Best Ever Albums

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:45:00 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/17/2026 15:45

Richard Strauss - Oboe Concerto in D Major
Year: 1945
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra /Daniel Harding
François Leleux/Oboe
Rating: 4 Stars

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I was in the mood for some oboe, maybe a little on the buoyant side, and settled on this canonical work by Richard Strauss..... and holy relentlessly light and lively melodies, Batman! It took me less than a dozen bars to figure out why this is so beloved a piece. I can't say I was always a fan of Strauss's grand orchestral, over the top statements. I put this on and it was paint me pink and call me a flamingo! This piece is scored for small orchestra, allowing the oboe to really shine without having to fight for its place on the stage. As delightful as the firs7 movement melodies are, the second movement melodies are equally lovely. In the third movement, the buoyancy of the lead instrument reaches its peak and the oboe and small orchestra dance together in a gloriously refreshing partnership. What a sweet piece.... and oboist François Leleux brings out all the expressiveness available in both the score and his instrument.

Link

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Ruth Gipps - Oboe Concerto
Year: 1941
BBC Philharmonic conducted/Rumon Gamba
Juliana Koch/Oboe
Rating: 4.5 Stars
After the Strauss, I decided that, as much as I enjoyed it, I was still in the mood for some more oboe, but maybe something a little less buoyant; something a little moodier where the oboe reaches a little deeper into its lower register a little more often, and maybe even does a little brooding. So I took a suggestion for this piece by Ruth Gipps, a composer I don't recall having ever heard.... aaaaaand....... holy stupendous suggestions, Batman! I fell right in love with this piece. Not quite as low and moody as I was hoping for, it nevertheless hit both my general everyday elements of appreciation and my current temporary mood right on target, dead center. I must surmise that, being an oboist herself, Gipps was especially well poised to maximize everything the oboe has to offer in a concerto. But in addition to the marvelous melodies spanning the instruments full expressive range, she has composed fantastic accompaniment and the way the solo instrument and orchestra circle around each other, sizing each other up, almost like a mating dance, is positively brilliant. While they ultimately arrive at the same place, it's clearly the solo character that is in charge as things come to a close, and in the context of this particular piece of music, that's a most wonderful thing.

I love discovering a new composer and really enjoying that introductory work such that it inspires me to seek out more of their ouevre, but with Gipps, I'm a little concerned about potentially seeking out more. This was so absolutely dead on perfect to my ear and my taste, that I fear it can only go downhill from here! Add to that her experience with the oboe and its obvious contribution to the magnificence of this piece, and I doubt she could write anything in any other format which could compare.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:36:55 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/16/2026 12:36

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Ottorino Respighi - Pines of Rome
Year: 1923
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
Rating: 4.25 Stars

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Ottorino Respighi - Fountains of Rome
Year: 1916
NBC Symphony Orchestra/Arturo Toscanini
Rating: 4 Stars

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Roman Festivals
Year: 1928
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Loren Maazel
Rating: 4 Stars

I recall making a run at both Pines and Fountains about 35 years ago. After going absolutely bonkers over Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, I just randomly grabbed whatever seemed to be most popular Respighi at the classical music store. I didn't really take to it. In retrospect, I think that was because I had my heart set on another Ancient Airs and Dances and these were something entirely different in every way; inspiration, era, orchestration, construction. Even as a neophyte, there was no missing Respighi's mastery of orchestration, but that wasn't really what I was looking for. Now with much broader experience and musical understanding, I thought it might be a good time to make another run at The Pines, especially as that was the sort of the thing I was in the mood for. And yes, I loved it. The exuberant opening movement seemed like it might be more worthy of being one of the Roman Festival than the Pines, but it was certainly fun, and the contrast made the mysterious pines of the second movement even more powerful. After the fun and the mystery, the third movement brings us serenely compelling nocturnal beauty.... and live birds! Finally, the closer brings us a massive climax that seems it could blow us right out of the concert hall! Yeah, there is much to love here, rather shocking that I didn't immediately take to it early in my Classical journey as Respighi is oft cited as gateway classical and this is one of his most beloved pieces. It's amazing what very specific expectations can do. Fritz Reiner's reading with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is generally considered the gold standard for this piece and I can see why; Reiner deploys his orchestral forces brilliantly, emphasizing exactly the right level of emphasis from each and every instrument at exactly the right time, so important in maximizing the effect of a piece so dependent on orchestral colors to make its point.

