What are you listening to now?

[Decrepit Poster]

A rare appearance from me in this thread, my hearing being what it is nowadays. Couldn't resist listening to a lesser known work whose finale has been a favorite of mine for decades, Saint Saens symphony no.1. Here is that finale performed by the Orchestre national l' O.R.T.F under Jean Martinon, the same as my CD set of the Saint Saens symphonies, cued up a bit before the movement begins.

[Peter]

A rare appearance from me in this thread, my hearing being what it is nowadays. Couldn't resist listening to a lesser known work whose finale has been a favorite of mine for decades, Saint Saens symphony no.1, the same as my CD set of the Saint Saens symphonies, cued up a bit before the movement begins.

Thanks for posting this Decrepit - I'm very fond of Saint Saens' symphonies and can't understand why they are so neglected. Inspired me to listen to the aria "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson et Dalila.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unhwKUyyu60[/YOUTUBE]

[Megan]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmu4Q6JLz18&feature=youtu.be[/YOUTUBE]

[Enrique]

Schubert: Piano trios 1 & 2.

Youtube is wonderful. For those who love fast food, chaos (propaganda). For the music lover, they won't disturb you.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6HTkmXtoqY&index=2&list=RDy1uvYdW8MSk[/YOUTUBE]

[Enrique]

Speaking of Mozart, I've been listening to his Great Mass in C Minor. Another wonderful creation.

The first number (aka movement) is unforgetable. do-sol-sol-sol-sol-mib-mib-mib-mib-....

[Peter]

13 year old Aristo Sham playing Moszkowski's Caprice Espagnol

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

[Enrique]

Beethoven's piano concerto no.1 in C major.

After so many times listening to the five piano concertos, and of course the first was nr.5, then, the 3rd sounded beatifully. But every one of them I've listened to them many many times. Now I've fallen in love with nr.1, and you know who must be guilty? Personally I think Mozart is.

[Enrique]

Brahms' German Requiem.
Bach's Magnificat in D major.

One night I went to bed, not before taking an album with the Requiem, the face with mvts on e and two aand placing it on the turntable under repetition. So I finally falled asleep. Someone told in the morning music could be heard from my room all night long. I must have heard this work over a hundred times but the count is below that for the magnificat. I think they are refulgent gems in the music firmament.

Faure, Requiem: How beautiful a work I was missing! Withdrawal, unction are two words that come to my mind.

[Jacred]

Beethoven's piano concerto no.1 in C major.

After so many times listening to the five piano concertos, and of course the first was nr.5, then, the 3rd sounded beatifully. But every one of them I've listened to them many many times. Now I've fallen in love with nr.1, and you know who must be guilty? Personally I think Mozart is.

I was just listening to concerto no. 1 myself. Sviatoslav Richter with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. What a gift, the music and the performance.

[Enrique]

Those were the good old times! There is a moment, in the 1st movement, during the exposition, when Beethoven modulates to Eb major. There you have one of those unforgatable passages, with its ligaduras de prolongacion (ligadura = slur).

[Zevy]

Mozart Piano Sonatas/ Christoph Eschenbach

[Michael]

Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh S.O.

I have a particular reason for listening to this as I bought the record exactly 50 years ago this month. I literally didn't know Beethoven from a bull's foot and I never realised what I was letting myself in for.

[Jacred]

Brahms Paganini Variations / György Cziffra

[Enrique]

Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh S.O.

I have a particular reason for listening to this as I bought the record exactly 50 years ago this month. I literally didn't know Beethoven from a bull's foot and I never realised what I was letting myself in for.

The Pastoral was the first of the symphonies I remember having listened to. I can also remember I did not like it, save for a few passages. If I had debuted with the 8th the thing could have been different.

[Michael]

The Pastoral was the first of the symphonies I remember having listened to. I can also remember I did not like it, save for a few passages. If I had debuted with the 8th the thing could have been different.

This is fascinating, Enrique. I actually disliked the Pastoral symphony the first time I played it on my cheap Dansette turntable back in 1968, I very nearly gave up on Beethoven.

But my policy back then, was to play the music in the background while I read a book. Within a few weeks I was totally involved in this music.

I wonder if I had started with the 8th would my life have changed that much?
The 8th is a strange, wondrous animal and I don't think I would have been able for it in 1968 after a diet of the Beatles. The Pastoral had a programme and that helped.

Today, I'm in the "happy" position of not knowing which Beethoven symphony I would keep if a gun were put to my head. Even the under-estimated First Symphony is glorious!