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Everyone:

My blog has been targeted by someone or someone(s) within the last month. Namely, recent and previous posts are somehow being reported to Mediafire for copyright violations. This is ridiculous as many of my posts are of recordings well over 50 years old and of an interest to a small group of people, namely readers of this blog. Jealousy, spite, maliciousness...I don't know what would motivate someone to wreck my blog. I've seen other bloggers attacked like Bryan over at Shellackophile, Satyr at 78 toeren and Tin Ear at The Music Parlour and to what end. I give them all due credit for starting up again and wish them all the best and godspeed. They are terrific people and they have an incredible love for what they do!

At this point, I need a break and I hope that you all understand. What I do is an amateur endeavor and I pose no threat to professionals or big money interests. Sadly, I just don't want to do this for now  as I'm afraid that I could be targeted and sabotaged even if I post on another file sharing service. What I might do is to offer up recordings on symphonyshare, but I need to give that some more thought.

Anyway, thank you all. I have not been the best blogger since I'm a bit of a loner at heart and I apologize to those folks who have diligent with comments while my responses have been short or not at all.

Fred

 

Remember those old Somerset records? You could buy 'em for $1.98 at the local Safeway, Radio Shack or Walgreens. Though meant for mass distribution, many of the performances on them were very fine indeed and here are two examples of rousing overtures. The London Philharmonic is led by Horst Stein and Edward Downes respectively and I'd place these lp's square about 1963 or 4.

Both the conductors featured here did not have especially large discographies and I'm at a loss why that is so. Everything that I have heard by Horst Stein is beautifully prepared and executed (I think his Bruckner 6 is the best out there, he really gets superlative playing from the VPO) while Edward Downes was a noted opera conductor and being so means that he knows where to extract the emotion from these overtures and preludes. His take on Ruslan and Ludmilla is riproaringly wonderful.

You'll enjoy these lps. I grabbed them out of the 3 for a buck pile. What a steal!


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Mediafire is having a problem with this download. ...sigh....and sorry!

I've been reading a lot about the East Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, of late. For a good number of years, it has held a certain mystical fascination for me that I don't really know how to describe. During the middle ages, the empire evolved into a state that valued the Hellenic-Roman traditions albeit with an oriental, eastern twist. Indeed, for hundreds of years, it was the centre of culture and taste,  a place that many European principalities looked upon as a model for how a state should look and be governed.

This lp by the Byzantine Choir under Frank Desby captures the mystical, otherworldly nature of the Byzantine state and church, which we so intertwined as to be one organic substance. The chants and recitations here are breathtakingly beautiful and they carry the listener off into another state of being. No wonder visitors to Constantinople often felt that they had entered a place that was somewhere between earth and heaven.

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Bartok's series of Music for Children contains deceptively simple but imaginative music nonetheless. From MGM E3047, the great Menahem Pressler performs the 39 Pieces based on Slovak folksongs. Now to find volume 1 containing the Hungarian folksongs!

It's a shame that more pianists don't have a go at this genre. I suppose some turn their noses up at the brevity and apparent ease of the writing. It's not virtuoso music and will not have them standing in the aisles. Yet, the charm of these miniatures is that they will bring a smile to the face and your mind will wander, in a positive, childlike way.

What a great artist Menahem Pressler is! Tasteful, immaculately prepared, serious in that he did not approach these pieces in a condescending way. Marvelous!


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Here's a wonderful record, one which sort of heralded in a renaissance for the Buffalo Philharmonic in terms of recordings. Lukas Foss leads the BPO in the Four Legends from Kalevala by Sibelius. Cut in 1968, it was a byproduct of the second festival of the arts in the fair city of Buffalo. Nonesuch performed a great service by capturing these musical moments.

I always enjoy listening to Lukas Foss' musicmaking for it is inevitably well prepared and faithful to the score. Unlike his almost exact contemporary and friend, Leonard Bernstein, Foss was not one to interject too much of himself into a score to the point of overkill, nor was he a musician who relied on effect over substance. In short, the results of his work bear the stamp of honesty, integrity and intellect.
Glad I dug this one out while rearranging stuff in the cellar.

