What are you listening to now ?

[Peter]

Bruckner symphony no.9.

[Sorrano]

Bruckner symphony no.9.

May I inquire as to which conductor?

This past week I've been listening to excerpts from the symphonic output of Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Vaughn Williams (via Exploring Music).

I am looking to purchase a set of the Vaughn Williams symphonies; any recommendations? Previn's interpretations were prevalent during the radio program.

[Peter]

May I inquire as to which conductor?

This past week I've been listening to excerpts from the symphonic output of Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Vaughn Williams (via Exploring Music).

I am looking to purchase a set of the Vaughn Williams symphonies; any recommendations? Previn's interpretations were prevalent during the radio program.

Yes it's Georg Tintner with the Royal Scottish National orchestra.

Today on BBC radio 3 composer of the week, listening to some Richard Strauss, his violin concerto, 2nd Horn concerto and 1st symphony.

[Sorrano]

Thanks, Peter! I am not familiar with his recording of the 9th but do like the 3rd he did (original version).

[Harvey]

Really enjoying this set. I saw somewhere where Saint-Saens was referred to as "The French Mendelssohn."

[Sorrano]

Really enjoying this set. I saw somewhere where Saint-Saens was referred to as "The French Mendelssohn."

I hear bits and pieces from his symphonies as I am in the car with the radio on. They sound very interesting to me and someday I think to get the entire set, as well.

[Harvey]

^ There is another set of complete 5 symphonies in three separate NAXOS releases (Vols 1-3) conducted by Soustrot.

[Sorrano]

This week on Exploring Music Bill McLoughlin will be going through the first recorded cycle of the Beethoven Sonatas (Schnabel). last night they went through individual movements of some of the early piano sonatas. I quite liked the interpretation.

[Peter]

This week on Exploring Music Bill McLoughlin will be going through the first recorded cycle of the Beethoven Sonatas (Schnabel). last night they went through individual movements of some of the early piano sonatas. I quite liked the interpretation.

My piano teacher remembered hearing Schnabel live as a child and having also heard the other greats of the day (including Horowitz, Richter, Rubinstein and Rachmaninov) used to say that fine as the other interpreters of Beethoven were, when Schnabel played, he was Beethoven!

[Sorrano]

Last night I heard the Schnabel recording of the "Moonlight" Sonata (1st movement) compared with the same of a recording by Peter Serkin. The Schnabel was taken at a more brisk tempo and absolutely blew me away with the depth of his interpretation. On the other hand the Serkin interpretation seemed more mechanical as though he were playing with his hands alone and not with his heart.

[Megan]

BBC Radio 3 tonight 10:45. The story of Fanny (Frances) Dickens.
Daughter of Charles Dickens.



She was an accomplished pianist and singer and a former pupil under the tutorage of
Ignaz Moscheles, who was a former pupil of Ludwig van Beethoven. The fees were thirty-eight guineas a year, an expense that they family could not really afford. In her second year she received a prize for ‘good conduct and improvement in music’ and a silver pencil case as 2nd prize in piano.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000sz6f

[Sorrano]

My piano teacher remembered hearing Schnabel live as a child and having also heard the other greats of the day (including Horowitz, Richter, Rubinstein and Rachmaninov) used to say that fine as the other interpreters of Beethoven were, when Schnabel played, he was Beethoven!

I appreciate that comment especially after listening to more of Schnabel last night. I heard a couple of movements from the "Tempest", the Waldstein, and the Appasionatta (sp). There was a level of expression that I have never heard before and the music had a deep impact upon me.

[Megan]

Photo: Beethoven - Violin and piano sonata No 10. op.96 in G Major, 1815 / Morgan Library , New York





[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hca8kQjB6no[/youtube]

[Chris]

Like most Americans, I have a bit of Irish ancestry, and like all Americans, I like to pretend that makes me Irish, especially on St. Patrick's Day! So what can it be today but some of Beethoven's Irish folksong settings from WoO 152, 153, and 154?

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

This will go very well with some Green Spot Irish Whiskey later this evening.

[Peter]

Brahms symphonies - Karajan, recorded in analogue between October 1977 and February 1978, and digitally re-mastered.