What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Debussy - Milhaud - Clarke - Werkman - Enescu - Silhouettes
Anna Fedorova, piano
Dana Zemtsov, viola
Qobuz 24/192




Listening for the second time.
Wonderful, coherent album.

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Mozart - Great Mass in C Minor - Exsultate, Jubilate
Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki




Touching, moving, uplifting.
Fantastic work, ditto performance.
I'm listening in 5.0 and urge you to do the same if you have a surround system.

Goosebumps!!

[Kal Rubinson]

A double-feature today:

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Now listening to:

Mozart - Clarinet Concerto - Kegelstatt Trio - Allegro in B Flat Major
Martin Fröst, basset clarinet/ clarinet



What a great album this is!
And Fröst really gets the best accompaniment he could wish.

Delightful album.

[bart]

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

A double-feature today:

Kal, this stayed under my radar.
I'm going to check it out.

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Mozart - Piano Quartets K. 493 & K. 478
Kuijken Piano Quartet




I've only bought 3 silver discs so far this year, and this is one of them.
Of course, Kuijken is one my favourite musicians, and the fact that he played in my living room last year only reinforced that.
Fantastic recording (listening in 5.0) and playing of these wonderful pieces.


This is a review from HRAudio.net:

If Kuijken & Co are playing Mozart piano quartets and Bert van der Wolf takes credit for the recording one might as well buy it blindfolded. What on earth would a reviewer be able to add? Confirming that it is played gorgeously and recorded expertly? Done! Here and now.

There’s another one in the HRAudio catalogue and my contribution wouldn’t be complete had I not listened to it as well for comparison. John Broggio recommended it enthusiastically in 2009 (Mozart: Piano Quartets - Mozart Piano Quartet) and rightly so. But… it’s different in that it is played on modern instruments with all that it entails. The period strings and the fortepiano have their own, typical and warmer character, and what’s more: the piano in the MDG version, a much more powerful concert grand, takes, sound wise, a clearly dominant position, whereas the fortepiano of Veronica Kuijken blends in more modestly with the strings, ensuring, as meant by Mozart, more equality amongst all four musicians.

A matter of choice? Surely. People allergic to period of all sorts, may opt for the Mozart Piano Quartet on MDG; those who prefer a performance as in Mozart’s time should turn to Challenge Classics. I love it, and will gladly give it all five stars.

Copyright © 2017 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

Final one for tonight.

We had planned another house concert with the Kuijkens this month (Mozart piano and violin sonatas) but Miss Corona wasn't too pleased. Let's hope we can do it next year!

[Antonmb]

Vivaldi : Concerti per violino VIII "Il teatro"
Le Concert de la Loge, Julien Chauvin
Naïve (2020), via Qobuz

More nice Vivaldi from this Naive series.

[Antonmb]

Rameau & Schumann
Marcin Fleszar
Rubicon (2020), via Qobuz

The mix of Ramsay and Schumann makes for a very interesting recording, and Fleszar’s playing is very good.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by bart

Yukiko Hasegawa - Eternal Longing
trptk label
Qobuz 24/96




Works from Van Beethoven, Franck, Schumann.
As usual with this label, sound and performance are top.
The fact it is played on a Chris Maene Straight Strung Concert Grand Piano makes all the more interesting.
Can't wait to hear it in 5.0!

Playing now, wonderful - thanks Bart.

[Antonmb]

Ludvig Irgens-Jensen: Symphonic Works
Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Eivind Aadland conducting
CPO (2013), via Qobuz

I was not familiar with this Norwegian composer - I find the music very engaging and will look for more of his works.