Unsung Composers

I am going to open a new folder for American music.

The content of the folder may include not only composers born in the United States, but also composers who immigrated to the United States, and lived for an extended time in the U.S. or became citizens.

Thus, native born U.S. citizens, of course, but also composers like Korngold, who was born in what is now Czech Republic, but immigrated to the U.S. in 1934 and became a citizen in 1943.

What is not included in this folder are composers from Latin and South America, unless they lived and worked in the United States. Although they are "American" in the broadest sense of the term, their music has different roots and deserves its own folder.

I am going to add a couple of recordings to get this folder started, but feel free to add to it.

Quote from: Amphissa on Monday 05 September 2011, 22:49
IThus, native born U.S. citizens, of course, but also composers like Korngold, who was born in what is now Czech Republic, but immigrated to the U.S. in 1934 and became a citizen in 1943.

Many thanks for your posts, I understand your point but I'm not sure Korngold would agree !

David Diamond is one of my favorite American composers. For those unfamiliar with his music, I've added a rather short work, "Rounds for String Orchestra," which was commissioned by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (now Minnesota Orchestra) during WWII.

Erich Korngold is a more familiar name to us all. However, many people have heard only his most popular works. I've included his "Serenade in B minor" here.

Emerson Whithorne was played often during his early years, but was pushed aside by more modern composers. I have quite a few recordings of his music, but the audio quality is not ideal. I've added his 2nd symphony here. If there is interest, I will provide more of his music.

Many thanks to Arbuckle for adding three piano concertos to this collection. I have never heard these before!

Thanks, Amphissa.  Yes, bring on the Whithorne please.......

Jerry

Quote from: Sicmu on Tuesday 06 September 2011, 15:51
Many thanks for your posts, I understand your point but I'm not sure Korngold would agree !

The Serenade included here was written after he became a U.S. citizen, so I think it is okay to refer to it as American music.

Is the Serenade, the opus 39 Symphonic Serenade in Bb for string orchestra?

Jerry

I dunno, I think Korngold was about as American as Rachmaninov was (though granted the later wrote very little after he immigrated).  Or maybe Stravinsky is a better example.

Whatever the folder, I'm sure it'll be an enjoyable listen though :P

Quote from: jerfilm on Tuesday 06 September 2011, 16:10
Is the Serenade, the opus 39 Symphonic Serenade in Bb for string orchestra?

Jerry

Yes, that's the one.

  Dear Amphissa

  Thank you very much that you uploaded many recordings.
  I think many american composer's wrote good music.
  But many composers are forgotten.

  I have few of symphonies of Philip Greeley Clapp.
  His symphonies are very exciting and fantastic.
  I will upload in future.


  Best

  A.S

whoops, pressed refresh and lost what I was typing- well, was therefore not deathless prose ;).

Hoping that these works are already available on CD but that other works by these composers are "out there" on tape and can be uploaded. There's an LP of a symphony (no.5) by Gene Gutchë and the (now first, not only) piano concerto by John LaMontaine - ah, in fact I see from the New World Records site typing in the exact terms that they have put up a "flat transfer" (not a remastering) of that LP up on iTunes. Hrm. That's good news (not the details, that it exists, I mean, and not just in libraries though I never deprecate libraries!!!)
Anyhow, those are out and so is LaMontaine's 4th concerto which is now on a Naxos CD, but - enjoyed the two works on the LP, especially the LaMontaine concerto- anyone have anything (commercially) unrecorded or unavailable by these two, for instance? :)

I've added another recording to the American Music collection. Edgar Stillman Kelley (1857-1944)
Symphony No. 1, op. 15, which was inspired by "Gulliver's Travels." Very little of Kelley's music was ever recorded. This is from a very old vinyl. So far as I know, it was never transferred to CD and has never been recorded since.

Have added some music by Howard Swanson, if anyone else has any of his other works I would be grateful if you could upload them.
Also a piano quintet by the very unsung American composer Arthur Fickenscher. It was dedicated to and played by Percy Grainger, the liner notes talk about the title "From the Seventh Realm" as being both a visionary title, as well as "from an unparalled use of consecutive sevenths". Very subdued work, and this only recording was panned by critics as not really reflective of the piece. Info about Fickenscher:http://www.kith.org/jimmosk/misc.html#Fickenscher (http://www.kith.org/jimmosk/misc.html#Fickenscher)
And William Schuman's Concerto on Old English Rounds for Viola, Women's Chorus and Orchestra, sorry I don't know the artists but it is from an old LP
Thanks, Arbuckle
Modification: Thanks to Latvian I now know that what I thought was Swanson's sym no. 6 is actually Charles Jones, and that Night Music is available on CD, so I have made corrections in the file. Sorry.

Response to Eschiss:

Will post Gene Gutche: Concerto (1956), only info is Weiser/Summer Session Sinfonietta/Oliveros
                                     
and John LaMontaine: Piano Concerto No. 2 "Transformations", Op. 55, Barry Snyder/Eastman Philharmonia/David Effron

Thanks to Latvian, I see I have made some errors, I hope it is OK to quote your corrections, Latvian:
" the Gutche Concerto is his Piano Concerto, Op. 24 (published in 1955), and the performers are Bernhard Weiser, piano, with the University of Minnesota Summer Session Sinfonietta, probably led by James Alferis. Not sure who Oliveros might be.

- the Schuman recording is most likely Donald McInnes, viola, with the Camerata Singers and the NY Philharmonic led by Leonard Bernstein. I know of no other recording of this work (unless what you have is a live performance by someone else?)

- the 6th Symphony in your Swanson upload is actually Charles Jones' 6th Symphony -- I'm familiar with that LP.

- the recording of Night Music with Mitropoulos is currently available on a Deutsche Grammaphon CD reissue."

and I will remove the Night Music from the file. Sorry for the inconvenience, Arbuckle

William Schuman's Concerto on Old English Rounds.....WOW!! Been hoping to hear this for years!

Thank You :) :)

QuoteNight Music with Mitropoulos is currently available on a Deutsche Grammaphon CD reissue [...] and I will remove the Night Music from the file.

If you like, I have a noncommercial live performance of Night Music which I can upload to replace the removed file.

　　Hi Arbuckle

    I listened Howard Swanson's symphony no.6 today.
    It sounds me beautiful and old days of America.
    Thanks to upload ;)

   A.S

I have a short want list (he says with tongue in cheek) of symphonies by American Composers.  Nothing included from the last 50 years or so.

Paul Allen      Pilgrim Symphony
George Frederick Bristow   Symphonys 1, 3, 5
Howard Brockway       Symphony in D
Cecil Burleigh      Symphonys 1, 2
George Chadwick      Symphony 1
Phillip Clapp      Symphonys 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12
Louis Coerne      Symphonys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Henry Hadley      Symphonys 1, 3, 5
Victor Herbert      Sinfoniettas 1, 2
Ernest Hutcheson      Symphonys 1, 2
Frederick Jacobi      Gulliver Symphony, New England Symphony
Edgar Kelley      Symphonys but not 1
Charles Loeffler      Symphony Mora Mystica
Daniel G Mason      Symphony 1
Horatio Parker      Symphony in c
Lazar Siminsky      Symphonys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Ernest Schelling      Symphony in c
Burtrom Shapleigh      Symphonys 1, 2
David Stanley Smith   Symphonys 1, 2
Frederick Stock      Symhonys 1, 2
George T Strong      Symphonys 1, 3
Robert Ward      Symphony 1


Anyone have any of these gems?

Jerry

I have the Daniel Gregory Mason 1st symphony, in an old recording (LP, I think) with Howard Hanson and the Eastman Rochester Orchestra. 

I don't suppose anyone out there has either-

Paul Creston's Violin Concerto No.1- which was recorded by Benno Rabinoff and the Detroit SO under Paul Paray

or

David Diamond's Violin Concerto No.3-which was "recorded" by Piotr Janowski and the New York Phil. under Bernstein

...both 'recordings' references coming from the marvellous 20th Century Violin Concertos database.

Amphissa - thank you for these "Diamonds"!

I've added a couple more pieces by David Diamond to the American Music collection. His Symphony No. 5 conducted by Leonard Bernstein and the premier performance of his Piano Concerto, which he conducted, from the same concert, both with the New York Philharmonic.

Actually (regrettably for this folder, not so regrettably generally since it's good to have such things available- though I haven't listened (yes, I did download it before finding this out) and say that more on principle) Gutchë's Icarus is available on CD (same performance). There's a website about his works with a discography -see recordings (http://www.genegutche.org/recordings.htm) (total of one CD there?!? - symphony 5, Genghis Khan, Bongo Divertimento and Icarus. Earlier recordings out of print not mentioned on that particular page- maybe on another.) and see Icarus (http://www.genegutche.org/works/icarus.htm) for specifics about Icarus, op.48 (1975, premiered 1976).
(Another work premiered by Dorati, I see- like some others I could mention that I know I like- I think Roger Sessions' 4th is among his list of premieres, at least I know he did perform it...)

