What I listened to today

[Ricordanza]

If you were to ask me, "What is the most perfect piece written by Schubert?," I would have to answer, "The last Schubert piece I listened to." In this case, while taking my walk, it was Schubert's Fantasy in C Major for Violin and Piano, D. 934. And I can't imagine a better rendition of this gorgeous work than this recording by Julia Fischer and Martin Helmchen.

[jserraglio]

Bizet, Carmen (original version, 1874) - Soloists, Choeur de Chambre de Namur, B'Rock Orchestra/René Jacobs (period instruments) (live, March 2024)

Audio: https://classicalmusicinconcert.blogspo ... acobs.html

Video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5B_JvFm4IxE&vl=en-US

[Febnyc]

Two piano concertos by Australian composer Miriam Hyde (1913-2005).

Unremittingly devoted to Brahms and Rachmaninoff.

[Rach3]

Two piano concertos by Australian composer Miriam Hyde (1913-2005).

Thanks,fbnyc, my first hearing of the composer.While not a purchase, for me, the concertos were quite enjoyable, especially the 2nd. The influences you note, and, to my ear, English and Irish influences as well , reflecting her time in the UK. The concertos apparently written in the early 1930s.The recordings are at YT , the composer herself at the piano, and per a YT Comment she recorded these at age 82 ! More impressive is her Piano Sonata I heard for the first time today as well, inspired by your post, here played by legendary Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer, a work written 1941-44 while the composer’s husband spent 5 1/2 years as a Nazi POW during WW II. At the Sonata YT is a “Composer’s Note” at the very start of the YT I’d suggest reading !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-qi0Mge3qU (Audio with score, 24 mins.)

[Febnyc]

Thanks,febnyc, my first hearing of the composer.While not a purchase, for me, the concertos were quite enjoyable, especially the 2nd. The influences you note, and, to my ear, English and Irish influences as well , reflecting her time in the UK. The concertos apparently written in the early 1930s.The recordings are at YT , the composer herself at the piano, and per a YT Comment she recorded these at age 82 ! More impressive is her Piano Sonata I heard for the first time today as well, inspired by your post, here played by legendary Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer, a work written 1941-44 while the composer’s husband spent 5 1/2 years as a Nazi POW during WW II. At the Sonata YT is a “Composer’s Note” at the very start of the YT I’d suggest reading !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-qi0Mge3qU (Audio with score, 24 mins.)

What a great find! Thanks for the link - interesting stuff, indeed. None of that was mentioned in the (meager) notes to the CD. Am listening as I type, after having read the note.

[Lance]

I see Miriam Hyde (1913-2005) had quite a career as a pianist and composer, especially in her native Australia. I am curious about her two piano concertos. How would you describe her music, i.e., it's "similarity" to perhaps another composer? In listening to the YT presentation, I thought the music was very good. Quite technical, and her command of the piano was also excellent.

Thanks,febnyc, my first hearing of the composer.While not a purchase, for me, the concertos were quite enjoyable, especially the 2nd. The influences you note, and, to my ear, English and Irish influences as well , reflecting her time in the UK. The concertos apparently written in the early 1930s.The recordings are at YT , the composer herself at the piano, and per a YT Comment she recorded these at age 82 ! More impressive is her Piano Sonata I heard for the first time today as well, inspired by your post, here played by legendary Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer, a work written 1941-44 while the composer’s husband spent 5 1/2 years as a Nazi POW during WW II. At the Sonata YT is a “Composer’s Note” at the very start of the YT I’d suggest reading !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-qi0Mge3qU (Audio with score, 24 mins.)

What a great find! Thanks for the link - interesting stuff, indeed. None of that was mentioned in the (meager) notes to the CD. Am listening as I type, after having read the note.

[Belle]

Kapustin playing his 10 Bagatelles, Op. 59. Fabulous music. I love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39BBJFE4K-0

[Rach3]

More impressive is her Piano Sonata I heard for the first time today as well, inspired by your post, here played by legendary Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer, a work written 1941-44 while the composer’s husband spent 5 1/2 years as a Nazi POW during WW II. At the Sonata YT is a “Composer’s Note” at the very start of the YT I’d suggest reading !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-qi0Mge3qU (Audio with score, 24 mins.)

