What is the last piece of classical music you listened to?

[bollemanneke 3,352]

4 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

 

Was it that bad?

Well typical Bruckner, I had to sit through 80 minutes, 8 of which were interesting.

[karelm 2,915]

6 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I'd put this down as one of the best romantic/neo-romantic piano concertos nobody has every heard of and easily one of my all time favourite piano concertos*. Absolutely wonderful stuff. The companion works are excellent too. His Violin Concerto (the "Leeds") is pretty terrific too.

 

*I tend towards spikier 20th century efforts - Shostakovich, Prokofiev etc. - rather than Beethoven, Tchaikovsky etc.

 

Hey, he's the guy who arranged/scored the orchestral parts of 1980's Flash Gordon!! Will have to check this out. 

[Glóin the Dark 1,223]

9 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Well typical Bruckner, I had to sit through 80 minutes, 8 of which were interesting.

No pain no gain.

[Schilkeman 964]

10 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Well typical Bruckner, I had to sit through 80 minutes, 8 of which were interesting.

Ah, so I finally agree with you about something , though 8 minutes sounds generous.

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

13 hours ago, karelm said:

Hey, he's the guy who arranged/scored the orchestral parts of 1980's Flash Gordon!! Will have to check this out. 

He is indeed and also wrote The Snowman/Walking in the Air. His scores for The Duellists and The Riddle of the Sands are both excellent too, well worth checking out.

 

7 hours ago, Glóin the Dark said:

No pain no gain.

I listened to Bruckner's 8th the other day and really enjoyed it. At least with Bruckner if you dis/like one thing, you'll probably dis/like everything else. 

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Listening to the BBC Proms. If they'd fine everyone who insisted on coughing whenever the orchestra isn't playing, they could solve world poverty. STOP, COUGHING!

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Beethoven 1, BBC Proms. Audience/choir la-la-la'ing scales at opening of fourth movement. Um, uh, um... WHAT? Excuse me?

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

Having seen Oppenheimer and recently having acquired the complete recording of John Adams' Doctor Atomic, I felt I should give the latter a listen. Not gonna lie, it did not grab me, and I'm pretty much down with most of Adams' stuff (albeit skewed to his orchestral writing rather than his operas). It just didn't seem to have much dramatic thrust a lot of the time, with basically seemed to be endless dialogue set to music where the singers just sing dialogue with music that kinda goes up and down and around, but isn't really going anywhere. There's an old saying* that rapping is people talking when they should be singing and opera is people singing when they should be talking. This really was an opera where they should have been talking. I couldn't help but feel it would have been much more effective as a serious musical (so, basically, a Stephen Sondheim musical) with clever lyrics with songs (arias if you will) that said something meaningful but with dialogue to connect parts together where music wasn't really necessary. The lyrics/libretto (which I gather is an assemblage of writings rather than an entirely original text) are often pretty banal, notably an entire section about the general losing weight (or something?!)... I mean... that could have been cut. It told you nothing of interest about the characters or situation.

 

I read a few reviews after to see how it was generally received (many hailing it as genius and his finest work) but plenty were more like this https://variety.com/2005/legit/reviews/doctor-atomic-2-1200521315/ and this https://slate.com/human-interest/2008/10/why-i-walked-out-of-doctor-atomic.html which summed it up better than I could, particularly the latter. It feels like the kind of thing that people politely clap or even whoop and cheer at because they think they should because it's important, but I just found it largely rather tedious. I might give it another try sometime (I like Adams enough to give him the benefit of the doubt and enjoy the symphony version) but otherwise that's 2 and a half hours of listening I'll never get back.

 

A few moments reminded me of John Powell's Prussian Requiem which naturally spurred me to give that a listen. Powell's work contains a few passages of sung dialogue (even though I know it's not an opera) which have a similar feel to Adams' work, but had a much more effective narrative shape and dramatic thrust to them. The entire work itself has a much more satisfying musical narrative and feels a lot more poignant by the end. You definitely feel as though it's told a story and you've travelled with the characters, whereas Doctor Atomic is just people singing bad dialogue at each other.

 

*there isn't, I read it somewhere in a magazine...

[Schilkeman 964]

17 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

this https://slate.com/human-interest/2008/10/why-i-walked-out-of-doctor-atomic.html which summed it up better than I could

I read that review in anger a couple of years ago. Needless to say, I disagree with it (his seeming inability to engage with anything but the libretto was eye-rollingly ignorant). I think it's a brilliant work, but can see how its vagueries and digressions (the bit with the diet, lol) are not for everyone. Though I like the libretto, as always, I'm attracted to the music more than the story, and the music is top-notch Adams.

