What are you listening to now?

[Roehre]

Today:

Pascal Bentoiu:
Symphony no.5 opus 26 (1979)

Anatol Vieru:
Clarinet concerto (1974)

Tiberiuh Olah:
Symphony no.3 (1989)

Calin Ioachimescu;
Celliphonia (cello-solo + tape, 1988)

JSBach:
Cantata “Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele” BWV 69 (1709) and
Cantata „Gott ist mein König“ BWV 71 (1748)

[Bonn1827]

This beautiful morning:

JS Bach "Goldberg Variations" (Murray Perahia)

It's great to be alive!!

[Michael]

It's great to be alive!!

Especially when you consider the alternative ...........

Oh, yes, I forgot.
I was listening to the A minor quartet.

[Bonn1827]

Have just heard a brilliant new recording from Harmonia Mundi of Mozart's Symphony No. 39 - Rene Jacobs and Freyburg (spelling) Chamber Orchestra: period instruments. The 3rd movement is hugely fast but wonderful! A glorious performance!!

[UB1]

Today:

Pascal Bentoiu:
Symphony no.5 opus 26 (1979)

Anatol Vieru:
Clarinet concerto (1974)

Tiberiuh Olah:
Symphony no.3 (1989)

Calin Ioachimescu;
Celliphonia (cello-solo + tape, 1988)

JSBach:
Cantata “Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele” BWV 69 (1709) and
Cantata „Gott ist mein König“ BWV 71 (1748)

Interesting selection of Romanian classical music. What do you think of Horatiu Radulescu's music?

I like the Ioachimescu - the cello/tape work well together here and it does not hurt that I am a great fan of solo cello music.

I read a glowing review of the Bentoiu and was disappointed when I actually found the work in my Romanian Anthology CDs and played it. For me there it is much to thin and the same for a 20 plus minute piece.

I am a fan of Vieru but have not heard his clarinet concerto in a long time but will give it a visit. BTW I really like his cello concerto.

[UB1]

Last Night’s listening:

Bach Suites for Solo Cello – Wispelwey:

Suite in G -1007
Suite in E Flat – 1010
Suite in C minor – 1011

Britten:

3 Suites for Solo Cello - Baillie

Great music!

[Sorrano]

Last night it was Faure's Requiem.

[Zevy]

Have just heard a brilliant new recording from Harmonia Mundi of Mozart's Symphony No. 39 - Rene Jacobs and Freyburg (spelling) Chamber Orchestra: period instruments. The 3rd movement is hugely fast but wonderful! A glorious performance!!

I love that Symphony. That 3rd movement with the "Landler" Trio - listen to those clarinets - magnificent!

[Roehre]

Today:

JSBach:
Cantatas BWV 119 and 120

Hoddinott:
Symphony no.10 (R3)

Grace Williams:
Ballads (1968)

Mathias:
Symphonietta opus 34 91967)
Laudi opus 62 (1973)
Vistas opus 69 (1975)

Puw:
..onyt agoraf y drws.. (2007)

[Bonn1827]

Agree Zevy, and Jacobs certainly made a compelling case for the more rapid tempo for that movement!! But period instruments and that translucent sound - just magnificent. I prefer this to the often bloated modern orchestral performances of classical symphonies. But the balance and playing has to be superb on period instruments and this isn't always the case. Sometimes the violins meow when out of balance.

And here's a question for our bloggers: is orchestral playing of a generally higher standard today than those who played during the composers' lifetimes? Eg. what was the equivalent of Julliard and their exacting standards?

[Roehre]

And here's a question for our bloggers: is orchestral playing of a generally higher standard today than those who played during the composers' lifetimes? Eg. what was the equivalent of Julliard and their exacting standards?

Tow "professional" quartets come to mind:
-the string quartet employed by the Russian ambassador in Vienna, Count Rasumowsky (they premiered- no prices for this one- the opus 59 set), IIRC dissolved in 1815 after a disastrous fire destroying Rasumovsky's palace
-the Schuppanzigh-quartet, which premiered Beethoven's (all?) late quartets, and e.g. Schubert's last quartet in G op.161/D.887 as well.

[Zevy]

How can we know what level of playing they were on??

[Roehre]

Today:

JSBach:
Himmelfahrtsoratorium BWV 11
Cantata BWV 128 “Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein”
(Both works for Ascension Thursday (today that is)

Raymond Chevreuille:
Carnaval in Oostende opus 72 (1959)

Luc van Hove:
Carnaval op het Strand opus 17 (1985)

Roland Coryn:
Due Pitture per Orchestra (1989)

Frederik Devreese:
Violin concerto (1951)

[Bonn1827]

Yes, Zevy, that's what I was trying to flesh out. The rise of professional musicianship on a scale never before realized in our modern age (thanks largely to recordings and concerts) must have resulted in a higher level of performance overall, I would have thought. In the classical and pre-classical eras, of course, the art of extemporization practiced at that time (on a figured bass) has largely been lost today, except for performers who specialize in that area. Listening to a huge number of my CDs it often crosses my mind how extraordinarily well these performers play and I do wonder to what extent "conducting" itself is also a factor in all of this. It's an interesting topic and well suited to the Beethoven Reference Site contributors.

[Bonn1827]

It's another magnificent day: 24 degrees and I'm keeping company with Johannes Brahms and his 3rd symphony. I'm usually exhausted after this one, feeling whipped up and tossed like a cork in a stormy ocean with that last movement - until it all comes to a wonderful, calm and peaceful end. Bliss x 1,000 times!