What are you listening to now?

[King Stephen]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

I believe the joke is on both of us. The Adagio for Strings is the 2nd Essay if I am not mistaken. And if that is correct, then they are essays for String Orchestra.

This morning I picked up on the last two sections of the young Mozart's Missa Brevis and was impressed very much with it. Also caught a couple of Spirituals--amazing and good music! Then, a couple of Dvorak's Legends (orchestral version)--has anyone played the original piano scores? And Beethoven's 5th (Toscanini--going back to my musical roots as this was the very first classical recording I got, still have the LP) just ended and now I am listening to the 6th (also Toscanini). Not a bad day! Later will be more Legends and if I am up to it, Berlioz' Te Deum.

Sorrano, I think a cloud is hovering over Samuel Barber that I think can be cleared up. First, the Adagio for strings, Op.11, is not one of his Essay's, it was adapted from the slow movement of the string quartet he had composed in 1936. His overture to "The School for Scandsal" op.5 was his graduation piece from the Curtis Institute of Music in 1931.The Essay's for Orchestra are as follows: Essay No.1 Op.12 1937, Essay No.2 Op.17 1941 and the 3rd Essay op.47 was composed in 1978. The "School for Scandal" Overture is a wonderful work to get to hear the brighter side of Barber. Here is also an interesting thing about Barber's music, his Adagio for Strings, within Barber's own lifetime, became the the most frequently performed concert work by an American composer throughout the world.

[This message has been edited by King Stephen (edited 08-16-2004).]

[This message has been edited by King Stephen (edited 08-16-2004).]

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
Sorrano, I think a cloud is hovering over Samuel Barber that I think can be cleared up. First, the Adagio for strings, Op.11, is not one of his Essay's, it was adapted from the slow movement of the string quartet he had composed in 1936. His overture to "The School for Scandsal" op.5 was his graduation piece from the Curtis Institute of Music in 1931.The Essay's for Orchestra are as follows: Essay No.1 Op.12 1937, Essay No.2 Op.17 1941 and the 3rd Essay op.47 was composed in 1978. The "School for Scandal" Overture is a wonderful work to get to hear the brighter side of Barber. Here is also an interesting thing about Barber's music, his Adagio for Strings, within Barber's own lifetime, became the the most frequently performed concert work by an American composer throughout the world.

[This message has been edited by King Stephen (edited 08-16-2004).]

[This message has been edited by King Stephen (edited 08-16-2004).]

Thank you for clarifying that! What music I've heard (and all of the above named is pretty much all of it) I've liked. I will have to dig a little deeper into his music.

Last night I did manage to get time for Berlioz' Te Deum. Quite a work! Especially with Sir Colin Davis at the helm!

[King Stephen]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

Thank you for clarifying that! What music I've heard (and all of the above named is pretty much all of it) I've liked. I will have to dig a little deeper into his music.

Last night I did manage to get time for Berlioz' Te Deum. Quite a work! Especially with Sir Colin Davis at the helm!

Sorrano, Yes, I agree with you about Sir Colin Davis. He is considered one of the best interperters of Berlioz's music. His recording Of Berlioz's Romeo et Juliette is a real tour de force.

[Gurn Blanston]

King,
Ah, you have made all transparent! And now you mention it, I have also heard that overture to "School for Scandal" and enjoyed it.

For me now, it is the "In Italy" overture - Op 49 - Karl Goldmark. National SO of Ireland / Gunzenhauser. This is another composer that I only knew through his violin concertos, which are very nice, Late Romantics, but not at all through other orchestral works. He was quite skilled actually, and bears more listening to try to get a good feel for where he is going. A pleasant task that will be!


------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[King Stephen]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
King,
Ah, you have made all transparent! And now you mention it, I have also heard that overture to "School for Scandal" and enjoyed it.

For me now, it is the "In Italy" overture - Op 49 - Karl Goldmark. National SO of Ireland / Gunzenhauser. This is another composer that I only knew through his violin concertos, which are very nice, Late Romantics, but not at all through other orchestral works. He was quite skilled actually, and bears more listening to try to get a good feel for where he is going. A pleasant task that will be!

Gurn, you might also like knowing that Goldmark was a very good friend of our beloved Brahms. I read where they use to take long walks together while discussing the pros and cons of the music from their period. Brahms was very much enchanted with Goldmark's "Rustic Wedding Symphony", which is not really a symphony but more of a symphonic poem, although it does retain the structure of the symphonic form.

[This message has been edited by King Stephen (edited 08-16-2004).]

[Gurn Blanston]

King,
Well, yes, I am interested in knowing that. I know that the lines of battle were pretty well drawn in those days, so it is interesting to see who was on what side of the line, after all. That "symphony" did turn out to be very nice indeed, and clearly it did have a programme, which was not only spelled out clearly in the movement titles, bu twas not difficult to discern in the music itself, not always true for a dullard such as myself, I'm afraid

Now though, it is the truly imposing Symphony in Eb major - #4 - "Romantic" - Anton Bruckner - I must say, I like this better than the 3rd, this is a really big, powerful piece of music, and the Berlin PO/Barenboim do it justice. Expanding my horizons, every day!


------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Amalie]

This evening,
Beethoven's String quartet Eb, major, 0p.74 'harp'. Oslo Quartet.

Dvorak: The Golden Spinning-wheel.
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.




------------------
~ Unsterbliche Geliebte ~

[spaceray]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:

So I do my best to stick with Late Baroque to Late Romantic, which is really a bit over 200 years. Earlier and later both have certain defects that I can't easily abide.