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I've had some serious "writer's block" of late which, unfortunately, has made blogging oh so difficult for me. Perhaps I've hit a wall or something, I don't know. Well, as not to deprave my patient and loyal readers, I'm going to to offer up a half dozen transfers that I've had in the can, albeit without commentary...

An absolutely fantastic record here today! In fact, one of the very best recordings that I have heard in quite a while. Sir Thomas Beecham conducts the RPO in this 1952 lp of Karl Goldmark's delightful "Rustic Wedding" Symphony.

Nobody could coax magic out of the byways of music like Beecham. When he was so inspired, the results were that second tier music sounded vital, impressively important and downright magical. Such is the case here with the Goldmark. This is delightful music, in the spirit of Brahms and Dvorak, but without that extra bit of "zip" found in those composer's best works. That said, the Rustic wedding Symphony contains much beauty, singing string lines and hearty wind parts. Beecham revels in this score, capturing the rustic spirit of the proceedings while ensuring that his principals have their absolute best way with their scores. This record has never been equalled and probably never will because the genius and gifts of Beecham, quite honestly, were unique, irreplaceable and once in a lifetime.  A treasure here for sure!

As a filler, I have included a Camden record of Brahms' second symphony. This lp features the only recording by the "Claridge Symphony Orchestra." there has been debate on who this ensemble really is - some say Fritz Busch and the DRSO and others say Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. I'll leave it up to you to decide. My opinion is probably Ormandy because the strings are quite creamy here.


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Here's an lp from an interesting series that the old Oryx label rleased as part of it's "Colt Klavier Collection" series. This is volume six featuring fortepianist
Celia Bizony leading the Musica Antica e Nuova in a fine program of 18th century music by CPE Bach, Schobert, and JC Bach. This is a "parlor" type program of chamber music with voice that is sure to please the listener as all the pieces are well crafted, enjoyable on the ear and immaculately rendered.

I hope to acquire the other 5 volumes in this series at some point.


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A while back I offered up some playing by the fine Hungarian-American violinist Robert Gerle. On this Westminster stereo lp, Gerle is joined by forgotten American conductor Robert Zeller for an interesting coupling of the Delius and Barber violin concertos. The orchestra, probably totally unfamiliar with this music, is the ubiquitous Vienna State Opera Orchestra.

I admire the programming here however, I think a bit more care could have gone into the presentation. The Delius, for one, is very much a fringe repertoire piece and having it recorded by a Viennese orchestra, not comfortable with the style and lacking in rehearsal time, makes for a somewhat wooden traversal. I think Gerle acquits himself quite well but if he had had an English orchestra with a stronger podium hand, the vinyl production could have yielded more of a winner. In short, what we have here is a solid go at the Delius (much can be said for the Barber as well) but by no means is this definitive.

Alas, an interesting curiosity and my admiration for Westminster at having a go at it.

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The Op. 39 set of Études-tableaux, written between 1916 and 1917 and published in 1917, was the last substantial composition written by Rachmaninoff while still in Russia, and it shows a marked departure from his previous work. Rachmaninoff had been listening keenly to his contemporaries Scriabin and Sergei Prokofiev, and had studied Scriabin's works to prepare a memorial recital in which Rachmaninoff himself played in Scriabin's honor. Though he was roundly criticized for his overly-analytical approach in his playing and overall lack of capturing the free-flying spirit that Scriabin had summoned so well in his own pianism, the compositional seeds resulting from his studying Scriabin's work had been planted. A melodic angularity and harmonic pungency appeared in these études as well as in his Op. 38 songs, which were written concurrently. The Op. 39 set is considered much more demanding technically than the Op. 33 set, and has been described as extremely virtuosic in its approach to keyboard writing, calling for unconventional hand positions, wide leaps for the fingers and considerable technical strength from the performer. Also, "the individual mood and passionate character of each piece" pose musical problems that preclude performance from those not possessing a tremendous physical technique.

