What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[cma29]

Originally Posted by Toccata

I downloaded these two recordings as hi-res FLAC files. I'm sure the music is incredibly hard to play, but it's also hard to listen to! As I get older, I need more discernable structures and melodies. For what it's worth, the sound is very good on both.

John - Try some Beethoven next time

[Toccata]

Originally Posted by cma29

John - Try some Beethoven next time

No kidding! I think I'm losing my taste for the more abrasive contemporary music. I like Aho's symphonies and piano concertos, but those solo violin works are another matter! Same thing with MacMillan: I like several of his symphonic pieces. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood today. I think I'll listen to that LuteDuo CD again!

[Toccata]

This 4-CD set is now out of print and rather pricey ($150 or so), but Linn offers the individual discs as hi-res FLAC for just $13ea, so I bought all 4 today. Started with disc one. He plays wonderfully and the sound is superb--very present and detailed but not dry.





(It is also a nice antidote to the previous music I posted!)

[bart]

I played all 6 CDs of this set the last days.
It was recommended a while ago here, and is still worth hearing.
Amandine Beyer is recognisable in one of her earlier recordings.

[cma29]

I've heard good things about that set, Bart

[cma29]

Going back to this set...

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-32 (Complete)
Paul Lewis (piano)



Played three different discs that include the "Hammerklavier", the "Moonlight" and the "Appassionata".

Excellent sound and performance from Lewis and his team.

[Toccata]

No.4.

[Antonmb]

Listening to this again - wonderful music and sound.

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Adam Schoenberg: American Symphony; Finding Rothko; Picture Studies
Kansas City Symphony, Michael Stern conducting
Reference Recordings (2017)
16/44 streaming via Qobuz

I’m not familiar with Adam Schoenberg, but read about this recording in an email from Reference Recordings and thought I’d give it a try on Qobuz. Glad I did, I find this quite beautiful music, and a good recording.

[bart]

Beethoven - Violin Sonatas Nos. 1, 10 & 5 'Spring'
Lorenzo Gatto
Julien Libeer
Qobuz 24/96




As good as it gets!
I've seen these 2 live and it was also great.

Two young Belgian soloists—including Lorenzo Gatto, despite the Italian consonance of the name—have been gathering for several years around Beethoven, and here is their interpretation of three Beethoven sonatas: the First written even before the end of the 18th Century—1798—, followed by the very last that is the Tenth Op. 96 from 1812—created by the infamous Pierre Rode on violin, and the archduke Rudolph of Austria who, incidentally, must have been an amazing pianist—, to finish with one of the most famous ones, the Fifth called “The Spring Sonata” (a name not chosen by the composer). Despite dating “only” from 1801, this sonata is incredibly different from the First regarding its architectural maturity, its intense lyricism and its audacities of all kinds. Gatto, who won the Queen Elisabeth Competition, plays on nothing less than the Stradivarius “Joachim”, while Libeer, a chamber music enthusiast, has a field day on a big concert piano with parallel strings and of an almost orchestral sound. Their first volume, released in 2016, was more than noticed by the critics and the audience—and was a great success on Qobuz—, and we can only rejoice in the fact that this second one is as successful. © SM/Qobuz


The review above is not 100% correct.
Gatto didn't win the Queen Elisabeth Competition, he got the second prize.

[bart]

Stenhammar - Symphony No. 2 - Music to 'Ett Drömspel'
Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg
Qobuz 24/96




Finally, some Stenhammar!
And I like it.
Sibelius and Stenhammar were good friends I read.
The Antwerp SO does a fine job.