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

1 hour ago, Tom Guernsey said:

having acquired the complete recording of John Adams' Doctor Atomic, I felt I should give the latter a listen.

 

You should watch the blu.

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

2 hours ago, Schilkeman said:

I read that review in anger a couple of years ago. Needless to say, I disagree with it (his seeming inability to engage with anything but the libretto was eye-rollingly ignorant). I think it's a brilliant work, but can see how its vagueries and digressions (the bit with the diet, lol) are not for everyone. Though I like the libretto, as always, I'm attracted to the music more than the story, and the music is top-notch Adams.

Well I would note that my own thoughts on the libretto were entirely my own and I only read the review after. I appreciate that lyrics/libretto aren't the be all and end all of opera, but I can't say the music did a whole lot for me either. I'm not sure whether sung-through works for me as a concept as there are always bits which are harder to communicate musically (or sound awkward set to music) where dialogue might have been preferable.  I would add that opera is very much not my wheelhouse when it comes to classical music, but I figured that something contemporary (but not too... erm, Harrison Birtwistle) by a composer I already like would be a good place to try again. I will give it a further listen at some point...

 

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

You should watch the blu.

...and that crossed my mind but I cannot see it for streaming or available to rent via Cinema Paradiso but I'll keep an eye out for it.

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

9 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

..and that crossed my mind but I cannot see it for streaming or available to rent via Cinema Paradiso but I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

It's often for sale here for less than €10.

 

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/John-Adams-geb-1947-Doctor-Atomic/hnum/8566564

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

41 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

It's often for sale here for less than €10.

 

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/John-Adams-geb-1947-Doctor-Atomic/hnum/8566564

Cheers.

 

Talking of classical music emporia... for those who are in or travel to London, the basement classical music area at Music & Video Exchange in Notting Hill Gate has reopened after a flood a year or two ago. They claim to have the biggest inventory in 10 years (presumably not being able to sell while the basement was closed has something to do with it!) so plenty of stuff to choose from although as I'm in the process of putting a chunk of my classical collection into CD carry cases, I'm sticking to digital downloads as far as possible...

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

Now I have a reason to go to England!

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

3 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Now I have a reason to go to England!

They have a LOT to choose from and much of it very competitively priced. During my CD sorting, I found a load just in plastic wallets with no back sleeve and remembered they had sold a load for 50p each as they had no rear sleeve. Given that everything is in the booklet and the disc goes straight to iTunes anyway, I couldn't care less at it missing the back sleeve... I bought about 30 CDs from that pile (and think I got about 50 in total for less than £100 in total).

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

4 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I appreciate that lyrics/libretto aren't the be all and end all of opera

 

They don't *have* to be, but they *can* be.

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

Randomly browsing through my library and happened upon my (modest) Dohnányi selection and discovered that today is his birthday so decided to give this a spin and a charming disc it is too:

 

[A24 4,346]

 

 

Anyone ever heard of the Finnish composer Aarre Merikanto (1893-1958)? Clearly influenced by Stravinsky. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

Is it good?

[A24 4,346]

It's good but I have to listen to it more.

[karelm 2,915]

 

Very fine tonal contemporary music.  If you like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff, you will find much to enjoy here in this dramatic and epic symphony.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

Prokofiev SYMPHONY#3, on BBC Radio 3.

Not bad. Not bad, at all.

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Mozart piano concertos with Jeffrey Tate. Finally arrived at number 20, the first one that's not entirely forgettable and obsessed with form. The next time I have to hear a cadenza announced by a loud orchestral chord, can someone kill me?

[Schilkeman 964]

12 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Mozart piano concertos with Jeffrey Tate. Finally arrived at number 20, the first one that's not entirely forgettable and obsessed with form. The next time I have to hear a cadenza announced by a loud orchestral chord, can someone kill me?

Mozart’s piano concertos are some of his most original and personal works. Also, the dominant chord that leads to the cadenza was standard for for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. Seems like a weird thing to be annoyed by, maybe classical concerto’s just aren’t for you.

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Well, the older I'm becoming, the less patience I have with some classical music because of their obsession with structure. Too much film music does that to you I guess.

[Schilkeman 964]

Anyone else like to hate-watch David Hurwitz videos? This is one of the few I agree with him on (which usually happens by accident). Chicago shows great color, especially in the brass (no surprise), and sharp conducting by Levine. Mutter is impeccable as always.