Well, having enjoyed the Pines so much, I figured why not go ahead and take on the whole Roman Trilogy, Although Reiner is again the obvious choice for the Fountains of Rome, I wanted to listen to another interpretation and ended up with Toscanini, who it turns out was a contemporary/good friend of the composer and who was intimately familiar with the piece. That familiarity shows in his reading with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Toscanini really gets inside the piece and every bar of this music seems to grow organically from the origin of its composer's musical mind. The cool thing about the program for these for impressions of Roman fountains is that they proceed through the day, the first fountain visited at dawn, the next in the morning, one at noon, and one at sunset... and yes at each juncture, Respighi's score (and Toscanini's interpretation) bring out the time of day as well as the impression of the fountain itself. Of particular interest is that the world famous Trevi Fountain is the one visited at noon, and the music gets a little loud and even pushy, as various parts of the orchestra seem to be trying to push each other out of the way; it's almost as if Respighi could foresee the coming hordes of tourists jockeying for position in the midday sun to get a glimpse of the famous landmark!

Enjoying trying out a different conductor for each, I grabbed Loren Maazel's recording of the Roman Festivals with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Roman Festivals begin with a real wake up call from the brass announcing the Roman circuses, bringing pageantry of the spectacle to full musical display. Interestingly, the second movement is calm (not unexpected for a second movement after so rousing a first), but it's called "Jubilee," a word that, at least to me, announces something more lively. But it's pretty and serves as a good palette cleanser between the boisterous opener and the coming "Harvests of October," a magnificent blend of pastoralism and excitement. Once more, in this suite, Respighi brings everything to a massively rousing close. The performance and recording were quite good here, even if not as renowned as some other recordings.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:52:43 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/15/2026 00:52

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Vitezslav Novak - South Bohemian Suite
Year: 1936-1937
Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra/Jaroslav Vogel
Rating: 4 Stars

I have loved everything I've heard from this composer and, with my inner Czechophile coming to the surface today, I decided to give his South Bohemian Suite a run.
Another perfect choice!

This unique, four movement suite takes me right back to the old country. The first movement, "Pastoral Horizons," is aptly named. My first thought was this wouldn't be out of place setting the stage in Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen. This is not to say that Novak sounds like Janacek, but rather that it sounds like both of these pieces feel like they come from the same place, which is a testament to both composers' connection to their rural countryside. In both cases, they help me feel that connection and it's beautiful. The second movement, "Reverie: Forests and Ponds, isn't quite so aptly named; "reverie" to me implies something pretty lively, and this is a slow movement throughout, but with an occasional breeze in the forest or bubble in the pond. Slow or not, the beauty actually exceeds that of the first movement, as if the first movement was really setting the stage for this, and this capitalizes on that foundation. The third movement, "Once Upon a Time: March of the Hussites," is a great listen independent of program, but probably wouldn't have reached me at the same level had I not recently traveled to Czechia and learned a good deal of Hussite history. There is a march here, but not a pure one; more just enough of one to have character matching the program while sitting next to all that pastoral beauty. There is a very short 4th movement, "Epilogue: I Greet You, My Homeland!," that rounds out the suite as a genuine ode to a beloved place

Link

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Vitezslav Novak - Slovak Suite
Year: 1903
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Libor Pesek
Rating: 4.5 Stars
One good suite deserves another, eh? So I grabbed Novak's earlier Slovak Slovak Suite, inspired by his visit to Moravia where he encountered and developed a love for Moravian/Slovakian folk song. Like the South Bohemian Suite, I checked into this listen without researching anything ahead of time. Immediately in the first movement, I got a strong chorale vibe, so even without overt church references, it seemed to me to be inspired by church music. The later appearance of an organ seemed to confirm this. Upon studying the piece afterward, I learned the first movement is titled "At Church." I could claim to have a discerning, ear, but instead, I'll give credit to the composer for being effective in delivering his program. Oh, and this movement is, if anything, even more beautiful than anything in the later South Bohemian Suite! The second movement brings the fun, but in a remarkably sweet and gentle way. It is entitled "Among the Children," maybe not something I would have guessed with precision, but it certainly fits! The third movement, "Two in Love" begins with all the lush romanticism you'd expect from such a title, but A minute and a half in, we get an unexpected shift to something more likey, which gives way to the original more peaceful vibe before combining the two thoughts into a coherent synthesis, which I take to represent the quiet and the more exuberant phases of a loving relationship. Now unlike the South Bohemian Suite, the Slovak Suite gives us five movements, the fourth being "The Band." This is where the Moravian folk song flavor is most evident, and it's a joy to listen to, with these exuberant tunes given a thoroughly romantic treatment. So what do you do after you party? If you're like most of us, you need a rest. The final movement is "At Night." At almost 12 munites (contrast that with less than 2 minutes for the final movement of the South Bohemian Suite), one would think it would throw off the balance of the piece, finishing with such a long, slow movement. But not so! First of all, Novak maximizes the beauty quotient again, with harp and flute gently floating atop lush and soothing strings in the most gorgeous of lullabies. How odd that, after 12 minutes of gentle serenade, I feel like raising both hands as if to signal "Touchdown!" and shout "Bravo! Bravo!"

