What are you listening two?

[fergus]

Richard Strauss
Don Quixote
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan - conducting.
I have to confess that I do struggle with this piece, fair play to Darren on the splendid job he did on it in 2012. Unfortunately, I cannot locate Darren's thread, I hope it wasn't deleted. I will preserve with von Karajan's reading of this work.

Here you go Seán....

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1486

Thanks Fergus, much appreciated, I searched on Quixote and didn't find it.

You are most welcome. Stick with this wonderfully evocative work Seán and see what comes of it and perhaps you could publish your thoughts (favourable or not) on the relevant thread.

[fergus]

Currently listening to the beautiful Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday by Gesualdo. Like Mark above it is compulsory listening for me at this time of year.

[fergus]

Chorale Preludes for Passiontide BWV 618-624....

[markof]

Love to listen to Gesualdo and this recording is especially apt for the day that's in it.
Really lovely record.

Yes, Mark, beautiful music indeed. Who is performing on that version please? I only have one version of this work (see below) and I am attracted to the fact that yours is on the Archiv Produktion label as a possible alternative version for me.

It's a recent version (2013) by Nigel Short and the Tenebrae Choir recorded at Church of St. Alban the Martyr, London. The record also includes Lamentations by de Victoria. Great sound overall, plenty of dynamics and atmosphere.
Strongly recommended.

[markof]

Another recent recording, probably my favourite version of the Progolesi Stabat Mater right now.
Great interplay and vocal matching of the two leads and a mean string section to boot.

[Jose Echenique]

It´s been a while since I heard this recording, it´s only one of 2 with period instruments, the other is with Christoph Spering in OPUS111. Marcus Creed has an excellent chamber chorus and the admirable Akademie für Alte Musik in their still only XIX Century music recording. It´s wonderful, Creed doesn´t shy away from the operatic overtones of the work, and he has a mostly excellent vocal quartet, with the marvelous Krassimira Stoyanova in one of her first recordings (now she is one of the most important sopranos around). The Myung Whun-Chung recording in DG still gets my vote as the finest around, but this could easily take second place, it ´s very good.

[fergus]

It's a recent version (2013) by Nigel Short and the Tenebrae Choir recorded at Church of St. Alban the Martyr, London. The record also includes Lamentations by de Victoria. Great sound overall, plenty of dynamics and atmosphere.
Strongly recommended.

Thank you for that Mark.

[fergus]

It´s been a while since I heard this recording, it´s only one of 2 with period instruments, the other is with Christoph Spering in OPUS111. Marcus Creed has an excellent chamber chorus and the admirable Akademie für Alte Musik in their still only XIX Century music recording. It´s wonderful, Creed doesn´t shy away from the operatic overtones of the work, and he has a mostly excellent vocal quartet, with the marvelous Krassimira Stoyanova in one of her first recordings (now she is one of the most important sopranos around). The Myung Whun-Chung recording in DG still gets my vote as the finest around, but this could easily take second place, it ´s very good.

The Rossini Stabat Mater is not a work that I have ever warmed to for some reason Pepe. Bephaps it is because of those very "operatic overtones" that you mention. And yes, before you ask, I have had the Myung Whun-Chung recording for many years but it obviously gets little play time. Perhaps I should give it another listen soon.

[fergus]

This morning, two Bach Cantatas for Easter Sunday BWV 4 & BWV 31 from Vol. 22 of Gardiner's Bach Cantata Pilgrimage....

[fergus]

JS Bach's Chorales for Easter from this set....