 

 

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Mozart's Jupiter, maimed by Les Ciècles, proms 2023. Stupidly FAST. SHORT BURSTS. SHORT NOTES. Somebody stop this madness. If you want a shorter running time, ignore the repeats and let the music sing.

[Brónach 1,302]

:p

 

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

I hope this isn’t terrible news… probably my favourite classical

label.

 

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical music news/article/bis-records-to-become-part-of-apple

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Big company that puts design over substance buys the label with possibly the most boring cover designs of all? Curious…

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

Sad. What a sellout. 

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

12 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

Big company that puts design over substance buys the label with possibly the most boring cover designs of all? Curious…

I hadn’t thought of it like that! Well, I have to agree that those old black covers were pretty ugly, most of the newer stuff has much more attractive artwork.

 

I kinda hope that Apple will just leave them to get on with doing what they do. My main concern will be if they decide to make everything only available through Apple Music rather than through presto classical or wherever. However, hopefully they have enough common sense to realise they need a wide distribution network that isn’t just Apple Music!

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

1 hour ago, Tom Guernsey said:

However, hopefully they have enough common sense to realise they need a wide distribution network that isn’t just Apple Music!

 

Then why would Apple purchase them?

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

32 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Then why would Apple purchase them?

Maybe for the kudos of owning a classical label? Anyway will see how it goes. I imagine that the guy who started BIS and so was the seller made sure they would (to the extent possible) continue the label in the same vein as it had been run to date.

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

I'm not buying a BIS album with an Apple logo on it.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

That I can buy.

[Brónach 1,302]

i suppose the old E.E.E. may apply to more than software

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

Apple will probably change the name into BIZ.

[Brónach 1,302]

 

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

10 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Apple will probably change the name into BIZ.

 

iBIS.

[Brónach 1,302]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx8ooc-s7OQ

[Brónach 1,302]

On 05/08/2023 at 11:48 PM, karelm said:

Very fine tonal contemporary music.

 

contemporary?

[Glóin the Dark 1,223]

Crawford Seeger Music for Small Orchestra.

 

[karelm 2,915]

John Corigliano's second opera, The Lord of Cries was just released.  Fantastic composer, fans of Elliot Goldenthal should find much to enjoy here as well.  Corigliano's three film scores are all fantastic being Altered States (1980), 

 

 

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Franck's symphony and symphonic variations. Next, next.

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Three Haydn symphonies by Karajan. How did he not hear the Berlin Phil needed to be scaled back for this music? I need to listen to a 104 with small forces. OH, that finale...

[Naïve Old Fart 9,554]

On 15/09/2023 at 1:32 AM, karelm said:

John Corigliano's second opera, The Lord of Cries was just released.  Fantastic composer, fans of Elliot Goldenthal should find much to enjoy here as well.  Corigliano's three film scores are all fantastic being Altered States (1980), 

 

 

 

This all sounds intriguing.

ALTERED STATES is among my all-time favourite films, and all-time favourite scores.

[Bayesian 1,364]

Just in time for fall, Schumann’s “Spring” symphony in B-flat. 
 

I have a soft spot for this one. The last movement is one of the happiest sounding things out of the Romantic era I know of. You need a good conductor this one, though. Not some dour Furtwangler or Karajan or arch Gardiner. No, you wanna go with Mehta and the Wiener men circa 1976. It’s glorious.

[bollemanneke 3,352]

Not the best thread to ask this, but in a way it is.

 

I just started buying the digital versions od DG & Decca’s orchestral Karajan boxes through Presto Music. Long story short, I had, um, obtained, the complete DG 240CD one years ago, but the illogical album order got on my nerves, so I’m going official.

 

I’m just updating my Beethoven files from the 70s cycle and they sound totally different. Less reverb, maybe a bit less bass, closer mics to the orchestra, but still definitely the 70s cycle. It is not as reverb-y and ‘distant’ as the master on the 2008 complete DG Japan set, which is the master that I think was also pressed on the Galleria CD series and also on their ‘Beethoven: Complete Symphonies & 6 overtures’. But it is also most definitely not a downmix of the 2018 HI-Res Blu-Ray audio: I checked for a sloppy tape edit in 7-4 that was corrected on the BR set, but it’s still in my new Presto files.

 

My question: where does this master come from? Was it every released physically? Did somebody seriously remaster this cycle for a monster box set and then never pressed it separately?