What are you listening to now?

[Enrique]

Happy to know that, Megan. The symphony made him be a musical promise at that time, but then, he followed more conservative ways.

[Megan]

More Through the Night.



Robert de Visée
Logistille de Roland de Mr J.B. Lully (1685)


Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 18

[Quijote]

Rather a lot of Franz Schreker in live concerts these last few days. Last Thursday:
Der Wind, for violin, clarinet, French horn, 'cello and piano (1909). Not a combo I like.
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1898); good players, but the violinist's violin had a hard tone, I suspect it was a new instrument, not yet fully 'broken in'.
Fünf Gesänge (1909), chamber orchestra version by Gösta Neuwirth; superb, reminded me of a sort of half-way house on the way to Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire.
Kammersymphonie (1916); fantastic piece, great scoring, full marks from me!

Yesterday:
Der ferne Klang ('A Distant Sound', 1909), Opéra National du Rhin, French première! Knockout stuff, quite innovative instrumentation at times, late Romantic slush, but good slush.

Tonight, a change -
Bruckner : Requiem in D minor (1849), L'Orchestre et le choeur de l'UNESCO/Jorge Lozano Corres. That was the first half of the concert. I didn't stick around for the second half. Small forces, competent orchestra, at times dodgy choir, slightly dodgy tenor solo, horrible acoustic (European Parliament).

[Michael]

Listened to Razumovsky One twice today.
Does anyone detect a pattern here?

[PDG]

Listened to Razumovsky One twice today.
Does anyone detect a pattern here?

You'll listen to Two thrice and then Three once?

[PDG]

The first Schumann string quartet. It achingly references Beethoven all over the place.

How do we rate Schumann (Mr, not Mrs)?...

[Quijote]

Listened to Razumovsky One twice today.
Does anyone detect a pattern here?

Always 'method in madness'?

[Quijote]

The first Schumann string quartet. It achingly references Beethoven all over the place.

How do we rate Schumann (Mr, not Mrs)?...

Lieder, 'cello concerto, piano works ... pretty OK in my book! Symphonies? Tend to pass, to be candid. As to Mrs Schumann, did hear one piano work by the lady which I thought was pretty damn good, can't recall which.
Ditto Fanny.

[PDG]

The second Schumann string quartet. It achingly....oh, you know the rest...

[Michael]

You'll listen to Two thrice and then Three once?

2X3=6 + 3x1=1.

6+1 = 7. And Raz One is String Quartet No. 7. My number one Beethoven work!

[Michael]

Always 'method in madness'?

I may be slightly insane regarding Raz One. I could listen to it every day and I can hardly believe how much I detested it when I first heard it back in 1969 or thereabouts.

[PDG]

2X3=6 + 3x1=1.

6+1 = 7. And Raz One is String Quartet No. 7. My number one Beethoven work!

Even Isaac Newton couldn't have come up with a mathematical equation like that!

Interesting that the opening of Raz 1 (quartet #7) sounds very similar to the opening of Arch 1 (piano trio #6), a work you say you can't stand, Michael?

Don't worry about me - I'm just trying to stir things up a bit...

[Enrique]

Listening to Busoni's transcription of the Chaconne.