But no singing,no opera,no Leider ,no Oratorios ,Singspiels, no "music drama"
and no Choral music except for that bit at the end of Beethoven's Great Symphony in D?
Your missing out!

I'm listening to Mozart's "Chi sa ,chi sa ,qual sia" K578

[Gurn Blanston]

Amalie,
Now, THAT is an evening of music!! Beethoven then Dvorak, can't beat that. In fact, I shall do the same, now that you have got me started. Let's see, first...

Spacerl,
It has always been my philosophy to not dwell on the things I don't have, rather, to revel in the things that I do! Sonatas, trios, quartets, concertos, symphonies, impromptus.... how can I be missing out on anything? See, I figure that you and Amalie will take care of that singing-listening, meanwhile, it will be a Haydn SQ for YHS. Perfect, all bases covered.

And right now, it is Dvorak for me too, jsut revisiting some high spots after the Dvorathon last week, now it is the Quartet in D major for Piano & Strings - #1 - Op 23 - The Ames Piano Quartet. High spot, indeed!


------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[v russo]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Amalie,
Well, I guess I am a fairly narrowly focused person, I have learned that I simply can't like everything, so I focus on those things that I know I can easily digest, even with a little bit of fiber and roughage! So I do my best to stick with Late Baroque to Late Romantic, which is really a bit over 200 years. Earlier and later both have certain defects that I can't easily abide. But I certainly don't make an effort to hold others back from enjoying it, by all means, I will keep amused with the 300 or so good composers that I have limited myself to However, the Mandolin Concerto and the Overture you have going now are both on my shelves, so is the CPE Bach Sinfonia, and get frequent play, so while I may have pathological character defects, I DO have a little bit of good taste!

v.
I have heard of Feldman, but never heard any of his music. What sort of chamber pieces does he do, like string quartets?

For me, to start out the weekend, it is Charles Gounod - Symphony in D major - #1 - Composed in 1855. This is a great representative of where French Romantic music was between the heavily Italianate Cherubini and the uniquely French St. Säens and Franck. It is hard to compare to anyone else I know, certainly not to the German style of the times like Schumann or early Brahms. Very nice, I recommend it.

tisk-tisk-tisk.... Oh, how I long for some 'post'- modernity on this beloved site.

do a google search on him. He was a contemporary of Cage. The musical equivalent of a Rothko painting I guess you could say...

------------------
v russo

[v russo]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Amalie,
Well, I guess I am a fairly narrowly focused person, I have learned that I simply can't like everything, so I focus on those things that I know I can easily digest, even with a little bit of fiber and roughage! So I do my best to stick with Late Baroque to Late Romantic, which is really a bit over 200 years. Earlier and later both have certain defects that I can't easily abide. But I certainly don't make an effort to hold others back from enjoying it, by all means, I will keep amused with the 300 or so good composers that I have limited myself to However, the Mandolin Concerto and the Overture you have going now are both on my shelves, so is the CPE Bach Sinfonia, and get frequent play, so while I may have pathological character defects, I DO have a little bit of good taste!

v.
I have heard of Feldman, but never heard any of his music. What sort of chamber pieces does he do, like string quartets?

For me, to start out the weekend, it is Charles Gounod - Symphony in D major - #1 - Composed in 1855. This is a great representative of where French Romantic music was between the heavily Italianate Cherubini and the uniquely French St. Säens and Franck. It is hard to compare to anyone else I know, certainly not to the German style of the times like Schumann or early Brahms. Very nice, I recommend it.

Oh how I long for some 'post' modernity on this beloved site
do a google search on him. He was a contemporary of Cage. His music is the equivalent of a Rothko painting one could say....



------------------
v russo

[Amalie]

BACH: Trio Sonata, BWV527

PACHELBEL: Aria quinta,
Angela Tomanic (organ)



------------------
~ Unsterbliche Geliebte ~

[Gurn Blanston]

v.
Well yes, but hey, this is a Beethoven site after all, there are people here who view my devotion to Dvorak as being recklessly modern! And at least I have tried, I got some Schnittke, remember? You must be tolerant v., I know it's tough, but hey...!

Amalie,
You know, dear, you really should move into the new century, the 18th! Do love the Bach though, don't know that Palestrina. I thought he was primarily a church music guy?

For me, it is the Symphonie Fantastique of Berlioz, but in the solo piano reduction by Liszt. I must say, the essential elements of this music are far more greatly exposed to their advantage by Liszt. I think I like this better than the orchestrated original! Idl Biret / Naxos.


------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
Sorrano, Yes, I agree with you about Sir Colin Davis. He is considered one of the best interperters of Berlioz's music. His recording Of Berlioz's Romeo et Juliette is a real tour de force.

I will have to get that recording for sure, although, I think I have heard excerpts on the radio.

Gurn, I consider Dvorak one of the better composers of the 19th Century, and certainly one of the most underrated ones.

This morning picked up on the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Isaac Sterns and Leonard Bernstein ('58 or '59 recording).

[Gurn Blanston]

Sorrano,
Oh, that sounds like a good recording! Stern and Bernstein worked very nicely together, the "big names" in New York at the time. Let us know how it sounds. You are quite right about Dvorak, but my point with v. was more that he was "dangerously modern" by our standards than that he was good or not.

For me, it is the Symphony in E major - #7 - Anton Bruckner - VPO/Abbado - I have to say, Bruckner has a tendency to grow on one, not exactly like moss perhaps, but subtle and alive anyway As I amke my way through the cycle of his symphonies, I am finding myself more and more taken with them.


------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~