What are you listening to?

[Jared]

SHOCKED and STUNNED. I do like his ecstatic poem! Jared, if you are in the market for performances of Scriabin's music then you need look no further than Muti's cycle with the PO: oh, and Simon's CD too of course.

I know, I know... but as you're all aware it's been only 5 years and 2 months of classical listening, so there will still be small unexplored pockets everywhere, which I haven't gotten around to, especially given my (fairly) catholic tastes in repertoire....

those recommendations do look interesting, gents... so thanks once again!

hmm.. 2nd listen through with the Scriabin disk and it gets better.... am I missing some subtle nuance here? what's the 'acquired taste' label all about? does his later music become more esoteric by any chance? this has been rather pleasurable, and for some reason I hadn't expected it to be my cuppa....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scriabin-Comple ... p_t_3_3N5Q

this looks to be most of his orchestral work (inc the Piano Concerto) wrapped up for £10.... would Ashkenazy be a reasonable place to start? I've never really gone for Muti much and his is twice the price....

[Seán]

SHOCKED and STUNNED. I do like his ecstatic poem! Jared, if you are in the market for performances of Scriabin's music then you need look no further than Muti's cycle with the PO: oh, and Simon's CD too of course.

I know, I know... but as you're all aware it's been only 5 years and 2 months of classical listening, so there will still be small unexplored pockets everywhere, which I haven't gotten around to, especially given my (fairly) catholic tastes in repertoire....

those recommendations do look interesting, gents... so thanks once again!

hmm.. 2nd listen through with the Scriabin disk and it gets better.... am I missing some subtle nuance here? what's the 'acquired taste' label all about? does his later music become more esoteric by any chance? this has been rather pleasurable, and for some reason I hadn't expected it to be my cuppa....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scriabin-Comple ... p_t_3_3N5Q

this looks to be most of his orchestral work (inc the Piano Concerto) wrapped up for £10.... would Ashkenazy be a reasonable place to start? I've never really gone for Muti much and his is twice the price....

The Muti set is SUPERB Jared and the Poem was the BAL first choice too. A Gergiev led Kirov recorded a superb Poem with a red-raw Rite and Svetlanov has a great Poem on the BBC label with the USSR state Orchestra and a powerful performance of Scheherazade.

But I digress, if you like Ashkenazy then go for it.

[Seán]

BBC 4 @ 7.35pm - I watched and listened to

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 5
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Jonathan Nott - conducting.
Prom 5: Royal Albert Hall on last Monday

[DonKC]

A strange yet compelling work that has fascinated me for years.

Milhaud "Les Choéphores"

Les Choéphores (The Libation Bearers") is an oratorio based on Aeschylus' story of Elektra and Orestes. Different than a lot of Milhaud's work which do not usually do much for me.

Classic recording by Igor Markevich and the Lamoureux Orchestra

Hélène Bouvier, Heinz Rehfuss, Claude Nollier, Genevieve Moizan and Paris-Sorbonne University Chorus

DG only available as an Archiv Music CD or Amazon MP3. There is an old Bernstein recording, even harder to find.

Worth a hear. There is a You Tube video of the Markevich recording too.

[fergus]

A strange yet compelling work that has fascinated me for years.

Milhaud "Les Choéphores"

Les Choéphores (The Libation Bearers") is an oratorio based on Aeschylus' story of Elektra and Orestes. Different than a lot of Milhaud's work which do not usually do much for me.

Classic recording by Igor Markevich and the Lamoureux Orchestra

Hélène Bouvier, Heinz Rehfuss, Claude Nollier, Genevieve Moizan and Paris-Sorbonne University Chorus

DG only available as an Archiv Music CD or Amazon MP3. There is an old Bernstein recording, even harder to find.

Worth a hear. There is a You Tube video of the Markevich recording too.

I had a listen to that You Tube video last night Don and I enjoyed the music; it was certainly different!

[fergus]

Recent listening....





2 CD set of thoroughly gorgeous music!

[fergus]

This evening....





This CD has a gorgeous selection of Oboe works that are beautifully played by Sarah Francis. She gets a wonderful sound from the instrument and it is very well recorded.

[DonKC]

Fergus, Les Choephores is indeed a bit of an odd work, but I have grown to like it over the years. Glad you took a listen.

Another odd work from my past, have not heard for ages.

Stockhausen "Mantra" for two pianos and electronics

Pascal Meyer and Xenia Pestova Pianos, Jan Panis Electronics.

Naxos 8572398

Stockhausen always reminds me of a quote from Sir Thomas Beecham:
Asked if he had ever conducted any Stockhausen, he said, "No, but I once trod in some."

[Claus]

Got this after hearing it at a HiFi evening in the Listening Suite:



Might have to explore her further... Great music and voice... I get a little distortion on the second last track I think. Anyone else hear that?

And...



Very good value and great sound in my opinion...

[Seán]

Very good value and great sound in my opinion...

Claus, if you like von Karajan's 1977 recordings you will LOVE his 1962 cycle, it is magnificent.