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:53:18 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/10/2026 12:53

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - String (viola) Quintet in G Minor
Year: 1787
Alban Berg Quartet
Rating: 4.25 Stars

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - String (viola) Quintet in G Minor
Year: 1787
Talich Quartet
Rating: 4 Stars

I was in the mood for a Mozart quintet, and landed on this surprisingly tragic work, coincidentally from the same year as the great Haydn quartet I just listened to . I'm always interested in the selection of additional instrument for a string quintet, viola or cello, and how is that to be employed. Each brings a very different additional voice and requires significantly different execution to achieve the right balance. But hey, this is Mozart we're talking about here.... we could hand him a trombone, glockenspiel, two kettle drums and a kazoo and he'd bring back something that is the epitome of classical balance.

But I wasn't so sure in the first movement. That second viola spends a lot of time mirroring the first viola and the second violin to the point that it seemed rather redundant, especially since the three of them spent most of their time providing an ostinato for the first violin to ride upon, and the cello, already outnumbered at this point, seemed underused. But there was no denying the beauty of that violin line, and the trio of middle strings were instrumental in creating the tragic atmosphere, so still a good listen.

The minuet comes second in this piece, but it's hardly a dance movement at this point. The dark mood remains, and there's plenty of tempo changes, so I can't imagine actually dancing to it, with or without powdered wig. But that's okay as its a powerful, moving piece, and Mozart ends up being quite brilliant in how he takes what is traditionally the lightest part of a work and makes it extra deep.

Although in a major key (Eb), the third movement plumbs the depths even further. Slow and wistful, it also includes long stretches of syncopated eighth notes.... look, it's classical reggae! Not really a recommendation in my book, but of course Mozart carries it off in wondrous fashion. None other than Tchaikovsky said of this movement, "No one has ever known as well how to interpret so exquisitely in music the sense of resigned and inconsolable sorrow."

The final movement kicks off with an absolute dirge, still slower and darker than all the movements preceding it before launching into a much brighter allegro that resolves things much as you might come to expect from Mozart. However, while many experts play up the contrast, as if everything has turned into rainbows and unicorns, I actually hear it a little differently. To my ear, the darkness has not fully dissipated, but rather; it still exists, but the theme seems to be that we have learned to coexist with it, and that understanding is what brings the relative lightness we're now enjoying.

I gave this two listens, first by the Alban Berg Quartet and then by the Talich Quartet. The first is astonishingly crisp and precise with the latter being more emotive. Being that this is a relatively dark and heavily emotive piece, I would expect the Talich to be the better approach, but ironically it seemed the crispness of the Berg brought out the message with greater clarity. Both solid performances to be sure, but I can really see myself reaching for the Berg first in most cases.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Wed, 7 Oct 2026 22:09:50 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/08/2026 02:09

Franz Joseph Haydn - String Quartet, Op. 54, #2
Year: 1787
London Quartet
Rating: 4.75 Stars

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After thoroughly enjoying the first three of Haydn's op. 50 quartets, I was reading up on them via various sources and stumbled upon a proclamation by David Hurwitz (a critic with whom I share much taste in common) that Haydn's Op. 54, #2 is his "most extraordinary quartet." Now that's a bold claim. Now Mr. Hurwitz, have you heard Op. 76 or Op. 77? Really... think about what you're saying!

But such a claim from such a reputable source demands investigation, so I decided to make fresh run at this extraordinary quartet. So what did I encounter?

Well. To kick things off. The first movement may have Haydn's most effective counterpoint, which itself is no small claim now on my part. But I was amazed and for now, I'm standing by that claim.

The four parts start off the second movement like a sort of four part chorale for strings, and it's beautiful, as well as an effect I never expected to hear in a classical quartet.

The third movement starts off slow, builds drama. And as it proceeds to a menuetto allegretto, the London Quartet makes extremely effective use of accelerandos and retards, allowing tempo to make this a nonstandard and continually interesting dance movement.