Indeed, one must be a confident and technically assured musician to tacke these pieces and we need not worry where Beveridge Webster is concerned. His stylistic playing is beyond reproach and on display is the most tasteful of musicianship.

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Happy New Year! Been a few weeks since I posted. The busy days around the holidays were followed by a week of a nasty bug which left me with just enough energy to make my way into the office. Ho hum....

To start the new year, I'm offering a wonderful performance, on Nonesuch, of one of my favorite works by any composer, namely the German Requiem of Brahms. Here, the proceedings are directed by the fine German conductor Carl Bamberger. I must tell you that hearing Teresa Stitch-Randall's brief contribution  is worth the admission alone as her lovely, disciplined voice, that excelled in this repertoire, justs grabs your heart and melts your resolve. Gorgeous!

The orchestra, and especially the chorus, give full bodied, urgent accounts of their parts and overall, the effect of the music making is vital and dramatic This might not be the most polished performance but I don't think that would matter to Brahms; the overall product conveys the very human aspect of the work as the composer himself intended.

As a bonus, and to fill better two cds, I transferred a very early Simon Preston Argo lp where he leads the New English singers in motets and he, himself offers up some first rate organ playing too.

Both records are in stereophonic sound.

To All My Loyal Followers:

As a Holiday sign of appreciation to you, I am offering the contents of a folder containing transfers made throughout the year. Some of the items have made it to post while others have not. For each item, I reference the lp label and catalog number for easy search on the internet.

It's been an uncertain year, what with shaky economic news and tragedies like the one that just played out in Connecticut. Hopefully some of this music that I offer will bring comfort and joy. Music represents humanity at its most creative, inspired and noblest force. Music reminds us that however flawed we are, we are all made in God's image.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Fred

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Back in the 1950's, RCA Victor released a handful of records featuring the chamber orchestra of Societa Corelli. Here is LM 1767, a nice program which alternates soprano arias with concerti grossi of the time.

The following piece are featured on this lp:

ANTONIO VIVALDI - 1) Concerto in A minor, 2) Cessate Omai for mezzo soprano and Strings and,
3) Sinfonia No. 2 in G major

BENEDETTO MARCELLO - Concerto grosso in F major op. 1 No. 4

GIACOMO CARISSIMI - Suonerà l'ultima tromba

FRANCESCO GEMINIANI - Concerto grosso in E minor op. 3 No. 3


Luisa Ribacchi  is the mezzo soprano and she acquits herself well in this repertoire.

I'd call this lp one of those records found on the byways of music. It was probably quite a novelty at the time and catered to people's perception that the Italian Baroque would receive authoritative performances by Italian ensembles.

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Two Period label lp's are highlighted featuring the 10 insightful fingers of Hungarian born pianist, Istvan Nadas. Practically forgotten today, he like Marian Filar, was able to overcome significant trials in a concentration camp and become a respected soloist and teacher of the keyboard.  Here's what the www.bach-cantatas.com has to say about him:

The Hungarian pianist, István Nádas, began his musical studies at the age of 10. He studied piano under Louis Kentner and Béla Bartók, composition under Zoltan Koday and chamber music under Leó Weiner.

Once launched on his career as concert pianist, he appeared frequently with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, his repertory including standard works in addition to less usual ones by B. Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, and Arthur Honegger. Until the beginning of World War II, István Nádas toured Europe extensively, but with the beginning of hostilities he had the misfortune to be put into a German concentration camp. His bitter experience left its marks, but did not take from him the ability or desire to continue his career.

After the end of the war István Nádas appeared at the Bach Festival in Rome and won a high decoration from the Italian government. Then came the decision to settle in Venezuela where he became head of the Post-graduate Piano Course at the National Conservatory of Music. There followed numerous recitals in South and Central America. As a citizen of Venezuela, Nádas represented his adopted country at the International Music Festival in Venice, playing for the first time in Europe a recital composed entirely of modern Venezuelan composers.

