NAXOS – Page 2 – Walter Simmons

ZAIMONT Chroma—Northern Lights. Ghosts. Elegy. STILLNESS . Zones (Piano Trio No. 2). String Quartet, “The Figure.” Astral. Serenade

wswebmaster on November 28, 2018

ZAIMONT Chroma—Northern Lights. Ghosts. Elegy. STILLNESS ● Kirk Trevor, cond; Slovak Natl SO ● NAXOS 8.559619 (52:56) ZAIMONT Zones (Piano Trio No. 2). String Quartet, “The Figure.” Astral. Serenade ● Ilmar Gavilán (vn); Melissa White (vn) Juan-Miguel Hernandez (va); Paul Wiancko (vc) Awadagin Pratt (pn) ● NAVONA NV5846, …

Picks of the Year: 2010

wswebmaster on November 27, 2018

The one entry that for me looms above other recent releases is the first complete recording, now issued as a boxed set, of all eight performable symphonies by William Schuman, issued in time to mark the 100th birthday of this …

Leshnoff Violin Concerto. String Quartet No. 1, “Pearl German.” Distant Reflections

wswebmaster on November 27, 2018

LESHNOFF Violin Concerto. String Quartet No. 1, “Pearl German.” Distant Reflections ● Markand Thakar, cond; Charles Wetherbee (vn); Carpe Diem St Qt;Baltimore Ch O ● NAXOS 8.559398 (56:34) Those listeners interested in discovering new compositional voices that mbrace traditional musical values will want to …

SCHUMAN Symphony No. 8. Night Journey. IVES (arr. Schuman) Variations on “America”

wswebmaster on November 27, 2018

SCHUMAN Symphony No. 8. Night Journey. IVES (arr. Schuman) Variations on “America” ● Gerard Schwarz, cond; Seattle SO ● NAXOS 8.559651 (65:04) With this release, Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony complete their comprehensive survey of the symphonies of William Schuman (minus Nos. 1 and 2, …

SCHUMAN Symphony No. 6. Prayer in Time of War. New England Triptych

wswebmaster on November 27, 2018

SCHUMAN Symphony No. 6. Prayer in Time of War. New England Triptych ● Gerard Schwarz, cond; Seattle SO ● NAXOS 8.559625 (60:51) This appears to be the penultimate installment of Gerard Schwarz’s survey of the symphonies of William Schuman for Naxos, No. 8 …

FERGUSON Piano Sonata in F minor. Discovery. Five Bagatelles. Partita for Two Pianos

wswebmaster on November 26, 2018

FERGUSON Piano Sonata in F minor. Discovery. Five Bagatelles. Partita for Two Pianos – Raphael Terroni, Vadim Peaceman (pns); Phillida Bannister (contralto) – NAXOS 8.572289 (60:11) Howard Ferguson (1908-1999) was an English composer and musicologist, born in Ireland. Though he lived a long life, his …

COPLAND Dance Symphony. Symphony No. 1. Symphony No. 2, “Short Symphony”

wswebmaster on November 26, 2018

COPLAND Dance Symphony. Symphony No. 1. Symphony No. 2, “Short Symphony” – Marin Alsop, cond; Bournemouth SO – NAXOS 8.559359 (58:40) Aaron Copland is not usually thought of as belonging to the “American symphonic school,” usually associated with William Schuman, Walter Piston, Peter Mennin …

HOIBY The Tempest (2 CDs). A Pocket of Time (21 Songs and a Duet). Songs of Lee Hoiby

wswebmaster on November 26, 2018

HOIBY The Tempest • Robert Balonek (Prospero); Molly Davey (Ariel), Catherine Webber (Miranda), Joshua Benevento (Caliban), Anthony Caputo (Ferdinand) et al. soloists; Hugh Murphy, cond; Purchase Opera and SO • ALBANY TROY-1106/1107 (2 CDs: 147:01) HOIBY A Pocket of Time (21 Songs and a Duet) • Julia …

Picks of the Year: 2009

wswebmaster on November 26, 2018

This year, with only a bit of stretching, I was able to find four CDs that met my criteria of “neglected masterpieces,” rendered in brilliant performances. John Corigliano is not a particular favorite of mine, but he is unquestionably a …

ABRAHAM LINCOLN PORTRAITS: Works by IVES, PERSICHETTI, HARRIS, BACON, GOULD, McKAY, TUROK, and COPLAND.

wswebmaster on November 26, 2018

ABRAHAM LINCOLN PORTRAITS • Leonard Slatkin, cond; Nashville SO; Nashville S Ch; Barry Scott (nar); Sharon Mabry (mez); Mary Kathryn Van Osdale (vn); Anthony LaMarchina (vc); Roger Wiesmeyer (pn) IVES Lincoln, the Great Commoner. PERSICHETTI A Lincoln Address. HARRISAbraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight. BACON Ford’s Theatre. GOULD Lincoln Legend. McKAY To …