But even after all that, the biggest surprises come in the final movement, marked adagio/presto/adagio. Now by this time, we've gotten used to Haydn opening a fast movement with a slow introduction in a Symphony... but in a quartet? And always in the first movement, but the fourth? And then the biggest surprise is het to come. That opening adagio isn't just a brief introduction; the presto doesn't appear until we're 4 1/2 minutes into a movement that's all of 6 1/2 minutes long. And there's another adagio coming to close the piece (another nonstandard element), so that presto goes by really fast. So out of an entire traditionally fast movement, we get all of about a minute of presto..... and it works brilliantly! Really, it's as satisfying a final movement as I've heard.

So in the end, I can understand Hurwitz's claim. It is indeed a massively extraordinary quartet. Haydn's "most extraordinary?" Possibly. It may not displace my favorite (that would be Op. 76, #4), but I do love it through and through, and not only that, I have a level of respect for it commensurate with my emotional appreciation for it.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Tue, 6 Oct 2026 17:33:15 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/06/2026 21:33

Johann Baptist Vanhal - String Quartet in G Major, Op. 6, no. 1
Year: 1780
Kubin Quartet
Rating: 4 Stars

The same recommendation that brought me Haydn's quartet 50/3 also brought me this one. Seeing how brief this was, I was happy to give it a go even though I'd just completed over an hour of Haydn quartets. Vanhal was a contemporary of Haydn's, this quartet being written seven years to Haydn's Op. 50.

So, as I launched into this thing, the first thing I noticed was that this is, as if it was even possible at this point, even more amiable than the first movement in Haydn's Op. 50 #1. Again, like being greeted warmly by an old friend, but maybe a slightly more casual, less deep friendship. The second movement was then a slight shock, but in the best possible way, as it brought some real mystery into the equation, as if to say "okay, so this friend has changed since I last saw him.... how do I now approach this relationship?" The third movement was fine, nothing earth shattering, but served as an adequate closer (this quartet has but three movements). I won't fault it because really, the first two movements raised the bar so high, I can't imagine anyone having a closer fully up to the task. Sill, a very satisfying overall listen, and with less than 12 minutes total investment, it was good pleasure bang for your time buck.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Tue, 6 Oct 2026 17:08:43 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/06/2026 21:08

Franz Joseph Haydn - String Quartet, Op. 50, #3
Year: 1787
Tokyo Quartet
Rating: 4.25 Stars

Franz Joseph Haydn - String Quartet, Op. 50, #2
Year: 1787
Tokyo Quartet
Rating: 4.25 Stars

Franz Joseph Haydn - String Quartet, Op. 50, #1
Year: 1787
Tokyo Quartet
Rating: 4.5 Stars

I ended up listening to the first half of the Haydn Op. 50 set in reverse order. This was due to the #3 coming to me as a recommendation and, as expected, I loved it, so I had to check out the first two. They managed to be even better to my ear! (which is in no way a slight against the third; it truly is wonderful.

As in checking out an either new-to-me or less familiar Haydn Symphony, I love doing the same with has quartets. As many of them as there are, I know I'm always going to hear something unique or innovative, some way in which Haydn is combining things differently or moving the art forward.

What I got in the third kicked off right in the first movement. There was an unusually strong voice in the viola, the oft forgotten stepchild of the string world. The second movement seemed to be pretty rote to start off with, but halfway through the movement, it went through a dramatic transformation that really shook things up, in a very good way. The third movement did much the same and I was just loving all the unexpected twists and turns that always engaged but never disrupted. The final movement Is one of Haydn's more rousing closers, but I thought it came to a rather abrupt close (not quite Monty Python and the Holy Grail abrupt, but still not offering the full resolution I'm used to with Haydn.... maybe this was another "surprise"). But my fascination with his employment with the viola ran pretty much throughout. Haydn has the viola often doubling the 2nd violin, then branching off and running an inverse line

Stepping back to the second quartet in the set, I found it to be at least the equal of the first, maybe even a tiny notch above. It was a little more serious/dramatic, and it definitely had more of what I would call "punctuation." How much of that was the composer's intent and how much of it was a stylistic choice by the Tokyo Quartet, I don't really know, but I do know it worked. And again, Haydn pulled off those dramatic transitions midway through the middle movements.

