What composition are you currently listening to?

catho_monster

didnt stay there actually.
went with family who live in tipperary - only a half an hours drive. sweet really!

with regards recordings, i must say that i am not a big fan of listening to "classical" music through artificial mediums [edit - just noticed how ironic that statement is in this forum! i will at some stage gladly contradict myself, it is a woman's perogative after all]. i know that sounds insane, and fussy... but i just dont get the same goosebumps when i listen to recordings... im also rarely in the "mood" to listen to wagner. (studing for my masters at the mo and i have enough stress without wagner involving me in his deep & meaningfuls)

just went looking for the recordings i did have of the flying dutchman and the ring - god knows by who - i think my mam has them, she enjoys them more anyway!

books...hmmm...i love my books...
i only have two specifically written on wagner: ernest newmans 'wagner as man and artist' (pretty common, im sure you have it too!) and robert doningtons 'wagner's "ring".
hmmm...books

dod

I couldn't agree more - a 'mere' recording can be very unsatisfying when compared to the total experience of a live performance. I was in Covent Garden at the end of February for Angela Gheorghiu singing Amelia in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. The concert (for me) of last year was Cecilia Bartoli live in the Concert Hall. There is a wealth of great live work done in Ireland, if only people would get up and go to it.

Myself, I am off to The Helix tonight for something a little... off the beaten track- Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Sondheim the composer/ lyricist).

Unfortunately though, sometimes we have barren periods when nothing much worthwhile seems to be produced, and during those periods I immerse myself in my CD collection. Got some glorious CDs yesterday- Bruckners 4th and 9th conducted by Bruno Walter; a collection of Strauss songs sung by Kiri te Kanawa with the LSO; and a collection of Mahler lieder: pianist Leonard Bernstein, singers Christa Ludwig, Walter Berry and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

In respect of the Wagner thing, last time I checked I had four complete Ring Cycles- the Solti, a Munich, a Bayreuth and a Met cycle (not to mention countless 'Highlights of' collections). Making the time to listen to them is a problem.

Are you going to any of the Opera Ireland season in a fortnights time? Jenufa and Tosca?

dod

(And just by the by)

I am currently listening to Berlioz, La Damnation de Faust. The LSO live performance from the Barbican recorded in 2001 conducted by Sir Colin Davis.

catho_monster

Are you going to any of the Opera Ireland season in a fortnights time? Jenufa and Tosca?

was tempted by jenufa...
not by tosca. been there. done that. wanna experience new things rather than rehash the same ol', same ol'...
decided to go to the concert performance of strauss' die fledermaus in the NCH instead on the 17th...
looking forward to that.

and just for kicks,
my music dept is putting on Handel's Messiah on sunday so i shall be attending that to support the home side.

Myself, I am off to The Helix tonight for something a little... off the beaten track- Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Sondheim the composer/ lyricist).

we should really start posting about events...so that we can give people good notice about events like these (and the conferences i've mentioned). i love the idea of going to "classical" events that i know nothing of...
i know there's a sticky about where to find out but i'm sure as hell to lazy to search about...

Is1ldur

Originally posted by catho_monster
we should really start posting about events...so that we can give people good notice about events like these (and the conferences i've mentioned). i love the idea of going to "classical" events that i know nothing of...
i know there's a sticky about where to find out but i'm sure as hell to lazy to search about...

Please do. I never get any notice of anything, usually just the day of, or, more than likely, a few days after. I have never really been to a proper concert/orchestra and would really love to go. None of my friends would really be into it, is the problem, but I would not mind going by myself. I am more than a bit blinkered, though. I love Bach first and foremost, and have not really opened up to much else, a small bit of Beethoven, Strauss, Paganini, etc. I never 'got' opera at all I'm afraid. Not too fond of vocals with my music, I'm afraid, however that could be 'cos I have not really heard the right stuff (or for that matter listed to it properly)
Anyway, maybe we could organise to go to one or two concerts on here??

catho_monster

maybe we could organise to go to one or two concerts on here??

sweet idea

we could have our own mini boards beers!!

I never 'got' opera at all I'm afraid

i know the feeling.

its not due to the vocals, in my case, but rather the style of vocal singing associated with opera. wrecks my head really. thats why i like wagner. his women sing from the bottom of their bellys, with a voice that feels like it wouldnt be out of place in the front row of a scrum.

dod

Originally posted by catho_monster

decided to go to the concert performance of strauss' die fledermaus in the NCH instead on the 17th...
looking forward to that.

