Tír Na HiFi

Bloch: Piano Quintets....





I found these works to be wonderfully exciting and stimulating and played with great passion here.

I see that Bloch is certainly a winner in the Byrne household.

This is the first CD in the Mozart box set I bought recently and it's a little beauty.



Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sinfonia Concertante KV 364
Concertone KV 190
Jaap Schroeder - violin; Marilyn McDonald - violin;
Stephen Hammer - oboe; Kenneth Slowik - violoncello;
Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra
These are two lovely works played with great sensitivity and beauty by this ensemble under Schroeder's direction.

Seán wrote:

I see that Schroeder is involved there which is usually a good sign.

First listen and I really liked this one….





The suites are well played and recorded on a cello from 1690. The up tempo dances are played with gusto and lilting rhythms while the slow ones are played with grace and a stately refinement. My slight hesitation with this cycle however, which may be allayed with further listening, is with the interpretation of the preludes which do not , at this point of my familiarity with this set, seem as profound as others’. Still an excellent set it has to be said.

fergus wrote:

Seán wrote:

I see that Schroeder is involved there which is usually a good sign.

This is my one and only recording of the Smithsonian's and of an ensemble led by Schroeder too, I am impressed.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 38 & 39
Collegium Aureum
Franzjosef Maier conducting.
Very enjoyable performances.

Smetana: Má Vlast....

L´Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato is one of Handel´s most unique works. Milton´s poetry and Handel´s music are divine, and since we have too few recordings of this work, this one gets an immediate welcome.
Paul McCreesh chose to record the original 1740 version, so we get 2 of the Concerti Grossi Op.6 and an organ concerto that Handel played at the premier, but we miss some stunning arias from later performances.
In general it´s a fine and enjoyable performance, and has a 15 year old boy treble that sings really well, though overall I prefer the Robert King version in Hyperion for superior singers, and the more recent Peter Newmann in MDG for much better orchestral playing and sonics.

Jose Echenique wrote:

That cover reminds me of a label on a vinyl as seen through the sleeve.

Starting off today's listening woth some Ockeghem....