After all that, I had no reason to think I'd be digging the first quartet even more.... but I did. The first movement was particularly amiable, even by Haydn standards, which is really saying something. It was like a warm greeting from an old friend. The second movement was just incredible, introducing some serious gypsy music we don't normally associate with Haydn, and it was way cool! The third movement was impressive, and most welcome, as it's the first time in the set I heard the cello really get to be the anchor, centering the piece. . In the final movement, Haydn goes hog wild with syncopation and damn is it lively! Yeah, it rocked.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 15:56:05 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/04/2026 19:56

Claudio Monteverdi — Vespro della Beata Vergine
Year: 1610
John Eliot Gardiner - Conducter
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
The London Oratory Juniors Choir
Ann Monoyios - Soprano
Marinella Pennicchi
Michael Chance - Counter Tenor
Nigel Robson - Tenor
Mark Tucker - Tenor
Sandro Naglia - Tenor
Bryn Terfel - Bass
Alastair Miles - Bass
Basilica di San Marco, Venice. 1990
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano
Rating: 4.25 Stars

Never thought I'd get around to this.
I originally had no interest in vocals in my classoal music
Then came Beethoven's 9th.
But that's it
But then came Novak's Slovak songs.
Okay, now I'm sure that's it.And I surely don't want any slow vocals!
But then came Gorecki's 3rd.
Okay, now I've found my real boundary, and I'm never going to like any church music!
Well, tn in walks J.S Bach, cantatas in hand. Wow!
But hey, that's Bach, eh? No reason to think anyone else can impress me like that.
And there's certainly no reason to travel back another quarter century from that!, right?

Well, actually there is... because this Monteverdi cat can write!

I went into this blind other than trying to pin down the best recording among the many available. The consensus pointed heavily to Gardiner's 1990 reading so that's what I went with.

....and...

Ahhhhh, the glory of the human voice as a musical instrument as opposed to just a deliverer of lyrics! Magnificent! Whether male or female, solo, duo in counterpoint, or full choir... beautiful.... and oh, so.... musical!

And yes, this performance is incredible. From the glory of the dueling tenors in Duo Seraphim, the beautifully combined choirs of the Nisi Dominus, to the fantastic counterpoint between vocalists and instruments (corners in particular) in the Sancta Maria, every last nook and cranny of this monumental work has something fresh to say, and say it it does in a most beautiful way.

That Monteverdi could write something so expansive, with such going on at times, and still keep individual lines distinct, is incredible. That an ensemble can keep that clarity while being so overwhelmingly grand even more so.

So while this was my first and only Monteverdi Vrspers so far, I was quite confident I had indeed selected the best version. No need to go seeking any other.

But after listening mostly blind, I did a little more research and learned Monteverdi left a lot of room for interpretation and different conductors take good advantage of this freedom. So I just had to grab another. Luckily, I managed to grab a less grand, more personal version which provided good contrast. Rinaldo Alessandrini and Concerto Italiano give us a more intimate reading that seems no less valid. I'll probably always gravitate a little more often to the Gardiner, but I can certainly see there being times where my mood might dictate I grab the Alessandrini.

So almost 4 hours of vocal church music for a guy who thought he didn't like it, and found himself loving every minute of it... not bad, eh?

Link

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Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 17:42:58 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 10/03/2026 21:42

Jean Françaix — Clarinet Quintet
Year: 1977
The Gautier Ensemble
Richard Hosford/Clarinet
Rating: 4 Stars

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This delightful bit of chamber music has an interesting structure. The five parts, including both the strings and solo instrument, start out simultaneously and in complete harmony. There's no struggle between voices whatsoever. It's beautifully pleasing to the ear, but left me wondering where we might go from here; it was as if we started with the resolution.

Two minutes in, the clarinet makes a brief solo statement that completely changes the pace of the piece. The strings then take over and create an environment for the clarinet to inhabit, which it does mostly through bouncy intersections. What I really like about the balance of this movement is how the environment created by the strings seems complete with or without the bubbly character of the clarinet bouncing through. The relationship seems superficial, but its funny the movement leaves the listener wondering if this is a fleeting event, or will the protagonist actually inhabit the environment or just dance above it.

In the second movement, the strings seem to try to draw the clarinet in, first with little success as the clarinet continues on its frivolous way. But eventually, our main character has to respond to the environment, and in doing so, starts to meld with that environment despite its original bias.

Through the first two movements, soloist Richard Hosford made the most of that light and lively tone, but in the third, our first fully proper slow movement, is where he really shines. Slow often comes with low, and when Hosford takes his clarinet into its lower register, the frivolity transitions to sublime beauty. So this is what we (strings and soloist) can accomplish when we work together! The third movement runs just over 5 minutes: about 15 seconds before the end, I could hear it getting ready to close and all I could think was "noooooo.... it's too soon!"

