#NowSpinning And so to the end of my second listening of Mäkelä’s Sibelius cycle. This Seventh strikes me as better than his 5 or 6, but I still have problems with it. I just feel the central sections lose direction and just chug along. I like the opening and end though.

#NowSpinning Glazunov Symphony No.1. I really enjoy the Glazunov Symphonies and so embark on the third of four cycles in my collection. Serebrier and Järvi were most impressive, so let’s see where this ends up

#NowSpinning Hugo Alfvén’s First Swedish Rhapsody, ‘Midsommarvarka’. Our summer flew by and we have already passed the Autumn Equinox. Time to keep the darkness at bay with music full of sunshine and hope

#NowSpinning Anna Clyne ‘Abstractions’ from the new album. My first reaction is a big wow. This is music of depth and ingenuity.

#NowSpinning this disc of John Williams in Vienna. Sorta kinda enjoying the amazing orchestral sound, but the conducting is a bit flaccid maybe?

#NowSpinning Some Milhaud to start the day with a smile. The Suite Cisalpine sur des Airs Populaires Piémontais. This 1954 work for Cello and Orchestra is whimsical and charming.

A thread to celebrate the Miscellaneous Orchestral Works of Arnold Bax. Over an indeterminate period I will be re-listening to all 61 hours and 16 minutes of Bax's music in my collection. I'll record my listening in threads like this one, each dedicated Bax's output in a specific type of work.

#NowSpinning Sir Arnold Bax’s Ballet Score ‘The Truth About the Russian Dancers’. It opens with some really characteristic stuff. I haven’t heard this in a way; it’s like visiting an old friend again!

#NowSpinning Glassworks. I very, very much love the works of Minimalist composers; sometimes we just need something that cuts away the crap and just gives you the soul that’s left. Here is such a composer and such a work.

#NowSpinning Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with Rudolf Serkin and Bruno Walter. This December 1941 recording kicks off the Walter Columbia Legacy. I thought it was about time we opened this sizeable brick.

#NowSpinning Klaus Mäkelä's Sibelius Symphony No.6 for the second time this morning. I have to say that although much of it is beautiful, I found the two middle movements somewhat pedestrian. I also think the fast section just before the final coda is far better when played faster.

#NowSpinning Now hearing Sir Malcolm Sargent’s Holst Planets for the first time. I’m immediately struck by the drive and concentration of Mars. I have a good feeling about this.

Start #NewReleaseFriday with the full English: Antonio Pappano finally follows up a favourite Vaughan Williams recording (Nos. 4 & 6) with my favourite VW symphony of all (No. 9). Plus Butterworth and Holst from Liverpool, and Anna Clyne in Baltimore. Tuck in here! ▶️ spoti.fi/400asdn

#NowSpinning Edgard Varèse Arcana, with Jean Martinon in Chicago. This is impactful stuff. Chailly is probably even more dynamic in Amsterdam, but this is still a complete wonder.

#NowSpinning Vaughan Williams Epithalamion. There is a great deal of sincere warmth in this score, which rarely seems to see the light of day. We do have a few recordings, though. If you love Sir John in Love or Hugh the Drover, perhaps try this!

#NowSpinning Orchestra works from Wagner’s operas, with Paul Paray in Detroit. We start with a patient, beautifully built Lohengrin Prelude to Act 1.

#NowSpinning a version of the Planets I hadn’t heard before. Somewhat slower than expected in Mars, the performance warms up. Unlike this morning’s walk….first frost of the Autumn in St Albans. My Old Girls were loving the crunch!

#NowSpinning Charles Munch’s Berlioz Romeo and Juliet, in its complete form and recorded in pretty impressive mono. And blimey oh Riley the orchestra is going for it. This is FANTASTIC.

#NowSpinning Bach Transcriptions with Leopold Stokowski. I’ve been meaning to dig into this box for a while. Talk of the Planets, yesterday, reminded me to crack it open….

These two versions of Ravel’s Scheherazade really float my sensuous little boat. Crespin is incredibly seductive, yet she can shape phrases with infinite nuance. Graham surges to an amazing climax in Asie. This cycle is a true joy. What would your recommendations be?

Happy 151st Birthday to Gustav Holst, born on 21 September 1874. I’m doing the obvious thing and listening to some of my most treasured versions of the planets. What would your choices be?

Remembering the great Jean Sibelius, who died in 20 September 1957. His extraordinarily original approach to music has resonated powerfully through the 68 years since he left us. Which recordings would you recommend to someone who has never heard Sibelius before?

#NowSpinning Constant Lambert’s Horoscope, with David Lloyd-Jones and the English Northern Philharmonia on crackling form. I’ve been meaning to get this for a long time and finally remembered! First impressions are awesome!

We all need some positivity from time to time. Found mine at the local garden centre today, with their festival garden celebrating the last hurrah of the warm flower season……with Dahlias. These made us so happy!

#NowSpinning I am finding these works by Elsa Barraine fascinating. Although Barraine lived entirely during the 20th century, her works are more alluring than you might expect from that period. Her voice is distinctive, but if you enjoy Roussel I’d Imagine her music would appeal.