Since 1953, at the invitation of Xavier University of Louisiana, István Nádas has been teaching piano master-classes at this university. He has appeared as soloist several times with the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra under Alexander Hilsberg. On the occasion of his New York Town Hall concert on October 5, 1954 the critics were enthusiastic about his “technique, musicianship, breadth of taste, freshness and individuality of vision,” his “ease and dramatic poetry,” his “tenderness, sensitive tone adjustments.” To a man they were amazed at the fact that “in a program that would have tested the capacities of the giants of the keyboard he more than held his own.” The contents of this formidable program in which Nádas distinguished himself included a J.S. Bach Partita, L.v. Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata, a Prokofieff Sonata, a Chopin Ballad and DeFalla’s Baetica. Among his recordings are L.v. Beethoven Piano Sonatas (The Tempest, The Appassionata and the Les Adieux) on Period Records, Schubert: Wanderer Fantasie and Moments Musicaux on Period Records, J.S. Bach: Two and Three Part Inventions (BWV 772-801) on Repertoire Records, J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Books I +11 (BWV 846-869, BWV 870-893) on Repertoire Records and 2 Volumes on Period Records of Contemporary composers. He was most famous for his performances of the cycle of the complete 32 L.v. Beethoven Sonatas and cycle of the complete L.v. Beethoven Concerti. He was an outstanding Bach specialist who performed many times at the famous Carmel Bach Festival in Carmel, California.

István Nádas was a Professor of Piano at San Francisco State University from 1965 to 1968. From there he founded the Doctoral Program in Piano at Washington State University, continued to travel and concretize throughout the world including the program in music at Grass Valley Nevada. He subsequently took a teaching position in Mexico City, Mexico and spent much time in Italy and Europe. He passed away quietly in Mexico in the year 2000.  

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Something a little different today. As my son is learning the trumpet, following in my footsteps..haha.., I went a diggin' and discovered this fine solo record played by famed cornetist Leonard B Smith. Here, we have a nicely arranged program (from Corelli to Clarke) which is varied in content and immaculately executed by one of the finest brass players of the previous century.

For those that don't know Leonard B Smith, I'll fill you in. Native of New York, the bulk of his career was spent in Michigan as principal trumpet of the Detroit SO, conductor of the famed Detroit Concert band and esteemed teacher and clinician. For many years, Smith also commuted back to New York for his role as solo cornetist with the illustrious Goldman Band. Leonard Smith, it is important to note, is in that line going back to Herbert L Clarke and Patrick Gilmore and he is considered to be the last great practitioner of the cornet, the smaller, gentler version of a modern Bb trumpet, you could say.

Smith plays in a style which has long past, one where the music is the most important part for the program and the artist is the mouthpiece for it. His playing is honest, true, unfussy and crystalline. By any stretch, this is a recital which is well thought out, well judged and very well played. Smith is admirably joined by pianist Bernard Leighton.

I encourage you to have a listen, you will not be disappointed. This series, "Award Artists" was produced by the legendary Enoch Light. I'm guessing the recording is from the early 60's though it is monaural.
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The A Minor Sonata, D. 385 presents largest of the three canvases: though delicate in its opening motto for the Allegro moderato, its emotional tenor has a sturm und drang affect, troubled waters below an otherwise balanced surface. Martzy projects an edgy violence into the melos that will bear repeated hearings. Marty’s expressive control then invests the wonderful Andante with an exquisite melancholy, restrained but ardent. A no less anxious Menuetto leads to the final Allegro, whose dark color and demure sense of tragedy find an eloquent realization whose capacity for visceral passion must be heard–those last chords!

Finally, the impassioned G Minor Sonata, D. 408, clearly a Beethoven clone but nonetheless revealing Schubert’s idiosyncratic dramatic sense. Playing in something of the “gypsy” tradition Martzy imbibed as a student of Hubay, Martzy invests the piece with dazzling personality, and Antonietti can be heard clearly warming to his own task. The purity of line in the Andante induces us to want to hear Martzy’s Mozart, Schubert’s spiritual model extraordinaire. Martzy and Antonietti appear to relax in the Menuetto and Allegro moderato movements, though Martzy’s razor-sharp intonation drives the music into our collective imagination."

