What Are You Listening To Now?

[Sorrano]

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.

I would like to add, too, that Bruckner's organ background provided a lot of insight into his scoring for the wind instruments. One might have considered the organ a form of wind instrument, as in those days the sound was produced by forcing wind through the pipes with a bellows. It is an interesting experience to listen to arrangements of his symphonic work for organ; it provides some very fascinating insights to his orchestral technique.

[Quijote]

So today, what delights have I found time for (between popping the pills; see EdC elsewhere on this forum)?
Bruckner : Symphony No. 6. An odd one, this is. May I reserve comment for the moment? I need some more listenings, and maybe a quick look at the score ...
I don't always have a glib answer for everything, you know.

[Quijote]

I would like to add, too, that Bruckner's organ background provided a lot of insight into his scoring for the wind instruments. One might have considered the organ a form of wind instrument, as in those days the sound was produced by forcing wind through the pipes with a bellows. It is an interesting experience to listen to arrangements of his symphonic work for organ; it provides some very fascinating insights to his orchestral technique.

Sorrano, please check out the Bruckner Journal (you'll find this easily by googling). You'll find many of their back issues are available for free (follow the links), and if you have time you can find an article or two about this very question. That said, I do think one can push the "organist orchestrates" argument only so far.

[Sorrano]

Sorrano, please check out the Bruckner Journal (you'll find this easily by googling). You'll find many of their back issues are available for free (follow the links), and if you have time you can find an article or two about this very question. That said, I do think one can push the "organist orchestrates" argument only so far.

The organ bit was simply a subtle reference back to windbags. There is much more complexity to Bruckner's orchestration, harmony, etc. than his background in organ playing. I appreciate the reference to the Bruckner Journal and have bookmarked it. It's about time for some Bruckner listening, too!

And speaking of windbags we haven't even touched on the choral works.

[Michael]

My son was given a present of the Mozart Piano Concertos, (Malcolm Bilson/Gardner) and after ripping them all to his iPod or whatever, he asked me if I would mind taking these huge cumbersome shiny discs off his hands. I hate to see anyone suffer so I relieved him of the boxed set.
Being familiar with only a few of the concertos, I started at the beginning. What a mistake! They were probably written when he was two and a half. In the case of the Rondo K382, I would do better myself.
So I moved quickly forward to the good stuff: the "Jeunehomme", the C minor K491, the D minor K 466 and my all-time favourite: the last one in B flat,
K595.
Even though Mozart wrote some great symphonies and operas, I think the piano was his forte. (Abysmal pun intended).

[Chris]

My son was given a present of the Mozart Piano Concertos, (Malcolm Bilson/Gardner) and after ripping them all to his iPod or whatever, he asked me if I would mind taking these huge cumbersome shiny discs off his hands. I hate to see anyone suffer so I relieved him of the boxed set.
Being familiar with only a few of the concertos, I started at the beginning. What a mistake! They were probably written when he was two and a half. In the case of the Rondo K382, I would do better myself.
So I moved quickly forward to the good stuff: the "Jeunehomme", the C minor K491, the D minor K 466 and my all-time favourite: the last one in B flat,
K595.
Even though Mozart wrote some great symphonies and operas, I think the piano was his forte. (Abysmal pun intended).

I have that set too, and it is perhaps the one set of recordings in existence where I like the fortepiano. And it isn't even so much the fortepiano so much as the orchestra and the way the piano mixes with the orchestra. I don't agree with you about the early works, though. I particularly like his first "true" piano concerto, K 175. The secondary theme of the first movement is quintessential Mozart to me - charming and delightful. And it reminds me so much of a similar passage in the first movement of the violin concerto K 207, which is another one of my favorites. In some ways I like the early works more than the later ones, though I must say that my favorite of the piano concertos is the concerto in A major, K 488.

[Sorrano]

My son was given a present of the Mozart Piano Concertos, (Malcolm Bilson/Gardner) and after ripping them all to his iPod or whatever, he asked me if I would mind taking these huge cumbersome shiny discs off his hands. I hate to see anyone suffer so I relieved him of the boxed set.
Being familiar with only a few of the concertos, I started at the beginning. What a mistake! They were probably written when he was two and a half. In the case of the Rondo K382, I would do better myself.
So I moved quickly forward to the good stuff: the "Jeunehomme", the C minor K491, the D minor K 466 and my all-time favourite: the last one in B flat,
K595.
Even though Mozart wrote some great symphonies and operas, I think the piano was his forte. (Abysmal pun intended).

I find that I, too, prefer the piano concerti to the symphonies. I've been listening through the complete works (symphonies, now concerti) and feel that the concerti are better composed than the symphonies.

[Peter]

I find that I, too, prefer the piano concerti to the symphonies. I've been listening through the complete works (symphonies, now concerti) and feel that the concerti are better composed than the symphonies.

I have to agree - despite some fine symphonies (obviously the later ones) the piano concerti and the operas are Mozart's greatest achievements.

[Sorrano]

Someone on the radio is anxious for summer. This morning:

Leroy Anderson: Summer Skies
Othmar Schoeck: "Sommernacht"

[Sorrano]

I have to agree - despite some fine symphonies (obviously the later ones) the piano concerti and the operas are Mozart's greatest achievements.

I've never considered myself much of a Mozart fan, but when I've listened to many of these concerti I've certainly had second thoughts. It makes me glad that he composed so many!

[Michael]

Caught some of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto on a car journey today. The first movement was fine but - as I expected - I couldn't hear the piano in the second movement until it got near the end.
I have come to the conclusion that many works of Beethoven are not suitable for in-car listening due to his extreme dynamic range (unless you have a super-quiet expensive Merc). Just try to hear the opening of the Ninth symphony without turning up the volume and getting blasted a few moments later.
Bach and Mozart are ideal for car journeys. Anyway, I hate driving.

[Peter]

Caught some of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto on a car journey today. The first movement was fine but - as I expected - I couldn't hear the piano in the second movement until it got near the end.
I have come to the conclusion that many works of Beethoven are not suitable for in-car listening due to his extreme dynamic range (unless you have a super-quiet expensive Merc). Just try to hear the opening of the Ninth symphony without turning up the volume and getting blasted a few moments later.
Bach and Mozart are ideal for car journeys. Anyway, I hate driving.

This could start a whole new topic Michael! Sharing your hatred now of driving in the congested UK, I find opera completely unsuitable for car journeys!

[The Dude]

Very early start today for The Dude:

Frank Martin - Concerto for Harpsichord and Small Orchestra

[Sorrano]

Very early start today for The Dude:

Frank Martin - Concerto for Harpsichord and Small Orchestra

Are you referring to a network mapping and monitoring utility?

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/thedude.html

This morning: W F Bach:Harpsichord COncerto in e, F 43

[Ed C]

Now playing "Symphony in D major - I. Largo - Allegro" by Cherubini

(aside: the Dude's username is getting so much press these days I'm getting jealous.
Thinking of changing my name to "Your Majesty"...)