What are you listening to now?

[Decrepit Poster]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSS5YqJbqqQ[/youtube]

Thanks for this link. I've owned the companion Beethoven/Op.131/VPO/Bernstein on CD and before that LP for ages and consider it a highlight of my collections, along with the DG Bernstein/NYPO Tchaikovsky sixth where he stretches the finale to 17m12s to telling effect. As to the clip, hearing its opening measures played by orchestral strings reinforces its kinship with the Mahler third finale, another piece it's hard to listen to during a good performance dry-eyed.

[Zevy]

B. Violin Concerto
Perlman/Barenboim.
Gorgeous!

[AeolianHarp]

Indeed, but at least I don't think this one is mortal! Our musical tastes do change but for me the 'healthiest' music has always been pre-Romantic, much as I love a great deal of 19th century music. You simply don't find the neurosis and anguish of say Tchaikovksy or Mahler (which prevades their music) in a Beethoven symphony which is always an entirely positive life affirming experience.

I know what you mean. After Beethoven, the most unique 19th century composer for me is Claude Debussy. He was different, innovative....and Clair de Lune is so beautiful!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbK5rSrir5Y[/YOUTUBE]

[Sorrano]

Absolutely - but perhaps some pieces should come with a health warning, I mean would you recommend someone listen to the last movt of Tchaikovsky 6th (a work I love) if they were feeling depressed? I think you're quite safe with Mendelssohn 4 - the title alone makes me happy!

Listening to Beethoven symphony no.8 - again! It's the only one of his symphonies I don't need to take a break from.

Sometimes, when I am depressed it helps to listen to Tchaikovsky's 6th or something equally pensive as it helps release some of the tensions I have inside. But I doubt I would recommend that in those circumstances to others.

Speaking of Mendelssohn, I am listening to a chamber orchestra playing the Octet.

[hal9000]

I mean would you recommend someone listen to the last movt of Tchaikovsky 6th (a work I love) if they were feeling depressed?

That's the best time to listen to it!

I listened to Bernstein's Tchaikovsky 6th that DP mentioned above. I thought it was brilliant, and the tempo entirely appropriate.

I also listened to John Lill's Opus 111 yesterday. I initially thought it too slow when I first heard it when Harvey made a thread here about it here (Schiff's parody is pretty much John Lill's tempo), and the minutes leading up to that ethereal trill ending lacked drive and momentum, but yesterday it clicked with me. You can find it on youtube here, unfortunately it is split into two parts.

[Decrepit Poster]

During supper yesterday I heard a CD of Claudio Arrau performing B's sonatas op.53 "Waldstein" and op.109 (No.30) along with Andante favori WoO 57.

This morning I listened to hal9000's linked Op.111 and the Schiff lecture excerpt, which I have heard before. Mr Schiff and I are kindred spirits in that I tend to agree with a good many of his views on Beethoven sonata tempi and the like. I do think Mr Lill makes a good case for his appreciably slower tempo. But then in general I can tolerate and enjoy a wide range of tempi on both sides of the norm so long as I feel the performers pull them off.

[Enrique]

Absolutely - but perhaps some pieces should come with a health warning, I mean would you recommend someone listen to the last movt of Tchaikovsky 6th (a work I love) if they were feeling depressed? I think you're quite safe with Mendelssohn 4 - the title alone makes me happy!

Listening to Beethoven symphony no.8 - again! It's the only one of his symphonies I don't need to take a break from.

The 8th is fire, its pure electricity. Finest of them all, as much as 1st piano concertó is the finest of the piano concerti. These are strong words but I stand by them. And the first concertó, I could listen to it a hundred times in a row and not get tired.

[Zevy]

B. Violin Concerto
Heifetz!

[Decrepit Poster]

During supper I listened to disk 8 of Brautigam's Beethoven piano sonata SACD set, containing sonatas 28, 30, 31 and 32.

[AeolianHarp]

During supper I listened to disk 8 of Brautigam's Beethoven piano sonata SACD set, containing sonatas 28, 30, 31 and 32.

A very long supper that DP! Takes me about 15 mins to eat mine lol.

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Janácek: "The Danube," Symphonic Poem (1923-8)

[Decrepit Poster]

During lunch sonatas 21-23 from disk six of Brautigam's Beethoven Piano Sonata set.

During supper a CD containing Schubert's sonatas D.385 and D.574 plus Fantasie in C D.934 for violin and piano.

A very long supper that DP! Takes me about 15 mins to eat mine lol.

I begin listening at the start of meal preparation, which can take up to thirty minutes on those nights I cook up rice to go with my veggies and tuna, which I did yesterday. That, plus the meal proper, plus half a Fuji apple for dessert, plus brushing my teeth, plus my second medicated inhaler treatment of the day, plus a final gargle with mouthwash, lasts almost exactly as long as a full-length CD, give or take a minute or two.

Today I had those same veggies and tuna as a salad with iceberg lettuce, which takes less time to prepare. In consequence I was done with everything not far into the Fantasie, which I continued to listen to until the end.

[Peter]

During lunch sonatas 21-23 from disk six of Brautigam's Beethoven Piano Sonata set.

During supper a CD containing Schubert's sonatas D.385 and D.574 plus Fantasie in C D.934 for violin and piano.

I begin listening at the start of meal preparation, which can take up to thirty minutes on those nights I cook up rice to go with my veggies and tuna, which I did yesterday. That, plus the meal proper, plus half a Fuji apple for dessert, plus brushing my teeth, plus my second medicated inhaler treatment of the day, plus a final gargle with mouthwash, lasts almost exactly as long as a full-length CD, give or take a minute or two.

Today I had those same veggies and tuna as a salad with iceberg lettuce, which takes less time to prepare. In consequence I was done with everything not far into the Fantasie, which I continued to listen to until the end.

Sounds a very healthy combination for mind and body!

Listening to Chopin Preludes in preparation for re-learning them - about time I set myself a challenge!

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Haydn: Symphony #69 in C, "Laudon"
Grieg: Norwegian Dances

[Decrepit Poster]

This morning I listened to Alfred Brendel play Schubert's "Three Piano Pieces" D.946 at YouTube.

During lunch I heard my CD of Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" quartet D.810 adapted for full strings by Gustav Mahler, performed by the English Chamber Orchestra under Jeffrey Tate. It was preceded on disk by "Death and the Maiden" D.531 sung by Ann Murrary with Tate at the piano.

Leading up to supper I listened to Lazaar Berman playing Schubert's piano sonata D.960 at YouTube.

During supper I heard Ronald Brautigam perform Mozart's piano sonatas KV279-281 on fortepiano (CD).

Thus far this evening I listened to Lazaar Berman play Liszt's "Spanish Rhapsody" at YouTube. Wow!