This release is the third recording of Torbjörn Iwan Lundquist symphonies by Sterling, and the fourth overall of his music. The two symphonies here both have unusual origins. Lundquist wrote a work for the Kroumata Percussion Ensemble in 1976. The project inspired him to do something larger, using the ensemble. The result was his eighth […]
Orchestral music
-
-
Zdenek Fibich orchestral series ends in fine form
This is the final volume in Naxos’ series of Zdenek Fibich orchestral works. It includes the last of his three symphonies, as well as orchestral music from three of his operas. Fibich completed his third symphony in 1898, just two years before his death. The work is ambitious, with a “darkness-to-light” premise that keeps the […]
-
David Monrad Johansen – Norwegian treasure
As I continue to explore the highways and the byways of the classical repertoire, I find that every country has its national treasure. Sometimes, as with Antonin Dvorak, that treasure is shared with the world. Norway’s treasure, David Monrad Johanson hasn’t been — so far. Johansen is Norwegian, but his taste is cosmopolitan. Mixed in […]
-
Kaija Saariaho – True Fire true masterwork
For me, Kaija Saariaho is one of those composers who reward exploration. Her sonic world is so unique, that it can only be appreciated with repeated visits. And, of course, each work yields a different insight into Saariaho’s creative mind. This release features three views into Saariaho’s world. True Fire was composed for baritone Gerald […]
-
Gloria Bruni Ringparable symphony delivers powerful message
To say Gloria Bruni is talented would be an understatement. She’s a renowned soprano, violinist, and composer. Her experience as both a vocal and instrumental performer seems to inform the choices she makes as a composer. Her Symphony No. 1 was premiered in 2012 and has nothing to do with Wagner. “Ringparabel” refers to a […]
-
Classical Interviews – Benjamin Rous
Courtesy of the Charlottesville Symphony profile page Benjamin Rous, music director for Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia, spoke with WTJU recently about his career, his favorite works, and coming to Charlottesville. For more on Benjamin Rous, visit: Charlottesville Symphony website. These interviews aired as part of Classical Sunrise, weekday mornings from 7-9am. How he […]
-
Willam Dawson and Ulysses Kay — two sides of Black classical music
This release features two African-American composers with two very different styles. William Levi Dawson was a respected composer, teacher, and musicologist. He’s best remembered for his work in collecting and arranging African-American spirituals. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony celebrates that heritage. Dawson creates a flowing orchestral narrative using snippets from various spirituals (and not just well-known […]
-
Jaromir Weinberger – Schwanda and beyond
Show of hands: how many played the Polka and Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper in their highs school or college band? Jaromir Weinberger’s piece has made him a one-hit-wonder. An as with many composers, it does him something of a disservice. It is true, I think, that in Schwanda the Bagpiper all the threads of Weinberger’s style come together. […]
-
Second volume of Auber opera overtures distinct improvement
Volume two of Daniel-François-Esprit Auber overtures builds on the strengths of the first. As before, maestro Dario Salvi and the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice present several world premiere recordings — including a violin concerto. While I enjoyed the performances of the ensemble in volume one, I had some complaints about the quality of the […]