As to the concerto, I see there are two piano concertos it seems? - op24 and op41 - the pianist in op24 is Bernhard Weiser, the conductor may be (according to a google search) not Oliveros but Aliferis? not sure though... have to check again... but anyhow, pianist's name I'm fairly sure of :)

Quote from: TerraEpon on Tuesday 06 September 2011, 20:57
I dunno, I think Korngold was about as American as Rachmaninov was (though granted the later wrote very little after he immigrated).  Or maybe Stravinsky is a better example.

Yes, perhaps Stravinsky would be a good example. Also Dvorak, who wrote his 9th and his Cello Concerto in the U.S., but did not establish roots in the U.S.

As for Rachmaninoff, after immigrating to the U.S., he wrote his revision to Piano Concerto No. 3, composed Piano Concerto No. 4, Symphony No. 3, Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, and his Symphonic Dances -- the latter two being among his best and most performed works. Rachmaninoff lived all of his adult life in the U.S. became a citizen, and is buried in the U.S. alongside his wife. I don't think most people would refer to him as American despite all that, but the music he wrote while living in the U.S. could go in this folder -- except that he's not unsung, of course.

A much more substantial case can be made regarding Rudolf Friml. He moved permanently to the U.S. in 1906 at age 17 and settled in as a happy philandering Hollywood composer for more than 60 years.

To my knowledge, Korngold never expressed much interest in returning to Europe, although I've not read any detailed biographies. And the majority of his most substantial and successful works were composed in the U.S.

The problem is, the U.S. is a country of immigrants. Everyone here, except for Native Americans, are from other parts of the world. So, one hears a lot of African American, Italian American, Asian American, Mexican American, Irish American, etc, etc. Those labels adhere even if one is 3rd, 5th or 10th generation in this country. People take pride in their heritage, yet still consider themselves Americans.

At what point does one's country of birth become less relevant than one's place of life and death? Yo-Yo Ma was born in France of Chinese parents, but has lived in the U.S. since his mid-teens. Most everyone considers him American. Stokowski was born in London, with an English father of Polish heritage and an Irish mother, but he moved to the U.S. when young and became a citizen, so most people consider him American. Friml moved to the U.S. at around the same age as Yo-Yo Ma and Stokowski. Why would he not be considered American as well?

I don't have clear cut answers for many cases. Most people in the U.S. accept as their own anyone who has permanent residence in the U.S. and becomes a U.S. citizen. Heritage is appreciated, but they are Americans.

Of course, others can disagree. That's just my opinion.

And my apology for getting off topic. I'll add some more American music to counter this tedium.

African-American, Irish-American, Italian-American, Polish-American, Mexican-American or Native American music?  ;D  ;)

On the subject of Korngold and America, a you would know, Australia is much the same .... mostly immigrant backgrounds but all proud to be Australian. I don't think one can do much better than to give the casting vote to the individuals themselves.

Whether it is possible to identify, or even imagine, a distinctively "American music" or "Australian music" is a moot point, and in the end one can ony sustain such a description based on the composer's nationality. As such, I think it's only value is for arranging music files or books in a library, or on a classical music forum!

Tangentially re Bristow, the preface to the very recently published score of his 2nd (Jullien) symphony, readable at Google Books, has interesting things to say about the US musical climate in the 1850s socially etc. (what orchestras were playing, why, why this may have mattered, etc. - Walker talks about somewhat similar things in a wide and narrow European context(s) in the 2nd volume of his Liszt biography for similar reasons I think, but the reasons why I find his efforts to be expansive and detailed, though doomed :), to be valuable are a tangent within a tangent - if one that- ... well, interests me... erm.)

, and a brief but maybe "placing" mention of Cipriani Potter's D major symphony into the bargain... here (http://books.google.com/books?id=n8jH9EPb4JsC) if one can read it (preview).

So my latest addition to the collection is a work by African American composer William Grant Still.

Quote from: Amphissa on Wednesday 21 September 2011, 20:41
To my knowledge, Korngold never expressed much interest in returning to Europe, although I've not read any detailed biographies. And the majority of his most substantial and successful works were composed in the U.S.

Nationality is definitely not the most important thing to consider when it comes to music but I have to clarify what you stated about Korngold : both the Serenade and the Symphony were intended to be first performed in Austria by the Vienna PO, Kornglod DID want to return to his country  to rekindle the flame of his fame there, it was his dream, he was not particularly happy in the US, he actually said that when he started to write film music he didn't understand english and when he was able to do it he realized how ridiculous some of this movies he scored were, that's quite ironic in the sense that he really set down the Hollywood film music standards.

Anyway I think one should not be confused with the citizenship of the composer and the the music itself : music rnot only tells about  the man ( or woman) but also about the country, the traditions and the folklore he grew up with. This is the reason Copland tried to do that and so many other composers as well, this is not important in itself but it may be a source of inspiration for some composers.

Well, I suppose you could send a message to Wikipedia asking them to remove Korngold from the American Composers list.

erm..who would one send it -to-? That's not how Wikipedia works, you know :) You sign on, give a reason, "be bold" and remove it yourself (depending on whether you mean list or category, which work differently and are different things, but still are do it yourself things. If someone undoes your choice, then instead of undoing their, well, "reversion", then argue it out with them instead of having an "edit war". Und so weiter...)

I've added William Grant Still's opera "Troubled Island" to the American Music Collection.

I've been able so far to find the instrumentation but not the movement names of the (1935?) Whithorne symphony no.2 opus 56...  (the David Diamond piano concerto is -
1. Andante ; Allegretto ; Allegro -- 2. Adagio, molto espressivo -- 3. Allegramente. )

Thanks to Shamokin and Amphissa, I like the Huffman and Still very much. The old archival recordings are so interesting to me. 

A thank you to A. S. for the Mason Symphony.  Have long looked for the 1st symphony having had copies of 2 and 3 on reel to reel (again) for many years.

Jerry

and here I only recently learned that Mason wrote symphonies (there's a doctoral dissertation available online discussing all three of them, I believe, that looks like an interesting read!) Looking forward to listening to the first now it's there- and hearing the other two if you can upload them :) Thanks!

Re Julia Frances Smith (1905 or 1911?-89) - Fleischer Collection does have a good number of her scores listed including her concerto in score and reduction (the former in its 1971 version suggesting there was more than one) but giving instrumentation but not a list of movements.  Published by Mowbray (through Presser)- will try there...
According to Hinson the movements of the Smith concerto are
*Assai lento
*Lento
*Andante e pesante
*Allegro ben ritmico

And a thesis on the Mason symphonies is at archive.org here (http://www.archive.org/details/threesymphonieso00kape).
Symphony 1 (1913 version) has these movement headings according to the subsections of chapter 4 of Kapec's University of Florida dissertation:
*Largo sostenuto (opening of movement, I suppose)
*Larghetto tranquillo
*Allegro molto marcato

Arbuckle, thank you for all the terrific works by American composers. I am especially glad to see the ones performed/recorded by University of Illinois Symphony, as that is my alma mater.

I notice, though, that 2 files are missing from your Mediafire folder. The piece by Max Brand is not in the folder. Also, the piece by Boris Kouzen is missing.

Thanks, Amphissa, have added the missing pieces.

Arbuckle and Shamokin - thank you for all these very obscure American pieces - much appreciated. Despite the vintage of the recordings, I'm having a great time working through them, and there's some real gems. That Cadman American Suite is excellent, and could easily be mistaken for a piece of English string music in the style of Warlock - although what I take to be the brief evocation of Native American Indians in the first movement is a bit of a give away!

What happened to Schuman's withdrawn (resigned?) 2nd? :( (to be clear, I mean to the file, not historically speaking!)

I'm not sure. But seeing only one download I expected there must be a problem even though everything looked all right. I downloaded it without difficulty. But then I deleted the old file and uploaded it once more - it now boasts a new URL - and the new URL downloaded for me without issues. What happened when others tried, do you know?

Best from Shamokin88

Quote from: shamokin88 on Tuesday 27 September 2011, 22:52
I'm not sure. But seeing only one download I expected there must be a problem even though everything looked all right. I downloaded it without difficulty. But then I deleted the old file and uploaded it once more - it now boasts a new URL - and the new URL downloaded for me without issues. What happened when others tried, do you know?

Best from Shamokin88

When I tried to download the Schuman file I was directed back to my own Mediafire Account. The Diamond and the Burlingame Hill downloaded perfectly.

Re Schuman etc.: likewise.

I have deleted the Schuman 2 file twice; it is now in its third upload incarnation with yet another URL [/?slu36 . . . .] which I hope solves the problem. This baffles me - I'm new at this but everything looked all right. Please let me know. Shamokin88.

Third time lucky ;D

The download works now :)

It is fascinating to be able to listen to the symphony which, as you know, was withdrawn by the composer. The performance you have been able to make available is, as you say, the last time it was performed. I have always found this decision by Schuman rather strange. Copland certainly expressed his very strong admiration for the symphony.

Quote
When I tried to download the Schuman file I was directed back to my own Mediafire Account. The Diamond and the Burlingame Hill downloaded perfectly.

I had the same experience with a different file the other day.  Then I rebooted AOL and it worked fine.  But AOL does funny things and I'm learning to use Firefox for a lot of downloading and uploading kinds of events.

