What did Igor Stravinsky do for an encore after writing Rite of Spring, one of the most revolutionary pieces in the history of Western art music? He wrote Les Noces (The Wedding), a piece that is also unique and revolutionary, if not very well known. It is scored for solo voices, chorus, a bunch of percussion and 4 (?!) pianos. And I'll admit the first time I heard it (or a part of it) I wasn't sure it was even music as the word is generally understood. It is the finale of Stravinsky's "Russian Primitivism" phase, including Firebird and Rite of Spring and it is certainly primitive. It is based on Russian folk wedding songs but the emphasis is much more on rhythm and tone than melody and harmony. Not my favorite thing on the menu, but certainly worth ordering once and a while.



16/44 FLAC download.

Both Leonard Bernstein and Karl Ancerl have made outstanding recordings of Les Noces, but I like the one by the RIAS Kammerchor.

Listening to "Chant of the Templiers" by Marcel Perez, Ensemble Organum:



The liner notes indicate that the manuscript for this music is from the late twelfth century.  I think of music from that time as "classical" and hopefully belongs in this thread.  It is purely vocal music, with seven voices.  The recording is very reverberant.

For me it falls into the category of music that I like but do not feel a strong urge to "study."  I listened to this a lot while working at home during COVID - while I like the music, for me it does not seem to distract me and demand my attention, so I liked to have it on while I did my work.  Which in some ways strikes me as being odd, as I also think that hearing this music "back in the day" must have been an incredible experience.

Another great box of Renaissance polyphony.



On CD.

I was enjoying disc 32, a selection of late 16th century choral music by Giaches de Wert.

More Brahms. Late in life Brahms' work was infused with what the commentators call "autumnal melancholy." If you aren't sure what that sounds like I suggest the Clarinet Quintet, Op.115.



On CD.

More Chopin.



24/96 FLAC Download.

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli didn't make a lot of recordings, but the ones he did make are (mostly) amazing. This is some of the most beautiful piano playing I know. In fact my favorite pianist, Ivan Moravec (see above) was also a big fan.

I was listening to Jeno Jando's admirable (and almost free ) Beethoven piano sonata cycle.



16/44 FLAC download

And reflecting on one of the most recognizable piano licks of all time: the opening of the Moonlight Sonata. The story goes that "Moonlight" was coined by the publisher because the first movement reminded him of the moonlight on Lake Geneva, which I just don't hear. But, and this is something I've always wondered about, the first movement is actually written in cut time, which (for non-music readers) means it should be played twice as fast as it is performed. The music is pretty easy, and even a very modestly equipped pianist such as myself could play it at the actually indicated tempo (sometimes on the Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand that would hang around the youth orchestra practice rooms) and when played like that, it does indeed feel kinda like moonlight on a lake. FWIW/YMMV.

I don't know if JB has given up on his Beethoven Symphony Cycle, but I haven't. I'm up to number 6, The Pastoral.



16/44 FLAC Download.

The Pastoral is all about the wind section and I went with Eugen Jochum and the Concertgebouw. Neither the playing nor the recording disappoints.

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Thank you, and happy listening to you as well!

I guess my favorite movement is the second. It is just so... pastoral.

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Don't believe everything you read . There are no "lesser" Beethoven symphonies. Nos. 3, 5 and 7 are more dramatic, or heroic, where 4, 6 and to some extent 8 are more relaxed and introverted. But they are all very great. I've said before I'm glad I don't have to choose one Beethoven symphony, but if did it would be the 4th. So there's that.

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You are not alone.

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Interesting. I own several Beethoven Symphony cycles, and have heard many others but not Josef Krips, although I'm well aware of it. I remember in the early days of CD I was in the Tower Records on Sunset Blvd when the manager came in with a brand new box of the Krips Beethoven Symphonies and started asking each of the customers how much they thought it cost. This when when virtually every CD was like 17 dollars. The whole box was $19.99, but for some reason I didn't buy it then and I haven't bought it since. FWIW I just checked on Amazon and it is available used for $168.99, so I guess I'll wait a little longer.

Hello, James.  Glad you found the downloads for $12.50 instead of $169 on Amazon!

Also, in my other post, I should have said: "I have read on the internet that the even-numbered symphonies are considered by some as "lesser" symphonies."  Isn't OK to believe everything we read if it is on the internet?  

Hello, Geno.  I think that Mahler first symphony LP on the Everest label may be the same one that my parents had.  That is another of my favorite symphonies, probably in part because it was one of the first I heard at an early age!

Hi, Geno.  Sorry you are having issues with your phone - I am sufficiently "tech challenged" that I only post by computer!

Your comment about Everest, and my memory of them (probably from 1965 or 1966) made me want to look into the label a little bit, and I thought I would share a couple of links I found in case you are interested, which indicate the Everest recording technology may have also been used for some Mercury recordings (of course, feel free to ignore if it is more than you are interested in).

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This first link is to the Wikipedia article, which is a pretty quick read, but (per the second link below) may not be fully accurate in some of the details.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_Records

In summary, it looks like Everest used a 35mm magnetic film technology for their recordings, and their "recording philosophy was to make minimally-miked three channel recordings using 35 mm film recorders in the specially designed Belock Recording Studio and Bayside, New York . . .".  They were founded in 1958, and by the early 1960s the original owner was forced out of control.  The studio and the recording equipment were sold to a recording engineer and used for other recordings, including Mercury records.  

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The second link is for the "Discophage" website and seems like a very thorough and well-researched discography.

https://discophage.com/discographies/everest-records-cd-discography/

This write-up is long, and the main things I saw in skimming it is that (1) some of the details in the Wikipedia article are not completely accurate, and (2) on good versions, these recordings can have "stupendous hi-fi sound (and not just good 'for the vintage')."  I will be curious what James thinks of the quality of his downloads.

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So I'm a big fan of both Mahler and Bruno Walter, but not necessarily both at the same time. And, for whatever reason I never got around to listening to his recording of Mahler's 1st, until today. I was pretty much blown away. Very leisurely, and lyrical with a lot of what I'd call "old world charm." But Walter can also put the hammer down when needed. And the recording is great.



On CD, from the Bruno Walter Edition box.

Felix Mendelssohn pretty much single handedly brought J.S. Bach's music back from the dead. He also wrote choral music that Bach might have appreciated. And if Mendelssohn doesn't exactly measure up to the original it is still well worth one's time.



On CD.

When there is choral music to be sung you can't beat the RIAS Kammerchor.

From uncharacteristically serious Mendelssohn to uncharacteristically dark Mendelssohn. His final sting quartet in F minor was (likely) written in memory of his sister who died a few months earlier. Felix would join her two months after its completion.



On CD

It is one of the most unique string quartets of the Romantic era, and it is no surprise the Emerson Quartet plays in flawlessly.

I love me some Sibelius Violin Concerto. I don't know the one above, but I have a few favorites starting with David Oistrakh/Ormandy.



On CD.

Overall I would call the performance brooding. But also plenty of virtuoso fireworks as well. And the late 50s sound is really good, which is a rarity for a Columbia/Philadelphia recording.