What are you listening to now?

[hal9000]

Diabelli Variations played by Stephen Kovacevich.

[AeolianHarp]

His Piano Trio in E-flat major, Opus 70 No. 2

This he said was his favourite!

Oh love it...

I agree with Tallenbuch's description of the 3rd mvt as being nostalgic, graceful, dreamy and a touch of romanticism.

[Michael]

Bruckner's 7th Symphony and "The Best of Crystal Gale".
(Not at the same time, I might add.)

[Michael]

Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" Book One.

[Joy]

This morning was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his Flute Concerto #2 in D (K 314)
with Andre Prieur, conductor and James Galway, flute.

[Joy]

[QUOTE=Sorrano;65816]This morning:
Trad, Russian: Folksong, "Ah, What Was the Use?"


How did you like this song? Do you know anything about it? The title intrigues me but I have not heard of it.

[Decrepit Poster]

Now? My ears ringing. I suppose I should consider myself blessed to share a trait with the master, but...

Otherwise, having reached that section of "Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph", I listened to a Helene Grimaud's performance of Op. 101 (YouTube) but continue to prefer Pollini in the late sonatas.

I heard Yuga Wang play Chopin's Waltz Op 64 No 2. Took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I found myself quite favorably impressed.

I heard Christa Ludwig's rendition of Schubert's "Gretchen am Spinnrade", an old favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8zhdstnFuU

I heard Franz Liszt's piano transcription of "Gretchen..." as performed by Nino Gvetadze: http://www.gyrix.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4634

I heard the fourth movement (Rondo) from the now obscure Vojtech Matyás Jírovec's Symphony in E-flat major. This piece and I go way back. It was on the first album of classic era (as opposed to Baroque, Romantic, etc.) music I bought, circa 1968. That LP went through hell. I stored it at my parents' home while stationed in the Philippines from 1972 - 1974. Their house was totaled by a tornado in 1973. A number of my LPs survived, including that one. But, the album cover and sleeve disintegrated. The disk was almost unplayable, full of loud pops and crackles from start to finish. Thankfully, this YouTube performance I unearthed is, while not stellar, not audibly cursed: http://youtu.be/eklzTtlYs7A?t=16m36s

[Sorrano]

[QUOTE=Joy;65892]

This morning:
Trad, Russian: Folksong, "Ah, What Was the Use?"


How did you like this song? Do you know anything about it? The title intrigues me but I have not heard of it.

After a few days I just do not remember it very well. Typically, though, I do like folksongs of pretty much any nationality. In the mornings I catch whatever music is on the radio, but do not always hear about the music itself.

[Decrepit Poster]

Since yesterday's report I:

• Watched/heard Georg Solti conduct the Ninth during the 1986 BBC Proms. (He doesn't utilize the second bassoon in that one passage of the finale.)
  
• Watched/heard Daniel Barenboim perform the Hammerklavier in its entirety, from his most recent traversal of the complete sonatas, the set available on commercial DVD. It's very different from Pollini, my gold standard for the late sonatas. For that very reason I found it intriguing, especially early on. As the work progressed my enthusiasm waned. I never grew to dislike it, and am glad to have heard it, but doubt I'll go out of my way to hear it more than once in a blue moon.
  
• Watched/heard Valentina Lisitsa perform the final movement (only) of the Hammerklavier. After having just finished the Barenboim, this was a breath of fresh air! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRDcgjvjj2E

(Those who have heard both are likely shaking their heads in disbelief at my preference for Ms Lisitsa over Mr. Barenboim in this movement but hey, tastes differ.)

[hal9000]

I prefer Lisitsa's also. She really brings out the indomitable vital energy of this movement.

I'm listening to Beethoven's Op.132 by the Quartetto Italiano. The final variation of the hymn theme of the third movement stands with the coda of the Arietta of Op.111, the fugue of Op.131 and variation 20 of the Diabelli variations as the most otherworldly sections of music he ever wrote IMO. It is music of the ether. The harmony at 35:59 is beyond words, and the ending is one of the most airy and diaphanous moments in music that I have ever heard.

