What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Strauss - Thousand and one nights
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Willi Boskovsky



Couldn't sit this one through.
I can only bear this on New Year's Day, when I'm still half asleep and with champagne in my veins...

For lovers: excellent sound!

[bart]

Olivier Messiaen - Chamber Works
Hebrides Ensemble



This Linn SACD offers intense works in good surround sound.
These are not smooth romantic pieces.
Parts of the Quatuor pour la fin du temps were written when the composer was a war prisoner in Germany.

[bart]

Mozart - The Violin Concertos - Sinfonia concertante - Adagio - Rondo - Concertone
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg
Julia Fischer, violin



Mozart brings joy into our living room.
Fantastic performances.
Often posted here, and this box deserves it fully!

SACD 1: Concertos 1, 2 & 5

[Toccata]

As much as I love Berman's flame-throwing virtuosity in the Transcendental Etudes, he sounds a little crass and superficial compared to Trifonov in this new release.. I've heard so many voices and nuances that no other pianist has brought out. (I've haven't listened to disc 2 yet, but no doubt that he works his magic in those pieces, too.) The sound is fantastic, although I'm not sure that 9 microphones are needed to capture the sound of a piano. I think this release can easily be called essential for Liszt or piano lovers.

[bart]

Karlheinz Stockhausen - Stimmung
Theatre of Voices, Paul Hiller



A journey with and into the human voice I would say.
Composed in '68.
New vocal techniques then, now more often used in improvisational music.
I recognize elements of Indian classical, Tuvan throat singing, various European folk styles, Yiddish, even Hallelujah's!
And I'm sure there is much more that I don't know.
The surround mix is such that the listener finds himself in the middle of the ensemble, and it's a good place to be.

[bart]

Maurice Duruflé - Complete Organ Works
Friedhelm Flamme



Modern but very accessible pieces, with splendid sound.
Flamme has recorded an extensive library I can see on HRAudio.net.
Makes me very curious.
If I only would have 48 hours in a day...

[Haydn]

Bach: Violin concertos
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra
Harmonia Mundi, 2013



Good performances, but the violin sound can be a little scruffy in its HIPness.

[Toccata]

A wonderful performance and recording.

[SCAudiophile]

Alot of simply stunning Bruckner (quickly emerging as among my top 3 for each symphony/work it contains;

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Symp...dache+Bruckner

The price as of late is extremely high on the 1st run versions of this box set as a number of people have discovered it and picked up the few remaining copies new and used globally at anywhere from $275 on up.

And if the CDs don't blow you away enough (they will), these are even better sonically and also all Live Performances;

https://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Sym-...dache+Bruckner

and the Decca box set from FIM;

Decca: Supreme Stereophonic Legacy (Ultra HD)

[bart]

Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture - Capriccio Italien - Marche slave
London Symphony Orchestra
The Band of the Grenadier Guards, Kenneth Alwyn



Bonus:

Sergey Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti
Julius Katchen, piano

Both works recorded in '58.
Great in all aspects.