Paganini: Concerto per violino e orchestra #1

Niccolò Paganini's violin concerto is fantastic anytime, but the second part is splendid for a peaceful weekend morning.
I now rename Perpetuela as "Flight of the Hummingbird", especially confirmed in the passage where the violin hovers in the background, and the flute comes in.
Salvatore Accardo does a magnificent job. Charles Dutoit conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Galleria Deutsche-Grammophon CD.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto per violino e orchestra #1	D	op.6	Cadenza: Emile Sauret & Accardo	Allegro maestoso Adagio espressivo Rondo. Allegro spiritoso
Sonata Napoleone				Introduzione. Adagio Larghetto Andantino variato Variazioni I-III Finale
I palpiti				Larghetto cantabile Recitativo (con grande espressione) Tema. Andantino Variazioni I-III Coda
Perpetuela				Allegro vivace

Beethoven: Piano Concerto 4 & 5

Excellent. Beautiful concerti, and one can always count on Pollini for a forceful virtuoso interpretation. And Beethoven asks for one, of course.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Movements	Observations
Konzert für Klavier & Orchester #5	Eb	op.73	Allegro Adagio un poco mosso-attacca Rondo. Allegro	Emperor
Konzert für Klavier & Orchester  #4	G	op.58	Allegro moderato Andante con moto Rondo. Vivace

Maurizio Pollini, piano
Karl Böhm / Wiener Philharmoniker.

General information on the piano concerti, scores, instruments, performers, etc: No.5 op.73, at wikipedia
No.4, Op.58, at wikipedia

Chopin: Polonaises (Pollini)

Authoritative interpretation. Strong, commanding. Great force from transparently virtuoso Maurizio Pollini.
Perfectly strict left hand in Polonaise héroïque.
Deutsche Grammophon CD, with Maurizio Pollini, piano, recorded 1976

Name	Key	Catalogue	Instruction	Observations
Polonaise 1	C#m	op. 26 #1	Allegro appassionato
Polonaise 2	Ebm	op. 26 #2	Maestoso
Polonaise 3	A	op. 40 #1	Allegro con brio	'Militaire'
Polonaise 4	Cm	op. 40 #2	Allegro maestoso
Polonaise 5	F#m	op. 44	Tempo di polacca - doppio movimento, tempo di Mazurka - Tempo 1
Polonaise 6	Ab	op. 53	Maestoso	'Héroïque'
Polonaise 7	Ab	op. 61	Allegro maestoso	Polonaise-Fantaisie

Chopin's Polonaises at Wikipedia

Haydn: Symphonies 94 "Surprise" & 96 "Miracle"

This is a simple CD. Easy listening of very courtly music. It will be quite familiar to most listeners, and one cannot go wrong giving this Decca CD as a gift.
Christopher Hogwood directs (and plays the fortepiano) the Academy of Ancient Music on authentic instruments of the period.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Symphony #96	D	"Miracle"		Adagio - Allegro Andante Menueto & Trio:Allegretto Finale: Vivace
Symphony #94	G	"Surprise" "Mit dem Paukenschlag"		Adagio -- Vivace assai Andante Menuet & Trio: Allegro molto Finale: Allegro di molto

Dvořák: Piano Works Played on Dvořák's Own Bösendorfer Piano

I personally did not like this alto CD. I am not someone that enjoys the idolatry of a person nor its objects; so even listening to a 1879 piano belonging to the composer, did not light my imagination.
Radoslav Kvapil is too harsh for my taste, but according to his biography he certainly has the qualifications to interpret these in his own way. The listener must decide.

• 1-8 Humoresques, Op.101
• 9-13 American Suite, Op.98
• 14-15 Dumka and Furiant, Op.12
• 16-27 Silhouettes, Op.8

Strauss: Walzer & Polkas

These are the 1980 Karajan recordings for the famous Strauß (x3) Walzer )waltz).
Interesting is that there are works from Johann father, Johann son (the famous Johann Strauß), and Josef brother.
Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker give all this elegance and magnificence to these works. It is fluid, rich, and enveloping. This Deutsche Grammophon CD is among the best Karajan out there, plus these are timeless small pieces.

