What Are You Listening To?

[stlukesguild]

I’ve been slowly populating my library in Spotify with all the works I have on CD. There are a few exceptions of recordings unavailable on Spotify. One is this recording of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde…

Another one I found unavailable today is the disc of Massenet Arias that I quite love (And live the cover as well):

 

[brianvds]

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Quite possibly the first classical song-cycle, A die fern Geliebte (To the distant loved one) established a model that Schubert, Schumann, Richard Strauss, and others would build upon. Just as I wish Beethoven had composed more concertos for violin and piano (and not spent time on his sole opera ) I certainly wish he had made more efforts in this genre.

At last an admission that opera is a waste of time. Now if Wagner only composed more string quartets!

 

[stlukesguild]

At last an admission that opera is a waste of time.

That may have been true for Beethoven. I’ll not say that Fidelio is worthless… but in spite of his opinions to the contrary, it is no where near as marvelous as the major operas of Mozart (or many others) and I can only say I wish he’d spent more time on composer further violin and piano concertos.

I’m currently listening to this collection of Mexican music.

 

[Hermes2020]

I am as excited as little boy today: I want to share my discovery of Wolfgang Rihm's music, which, quite inexplicably, has been unknown to me until a few days ago. I hear echoes of Edgard Varese and Kalevi Aho in his percussive sounds, which appeal to me very much. Here is the long percussion section called Kreuze, from Rihm's Tutuguri. The conductor's style reminds me of the way Boulez conducted without a baton.

 

[Hermes2020]