What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

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Ramon Lazkano - Hauskor - Ortzi Isilak - Ilunkor
Ernesto Molinari
Cello Octet Amsterdam
Basque National Orchestra, Johannes Kalitzke
via Qobuz




A bit more adventurous.
Good sound.

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Keith Jarrett - Hymns -Spheres
Qobuz 24/96




Recorded in '76.
I didn't know where to post this, in classical or jazz.
Special effects on the organ, that's for sure.

These Improvisations were recorded on the“Trinity Organ”,
the larger of the two Karl Joseph Riepp (1719–1775) Organs at the Benedictine Abbey Ottobeuren.
No overdubs, technical ornamentations or additions were utilized,
only the pure sound of the organ in the abbey is heard.
Many of the unique effects, although never before used, were accomplished by pulling certain stops part way, while others remain completely
open or closed.
Amazingly, baroque organs have always had this capability.

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Mozart - The symphonic testament: Symphonies 39, 40 & 41
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall
Qobuz 24/88.2




Old warhorses, good interpretation.
Solid performances, rich sound.
Contains also the 'Maurerische Trauermusik', K477.

By the middle of 1788, at the age of 32, Mozart had reached the height of his creative maturity, dominated by the last three symphonies, absolute masterpieces that he composed in a very short period of time – barely one and a half months. This extraordinary “symphonic massif” consisting of three peaks – Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, completed on 26th June, Symphony No 40 in G minor, completed on 25th July and Symphony No. 41 in C major, the “Jupiter”, dated 10th August – is unquestionably the composer’s “Symphonic Testament”.

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Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 7 'Antartica' - Symphony No. 9
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze
Qobuz 24/96




Heavy stuff!

The final volume in the RLPO/Andrew Manze Vaughan Williams Symphony cycle contains ‘Sinfonia Antartica’ No.7 and his final enigmatic symphony, the 9th. The 7th drew its inspiration from music RVW had composed for the film ‘Scott of the Antartic’, though very little of that score actually made it to the symphony. This often mis-understood work is a true symphony that draws on themes from the film. The composer headed each movement with a literary quotation, and these are narrated on this recording by the distinguished actor Timothy West, following in the footsteps of Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson. The 9th symphony dates from his final years and shows no trace of any creative decline. It is a challenging forbidding work and if music could be hewn from granite, then this symphony is a supreme example. © Onyx Classics

[Formerly YB-2]

An afternoon at the opera. Decca's "101 Your Best Tunes for Opera", pressed in Japan. One outstanding aria after another played on the finest instruments in the world, the voices of Pavarotti, Te Kanawa, Fleming, Bastianini, Sutherland, Fereni, Scholl, Price, etc. Barbara Bonney singing Mozart's "Die Zauberflote - Ach, ich fuhl's, es ist verschwunden" just finished. Wonderful.

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Had a bit of Vivaldi during cooking.
This is a nice series, three have come out in 2 weeks:




Qobuz 24/96

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And that was the next one:




If you are a Vivaldi aficionado, these Naive albums are worthy of your time.


Qobuz 24/96

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The Last Symphonies
Mozart's Instrumental Oratorium
Concentus Musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncort
Wonderful 3 LP set Very Very Nice!
Sony Classical 88843026351
Regards,
Jim

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Heitor Villa-Lobos - Uirapuru - Symphony No. 12 - Mandu-Çarará
São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Choir and Children's Choir, Isaac Karabtchevsky
Qobuz 24/96




I got acquainted with the Villa-Lobes symphonies through Tony.
Thank you!

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Antón García Abril - 6 Partitas
Hilary Hahn
Qobuz 24/96




Highly interesting pieces with a nice background...

Hilary Hahn never stops pushing the boundaries of classical music. An accomplished virtuoso and talented chamber musician, the American violinist plays the entire violin repertoire from Bach all the way up to the present day, including the classical and romantic period. Most of all, she likes to excite interest around new works and already commissioned a series of small pieces from twenty-seven composers. Then she went a step further and asked the Spanish composer Antón García Abril to compose a sequence of 6 Partitas for solo violin inspired loosely by J.S. Bach’s Six Sonatas and Partitas.
Already feeling very confident about García Abril’s work, the violinist was surprised to find that the music completely exceeded her expectations. She found this new body of work “inspiring” as the phrases resonated with her and the notes flowed naturally from her fingers, “His writing for violin is compelling” says Hilary Hahn, “Fluid, emotional, clever and expressively rich”. The polyphonic writing of the Spanish composer born in 1933 is indeed marvellous in these unaccompanied pieces. García Abril has turned his back resolutely on the typical avant-garde that emerged in the post-war years and the composer’s music is tonal and full of melody, using his own rhythms. Despite the suggestion from their title, the 6 Partitas are not dance suites but rather a succession of six independent states of mind, “Heart”, “Immensity”, “Love”, “Art”, “Reflexive”, “You”, (an acronym for Hilary herself). This is more than enough to fuel the imagination and the musical repertoire of violinists from all over the world who play their “Bach”, rather predictably, for the encore of each concert. © François Hudry/Qobuz