#1 favorite recording of American music for July 4?

It's Ives for me too. Favorite are the Songs with Jan de Gaetani and Gilbert Kalish. A desert island CD.

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-06 20:37:41 UTC

Post by JohnGavin
It's Ives for me too. Favorite are the Songs with Jan de Gaetani and Gilbert Kalish. A desert island CD.

Magnificent! We also listened to Barber's "Knoxville Summer of 1915" twice--first sung by Leontyne Price and then Eleanor Steber. Then Price in the "Hermit Songs" and William Warfield in Copland's "Old American Songs." I sang our kids to sleep with the latter when they were babies.

A propos of Ives songs, I try to keep up with new issues but keep returning to Roberta Alexander's recordings with pleasure. Here is a great source for the song texts, btw: http://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_settings.html?ComposerId=1307.

AC

JohnGavin

2017-07-06 20:47:53 UTC

Thanks so much. I am definitely going to listen to Roberta Alexander.

Oscar

2017-07-06 23:58:34 UTC

I, too, have both Etcetera discs of Alexander's Ives lieder and wouldn't want to be without them. Mennin, Fine, Ives and a selection of Negro spirituals featured on my Independence Day playlist. Sadly, I can't name one great living American composer off the top of my head.

Frank Berger

2017-07-07 00:33:39 UTC

Post by Oscar
I, too, have both Etcetera discs of Alexander's Ives lieder and wouldn't want to be without them. Mennin, Fine, Ives and a selection of Negro spirituals featured on my Independence Day playlist. Sadly, I can't name one great living American composer off the top of my head.

Lady Gaga writes a pretty good hook.

I don't know if they're great, but I can think of Adams,
Reich and Glass. Oh and Corigliano. I've enjoyed Michael
Daugherty and Jennifer Higdon. I'm done.

Steven Bornfeld

2017-07-07 01:09:13 UTC

Post by JohnGavin
Thanks so much. I am definitely going to listen to Roberta Alexander.

John and Alan--

Thanks for the recommendations.

Steve

Oscar

2017-07-07 03:37:39 UTC

Corigliano sucks, and I saw him give a pre-concert talk before a performance of his First Symphony a few years ago. Higdon? You must be joking. (Same for Daugherty.) You like Joan Tower, too, eh? Adams is so overrated I'm suprised Obama didn't give him a medal. Leave that to Trump! Glass? Pass. Reich is about as good as the aforementioned gets...and he's a one-trick pony that never made it to the steeplechase. P.S. You left out Rzewski.

Living Composers Project database: http://www.composers21.com/country/usa.htm

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-07 11:57:55 UTC

Post by Oscar
Corigliano sucks, and I saw him give a pre-concert talk before a performance of his First Symphony a few years ago. Higdon? You must be joking. (Same for Daugherty.) You like Joan Tower, too, eh? Adams is so overrated I'm suprised Obama didn't give him a medal. Leave that to Trump! Glass? Pass. Reich is about as good as the aforementioned gets...and he's a one-trick pony that never made it to the steeplechase. P.S. You left out Rzewski.
Living Composers Project database: http://www.composers21.com/country/usa.htm

I agree with Oscar on every point. Corigliano's student Avner Dorman already has produced better work than his teacher; he's not Amarican, though. Daugherty is at least entertaining on occasion, but not much more. The thing about overrated Adamses is that there are two of them :-)

I think that Philip Rhodes (still alive in his 70s afaik), mentioned at the beginning of this thread, is a fine composer. Great? I dunno, but the "Mountain Songs" belong to the handful of great American song cycles, imo.

My candidate for a great living American composer: Christopher Rouse.

AC

Bozo

2017-07-07 12:02:13 UTC

Post by c***@gmail.com
My candidate for a great living American composer: Christopher Rouse.

From the earlier thread here about Rouse's Flute Concerto :

"Heard for the first time , live with NYPO and its principal flutist :

Great work, I thought. "

Oscar

2017-07-08 19:06:32 UTC

Just heard David Del Tredici's Final Alice (1976) in its most famous recording by Barbara Hendricks with Georg Solti conducting. Del Tredici is now 80 years old. Another American composer who does nothing for me. Leonard Slatkin used to be an advocate of his music, but I still resisted.

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-08 20:06:03 UTC

Post by Oscar
Just heard David Del Tredici's Final Alice (1976) in its most famous recording by Barbara Hendricks with Georg Solti conducting. Del Tredici is now 80 years old. Another American composer who does nothing for me. Leonard Slatkin used to be an advocate of his music, but I still resisted.