Jerry

Re Schuman 2 - yay! Fortunately (if only for curiosity's sake... :) I've only heard it once, I mean...) Harris' also withdrawn 2nd has been performed recently(ish) and recorded, but indeed no sign of this - thanks! (The online record says 1936-7, though, not 1938- I don't know one way the other myself.)

Charles Martin Loeffler was born in Germany but immigrated to the U.S. when young and got his citizenship as quickly as legally possible after arriving. He was one of the most prominent composers and musicians in Boston for more than 50 years. So, since Wikipedia has him on the list of American composers, I'll put him in the American folder. I have a couple more pieces by him to upload, but "A Pagan Poem" is one of his more interesting.

Amphissa, thanks so much for the Loeffler; this is an exceptionally fine performance, every bit as good as Stokowski's and superior to Manuel Rosenthal's, both from the fifties. I remain astonished at the utter neglect on the part of record companies of this (I think) great and once quite famous and popular composer. While I'll certainly purchase Dutton's Converse release, I can't help wishing that Loeffler (especially his symphony Hora Mystica and tone poem Evocation) had been the beneficiary of their new-found interest in American music.

Thanks for uploading the Schuman 2nd symphony, I never thought I'd have a chance to hear it! It's well worth a listen despite the dodgy sound quality.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 28 September 2011, 00:52It is fascinating to be able to listen to the symphony which, as you know, was withdrawn by the composer. The performance you have been able to make available is, as you say, the last time it was performed. I have always found this decision by Schuman rather strange. Copland certainly expressed his very strong admiration for the symphony.

My understanding is that originally it was only temporarily withdrawn, as he intended to revise it. Evidently he either abandoned that project or just never got round to it.

Incidentally, William Schuman is this week's "composer of the week" on BBC Radio 3.

Re Huffman and Read - I see that Bales is also known for having premiered at least two of Ives' symphonies with the same orchestra, for instance. Hadn't heard of him...
I have heard a work by Read before - his "Night Flight", when I was working (food service) at Interlochen for a summer- and can only say that I know many serial works that made a good deal more sense than it did. "Avoiding serialism" is not, for all the hype surrounding composers of the latter half of the 20th century, a priori a virtue, if one has nothing to say. (What it is is certainly irrelevant and irritating in a description if I may say so...)

Hopefully that was an exception or I was simply not yet sharp enough of ear and hopefully I shall enjoy the symphonies more.

  Dear cypressdome

  Thank you very much to upload Mason's 2nd and 3rd.
  I also got these from other group, but I deleted these by my mistake.
  Thanks :D


  Best
  A.S

Yes, many thanks for the Mason pieces, cypressdome.

The second of the two links to files containing Henry Cowell's Symphony No.10 does not work, I am afraid :(

Dundonnell: Cowell 10 works; you just have to replace the slash after 'www' with a dot: not 'www/' but 'www.' ;)

But I am sure, shamokin88 will fix it soon! :D

However, the link to 'Tales of Our Countryside' doesn't work for me?

BTW: I know only No. 15 from an old Radio Bremen broadcast. Are they all as dreadful as this or is it just my recording? ;)

Quote from: britishcomposer on Thursday 06 October 2011, 21:39
Dundonnell: Cowell 10 works; you just have to replace the slash after 'www' with a dot: not 'www/' but 'www.' ;)

But I am sure, shamokin88 will fix it soon! :D

However, the link to 'Tales of Our Countryside' doesn't work for me?

Thank you, sir ;D

Henry Cowell

I have given a new URL to Tales of Our Countryside and corrected the unwanted slash in the second part of Symphony #10 with a dot. I remain eternally hopeful, however.

As for 15 I think it is not a very strong piece. The first time I heard it, in 1962, my window was open and I was convinced that a distant siren was wailing. It was not so distant.

Both 4 and 11 are worth the effort.

Best from Shamokin88.

QuoteHowever, the link to 'Tales of Our Countryside' doesn't work for me

Bless you, shamokin88, for uploading these, and for the promise of more to come!

Unfortunately, I still can't get the link for Tales to work...

Once more unto the breach. I've replaced Tales of Our Countryside for the third time. Please let me know if it works this time. Best from Shamokin88.

The movements of the E. Burlingame Hill symphony are Allegro moderato, ma risoluto - Moderato maestoso -- Allegro brioso .
Whithorne's Poem for piano and orch. was published in 1928 by Fischer, and The Dream pedlar (Free Library's spelling differs) was published in 1933 by Cos Cob Press.

The audio quality of the Whithorne music is really quite bad. This is not due to problems when digitizing. It is the poor quality of the originals.

I am going to upload some alternative digital versions of these works. The same recordings, but they've been cleaned up slightly. As a result, the audio quality remains far from good. But I do think a little better. I put them all in one zip file.

The cassette player I hooked up to the computer has stopped working, so I've finally replaced it with the record player! I have the 14 LP (!) double boxed set issued by the Louisville Orchestra, cond. Robert Whitney in 1960, in glorious mono., and carried all the way back to Oz from Seattle in my cabin luggage about 17 years ago.

I've checked the web, inc. the Albany reissues of the Louisville, and I don't think any of this set has been reissued, and so I can gradually upload it if anyone is interested.
See: http://www.worldcat.org/title/louisville-orchestra-first-edition-records/oclc/84970131

I can begin with Mennin's 5th and 6th symphonies.

Anyone interested?

Hrm. Some Louisville recordings have been reissued in a CD series but if those weren't among them, happy to. (I have the newer Albany CD of syms. 5 and 6 conducted by David Alan Miller which is good.) (Grace Whitney? Not Robert? Interesting...)

Er, hold up.
http://www.worldcat.org/title/peter-mennin/oclc/53620805&referer=brief_results (http://www.worldcat.org/title/peter-mennin/oclc/53620805&referer=brief_results)
This -was- reissued, in 2003, on First Edition Music FECD-0013 - symphonies 5 and 6 and the cello concerto.
Worldcat doesn't specify in the link that these are symphonies 5 and 6, but click on the bottom library link  (Columbia Universities Libraries) and there it is.
(I thought "Grace Whitney" in the other Worldcat link looked wrong, and that was.)

Yes, thanks for the warning about the Mennin. Obviously, I need to be more careful.
There's also a list of reissues at the Naxos site:
http://www.naxos.com/labels/first_edition-cd.htm
...but hopefully there will still be some pieces I can upload. I will certainly check every item as thoroughly as I can beforehand. We can only do our best.
Anyway, I'm afraid the Mennin is off the menu!  :(

I for one would be very interested in hearing the Gilchrist, Jerry. Thanks very much in advance.

Oh yes, the man is completely new to me!

Forgot to put the link in.  It's there now.

J

Something strange going on.  My file folder at Mediafire is now EMPTY.  Will have to redo the whole upload and will put it in the proper download thread.  Sorry for the inconvenience

Sorry, but the Gilchrist link is not working for me. It redirects to the Mediafire homepage. ???

And maybe the download should be put in the download folder, rather than here in the Discussion folder?

Shamokin88 here about the Gilchrist 1st symphony. He was a Philadelphia composer. He composed another symphony. I knew his great grandson slightly, a local photographer. The family knew he was a composer but had never heard any of his music - this was about fifty years ago.

Hrm. William Wallace Gilchrist (1846-1916) - http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Gilchrist,_William_Wallace (http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Gilchrist,_William_Wallace) - works catalogued by "Schleifer numbers" (most of them, not all) - I wonder if the symphony has one, and if we at IMSLP will be able to find a score or reduction or parts or more than one to upload- I like being able to follow with score ;)

Thanks very much for the Gilchrist, Jerry. The Fleisher collection in Philadelphia has the score and parts of both symphonies as well as several others of his works. The movements of the Symphony No.1 in C (premiered in Philadelphia in 1901) are:

I. Introduction: Vivace - Impetuoso
II. Adagio
II. Scherzo: Vivace
IV. Finale: Molto Allegro

Entertaining, if hardly great, music. There's a brief Gilchrist biography here (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200153250/default.html).

Eric, Martha Furman Schleifer has written the book "William Wallace Gilchrist, 1846-1916: A Moving Force in the Musical Life of Philadelphia", presumably that's the source of  IMSLP's Schleifer numbers.

Yes- one of us needs to explain this somewhere on the page as it was explained to me - while only a few editors at most have access to the Schleifer catalog in full, it's fortunately easy enough to move a page if a page is created when they're not available to query (it being preferable to include opus number/cat. number information in a work page title in IMSLP. I have- incidentally- advocated for use of the Padrta numbers -erm, letter-number pairs - in Krommer pages since his opus numbers are a bit ambiguous but they're not well enough known yet and the opus numbers not ambiguous enough to warrant it- I guess! )
Eric

You're the IMSLP man, Eric, not me. I'm the Raff man!

well, it does ensure a greater universality, for as they say, life's Raff.