Johann Strauss (1825-1899)



1. "Die Fledermaus": Ouvertüre


2. Kaiser-Walzer op.437


3. Perpetuum mobile op.257


4. G'schichten aus dem Wienerwald op. 325


5. Unter Donner und Blitz op.324


6. Rosen aus dem Süden



Johann Strauss (father)(1804-1849)



7. Radetzky-March op.228



Johann Strauss



8. An der schönen, blauen Donau op.314


9. Leichtes Blut op.319



Josef Strauss (1827-1870)



10. Delirien-Walzer op.212



Johann Strauss



11. Auf der Jagd op.373

Bizet: L'Arlesienne & Carmen Suites

What a lovely CD for a rainy working evening. Spirited, forceful, harmonious, and well-known melodies, with bright orchestration.
The London Festival Orchestra conducted by Cesare Cantieri plays Bizet's opera suites, in the Point Classic CD.

L'Arlesienne op.23 Suite #1



1. Prélude


2. Minuetto


3. Adagietto - Adagio


4. Carillon



L'Arlesienne op.23 Suite#2



5. Pastorale


6. Intermezzo


7. Minuetto


8. Farandole (Allegro deciso)



Carmen Suite #1



9. Prélude (Les Toréadors)


10. Aragonaise


11. Intermezzo


12. Seguidilla


13. Les Dragons d'Alcalo


14. Les Toréadors



Carmen Suite #2



15. Marche de contrebandieros


16. Habanero


17. Nocturne


18. Chanson du Toréadors


19. Le garde montante


20. Danse bohème

Mozart: Symphonies 1-11

Beautiful, lively, crisp,... sincere. Even though it is such a well-known pair of works, this version, in Brilliant's Vol.1 CD 11, still manages to surprise the listener.
Jaap Ter Linden conducts the Mozart Akademie Amsterdam.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Symphony No.40	Gm	KV 550
Symphony No.41	C	KV 551		Jupiter

Furtwängler: Beethoven, Symphonien 5 & 7

[post modified jun-2010]
This is a beautiful interpretation. I used to be a musical ignorant and snob to the point that I would have frowned upon the dull recording of this CD. Fortunately, this experiment (of listening to great interpretations) has broadened my enjoyment, and can now heartedly recommend this Deutsche Grammophon CD as a cornerstone for a collection.
What a wide range of emotion, the precision of the attacks and releases is of such beauty. Furtwängler is in control of the orchestra at each step. What a crisp orchestration.
Be prepared for some deliberate slowness in the 5th, and an overwhelming precision and impetus in the 7th. This was an opportunity for Furtwängler and the Berlin Philharmoniker to protest against the way Nazi Germany was heading towards the end of WWII.

Berlin Philharmoniker,Wilhelm Furtwängler

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Symphony 5	Cm	Op.67		Live, Berlin, Philarmonie, 30.6.1943
Symphony 7	A	Op.92		Live, Berlin, Philarmonie, 3.11.1943

Bach: Brandenburgische Konzerte 1,2,3

Concerto no. 1 in F BWV 1046. Did not impress me much. I even doubted it was a Brandenburgische Konzert LOL.

Frank de Bruine, oboe
Rémy Baudet, violin piccolo
Teunis van der Zwart, Erwin Wieringa, horn

Concerto no. 2 in F BWV 1047
William Wroth, trumpet
Frank de Bruine, oboe
Pieter-Jan Belder, recorder
Rémy Baudet, violin

Concerto no. 3 in G BWV 1048

Now we talk. I again have to say I have fallen for small orchestras. The intimacy achieved with each instrument. Beautiful Brandenburg Concerto #3.

Rémy Baudet, Sayuri Yamagata, Irmgard Schaller, violin
Staas Swierstra, Marten Boeken, Mariëtte Holtrop, viola
Rainer Zipperling, Richte van der Meer, Albert Brüggen, cello