I'm getting tired of agreeing with Oscar :-) Fortunately there is an antidote to the tedium of "Final Alice" in the form of Irving Fine's six choral settings of selections from "Alice in Wonderland." The classic Gregg Smith Singers recordings are all on youtube (e.g., Beautiful Soup:

but you really want the CRI reissue because the whole collection is a delight (http://www.newworldrecords.org/uploads/fileXcWKq.pdf).

AC

j***@gmail.com

2017-07-08 20:38:11 UTC

American music in the larger sense.

Bozo

2017-07-09 14:08:03 UTC

Just heard David Del Tredici's Final Alice (1976) in its most famous recording >by Barbara Hendricks with Georg Solti conducting. Del Tredici is now 80 years >old. Another American composer who does nothing for me.

Del Tredici’s “Three Gymnopedies” for solo piano, Tanya Bannister, pianist,Albany cd recommended here before , brief but pleasant listens :

Steve Emerson

2017-07-08 20:54:27 UTC

Rzewski, yes, and especially if we mean American with a capital A, a la Ives. America as material.

Adams is an accomplished orchestrator who can produce riveting, transporting sounds. I agree he is overrated, but that sort of accomplishment is nothing to sneeze at. Reich, too, knows how to write.

SE.

Bozo

2017-07-09 13:34:06 UTC

Post by Steve Emerson
Adams is an accomplished orchestrator who can produce riveting, transporting sounds.

I do greatly enjoy his Violin Concerto :

Al Eisner

2017-07-10 20:08:00 UTC

Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

I guess Carter didn't make it to 109. :)

--
Al Eisner

Bozo

2017-07-11 12:32:29 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

Thanks for the tip ! Listened to her " Sonata Serrano " for piano 4 -hands, and last 2 movs. from her solo piano "Sonata Andina " , as well as the " Folk Songs for Piano Trio " (

, all at YT. Enjoyed the Trio the most. Any other recommendations for her works ? TIA.

Bozo

2017-07-11 12:54:39 UTC

Also heard Gabriela Frank's “ Leyendas : An Andean Walkabout ” , apparently for chamber orchestra ( on the YT ) also interesting, enjoyed :

Al Eisner

2017-07-11 19:02:44 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

Thanks for the tip ! Listened to her " Sonata Serrano " for piano 4
-hands, and last 2 movs. from her solo piano "Sonata Andina " , as
well as the " Folk Songs for Piano Trio " (
http://youtu.be/eQ3_ba7Knyk , all at YT. Enjoyed the
Trio the most. Any other recommendations for her works ? TIA.

Leyandas, which you mention in a later post, is probably her most
familiar work. Like some (but not all) of her other works, it has a
strong Peruvian theme; she is 1/4 Peruvian by descent. I see there is
a CD by the impressive Del Sol quartet which includes Leyandas and also
a quartet by Lou Harrison, another composer who certainly deserves
mention, but I haven't heard that CD yet.) I can recommmend a Naxos
CD entitled "Hilos"; the eponymous work is also Peruvian-inspired, but
is written for an "End-of-Time" ensemble.

I first encountered her work during a more-adventurous-than-usual
***@Menlo festival which (among other things) featured three
contemporary composers. Jennifer Higdon, who has been mentioned, is
probably the best known, but to me Frank was by a good margin the most
interesting. While I've mainly heard her shorter works or suites,
she does do larger-scale as well. One I've heard and was impressed by
was a violin concerto entitled "Hailli LÃrico", but it apparently
has not gotten to youtube or a recording.

Al

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-12 02:13:29 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

Leyandas, which you mention in a later post, is probably her most
familiar work. Like some (but not all) of her other works, it has a
strong Peruvian theme; she is 1/4 Peruvian by descent. I see there is
a CD by the impressive Del Sol quartet which includes Leyandas and also
a quartet by Lou Harrison, another composer who certainly deserves
mention, but I haven't heard that CD yet.) I can recommmend a Naxos
CD entitled "Hilos"; the eponymous work is also Peruvian-inspired, but
is written for an "End-of-Time" ensemble.
I first encountered her work during a more-adventurous-than-usual
contemporary composers. Jennifer Higdon, who has been mentioned, is
probably the best known, but to me Frank was by a good margin the most
interesting. While I've mainly heard her shorter works or suites,
she does do larger-scale as well. One I've heard and was impressed by
was a violin concerto entitled "Hailli Lírico", but it apparently
has not gotten to youtube or a recording.
Al