The American Symphonies I would still really like to hear are:

Paul Creston:                        Symphony No.6 for Organ and Orchestra "Organ Symphony"(1981)

David Diamond:                     Symphony No.7(1957)
                                               Symphony No.9(1985)
                                               Symphony No.10 for Organ and Orchestra
                                               Symphony No.11(1991)

Morton Gould:                        Symphony No.1(1943)

Roy Harris:                            Symphony No.10 "Abraham Lincoln" for speaker, chorus, brass, 2 pianos and percussion(1967)
                                              Symphony No.12 "Pere Marquette" for tenor, speaker and orchestra(1969)
                                              Symphony No.13 "Bicentennial Symphony 1776"for chorus, orchestra, voices and speakers(1974)

George Rochberg:                 Symphony No.3 for chorus, double chorus, soloists and orchestra(1969)
                                               Symphony No.4(1976)
                                               Symphony No.6(1987)

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich:              Symphony No.5(Concerto for Orchestra (2008)

Marin Alsop is supposed to be doing a Harris cycle for Naxos but it is proceeding very slowly :(

I don't suppose anybody has any of these? :)

Dundonnell, I've got the three Rochberg symphonies you mentioned.  They're all radio broadcasts, and the first two were harvested from another site.  I'll upload them.

Quote from: dafrieze on Friday 14 October 2011, 00:13
Dundonnell, I've got the three Rochberg symphonies you mentioned.  They're all radio broadcasts, and the first two were harvested from another site.  I'll upload them.

That would be marvellous :)

Shamokin88 concerning some American symphonies. I can supply Creston 6; Diamond 7, 9 & 10; Gould 1;
Harris 10, 12 & 13; Rochberg 3, 4 & 6. Harris 13 is actually numbered 14 - he was superstitious and left a gap. American office buildings often have no floor numbered 13. These three Harris symphonies should cause despair amongst those who admire his earlier work - I'm one of those - but they are - well - dreadful might do for starters.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Friday 14 October 2011, 01:14
Shamokin88 concerning some American symphonies. I can supply Creston 6; Diamond 7, 9 & 10; Gould 1;
Harris 10, 12 & 13; Rochberg 3, 4 & 6. Harris 13 is actually numbered 14 - he was superstitious and left a gap. American office buildings often have no floor numbered 13. These three Harris symphonies should cause despair amongst those who admire his earlier work - I'm one of those - but they are - well - dreadful might do for starters.

You can supply all of these???

Do I read that correctly? I just may be about to pass out ;D ;D

Regarding Roy Harris: I realise that the quality of his music seems to have suffered an inexorable decline. Symphonies Nos. 8 and 9 are not at all bad, in my opinion, certainly worth recording(as they have been). No. 11, as recorded by Albany, got reasonable reviews but I admit that I found it pretty uninteresting.

I know that he numbered the Bicentennial Symphony as No.14. Apparently his widow has however given her permission for it to be renumbered as the Thirteenth ;D

I am still however gasping at the possibilities on offer................................... ;D :) :)

I'd still like to hear them. (But then I prefer Harris 7 to 3 (at least in Ormandy's performance of 7)- but also then I know that those are before the period in question.)

Shamokin88 notes: I have just uploaded Creston 6. Yes, I can provide all of what I noted a little while ago.
I'm not in accord with you about Harris 11. I have a recording of the February 1968 premiere and it has struck me as perhaps his last good piece. Harris had a little trouble conducting his piece and I could hear him calling out numbers to the NY Philharmonic members. The concert ended with William Steinberg conducting Bruckner 7, of all things. Attended the premiere of 9 here in Philadelphia as well, seems a geologic age ago.

I have a commercial recording of William Steinberg conducting Bruckner 7 (coupled with the first recording of Bruckner 8 - or maybe just about any Bruckner except maybe the 6th symphony - I ever heard more than once, Knappertsbusch's cut one, which I borrowed in tape form from the library back in college and then bought years later coupled with the 7 on an MCA 2-CD set...) - not sure what you mean though :) (But I think the orchestra in the recording, as against the concert you mention, is Pittsburgh, not NYPO. Originally issued on a Command/ABC LP.)
Looking forward to hearing Creston 6 - I don't doubt what Walter Simmons has written about his music being somewhat uneven (but he also writes interestingly about the what of it, not just his perception and opinion of its quality, e.g. in a review of a CD recording of the 4th symphony) but some of what I've heard of Creston's music (especially I think the orchestral work "Corinthians", and at least one of the other symphonies, but other works too) has been very memorable and striking; I'm surprised I haven't looked to hear more yet.

Quote from: dafrieze on Friday 14 October 2011, 00:13
Dundonnell, I've got the three Rochberg symphonies you mentioned.  They're all radio broadcasts, and the first two were harvested from another site.  I'll upload them.

Many, Many Thanks for the Rochberg uploads :) :)

Oh.....

There appears to be a problem with the file of the Rochberg Symphony No.3 :(

I have attempted twice to download the file but it has cut out both times not long after the start-4 or 5 MB into what is a 44MB file.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Friday 14 October 2011, 02:24
Shamokin88 notes: I have just uploaded Creston 6. Yes, I can provide all of what I noted a little while ago.
I'm not in accord with you about Harris 11. I have a recording of the February 1968 premiere and it has struck me as perhaps his last good piece. Harris had a little trouble conducting his piece and I could hear him calling out numbers to the NY Philharmonic members. The concert ended with William Steinberg conducting Bruckner 7, of all things. Attended the premiere of 9 here in Philadelphia as well, seems a geologic age ago.

Many Thanks for the Creston upload ;D

I know that you don't have a recording of Diamond's 11th Symphony but do you have any idea why the Adagio from that symphony has been recorded but not the rest of the piece? That seemed a very strange thing to do :o

How many complete movements does Diamond's 11th symphony have?

As to DeLamarter, the Fleischer collection catalog lists (under De Lamarter) a 3rd symphony in E minor in manuscript from 1930- I wonder if there's a recording of that out there!...

All I can tell you is that Damond's publisher Peermusic indicate that the complete work is 46 minutes in duration. The Adagio is 14 minutes long....so, I am presuming, it has four movements.

Peermusic also publishes the Adagio separately.

BTW from the Fleischer collection catalog here are the movements of Diamond's symphony 6 -
1. Introduzione. Adagio ; Allegro fortemente mosso -- 2. Adagio -- 3. Deciso. Poco allegro ; Fuga.

and you're right, Diamond's 11th is in 4 movements, the adagio it seems the second, the third an "Allegro burlando" - http://www.therestisnoise.com/2005/05/daphne_changes_.html (http://www.therestisnoise.com/2005/05/daphne_changes_.html) (review of 1992 premiere, conducted by Kurt Masur, by Alex Ross) (reprint of article also available at the NY Times site here (http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/05/arts/review-music-a-diamond-symphony-for-a-150th-anniversary.html?pagewanted=1))

Hmmm...

I've re-uploaded the Rochberg Symphony #3 into its folder.  Maybe that'll help.  Probably not.  But maybe.

Quote from: dafrieze on Friday 14 October 2011, 23:42
Hmmm...

I've re-uploaded the Rochberg Symphony #3 into its folder.  Maybe that'll help.  Probably not.  But maybe.

That was very kind of you :) This time it worked perfectly :)

It's a little like the character in "The IT Crowd" whose standard response to any computer problem is "Turn it off and then turn it on again."

Quote from: dafrieze on Saturday 15 October 2011, 02:38
It's a little like the character in "The IT Crowd" whose standard response to any computer problem is "Turn it off and then turn it on again."

I always do that when I have a problem, dafrieze - it represents my only bit of technical expertise!  ;D ::)

Roy Harris Symphony No.12 duly downloaded :) :)

Many thanks to shamokin88 :) :)

I am so looking forward to the Harris 10th and 13th/14th, the Diamond and the Gould ;D ;D ;D

Do keep them coming........as you have the time of course :)

Thanks from another Harris-fan!  :D
Sound quality doesn't matter at all to me. It's just unbelievable that these documents exists!
shamokin88, I am VERY curious to know where you got all this from?!  ::)

At this point I cannot tell you from what source I obtained the complete Harris 12 - it would have been some time during the early 1970s. The first movement alone came from a member of the MSO, long gone.
As I may have mentioned I've been collecting for a long time, starting in the mid 1950s so it may that I have things that today's younger collectors think impossible. But it was a very different scene before the internet, believe me. Best from Shamokin88.

Shamokin88: thanks again for Harris 10/13! :D
So the Bicentennial Symphony has been performed recently!

At the moment part 5 of No. 13 doesn't work. Sorry!  :(

I have done mvt 5 of 14 once more, hope it is all right.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Sunday 16 October 2011, 12:39
I have done mvt 5 of 14 once more, hope it is all right.

Sorry it still doesn't work for me.

Nope, it just redirects right to Mediafire's home page

Here is a third try at Harris 14 pt 5. Mediafire doesn't seem to like me.

Third time lucky ;D

Thank you for your persistence :)

Huffman- dates actually 1921 Nov 19 - 2005 Dec 25 . Eg http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/23/AR2006012301613.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/23/AR2006012301613.html) obituary.
(Re Stokes (1930-99) - I note that the Concert Music seems to have been published in some form by "Minneapolis, Minn. (1611 W. 32nd St., Minneapolis, Minn. 55408) : Horspfal Music Concern" in the same year, 1982 - Library of Congress gives "1 score (44, 21, 33 p.) ; 44 cm." - don't know if it's a full score or a reduced score from what's listed.) They do apparently have the Symphony(s) as rental material from the same publisher in cases.