I've not been able to find the Tozer recording of her Piano Sonata.

[Febnyc]

I see Miriam Hyde (1913-2005) had quite a career as a pianist and composer, especially in her native Australia. I am curious about her two piano concertos. How would you describe her music, i.e., it's "similarity" to perhaps another composer? In listening to the YT presentation, I thought the music was very good. Quite technical, and her command of the piano was also excellent.

The "similarities" in Hyde's two piano concertos, in my opinion, are very close to Brahms and also Rachmaninoff.

[Rach3]

I've not been able to find the Tozer recording of her Piano Sonata.

Did find another pianist playing the Sonata and a couple other solo works, but bit steep price for the Sonata alone:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/p ... -new-bells

[Febnyc]

Raul (or Raoul) Koczalski (1885-1948) was a well-known Polish pianist - and appears to have been a specialist in the music of Chopin.

His six piano concertos have been recorded by Acte Préalable. They are beautiful, late-romantic pieces and really make for some good listening.

[Lance]

Now there's a great name from the pianistic past! I have Volume 1 of his concertos and it would be good to complete the collection. I am delighted to have a number of recordings of his own playing (Marston came out with some), Dante, Andante, Pearl and Music & Arts have some offerings as well. Thanks for bringing up this name! Do you have the whole set of Koczalski's piano concertos?

Raul (or Raoul) Koczalski (1885-1948) was a well-known Polish pianist - and appears to have been a specialist in the music of Chopin.

His six piano concertos have been recorded by Acte Préalable. They are beautiful, late-romantic pieces and really make for some good listening.

[Febnyc]

Thanks for bringing up this name! Do you have the whole set of Koczalski's piano concertos?

Yes, I do have all three CDs of the six concertos.

Also, a couple of others - one with his violin and cello concertos - and this one which really has some exquisite music:

[Febnyc]

Rued Langgaard (1893-1952), Danish composer whose eccentricity and oddness show in his unconventional 16 symphonies. One of them - the 12th - is about 8 minutes long.

But this one - his first, composed when he was 14 and finished at age 17, has had only three performances since its premiere in 1913. It's an hour-long work of tremendous power - in five movements, scored for a huge orchestra with embellished brass in the finale. Langgaard's career declined into quasi-obscurity later on.

Interesting listening for those who like late-romantic, large-boned music. This would make a terrific concert piece today.

[Rach3]

A live performance of Poulenc's magnificent Organ Concerto:

Enregistré le 29/02/2024 au Grand Studio, NDR, Hannovre

Francis Poulenc - Concerto en sol mineur pour Orgue, Timbales et cordes, FP 93

Jean Langlais - Chromatique, des 7 Etudes de Concert Orgue

Anton Bruckner - Symphonie N° 7 en Mi majeur

Christian Schmitt, orgue
Orchestre de la NDR de Hannovre
Eivind Gullberg Jensen

https://auvio.rtbf.be/media/concert-con ... 0h-3189884

[Lance]

This one looks really interesting. I have only Langgaard's Symphonies 2 and 3 and am not particularly interested in having all sixteen of them though I see they available in a boxed set. On another recording issued by Dacapo, it read that Langgaard was eccentric and difficult to be around other people but always knew "his time would come." When that Dacapo recording came out with Symphony #1, it is said the Berlin Philharmonic was "the first orchestra that understood what a masterpiece perhaps the greatest talent that had ever been seen in Danish had created." That's quite a statement! Other music at hand are his songs and some chamber music. At 17, to create such a work with five movements sounds extraordinary.

Rued Langgaard (1893-1952), Danish composer whose eccentricity and oddness show in his unconventional 16 symphonies. One of them - the 12th - is about 8 minutes long.

But this one - his first, composed when he was 14 and finished at age 17, has had only three performances since its premiere in 1913. It's an hour-long work of tremendous power - in five movements, scored for a huge orchestra with embellished brass in the finale. Langgaard's career declined into quasi-obscurity later on.

Interesting listening for those who like late-romantic, large-boned music. This would make a terrific concert piece today.

[Febnyc]

Yes, Lance. The BPO has recorded this piece.