If I recall correctly, this is a Lyric Opera production. I have been disappointed any time that I have seen their stuff, so I'd be interested to hear how this production goes.

Turns out the Sweeney Todd last night was not Sondheim, but a new production by a Northern Ireland 'out-there' musical theatre group called Kabosh. The music was original, but without question a lot of the theme-ing borrowed heavily from Sondheim. It was inventive and interesting, but ultimately overlong.

At some point it might be an idea if we started one or more new threads on this stuff!

catho_monster

have been disappointed any time that I have seen their stuff, so I'd be interested to hear how this production goes.

will definately keep ye posted.

dod

Mozart, die Zauberflote. A 1993 Naxos recording with Lippert as Tamino, Norberg-Schulz as Pamina and Hellen Kwon as the Queen of Night.

A very good, inexpensive recording.

dod

The Chandos Opera in English recording of Osud by Janacek. Helen Field and Philip Langridge are acommpanied by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Welsh National Opera conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras.

This is another lovely Opera rendered in English by Chandos.

cerebus

Tchaikovsky - Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades). Interesting Sony recording - Sofia Festival Orchestra, conducted by Emil Tchakarov.

dod

The (famous) 1957 Glyndebourne Festival production of Mozart's Idomeneo. I picked this CD up in a sale in HMV Grafton St. yesterday. Delighted to have this recording at last:

lilsnowbunny

At the moment listening to an original soundtrack actually, to Amelie composed by Yann Tiersen. Some beautifully moving, yet simple, piano melodies as well as more carefree tunes featuring an accordian for the french sound.

Saw a few people enjoyed the 'Four Seasons'. I have an excellent recording of Vivaldi's pieces done in a slightly different way by Fabio Biondi. If anyone's interested you can hear clips on www.bn.com

Also just bought a cd of Six Unaccompanied Cello Pieces performed by Yo-Yo Ma. They are all compositions of Bach...again you can hear it on that site. I'd highly recommend it!

dod

Brucker Symphony No.4 "Romantic" (1878/80 version)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter
Recorded Feb 1960

dod

Bartoli singing the title role in Rossini's La Cenerentola. What a voice!

Aglomerado

Handel's Water Music...right now on the computer (with headphones) in a nearly empty student computing lab. Bliss.

NeoSlicerZ

Smetana's Aus Der Heimat 2nd Movt, since i'm trying to play the darn thing... 'tis doing my head in

Manach

Karl Jenkins - "The Armed Man : A Mass for Peace"

dod

Originally posted by Manach
Karl Jenkins - "The Armed Man : A Mass for Peace"

Curiously I just got a copy of this on Sunday last. The text is based on the 15th century French text "L'Homme Armé". There are some nice pieces in it.

Manach

My fav. pieces are Sanctus and Kyrie. The former I heard on Classic FM and prompted me to get the Album. I will look out for other works by him in the future.

Lorddrakul

Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending

dod

The 1952 Furtwangler studio recording Wagner's Tristan und Isolde with Flagstad, Suthaus, Thebom and Fischer-Dieskau.

Truly glorious stuff. Probably one of the finest complete recordings of Tristan that I've heard.

dod

Mozart- La Clemenza di Tito
Bartoli, Heilmann, Jones, Montague, Cachemaille, Bonney
The Academy of Aincent Music Orchestra & Chorus
Hogwood

dod

Montserrat Caballé sings from Verdi's "I Masnadieri" accompanied by the New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Lamberto Gardelli.

dod

Shostakovich Jazz Suite No.2
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly

dod

The 1986 EMI recording of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Kathleen Battle, Ann Murray, Thomas Allen, Margaret Price, Jorma Hynninen, Alejandro Ramirez & Franco De Grandis.

The Vienna State Opera Chorus & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti

simu

Right now, I'm listening to Schubert's Die schoene Muellerin sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

dod

Originally posted by simu
Right now, I'm listening to Schubert's Die schoene Muellerin sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

ooh nice. I don't have that recording. Must have a little wander through HMV soon.

dod

Puccini- La Rondine
Gheorghiu/ Alagna/ Matteuzzi/ Mula/ Rinaldi

LSO/ London Voices
Pappano

Glorious stuff.

dod

Donizetti- L'elisir D'amore

Gheorghiu/ Alagna
Choeur de l'Opera National de Lyon
Orchestre de l'Opera National de Lyon
Evelino Pido

A wonderful, delightful way to spend a monday evening. The voices are divine.