What are you listening to?

[Ciaran]

Nice one, mcq. I don't have enough Monteverdi, but I've very much enjoyed everything I've heard. Must try to get a recording of Selva Morale e Spirituale at some point. Any recommendations?

My reference for this wonderful collection of music is the recording by Cantus Colln and Concerto Paladino as conducted by Konrad Junghanel and released on Harmonia Mundi. This conductor is very consistent in this reportoire and this recording was the first complete recording of these works. Recently, there has been a version by La Venexiana (conducted by Claudio Cavina) on Glossa which has been very well received. I have this ensemble's outstanding recordings of the madrigals and I'm looking forward to hearing their take on Selva Morale E Spirituale as well. In my view, this masterpiece stands as the summation of Monteverdi's life and work and contains some of his greatest music. There's a wide variety of music on display, including hymns, motets, psalms and mass settings. It is deeply beautiful, immensely rewarding and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My other favourite recordings of Monteverdi's music include Jordi Savall's version of the 1610 Vespers (Alia Vox), John Eliot Gardiner's version of L'Orfeo (DG Archiv) and Rene Jacobs' version of the Eighth Book of madrigals (Harmonia Mundi). Desert island recordings, each and every one.

I have both the Cantus Cölln



and La Venexiana recordings of Selva and I feel that La Venexiana's live recording



is not up to the standard of their excellent madrigals and truly wonderful L'Orfeo.



I do like the Cantus Cölln. There is a small but nice selection from Selva as a fill-up on the terrific (and cheap!) Taverner Consort/Andrew Parrott recording of the 1610 Vespers



which I was enthusing about recently. My desert island Monteverdi would have to include Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini in the Eighth Book of Madrigals



and Nadia Boulanger's group in their ancient recording beautifully restored by Andrew Rose/Pristine.

[Ciaran]

Schumann's Cello Concerto: Christophe Coin in a period performance



Patricia Petibon singing 18th century opera arias. Mainly gorgeous, occasionally OTT.



A refreshing splash of ice-cold water followed by a few slaps in the face: François-Frédéric Guy in Prokofiev's 6th Piano Sonata



And the great pleasure of Café Zimmermann playing Bach. Just so right!

[mcq]

Nice one, mcq. I don't have enough Monteverdi, but I've very much enjoyed everything I've heard. Must try to get a recording of Selva Morale e Spirituale at some point. Any recommendations?

My reference for this wonderful collection of music is the recording by Cantus Colln and Concerto Paladino as conducted by Konrad Junghanel and released on Harmonia Mundi. This conductor is very consistent in this reportoire and this recording was the first complete recording of these works. Recently, there has been a version by La Venexiana (conducted by Claudio Cavina) on Glossa which has been very well received. I have this ensemble's outstanding recordings of the madrigals and I'm looking forward to hearing their take on Selva Morale E Spirituale as well. In my view, this masterpiece stands as the summation of Monteverdi's life and work and contains some of his greatest music. There's a wide variety of music on display, including hymns, motets, psalms and mass settings. It is deeply beautiful, immensely rewarding and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My other favourite recordings of Monteverdi's music include Jordi Savall's version of the 1610 Vespers (Alia Vox), John Eliot Gardiner's version of L'Orfeo (DG Archiv) and Rene Jacobs' version of the Eighth Book of madrigals (Harmonia Mundi). Desert island recordings, each and every one.

I have both the Cantus Cölln



and La Venexiana recordings of Selva and I feel that La Venexiana's live recording



is not up to the standard of their excellent madrigals and truly wonderful L'Orfeo.



I do like the Cantus Cölln. There is a small but nice selection from Selva as a fill-up on the terrific (and cheap!) Taverner Consort/Andrew Parrott recording of the 1610 Vespers



which I was enthusing about recently. My desert island Monteverdi would have to include Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini in the Eighth Book of Madrigals



and Nadia Boulanger's group in their ancient recording beautifully restored by Andrew Rose/Pristine.

Thanks for that, Ciaran. One version of Selva which I might try is Gabriel Garrido's complete recording with the Ensemble Elyma and Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc (available on Ambronay). Have you heard anything about this one? I know that Garrido's version of the 1610 Vespers (available on K617) was very well received in France but I haven't heard anything about his Selva.

[mcq]

I've been listening over the past week to some of my recent purchases.

