What are you listening to now?

[Preston]

Listening to Mozart's "Linz" symphony. I think this music is, simply put- sublime.

[Sorrano]

Caught a bit of Walton's first symphony. That one I will have to listen to in full.

[Zevy]

Op.127. 'Have been listening to the complete cycle of quartets recorded by the Guarneri (both sets). I like the analog recording as it is more compressed, so it's more suitable for driving conditions. Great stuff!

[Quijote]

Haydn String Quartet Op. 2, N° 3. Perhaps not Haydn at all.

[Michael]

Op.127. 'Have been listening to the complete cycle of quartets recorded by the Guarneri (both sets). I like the analog recording as it is more compressed, so it's more suitable for driving conditions. Great stuff!

I have a Guarneri set (not of violins, alas) and I like it very much. Speaking of listening while driving, Beethoven never gets much of an airing on my local classical station and I think there is a very good reason for this: his dynamic range (soundwise) is staggering. For example, if I want to listen to the Ninth Symphony while driving, I cannot hear the opening unless I whack up the volume - and you know what happens a few seconds later.
The reason you hear so much Baroque (and Mozart) is that the volume level remains more or less the same throughout.

[Sorrano]

Listening to Mozart's "Linz" symphony. I think this music is, simply put- sublime.

One of the most sublime Mozart works for me is the 20th Piano Concerto, specifically,the second movement. I just heard a a recording featuring Rudolf Serkin and George Szell. Absolutely exquisite!

[Bonn1827]

What are you listening to now?

Manny Ax talking about the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5. It has hit Australia a couple of years late...tell me about it!! He is just wonderfully insightful, is Manny. Enjoyed his contribution to "In Search of Beethoven" recently. Did anyone else see that film? What did you think of it?

[Roehre]

During my holiday in Switzerland I listened to (a.o.):

Beethoven:
Missa solemnis/ quartets op.59#3, 74 and 130+133/ Violin sonatas op.47 and 96

Berio:
Sinfonia / Eindrücke

Brahms:
4 symphonies/ violin concerto / double concerto / 2 sextets / Horn trio / clarinet quintet

Kelterborn:
symphony 4/ Nuovi Canti / Cello sonata

Liszt: Piano concerto no.3/ De profundis/ Totentanz (1st and 2nd versions)/ orchestral songs

Madetoja:
Symphony 2/ Kullervo

Mahler:
Lied von der Erde/ Symphony 9 (Walter-VPO 1938 rec)

Music from the Gothic Era (a.o. Perotinus-Leoninus-de la Halle- de Vitry-Machaut a.o.)

Nono:
Stille - An Diotima

Sibelius:
Violin concerto in both the 1903/04 and final versions

Webern:
The Instrumental and orchestral works / 3 cantatas (Boulez DGG)

Zbinden:
“Orchalau”-concerto/ Concerto for orchestra/ Divertimento/ Oboe-concerto

[Roehre]

[Roehre]

Manny Ax talking about the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5. It has hit Australia a couple of years late...tell me about it!! He is just wonderfully insightful, is Manny. Enjoyed his contribution to "In Search of Beethoven" recently. Did anyone else see that film? What did you think of it?

Welcome to these boards, Bonn1827. (Are you by any chance posting on the BBC Radio3 boards as well? Ax and the "Emperor" down under are mentioned there too).

In Search of Beethoven is generally speaking IMO an excellent production (as is its counterpart In Search of Mozart btw). There are some questionable opinions presented as facts (Norrington e.g. does so, a.o. regarding the Ninth, and Brautigam's contribution must have been cut as his opinions are more balanced than is expressed here), but the level of the information as well as the way it is presented is excellent.

[Bonn1827]

What are you listening to now?

No, Roehre, I'm not posting on that BBC site. I was interested in your comments regarding Norrington. Yes, I agree, some of his comments were over the top. (He also looked like a refugee from a retirement village in his pyjamas!) What's happened to the man? Brautigam was great, I thought, as was Gian Andrea Noseda when he kissed that score of the "Eroica" after a performance. I could really relate to that!! Look, it was just a joy sitting in a theatre for over two hours hearing people talk about Beethoven.

I've enjoyed reading all the comments and decided to join this site as I'm a Beethoven-aholic. Did you catch "The Soloist", an American film which involves the music of Beethoven? I could have written some of that script myself!! This morning started well with Richter playing Opus 111. That's a hard act to follow, but Kovacevich's "Diabelli Variations", recorded in 2008, is a revelation.

[Roehre]

Did you catch "The Soloist", an American film which involves the music of Beethoven? I could have written some of that script myself!! This morning started well with Richter playing Opus 111. That's a hard act to follow, but Kovacevich's "Diabelli Variations", recorded in 2008, is a revelation.

No, I am afraid I haven't seen that film, B'27.
As far as these Diabelli are concerned, IMO you should listen to the "old" Kovacevich performance too, as -again IMO- that Philips recorded one (he was still Stephen Bishop by then ) is superior to the 2008 performance.

[Bonn1827]

Thanks, Roehre, for that advice. Yes, I've read that SB-K's earlier recording of "Diabelli" is also excellent. I do especially remember him as Stephen Bishop because I was working for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Music Department) in 1972 when he toured Australia and was playing in Sydney. I sat in an airlock of the ABC rehearsal room with a friend and listened to him going through his paces before the concert. My friend later joined him for coffee. I've always been a huge fan because he's not just a great player but highly erudite and intelligent. Saw/heard him play "Diabelli" in Sydney in November last year, hence the recent Onyx purchase. I wasn't familiar with the DV before that concert, unbelievably, but it brought me to my knees. I'm ashamed to say I cried like a baby during the last 3 Variations.

[Peter]

During my holiday in Switzerland I listened to (a.o.):

Beethoven:
Missa solemnis/ quartets op.59#3, 74 and 130+133/ Violin sonatas op.47 and 96

Berio:
Sinfonia / Eindrücke

Brahms:
4 symphonies/ violin concerto / double concerto / 2 sextets / Horn trio / clarinet quintet

Kelterborn:
symphony 4/ Nuovi Canti / Cello sonata

Liszt: Piano concerto no.3/ De profundis/ Totentanz (1st and 2nd versions)/ orchestral songs

Madetoja:
Symphony 2/ Kullervo

Mahler:
Lied von der Erde/ Symphony 9 (Walter-VPO 1938 rec)

Music from the Gothic Era (a.o. Perotinus-Leoninus-de la Halle- de Vitry-Machaut a.o.)

Nono:
Stille - An Diotima

Sibelius:
Violin concerto in both the 1903/04 and final versions

Webern:
The Instrumental and orchestral works / 3 cantatas (Boulez DGG)

Zbinden:
“Orchalau”-concerto/ Concerto for orchestra/ Divertimento/ Oboe-concerto

You've been busy Roehre listening to all that! Liszt piano concerto no.3? I didn't know there was one. The Totentanz is a fantastic piece, by far the best thing he did for piano and orchestra.

[Peter]

Listening to Sibelius symphonies - they're showing the excellent Christopher Nupen Sibelius documentary on BBC4 at the moment, part 2 on Friday if anyone has the opportunity.