What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Time for some harpsichord:

Anne Marie Dragosits - Le Clavecin Mythologique
Qobuz 24/88.2





Royer, Rameau, Couperin, Duphly, d'Anglebert, Forqueray: the usual suspects.
This is a fantastic recording, the sound of the instrument is to die for.

I loved this review by the musician herself:

The mythological world of antiquity has fascinated us for millennia without pause, and its densely woven tales of gods, goddesses, legendary creatures and mortals continues to entreat us to this day. It is ultimately for the reader to decide whether these myths provide explanations for the incomprehensible, offer allegories of our human experience, or are simply just fascinating tales. This recording gathers baroque program music together in which each work recounts a tale from the world of mythology.
The broad sonic spectrum able to be elicited from the marvelous harpsichord made by Pascal Taskin is commensurate with the varied abundance of mythological creations depicted in this program’s collection. Form, musical structure and narrative style are also multifaceted herein, from works that best seem to resemble landscape portraits to dramatic opera scenes in miniature.
The range of composers included begins nearly at the inception of French harpsichord artistry and ends near its swansong: from d’Anglebert’s arrangements of Jean-Baptiste Lully’s compositions (the latter is credited with having “discovered” French baroque music), to towering harpsichord greats such as François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau, further still with the singer, opera composer and keyboard virtuoso Pancrace Royer, and ending with Jacques Duphly. The latter’s music represents a final culmination before the abrupt break made by the French Revolution; indeed, Duphly’s death on the day after the storming of the Bastille tragically emblemizes the loss of significance of the harpsichord, which would become recognized as a symbol of the Ancien Regime.
[…] With their special sound characteristics, historical instruments can approach an almost mystical, even mythical aura. The Taskin harpsichord in Hamburg is an unbelievably colorful and beautifully sounding example; it is in every regard a unique instrument that I found richly rewarding as a player. When deciding to record upon such an instrument, one accepts small technical or mechanical imperfections as a precondition. © Anne Marie Dragosits/L'Encelade

[Toccata]

[jimtranr]

A 24/96 iteration of just-released performances of a May 2018 Alpha recording.

To these ears, the young Finnish conductor knows his Sibelius. Transparent and dynamic recording.

[bart]

Chopin - Nocturnes - Mazurkas - Berceuse - Sonata
Maurizio Pollini
Qobuz 24/96




The old master still has it in his hands!

[radio times]

Went to see me local Symphony Orchestra in concert. Got there a bit late so heard the end of Malcolm Arnold's Concerto for two violins and strings which was nice with fine soloists, then the splendid George Lloyd's Symphony No1 in A. Fizzin' with ideas and he was only 19 when he wrote it. Plans for being the blighty Mozart came a bit awry as he served on the Artic convoys and lost favor post war. Then to finish Dvorak's 7th symphony. Expertly played but I'm not a fan. George stole the show.

[bart]

^^^^We saw them last year.

And a week ago the London Philharmonic with a full Beethoven programme. Great!

[bart]

Originally Posted by bart

Rebecca Dale - Requiem for my mother
Qobuz 24/96




Listening on our living room system this time.
It is indeed a very good album.

Young British composer Rebecca Dale, the first female composer to sign to Decca Classics, will release her debut album ‘Requiem For My Mother’ on 31st August – featuring two major works: her brand new Materna Requiem and her choral symphony When Music Sounds.
At the heart of Rebecca’s first recording is her Materna Requiem – a beautifully moving and uplifting tribute to her late mother, who died in 2010. The work draws from both the traditional text of the Catholic Mass and contemporary poetry and is a homage to parents everywhere. It features the voices of soprano Louise Alder, tenor Trystan Griffiths and young choristers Hannah Dienes-Williams and Edward Hyde (BBC Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year 2016) alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The work will receive its world premiere performance at The North Wales International Music Festival in St Asaph Cathedral on 22nd September.
Rebecca Dale says of the album: “It’s an amazing feeling to be releasing my first album and sharing my music with everyone. The Requiem is a very personal piece to me, and it uses melodies I wrote when I was a child so you could say I’ve been working on it for most of my life! When I first wrote the Requiem I didn’t even realise it would receive a performance so it’s a hugely exciting moment to hear it on record, and I hope the piece connects with people.”
The first track from Rebecca’s new album, ‘Pie Jesu’, is out now and expresses a parent’s love for their son or daughter – so instead of using a child’s voice as is tradition for this movement, it’s represented as a father singing to his newborn.
The process of writing the Materna Requiem has been somewhat cathartic for Rebecca – she describes the musical tribute to her mother as “a way for me to build a bridge back to her”. Rebecca is keen to help others who have suffered the loss of a parent and is a supporter of Winston’s Wish – the UK’s first childhood bereavement charity. Donation buckets will be available at the premiere performance of the work, plus Rebecca will be taking part in ‘TrekFest’ for the charity.
Rebecca’s work first came to public attention when BBC Radio 3 premiered her choral symphony ‘When Music Sounds’ in 2014 and the track, ‘I’ll Sing’, went to No.1 on the Classical iTunes chart. It seems fitting that the whole piece is recorded on her debut album. Performed by the Cantus Ensemble – one of London’s leading chamber choirs – this inspiring orchestral work is a glorious counterpart to the Requiem and concludes the album in stunning style. © Decca/Universal Music

Third time I listen to it and it is growing on me rapidly.

[Toccata]

[aardvarkbark]

I usually like Mozart's symphonies played by full orchestra on modern instruments, such a rich sound. But for some reason, on Sun mornings I prefer them played by TEC.

[Toccata]

He's an excellent pianist and superbly recorded. (24/352 FLAC)