NOVÁK: Pan (Tone Poem). Songs of a Winter Night

wswebmaster on November 18, 2018

NOVÁK  Pan (Tone Poem).  Songs of a Winter Night · Margaret Fingerhut (pn) · CHANDOS CHAN-9489 (73:17) Vítezslav Novák (1870-1949) was, along with Josef Suk, the leading Czech composer of the early 20th century, until Janácek achieved a greater prominence than either of them.  In previous reviews (Fanfare 17:1, …

MUCZYNSKI: Sonata for Flute and Piano. Moments for Flute and Piano. Woodwind Quintet. Duos for Flutes. Duos for Flute and Clarinet. Movements for Wind Quintet. Fragments for Woodwind Trio. Preludes for Flute Solo

wswebmaster on November 18, 2018

MUCZYNSKI Sonata for Flute and Piano. Moments for Flute and Piano. Woodwind Quintet. Duos for Flutes. Duos for Flute and Clarinet. Movements for Wind Quintet. Fragments for Woodwind Trio. Preludes for Flute Solo –Alexandra Hawley (fl); Robert Muczynski (pn); Stanford Woodwind Quintet; with Jean-Pierre Rampal (fl) – MARCO POLO 8.225041 (68:41) …

MUCZYNSKI: (arr. Kynaston) Saxophone Concerto; HEIDEN: Fantasia Concertante. Diversion; Arrangements of music by GERSHWIN, BRUCH, PUCCINI, and MASSENET.

wswebmaster on November 18, 2018

MUCZYNSKI (arr. Kynaston)  Saxophone Concerto.  HEIDEN  Fantasia Concertante.  Diversion  – Eugene Rousseau (sax); Frederick Fennell, cond; Winds of Indiana – DELOS DE 3188 (71:28) GERSHWIN (arr. R. Hermann)  Porgy and Bess Medley.  BRUCH (arr. Kimura)  Kol Nidre.  PUCCINI (arr. R. Hermann)  Tosca Fantasy.  MASSENET (arr. Curnow)  Thais: Meditation This is an attractive showcase for the artistry of Eugene Rousseau, one …

MUCZYNSKI: Symphonic Dialogues. GRIFFES: Three Poems of McCloud. BRANDON: Celebration Overture. OSBON: Liberty. KLESSIG: Don Juan: Meditation. LAMB J.B. II. FELCIANO: Overture Concertante

wswebmaster on November 18, 2018

MUCZYNSKI Symphonic Dialogues. GRIFFES Three Poems of Fiona McCloud1. BRANDON Celebration Overture. OSBON Liberty. KLESSIG Don Juan: Meditation. LAMB J.B. II. FELCIANO Overture Concertante – Paul Freeman, cond; Czech National SO; Louise Toppin (sop); Jean-Michel Bertelli (cl) – ALBANY TROY-322 (62:58) This recent release is a rather odd grab-bag of styles and periods in American music, from …

MCCARTNEY: Standing Stone

wswebmaster on November 18, 2018

MCCARTNEY  Standing Stone – Lawrence Foster, cond; London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra – EMI CLASSICS 7243 5 56484 2 6 (76:45) Here it is–the “classical” music mega-event of Winter, 1997-98: Paul McCartney’s four-movement “symphonic poem,” Standing Stone. Four years (1993-97) in composition, with the …

LEES: Piano Sonata No. 4. Fantasy Variations. Mirrors

wswebmaster on November 18, 2018

LEES  Piano Sonata No. 4.  Fantasy Variations.  Mirrors · Ian Hobson (pn) ·ALBANY TROY-227 (65:15) I recently (Fanfare 20:5, pp. 179-80)reviewed a disc (Albany TROY-138) featuring Benjamin Lees’s three violin sonatas.  There I expressed a certain ambivalence about the composer, asserting that he “has written some truly fine, …

LEES: Symphony No. 4, “Memorial Candles”

wswebmaster on November 17, 2018

LEES Symphony No. 4, “Memorial Candles” – Theodor Kuchar, cond; National SO of the Ukraine; Kimball Wheeler (mez); James Buswell (vn) – NAXOS 8.559002 (61:42) Naxos continues its ambitious and promising “American Classics” series with a new release devoted entirely to Benjamin …

KHRENNIKOV: Napoleon Bonaparte (Ballet)

wswebmaster on November 17, 2018

KHRENNIKOV Napoleon Bonaparte (Ballet) – Pavel Ovsyannikov, cond; Presidential Orchestra of the Russian Federation – RUSSIAN DISC  10 070 (69:08) For many years Tikhon Khrennikov was known in the West only as First Secretary of the Composers Union under Joseph Stalin, a position for which he …