performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Neeme Järvi, or as below with the WDR Radio Chorus and WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne under Rudolf Barshai (cover image by Taton Moïse) [O]ne is tempted simply to cut it off … Continue reading Shostakovich Symphony no. 2 in B, op. 14, ‘To October’
performed by the Echnaton Trio, or below by Peter Sirotin, Violin; Michael Stepniak, Viola; Fiona Thompson, Cello (cover image by Geoffrey Datema) Today’s work is obviously a much later piece than the first symphony, with an identifiably chromatic vocabulary. Its four … Continue reading Melartin String Trio, op. 133
performed by the Japan Philharmonic under Akeo Watanabe …coming back from Europe I found America a very strange place. Some of the musical life had become quite European, with the arrival of so many distinguished musicians who had fled the … Continue reading Roger Sessions: Symphony no. 1
performed by the Emerson Quartet, or below by the Takács Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXQ2-uD_4LU Bartók’s third string quartet was written in Budapest in 1927, putting it just after the first piano concerto in his output. Remember, despite the low numbers, these are … Continue reading Bartók String Quartet no. 3
performed by Viktoria Mullova and Bruno Canino (more about Mullova below), or below by Renaud Capuçon and (the outstandingly lovely) Hélène Grimaud Who would have thought the first violin sonata we’d tackle on this blog (after almost three years of pretty dedicated listening … Continue reading Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major
Fugue for Thought 