Tír Na HiFi

I just knew there was something amiss. Welcome back and, hopefully the accursed tinnitus will continue to ease off. I too suffer with the same affliction but it has never impeded my enjoyment of the music thank God. It tends to thrive in very quiet environments but, to tell the truth, I've learned to ignore it.....

Listening this evening to a recent purchase, Baiba Skride performing the two Szymanowski violin concertos and the chamber masterpiece, Mythes.  The spirits of Debussy and Richard Strauss haunt this deliciously sensual and deeply lyrical music, performed with open-hearted  warmth by Skride.

Continuing this evening's listening with Xenia Löffler performing oboe concertos by the brothers Graun.  Wonderful music, ably played with panache by Löffler and given sterling support by the Batzdorfer Hofkapelle.

A beautiful disc of a selection of Telemann's Luther Cantatas.

cybot wrote:I just knew there was something amiss. Welcome back and, hopefully the accursed tinnitus will continue to ease off. I too suffer with the same affliction but it has never impeded my enjoyment of the music thank God. It tends to thrive in very quiet environments but, to tell the truth, I've learned to ignore it.....

Thanks for your good wishes Dermot. The tinnitus has calmed down considerably, so much so that yesterday I listened to Schubert's first six symphonies and Rossini's, L'Italiana in Algeri, all under the direction of the incomparable Maestro Abbado, so I am 'on the mend' as they say.

Seán wrote: Thanks for your good wishes Dermot. The tinnitus has calmed down considerably, so much so that yesterday I listened to Schubert's first six symphonies and Rossini's, L'Italiana in Algeri, all under the direction of the incomparable Maestro Abbado, so I am 'on the mend' as they say.

I am delighted to read of your improvement Seán; good news!

Some Haydn for Sunday listening....

Telemann: Paris Quartets performed by Frans Bruggen, Jaap Schroder, Anner Bylsma and Gustav Leonhardt....

fergus wrote:Telemann: Paris Quartets performed by Frans Bruggen, Jaap Schroder, Anner Bylsma and Gustav Leonhardt....

The good old days! Leonhardt rerecorded the cycle with the Kuijken brothers for SONY in the 90´s, that perhaps is still the best version to date.

Rounding off the day's listening with Philip Higham's exceptional recording of Britten's suites for solo cello.  The more I hear this wonderful music, the more astonished I am by Britten's achievement.  These are deeply spiritual works that I find emotionally overwhelming to listen to.  It takes courage to compose a series of works that pay homage to Bach's great masterpieces but it takes a special kind of genius to realise your creative vision in a way that not only pays homage to your inspiration but can stand beside them as works of the highest artistry.  It is the sheer emotional depth of these works that both transfixes me and resonates with me, especially in a performance as vividly realised as Higham's.