What Classical Music Are You Listening To?

[Peter Friedman]

[mikeweil]

Today:

[soulpope]

Anatol Ugorski plays Liszt "live" in the early 2000's ....

[HutchFan]

[HutchFan]

[HutchFan]

On 12/24/2023 at 3:32 AM, Referentzhunter said:

The ultimate guilty pleasure 

I love that music -- and that recording -- too.   

 

[soulpope]

Earlier .... :

[HutchFan]

First spin of some new-to-me vinyl:

Spanish Music for Voice & Guitar / Elizabeth Suderburg (sop), David Starobin (g) (VOX/Turnabout, rec. 1977)

 

[HutchFan]

Next up:

Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe, Suite No. 2; Roussel: Bacchus & Ariadne, Suite No. 2 / Jean Martinon, CSO (RCA, 1965)

Recordings made during Martinon's ill-fated tenure with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where was he was Music Director from 1963 to 1968.  Martinon was the first new MD after Reiner's long run.  That would've been a tough act for anyone to follow.  . . . Regardless, I'm an admirer of Martinon's music-making -- particularly when it comes to French repertoire like this.

 

[HutchFan]

Now spinning:

Albert Roussel: Psalm 80; Bacchus et Ariane (Suite No. 2) / Serge Baudo, Orchestre de Paris (Connoisseur Society / Pathé Marconi EMI, 1976)

Prompted to pull this LP from the shelf to compare Baudo's Bacchus et Ariane with Martinon's.  

 

[Chuck Nessa]

Al Cohn on the saxophone

[HutchFan]

David Oistrakh - The Complete EMI Recordings (EMI Classics) 
Disc 12:
- Édouard Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole - with Jean Martinon & the Philharmonia O
- Max Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 - with Lovro von Matačić & the London SO

 

[HutchFan]

Eugene Ormandy Conducts 20th Century Classics (Sony)
Disc 12:
- George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
- Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring
- Charles Ives: Orchestral Set No. 1, Three Places in New England 
- Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11

Ormandy's recording of Three Places in New England blew my mind when I first heard it.  It was my gateway into the musical world of Charles Ives.   

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by HutchFan

[Peter Friedman]

[HutchFan]

More from this set:

Disc 4:
- Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3 - with Vladimir Ashkenazy
- Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - with Van Cliburn
- Khachaturian: Dances

Rachmaninov and the Philadelphia Orchestra go together like cookies & milk.  A perfect pairing.

 

[mjzee]

3 hours ago, HutchFan said:

More from this set:

Disc 4:
- Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3 - with Vladimir Ashkenazy
- Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - with Van Cliburn
- Khachaturian: Dances

Rachmaninov and the Philadelphia Orchestra go together like cookies & milk.  A perfect pairing.

 

What's your opinion of Ormandy (in general)?

The Decca Sound - The Piano Edition, disc 36.  Also includes Thirty-two Variations from this:

[soulpope]

6 hours ago, Peter Friedman said:

Excellent ....

[soulpope]

Lazar Berman plays Schumann Sonata 1 @ Moscow in October 1976 .... wonderful rendition ....

[soulpope]

Anatol Ugorski plays Chopin Sonata 3 "live" in 1993 ....

Edited December 27, 2023 by soulpope

[HutchFan]

9 hours ago, mjzee said:

What's your opinion of Ormandy (in general)?

Generally speaking, I think he was an outstanding conductor -- and I love the sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  It's so plush and velvety, almost voluptuous. 

I think Ormandy was especially good at Russian repertoire: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich.  His Sibelius is also outstanding.  

His interpretations are (usually) not the ultimate in terms of architecture or rhythm.  Like Stokowski, who preceded him in Philadelphia, Ormandy is much more interested in color and texture.  So I guess you could say that Ormandy was very good at some things, and not so good at other things.  But the good stuff is so good that I find myself returning to it often.

That's my take.     

 

[Ron S]

Mozart, Serenades Nos. 10 (Gran Partita), 11, and 12

Czech Philharmonic Wind Ensemble (Supraphon Japan)

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, Ron S said:

Mozart, Serenades Nos. 10 (Gran Partita), 11, and 12

Czech Philharmonic Wind Ensemble (Supraphon Japan)

The stupendous Czech Philharmonic woodwind players ....

[Ron S]

1 hour ago, soulpope said:

The stupendous Czech Philharmonic woodwind players ....

👍

[Chuck Nessa]

[mjzee]

13 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Generally speaking, I think he was an outstanding conductor -- and I love the sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  It's so plush and velvety, almost voluptuous. 

I think Ormandy was especially good at Russian repertoire: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich.  His Sibelius is also outstanding.  

His interpretations are (usually) not the ultimate in terms of architecture or rhythm.  Like Stokowski, who preceded him in Philadelphia, Ormandy is much more interested in color and texture.  So I guess you could say that Ormandy was very good at some things, and not so good at other things.  But the good stuff is so good that I find myself returning to it often.

That's my take.     

 

Thanks.  I've been eyeing the Ormandy mono box for some time.  I don't know if I need yet more versions of these symphonies, but it's gotten very good reviews, and will soon be unavailable.

 

Kurt Masur - The Complete Warner Classics Edition, disc 26.