What are you listening to now?

[Roehre]

Today:

Pickard:
Tenebrae (2008)

MacMillan:
The Sacrifice - Three Interludes (2007)

Eybler:
Symphony in C major (1798?)
Would be heard much more were the name on the score Haydn or Mozart.

Broström:
Lucernaris (Trumpet Concerto) (2009)

Malecki
Dziki gołąb, las i panna – (the wood pigeon, the forest and the lass) (1998)

Telemann:
Orchestral suite in B-flat “La Bourse” TWV55:B11 (1719 or’20)
From the latest BBCMM CD (with Bach suites nos.1 and 3).
Nicely recorded lean performance, though the phrasing is a bit tiring.

[Sorrano]

This morning:

Jacob: Suite for Recorder and Orchestra

[Quijote]

Gordon Jacob !!!!!!!!!!!!! My first orchestration book! And a bloody good one !!! Always to the point, practical and no-nonsense! And not too many pages! Chris!

[Quijote]

Haydn : St Nicholas Mass (Nikolaimesse). I can't go wrong with this CD : Academy of Ancient Music / Simon Preston / Emma Kirkby and Roger Covey Crump (among other soloists) / Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (boy sopranos!).
Really, after a hard week reading the 'riot act' to 7 recalcitrant students (i.e. now banned from my class, not for asking difficult questions, but for holding back the others with chit-chat, mobile 'phones, lame excuses for not handing in work ...) I needed something uplifting.

[Sorrano]

Gordon Jacob !!!!!!!!!!!!! My first orchestration book! And a bloody good one !!! Always to the point, practical and no-nonsense! And not too many pages! Chris!

He's not a bad composer, either.

[Quijote]

I remember one piece by him for a 'cello exam I had when I was a kid : something about a moorhen? Can't remember, it was so long ago and anyway (in the words of most politicians) I was on holiday at the time and cannot be held responsible.

[Quijote]

And next week is a concert I will not be attending : "Valses Viennoises" with works by Johann Strauss I and II. The price is only 13 Euros (€) (and the venue about 400 metres from my front door), and the concert flyer (posted in my letter box) promises the works will be performed on two Blüthner 19th century Romantic pianos. If I pay 57€, I can have the "concert + shellfish dinner" option. I'll pass, thanks, even though I do like shellfish.
[That's because you are an effete snob. Ed.]

[Sorrano]

And next week is a concert I will not be attending : "Valses Viennoises" with works by Johann Strauss I and II. The price is only 13 Euros (€) (and the venue about 400 metres from my front door), and the concert flyer (posted in my letter box) promises the works will be performed on two Blüthner 19th century Romantic pianos. If I pay 57€, I can have the "concert + seafood dinner" option. I'll pass, thanks.

Not even for the seafood dinner? You could wear earplugs.

[Sorrano]

On the way to work the radio played Tchaikovsky's 2nd Symphony. I only got the 1st movement, but was sorely tempted to drive around (and be late for work) just to hear the rest of the work.

[Quijote]

Soon I shall be attending a concert of Beethoven's Triple. My daughter's violin teacher is performing that soon, so we are invited. For one horrible moment I thought I was going to get roped into actually playing the thing in rehearsal (due to illness of one of the victims), but it all worked out.

[Quijote]

On the way to work the radio played Tchaikovsky's 2nd Symphony. I only got the 1st movement, but was sorely tempted to drive around (and be late for work) just to hear the rest of the work.

Time for a sketch, Sorrano !

Scene : The 21st century, somewhere in the USA, cultural melting pot and economic power house where money talks, and time is everything.
The characters:
Sorrano [S] : penniless organist and part-time IT wizard in some huge conglomorate;
'The Boss' [TB] : merciless, ruthless money-'n-time driven capitalist running dog of the military-industrial complex and Strauss-loving tone-deaf ignoramus.

S : Sorry I'm late boss !
TB : You're fired. Why are you late?
S : Had to complete a harmony exercise for some madman I know. Besides, I just had to finish listening to some Tchaikovsky on the car radio before coming here. Honest, boss!
TB : [Frantically dialling his secretary] Doris, call security, quick!

[Sorrano]

That's funny! This job I have was supposed to be somewhat temporary with the understanding that I might find a music related job. However, I've been here 25+ years, now. So much for a music career.

[Peter]

Soon I shall be attending a concert of Beethoven's Triple. My daughter's violin teacher is performing that soon, so we are invited.

And you've not come up with an excuse?!

[Roehre]

Today:

Turnage:
Speranza (2012; world premiere) (iPlayer)

Escher:
Musique pour l’Esprit en Deuil (1943)

Di Lasso:
Missa pro Defunctis (p.1578)

[Roehre]

Today:

Stravinsky:
Variations for orchestra (1964)
Requiem Canticles (1965/’66)

Bax:
Elegiac trio (1916)

Boulez:
Rituel (1975)