So what are you listening to now?

[Chaszz]

I am listening with raptness to a magnificent set of Beethoven's late quartets. I won't tell you the name of the group in order to forestall a flanking movement by Rod. But I will say that no sheep supplied the strings.

Since I'm a vegan and a PETA activist to boot, I have a reason beyond the aesthetic to avoid HIP groups. And please don't tell me that the sheep would be used for lamp chops anyway, as that is no better, in my view. (Now don't be smarmy and ask me if I try to avoid bands where people wear leather shoes. I have some limits...I could probably not listen to music at all in that case.)


[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited 10-08-2005).]

[Raro]

Olsson: Konzertstück for Piano & Orchestra op.19

[Geratlas]

Sir Edward Elgar ~ Enigma variations for orchestra. My first experince of yet a masterpiece.
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Now, where is Gurn? See there is one enigma of our own. I mean, the mysterious Somebody ought to know, eh? / G. over to you!

[Sorrano]

Tonight I listened to Berlioz's overtures, conducted by Sir Colin Davis.

[Raro]

Röntgen: string quartet in C major

[Joy]

On NPR radio: The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra is a fine, upstanding Baroque orchestra: its members actually play standing up. Performing at the elegant Chatelet Theater, and playing the Symphony No. 6, "Le Matin," by Haydn.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Joy]

Another Beethoven evening for all of us to enjoy on NPR: Ruth Laredo plays the famous "Fur Elise," by Beethoven.
and "pianist Boris Berezovsky continues the venerable tradition of pianists who conduct from the piano, sometimes with head nods, sometimes with elbows, often with expressively raised eyebrows. Berezovsky is the soloist and conductor in the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Beethoven, with the Sinfonia Varsovia".
Also later Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5.


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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Raro]

Schumann: symphonietta

[Geratlas]

Originally posted by Raro:
Schumann: symphonietta

Hi Raro! Is this the same work as "Ouvertüre, Scherzo und Finale"?

[Raro]

Originally posted by Geratlas:

Originally posted by Raro:
Schumann: symphonietta

Hi Raro! Is this the same work as "Ouvertüre, Scherzo und Finale"?

...in E major, op.52 - indeed it is! I like the nickname Schumann gave to it; the work is actually a proper symphony, without a slow movement (the hardest part of such a work to write, according to many). With a little cheating you can double the number of symphonies Schumann set down to paper, anyway...

[This message has been edited by Raro (edited 10-12-2005).]

[Geratlas]

For me: Franz Schubert ~ Dances for piano

Raro! So it was the same work, fine. I have it on CD and I think it is very rewarding to listen to. How would a 'complete' listing of Schumann's 'symphonies' look like? (Cheat as much as you want.) - If taken in chronological order his "4th" (or rather its original version, which is as much the same thing) comes as one of the first. His four numbered symphonies are all very skilled and fine exemples of the art. My favourite would be "no.1", though "no.4" is more ingenious. / Geratlas sending :::> Over to You

[This message has been edited by Geratlas (edited 10-13-2005).]

[JA Gardiner]

LVB String Quartet op 59 no 2 - Quartetto Italiano - sumptuous!

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Beethoven the Man!

[Sorrano]

Caught this morning a very fine rendition of the first movement of Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto, performed by Sviatoslav Richter. Unfortunately I did not catch the orchestra or conductor. The performance was a 1963 performance.

[Raro]

Originally posted by Geratlas:
For me: Franz Schubert ~ Dances for piano

Raro! So it was the same work, fine. I have it on CD and I think it is very rewarding to listen to. How would a 'complete' listing of Schumann's 'symphonies' look like? (Cheat as much as you want.) - If taken in chronological order his "4th" (or rather its original version, which is as much the same thing) comes as one of the first. His four numbered symphonies are all very skilled and fine exemples of the art. My favourite would be "no.1", though "no.4" is more ingenious. / Geratlas sending :::> Over to You

[This message has been edited by Geratlas (edited 10-13-2005).]

You invited me to cheat, so here goes (in chronological order):

- Symphony in C minor (reworking of Piano Quartet no. 1; incomplete)
- Symphony in G minor, W.o.O.29 "Zwickau"
- Symphony in C minor (incomplete)
- Symphony no. 1 in B flat major, op.38 "Spring"
- Symphony in E major, op.52 "Ouverture, Scherzo & Finale"
- Symphony no. 4 in D minor (first version) "Symfonistische Fantasie"
- Symphony no. 2 in C major, op.61
- Symphony no. 3 in E flat major, op.97 "Rheinish"
- Symphony no. 4 in D minor (second version), op.120

To consider the 2 versions of Schumann IV as different works, is the same as considering the versions of Brahms's trio op.8 different enough to count as 2 seperate compositions. I, for one, do. Of course, an artist's last thoughts on something are to be respected, but especially with composers who composed very much "in the heat of the moment", like Schumann, I think it's valuable to have a first version of a work to listen to, as well. Laying the reworked composition next to the original edition, can give you a very intimate idea of the thought-process of the one who wrote the works. Besides, Brahms's intentention was to publish the reworking of his first piano trio (op.8) as his fourth piano trio, op.108!

[This message has been edited by Raro (edited 10-14-2005).]

[Raro]

By the way, my favourite Schumann symphony is no. 2, one of my favourite symphonies all time (second only, really, to Schubert's ninth).

And now I'm listening to the sextet for piano & wind quintet by Paul Juon.