[Decrepit Poster]

I prefer Lisitsa's also. She really brings out the indomitable vital energy of this movement.

I'm listening to Beethoven's Op.132 by the Quartetto Italiano. The final variation of the hymn theme of the third movement stands with the coda of the Arietta of Op.111, the fugue of Op.131 and variation 20 of the Diabelli variations as the most otherworldly sections of music he ever wrote IMO. It is music of the ether. The harmony at 35:59 is beyond words, and the ending is one of the most airy and diaphanous moments in music that I have ever heard.

I'm listening to your linked Op.132 as I type. It is indeed a fine performance. I have the Quartetto Italiano's middle and late quartets on LP, but shamefully neglected them for many years. During the CD era, I bought the complete quartets in that format as performed by the Vegh Quartet, their second, stereo go at it. I was quite taken by the Vegh, listening to almost no other Beethoven quartet performances for years.

Which reminds me that there are a number of B's quartets I've not heard in quite some time. I need to rectify that.

ADDENDUM: Having listened to Ms Lisitsa's rendition of the closing movement of Op.106 I decided to press on and hear her perform Op.10 No.3, a sonata I am almost totally unfamiliar with. I was quite favorably impressed with movements two through four: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qnrDk6h5Bk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxCIjCFkde8 (I want to hear movement one again before forming an opinion.)

[hal9000]

I love that sonata. J.W.N Sullivan brings up an interesting point regarding the largo in Beethoven: His Spiritual Development (which is an interesting read), which I have over time come to agree with. He considers this movement, along with the second movement of the F major Op.18 #1 quartet, to be "composed" music. Much like how an opera composer or dramatist would use stock emotions and experiences rather than authentic expressions belonging to personal experience. Of course, this doesn't apply to all opera composers, as Mozart's can be incredibly profound (Cosi Fan Tutte probably hit a little too close to home for Mozart), but Beethoven did say regarding the second movement of the F major quartet that he was thinking of the tomb scene in Romeo and Juliet when composing it.

Sullivan goes on to say that one gets the impression when listening to the largo that the emotion is feigned and unearned, and an experience is being pretended to that hasn't been experienced. He rightly says that the biographical details of the composer's life and his work need not be intrinsically linked, and a piece of music should stand alone, but I do feel there is some truth to this. You don't need to know the details leading up to Beethoven writing the cavatina of Op.130 or the lento assai of Op.135 to feel the spiritual and emotional depth in these pieces. There is a sincerity to this music; it isn't music of affectation, or music that is just there so as to include a slow movement in the overall structure of the piece. Both the cavatina and lento assai feel like organic branches that are intrinsically linked to the emotional landscape of the entire piece. I feel the third movement of the Hammerklavier sonata is what the largo should be, but Beethoven just didn't have the musical faculty to realise such a movement at the time of writing the largo. The older Beethoven got the more pure in expression his music got, and the height of Beethoven's spiritual development is in his late string quartets IMO.

He does point out that because the other three movements are strictly pure music that they are perhaps more accomplished pieces, and I think I agree. I can listen to Beethoven's early strictly pure music without ever tiring of it, whereas the effect the largo has had on me has waned the more I have listened to it.

Edit - I forgot to mention that I love the coda to the 4th movement - Schiff in his lectures calls it a miracle.

[AeolianHarp]

Joseph Haydn, Sonata for Fortepiano in E Flat major, (Hob.XVI:49)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVjvYJBQWqo [/YOUTUBE]

This is my favourite sonata by Haydn (out of all I have heard so far...)

11:32-12:54 is my total favourite part of this sonata- it is magnificent! The deep booming bass notes are marvellous! Foretpianos have such a quality to the bass I don't hear in modern pianos.

[Decrepit Poster]

I love that sonata [Op.10 No.3]. <snip>

Edit - I forgot to mention that I love the coda to the 4th movement - Schiff in his lectures calls it a miracle.