I have some other orchestral works of Langgaard - his "Music of the Spheres" is pretty good - and also a batch of his string quartets. But, as far as I can tell, nothing that he composed ever equaled what he put together in the First Symphony.

PS - I also own a CD which features Langgaard's Piano Concerto, coupled with one by his father, Siegfried. (Danacord did that series of "Harmonious Family" composers.)

As mentioned, I would love to see this on a concert program. Today's audiences would appreciate its size and power.

This one looks really interesting. I have only Langgaard's Symphonies 2 and 3 and am not particularly interested in having all sixteen of them though I see they available in a boxed set. On another recording issued by Dacapo, it read that Langgaard was eccentric and difficult to be around other people but always knew "his time would come." When that Dacapo recording came out with Symphony #1, it is said the Berlin Philharmonic was "the first orchestra that understood what a masterpiece perhaps the greatest talent that had ever been seen in Danish had created." That's quite a statement! Other music at hand are his songs and some chamber music. At 17, to create such a work with five movements sounds extraordinary.

[Rach3]

Rued Langgaard (1893-1952), Danish composer whose eccentricity and oddness show in his unconventional 16 symphonies.

Many thanks ! My first hearing today of the composer. A stunning work at any age ! Will re-rehear.I heard Thomas Dausgaard's recording at YT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W7BI-C80Vw

If interested in solo piano music, here is a very different work by Langgaard I had heard couple months ago, but not for the faint of heart:

Afgrundsmusik, En Sonate fur Klaver , BVN 169 (1921)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1DB6pqP02g (Audio with score )

[Febnyc]

If interested in solo piano music, here is a very different work by Langgaard I had heard couple months ago, but not for the faint of heart:

Afgrundsmusik, En Sonate fur Klaver , BVN 169 (1921)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1DB6pqP02g (Audio with score )

Yikes! He sure was odd.

The initial score marking of "Strict, horrifying" tells you all you need to know. (I cannot remember ever seeing that kind of notation.) Music of the abyss - as he titles it.

I'll go back to his piano concerto and skip this one, thanks.

[Belle]

Monteverdi, Madrigali Guerrieri et Amorosi (Libro Ottavo) Jordi Savall. Beautiful, translucent and sophisticated music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TjkhWARBVE

[Febnyc]

Otar Taktakishvili (1924-1989) has been pretty well unknown in the West, his music more or less wrapped up behind the Iron Curtain, inside of which was his native (and former Soviet Republic) Georgia.

His opera Mindia was a hit in the aforementioned Soviet Union, although its themes of non-conformism and references to "theism" were at odds with the prevailing culture.

This recording of his Piano Concerto No.1 is on a Cambria CD. It's a full-blown romantic work which will appeal to anyone who likes, for instance, Rachmaninoff.

[Belle]

Emanuel Ax plays Haydn Sonata 53 Hob XV1/34. My favourite Haydn sonata; it's such a joy, filled with humour. This is a somewhat 'romantic' reading: I still favour the Brautigam but this one from Ax is absolutely charming.

One thing I've noticed with these works when listening whilst reading the score is that pianists often play baseline 'chords' including the first note of the melody above the chord in the treble as an arpeggio. And with decorative flourish. Brautigam does this too. I didn't know anything about this kind of performance practice and can only assume the classical period keyboard players did this, including the composer himself. But this isn't always the case, as you can hear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTbrU8bFdM

What I love about this work is that you can hear Haydn's exploration of the sonata form, with all its nuts and bolts at the forefront. He's showing us how it's done and I love it!!

Here's Brendel playing the same movement: with rubato!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-UDnpC3_fY

[Rach3]

Otar Taktakishvili (1924-1989) has been pretty well unknown in the West...

Many thanks. My first hearing of the composer. The Concerto a real gem !! I see he also has a violin concerto I'll now explore. Here a different performance of the PC, audio with score,which the poster prefers to the Spotify:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKITDRDRHkY


Otar Taktakishvili’s (1924-1989), Piano Concerto No.1 in C minor (1951)

Pianist : Marina Mdivani
Georgian Central TV and Radio Large Symphony Orchestra
Conductor : Otar Taktakishvili

[Febnyc]

Otar Taktakishvili (1924-1989) has been pretty well unknown in the West...

