What Are You Listening To Now?

[Chris]

Besides that, some news for the Irish members (Michael... don't know of any others ) I just read that St. Patrick was not Irish but British. Though, perhaps he was Irish at heart?

He was taken from Britain by Irish raiders as a slave. After a number of years he escaped and returned home, but later went back to Ireland as a missionary after being made a bishop. So he is connected specially to Ireland though he was not Irish by birth.

[Peter]

Strange, that. Today I listened to the opening 5 or so minutes of Mahler's 1st and kept thinking "Hmm, sounds like he took inspiration from Bruckner's 9th."

Chronologically not possible - would have to be the other way round!

[Sorrano]

Szymanowski: Three Paganini Caprices

[Michael]

Besides that, some news for the Irish members (Michael... don't know of any others ) I just read that St. Patrick was not Irish but British. Though, perhaps he was Irish at heart?

I do seem to be the only active Irish member at the moment. And you're right about St. Patrick, Preston. He was an adopted Irishman.

[Preston]

Thanks for the information Chris and Michael. Here, too, is some good information regarding St. Patrick's Day (with plenty of links to read from):
http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day

Back on topic, listening to the very end (which is quite touching) of Night on Bald Mountain then a mostly choral setting of Schubert's setting of Ave Maria. Yes Fantasia, .

[The Dude]

Schoenberg Pelleas und Melisande

Debussy Pelleas et Melisande Suite

[Megan]

Hmmm. Methinks I hear a breeze blowing.

Hmmm, I'm waiting for the mighty hurricane to follow.....

[Megan]

Listening to, : Ecce beatam lucem (40 voix) d'Alessandro Striggio (c.1535-1592)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb-xyh5f5x4

[Sorrano]

Hmmm, I'm waiting for the mighty hurricane to follow.....

Perhaps the Overture to Wagner's Flying Dutchman?

[Megan]

Antonin Dvorak — Symphony No.9 in E minor “From the New World”: II - Largo
Performer: London Symphony Orchestra Performer: Witold Rowicki (conductor)

Anon — Douce dame debonaire
Performer: Joglaresa Performer: Belinda Sykes (voice/director)


Antonio Vivaldi — Flute Concerto in G minor Op.10 No.2




Gaetano Donizetti — Lucia di Lammermoor: Verranno a te sull’aure
Performer: Joan Sutherland (soprano) Performer: Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) Performer: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Richard Antonio Vivaldi — Flute Concerto in G minor Op.10 No.2 “La notte”
Performer: Stephen Preston (flute) Performer: Academy of Ancient Music Performer: Christopher Hogwood (conductor)
-

[Sorrano]

This morning: Rachmaninoff's piano transcription/arrangement of Bach's Partita No. 3 for violin

Also, Rachmaninoff's "Prince Rostislav" tone poem.

Happy Birthday to J S Bach!!

[Peter]

Beethoven Missa Solemnis with Zinman and the Tonhalle - I find much of it rushed and lacking in the grandeur of my favourite recording of the work with Klemperer.

[Sorrano]

Correct. Both were musical windbags.

Do you refer to the extensive use of wind instruments in the orchestration, or do you refer to something else?

[Quijote]

Correct. Both were musical windbags.

I do admire your concision, Dude. However, I disagree. At first hearing (especially if you have not been taking your "Phillip" [sic] pills as prescribed by another blogger, see elsewhere on this forum), their symphonies may well seem inordinately long. And it must be said this was a criticism levelled at them during their own times (about 100+ years ago). But then the dimmer ones said the same thing about Beethoven's Eroica when that "short duration" symphony first hit the concert halls.
As to the specific term "windbags", all I can say is that both composers knew how to write for their wind and brass sections. Well, Bruckner certainly knew his brass, that's for sure.

[Quijote]

I see Sorrano that you are one step ahead of me.