I don't yet know the work well enough to have an informed opinion on the interesting info you provide. As to Schiff, I listened to that lecture-recital this morning, along with five additional interpretations of movement one. When he proclaimed the coda a miracle my eyes rolled. Not that I disagree with his assessment. It just seems to me that every lecture includes Schiff declaring the sonata in question, or some part of it, Beethoven's most outstanding achievement. I now treat such utterances as something of a running joke. (But again don't discredit them. I greatly enjoy those lectures I have heard. The man knows his business, and has an infectious enthusiasm.)

Joseph Haydn, Sonata for Fortepiano in E Flat major, (Hob.XVI:49)

<snip>

This is my favourite sonata by Haydn (out of all I have heard so far...)

11:32-12:54 is my total favourite part of this sonata- it is magnificent! The deep booming bass notes are marvelous! Fortepianos have such a quality to the bass I don't hear in modern pianos.

I too enjoy the fortepiano in works for which it is appropriate. I tried listening to your link this afternoon. Sadly, a minute or so in my computer locked tighter than a drum. I'll try again later tonight. (What little I heard was quite enjoyable.)

Otherwise, I heard HJ Lim perform Rachmaninoff's Op.39, No's 6 & 2. I enjoyed both interpretations, especially No.2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shSSDbONGnQ

I also heard Ms Lim perform Rachmininoff's piano concerto No.2. It's an interesting performance. Very fiery and dramatic. At times Ms. Lim and the orchestra aren't quite in sync, which distracts a bit. But I wholehearted recommend its closing few minutes, played to the hilt. http://youtu.be/fRwyNL0zZjk?t=26m8s (The clip begins well into the final movement.)

[AeolianHarp]

I love that sonata. J.W.N Sullivan brings up an interesting point regarding the largo in Beethoven: His Spiritual Development (which is an interesting read), which I have over time come to agree with. He considers this movement, along with the second movement of the F major Op.18 #1 quartet, to be "composed" music. Much like how an opera composer or dramatist would use stock emotions and experiences rather than authentic expressions belonging to personal experience. Of course, this doesn't apply to all opera composers, as Mozart's can be incredibly profound (Cosi Fan Tutte probably hit a little too close to home for Mozart), but Beethoven did say regarding the second movement of the F major quartet that he was thinking of the tomb scene in Romeo and Juliet when composing it.

Hey guys I have Sullivan's book too! An edition from 1933! It is in beautiful condition; blue cover with BEETHOVEN embossed in gold letters on the front. I have read most of it, but want to read it from beginning to end. I'll have delve into what you mention above.

Sullivan goes on to say that one gets the impression when listening to the largo that the emotion is feigned and unearned, and an experience is being pretended to that hasn't been experienced. He rightly says that the biographical details of the composer's life and his work need not be intrinsically linked, and a piece of music should stand alone, but I do feel there is some truth to this. You don't need to know the details leading up to Beethoven writing the cavatina of Op.130 or the lento assai of Op.135 to feel the spiritual and emotional depth in these pieces. There is a sincerity to this music; it isn't music of affectation, or music that is just there so as to include a slow movement in the overall structure of the piece. Both the cavatina and lento assai feel like organic branches that are intrinsically linked to the emotional landscape of the entire piece.

Yes, the music you mention are all indeed very spiritual and emotional. I agree that one does not have to read about the Master's life in order to appreciate/understand the music, as you can feel it, but I think you can get more insight if you do, or at least confirm what he was conveying through his music.

The older Beethoven got the more pure in expression his music got, and the height of Beethoven's spiritual development is in his late string quartets IMO.

Oh they are! On first listening to them I was swept away- they are extraordinary.


On the whole I love Sullivan's view, discussions etc and he goes deeply into the importance of Beethoven's spirituality, which is a very important part of his music. It is what drew me to him.
However Sullivan made one point that I disagree with:

"He had, as we have seen, very little understanding of men, and it is probable that he had even less of women." (p 171)


I think it is quite the opposite!