What are you listening to?

[Seán]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 35
Prague Chamber Orchestra
Charles Mackerras - conducting

[bombasticDarren]

Walton - Belshazzar's Feast (Michael Rippon/James Loughran, Halle Choir & Orchestra, CfP)

[bombasticDarren]

Rawsthorne - Symphony No.1 (David Lloyd-Jones, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Naxos)

[bombasticDarren]

Mendelssohn - Overture The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) (Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, DG)

[fergus]

Rawsthorne - Symphony No.1 (David Lloyd-Jones, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Naxos)

I have a CD of Rawsthorne's Concertos for String Orchestra and a CD of his Chamber Music. I have not listened to either in a long time but if I recall correctly I preferred the Chamber Music to the Orchestral Music. I will be interested to read what you thought of him.

[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.

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.

I endorse everything you say, and don´t forget the equally magnificent Missa Omnium Sanctorum:

[mcq]

I haven't yet heard Bernius' reading of the Missa Omnium Sanctorum, Jose. Is it still in print?

By the way, I forgot to mention the superb performance of the Lamentations on Hyperion as well in my earlier post.



You also mentioned Herreweghe's break with Harmonia Mundi. At the time, I found this very surprising and I thought it was a big loss for Harmonia Mundi. They also parted ways with Konrad Junghanel (an artist with a smaller discography than Herreweghe's, but of similar stature artistically). Do you know whether HM ever gave a reason for not renewing their contracts or did Herreweghe and Junghanel simply want to move on?

[fergus]

I haven't yet heard Bernius' reading of the Missa Omnium Sanctorum, Jose. Is it still in print?

By the way, I forgot to mention the superb performance of the Lamentations on Hyperion as well in my earlier post.

I also have and enjoy that CD Paul. Another Hyperion disc that is very enjoyable is this one which you may also have....





However the best Zelenka that I have ever heard is this one (courtesy of my good friend Jose)....





If you can manage to get your hands on it (out of print now I think) it is an absolute delight!

[fergus]

This is very well played on a lovely sounding instrument. The recorded quality is also very good.

[Diapason]

Despite considering Bach as the greatest composer ever to walk the earth, and despite admiring fugue more than virtually any other form, I find the Art of Fugue to be hard going in one sitting.