I’m currently exploring the music of Alban Berg. I’m only a few albums in but I can tell this is going to be a rewarding journey. The colors and dynamics have me hooked.
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interesting that it was Beethoven’s Third (my word) and not the Fifth.
for all the love of Kleiber fils in the latter, I have a special fondness for Muti and the magnificent Philadelphia Orchestra in #5.
I was in Philadelphia around the time of this recording, and saw them perform Beethoven’s Fifth. It was electric, and one of the most memorable concert experiences of my life.
…and I saw CSNY in 1974.
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What sounds more baroque than J.S. Bach?
Discovered a gem among rediscovered baroque compositions by one my favorite yet almost unknown composers: Christoph Graupner (whom I admire mainly for his cantatas). His name is often cited as the main rival of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig whom history has kind of forgotten after the latter became Thomaskantor.
In my understanding many of his compositions are textbook examples of what baroque means. It is safe to say they are less inventive, less perfectionist and less harmonically versatile compared to Bach´s. But in my understanding it is their simplicity, elegiac and meditative quality capturing even better the spirit and atmosphere of Baroque.
Not a perfectionist’s recording but fitting Graupner´s approach to baroque: wide space, decent legati, very uniform basso continuo combination of harpsichord and violoncello. Highly recommended
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Exciting! I confess that I really have tried to find a better version than Kleiber in No. 5 to no avail…looking forward to this. I was listening to No. 5 (Kleiber) today, as there may possibly be a new remaster, but if there is, the differences are small. And then I remembered when, in the BBC Radio 3 ‘Building a Library’ commentary, the reviewer wanted in the third movement: ‘goblins’…looking forward to hearing how Muti tackles that movement.
And as a senseless Europhile…what’s CSNY 
?
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Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young… isn’t it??
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Correct; and they were at their peak in 1974.
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Worth a listen if you are interested in baroque. Agrell was a swedish baroque composer. (1701-65). There are some signs of the developing classical period here.
Has Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch on violin. That’s always a plus.
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A favourite recording of Graupner annd another great recording by Capricornus Consort Basel as mentioned recently by eclectic . Have enjoyed most of their recordings and others with Miriam Feuersinger
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Very much enjoyed Muti’s account, but still can’t quite give up my preference for Kleiber. So to test whether Kleiber’s reputation is deserved, I turned to him live:
Almost annoyingly, my appreciation of him increased! The only recording of his that I don’t warm to is the ‘Tristan’. It’s a shame there aren’t more live recordings, as his ‘Elektra’ and ‘Otello’ at Covent Garden are the stuff of legend.
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I’m not a regular playlist listener. Roon provided the Sara Mingardo daily mix below.
I exported it to Qobuz for your listening pleasure. It has some good variety. It could do with some Vivaldi Stabat Mater added, I’ll do that later. One selection has the soprano Natalie Dessay singing way beyond Mingardo’s range. That keeps the interest going.
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There was a brief discussion here on the best performances of the Biber Rosary/Mystery Sonatas. Here’s a performance released a few weeks ago.
This has a large continuo group. Cello, gamba archlute, baroque guitar, theorbo, triple harp and percussion. This in addition to the organ and harpsichord.
I tend to prefer the more meditative approach that just an organ gives so I’m interested to see how I’ll get on.
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The TiVo review by James Manheim makes some relevant points:
The novelty in this performance is the hefty continuo group, drawn from the larger Apollo’s Fire ensemble and led by its conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell … (there are seven players in all, including Sorrell). This is a lot for a work that, as far as one can know at this remove, was probably intended for quiet contemplation (again, like Bach’s sonatas and partitas) rather than for public display.
I see it as being like an arrangement for modern concert performance. It was on the Apollo’s Fire concert calendar: https://apollosfire.org/event/sacred-mysteries/
There are videos of performances:
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Hmm. I’ll be polite. It won’t make my favorite list. Distracting to the point of not being recognisable at times.
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Last year I introduced the small Camerata RCO ensemble, formed by musicians from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. They have released some fascinating arrangements of Mahler and Bruckner, and here’s their 2023 release with Rolf Verbeek’s beautiful version of Bruckner 6 for violin, viola, cello, bass, clarinet, horn, accordion, piano and timpani (one player per part)… I love listening to their chamber arrangements… so transparent and often surprising…
A (shortish) review can be found here:
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Last weekend I had the privilege of experiencing one of the most profound and moving performances of my life: the Danish String Quartet playing the Schubert Quintet as well as a Thomas Ades response. In my library have an old Hagen version, the second Takács, and the Pavel Haas, but none of them impacted me as much as the Danish did live (I cried after the first movement).
I am curious whether anyone has any favorite Schubert Quintet recordings to share?
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I like the Pavel Haas recording, and the one by Cuartetto di Cremona with Eckart Runge…
I’d love to be able to see this performed in concert!!!
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I think Marin Alsop is among the finest conductors of John Adams material.
City Noir was previously released by the St Louis Symphony on Nonesuch I believe but I think this is as good.
I’m so glad Naxos keeps recording Alsop. Her albums with Baltimore, Bournemouth and other orchestras are all stellar.
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Have you heard the one with members of L’Archibudelli?
It’s available on streaming services in this Vivarte Schubert box:
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Thank you for the suggestions @Andreas_Philipp1 and @Jesse . I’ll listen to them.
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