Picks of the Year: 2012
Here are the discoveries from the past year that made the biggest impact on me. I recommend them to all who enjoy worthy but lesser known music in great performances. Some may object that the piano music of Samuel Barber …
ZAIMONT Music for Piano Solo (3 CD’s)
ZAIMONT Art Fire Soul ● Elizabeth Moak (pn) ● MSR Classics 1366 (2 CDs: 79:57; 75:39)Sonata. Calendar Collection: Spring, Summer, Autumn. Jupiter’s Moons. Wizards: Three Magic Masters. Nocturne: La Fin de Siècle. A Calendar Set. Cortège for Jack. Jazz Waltz. American City: Portrait of …
AMERICAN ORIGINALS: Music by Giannini, Mennin, Persichetti, Schuman, Gould, Dello Joio, Stravinsky. STATEMENTS: Music by Persichetti, Vaughan Williams, Hartley, McAlister, Forte, Stamp, Barber, Schmitt.
AMERICAN ORIGINALS ● Col. Lowell Graham, cond; USAF Heritage of America Band ● KLAVIER K-11188 (70:48)GIANNINI Symphony No. 3. MENNIN Canzona. PERSICHETTI Divertimento. SCHUMAN George Washington Bridge. M. Gould Ballad. DELLO JOIO Variants on a Medieval Tune. STRAVINSKY Circus Polka STATEMENTS ● Col. Lowell Graham, cond; USAF Heritage of America Band …
RAMEY Piano Music, Vol. 3. Sonata No. 6. Suite. Two Short Pieces. Toccata Giocosa. Slavic Rhapsody. Burlesque—Paraphrase on a Theme of Stephen Foster. Bagatelle on ‘Dies Irae.’ Djebel Bani. Blue Phantom.
RAMEY Piano Music, Vol. 3 ● Stephen Gosling (pn) ● TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC-0114 (78:19)Sonata No. 6 (Sonata-Fantasia). Suite. Two Short Pieces. Toccata Giocosa. Slavic Rhapsody (The Novgorod Kremlin at Night). Burlesque—Paraphrase on a Theme of Stephen Foster. Bagatelle on ‘Dies Irae.’ Djebel Bani (A Saharan Meditation). Blue Phantom Phillip Ramey …
MORAVEC Characteristics. Useful Knowledge: A Franklin Fantasy. Vita Brevis.
MORAVEC Characteristics. Useful Knowledge: A Franklin Fantasy. Vita Brevis ● Simon Mulligan (pn); Randall Scarlata (bar); La Fenice; Amy Burton (sop); Trio Solisti (Maria Bachmann [vn], Alexis Pia Gerlach [vc], Jon Klibonoff [pn]) ● NAXOS 8.559698 (56:19) I have been following the …
MUSIC MAKES A CITY: An American Orchestra’s Untold Story.
MUSIC MAKES A CITY: An American Orchestra’s Untold Story ● Owsley Brown III, Jerome Hiler, directors ● 21C MEDIA GROUP (DVD: 1:43)Additional DVD with more than two hours of interviews with composers, musicians, and related personalities Dedicated enthusiasts with at least …
HOVHANESS Symphony No. 1, “Exile.” Soprano Saxophone Concerto. Armenian Rhapsodie: Nos. 1, 2, 3. Song of the Sea. Choral Anthems.
HOVHANESS Symphony No. 1, “Exile.” Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Strings. Armenian Rhapsodies: Nos. 1, 2, 3. Song of the Sea ● Gil Rose, cond; Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Kenneth Radnofsky (sop sax); John McDonald (pn) ● BMOP/sound 1020 (67:39) HOVHANESS From the …
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. …
Liner Notes: Ezio Flagello sings the music of Nicolas Flagello in performances conducted by the composer: Passion of Martin Luther King (1968); L’Infinito (1956); The Land (1954)
EZIO FLAGELLO SINGS THE MUSIC OF NICOLAS FLAGELLOIN PERFORMANCES CONDUCTED BY THE COMPOSERNaxos 8.112065 Passion of Martin Luther King(1968)Ezio Flagello: bass baritone; Ambrosian Singers, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Nicolas Flagello, conductor L’Infinito (1956)The Land (1954)Ezio Flagello: bass baritone; I Musici di Firenze, …