There’s only one letter difference between the names Martin and Martinu. Their music isn’t as closely related, but they do share some similarities. Swiss Frank Martin and Czech Bohuslav Martinu were both born in 1890 and were musical contemporaries. The Danish National Vocal Ensemble performs mostly a capella works by these two men, highlighting both […]
Classical
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#ClassicsaDay #BlackMusicMonth Week 3
Since 1979, June has been African-American Music Appreciation Month. The Classics a Day team decided to adopt it for the June 2019 theme as well. Popular music genres will no doubt be well-represented by others. We’ll be focusing on the composers, conductors, and performing artists of color who have contributed to classical music. For my […]
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Heinrich Anton Hoffman String Quartets – Music in Transition
When Heinrich Anton Hoffman died in 1842, a colleague wrote: “as a composer, he secured his permanent place among the ranks of major composers with the simplicity and deep feeling of his Lieder, and with his Duets for Violin and Violoncello, in which he combined sophistication and elegance.” That statement proved both true and false. […]
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Ola Gjeilo – Sunrise Mass a Beautiful Start for Any Day
Ola Gjeilo has a gift for writing choral music of exceeding beauty. And while “Sunrise Mass” showcases Gjeilo’s music, works by other composers are wisely interspersed for variety. The end result is a choral album that is first-rate in every regard — the choice of material, the cohesiveness of the program, the quality of the […]
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Hans Gál Chamber Music Volume 3 – Consistent quality
This installment of Toccata Classics’ Hans Gál series feature works from very different times in the composer’s life. Although there are stylistic differences between them, there’s a consistency of quality and craftsmanship throughout. The earliest (and largest) work is the 1914 Piano Quartet in B-flat major. Gál builds on foundations laid by Brahms and Dvorak. The themes […]
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Giovanni Ristori Missa in C major to be taken seriously
A commenter took me to task for my recent review of Jan Dismas Zelenka’s Missa Omnium Sanctorum. “The point of a mass setting is not to be “fun” and Zelenka would probably abhor that characterization of this work… Anyway, it was his friend [Giovanni Alberto] Ristori who was responsible for the “fun” masses in Dresden.” […]
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#ClassicsaDay #BlackMusicMonth Week 2
Since 1979, June has been African-American Music Appreciation Month. The Classics a Day team decided to adopt it for the June 2019 theme as well. Popular music genres will no doubt be well-represented by others. We’ll be focusing on the composers, conductors, and performing artists of color who have contributed to classical music. For my […]
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Robert Furstenthal – A composer redeemed
The story behind Robert Furstenthal’s music is compelling. It might even be the stuff of movies. But in the end, the music has to stand (or fall) on its own merits. The first part of Furstenthal’s story isn’t new. He was a young Jewish composer forced to flee when the Nazis annexed Austria. He emigrated […]
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Orfeo reissues Louis Spohr Clarinet Concerto recordings
Orfeo first released these recordings of Louis Spohr clarinet concertos in 1984. And they sound like it. The overall sound is somewhat dulled in the extreme registers (compared to contemporary recordings). It casts the orchestra and soloist in soft focus. Despite this, I would still recommend this reissue. Karl Leister is an exceptional clarinetist, and […]