Love Your Classical Music Geek

#NowSpinning Excerpts from Strauss’s Elektra with Inge Borkh. This immediately hits a chilling note; Borkh is haunting and dramatically alive. And the orchestra sounds magnificent.

I am definitely preferring the Vienna cycle, though it’s not ideal!

That first movement was FAR too lethargic for me!

It’s really interesting to see how divided listeners actually are on the Abbado Beethoven cycles.

#NowSpinning Abbado’s Vienna Beethoven Pastoral. I am kind of blowing hot and cold with Abbado’s Beethoven. Some of it is thrilling. Some of it seems overly restrained. But it’s always thoughtful at least.

Thing is, though, I image they will sell well whatever the repertoire choice.

True.

Thing is Chandos is only a small label and they have done so much to expose unknown music. This disc will be at least their third Danse Macabre!

Coming on 1 May. I am sure it’s going to be worth hearing, but I can’t help wondering why Chandos are once again retreading ground they have already covered repeatedly.

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 182 ‘Vaterlandslied’, D287 from 14 September 1815. There is something confidently patriotic in this one, which is unsurprising given the subject matter. It’s almost heroic. www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W1...

#NowSpinning Lara-Erik Larsson’s Violin Concerto. I have never heard this work and must say there is a great deal of shady anticipation at the start. Almost like the theme of a 90s murder mystery movie!

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 181 ‘Selma und Selmar’, D286b from 14 September 1815. Klopstock rendered with an inner glow. A beautiful song. www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W2...

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 180 ‘Furcht der Geliebten’, D285 from 12 September 1815. A really beautiful song, this, with lots of light and shade.

Yes this is exactly true. Incredible performances too!

Yo can say anything you like. And I might even agree with you. On this occasion….I do!

This morning’s delights were clear. Two ABSOLUTE bangers. One of them crackled, sizzled, was full of joyous flavour and glorious textures throughout. The other was just, you know, a bit of pork in a piece of skin.

#NowSpinning Glazunov Symphony No.4 with Otaka in Wales. The opening cor anglais solo is to die for. This is a stunning symphony whichever way you look at it. Rimsky-Korsakov conducted the premiere and described the work as ‘marvellous, noble, expressive’. How nice!

It’s a really marvellous work. Starts a bit like Alfvén and ends up like Shostakovich!

#NowSpinning Weinberg Symphony with Thord Svedlund in Gothenburg. The opening is lightly whimsical and very tuneful, but it soon develops into something more serious. But the Nordic sensibilities of the work are ever-present.

Gardner was great, but Jurowski really moved the orchestra into a different league. I genuinely believe Järvi will continue that job!

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 179 ‘Lied’, D284 from 6 September 1815. Short but most definitely sweet! www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W2...

I do have it. Magnificent.

Well good god that *is* big news. If you are going to pick a successor to Jurowski, this is one helluva way to go!!

#NowSpinning Copland’s Orchestral Variations, with John Wilson and the BBC Broncos. This is a gnarly, angular work. And it’s pretty exciting as the played here.

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 178 ‘An Den Früling’, D283 from 6 September 1815. We could easily predict that Spring freshness would figure in this setting! www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W2...

#NowSpinning ‘Willows’, with Pekka Kuusisto on majestic form. Great personal tragedy immediately preceded the recording of this album for Kuusisto. I find some of the works included more effortful than natural - particularly the Caroline Shaw - but that’s a personal view.

Rather impressed with the first disc of the Audite Grieg Symphonic Works set, which I managed to finally track down. There’s a wonderful freshness and clarity of articulation, which works beautifully with Grieg’s sound palette. Aadland’s conducting is full of light and shade.

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 177 ‘Cronnan’, D282 from 5 September 1815. I hadn’t realised the extent to which Schubert entered into the twilight worlds of Celtic myth and legend! This is epic! www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W2...

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 176 ‘Das Mädchen von Inistore’, D281 from September 1815. Melancholic, haunting and mournful. Painting ‘Young Girl on the Beach’ by Edvard Munch. www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W2...