Just watched a video of her "Walkabout: Concerto for Orchestra" performed by the Detroit Symphony: http://site-323590.bcvp0rtal.com/detail/videos/new-on-dso-replay/video/5330133056001/gabriela-lena-frank-walkabout:-concerto-for-orchestra?autoStart=true . Very enjoyable, the Latin American influence plainly evident in the tunes and rhythms. Nothing particularly original, but good fun for the performers as well as for this listener. My first encounter with the conductor Michelle Merrill (http://www.michelle-merrill.com/), who makes an excellent impression in this performance. I'm encouraged to learn more about both composer and conductor. Thanks again.

AC

Al Eisner

2017-07-12 18:33:38 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

Leyandas, which you mention in a later post, is probably her most
familiar work. Like some (but not all) of her other works, it has a
strong Peruvian theme; she is 1/4 Peruvian by descent. I see there is
a CD by the impressive Del Sol quartet which includes Leyandas and also
a quartet by Lou Harrison, another composer who certainly deserves
mention, but I haven't heard that CD yet.) I can recommmend a Naxos
CD entitled "Hilos"; the eponymous work is also Peruvian-inspired, but
is written for an "End-of-Time" ensemble.
I first encountered her work during a more-adventurous-than-usual
contemporary composers. Jennifer Higdon, who has been mentioned, is
probably the best known, but to me Frank was by a good margin the most
interesting. While I've mainly heard her shorter works or suites,
she does do larger-scale as well. One I've heard and was impressed by
was a violin concerto entitled "Hailli LÃrico", but it apparently
has not gotten to youtube or a recording.
Al

Glad you enjoyed it. I've not heard that concerto; I wonder if it is
related to her earlier Leyandas, a work for string quartet subtitled
"An Andean Walkabout".

Worth sampling her chamber music too. Here's the first section of Hilos:

(I think there's more of it to
be found on youtube as well).

I'm not yet prepared to label her "great"; I'll have to look into your
suggestion (and Bozo's reinforcement) of Christopher Rouse. I don't think
you mentioned Wuorinen, but since I don't understand what I've heard of
his music I can't say anything about it. :)

--
Al Eisner

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-12 19:40:10 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

Leyandas, which you mention in a later post, is probably her most
familiar work. Like some (but not all) of her other works, it has a
strong Peruvian theme; she is 1/4 Peruvian by descent. I see there is
a CD by the impressive Del Sol quartet which includes Leyandas and also
a quartet by Lou Harrison, another composer who certainly deserves
mention, but I haven't heard that CD yet.) I can recommmend a Naxos
CD entitled "Hilos"; the eponymous work is also Peruvian-inspired, but
is written for an "End-of-Time" ensemble.
I first encountered her work during a more-adventurous-than-usual
contemporary composers. Jennifer Higdon, who has been mentioned, is
probably the best known, but to me Frank was by a good margin the most
interesting. While I've mainly heard her shorter works or suites,
she does do larger-scale as well. One I've heard and was impressed by
was a violin concerto entitled "Hailli Lírico", but it apparently
has not gotten to youtube or a recording.
Al

Glad you enjoyed it. I've not heard that concerto; I wonder if it is
related to her earlier Leyandas, a work for string quartet subtitled
"An Andean Walkabout".
http://youtu.be/PHDWJU2KbsQ (I think there's more of it to
be found on youtube as well).
I'm not yet prepared to label her "great"; I'll have to look into your
suggestion (and Bozo's reinforcement) of Christopher Rouse. I don't think
you mentioned Wuorinen, but since I don't understand what I've heard of
his music I can't say anything about it. :)
--
Al Eisner

Anyway, I think it's great fun. A lot of his music puts his quirky sense of humor on display. Try "The River of Light," which sounds like Stravinsky updated. Not hard to follow at all.

I was thinking about minoring in music in college, and took a class in composition with Wuorinen (probably 1970). This was when he was still at Columbia, shortly after winning the Pulitzer for "Time's Encomium" (another piece that I like a lot), and before he was denied tenure at Columbia nevertheless (!). The class was fabulous, including lots of analysis and guest performances along with our own compositional efforts. The guests included Harvey Sollberger (to demonstrate and explain Density 21.5) and young full-bearded Fred Sherry (to perform Carter's Cello Sonata with Wuorinen at the piano).

