What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[Toccata]

I was just listening to Gli Incogniti's recording of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons." Wow. I don't think I've ever heard it play with greater intensity.

[bart]

John, you're tempting us...

I cherish my discs of this ensemble.
Have you tried their Matteis recordings?

[Toccata]

No, but you are the second person to mention Matteis--sounds as if I need to get it!

[bart]

I like this one a lot:

[AudioNut]

Listening to . . . . Mozart - The Four Horn Concertos

Alan Civil - Horn
Academy of St. Martin-i-the-Fields - Neville Marriner, Conductor

A Philips LP, recorded in 1972

An extraordinary recording. Alan Civil is a true master of the horn and his instrument sounds dazzling on this LP.

Pentatone has remastered and released this recording as an SACD coupled with Mozart's Rondo for Horn & Orchestra in E flat major, K371

[Antonmb]

This evening experiencing the joys of 16/44 streaming on Qobuz:
Saint-Saëns - Symphony no. 3; Debussy - La Mer; Ibert - Escales
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch conducting
RCA Living Stereo

It's not the original vinyl, but the sound is really quite good via streaming. And of course the performance is just wonderful.

[AndyPandy]

Wonderful Tony!

Thanks for the recommendation Julian. I love the French Horn. Shame look it up.

This afternoon I am listening to an .iso rip: 4 Hours of



Serial: BIS-SACD-1738
Title: Mendelssohn: Complete String Symphonies - Markiz
Description: Mendelssohn: Complete String Symphonies. Amsterdam Sinfonietta Lev Markiz (conductor)

Composed in 2 years, between the ages of 12 and 14, if you can believe it (I scarcely can).

Here is a description and review.

Beautiful compelling music with obvious Bach / Handel etc influences.

Today my listening is via: Macbook Air - Audirvana Plus - Marantz HD Dac 1 - Fischer FA 011 headphones all in DSD 2.8M. Given it was recorded in PCM I doubt I would be able to discern any difference to a 24/88 copy, but it sure sounds lovely to me.

Weather in Sydney is a balmy 84 degrees F, overcast & 60% humidity. Chance of a shower late, after the heat of the day passes. Will have a dip in the ocean later (water temp about 66 degrees F).

[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 6: Sonatas No. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

With the 'Appassionata' and 'Waldstein' we are fully in Steinway territory.
I do like my concert grand piano recordings of these pieces, but Brautigam plays this so refreshingly, and the sound of the fortepiano is so nice, that these discs really are a beautiful alternative to Rubinstein and the likes.

[bart]

Alma & Gustav Mahler - Lieder
Karen Cargill, mezzo soprano
Simon Lepper, piano



Fantastic recording by Linn, but I'm not sure if I find the performances as superb as the sound.
I'll have to compare this with Janet Baker's performance (with Barbirolli).

[bart]

Duruflé - Fauré - Requiem



Of course the well known Fauré is beautiful, especially here in the version with organ, but it is the Duruflé that is the special attraction on this disc.
Deep organ tones, in perfect harmony with the Swedish Radio Choir.