Of course in the final movement, a lively rondo, we're nack to rapid, lively figures from both the strings and wind, but now, they're more fully inhabiting the same space, but fortunately keeping their personalities intact.

Did I say this piece is delightful? Oh, yeah.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 18:22:49 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/28/2026 22:22

Miloslav Kabeláč - Symphony #3 for Brass, Organ, and Timpani
Year: 1957
Alena Veselá /Organ
Brass Harmonia/Libor Pešek
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Y'know, I'm not sure I can yet say with absolute certainty that there is undeniable objective proof justifying a 4.5/5 for this work. If anything, I could more easily point to elements that could just as easily argue the contrary. But it definitely struck me as such, so I'm happy to score it thusly.

There are no strings here. "You can't write a whole symphony without any strings!", you say? Kabeláč says "Hold my pilsner."!

At the tactical level, his juxtaposition of borderline sinister organ and heroic brass is unusual, and he uses it to great effect. At the strategic level, his subtle shifting of the roles of each, and especially the power dynamic between them makes their employment rather brilliant.

But the most amazing thing about this symphony at the macro level is the sustained intensity. Any time a piece is one thing throught, that one thing invariably loses its effect, right? We all know that 20+ minutes of unrelenting virtuosity is problematic... if all the notes are fast, then none of the notes are fast. If every measure of a piece is over the top climax, there is no climax. And so on.

Again, Kabeláč says "Czech this out!"

For over 20 minutes, the intensity (again packaged without the benefit of a full orchestra) never relents. But somehow, Kabeláč achieves enough contrast to keep the intensity from ever losing its potency from the opening fanfare right up through the final horn call. Astonishing.

Okay, now that I think about it, I'm going to retract my opening statement and say unequivocally that this piece earns every bit of those four and a half stars.

Either that or I'm just being a Caechophile fan of again.... nah, I'm sticking with the rave without excuse.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:43:09 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/27/2026 16:43

Leoš Janáček - The Cunning Little Vixen
Year: 1923
Rating: 4.25 Stars
Sharp-Ears (Vixen)- Elena Tsallagova
Forester- Jukka Rasilainen
Forester's Wife/ Owl- Michèle Lagrange
Fox- Hannah Esther Minutillo
Schoolmaster- David Kuebler
Parson- Roland Bracht
Harsta- Paul Gay
Director: André Engel.
Opéra national de Paris, Dennis Russell Davies

While I've never been big on opera, today, I decided to do a little experiment.

I love the Czech language. I find the rhythm of the Lang fascinating and its pacing is a delight to my ear.
Although I am a relative neophyte to vocals in my classoal music, I have come to love art song sung in Czech
So why not make a run at a Czech opera? Maybe I'll get into the vocals more if they're in my favorite language? Janáček specifically wrote The Cunning Little Vixen to capitalize on the natural inflection and rhythm of the Czech language.

Well, it turns out that the natural rhythmic meter of the Czech language gets a little lost in the richness of operatic singing. Just a little. So I didn't get quite as much a bump in appreciation based on the language as I anticipated.

So was the experiment a failure?

Not at all.... I just loved the opera!

From the onset, the music was stunningly gorgeous. The pastoral music in the opening act was almost incomprehensively beautiful. Janáček eschews has usual moderism/angular melodies for the most glorious swirling melodies and impressionistic musical picture painting, and it's undeniably glorious!

I liked the story, especially the social themes and especially the defiant strength of character of the central characterthat gives the opera its name. I liked the sets. I loved the acting. And yes, I very much enjoyed the singing. Even when I kinda like some opera singing at the outset, it reaches a point of annoyance long before the theatrical presentation is over. Not here! I loved the third act as much as the first.

I can't deny that I was emotionally struck when the cunning little vixen met her end. Of course it didn't hurt that soprano Elena Tsallagova is herself naturally stunning.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 20:42:20 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/20/2026 00:42

John Williams - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
Year: 1978
Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin
Emmanuelle Boisvert/violin
Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Here's an astonishingly good concert piece from the ultimate film score composer!

Musically, this may telling a story unlike any I've ever heard before. It opens with the solo instrument a capella, all alone, totally exposed, and apparently trying to offload some existential angst. Another string enters, and the two play together.... well not actually together.... this is where things get really interesting. Its not really a musical conversation such as we might expect so much as teo different entities inhabiting the same space but approaching and experiencing it differently. Two different characters, two different ethos, beautifully coalesced not in their relationship to each other but in their shared environment. It really is quite brilliant.

