What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[andrzejmakal]

New release, Love this ensamble.

[bart]

Originally Posted by andrzejmakal

New release, Love this ensamble.

That is one of the best releases of the last months.

[bart]

György Kurtág - Six moments musiceaux - Officium breve
Antonín Dvorák - String Quintet op. 97
Parker Quartet
Kim Kashkashian
Qobuz 24/96




I quite liked this.

At first glance, the pairing of the two composers chosen by the Parker Quartet and violist Kim Kashkashian for their recording on ECM New Series may appear unusual. However, György Kurtág and Antonín Dvořák have more in common than a fleeting glimpse at their oeuvre – an extremely narrow, concentrated catalogue of works in the one case and a multifaceted life's work that lavishly encompasses all musical genres in the other – would suggest.

There is no question that György Kurtág and Antonín Dvořák are creators of eminent chamber music works. Dvořák wrote thirty-one works in this field (not counting the two serenades and some lost pieces), the most generously represented genre being the string quartet with fourteen works, in addition to the three quintets, one sextet, two tercets and others, all intended for pure string ensembles. Even greater still is the proportion of chamber music works in Kurtág's oeuvre, although his orchestral works were often written for smaller ensembles and reduced instrumentations. Ultimately, the intimate, austere quality of chamber music is more in keeping with Kurtág's artistic nature, who thinks less in terms of large formats, but rather developed his own unique style with sound material reduced to microscopic cells.

[bart]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Violin Concertos
Isabelle Faust, violin
Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini
Qobuz 24/96




I listened to Julia Fischer earlier this week.
Faust is certainly her equal if not better.
Both versions are wonderful and it's good to have options.


"Not another complete recording of Mozart's violin concertos!", some might complain, and in absolute terms they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. Except that this complete edition is signed by star violinist Isabelle Faust, accompanied by Il Giardino Armonico (who plays on instruments from Mozart’s time, including natural horns, nine-key bassoons, six-key flutes, two-key oboes), and – last but not least – the cadenzas are signed by Andreas Staier, since Mozart has left us no cadenzas for his violin concertos (unlike several piano concertos, as well as his Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola). Far from playing the star, Isabelle Faust prefers to blend in with the whole orchestra, a kind of primus inter pares attitude quite refreshing in this repertoire which, in fact, does not require so much emphasis of the part of soloist – the sound engineering and balance itself favours an overall sound rather than an opposition between solo violin and orchestra. This is a new and very original interpretation, whatever the abundant discography of these works may already be. In addition to the five concertos, Faust plays the three single movements for violin and orchestra – two Rondos and one Adagio – which are actually "spare" movements for one or the other of the concertos written on request for soloists of that time. One wonders what Mozart would have written had he had Isabelle Faust by his side! © SM/Qobuz

[bart]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Enigma Fortuna
Zacara da Teramo, Complete Works
La fonte Musica, Michele Pasotti director
Alpha Classics (2021), via Qobuz

Gorgeous singing and playing, interesting and beautiful Late Medieval music, great sound - what’s not to like?

I started this set.
My cup of tea!

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by bart

I started this set.

My cup of tea!

I thought this would be right up your alley [emoji106]

[bart]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

I thought this would be right up your alley [emoji106]

It is.
We listened to CD 2 & 3 today.

[bart]

Händel - Scarlatti
Pierre Hantaï
Qobuz 24/96




He really is amazing on his instrument...

[FreddieFerric]

Picked this one up from Discogs on a recomendation from the Stereophie R2DF.

That turned out to be a great suggestion as this LP is fantasic. Got lucky, this used copy ($15 USD) is in perfect shape and dead quiet.

[bart]

Originally Posted by FreddieFerric

Picked this one up from Discogs on a recomendation from the Stereophie R2DF.

That turned out to be a great suggestion as this LP is fantasic. Got lucky, this used copy ($15 USD) is in perfect shape and dead quiet.

A reference performance!