What are you listening to?

[Jared]

I do not know the Glass work Jared but I do have and like other music by him. If you can pick it up in one of your charity shops another "modern" violin concerto that I think you will definitely like if you are starting to head in this general direction is....

Let's put it this way at least... it's a disk which, if I saw it in a charity shop at some time in the future, I may now pick up and take home, whereas up until now, I would have left it in the racks. Like I say, I don't find some of it very easy or indeed all that pleasureable, especially at its most dissonant, however this set of disks has undoubtedly broadened my appreciatyion considerably, for which I'm thankful.

your comments actually put me in mind of a John Adams CD I have sat on my shelf, which I have never heard.. I may dust it down and give it a listen. It contains:

Short Ride In A Fast Machine
The Chairman Dances
Harmonium

In the mean time, I have to say I find this to be a highly listenable and engaging disk:



one which I think you might actually like...

[bombasticDarren]

Britten - Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge

Handel - Water Music Suite (Herbert von Karajan, Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

[fergus]

Quite different from modern violin concertos but very beautiful however....

as you know Fergus, we'd both be singing from the same hymn sheet on that one... I bet that's a gorgeous disk...

Lovely Jared. The sound on some of their recordings is not always the best IMHO but the Westminster Cathedral Choir sound very well on this one.

[fergus]

Brahms - Variations on a Theme by Haydn (Rudolf Kempe, Berliner Philharmoniker, Testament)



^^ Fergus, I bought this cycle based on a recommendation from a reliable source on the Friends of Radio 3 forum. I am glad I did - the textures the BPO display here are luminous and not at all heavy as they had a tendency to become later under HvK's stewardship. This is one Brahms cycle that I will keep no matter what - the tempi are judged perfectly. I like Kempe's Strauss recordings, and I am gladdened that his evident talents trasmit so winningly to this repertoire too :-)

Thank you for that Darren. I may just keep an eye out for that one. I have long been an admirer of Kempe and since you found his Brahms appealing I can unhesitatingly recommend this very fine and inexpensive recording to you should you be interested....

[fergus]

I do not know the Glass work Jared but I do have and like other music by him. If you can pick it up in one of your charity shops another "modern" violin concerto that I think you will definitely like if you are starting to head in this general direction is....

Let's put it this way at least... it's a disk which, if I saw it in a charity shop at some time in the future, I may now pick up and take home, whereas up until now, I would have left it in the racks. Like I say, I don't find some of it very easy or indeed all that pleasureable, especially at its most dissonant, however this set of disks has undoubtedly broadened my appreciatyion considerably, for which I'm thankful.

That is fine and I understand that approach as I am about at the same point with this genre as you are at the moment....however, I have been at about this same point for about a year or so now and no further progress has been made; it can be slow, for me at least.

[Jared]

The sound on some of their recordings is not always the best IMHO but the Westminster Cathedral Choir sound very well on this one.

I'd agree with you on this one.. I think it's the acoustics of the building as much as anything; this is something that the Tallis Scholars seem to get so right, in chosing small, provincial churches with excellent acoustics, such as Salle in Norfolk... that, their close-mic'ing and the excellent recording quality which Gimell seem to have acquired, give you the impression that not only are you in the same room as them, and they are singing for you personally..

[DaveF]

on vinyl

[Jared]

this is indeed a sad album... Hickox had announced his intention back in 2007 that he hoped to champion Holst's less known orchestral works through a series of SACD hybrid CD with Chandos and BBC NOW. Vol 1 concentrated on some of his work for Ballet; The Perfect Fool, The Golden Goose, The Lure & The Morning of the Year... for me, the material might not always be Premier Division stuff, but the perform,ances and recording quality are beyond criticism, as these works have at least deserved to be heard by a wider audience.

as an aside, BBC Music Mag next month has an article on Holst, featuring some of his lesser works.. I really hope Hickox gets a warm mention for all his tireless work in this regard...

[Jared]

on vinyl

we're pleased you're listening to some vinyl Dave... can you tell us what it is yet? ;-))

[DaveF]

on vinyl

we're pleased you're listening to some vinyl Dave... can you tell us what it is yet? ;-))

The link appeared fine for me but I've changed it for another one which should work.