And then the full orchestra stomps in and promptly drowns out both! No wonder our little violin was so nervous. Eventually, the orchestra relents, and we can hear our solo personality tentatively return but it's clear its not going to be allowed full partnership. The struggle is real.

Here, we have John Williams being incredibly evocative without being at all cinematic.

In the second movement, we have our solo personality tentatively trying to find their way through this challenging world. This is not a great hero pushing their way to conquest, but rather a rather unsure individual poking around here and there, searching for a way out of this unfamiliar musical wilderness. That's the next really amazing thing about this conceto... that we can so clearly get to know this character when they're in such a subordinate role.

David Hurwitz classifies concertos in two categories: virtuoso concerto or justification concerto. The virtuoso concerto is easy to understand: we know all along the soloist is the show, and the orchestras purpose is to set up and support the soloist. The justification concerto is a little harder to understand; here the soloist must earn their way in the piece. They have to do something to establish their credibility; to justify their existence in this musical world. Of course it's not so binary as that; there's a continuum.... and this particular concerto may be the purest example of the justification concerto. In verbal description, it doesn't sound like my favorite approach, but here, Williams delivers a piece that absolutely amazes me.

If the second movement was about our solo personality trying to find their way, the third is about them trying to find their footing. Over those last 10 minutes, our little violin gradually gains gonfidence, ultimately finding their place in this musical landscape and establishing a presence there. Again, this is not a conquest; instead it becomes a sympathetic cohabitation... a consonance of sorts. Despite the lack of any explicit heroic victory, it's surprisingly satisfying.

Even though there's no obvious recurring melody or musical theme as we proceed from movement to movement, the piece feels strongly cyclical with the exceptionally well argued story ark establishing clear links from I to II to III.

I love being amazed.
This was amazing.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 14:42:04 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/19/2026 18:42

Otakar Jeremiáš - Love. Songs for Voice and Orchestra
Year: 1921
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Leoš Janáček - Silesian Songs
Year: 1918
Rating: 4 Stars

Leoš Janáček - Folk Poetry of Hukvaldy in Songs
Year: 1898
Rating: 3.75 Stars

Leoš Janáček - Six Folk Songs Sung bt Eva Gabel
Year: 1909
Rating: 3.5 Stars

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I grabbed this disc based on a recommendation to Czech out some písně (písně being Czech for lieder). It was a good suggestion. I expected to like the Janáček, but I'd never heard of Jeremiáš, and his písně were also quite enjoyable. These písně were so good, I even liked the male vocals.

Of the four sets, my favorite was the Silesian Songs. Okay, so maybe I was influenced by my recent trip to Central Europe where I fell in love with the Silesian countryside.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 19:47:08 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/18/2026 23:47

Ervin Schulhoff - Symphony #5
Year: 1939
Czech Radio Orchestra/Vladimír Válek
Rating: 4.75 Stars

Link

Okay, so the new to me Schulhoff guy is a smash hit, what a fantastic symphony! That military march that comprises the first movement is just extraordinary in its powerful projection and propulsive force! I cant sa as i generally like marches in my music, but this one ROCKS! At under five minutes, it goes by quick, acting more like an extended introduction than a full fledged opening movement, and that works perfectly for this symphony.

The second movement abandons the march for some more traditional drama, and high drama it is. But its what's ticked away in the corners of the score that really make this movement stand out, like periodic fanfare-like brass calls superimposed on the dramatic foundation, present but not fully in the forefront where you'd normally expect a fanfare to be, lending an air of a heroic common man theme to hreat effect. That is, if youre engaged in active listening; this is not background music!

The third movement brings us a most tempestuous storm, which is executed as a genuine force of nature; man alone can not stand against it... but you never get the sense that he can not survive it. You just have to ride it out... but you realize that while it's gonna be a bumpy ride, it's gonna be a good one and youre gonna emerge stronger than you entered.

Now there was a little unnecessary wandering in the fourth movement, and a theme or motif repeated once or twice too much, but overall thats a very minor quibble, and after scarcely a minute off track, Schulhoff executes a brilliant transition to get us back in the identifiable arc og the musical argument, and we finish strong and solid.

After listening to, and deriving quite exquisite pleasure from this symphony, i did some reading on Schulhoff and I was reminded of the importance of separating the artist from the art. It turns out Schulhoff was a dyed in the wool communist (he died in a concentration camp after having been arrested not for his Jewish heritage, but rather for his being a Soviet sympathizer). Had I known that ahead of time, it might have colored my appreciation.

