant past, so I thought I'd try again.

Wowzer, I'm still in love with their sound world.
Melancholic ethereal beauty. Yup.
There's something about the rhythms and intertwining nature of Armenian music that gets straight to my heart. Love it.

I see what you mean, and I wanted to like it, but overall the pieces just didn't come together for some reason. That said, I do find the violin quite fatiguing to listen to at any great length.
I'll try again when I'm more refreshed though.