I just tried the link to the Gould Symphony  :) :) :) :)
BUT got the invalid link page.... :'( :'(

Me, too, Semloh

J

I've put up a second URL for Gould 1. I'd love to know why uploading is so hit or miss for me but since worse things happen in this world I don't worry myself about it.

Many thanks for the Gould Symphony No.1 :)

By the time I got to it the links were all working fine ;D

Having only had time so far to listen to snippets of the Harris symphonies I can certainly concur with the general opinion of a pretty sad decline in the quality of music :( What was Harris doing lurching off into such experimentation with odd combinations of forces including speakers?

Still...it is important to be able to hear these works to provide a rounded picture of the composer :)

I know that you still have the Diamond symphonies to upload....and I am reluctant to be any more greedy ;D but do you, by any chance, have any of the three unrecorded symphonies of Vittorio Giannini (Nos. 1, 2 or 5)?

Shamokin, here is the link creating process that works for me. (Sorry if this seems simplistic. I don't know what procedure you have used up to now.)

Have the Unsung Composers editing box open in one browser window. Write your description of the work you are posting.

In a separate browser window, have Mediafire running. Upload the file to Mediafire.

When the file has completed uploading, you should see "Copy Link" in the upload manager box. Click that. It will inform you that the URL has been copied to the clipboard.

Switch to the Unsung Composers browser window and right click the spot in the editing box you want to add the link. In the menu that pops up, click Paste.

Then highlight the URL and click the icon for Hyperlink.

Yup, that's the way to do it!

Re: Vittorio Giannini, I have symphonies 2 and 5, clearly labeled as such and two possible entries for a number one sweepstake - a symphony "In Memory of Theodore Roosevelt" from 1935 [Eastman-Rochester SO/Hanson 30 April 1936] and a brief "IBM Symphony" from 1939 [CBS SO/Giannini]. I do not know if either or both bear a number.

On another matter I will check carefully as to the sequential order involved in uploading files. It may be that I am doing something out of sequence without being aware of it. Thank for the advice.

Perhaps these exchanges on how best to upload files could go in the Technical Questions and Answers folder? I think I'll need them, down the track, and they'll be easier to locate there! :)

It is great that you have the Giannini Second and Fifth :)

The "In Memory of Theodore Roosevelt"(1935)  and "IBM"(1937) Symphonies actually predate his Symphony No.1 which is from 1950 and was called 'Sinfonia'.

All gratefully received however ;D ;D

I have not forgotten David Diamond 7, 9 and 10 but I am going to have to borrow 10 from a friend this weekend. The four movements play perfectly well on my CD players but for some reason neither of my MACs will play or copy the short scherzo. I should be able to oblige in several days.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Thursday 20 October 2011, 20:11
I have not forgotten David Diamond 7, 9 and 10 but I am going to have to borrow 10 from a friend this weekend. The four movements play perfectly well on my CD players but for some reason neither of my MACs will play or copy the short scherzo. I should be able to oblige in several days.

Thank you for your efforts on these pieces :)

Ok, any unreleased-on-LP/CD broadcasts of Richard Yardumian? Among, I think, the first 20th-century American composers I found I rather liked (an important moment in a listener's for-want-of-a-better-word "evolution"). At around the same time as I first heard the (far better!!) Carl A. Nielsen... (same century sort of, different generation and country)

Apparently Vincent wrote (at least) 2 symphonies and the first (A Festival Piece in One Movement) was recorded twice (by Whitney and by Ormandy- the latter recording now available on CD. Anyone know of even broadcast performances/recordings of no.2? :) )

Yardumian! When I began going regularly with my grandparents to Philadelphia Orchestra Friday afternoon concerts circa 1955 Yardumian was often in the parquet circle box to the left of us, and I had many occasions to talk with him. I have a broadcast of the premiere of his piano concerto Passacaglia, Recitative & Fugue , Ormandy and John Pennick, and a live performance [Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia] from 1994 of the Cantus Animae et Cordis. I have the contents of two Columbia LPs, ML 4991 and ML 5862, the earlier one with the original version of the Violin Concerto and the later with the much expanded revised version. I have as well an RCA LP with a mass but don't have the Columbia with the second symphony.

He was a deeply religious man and his Swedenborgian faith informed much of his music.

As for Vincent Ormandy's recording reflects some minor changes in the score from the Louisville, mostly in having a longer introduction and a fuller ending. I've got the second symphony which is no more than an expansion for piano and strings of his Consort for piano quintet, which I have as well. Can supply both string quartets and a suite from his ballet Three Jacks.

Sometimes I feel a little doubtful at writing I have, I have but it seems an efficient way to let people know that these are available.

thanks for the info!
also, about the Mason symphonies-
according to http://www.archive.org/stream/threesymphonieso00kape/threesymphonieso00kape_djvu.txt (http://www.archive.org/stream/threesymphonieso00kape/threesymphonieso00kape_djvu.txt) and similar sources-
(info about symphony 1 in C minor there too)
symphony 2 in A major op30 (1928)-
I. Allegro maestoso - II. Andante sostenuto - III. Vivace scherzando - IV. Lento, largamente
symphony 3 "Lincoln" in Bflat op.35 (1935)
I. Lento serioso "The Candidate"
II. Andante dolente "Massa Linkum"  (not sure about spelling of that, need to recheck, the whole thing's been scanned/optical scanned :) - still, the same spelling occurs four times in the document, so probably right. )
III. Allegro non troppo e pesante "Old Abe's Yarns"
IV. Lento serioso "1865"

I have uploaded William Schuman's 'Voyage for Orchestra' of 1972 in a recording of the work's first European performance by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin.

To be honest I do not think that it is necessarily one of Schuman's most attractive compositions but it is relatively unknown.

(The recording was not one of my better efforts ;D)

Diamond sym . 7 - 1. Andante ; Allegro ma non troppo -- 2. Andante -- 3. Allegro moderato.
Diamond sym. 10 (1987/2000) - the only library I know of to have this score is the Grawemeyer catalog at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. (398 pages of ms copy score...) Lists the orchestration (piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, piccolo clarinet, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, piccolo trumpet, 3 trumpets, bass trumpet, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, 4 percussionists (tenor drum, snare drum, bass drum, large cymbals, large gong, guiro, triangle, glockenspiel, xylophone, tubular bells), organ, piano, harp, violin I, violin II, viola, violoncello, double bass) but not the movement headings.  (Belkin's PDF dissertation on Diamond's symphonies was finished (1995) before the 10th was premiered and does not contain detailed information- it contains some, from discussions with the conductor etc., about symphony 10, as it does about symphonies 9 and 11, but not enough for the purpose :) It does contain interesting analysis of the first eight symphonies and is worth web-searching out - I'd give the URL but there's something in it about free distribution, yes, public posting, no, whose boundaries I don't quite get. :) )
I'm probably the only person wondering why Diamond's 5th symphony lacks movement headings (maybe it has them in the New World CD premiere recording), but the second movement is Andante-Fugue according to Belkin, and the first movement, after a slow introduction, is Allegro energico.

The Diamond 5th in the New World Recording has two movements:

I: Adagio leading to Allegro energico
II: Andante leading to Fuga followed by Allegretto followed by Adagio

Thanks!!

Many Thanks to Shamokin88 for the uploads of the Diamond 7th and 10th Symphonies :) :)

From my repeated efforts last night to upload the Havergal Brian Symphony No.3 and Opera "Agamemnon"-finally successful at 3.45am :(-I know how much time and effort can go into uploading to Mediafire ;D

There are a few American items that perhaps someone may have. I once had them but they have perhaps migrated south for the winter, but long ago - and stayed.

Contemporary 6003: Andrew Imbrie String Quartets nos.2 & 3
Fantasy 5009: Andrew Imbrie Piano Sonata [there are other works on the disc]
Louisville 611: Alexei Haieff Divertimento
Columbia ML 4988: Alexei Haieff String Quartet [coupled with Barber's Hermit Songs]
Louisville 635: Robert Sanders Little Symphony #1 in G
A CRI mono LP: Ellis Kohs Symphony no.1

And the ultimate elusive broadcast [November 1956] by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Ormandy: the 3rd Symphony by Harl McDonald "The Lamentations of Fu Hsan." This was broadcast on various CBS network stations. I was able to hear it on AM radio from Philadelphia, Charlotte and Atlanta on different nights. McDonald's widow did not have it, and it seems never to have turned up but I somehow imagine there might be copies.

I will be away for about ten days but when I come back I will be posting Americans Robert Palmer and Ross Lee Finney.

Best to all.

Very much enjoy what I've heard by Finney especially. Fortunately some of his music has turned up on CD, some even in new performances, but quite a bit hasn't... (and I remember skimming and hearing a few works by Imbrie in college, I think, a rather good composer from what I've heard who was a Sessions pupil.)

Once again :)...grateful thanks to Shamokin88 for the Diamond Symphony No.9 and the Sinfonietta :)

I gather the 9th is dedicated to the memory of his friend and advocate Mitropoulos and the texts are ones they both liked, or something along those lines? Looking forward to hearing it. Thanks, yes!