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:53:46 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/18/2026 00:53

Leevi Madetoja - Symphony #2
Year: 1918
John Storgårds/Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Rating: 4.25 Stars

As this started, I was thinking "this is pretty." But that initial loveliness quickly evolved into something very Finnish. The specific way the strings make a very northern sounding foundation, and then the way the high brass provides punctuation over that foundation is distinctly Finnish to my ear.

But the beauty remains in place of the more austere vibe that permeates most Finnish music. A lot of Finnish music seems to be informed by the sparce arctic landscape, more specifically the long arctic winter night. But this seems to give us more of the equally long Arctic summer's day. There is light, but not bright light. There is the life brought by the low but constant arctic sun, a sort of gentle but persistent and hardy, understated life. The long second movement really makes this point beautifully. In a rather unusual structure, the grand heroic drama shows up in the third movement, which stirs the blood to a solid climax. That that happens in the third movement seems odd at first until you see that the fourth movement is labeled "Epilogue," and it effectively serves as an extended resolution to the entire piece. Quite brilliant if you ask me.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:17:03 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/17/2026 01:17

Peter Mennin - Symphony #5
Year: 1950
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra/Antal Dorati
Rating: 4.5 Stars

As I listened to the first movement, I was struck early on as to how American it sounded which quickly evolved into "this is what an American Martinu would sound like!" and "this could be a cross between Martinu and Piston (great company to be in!). That first movement was fairly short, which is probably just as well since it had such a relentless angular rhyhtmic drive to it. The second movement started off totally beautiful and gradually got darker, but did so without losing its foundational beauty, ultimately taking on a very American film noir soundtrack vibe (not always something that would excite me, but it did here) The final movement was a perfectly balanced bookend to the first movement, and brought everything to a most rousing close! A magnificent work.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 20:54:01 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 09/16/2026 00:54

Bohuslav Martinů - Piano Concerto #4, Incantation
Year: 1956
Rudolf Firkušný/Piano
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Libor Pešek
Rating: 4.5 Stars

This piece is unusual in that it is only two movements, but that's appropriate here. The first movement is full of that patented Martinu tension and his unique harmonic palette. The transition to the start of the second movement is magical; Martinů eases the tension considerably, but somehow still maintains the drama and the mysteriousness actually increases a bit. I listened to a performance by Rudolf Firkušný/piano and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Libor Pešek from a Naxos CD and they do a wonderful job bringing out various subtleties in the score and enhancing the nuances that can easily get lost in a Martinu composition.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sat, 2 May 2026 14:27:40 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 05/02/2026 18:27

Benedict Anton Aufschnaiter - Serenade Della Pace
Year: 1778
Cοncerto Armοnicο Budаpest
Rating: 3.75 Stars
This is a very nice classical serenade, but it can easily fall into the trap of becoming a little too staid. A great choice for when you want something fairly straightforward and proper.

Link

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:06:58 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 04/28/2026 22:06

...more Czechophile listening...

Jan Nepomuk Václav Vocet - Clarinet Concerto in E Flat
Year: 1811
Státní filharmonie Brno/Tomáš Hanus
Emil Drápela/Clarinet
Rating: 4.5 Stars
What a delightful work. Really, words fail me as to what a joy this is to listen to. Every movement. Every note. A Joy And this coming from someone who normally doesn't cotton to clarinet. I'll be Czeching out more of this composer for sure.

Link

Václav Jan Tomášek - Symfonie in D
Year: 1805
Dvοřák Chamber Orchestra/Vladimir Válеk
Rating: 4.25 Stars
Another joy from a new to me Czech composer, this time in the form of a beautifully crafted late classical symphony. Everything is so perfectly placed here, it'd be easy to hear this as a recital or demonstration piece, but it also has real heart.

Link

I have long been a superfan of Czech 20th Century and Romantic music, but I'm learning how rich the Bohemians were in the Classical period as well!

Re: My Longhair Diary: Wonderful Oboe Concertos

Fischman — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 18:03:55 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 04/26/2026 22:03

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Johann Sebastian Bach - Cantata 80: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Year: 1730
Münchener Bach-Orchester/Münchener Bach-Chor/Karl Richter
Rating: 4.25 Stars
This morning was a good morning for some choral music, so I grabbed and unfamiliar to me Bach cantata. It was glorious. Layer upon layer and counterpoint for days. Brilliant stuff.

Link