What Are You Listening To Now?

[Amalie]

An additional item of interest:

Kurt Masur is now new chairman of the Beethoven haus Bonn Society.
On July 5th the General meeting and the board of director have voted for the conductor Kurt Masur as Chairman. He is the successor of the long standing Chairman Dr. F. Wilhelm Christians, who recently passed away after the Societies' first Honorary President, the violinist Joseph Joachim, there is once again an internationally highly appreciated artist at the top of the Society that has been in existence for 115 years.



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~ Unsterbliche Geliebte ~

[JA Gardiner]

Well hello again! I'm back from Milan where there was absolutely NO live music to be had this time of year and even La Scala was in shrouds having a face-lift! Such a disappointment Hoping for better things in a couple of weeks time when we travel to Venice to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. So in preparation its the sublime Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 as recorded by John Eliot Gardiner in San Marco itself and which uses all its architecture and acoustics to awe-inspiring and moving effect - as anyone who has seen the DVD of this performance will know. Also a touch of Vivaldi Il Cimento Dell'Armonia e Dell'Inventione - Il Giardino Armonico, Milano ( so they do do some music after all!) directed by Antonini.

And hey Tony - a sprained ankle is a lame excuse!

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Beethoven the Man!



[This message has been edited by JA Gardiner (edited 08-24-2004).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Ruud,
Thanks for the info, They sound as though they would be, don't they? I notice a lot of those Italian HIP groups all have a variation of the same name! Maybe by some miracle I can find something here by them.
PS - You did figure out how to put it in your profile, but when yo make a post, you must check the little box "Show Signature" before saying "Submit Reply" Not really sure why, even if you don't put in your signature, we all know it is from you anyway!

Amalie,
Well, for a layabout who doesn't work on Tuesdays, you certainly made the most of it! Is it a major expedition to go to the Globe? Or just hop on the tube and poof, you're there? Certainly something to be said for the "big city", said the rube.

JA,
Welcome back for another day or two! You certainly are peripatetic, lady! Isn't that always the way when you travel? All the good things are being renovated for next year's crop. I hear in London though, one could go to the Globe and see "Measure for Measure", so who needs Milan anyway? Now Venice! Home of Vivaldi, my favorite Italian, right next to that guy who invented spaghetti and meatballs! I knew Tony was just laying out going to the Proms, glad you called him out, the rascal. Anyway, good music for you, enjoy it while you can, Italy is in your future, altough this trip sounds a bit more fun than the last!

For me, 4 Konzertstücke for Cello & Orchestra - Max Bruch. Perfect!

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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[This message has been edited by Gurn Blanston (edited 08-25-2004).]

[spaceray]

Gurn,
Whilst listening to Vivaldi Concertos for Violin Strings and Harpsichord I offer you
this gem I found in my book of bad music reviews...

The Rite of Spring
Who wrote this fiendish Rite of Spring,
What right had he to write the thing,
Against our helpless ears to fling
Its crash ,clash,cling ,bing ,bang,bing?

And then to call it Rite of Spring,
The season when on joyous wing
The birds melodious carols sing.
And harmony's in everything!

He who could write the Rite of Spring,
If I be right,by right should swing!

This from the Boston Herald ,1924

[Amalie]

J
I have a Naxos Travelogue DVD which takes us on a musical journey through parts of Venice accompanied by the evocative sounds of Vivaldi's L'Estro Armonico, it visits the famous resort of Lido and shows the magnificent skylines of Venice.
It does not show many famous places like St. Marks Square.
Actually going there and seeing it for yourself will be a wonderful experience. Enjoy!
You will find the Naxos musical journeys in Tower Records, Picadilly.
I have two more on Beethoven. They are very pleasant to listen to whilst being taken on a virtual journey through France or Italy.


Gurn,
Yes, the Globe Theatre is quite easy to get to from where I live, I am right near the train station, and is only roughly 20 minute journey to London Bridge, then I continue on a pleasant walk from London Bridge alongside the River Thames, Bankside to the Globe. You can follow the walk all the way round to the Royal Festival Hall and Hungerford Bridge.

