November 2013 - Classical Music

Bach, J.S.

• Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (For this purpose the Son of God was manifested)
• Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen (O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me)
• O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (O Eternity, you thunderous word)
• Was soll ich aus dir machen, Ephraim (How can I give you up, Ephraim)
• Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf meinem Unglauben (Lord I believe, help my unbelief)

Barber

• Adagio for Strings
• Summer Music
• Nocturne (Homage to John Field)

Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 31 and 32
Bernstein - Overture to 'Candide'
Bridge - Dance Poem
Bridge - Allegro moderato for string orchestra
Chopin

• Two Nocturnes, op.27
• Waltz in A flat, op.42
• Three Mazurkas, op.63 

Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Dvorak - Slavonic Dance No.9 (orchestral version)
Enescu -Romanian Rhapsody No.1
Faure

• Nine Preludes
• Nocturnes 9 and 10
• Barcarolle No.9
• Impromptu No.5
• Serenade for cello and piano

Giazotto - Adagio in G minor
Hindemith - Kammermusik Nos. 4 and 5
Holmboe

• Symphonies 2 to 5, 13
• Chamber Symphonies 1 and 2
• Sinfonia 3
• Viola Concerto
• Flute Concerto No.1
• Preludes 1 to 4 for chamber orchestra 
• String Quartets 2, 4, 10, 11, 15, 17, 19 and 20
• Violin Sonatas 1 to 3
• Trombone Sonata
• Sonata for solo flute
• Quartetto, op.90
• Aspects
• Monolith
• Tempo variabile
•  Haiduc (Marauders)
• Bagatelle No.1 'Arabesque'

Honegger - Cello Concerto
Humperdinck - Overture to 'Hansel and Gretel'
Janacek - Sinfonietta
Thomas Linley the Younger - Overture to 'The Duenna' 
Mahler - Songs of a Wayfarer
Mozart - Symphonies 40 and 41
Poulenc - Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano
Poulenc - Clarinet Sonata 
Rachmaninov - Cello Sontat
Rachmaninov - 10 Preludes, op.23 
Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit
Schubert - Piano Sonatas in A flat, F sharp minor and A, D.557, 571 and 664
Schumann - Fantasy in C
Schumann - Arabeske in C
Simpson - Symphony No.2 
Strauss, R. - Oboe Concerto
Vivaldi

• Laudate Dominum, RV 606
• Laetatus sum, RV 607
• Nisi Dominus in G minor, RV 608

Walton - Cello Concerto
Walton - Orb and Sceptre

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It happened again. I went completely Holmboe-mad.

I think it was stress-related, but whatever the precise cause,  I just had this moment where I knew specifically that I wanted to listen to Holmboe. Over the course of the next few days, not only did I listen to a sizable slice of the recordings I already had, I also ordered 6 new CDs. Which arrived in time for me to listen to about a third during the month.

Of the new pieces, the pick thus far would probably be the Viola Concerto. Fascinating music from late in Holmboe's life, but also a thrillingly good recording. It positively jumps out of the speakers.

There was another new purchase for the month, only it was really an old one... one of my early classical cassettes was an Andre Previn recording simply called 'Classical Favourites'. I believe it's culled from a couple of albums released when he had a television show (a fairly remarkable thing for a conductor when you think about it).  I haven't listened to the cassette for years, but I did love it and had long had a vague idea I should try getting it on CD. I finally acted, after some random thought about Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice reminded me just how long it was since I had heard that marvelous work. Other highlights of the disc include Barber's Adagio and Enescu's Rhapsody, but really the whole thing is a great listen.

I listened to more of the Bach cantatas, and BWV 60, O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort was a highlight.  It's full of dialogue between different voices, rather than solos, and I found that helped it tell a dramatic 'story'.

I finally reached the end of my set of Bridge's orchestral works, having proceeded chronologically, and immediately thought about going back to listen to the works in the order they're actually presented in the set. So many silly completist plans, so little time...

This is all rather bits-and-pieces and not my finest writing, but the last thing I want to mention is the relatively late Faure piano music I've now reached. On one wonderful evening, I played the nocturnes, barcarolle and impromptu listed above, written in 1908 and 1909, and arranged them almost as a kind of romantic sonata. Except it wasn't that 'romantic' - Faure by this time was writing music that is more austere and often more knotty than his earlier work. And it's glorious stuff.