#NowSpinning Enescu with Cristian Mǎcelaru. I have completely overlooked this set until now. But I see it’s up for a Gramophone Award and has now made the shortlist.

#NowSpinning Martinů’s Concerto da Camera, H285 for solo violin, piano, timpani, percussion and string orchestra. This is another work that just screams Martinů from the very start.

My personal favourite recording of the Dvořak (born OTD 1841) glorious Cello Concerto is the Fournier/Szell partnership on DG. The Karajan/Rostropovich is still a great love, but I find Fournier’s wistful approach brings even more satisfaction for me. What’s your favourite?

#Nowspinning Beethoven Symphony No.2 from Karajan’s 1970s set. I am sure everyone will have views on which Karajan sets might be their favourites - or least favourites - but this one will have to work hard to supplant the mono EMI set for me.

#NowSpinning Sibelius’s inspired tone poem En Saga, from a gorgeous BBC Music Magazine cover disc. Sakari Oramo and the BBCSO really deliver the goods here. It’s an exceptional disc if you can find it.

I’ve only just seen that the wonderful Christoph von Dohnányi died on 6 September. Today would have been his 96th birthday. Dohnanyi was music director of the Cleveland Orchestra from 1984 to 2002, taking more than a dozen international tours along the way

#NowSpinning Klaus Mäkelä’s Sibelius 5. I’ve been responding more positively to some of the Mäkelä Sibelius cycle of late, though it’s not a universal feeling. I haven’t yet returned to 5, 6 or 7 so here goes.

#NowSpinning The 14 year-old Anne-Sophie Mutter joins Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic for Mozart’s 3rd and 5th Violin Concertos. There’s no way I have guessed her age from these enormously impressive performances. I mean, come ON!

#NowSpinning Karajan’s 1966 and 1977 versions of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. I am aware the composer did not see the Berlin Philharmonic as a match for it, but my question here is how these two compare to *each other*. I favour other recordings far more, in case of doubt.

#NowSpinning Neumann’s Czech Philharmonic Mahler 7. I’ve said it before and will say it again. If you want refinement AND character from your winds in Mahler, Neumann’s band delivers both in spades. This Seventh is pure wonder in music.

#NowSpinning Dvořák’s life-affirming Symphony No.3, with Libor Pešek in Liverpool. It’s wonderful to hear this orchestra play Czech music; they always seem to find just the right sound and Pešek really captures the heart of this work.

Happy 201st birthday to the great Anton Bruckner, born on 4 September 1824. Bruckner now appears to be the ‘must record’ composer for conductors, much as Mahler has been for decades. Which are you favourite Bruckner Symphonies and recordings?

#NowSpinning this astonishing December 1976 account of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony. I have not heard it in a while, but knew my reaction would be highly positive! Oh the fire!

Awesome post!

Seiji Ozawa would have turned 90 today. His conducting strikes me as being extremely alive to colour and orchestral sophistication, and this has translated well to recordings. Indeed Ozawa’s recorded legacy is larger than you might think. Here are a few favourites. Yours?

A very happy 80th birthday to the magnificent violinist Itzhak Perlman. He recorded extensively for HMV/EMI, so his relationship with Previn blossomed extensively. But there were other interesting associations, too. What are your favourite Perlman recordings?

#NowSpinning Bernstein’s CBS Dvořák New World is a personal favourite. There is animal energy here. Knock out!

#NowSpinning Vítězslava Kaprálová Suite en Miniature, Op.1 in its version for orchestra. This set had passed me by and has now been nominated for a Gramophone Award. So, it’s time to check it out.

#NowSpinning Vaughan Williams’s utterly disarming and thoroughly loveable English Folk Suite, in its Gordon Jacob guise. Marriner leads the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. This recording still sounds magnificent.

#NowSpinning some youthful souls engaging with Mahler’s Fifth on a seriously impressive level.

#NowSpinning Karajan’s 1975 Bruckner 9. I *love* his 1966 version, but realise now that I have never heard the 1975, even though I’ve had it for years! Any thoughts on the comparison?

#NowSpinning Karajan’s May 1976 Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique. This recording is now almost 50 years old, yet it sounds very fresh. I’ve always liked Karajan’s 1970s Tchaikovsky and this is no exception.

#NowSpinning I’ve now reached Karajan’s Mozart Requiem in his big complete DG box, recorded 50 years ago next month. It’s big and heavy and I am trying to decide if I am enjoying it or not. Either way, it’s there and I am listening.

The great Ralph Vaughan Williams died on the 26th August 1958, precisely 18 years before I was personally premiered in 1976. I’ll be celebrating the great man by posting some of my favourite RVW discs. Please do join me and let me know which RVW discs you love.

#A-Schubert-A-Day Day 29 ‘Trinklied’, D75, from 29 August 1813. A fun little ditty for a quartet of soloists: John Mark Ainsley, Jamie MacDougall. Simon Keenlyside and Michael George. This is the first of many Schubert songs on the topic. www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W1...