I believe the texts are some of Michelangelo's sonnets.

I've not been following this thread as closely as others and have lost track - please could some kindly soul tell me if there are any recordings of John Knowles Paine, Horatio Parker or George Chadwick included: if not, is there the possibility that some might be forthcoming?

???

have seen a cantata by Paine (his opus 38, published in 1883/revised 1903- both versions are available in vocal score at IMSLP, haven't checked which one is downloadable here)... (though at 14 minutes and given the filename it may just be part of the work- will check.)

Folks,

Apologies if the information below has already been provided by someone else and I missed it.

I was checking some details on the Daniel Mason symphonies that I (very gratefully) recently downloaded and came across the following movement tempi etc.  There is a link below to a detailed treatise if anyone is really interested!

(for an on-line treatise on these symphonies, see link below)
http://www.archive.org/stream/threesymphonieso00kape#page/47/mode/1up (http://www.archive.org/stream/threesymphonieso00kape#page/47/mode/1up)

SYMPHONY NO.1 C MIN (OP.11, 1913, REV. 1922)
  Eastman Rochester Orchestra, cond. Howard Hanson
I.   Largo sostenuto
II.   Larghetto tranquillo
III.   Allegro molto marcato

SYMPHONY NO.2 A MAJ (OP. 30, 1928)
New York Philharmonic Orch., cond. Bruno Walter
I.   Allegro maesatoso
II.   Andante sostenuto
III.   Vivace scherzando
IV.   Lento, largamente

SYMPHONY NO.3 B-FLAT MAJ 'LINCOLN' (OP. 35, 1935)
New York Philharmonic Orch., cond. John Barbirolli
I.   Lento serioso 'The Candidate from Springfield'
II.   Andante dolente 'Masssa Linkum'
III.   Allegro non troppo e pesante 'Old Abe's Yarns'
IV.   Lento serioso '1865'

Once again, many and sincere thanks to all contributors for their many wonderful uploads (and my downloads!) made available.  Please keep up the good work.  Victorian era concerti especially welcome!

Best wishes

Richard

Having started the thread on Peter Mennin I am absolutely delighted to have had so many responses and now so many performances of his music available for download-thanks to Atushi, Latvian and Amphissa :)

I am afraid though that the link to Mennin's Fantasia for Strings does not seem to be working :(

Fixed it. Try it now.

Quote from: Albion on Tuesday 25 October 2011, 10:49
I've not been following this thread as closely as others and have lost track - please could some kindly soul tell me if there are any recordings of John Knowles Paine, Horatio Parker or George Chadwick included: if not, is there the possibility that some might be forthcoming?

???

A little by Chadwick and Paine -- more by Korngold and Diamond and many other fine composers.

Quote from: Amphissa on Saturday 29 October 2011, 23:33
A little by Chadwick and Paine -- more by Korngold and Diamond and many other fine composers.

A little by Chadwick?! :D
'The Padrone' is not only quite extensive but moreover it is Chadwick of the first water. I wouldn't rank it equal to his best symphonic works but it is not far behind; a truly symphonic work itself.

Thank you so much for it, Amphissa! :D :D :D

Amphissa...many many thanks again for all your Mennin downloads :) :)

One further problem however: the link to the Dorati performance of Symphony No.5 takes you to the Previn Symphony No.3.

Sorry about that. Try it now.

Crikey, that Mennin 7th is a real tour de force!  I can only imagine what it would be like to hear and see live! The reviewer on Amazon calls it his darkest and the best work by an American!  :)

Thanks, Amphissa :) The Mennin 5th by Dorati has been sorted successfully.

I've uploaded a selection of rarities by one of my favorite unsung American composers -- Harl McDonald. A few other works of his have been reissued on CD from old recordings by Stokowski, Ormandy, Koussevitzky, and others.

It would be great to have some new recordings of his music (Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops did record San Juan Capistrano a few years ago, much to their credit), as well as first recordings of his previously unrecorded works, including three more symphonies. I've lobbied Albany Records on the matter, since I think it would complement their Don Gillis series very nicely.

I do have a few other odds and ends by McDonald that I'll upload in the near future, but if anyone else on the forum has anything more, it would be great to hear them!

The only thing I have is the Concerto for two pianos and orchestra which I suspect may have fairly wide distribution.....

Jerry

I've just posted Arthur Foote's 1894 Cello Concerto in the downloads - it should appear shortly.

:)

QuoteThe only thing I have is the Concerto for two pianos and orchestra which I suspect may have fairly wide distribution.....

Indeed, it's been reissued on CD by at least two different labels.

Quote from: Albion on Wednesday 02 November 2011, 18:06
I've just posted Arthur Foote's 1894 Cello Concerto in the downloads - it should appear shortly.

:)

Albion, you're a star!   :) :) :)

About MacDonald's children's symphony, Amc.net gives 1940 as the date of composition, though that could be approximate for all I know...
There are recordings (complete? incomplete? "teasers"? ... will check... probably streaming rather than downloadable without an audio-recording program though) of David Diamond's symphonies 2 and 9 at the same site (through arrangement with the composer's estate and publishers, apparently) (amc.net is American Music Center - Online Library section, specifically. I should probably put the link in the downloads section though going to amc.net , to the library section and entering diamond, david will find it in a minute.
(Unfortunately, no movement headings that I see, but instrumentation, other interesting details in the library entries and perhaps take-off points with which the missing information one might want- if one still does - can be found if at all.)
(From one of my more usual sources :) Gardner Read symphony no.2 op.45 - Presto assai e molto feroce -- Adagio -- Largamente - Allegro risoluto e molto energico.

*symphony 3 op.75 (1948 but not pub. until 1970?) - has the movement titles Introduction and passacaglia -- Scherzo -- Chorale and fugue.)

QuoteAbout MacDonald's children's symphony, Amc.net gives 1940 as the date of composition, though that could be approximate for all I know...

Quite possible, although 1940 is the date assigned in more than one source to McDonald's "From Childhood," for harp and orchestra. A similar work, but not the same as the "Children's Symphony." And then, to complicate things further, there's a "Children's Overture" from 1950!

Many thanks to shamokin88 for the uploads of the Giannini Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 :)

Ah.....there is ONE problem though with the Giannini uploads-

the link to Symphony No.5 takes one to a file entitled Symphony No.2 and the link to Symphony No.2 to a file entitled Symphony No.5.

......so I am not quite sure which symphony is which.......

Now sorted, thanks :)

The links are correct in the thread and take one to the correct file. It is just that the files themselves are wrongly labelled on Mediafire: "Symphony No.5" is actually Symphony No.2 and vice versa.

  Thanks for Giannini's symphonies.
  I listened Symphony no.5.  There is much tension in this symphony. Thanks :)

I shall second the thanks for the Giannini symphonies. I tracked down them all and just listened to the Fifth, which appeared to be a very intriguing piece. Its constant flow of music, distinguished by a certain dark glow with wistful melodic lines and much nostalgia in a vein that is clearly rooted in romanticism, reminds me of the late Ādolfs Skulte.

I've fixed the link for my Harl McDonald downloads. For some reason, Mediafire assigned an entirely new link for the folder, probably as part of their website changes this weekend.

Further thanks to shamokin88 for the two earlier Giannini symphonies :)

From what I have heard so far the Fifth Symphony is a particularly fine work and makes one regret that this modern romantic American composer has not, so far, received more attention. Naxos did release a coupling of Symphony No.4 and the Piano Concerto and the Symphony No.3 is on a Mercury disc coupled with other wind symphonies by Morton Gould and Alan Hovhaness.

I sometimes think that it is a shame that Naxos's American Classics series has included such a lot of music which, frankly, is pretty second-rate and certainly does not merit "classics" status.

It's a brand name (the Holy Roman Empire problem again, after a fashion). Real classics are few and far between though (even if I thought meaning resided at the word rather than at the sentence level) the word has (would have) many meanings anycase.  (Strictly speaking vanishingly little music (or composers thereof) is/are first-rate and most music is lucky to qualify to be second-rate, but that's another story.)

Naxos has informed me that they have no further plans regarding Roy's symphonies.

Quote from: BFerrell on Monday 14 November 2011, 19:23
Naxos has informed me that they have no further plans regarding Roy's symphonies.

That is a tragedy........no, a disgrace >:(

Naxos had committed itself to a set of the symphonies conducted by Marin Alsop. To renage on that committment is quite shocking >:(

QuoteNaxos had committed itself to a set of the symphonies conducted by Marin Alsop. To renage on that committment is quite shocking >:(

I agree! Unfortunately, a statement of commitment for a complete series of anything from a record company seems to be meaningless now (especially from Naxos, sadly). Look at the other series that have not come to fruition: Janis Ivanovs, Havergal Brian, Paul Creston, and on and on. Once they get a hint that it may not be as profitable as originally hoped, plans are scrapped and it's on to the next "complete series" announcement...

In some cases, of course, the "commitment" was to record these series on the Marco Polo label-which seems now defunct. When Naxos turned to recording solely on their own name label that promise lapsed.