Radio this am.


Mozart, Fantasy for musical clock K608

Beethoven, Cello sonata Op 5/1




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~ Unsterbliche Geliebte

[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited 08-25-2004).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Spacerl,
Ha, I love it! If I had any wit at all I would have written it myself! And some great Vivaldi to provide a role model and keep you grounded in reality while thinking of Stravinski! Perfect.

Amalie,
It has been a long time since I have lived anywhere that is near to anything, so that whole concept is a little hard to deal with. Still, that is something I think I would take advantage of as often as possible. And a great musical start to the day too. You know, B's earliest cello sonata are very bit as interesting as the later ones, different of course but still quite unique.

For me, it is just a bit further back in time, it is the Symphony in D major - Op I 20 - Antonio Rosetti (1750 - 1792) Right in the heart of the rise of the Classical Era, nice work, reminiscent of middle period Mozart, deserving of more recognition.


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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Sorrano,
Yes, so do I, just a bit of eccentricity from our majority, and always good for a laugh as you know how concentric I TRY to be! THose Dvorak miniatures are superb though, are they not? He is the only composer I know of who actually wrote what he called "bagatelles" other than B, although his are for strings instead of piano. If you haven't tried them and can, I really recommend them, they fit right in with what you have now.


For me, it is the Overture "In Italy" by Karl Goldmark - Op 49 - A mid-Romantic, Goldmark's style is more closely allied to Brahms' than to the more romantic Romantics like Bruckner or Liszt. Very nice craftsmanship.

The piano scores to Legends and the other minatures I've been listening to would be nice to have. The bagatelles sound very interesting--Dvorak's shorter pieces ARE very good!

I tend to get Goldmark and Korngold mixed up. I've heard both of their music and liked it.

This morning the scherzo from Bruckner's 6th was played (Gunter Wand). Nice way to wake up.

[King Stephen]

Change of pace this morning. The "Seasons" but not Vivaldi but by the Russian, Alexander Glazunov. For a composer who lived till 1936 he really is a throw back to the romantic period. Some great melodies to be heard in this work.

[Gurn Blanston]

Sorrano,
You won't be sorry if you invest in the Bagatelles, esp. that you already like little works. I got a disk on Supraphon that was called "Dvorak Chamber Miniatures" actually, can't remember the names of the players but they were Bohemian too, and it sounded as though they were playing their legacy. Strongly recommend it. Well, the way i remember those 2 is that Korngold wrote for the movies, so he must have come later! I like his Violin Concerto, not heard much else. Perlman has a good disk with both of their concertos on it.

King,
Wilkommen, mein Freund! Well, like with everything else orchestral, my experience with Glazunov consists in his violin concerto, but it has that similar trait, sounds like it was written far earlier than it must have been.

For me, it is the Orchestra/Symphonie (with 12 Obliggato parts) #1 in D major - Op 183 #1 - CPE Bach. Good stuff, the hallmark of the North German school. Proof also that one could stay within "the rules" and still do a darn fine job of writing a symphony.




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

[ruudp]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Sorrano,
You won't be sorry if you invest in the Bagatelles, esp. that you already like little works. I got a disk on Supraphon that was called "Dvorak Chamber Miniatures" actually, can't remember the names of the players but they were Bohemian too, and it sounded as though they were playing their legacy. Strongly recommend it. Well, the way i remember those 2 is that Korngold wrote for the movies, so he must have come later! I like his Violin Concerto, not heard much else. Perlman has a good disk with both of their concertos on it.

King,
Wilkommen, mein Freund! Well, like with everything else orchestral, my experience with Glazunov consists in his violin concerto, but it has that similar trait, sounds like it was written far earlier than it must have been.

For me, it is the Orchestra/Symphonie (with 12 Obliggato parts) #1 in D major - Op 183 #1 - CPE Bach. Good stuff, the hallmark of the North German school. Proof also that one could stay within "the rules" and still do a darn fine job of writing a symphony.