My final project was a trio for three wind instruments, which Wuorinen's graduate assistant played through on the piano. When the piece was over, Wuorinen thought for a few seconds, and said, "Well, that was ... ambitious." I always knew that I was not destined to become a composer, but that comment sealed the deal. He gave me an "A" anyway :-)

Alan

Bozo

2017-07-13 01:15:39 UTC

Amid Wuorinen's enormous output, and despite his well-deserved reputation for being "difficult", I bet >you'd find something to enjoy. Try the Piano Concerto #3: the first movement sounds to me like >Prokofiev's >PC#2 gone completely berserk http://youtu.be/_liiGxY1dPw Anyway, I >think it's great >fun.

That YT link is to a 1990 Nonesuch cd, Garrick Ohlsson, piano; Jack van Geem, percussion ; San Francisco Symphony , Herbert Blomstedt

An Amazon-US review of the cd :

“In the course of Wuorinen's four-year residency with the San Francisco Symphony, he wrote the Golden Dance (another piece which came out of his collaboration with Herbert Blomstedt is the monumental Genesis). The Third Concerto he wrote for Garrick Ohlsson to play for a consortium of five orchestras: in Albany, Hartford, New Haven, Springfield (MA) and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. (Wuorinen's piece is apparently one of six works which this consortium together commissioned, the idea being to share the cost of the commissions, and each orchestra would have six new works to present.)
The first thing, it seems to me, to keep in mind about Wuorinen is, that he himself is an accomplished pianist (he wrote his first two piano concerti, to play himself). The rigors of his musical language are not baked in some insular laboratory; he is above all a practical, practicing musician.
The second thing is, of all the composers who make use of the twelve-tone system, Wuorinen impresses me as the one who makes the most strikingly musical application of the sound-world.
He writes: "I don't always pay much attention to the set once it's there. Working out its various forms is mostly just a habitual ritual for me now. It doesn't determine every detail; still, it is everywhere in the piece.
The Third Concerto is not an easy piece to play; but Ohlsson makes it, we cannot say "easy," but fluid and musical. The first movement is an unrelenting romp, a "post-Prokofievan" toccata which begins as a rumble in the piano and percussion, gradually folding in other sections of the orchestra. When at last the strings are brought in, the pace slows down, and the long-breathed, sinuously evocative second movement begins. Stravinskyan good-humor opens a finale characterized by further virtuosic agility. This piece is so well-crafted, so clearly defined, and so assured in design, as to be really the first serious contribution to the piano-concerto literature by a US composer. It is a historical piece; and what is more, it is robustly musical -- which makes it all the more historical, for a work from our era."

I am not as enthusiastic ( as I am with my recording of the PC # 2 of Henze ) , but the Wuorinen # 3 certainly worth a couple hearings. Thanks, AC !

Al Eisner

2017-07-14 20:32:21 UTC

That YT link is to a 1990 Nonesuch cd, Garrick Ohlsson, piano; Jack van Geem, percussion ; San Francisco Symphony , Herbert Blomstedt

[mostly snipped]

Post by Bozo
the first serious contribution to the piano-concerto literature by a US compos

Well, BartÃ³k's third was composed when he was in the U.S., and he may have
even been a citizen by then. :)

Even if that is not accepted, Carter was certainly serious, and one
could put in a word for Barber. (I don' even have to mention Gershwin!)

Post by Bozo
I am not as enthusiastic ( as I am with my recording of the PC # 2 of Henze )
but the Wuorinen # 3 certainly worth a couple hearings. Thanks, AC !

I haven't heard it yet, but I'll second the thanks, in anticipation.

--
Al Eisner

Bozo

2017-07-14 21:54:39 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Even if that is not accepted, Carter was certainly serious, and one
could put in a word for Barber. (I don' even have to mention Gershwin!)

Agreed, as well as Flagello's, Kevin Oldham, the MacDowell's,Copland,Amy Beach.

Al Eisner

2017-07-14 23:26:14 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Even if that is not accepted, Carter was certainly serious, and one
could put in a word for Barber. (I don' even have to mention Gershwin!)

Agreed, as well as Flagello's, Kevin Oldham, the MacDowell's,Copland,Amy Beach.

There you go, starting with two people I've never even heard of. :)

Yeah, I should have mentioned Copland. I generally like Beach but
haven't heard her concerto yet.... (MacDowell: not so sure.)