Many thanks. My first hearing of the composer. The Concerto a real gem !! I see he also has a violin concerto I'll now explore.

And a fine cello concerto, too.

[Lance]

Could not concur with you more regarding Emanuel Ax ... who produced three Sony recordings of Haydn's sonatas giving us Nos. 58, 38, 60, 33, 32, 47, 53, 59, 29, 31, 34, 35, and 39 recorded in the early 2000s. Agreed, he plays them more in the Romantic-period vein. Marc-André Hamelin's three volumes for Hyperion were also very welcome. Alfred Brendel recorded a number of them for Philips (on Decca now). In Emanuel Ax, I never find him boring in these Haydn sonatas or hardly anything else he plays. Your "old friend," Rudolf Buchbinder, was one pianist who recorded all 62 numbered sonatas plus unnumbered ones for EMI.

Aren't we lucky to have all this marvelous material at our fingertips! As highly rated as Haydn is, I still feel he is somewhat underrated in some of his keyboard literature. Master pianists usually play one or two of his sonatas during recitals or on recordings (Richter, Horowitz, Anda, Firkusny, Hess, Watts, Gould, the late sonatas), Kissin, etc.) Others who recorded the complete sontas included Artur Balsam [Musical Heritage Society LPs], Jean-Efflam Bavouzet [Chandos], James McCabe [Decca], and of course, Ronald Brautigam on the fortepiano [BIS]. There were a few others, too, of less repute. I never got the Bavouzet nor the Brautigam [prefer to hear them on the piano] sets and don't plan to at this point in life. In the final analysis, Haydn was a genius!

Emanuel Ax plays Haydn Sonata 53 Hob XV1/34. My favourite Haydn sonata; it's such a joy, filled with humour. This is a somewhat 'romantic' reading: I still favour the Brautigam but this one from Ax is absolutely charming.

One thing I've noticed with these works when listening whilst reading the score is that pianists often play baseline 'chords' including the first note of the melody above the chord in the treble as an arpeggio. And with decorative flourish. Brautigam does this too. I didn't know anything about this kind of performance practice and can only assume the classical period keyboard players did this, including the composer himself. But this isn't always the case, as you can hear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTbrU8bFdM

What I love about this work is that you can hear Haydn's exploration of the sonata form, with all its nuts and bolts at the forefront. He's showing us how it's done and I love it!!

Here's Brendel playing the same movement: with rubato!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-UDnpC3_fY

[Belle]

I've found myself gravitating more and more to Haydn, not just for the keyboard works but the wonderful masses. I heard them all played for Sonntag Hochamt in Augustinerkirche, Wien with their conductor, choir, orchestra and organist.

Here is a wonderful work from Haydn's younger brother, Michael; the Requiem. This was played in July, 2011 at Stephansdom for the requiem mass for the last in line of the Habsburg dynasty, Otto von Hapsburg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpS3ZPynlvw

Here is the footage from that extraordinary service for Otto: the whole of Vienna turned out for it! The celebrant was Cardinal Christoph Schönborn. Apologies for the poor quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfSju3dPZ5c

(For anybody who is a language enthusiast (as I am) you can hear the difference between Austrian German and HochDeutsch accents in this service. The Cardinal speaks with a broad Austrian accent and the elder son of Otto von Habsburg delivers the reading for his father in formal (Hoch) German, denoting that he lives in that country and not Austria. From 15 mins.)

[Rach3]

And a fine cello concerto, too.

Indeed. Here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7It9-9j ... N&index=32

As well above is an intense,worth hearing Violin Concerto No.1.

[Belle]

Clifford Curzon, 1968, Schumann's Kinderszenen. Strength and tenderness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdms6u7fXF8

[Rach3]

And a fine cello concerto, too.

Indeed. Here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7It9-9j ... N&index=32

As well above is an intense,worth hearing Violin Concerto No.1.

Taktakishvili's Symphonies 1 and are big,sweeping,Romantic works, dark-hued at times, colorful at others, worth a hear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n40PW59 ... N&index=15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un0hXeb ... N&index=16

[Lance]

Curzon - great for the ears. Wonderful work of Herr Schumann as well.