In some cases too the issue was money, ie sponsorship, or lack of it :(

I had hoped though that a more recent commitment to Roy Harris was actually going to be fulfilled. Sadly this appears not to be the case.

To be fair to Naxos they made considerable inroads into bringing hitherto unrecorded/neglected composers to the masses at a much more reasonable price than the major, full price,  companies - who stuck a multitude of recordings of the same well worn material by premium cost artists.

It is always a shame when a series is promised and goes unfulfilled but it is only possible to get an economic sense of whether it is viable by starting on that journey. And the starting of a series has alerted one of a particular composer or encouraged a punt purchase at a reasonable cost.

I personally have nothing but praise for Naxos and their founder, who - you prob. know the story - only started the process as he was having trouble getting his Violinist wife's recording of a concerto by a major company and decided to fund his own. He ended up outselling the major's who neglected her!

I only offer this comment to bring balance to what has been said about Naxos - I'm not employed by them!  ::)

No, no....that is perfectly fair comment :)

We do tend to get greedy sometimes(often) and forget the extraordinary amount of great work which companies like Naxos have done, especially nowadays for previously neglected composers. And yes, the economic arguments must, of course, affect decisions made by companies. It is, however, somewhat puzzling that Naxos give up on a composer like Harris who, at one time, next to composers like Copland and Barber had almost achieved the status of "grand old man" of American music when they continue to issue cds of works by composers of whom one has never heard. Do they sell?

I'm second to none in applauding Klaus Heymann and Naxos for all that he/they have done in the cause of introducing worthwhile but neglected music to the market. I do, however, think that there's a world of difference between explicitly labelling a series "complete" from the issue of the first recording, as in "Complete Symphonies of XX" and recording, say, a couple of CDs to test the market. Inevitably, those couple of CDs will raise the hopes of enthusiasts that a full cycle, or whatever, is planned but there's no promise from the label to carry on. Producing a few volumes as an advertised "complete" series and then abandoning it does seem to be pretty reprehensible. CDs should only be sold as part of a complete series if the label is confident from the start that the market can sustain the project and I'd have thought that the larger labels are market-savvy enough to know whether that's so.

http://www.naxos.com/news/default.asp?op=453&displaymenu=naxos_news&type=2 (http://www.naxos.com/news/default.asp?op=453&displaymenu=naxos_news&type=2)

Note the first sentence from Naxos "..........the latest recordings of the complete symphonies of Roy Harris".

I think we are at least entitled to an explanation ???

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 14 November 2011, 16:14

I sometimes think that it is a shame that Naxos's American Classics series has included such a lot of music which, frankly, is pretty second-rate and certainly does not merit "classics" status.

While completely avoiding Roger Sessions.....

I wish I liked Sessions more :(

erato - they haven't made any new issues of his music, but they've reissued at least part of one deleted older one (an excellent Koch International Classics recording, produced by Howard Stokar, of Sessions' E minor first string quartet, his string quintet (commercial premiere), 6 cello pieces (first CD recording), and Canons in memory of Stravinsky (first commercial recording- there was a BBC studio tape)) . And yes, this is beginning to belong in another thread...
Dundonnell - erm... ok?

Merry Christmas to all the Parker fans out there!

See Download Section

Mike and Dave, many thanks for the Horatio Parker items!

;D

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 14 November 2011, 23:24
I wish I liked Sessions more :(

Has anyone else in all of history ever said that?  I've been listening to his symphonies, just to see if I could get a handle on him.  No luck.  I have friends who sang in performances of his requiem, When Lilacs Last in the Courtyard Bloom'd and his opera Montezuma, which was premiered by Sarah Caldwell's opera company here in Boston.  None of them has a fondly reminiscent memory of either piece.  Perhaps, a century from now, contributors to this site will be busily uploading his works and wondering how such beautiful and moving music could possibly have been neglected all these many years . . .

Quote from: dafrieze on Thursday 24 November 2011, 20:18

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 14 November 2011, 23:24
I wish I liked Sessions more :(

Has anyone else in all of history ever said that?  I've been listening to his symphonies, just to see if I could get a handle on him.  No luck.  I have friends who sang in performances of his requiem, When Lilacs Last in the Courtyard Bloom'd and his opera Montezuma, which was premiered by Sarah Caldwell's opera company here in Boston.  None of them has a fondly reminiscent memory of either piece.  Perhaps, a century from now, contributors to this site will be busily uploading his works and wondering how such beautiful and moving music could possibly have been neglected all these many years . . .

;D :)

Sessions is one of those composers-Witold Lutoslawski is another(at least after about 1955) and Elliott Carter is definitely a third-who I have tried repeatedly to appreciate but have failed to do so.

I have been roundly scolded elsewhere( ;D), I assure you, for this "sad deficiency in my musical understanding". I very much doubt whether I shall ever really come to like music which to my ears lacks the necessary ingredients to appeal to my musical sensibilities.

I've listened to Sessions for thirty years....nothing.  Lutoslawski I do enjoy (all the pre-1957 stuff, 3rd annd 4th Symphonies and the Cello Concerto). Carter is a lost cause. I think people pretend to like him so as to appear  more advanced than the rest of us. Pure noise. To quote RVW, "If you ever do think of a tune, be sure to write it down".

My opinions of Lutoslawski and Carter coincide exactly with Tapiola's.  Much of the Polish composer's music - his symphonies, his Concerto for Orchestra, etc. - is extremely appealing, and I enjoy listening to them.  Carter is a nullity to my ears.  I think the big difference between the two is that Lutoslawski's music always seems to have some kind of emotional connection with the world around it, whereas Carter's is entirely about itself.

Carter = arid.  Lutoslawski = human and humane. Sessions= cerebral and dry.

I shall obviously have to try much harder with later Lutoslawski ;D

Quote from: Dundonnell on Thursday 24 November 2011, 22:08
I shall obviously have to try much harder with later Lutoslawski ;D

I wouldn't bother, Colin! I compare it to liking blue cheese .... trying harder to like it generally doesn't work!  ;D ;D

My father told me when I was a boy that Beethoven's string quartets would be something I'd appreciate late in life ... 50 years later and still no progress!  :-[

As to underdeveloped musical sensibilities, referred to earlier, while I'm old-fashioned enough to believe that works of art have degrees of intrinsic aesthetic value, passing judgements as to that value, quite apart from justifying one's own tastes, usually serves to create in-groups and out-groups. The implications for extending those judgements to the listener/viewer/reader are obvious.  ::)

I speak as someone who would happily swap the original Mona Lisa for a photo of a steam engine and then stare in wonder at its beauty!  ;D ;D ;D

Eh...sorry again...shamokin, but the links to Sowerby's Violin and Piano Concertos are the same: the link takes one to the Violin Concerto only.

Well, perhaps I have fixed it now. Please let me know if not.

You have indeed :)

Thanks very much :)

I have quite a lot of Sowerby on cd actually-Symphony No. 2,  Concertpiece for organ and orchestra, Classic Concerto for organ and orchestra, Medieval Poem for organ and orchestra, Festival Musick for organ and orchestra, the Tone Poems "Prairie", "Theme in Yellow", "From the Northland", Passacaglia, Interlude and Fugue for orchestra, Overtures "All on a Summer's Day", "Comes Autumn Time" and Concert Overture and the Cantata "Canticle of the Sun". That's not a bad representation I think for a decent but not spectacular composer. Cedille(as a Chicago-based company) has done good work for Sowerby on disc.

I don't tell people they'll come around to something if they just give it more time - after all, I haven't. The lack of respect for differing taste in Tapiola's statement that others - me, for example- "pretend" to enjoy e.g. Roger Sessions' music - doesn't just bewilder me, it infuriates me.


Just saying.

Quote from: eschiss1 on Friday 25 November 2011, 23:05
I don't tell people they'll come around to something if they just give it more time - after all, I haven't. The lack of respect for differing taste in Tapiola's statement that others - me, for example- "pretend" to enjoy e.g. Roger Sessions' music - doesn't just bewilder me, it infuriates me.

Just saying.

Couldn't agree more, Eric!  ;)

Musical taste is so diverse. My friends simply can't understand how I adore Elgar, Mahler, et al, but get equally passionate about Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, piano-accordions and Glenn Miller!  And, "how can you not like opera??"  :o :o

I think we'd all agree that it's OK to express one's dislike of certain types of music, but care has to be taken not to allow that to become, or be seen as, a judgement of those do like them. As I said in another posting, making aesthetic judgements may have some technical basis, but it so easily becomes a tool for dismissing or criticizing those with different tastes!

:)

Sessions once said something to the effect (members who may know the exact quote, please correct) that he himself, unlike unsophisticated listeners, hears C Major and A Minor as being the same. This pretty much encapsulates what a lot of Sessions's music is like: plenty of trees, not much forest. Plenty of black-belt sudoku, not much poetry.

have seen several Sessions quotes but not that one (and not sure I remember one comparing himself disdainfully to the unsophisticated listener, either, but I could of course be mistaken about that. There is a book from around the middle of his life, The Musical Experience of Composer, Performer and Listener, that I found well worth reading; and a rather good biographical excerpt by Andrea Olmstead from an issue of Tempo magazine from 1978 putting together a collection of quotes and anecdotes to give a notion of the composer as a person.)