Indeed, a special and unique recording by a truly gifted artist.

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I'm very pleased to have discovered this excellent record of 18th century music led by the highly talented and tragically short lived Thomas Schippers. Here, we have a program of 18th century compositions by Italian born composers. Vivaldi was a well known entity by the 1950's though Durante and Salieri were seldom heard when Schippers set down this record.  The release of this lp must have been quite a novelty. I'm not sure if this was the first record made by Maestro Schippers  but what I can say is that it is an impressive outing for a conductor not yet out of his 20's.

It's sad that Thomas Schippers did not have the opportunity to have the long and successful career that he was destined for. Certainly one of the most gifted of his generation, he possessed a wide repertoire and moved with ease between the concert hall and the opera house. I'd say he was probably the American version of a Carlo Maria Giulini and had he lived far longer, he would probably have become one of the best known and most respected of podium leaders.

Originally from 1953, here are the later reissues on Westminster, over two volumes, of Reine Gianoli playing the French Suites of J S Bach. This might have been one of the first integral recordings of these delightful works as played on a modern piano.

Gianoli has a splendid touch, which when combined with a keen sense of structure, yields a first rate performance. This is a magnificent achievement from start to finish and Gianoli makes the strongest possible case for these works being viable within the sound world of a modern piano.


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Hurricane Sandy got me down a bit what with no power in the house but well, here we go at an alternate location.

This Everest record of music by David van Vactor first got my attention in high school and then somewhere along the way, I lost the lp but, fear not, found it at a second hand shop recently. Its delightful, tonal music and the programming is well judged since it covers all facets of instrumental combinations. We have van Vactor's Overture to a Comedy, No 2 for Orchestra, Bagatelles for Strings, Octet for Brass and Variazione Solenne for Quintet for Flute and Strings.

David van Vactor had a rich and varied professional career. he was an orchestral flautist, conductor, composer and respected teacher. As a conductor of the Knoxville SO and professor at the University of Tennessee, van Vactor contributed greatly to the cultural life of that state. This record captures music that is well crafted, fun to listen to and far from boring.

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A lovely 1952 Westminster issue of the Violin Sonatas Nos 1 & 2 performed by husband and wife team of Jean Fournier and Ginette Doyen. Both were excellent performers in the Gallic repertoire and with beautiful melodies like the ones Faure crafts, the results are impressive.

It's too bad that Jena Fournier has pretty much faded into oblivion. He was every much the equal of his more famous brother Paul.


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A novelty here and possibly a mystery to boot. On the Aries label, famed for pirated recordings comes Khachaturian's First Symphony conducted by Ermanno Berladini with the Palermo Symphony Orchestra. Aries LP-1608 is billed as, and is, a true stereo record, probably recorded sometime during the mid to late 60's.

Ermanno Berladini was an authentic figure and the Palermo SO is an actual ensemble (now known as the Sicily SO). What we have here is a rather spirited recording of a second tier work performed by a rather decent orchestra. Whether it is Sicilian or conducted by Berladini is anyone's guess. Again, Aries was notorious for pseudonyms, as witnessed by its series of records dedicated to the orchestral works of Havergal Brian.

This record is a bit of an oddity though I enjoyed it and hope you will too.

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An interesting find, this VOX lp from the late 40's. Catalog number VL6050 features Leonard Shure performing Schubert's  Moments Musicaux along with Schumann's Andante and Variations highlighting duo pianists Appleton & Field, Ralph Oxman and Bebe Sarser on cello, and John Barrows as the horn soloist.

I really, really enjoyed Shure's marvelous take on the Moments Musicaux. His keyboard touch and sense of phrasing are ideal and the results are effervescent. What a wonderful artist he was! Also, nice to hear the fine horning John Barrows too in this not often heard Schumann work.


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