--
Al Eisner

Bozo

2017-07-15 02:13:06 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
There you go, starting with two people I've never even heard of. :)

Nicholas Flagello, 3rd Piano Concerto:

Kevin Oldham, a solo piano version of the slow mov. of his piano concerto ( concerto not at YT) :

The Van Cliburn lp of the MacDowell PC # 2 :

Amy Beach PC :

Bozo

2017-07-15 12:29:47 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
There you go, starting with two people I've never even heard of. :)

Some additional to my July 14 post :

From the same cd as Flagello’s 3rd PC ( which cd also has his excellent 2nd PC ), his wonderful “ Credendum” for Violin and Orchestra ( I recommend the cd which is in my collection) :

More Oldham on the Albany cd I also have and recommend ( hopefully , his entire Piano Concerto is on Spotify or similar ) :

“Not even if I Try”,

“Across the Sea “,

Ballade,Op.17, for solo piano ,

Bozo

2017-07-15 15:09:36 UTC

Bit more on the late Kevin Oldham, if interested :

Obituary:

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/12/obituaries/kevin-oldham-32-pianist-who-started-composing-in-illness.html

Review of his Carnegie debut:

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/10/arts/music-debuts-in-review-three-pianists-and-two-violinists-in-recitals.html

Per his 1993 performance of his Piano Concerto in Kansas City with the KC Phil, William McLaughlin conductor, from the Catalyst cd liner notes I believe or Kansas City Star review :

" Conductor McLaughlin relates he had to help hold Oldham up offstage,
but that Oldham got thru the 1993 KC performance ( premiere
was in NYC 1991) fairly well . Got a 45-minute ovation.Oldham asked
Hobson afterwards to record it as Oldham too ill, in fact entered a KC
hospital a few days after the KC performance and died about 6 weeks
later. "

Bozo

2017-07-15 22:45:26 UTC

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/10/arts/music-debuts-in-review-three-pianists-and-two-violinists-in->recitals.html

From the 1985 NYT review :

" Mr. Oldham is a thoughtful artist. He takes chances, even at the risk of falling on his face. I would rather spend an evening listening to Mr. Oldham than be bored to death by one of the bloodless, note-perfect, arpeggio machines that perennially win ''best-in-show'' in the international competitions."

Steven Bornfeld

2017-07-15 02:33:18 UTC

Post by Al Eisner
Although the ouevre is not large enough or well enough known (even to
me) for me to assign a label of "great", I've always liked what I've
heard from Gabriela Lena Frank.

Leyandas, which you mention in a later post, is probably her most
familiar work. Like some (but not all) of her other works, it has a
strong Peruvian theme; she is 1/4 Peruvian by descent. I see there is
a CD by the impressive Del Sol quartet which includes Leyandas and also
a quartet by Lou Harrison, another composer who certainly deserves
mention, but I haven't heard that CD yet.) I can recommmend a Naxos
CD entitled "Hilos"; the eponymous work is also Peruvian-inspired, but
is written for an "End-of-Time" ensemble.
I first encountered her work during a more-adventurous-than-usual
contemporary composers. Jennifer Higdon, who has been mentioned, is
probably the best known, but to me Frank was by a good margin the most
interesting. While I've mainly heard her shorter works or suites,
she does do larger-scale as well. One I've heard and was impressed by
was a violin concerto entitled "Hailli Lírico", but it apparently
has not gotten to youtube or a recording.
Al

Thanks for the a additional recommendations; the chamber music sounds appealing.
Amid Wuorinen's enormous output, and despite his well-deserved reputation for being "difficult", I bet you'd find something to enjoy. Try the Piano Concerto #3: the first movement sounds to me like Prokofiev's PC#2 gone completely berserk http://youtu.be/_liiGxY1dPw Anyway, I think it's great fun. A lot of his music puts his quirky sense of humor on display. Try "The River of Light," which sounds like Stravinsky updated. Not hard to follow at all.
I was thinking about minoring in music in college, and took a class in composition with Wuorinen (probably 1970). This was when he was still at Columbia, shortly after winning the Pulitzer for "Time's Encomium" (another piece that I like a lot), and before he was denied tenure at Columbia nevertheless (!). The class was fabulous, including lots of analysis and guest performances along with our own compositional efforts. The guests included Harvey Sollberger (to demonstrate and explain Density 21.5) and young full-bearded Fred Sherry (to perform Carter's Cello Sonata with Wuorinen at the piano).
My final project was a trio for three wind instruments, which Wuorinen's graduate assistant played through on the piano. When the piece was over, Wuorinen thought for a few seconds, and said, "Well, that was ... ambitious." I always knew that I was not destined to become a composer, but that comment sealed the deal. He gave me an "A" anyway :-)
Alan

Great story!

