What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Modest Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition
Robert Schumann - Fantasie Op. 17
Paul Lewis, piano



I heard this on our classical radio station last Saturday.
I was in my car, and even under those circumstances, I found it was so well played, so moving, so powerful.
After the piece, there was a discussion of this new album in the studio, with a professional piano player.
He was so enthusiastic that he would have given it 6 stars, if more than 5 was allowed.
Then I came home, and my wife had also listened.
She was as impressed as I was.

And now I'm listening, and I know, this is gooooooood!
Sound is equally top notch.

Listening again.
The Schumann is also a very nice piece.

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Handel - Concerti Grossi Opus 6
The Avison Ensemble, conducted by Pavlo Beznosiuk
3 SACD-set



Every time I listen to these recordings, much lauded in this thread, I am amazed by the freshness Beznosiuk and the Avison ensemble breathe into Opus 6.
Marvelous!

SACD 3

Ideal as a last disc of the night...

[Toccata]

I don't think he yields any virtuosity to Marc-Andre Hamelin, and he plays with a bit more imagination. Superb sound.

[cma29]

Originally Posted by cma29

Inspired by Julian's Bach organ binge, I'm listening to...

Bach, J S: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 & 2, Christine Schornsheim (harpsichord)



This is a 4-CD set and it would take 4 hours 14 minutes to listen to the whole thing, so I'll make my way though it slowly. Nice polyphonic harpsichord music for morning listening. Sound is immediate and clear. Resonance is just right.

I'm playing this again and I'm loving the sounds from the harpsichord on this recording. It just sounds right.

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Beethoven - The Complete Sonatas
Ronald Brautigam, fortepiano




SACD 1 of 9

I love the sound of a fortepiano.
The early works here on CD 1 still sound a bit like Haydn and Mozart, and I think this instrument suits the music best.
Playing and sound are excellent.

I will have to see if the later works equally profit from playing on the instrument they were originally written for.

SACD 9 of 9

'Kurfürsten Sonatas (1783)
Zwei Sätze einer Sonatine (1789-91?)
2 Leichte Sonatinen (1790)
Zwei Stücke für Klavier (1794-96?)

While dining we listened to the last SACD in this series.
These are pieces of 'light' music, some written when he was only 13 years old.
Reminds me of Haydn, but not so refined.
Nice little thingies, but not indispensable.

We saved disc 8 for serious listening.

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Italiane Baroque



CD 2 & 3: Francesco Geminiani

John, you were right, the CDs don't always mention who is performing.
These 2 discs are by Ensemble 415, directed by Chiara Banchini
.
Fabulous music, playing and sound.

CD 4 : N. Fiorenza - N. Porpora - L. Leo - N. Sabatino - Concerti Napolitani

Uplifting Italian chamber music from Naples.
Some very good viola da gamba playing here.
These albums are consistently outstanding.

[bart]

^^^^CD 4 from the same box.

Antonio Vivaldi - Concerti per tanti violini obligati l'estro armonico Op. 3
Ensemble 415

The violin concertos of Vivaldi are not my favourite pieces of music.
I think they're well performed here, although I've heard more inspired playing, e.g. by Rachel Podger.

[cma29]

Now enjoying...

Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela and
Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan



The swan is very atmospheric and symphony #5 has a mysterious air and builds slowly to a nice complete whole. According to Gramophone, "Karajan always had the measure of this great symphony and this famous 1965 recording for DG is by common consent one of the pinnacles of his recorded legacies." The recorded sound from the late 1960s is very good.

[Toccata]

This fantastic recording arrived today. The use of a small organ for both continuo and solo purposes (in addition to lute/theorbo and harpsichord) adds a pleasant texture. Fabulous playing and sound, as always from these people!

[cma29]

Originally Posted by cma29

Exploring new music today (for me at least)...

Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 (final 1905 version)
Leonidas Kavakos (violin)
Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä



I bought this CD a while ago, but just sat on my shelf in its shrink-wrap unopened. I got it because I read great things about it and love BIS recordings. I finally decided to give it a shot today. The music is good, but I need to hear it a few more times to get the hang of it (it's no Beethoven violin concerto, but what is?).

This CD includes two versions of the concerto - the 1903/04 version and the final 1905 version. It's interesting to hear how the work evolved, so this disc offers an insight into the workings of Sibelius's mind. Kavakos and the Lahti orchestra play splendidly throughout and the recording from the early 1990s is very good.

A Gramophone Award winner in 1991 for the concerto category.

Ok, I'm starting to appreciate this Sibelius violin concerto.