Reply With QuoteOf course it is permited, Samurai. That's why this section is called non-operatic classical music. Feel free to post about symphonic works at will, you're very welcome!!
Hope I'm not ruffling any feathers here, but I'd like to start our own Current Listening Section for Symphonic Works, for those of us who aren't that familiar with Opera--at least not yet. It would basically work like the ones already in place at our sister Forums of MIMF and TC. If it's permitted, then, I'll start:
On Spotify tonight:
Carl Nielsen--Symphony No.4 , Op.29, FS 76 {"The Inextinguishable"} and Symphony No.5, Op.50, Op.97. Both works feature Adrian Leaper conducting the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. I especially like the 4th Symphony's muscular last movement: Carl Nielsen – Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, FS 76, "The Inextinguishable" : IV. Con Anima - Allegro.
Johan Svendesen--Symphony No.1 in D Major, Op.4 and Symphony No.2 in B-Flat Major, Op.15. Both works are performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Neeme Jarvi. Never having listened to this compose before, he sounded a lot like Sibelius to me in many parts of these 2 works, especially in his use of the strings and winds.
Jean Sibelius--Symphony No.1 in E Minor, Op.39, with Alexander Gibson conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
You've got to pick up every stitch. Oh No....Must be the Season of the Witch.
Of course it is permited, Samurai. That's why this section is called non-operatic classical music. Feel free to post about symphonic works at will, you're very welcome!!
I had thought of a thread like this, but since I made the sacred choral works thread, I didn't want it to look like I am only here to discuss non-opera topics.
After burning myself out on Mozart opera in the last couple of days (Magic Flute, Figaro, Cosi, Don Giovanni), I need to get back to some non-dramatic classical. Today, I think I am going to go with a late romantic symphony - Rachmaninov's 2nd. This was truly a hidden gem - the melodies in this work are wonderful. I had thought that Rachmaninov was pigeon-holed into the role of composer for piano, but this symphony is truly very fine. I find Rachmaninov tends to have the overt sentimentality of Tchaikovsky - and for me, that is a good thing. My current favorite recording of this work is the recording on Naxos with Leonard Slatkin conducting.
I have a soft spot for Nielsen, and these two symphonies in particular.Originally Posted by Samurai
Of the Fourth: I am most stunned by the (pardon my English) "lack of foreplay". It is as if Nielsen tore out the first three pages of the score, and gets right into it! And there's no looking back from that point on.
Of the fifth: The first movement is a particular favourite, especially the section before the coda where there's a duel between the snare drum and the orchestra - Nielsen's depiction IMHO of the inner struggle of Man of War Vs. Man of Peace, as the work finds its genesis at the tail end or right after WW One. Did you ever notice it is the only Nielsen symphony NOT to have a subtitle? Wonder why?
Brilliant, Brilliant works
Working my way through my iPod music collection, by Composer alphabetically.
Just now: "B" is for Bruckner, listening to the symphonies from 00 to 9. Most of the Bruckner symphonies on my iPod come from the NAXOS compilation of the Bruckner symphonies conducted by Georg Tintner and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He uses the Nowak editions. I will be discussing the Tintner set in my Chronique du Disque in December (in French on ITYWLTMT, in English on TalkClassical).
In addition to the Tintner set, I also have on the iPod:
Eugen Jochum/Staatskapelle Dresden (EMI) for the 4th and 7th (Haas edition, I believe)
Bernard Haitink/Staatskapelle Dresden (Profil) for the 8th (Haas as well?)
Yannick Nezet-Seguin/Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montreal (ATMA) for the 9th (Haas)
I love very much this short symphony by Galina Ustvolskaya, her number two, published in the 1970s.
I own a recording by Slatkin conducting the St-Louis Symphony (VOX). I don't know if the NAXOS is a re-issue of that performance, but I agree Slatkin's treatment of Rachmanionov is first class, and he does things with the music (the second movement in particular) that I find unique to his interpretation (he attacks it a tad slower than others...)
My reference recording for this symphony is a vinyl I own of Maazel conducting (I believe) the Berlin Philharmonic (DG, 1980's?). I also heard a concert performance on TV years ago by Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra - excellent as I recall. Ormandy on record would also be a great place to go for this...
This recording has him conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and is paired with the Op. 34, No. 14 Vocalise (arranged for orchestra).
I have another recording by Previn - can't remember the specifics. Not a bad one, and it piqued my interest in the symphony, but not truly memorable, at least for me.
Have you, by chance, heard Celibidache's Bruckner recordings? Particularly the 4th? The tempi that he uses are some of the slowest I have ever heard, but for the 4th, it works incredibly well. I highly recommend checking out that recording, on EMI. Celibidache notoriously did not believe in recorded music, and so much of his works were only released after his death, and I am grateful we have this one.
Can't recall hearing that one. I own the Barenboim 4th, an Ormandy/Philadelphia 4th on vinyl... As for Celibidache, he is an "original", a true interpreter, in the tradition of Scherchen and Stokowski. Maybe I should look for that oine...
Svendsen is awesome! I played the first symphony this autumn with a local symphony orchestra where I go to school. It was really good.
It's a shame he composed so little.
And to imagine, the first symphony was his graduation piece!
Just got these yesterday from iTunes - can't wait to listen to them. Reiner is one of my favorite conductors, and I have been meaning to pick up his recording of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. I decided I should also get the Dvorak 9th.
@ Aksel, Yes, I have been very impressed with Svendsen. It is indeed amazing that he could have written such an accomplished, polished piece at such a young age. I believe that Shostakovich was about 19 years old when he wrote his First Symphony as well!
You've got to pick up every stitch. Oh No....Must be the Season of the Witch.
On Spotify:
Carl Nielsen--Symphony No.2, Op.16, FS 29 {"The Four Temperaments"}, featuring Herbert Blomstedt conducting the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart--Symphony No.35 in D Major, K.355 {"Haffner"}, performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Herbert von Karajan.
You've got to pick up every stitch. Oh No....Must be the Season of the Witch.
Ralph Vaughan Williams--Symphony No.5 in D Major, featuring Andre Previn conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Aaron Copland--Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, Billy the Kid and Fanfare for the Common Man. All are performed by the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein.
Jean Sibelius--Symphony No.1 in E Minor, Op.39, Symphony No.4 in A Minor, Op.63, Symphony No.2 in D Major, Op.43 and Symphony No.3 in C Major, Op.52. All 4 symphonies feature Lorin Maazel conducting the Vienna Philharmonic.
You've got to pick up every stitch. Oh No....Must be the Season of the Witch.
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