Steve

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-11 14:04:42 UTC

New to me. Thanks, Al!

AC

Jerry

2017-07-16 17:38:54 UTC

Post by JohnGavin
It's Ives for me too. Favorite are the Songs with Jan de Gaetani and Gilbert Kalish. A desert island CD.

Magnificent! We also listened to Barber's "Knoxville Summer of 1915" twice--first sung by Leontyne Price and then Eleanor Steber. Then Price in the "Hermit Songs" and William Warfield in Copland's "Old American Songs." I sang our kids to sleep with the latter when they were babies.
A propos of Ives songs, I try to keep up with new issues but keep returning to Roberta Alexander's recordings with pleasure. Here is a great source for the song texts, btw: http://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_settings.html?ComposerId=1307.
AC

It has been very gratifying to have seen Barber's Knoxville so well-
represented on discs since those days when Steber's two accounts were
the ONLY ones to be available.

By my count, there have been 21 separate performances of the orchestral
version on disc of which only one remains unreleased on CD.

I may have missed some and would appreciate additions to the modest
discography compiled below.

Jerry

Alexander / deWaart / Netherlands / EtCetera KTC 1145
Battle / Previn / St. Lukes / DGG 437 787-2
Bruggergosman / Goodman / Manitoba / CBC 5234
Farrell / Hermann / CBS / WHRA 6039
Fleming / Oramo / Stockholm / Decca 2609602
Frederick / Curtis / Orchestra of the Swan / Somm 118
Gauvin / Alsop / Royal Scottish / Naxos 8559134
Gillet / Daniel / Liege / aeon AECD 1113
Golden / Barra / San Diego Chamber / Koch 7206
Gomez / Hickox / City of London Sinf. / Virgin VC790766
Hendricks / Tilson Thomas / LSO / EMI 55358
Hohenfeld / Somary / Nurnberg / Claves 9806
Lear / Orchestra / Zillig / VAI 1049
McGurk / Measham / Western Australia / Regis RRC 1139
McNair / Levi / Atlanta / Telarc 80250
Pelton / Russell / ProMusica Chamber / Summit 1023
Price / Schippers / NYPhil / WHRA 6039
Price / Schippers / New Philharmonia / RCA 61983
Steber / Harsanyi / Trenton / St/and 7420 (VINYL ONLY)
Steber / Strickland / Dumbarton Oaks / Sony MHK 60899 et al.
Upshaw / Zinman / St. Lukes / Nonesuch 979187

Oscar

2017-07-16 17:43:29 UTC

Pity that Christine Brewer, from southern Illinois, has not recorded Knoxville 1915. I saw her perform it with David Robertson and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra several years ago on New Year's Eve, and lemme tell you, it was something else.

c***@gmail.com

2017-07-16 19:59:29 UTC

Post by Jerry

Post by JohnGavin
It's Ives for me too. Favorite are the Songs with Jan de Gaetani and Gilbert Kalish. A desert island CD.

Magnificent! We also listened to Barber's "Knoxville Summer of 1915" twice--first sung by Leontyne Price and then Eleanor Steber. Then Price in the "Hermit Songs" and William Warfield in Copland's "Old American Songs." I sang our kids to sleep with the latter when they were babies.
A propos of Ives songs, I try to keep up with new issues but keep returning to Roberta Alexander's recordings with pleasure. Here is a great source for the song texts, btw: http://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_settings.html?ComposerId=1307.
AC

It has been very gratifying to have seen Barber's Knoxville so well-
represented on discs since those days when Steber's two accounts were
the ONLY ones to be available.
By my count, there have been 21 separate performances of the orchestral
version on disc of which only one remains unreleased on CD.
I may have missed some and would appreciate additions to the modest
discography compiled below.
Jerry
Alexander / deWaart / Netherlands / EtCetera KTC 1145
Battle / Previn / St. Lukes / DGG 437 787-2
Bruggergosman / Goodman / Manitoba / CBC 5234
Farrell / Hermann / CBS / WHRA 6039
Fleming / Oramo / Stockholm / Decca 2609602
Frederick / Curtis / Orchestra of the Swan / Somm 118
Gauvin / Alsop / Royal Scottish / Naxos 8559134
Gillet / Daniel / Liege / aeon AECD 1113
Golden / Barra / San Diego Chamber / Koch 7206
Gomez / Hickox / City of London Sinf. / Virgin VC790766
Hendricks / Tilson Thomas / LSO / EMI 55358
Hohenfeld / Somary / Nurnberg / Claves 9806
Lear / Orchestra / Zillig / VAI 1049
McGurk / Measham / Western Australia / Regis RRC 1139
McNair / Levi / Atlanta / Telarc 80250
Pelton / Russell / ProMusica Chamber / Summit 1023
Price / Schippers / NYPhil / WHRA 6039
Price / Schippers / New Philharmonia / RCA 61983
Steber / Harsanyi / Trenton / St/and 7420 (VINYL ONLY)
Steber / Strickland / Dumbarton Oaks / Sony MHK 60899 et al.
Upshaw / Zinman / St. Lukes / Nonesuch 979187

