What are you listening to?

[Seán]

I do like Scriabin's Poem, I don't get Copland though.

[bombasticDarren]

Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique (Roger Norrington, The London Classical Players, Virgin Classics)

[fergus]

Matt: another CD that you may be interested in listening to (as you have access to it) is the Bax symphony No. 5 which I have listened to again tonight....





Bax was influenced by Sibelius and the Norse legends and apparently after Bax met Sibelius, Bax dedicated his fifth symphony to Sibelius.
The music is reminiscent of but not imitative of the music of Sibelius as Bax has a voice of his own. The resemblance comes in the orchestral textures that would be part of the Sibelius sound world and the slow movement of the Bax symphony no. 5 would be a good example of this similarity.
The music would not be as profound as that of Sibelius but it is rather good in its own right and it is very accessible and easy on the ear. It is definitely worth a listen.

[fergus]

Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique (Roger Norrington, The London Classical Players, Virgin Classics)

How did you like that one Darren?
Was it a powerful or subdued version?

[Jose Echenique]

Seán wrote:
<I was looking at the Tafelmusik's recording and wondering if I should get it, I do like them but they are not the Freiburg.>

The Bernius recording is about 20 years old, but it was and still is a very beautiful recording. I think you should go for it, since it´s unlikely that another recording will come up soon. I think it´s not going to be possible to reunite the Collegium Vocale with the Freiburger Barockorchester since Herreweghe and HM parted ways a couple of years ago.
But even if the Bernius recording doesn´t match the brilliance of the Marcus Creed forces, it´s never less than very beautiful and 100% recommendable.

[Seán]

Seán wrote:
<I was looking at the Tafelmusik's recording and wondering if I should get it, I do like them but they are not the Freiburg.>

The Bernius recording is about 20 years old, but it was and still is a very beautiful recording. I think you should go for it, since it´s unlikely that another recording will come up soon. I think it´s not going to be possible to reunite the Collegium Vocale with the Freiburger Barockorchester since Herreweghe and HM parted ways a couple of years ago.
But even if the Bernius recording doesn´t match the brilliance of the Marcus Creed forces, it´s never less than very beautiful and 100% recommendable.

Thanks Pepe, I will get it so.

[mcq]

Seán wrote:
<I was looking at the Tafelmusik's recording and wondering if I should get it, I do like them but they are not the Freiburg.>

The Bernius recording is about 20 years old, but it was and still is a very beautiful recording. I think you should go for it, since it´s unlikely that another recording will come up soon. I think it´s not going to be possible to reunite the Collegium Vocale with the Freiburger Barockorchester since Herreweghe and HM parted ways a couple of years ago.
But even if the Bernius recording doesn´t match the brilliance of the Marcus Creed forces, it´s never less than very beautiful and 100% recommendable.

Frieder Bernius' recordings of Zelenka's Missa Votiva and Missa Dei Patris (on the Carus label) are some of the finest performances I've heard of works by this once criminally undervalued composer. These are impassioned readings, bristling with life that cut to the very emotional quick of this wonderful music. I'd also like to recommend Bernius' excellent readings of Handel's Messiah and Bach's Mass in B Minor with the same forces (also available on Carus). Superb contributions from countertenor Daniel Taylor on all of these discs.





Thomas Hengelbrock's fine performances of the Zelenka Miserere with his Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble and choir (coupled with works by Bach and Lotti and available on DHM) are also highly recommended.

[bombasticDarren]

Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique (Roger Norrington, The London Classical Players, Virgin Classics)

How did you like that one Darren?
Was it a powerful or subdued version?

Subdued, in my view at least Fergus. I was disappointd at first, but the more it went on the more I warmed to it. I still don't altogether 'get' Norrington though - I have no problem with his approach, just his execution

[bombasticDarren]

Delius - Violin Concerto (Tasmin Little/Andrew Davis, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Chandos) & Cello Concerto (Paul Watkins/Andrew Davis, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Chandos)

[bombasticDarren]

Vaughan Williams - Symphony No.4 (Leonard Slatkin, Philharmonia Orchestra, RCA)