What are you listening to?

[fergus]

^^ really pleased you like that disk, Fergus...

I did indeed Jared and no doubt I will eventually end up with the other CD that you own of his Masses!

[fergus]

This came up in conversation recently so I played it today....

I think you should try Brilliant´s La Susanna, it is a delight, and the price is a steal.

It is on my List my friend!

[Jared]

^^ apparently the McCreesh is meant to be superb, but I keep waiting for it to come down in price a little:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Missa-Cantate-M ... 376&sr=8-2

[fergus]

This CD is a performance of sacred music the like of which one does not hear too often. The music itself is wonderful in terms of content, textures and drama, the singing from Piau is superlative and the playing from the Accademia Bizantina is exemplary. The ensemble, under the direction of Ottavio Dantone, is uncompromising in its approach to the music yet they are very sympathetic to it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[DaveF]

still trying to 'get' Bruckner.

[Jared]

^^ Dave, did your Dad ever take you walking up hills as a small kid, and when you asked 'where's the top?' he used to say 'over the next ridge'. When you got there however, there was another ridge beyond it, then another one after that and you really thought there was no such thing as the summit to this mountain?

well, Bruckner is the musical equivilent of this. Don't worry about trying to 'get it', just wallow in the many false crescendos you encounter, after all Bruckner is all about the pleasure of the journey rather than the reaching of the destination... ;-))

[DaveF]

believe me Jared over the last few years I really have tried to like Bruckner's work but I find it to be some of the most frustrating symphonic music ever. Your description above is pretty apt I think.

[Jared]

believe me Jared over the last few years I really have tried to like Bruckner's work but I find it to be some of the most frustrating symphonic music ever. Your description above is pretty apt I think.

Dave, Bruckner divides opinion like no other... there are people aplenty who love Mahler, R Strauss & Wagner who can't stand Bruckner's structure (or at times lack of it). I remember about a year or so ago, BBC Music Mag asked a load of CM commentators to highlight exapmles of Classical Music they really could live without, and Bruckner got quite a few mentions... of course they were hotly followed by a pack of rabid Brucknerians in the ensuing letters pages, who couldn't believe their ignorance... ;-))

now personally, I love Bruckner, Mahler and R Strauss, but I'm not sure that beyond a few overtures and idylls, I'll ever get Wagner.... horses for courses I suppose...

[DaveF]

believe me Jared over the last few years I really have tried to like Bruckner's work but I find it to be some of the most frustrating symphonic music ever. Your description above is pretty apt I think.

Dave, Bruckner divides opinion like no other... there are people aplenty who love Mahler, R Strauss & Wagner who can't stand Bruckner's structure (or at times lack of it). I remember about a year or so ago, BBC Music Mag asked a load of CM commentators to highlight exapmles of Classical Music they really could live without, and Bruckner got quite a few mentions... of course they were hotly followed by a pack of rabid Brucknerians in the ensuing letters pages, who couldn't believe their ignorance... ;-))

now personally, I love Bruckner, Mahler and R Strauss, but I'm not sure that beyond a few overtures and idylls, I'll ever get Wagner.... horses for courses I suppose...

well I'm pretty open minded when it comes to all genres of music and I dont give up easily on works that I stuggle with initially. I listened to Bruckner today for the first time in 2 years I'd say in the hope that it might 'say' something to me now. I enjoyed parts of it to be honest so maybe that's some sort of progress.

[DaveF]

Widor's Symphony No.4 & 5.
Orgue Cavaille-Coll de l'abbaye de Royaumont
Joris Verdin