Thank you, Jerry. It's a tribute to the greatness of the music that so many outstanding singers have taken it up. I know only a handful of the recordings on your list, among which I consider Gauvin/Alsop a real "sleeper". Which are your favorites?

AC

Jerry

2017-07-16 22:56:55 UTC

Several outstanding choices available. Of course there is the original
(Steber). I would also concur with ArkivMusic's recommendation of
McNair. After reading some comments here I reacquainted myself
with the Price and found her voice to be surprising light, which is fine
for this work where the text is so beautifully matched with the music.

I suppose a more interesting question might be which ones to avoid.

Jerry

Bozo

2017-07-16 22:41:44 UTC

Post by Jerry
It has been very gratifying to have seen Barber's Knoxville so well-
represented on discs

See,also, the " Barber's ' Knoxville,Summer 1915' " May 14 thread here.

Peter H.

2017-07-12 13:12:16 UTC

This would be one of mine:

Billings: A Land of Pure Delight - Anthems & Fuging Tunes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000007D3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X.HzzbEE2B968

sci.space

2017-07-13 13:22:56 UTC

Post by Peter H.
Billings: A Land of Pure Delight - Anthems & Fuging Tunes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000007D3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X.HzzbEE2B968

I'll second that. Mine is the other edition of the same recording, loved it since I bought it new at Tower Records. Now if someone would record a good version of Jargon, a real ear twister.

Daniel Pyle

2017-07-13 15:22:54 UTC

Roy Harris, Symphony no. 3, Serge Koussevitsky conducting Boston Symphony Orchestra

Tassilo

2017-07-16 02:39:25 UTC

Post by c***@gmail.com
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/May03/Rhodes.htm
A close #2: https://www.discogs.com/Charles-Ives-Orchestra-New-England-James-Sinclair-The-Orchestral-Music-Of-Charles-Ives/release/7362522
Happy 4th to all, wherever....
AC

Since nobody chose a piece by Elliott Carter I thought I better stick my oar in. My favorite piece of music by an American composer may well be Carter's Concerto for Orchestra, which is a programmatic depiction of the winds sweeping across the North American continent.

-david gable

Bozo

2017-07-16 13:42:49 UTC

My favorite piece of music by an American composer may well be Carter's Concerto for Orchestra, which is >a programmatic depiction of the winds sweeping across the North American continent.

Thanks !

Here is the NYPO under Boulez playing the work live in Berlin in 1975 :

A Knussen conducted recording of the Carter ( I have not heard ) is also at YT.

More accessible on first hearing than Carter’s Piano Concerto ( which remains largely a mystery to me after several hearings ), but what a challenge for the conductor, orchestra ! Worth a hearing for those , like me , new to the work.

Steve Emerson

2017-07-16 15:21:33 UTC

My favorite piece of music by an American composer may well be Carter's Concerto for Orchestra, which is >a programmatic depiction of the winds sweeping across the North American continent.

Thanks !
http://youtu.be/c3JEGuUd6SI
A Knussen conducted recording of the Carter ( I have not heard ) is also at YT.
More accessible on first hearing than Carter’s Piano Concerto ( which remains largely a mystery to me after several hearings ), but what a challenge for the conductor, orchestra ! Worth a hearing for those , like me , new to the work.

You may be familiar, but If you don't know the piano sonata and cello sonata (cello and piano), you might investigate those. Early and rather accessible works, both wonderful. Preferably Webster, in the former:

SE.

Bozo

2017-07-16 16:44:55 UTC

You may be familiar, but If you don't know the piano sonata and cello sonata >(cello and piano), you might investigate those. Early and rather accessible >works, both wonderful.

