What are you listening to now?

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Weber: "Konzertstück" in f, Op 79

DP, you keep reminding me I have to get back to the Haydn Symphonies on the box set I picked up some time ago.

[AeolianHarp]

A CD of Haydn's symphonies 82 "The Bear" and 83 "The Hen" performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam under Colin Davis.
A CD of Haydn's symphonies 88 and 92 performance by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein.
A CD of Haydn's symphonies 90 and 93 performance by the Orchestra of the 18th Century under Franz Bruggen. This was easily my pick of the CD litter, though neither piece makes my short-list of favorite Haydn's symphonies.

At YouTube I listened to snippets from a variety of Haydn symphony performances along with misc. other music.

The Bear and The Hen lol- what cute names. I don't know those! I must you tube them- knowing what I know of Haydn I am expecting some wittiness and fun.

[Decrepit Poster]

This morning:
DP, you keep reminding me I have to get back to the Haydn Symphonies on the box set I picked up some time ago.

The Bear and The Hen lol- what cute names. I don't know those! I must you tube them- knowing what I know of Haydn I am expecting some wittiness and fun.

Ask and ye shall receive, in part. Here is "The Bear" performed by Camerata Salzburg under Roger Norrington. This combo is represented by a number of filmed Haydn symphonies at YouTube, including "The Hen" (Le Poule) which I've not yet auditioned. Sound and visuals can be out of sync, in at least one case alarmingly so. (The Bear only a tad off.) Audio can distort. Despite that, I quite like the series.

In other matters, here's an interesting interview Cyprien Katsaris I first listened to only this morning.

[AeolianHarp]

Thanks DP- will check that out later.

[Sorrano]

This morning:
Humperdinck: "Hänsel und Gretel" Orchestral Suite (arranged by Rudolf Kempe)

[Decrepit Poster]

During lunch today a CD containing Bach's sonatas for cello & piano BWV 1027-1029 performed by Mischa Maisky and Martha Argerich.
During supper today a CD containing Beethoven's cello sonata No4, and various variations for cell and piano performed by Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax.

At YouTube I watched / heard Haydn's two cello concertos as performed by Mstislav Rostropovich and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. These renditions and I are old friends, having owned them on LaserDisc for ages.

At YouTube I also watched several further interviews from the series linked in yesterday's update.

[Enrique]

Rachmaninoff: Piano concertó in C minor.

This music is so easy to attach images to! Please listen to what happended between the composer and Tolstoi:

In January 1900, Rachmaninoff and Chaliapin were invited to Yasnaya Polyana, the home of writer Leo Tolstoy, whom Rachmaninoff greatly admired. That evening, Rachmaninoff played one of his compositions, then accompanied Chaliapin in his song "Fate", one of the pieces he had written after his First Symphony. At the end of the performance, Tolstoy took the composer aside and asked: "Is such music needed by anyone? I must tell you how I dislike it all. Beethoven is nonsense, Pushkin and Lermontov also". (The song "Fate" is based on the two opening measures of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.) As his guests were leaving, Tolstoy said: "Forgive me if I've hurt you by my comments"; and Rachmaninoff graciously replied: "How could I be hurt on my own account, if I was not hurt on Beethoven's?"; but the criticism of the great author stung nevertheless.

Funny, is it not?

[Peter]

Rachmaninoff: Piano concertó in C minor.

This music is so easy to attach images to! Please listen to what happended between the composer and Tolstoi:

In January 1900, Rachmaninoff and Chaliapin were invited to Yasnaya Polyana, the home of writer Leo Tolstoy, whom Rachmaninoff greatly admired. That evening, Rachmaninoff played one of his compositions, then accompanied Chaliapin in his song "Fate", one of the pieces he had written after his First Symphony. At the end of the performance, Tolstoy took the composer aside and asked: "Is such music needed by anyone? I must tell you how I dislike it all. Beethoven is nonsense, Pushkin and Lermontov also". (The song "Fate" is based on the two opening measures of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.) As his guests were leaving, Tolstoy said: "Forgive me if I've hurt you by my comments"; and Rachmaninoff graciously replied: "How could I be hurt on my own account, if I was not hurt on Beethoven's?"; but the criticism of the great author stung nevertheless.

Funny, is it not?

I think Tolstoy liked Mozart! To be frank I go through phases of disliking Rachmaninov, especially the 2nd piano concerto which just wallows in sentimentality ad nauseum, but then I hear a fine performance and am deeply moved!

[Decrepit Poster]

On CD, B's violin sonatas No's 4, 8 & 9 performed by Leonidas Kavakos and Enrico Pace.
On CD, most of disk four of Brautigam's Beethoven piano sonata set, include the "Moonlight". I continue to see Brautigam's Moonlight the low-point of the set. Nothing wrong with it. It just doesn't speak to me. But then you might recall that I hold a minority view on how the famous opening movement should be interpreted.

[Enrique]

I think Tolstoy liked Mozart! To be frank I go through phases of disliking Rachmaninov, especially the 2nd piano concerto which just wallows in sentimentality ad nauseum, but then I hear a fine performance and am deeply moved!

So you yourself confess your sin!

[Peter]

So you yourself confess your sin!

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.

[Sorrano]

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.

Some of us do like to indulge.

Right now: Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, "Italian"

[Decrepit Poster]

During supper I listened to disk 3 of the Kavakos/Pace Beethoven violin and piano sonatas CD set, containing sonatas 6, 7 and 10. I suppose it is a sign of the times that notes consist of five lines of text divided into two sentences, the second being marketing hype for the violinist who obviously gets star billing. In fact the pianist isn't even mentioned. Likewise on cover and spine Kavakos' name is printed as large white text on a black background. Pace gets far smaller blue text that is hard to see in low light. Heck, even Beethoven plays second fiddle to Kavakos on cover and spine.

Contract that to the Brautigam Beethoven sonata set where we get 37 pages of solid notes in English (repeated in at least one other language) plus just over a page on the pianist and one page for each of the three instruments heard on the recordings. Beethoven receives top billing on the cover and booklet front.

One set bears the Decca label, the other BIS. I need not say which is which.

[hal9000]

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

[Peter]

Some of us do like to indulge.

Right now: Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, "Italian"

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.