What are you listening to now?

[Chris]

Listening to a disc of music for flute and piano - A fantasia by Rossini, variations by Chopin, Beethoven's Op. 105, and Schubert's Introduction, Theme, and Variations on "Trockne Blumen", D 802.

I bought this disc for the Chopin, as it is the only composition by him I am aware of that I have never heard, though its authenticity is in question. It's nice, but I don't really have an opinion on whether or not it is actually an early work by him. Perhaps. Perhaps I should have put it up as a quiz to see what you all thought!

[Quijote]

"Golden Brown", by The Stranglers (80s Pop), with harpsichord backing of all things, plus a clever little interplay between 3/4 and 4/4 rhythms. Following that, Haydn Op. 20, No. 6 that shows Papa Joe breaking some harmony rules, naughty boy. My harmony students always complain, saying if Papa can do it, why can't they? I stare at them grumpily, explaining that a harmony exercise / examination is not the same thing. Ah, what a dry pedant I am. Still, I think I prefer "Philip the Misanthrope" to "Philip the Pedant". Stop nibbling my pullover, Skippy, would you?

[Roehre]

Today:

Hartmann:
Concerto funèbre (1939)
Sinfonia tragica (1940)

Britten:
Sinfonia da Requiem op.20 (1940)

Strauss:
Japanische Festmusik op.84 (1940)

Vermeulen:
Symphony no.4 „Les Victoires“ (1940/41)

CD: Orient-Occident 1200-1700 (Hesperion XXI)

[Peter]

Haydn's sonata no.52 in Eb - what a brilliant piece and that finale bursting with humour and invention.

[Sorrano]

Bruckner's Masses, Jochum conducting. Later I will listen to Mass No. 2 with Bernius conducting, then No. 3 with Sir Colin Davis. Somehow I must have gotten in the mood for a hostias.

[Cocchini]

Beethoven, OP. 130, MVT. 5

With the Melos Quartet on DG. It doesn't get any better than this. Have my CD player on repeat. Rapture!

[Chris]

Mozart's early sonatas K 10-15 on a disc by the Abegg Trio. I have a recording with modern violin and harpsichord and a recording with flute and piano, and I wanted to find a recording that included the optional cello part, which seems to nearly always be omitted in recordings of these works for some reason. I did not realize this recording used period instruments, and probably wouldn't have bought it if I did, as I usually don't care for period instruments in solo or chamber music from the Classical era onward. But this is a very good recording. And anyway, it was the only CD in print that I could find that included the cello part.

[Roehre]

Today:

A recital given by AnneSophie Mutter with Lambert Orkis in 2000 to the memory of Mutter’s [first] husband. Intelligently programmed and exquisitely performed I have to say (though IMO the oldest pieces here are by far the most impressive and important):

Prokofjew:
Violin sonata in D opus 94 (1944)

Crumb:
4 Nocturnes "Night Music II" (1964)

Webern:
4 Pieces opus 7 (1910)

Respighi:
Violin sonata in b-minor (1917)


Turnage:
Texan Tenebrae (on R3)
Is it me or are Turnage’s harmonies becoming less “peppered”?

[Quijote]

[...] I did not realize this recording used period instruments, and probably wouldn't have bought it if I did, as I usually don't care for period instruments in solo or chamber music from the Classical era [...]

A few questions for you in light of the above, if I may :
a) does that mean you care to have period instruments in larger scale forms?
b) if so, why the distinction between solo/chamber and larger genres?
c) unless on a period instrument, how would you play Beethoven's express pedal markings for the "Moonlight" sonata?

[Chris]

A few questions for you in light of the above, if I may :
a) does that mean you care to have period instruments in larger scale forms?
b) if so, why the distinction between solo/chamber and larger genres?

It depends on the era and even the composer. I generally always prefer modern instruments for Beethoven and everything after and period instruments for Baroque and earlier music; and for the music of Haydn and Mozart, I find I prefer a mix, depending on the specific kind of music. I don't find period instruments to sound all that great on their own, so anything where it is one to a part, like chamber music, I tend to prefer modern instruments. But when there are many of them playing, it produces an effect that I find very appropriate and exciting. I think the symphonies and piano concertos of Mozart work best on period instruments. Normally I find the fortepiano rather ugly-sounding, but the fact that its timbre varies more throughout its range than the modern piano makes some wonderful effects come out in the Mozart concerti, particularly in passages utilizing the lower mid-range of the instrument.

They can also make a wonderful mix with voices. I find them particularly effective in Haydn's oratorios.

c) unless on a period instrument, how would you play Beethoven's express pedal markings for the "Moonlight" sonata?

Just do it. Andras Schiff in his lecture series on the Beethoven piano sonatas points out that people think you can't do this on a modern piano for some reason, but it is possible if you are careful.

[Bonn1827]

Am listening now to Brahms Symphony No.2. Absolutely ecstatic listening to this but shattered!! You are the only people who would understand. And now I have absolutely no hope of getting to sleep at all tonight!!

[Quijote]

It depends on the era and even the composer. I generally always prefer modern instruments for Beethoven and everything after and period instruments for Baroque and earlier music; and for the music of Haydn and Mozart, I find I prefer a mix, depending on the specific kind of music. I don't find period instruments to sound all that great on their own, so anything where it is one to a part, like chamber music, I tend to prefer modern instruments. But when there are many of them playing, it produces an effect that I find very appropriate and exciting. I think the symphonies and piano concertos of Mozart work best on period instruments. Normally I find the fortepiano rather ugly-sounding, but the fact that its timbre varies more throughout its range than the modern piano makes some wonderful effects come out in the Mozart concerti, particularly in passages utilizing the lower mid-range of the instrument.

They can also make a wonderful mix with voices. I find them particularly effective in Haydn's oratorios.



Just do it. Andras Schiff in his lecture series on the Beethoven piano sonatas points out that people think you can't do this on a modern piano for some reason, but it is possible if you are careful.

If you are careful, yes. I would argue emphatically in favor of the relevant period instrument in B's 4th piano concerto for the una corda, due e poi tre corde in the second movement. A point I shall return to in the "Orpheus" thread.

[Quijote]

Tonight, Fauré's Requiem , live concert just round the corner from where I live, directed by one of my colleagues (also a Brit, as it happens!). The first version (18XX?). Quick quiz for you, I've lost the programme notes.

[Roehre]

Today:

Herberigs:
Cyrano de Bergerac (1912)
(A Straussian horn concerto in which the influence of Mahler 2 can be easily traced as well – a nicely crafted, a bit derivative work, but a joy to listen to)

Verbey:
Piano trio (2000)
Pavane Oubliée (harp and strings, 1995)
Mathemathical methods (fractals e.g.) leading to highly expressive and emotionally charged music

Jeths:
Fas/Nefas (harp and small orchestra, 2003)
Chiasmos (piano trio, 1999)
Traditionally crafted music with a flair for unusual combinations and unusual orchestral/ instrumental colours

Langgaard:
Symphony no.6 “Det Himmelrivende” (Heavens Asunder) (1919/’20)
(An eclectic theme and variations, with a very little whiff of Nielsen)

[Roehre]

Today:

Van Roosendael:
David and Saul (for harp and orchestra, 1998)
(Stravinsky’s Agon by other means)

Wagenaar:
Saul and David op.24 (1906)
A straussian concert-overture/tone poem

Honegger:
Le Roi David (1921)

Widmann:
Lied (2003 rev 2010)
(Bruckner/Schubert/Mahler/Wagner/Strauss reminiscences causing „earwurms“, a nice piece for a Who’s who quiz)