Thanks again. I do have the Carter Piano Sonata in a recording by Peter Lawson , and agree a great work, had not listened to it recently so thanks for the reminder and for the Webster link I have now heard as well. First hearing for me of the Carter Cello Sonata, think I may like it more than the Piano Sonata, here a live, student performance :

Steve Emerson

2017-07-16 19:39:09 UTC

You may be familiar, but If you don't know the piano sonata and cello sonata >(cello and piano), you might investigate those. Early and rather accessible >works, both wonderful.

http://youtu.be/Kla41X66srg

Sure. Both are driving, fiery works, I think. Here's link to the first of 4 movements in the classic Greenhouse/Makas recording (the rest are also up):

SE.

Bob Harper

2017-07-16 20:32:09 UTC

On Sunday, July 16, 2017 at 10:21:37 AM UTC-5, Steve Emerson
You may be familiar, but If you don't know the piano sonata and
cello sonata >(cello and piano), you might investigate those. Early
and rather accessible >works, both wonderful.

Thanks again. I do have the Carter Piano Sonata in a recording by
Peter Lawson , and agree a great work, had not listened to it
recently so thanks for the reminder and for the Webster link I have
now heard as well. First hearing for me of the Carter Cello Sonata,
think I may like it more than the Piano Sonata, here a live, student
http://youtu.be/Kla41X66srg

I first heard the Carter Sonata on a wonderful Dover disc, coupled with
Roger Sessions's 2nd Sonata and Copland's Piano Variations. As with all
Dovers that I ever heard, the surfaces were lousy, but the music was
wonderful, and Beveridge Webster played it masterfully. If that disc
came out on CD, I'd certainly buy it.

Bob Harper

Bozo

2017-07-16 22:44:28 UTC

Having now heard both Webster and Lawson in Carter's Piano Sonata, I'd strongly recommend (!) you hear Lawson as well.

Bozo

2017-07-17 17:20:44 UTC

Having now heard both Webster and Lawson in Carter's Piano Sonata, I'd strongly recommend (!) you hear >Lawson as well.

The Lawson recording :

Bob Harper

2017-07-17 23:52:25 UTC

Having now heard both Webster and Lawson in Carter's Piano Sonata, I'd strongly recommend (!) you hear >Lawson as well.

http://youtu.be/8TtYUKwaXQw
http://youtu.be/gUN0piDZeYE

Just listened via YT, and yes, I need to get this disc. To be honest, I
don't get much Carter, but this speaks to me loud and clear.

Bob Harper

Bozo

2017-07-18 00:47:31 UTC

Post by Bob Harper
To be honest, I
don't get much Carter, but this speaks to me loud and clear.

Same here ( hear ). I also liked the Cello Sonata recommended by Steve Emerson.

Bob Harper

2017-07-18 01:20:35 UTC

Post by Bob Harper
To be honest, I
don't get much Carter, but this speaks to me loud and clear.

Same here ( hear ). I also liked the Cello Sonata recommended by Steve Emerson.

Yes, that too.

Bob Harper

Bozo

2017-07-18 01:42:10 UTC

Post by Bob Harper
Just listened via YT, and yes, I need to get this disc.

In addition to the Carter, you will get a wonderful reading of the Barber Sonata :

And the rarely heard Ives 1st Sonata ( which I prefer to the more famous 2nd ):

And Griffes’ Sonata !

One of the most unduly neglected solo piano cd’s ever ?

Lawson bio : https://www.rncm.ac.uk/people/peter-lawson/

Steve Emerson

2017-07-17 02:31:10 UTC

Post by Bob Harper

Post by Steve Emerson
You may be familiar, but If you don't know the piano sonata and
cello sonata >(cello and piano), you might investigate those. Early
and rather accessible >works, both wonderful.

Thanks again. I do have the Carter Piano Sonata in a recording by
Peter Lawson , and agree a great work, had not listened to it
recently so thanks for the reminder and for the Webster link I have
now heard as well. First hearing for me of the Carter Cello Sonata,
think I may like it more than the Piano Sonata, here a live, student
http://youtu.be/Kla41X66srg

Think we may have been around this block before. There are two Webster reecordings of the Carter. A Phoenix CD appeared with the non-Dover, alongside the Makas-Greenhouse cello sonata and works of Persichetti etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00005YY0A/

Bob Lombard did a good transfer of the Dover outing you mention. I can probably share that somewhere.

SE.

Al Eisner

2017-07-19 21:48:16 UTC

Post by Steve Emerson

Post by Bob Harper