Firstly, I finally picked up Alexander Melnikov's exceptional recording of Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues. This one really does justify all of the lavish praise that it has received since its release. To my ears, Melnikov's reading is a combination of Nikolayeva's intense emotionalism and Ashkenazy's cool objectivity, but, additionally, I get a sense that he has penetrated this great music's depths on a more profound level than either of these masters. It is a genuinely staggering achievement and may well, ultimately, emerge as the most truly satisfying version of what is, to me, Shostakovich's finest work. On a non-musical note, I should say as well that it's a pity that Harmonia Mundi placed the final Prelude and Fugue (which constitute about 12 minutes) on a third disc. Whilst this was necessitated by Melnikov's slower tempos, I would have preferred three shorter CDs with a more even playing time, but perhaps I'm being fussy.

Secondly, DG's final box of Martha Argerich recordings, this time devoted to her chamber work. Absolutely stunning two-piano performances of Prokofiev, Rachmaninov, Ravel, Schubert, Bartok and Tchaikovsky (including last year's richly-praised recital with Nelson Freire at Salzburg) and definitive performances of Shostakovich's and Tchaikovsky's piano trios (as well as a version of Schumann's Fantasiestucke for piano trio) and Brahms's first Piano Quartet. Alternately fiery and passionate and thoughtful and subtle, these are magnificent performances. Although this box is billed as DG's final box of Argerich's recordings for the label, I note that her recordings of violin sonatas with Gidon Kremer (including her reference recordings of the Beethoven sonatas) have been omitted. Perhaps there will be a fourth box at some stage in the future?

Finally, Christophe Rousset's fantastic harpsichord performances of keyboard music by Louis Couperin (released on Aparte) whose music was previously unknown to me. I'm very familiar with Louis' uncle, Francois, but his nephew's music has - until now - passed me by. This is contemplative, deeply introspective music that is beautifully played by Rousset who has chosen his favourite pieces of Couperin's for this recording rather than commit to a complete set. On a personal level, this really is one of the nicest surprises I've had all year and one of the most rewarding discoveries I've made in a long while. Rousset has a distinguished series of harpsichord recordings to his name but this must be a career highlight for him. This is genuinely great music from an unexpected source which deserves to be savoured at length. I should mention as well that the quality of the recording is the finest I've ever heard of a harpsichord. It's a really vivid recording which portays the full tonal palette of the instrument. In comparison, many other harpsichord recordings seem a little top-heavy.

[fergus]

Finally, Christophe Rousset's fantastic harpsichord performances of keyboard music by Louis Couperin (released on Aparte) whose music was previously unknown to me. I'm very familiar with Louis' uncle, Francois, but his nephew's music has - until now - passed me by. This is contemplative, deeply introspective music that is beautifully played by Rousset who has chosen his favourite pieces of Couperin's for this recording rather than commit to a complete set. On a personal level, this really is one of the nicest surprises I've had all year and one of the most rewarding discoveries I've made in a long while. Rousset has a distinguished series of harpsichord recordings to his name but this must be a career highlight for him. This is genuinely great music from an unexpected source which deserves to be savoured at length. I should mention as well that the quality of the recording is the finest I've ever heard of a harpsichord. It's a really vivid recording which portays the full tonal palette of the instrument. In comparison, many other harpsichord recordings seem a little top-heavy.

I have noted that point before with various recordings on different labels....I wonder if Rousset himself has anything to do with that issue in terms of recording specifications?

[fergus]

JSB – Cantata BWV51 for the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity performed by the Bach Ensemble / Joshua Rifkin....

[fergus]

Lunch time listening with JC Bach....

[Diapason]

Thanks for all those recommendations, men!

[fergus]

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 played by the London Classical Players, Melvyn Tan / Norrington....




The beautifully gentle 4th concerto is wonderfully played and the fortepiano really shines in this work.
No. 5 yields another powerful performance from the orchestra and Tan’s artistry is really demonstrated.

The playing from both Tan and the orchestra is consistently of the highest order throughout these works. I found the interpretation of the music to be less on the demonstrative side and more on the contemplative side but certainly not lacking in any sparkle or depth of understanding. The recordings are also very good.
This is a set that I would eagerly recommend to all, even to those who are not too keen on period performances, as both the interpretations and performances are really worth hearing.

[fergus]