When did American classical music begin? Sooner than you might think. Long before Aaron Copland — and even Charles Ives — composers were looking to create a national voice. George Frederick Bristow and William Henry Fry were two such pioneers. Fry was the first native-born American to compose symphonic works. His 1854 Niagra Symphony is […]
Romantic period
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Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Orchestral Works Back in Print
The re-release of this album comes at a fortuitous time. This collection of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s orchestral music came out in 1995. It was (and is) part of an ongoing series of British light orchestral music. And as such, it fills the bill quite nicely. But in 2022, there’s a real desire for classical music from […]
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Carl Frühling Chamber Music Brought to Light
I’m used to early music composers having sketchy bios with lists of lost compositions. Not so much 20th Century composers. But Carl Frühling is one. We do have Frühling’s dates — 1868-1937. We know that he was an extraordinary pianist and often performed chamber music. He won the Liszt Prize in 1889. He also met […]
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Violin Concertos by Johannes Brahms; Amanda Maier; Julius Rontgen
This release brings together three violin concertos by three close friends — Johannes Brahms, Julius Rontgen, and his wife, Amanda Maier. Rontgen and Maier were both talented violinists. The couple performed together, and even composed together. Brahms would visit the Rontgen home when in town. And Brahms and Rontgen gave public concerts together in Amsterdam. […]
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Schubert Sonatas come together for Anne-Marie McDermott
Sometimes it all comes together — the music, the artist, the venue, the recording. That’s what happens with this release. It features two of Schubert’s most popular and challenging piano sonatas: The Piano Sonata in D major, D.850, and the Piano Sonata in B-flat major, D.960. Both of Schubert’s sonatas are loose in form. At […]
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Arthur Sullivan Incidental Music – Good to be back in print
Good to see this back in print. Naxos first released this album on their Marco Polo label in 1992. It features some of Arthur Sullivan’s other theatrical music. This Irish composer will forever be part of Gilbert and Sullivan. But even in his lifetime, he was well-known for his work outside the “Savoy Operas.” The […]
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Eduard Franck Piano Concertos Receive Their Due
Eduard Franck was a pianist and composer, active in the late 1800s. He studied with Felix Mendelssohn. Franck then went on to have a successful career as a concert pianist and pedagogue. Robert Schumann thought highly of his music. So why isn’t it better known? Franck was something of a perfectionist and continually tinkered with […]
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Auber Overtures Volume 5 goes beyond overtures
One thing I like about Dario Salvi’s Auber series is the variety. Yes, This release’s title is “Overtures 5.” But, like the previous volumes, it’s more than just a collection of overtures. This time the focus is on two Auber operas: Zanetta, and Zerline. Zanetta premiered in 1840. The opera’s heroine is the innocent daughter of […]
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Clara Schumann – Early Piano Works
In early 20th Century music history, she was Mrs. Robert Schumann, wife of a Great Composer. Later histories noted her prodigious talent as a pianist. As the century progressed, Clara’s own compositions were re-evaluated, performed, and recorded. This release adds to our understanding of Clara Wieck Schumann — both as a performer and a composer. […]