For me it's been a concerto con molto stromendi by Vivaldi rv.558 *in a minor I'm not certain of the number*, finlandia by sibelius, and a few songs from schumann and brahms wich were on the radio also on the radio were the enigma variations by elgar which were VERY nice aswell..Also the kreutzer has been on the program today for me which is a wonderfull piece I think..
I've been playing mozarts kv330 right now..the first movement is going good, the second one I've started playing yesterday and the 3th I will have too wait with untill my lessons will begin once more..It's a very nice sonata too play AND hear...

Regards,
Ruud

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Music is like Blood...vital too ones well-being

[Pastorali]

I confess, I start my evening again with the same disk, it still works: Chamber Music by Schubert and Hüttenbrenner. this is all the same disk, yes. Also there are 3 Menuets for 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns, 2 Bassoons and Trumpet (without D) String Trio D471, Unfinished Octet D72 and of course the lovely Anselm Quintet. I guess they picked up some rare things - Consortium Classicum, Dieter Klöcker

Listening with 2 speakers, 2 ears and 1 pastrl


[This message has been edited by Pastorali (edited 08-25-2004).]

[King Stephen]

Gurn, Just for you, I am listening to Herr Wagner's Symphony in C Major and his Polonia Overture. The Symphony was modeled after Beethoven and composed when Ricky was around twenty, long before his head got to big for his hat. Pretty nice work considering what was ahead.

[Gurn Blanston]

Ruud,
Well, that is a good bit to listen. When you say you are playing the Mozart sonata, I am thinking that you really mean that you are playing the Mozart sonata, not as I do on my MP3 player, but on the pianoforte. Yes? That is so great, I hope you soon have it all, maybe you post a MP3 for us to listen?!?!

Pastrl,
Hard to go wrong with such as that. I have some Klocker playing Beethoven's WoO pieces and even Wind Opus pieces like Op 87, they are very nicely played and also recorded. And if this is working for you, why to change now? Ausgezeichnet!

King,
I just don't know what to say! You don't come visit us at WAYLTN for a while, then you come back... with Wagner! As one would tell a wayward teenager, "you know, you could have asked me and I would have given you some protection.." Interesting though, just as a historical kind of thing...

For me, it is the Sonatina in c minor for Mandolin & Fortepiano - WoO 43 #1 - El Maestro - Even though I have 2 or 3 other versions of this using modrn instruments, the total effect of the mandolin and fortepiano playing together gives a completely different sound and feel to this lovely little piece.


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

[King Stephen]

Gurn,
Mea culpa, Mea maxima culpa. It won't happen again. I don't know whether to burn the three cd's of Wagner's music or bury them in the back yard. You will have to guide me through these trying times. Now..... On to bigger and better things. Right now it's the Brahms Piano Concert No.2 in B flat Op.83
The performance is by Alfred Brendel and the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Claudio Abbado. You can always count on a wonderful performance by Brendel.

[spaceray]

Here are a couple of the tamer Wagner music reviews from a very amusing book titled"Lexicon of Musical Invective,Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time."by Nicolas Slonimsky.

"-Have you ever heard Wagner's Music?
-I think so ,once.
-When?
-When the lighting struck a sheet iron dealers store.

from The Musical Herald,Boston ,1884

And this...
"Of all the bete, clumsy,blundering,boggling,baboon blooded stuff I ever saw on a human stage, that thing last night(Meistersinger)beat-as far as the story and acting went;and of all the affected sapless,soulless, beginingless,endless,topless, bottomless,topsy-turviest,tongs-and boniest doggerel of sounds I ever endured the deadliness of,that eternity of nothing was the deadliest-as far as the sound went.
from a letter to Mrs Burne -Jones from John Ruskin 1882

I don't think he liked it.
Of all the composers in this book Wagner gets the worst of it.

BTW listening now to a Trio in E flat Major
by Haydn