HANSON Syms. No. 4 & 5. Dies Natalis. Elegy. Songs from “Drum Taps.” THOMPSON Testament of Freedom. LEOFFLER Memories of my Childhood. HOVHANESS Sym. No. 3. HINDEMITH Sym. in E-flat. HARTMANN Sym. No. 2. STRAVINSKY Sym. In C. HARRIS Sym. No. 7.

HANSON Symphonies: No. 4, “Requiem.” No. 5, “Sinfonia Sacra.” Dies Natalis. Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitzky ● Gerard Schwarz, cond; Seattle SO ● NAXOS 8.559703 (69:44) HANSON Symphony No. 4, “Requiem.” Songs from “Drum Taps.”1 THOMPSON Testament of Freedom. LOEFFLER Memories of my Childhood (Life in a Russian Village) …

GIANNINI Piano Quintet. Piano Trio

GIANNINI Piano Quintet. Piano Trio ● Joana Genova (vn); Stefan Milenkovich (vn); Ariel Rudiakov (va); Ani Aznavoorian (vc); Adam Neiman (pn) ● MSR CLASSICS MS-1394 (61:00) There is a compact disc entitled, “Hopelessly Romantic” that features 24 heartfelt songs by Vittorio Giannini. …

BARBER Piano Sonata. Souvenirs. Excursions. Nocturne. Ballade. Two Interludes. Three Sketches. Despite and Still. Hermit Songs. Three Songs, Op. 45. Nuvoletta. Four Songs. (2 CD’s)

BARBER Piano Sonata. Souvenirs. Excursions. Nocturne. Ballade. Two Interludes. Three Sketches ● Leon McCawley (pn) ● SOMM SOMMCD-108 (69:28) BARBER Despite and Still. Hermit Songs. Three Songs, Op. 45. Nuvoletta. Four Songs ● Melissa Fogarty (sop); Marc Peloquin (pn) ● AUREOLE 101 (48:44) These recent releases offer extensive surveys …

Interview with Richard Zimdars

Richard Zimdars is a pianist who has been on the faculty of the University of Georgia for almost thirty years. Although he has maintained an active career as a pianist, he loves teaching and embraces an identity as an “academic” …

Picks of the Year: 2011

Of the new releases that came my way this past year there were two that met my criteria of rare but extraordinarily fine repertoire in excellent performances. One was the long-awaited first recording of the late (1926-2011) Lee Hoiby’s deeply …

SCHUMAN On Freedom’s Ground. A Free Song. Prelude. American Festival Overture. SOWERBY Canticle of the Sun. COPLAND Appalachian Spring.

SCHUMAN On Freedom’s Ground. A Free Song. Prelude. American Festival Overture ● Ian Hobson,Fred Stoltzfus, conds; University of Illinois Chorale and Oratorio Society, Sinfonia da Camera; Ricardo Herrera (bar); Ingrid Kammin (sop) ● ALBANY TROY1280 (71:33) SCHUMAN A Free Song. SOWERBY Canticle of the Sun. COPLAND Appalachian Spring ●Carlos Kalmar, …