Clifford Curzon, 1968, Schumann's Kinderszenen. Strength and tenderness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdms6u7fXF8

[Belle]

Sviatoslav Richter, an anthology, particularly Rachmaninov #1 from the 1950s when the great, great pianist was absolutely at the height of his powers!! I grew up with this recording and my mother talked me through it when I was about 9. As I'm in the sunset of my life I look back, reflect and celebrate the role which music played in the entirety of my childhood, thanks to an incredible and musical mother! She gave me that gift, and my love for film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGaXJu09aE&t=6261s

(It was Mother's Day here yesterday and mine has been gone 40 years this coming November.)

[Rach3]

Faure,Piano Quintet No.1,Op.89,my first hearing, exquisite, perhaps the finest of his chamber works.Will look for the recording.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfpvJn0-fX4

Piano: Germaine Thyssens-Valentin

Le Quatuor de l'ORTF:
Violin I: Jacques Dumont
Violin II: Louis Perlemuter
Viola: Marc Carles
Cello: Robert Salles
Studio Recording, 1966

[Lance]

The tribute to your mother was beautiful and heartfelt. You and I are both so fortunate to have parents that provided and imparted the really 'good things in life' to us an early age. Indeed, in the sunset of our lives made all the richer for what happened years ago.

Sviatoslav Richter, an anthology, particularly Rachmaninov #1 from the 1950s when the great, great pianist was absolutely at the height of his powers!! I grew up with this recording and my mother talked me through it when I was about 9. As I'm in the sunset of my life I look back, reflect and celebrate the role which music played in the entirety of my childhood, thanks to an incredible and musical mother! She gave me that gift, and my love for film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGaXJu09aE&t=6261s

(It was Mother's Day here yesterday and mine has been gone 40 years this coming November.)

[Lance]

You are right-on, Sir! That's a fabulous performance of the Fauré Quintet . I don't believe Testament ever issued that on CD; it should have been. It was originally an A. Charlin LP [CL-12]. It's getting a very high price for the LP, around $75 with shipping. Thyssens-Valentin's four Fauré CDs on Testament are worth their weight in gold. For this music, her playing is matchless. I didn't know about this recording. Thanks for sharing.

Faure,Piano Quintet No.1,Op.89,my first hearing, exquisite, perhaps the finest of his chamber works.Will look for the recording.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfpvJn0-fX4

Piano: Germaine Thyssens-Valentin

Le Quatuor de l'ORTF:
Violin I: Jacques Dumont
Violin II: Louis Perlemuter
Viola: Marc Carles
Cello: Robert Salles
Studio Recording, 1966

[Belle]

The tribute to your mother was beautiful and heartfelt. You and I are both so fortunate to have parents that provided and imparted the really 'good things in life' to us an early age. Indeed, in the sunset of our lives made all the richer for what happened years ago.

Sviatoslav Richter, an anthology, particularly Rachmaninov #1 from the 1950s when the great, great pianist was absolutely at the height of his powers!! I grew up with this recording and my mother talked me through it when I was about 9. As I'm in the sunset of my life I look back, reflect and celebrate the role which music played in the entirety of my childhood, thanks to an incredible and musical mother! She gave me that gift, and my love for film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGaXJu09aE&t=6261s

(It was Mother's Day here yesterday and mine has been gone 40 years this coming November.)

Thank you for your comments. It seems we have both been lucky and my mother had a wonderful sense of humour and fun; my parents' many parties were noisy affairs with piano-playing, bongo drums, the limbo rock and lots of beer!! It wasn't unusual to see one familiar head bob up from behind a lounge chair the next morning!! In their daily lives these party guests were sober and serious engineers and geologists who ran a large steel corporation.

[Rach3]

11- year old Mozart's Piano Concerto No.2,K.39, slow movement (!!), Perahia,English Chamber Orchestra,studio:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgvjzBcu5JU (15 minutes)

The original composer of the 2nd movement was another gentleman , but young Mozart greatly improves, especially considering for larger forces.The original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERrt8SLYb1w