(This description seems to me to apply better to Milton Babbitt's music to me - much as I like it - not the sudoku part, but the local-eclipsing-the-global-part - than to Sessions, whose music requires just that focus on the "long line" he writes about - from the conductor (Badea gets this, Prausnitz gets this, Davies does not) especially. But if the listener can't hear this it doesn't speak poorly of the listener, either; nothing speaks to everyone. I still don't and don't expect to get a lot of composers. (Silvestrov and Gorecki- except for a few works- among them.)

Three American uploads tonight:

Paul Creston's Symphonies No. 2(1944) and No. 3 "The Three Mysteries"(1950) both played by the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington under Howard Mitchell from long-deleted Westminster LPs and Ernst Bacon's "Ford's Theatre"(1943) played by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under Max Schoenherr, again from a long-deleted LP.

I have uploaded William Schuman's Symphony No.5 "Symphony for Strings" in a performance given by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra under Sir Neville Marriner recorded during their first overseas tour in 1974(?).

The George Rochberg Violin Concerto just uploaded is played at a public concert by Isaac Stern, the dedicatee.

Caution here, Stern made some serious cuts to the score.

You are, of course, quite correct. I had forgotten that the Naxos recording was of the complete, original composition before Stern excised 14 minute of music, much to Rochberg's own disgust.

I am perfectly happy to take the Stern version down if that is members' wish ???

I don't see why it should be culled, Colin, as long as there's a caveat emptor warning on it. It is a historical document of sorts.

Thank you, shamokin88, for your dazzling contributions! I don't believe I've ever seen this much music by Robert Palmer in one place before!  ;) Please, keep it coming!

Bernard Rogers too :)

There's another American composer who has totally disappeared-five unrecorded symphonies, cantatas, operas-and now just a passing footnote :(

Re Rogers, ages ago I put together this very incomplete list...
here (http://www.lightlink.com/schissel/rogers.html)...

About Julia Smith, can't seem to find out anything about the conductor, even slightly changing the spelling of the name. Lee Schaend? ... Probably not looking in the right places though. Anyone know?

Colin, thank you for the two Previn concertos.  :)  I recall that guitar concerto LP very well - I think I once had a copy, but I've never heard the cello concerto before.

I always find "Mr Preview" enigmatic - it's difficult to reconcile all his different facets (quite apart from that famous TV appearance! - which, for non-UK members, involved Previn in a TV comedy sketch in which he is called Mr Preview, and conducts a performance of a piano concerto - Grieg I think - which turns out to be a cacophony and never gets beyond the first few bars. When he challenges the pianist, reminding him that he claimed he could play the concerto, the pianist says that he can play all the notes "but not necessarily in the right order"!)   :D

Then there's his jazz piano and combo material - which I rather like, his wonderful performances as conductor - Prokofiev, VW, Walton, etc - and his performances as soloist in some of the great concertos. I still cherish his Gershwin concerto. Then there's his personal life!!  :o Marriages galore, including four years to Ms Mutter. And, of course, that tantalizing snippet that he is a distant relative of Mahler.  :o

I wonder if anyone has an uploadable version of his piano concerto - I'd love to hear that!

I have removed the Previn Guitar Concerto which was, it seems, recently reissued on cd by RCA :(

Thanks for that information, Eric :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 09 December 2011, 03:25
I have removed the Previn Guitar Concerto which was, it seems, recently reissued on cd by RCA :(

Thanks for that information, Eric :)

Can you please give me details of the reissue on CD - Colin or Eric?

Thanks  :)

hrm. I think "André Previn: An 80th Birthday Celebration", RCA 747250, 2009. (AMC listings (http://allmusic.com/album/andr-previn-an-80th-birthday-celebration-w186058))

Quote from: eschiss1 on Friday 09 December 2011, 04:52
hrm. I think "André Previn: An 80th Birthday Celebration", RCA 747250, 2009. (AMC listings (http://allmusic.com/album/andr-previn-an-80th-birthday-celebration-w186058))

Thanks, Eric!  :)

My apology for disappearing for so long. November is always a very busy month for me, with lots of business travel. That was followed by my father-in-law (our last living parent) having a stroke, which has required some attention (he's recovering as well as can be expected for an 86 year old man).

I'm going to upload some broadcast recordings of music by Jennifer Higdon. For those of you not familiar with this young composer, she spent her childhood in Atlanta, GA and moved to Tennessee in her teens. She began as a self-taught flautist who played in her high school band, but heard almost no classical music until she began college. She studied flute performance at a small college in Kentucky, Bowling Green State University, notable for absolutely nothing, but did play in the university orchestra. It was there she encountered Atlanta Symphony conductor Robert Spano, who was teaching a conducting course.

Her music is neoromantic, a more modern idiom, but mostly tonal, some floating key atonality, but virtually no extended dissonance or angry spikiness. She uses octatonic scales, which many here will remember as a compositional technique introduced by Rimsky-Korsakov in his later work. (Her music sounds nothing like Rimsky-Korsakov, but I hear echoes of Sibelius often.)

Higdon's music is surely the most popular of living American composers, frequently performed by American orchestras and appreciated by the audiences. Her Violin Concerto won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize. Her Percussion Concerto won a Grammy in 2009. My favorite of her works are Blue Cathedral and The Singing Rooms.

A couple of my recordings have some static at the beginning, which clears before long. All are from radio broadcast.

It's good to be back.   :)

Quote from: Amphissa on Saturday 17 December 2011, 16:08

It's good to be back.   :)

And welcome back!

Speaking as someone who blows hot and cold on Higdon (I haven't heard much, and really haven't managed to form an opinion of her work yet), thanks for the uploads - they save me having to pay for an education.  ;D

Well, I admit that her VC is not one that I listen to much. It has its moments and is virtuosic as all hell, but there's not enough substance to bring me back. The others I find more interesting.

I've never heard the Concerto for Orchestra. If anyone has a broadcast recording, please upload.

Quote from: Amphissa on Saturday 17 December 2011, 23:54
Well, I admit that her VC is not one that I listen to much. It has its moments and is virtuosic as all hell, but there's not enough substance to bring me back. The others I find more interesting.

I've never heard the Concerto for Orchestra. If anyone has a broadcast recording, please upload.

I have the Naxos chamber music release - some I like, some I don't.  It's about fifty-fifty down the middle, as I recall.

I heard her Concerto for Soprano Saxophone played by the Marine Chamber Orchestra a few months back...honestly, it didn't grab me.  Lots of sound and fury, but precious little substance.  Still, at least it's tonal, which is a start...

can't bring myself to think that way. if it's nontonal but has ideas and the composer knows what to do with them I often prefer it to something loud and insipid and boring though tonal. But that would be a subject for another subforum and thread I suppose...

Thanks, Shamokin88 for the Ray Luke symphonies, and all the other wonderful American music you so kindly share.

Having spent most of the last two days working my way through the backlog of American Music to be downloaded I can report that the following files seems to have gone missing:

Harl McDonald:       Children's Symphony
                               My Country at War

Eric Stokes:             Symphonies Nos. 5

The McDonald was originally uploaded by Latvian and the Stokes by Arbuckle.

Can they be restored if possible, please :)

According to the catalog of the Carnegie Collection, the movement headings of the Ray Luke first symphony are
Presto -- Adagio -- Scherzo -- Andante. (A suite for orchestra is also in their holdings. One finds elsewhere in score or some other format a bassoon concerto (performed by the Manchester Symphony 2006-October-29) and other works :) )
Symphony no.2 was recorded (different performance) on Louisville so movement headings are very easy to obtain (see eg Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Virgil-Thomson-Harris-Premiere-Recordings/dp/B0046P6NE2) :) ) - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro moderato.

(LOC (http://lccn.loc.gov/2005650154) preserves the whole concert - correction! a concert 2 days later, a repeat --  of which the 3rd symphony performance seems to have been a part. Not sure about the "movement breakdown" tho'. Luke/Grieg/Liszt; broadcast by the Voice of America. ... that's interesting (to me). )

Powell's music (though not his rather horrible and well-documented racial views, so far as I know) was also an influence on Sorabji.

Thanks, Shamokin, for the the two Powell works. I have the Falletta recording of the Symphony, but didn't realise that it was an edited version, and had never heard of the Overture. The latter could be the soundtrack for an Erroll Flynn movie!

Quote from: Mark Thomas on Wednesday 11 January 2012, 07:39
Thanks, Shamokin, for the the two Powell works. I have the Falletta recording of the Symphony, but didn't realise that it was an edited version, and had never heard of the Overture. The latter could be the soundtrack for an Erroll Flynn movie!

Yes, thanks indeed. And, I agree Mark, I had images of a 1940s swashbuckler in new technicolour! I find both works most enjoyable, and from a composer entirely new to me.   :)

The entire catalogue of CRI [Composers Recordings Incorporated] released as LPs in the USA from 1957 until about 1994 was assumed by New World Records. The latter makes custom CDs of each LP - that is, their CD offers exactly the same content as a given LP and is available through them as $12.99 each.

Further particulars may be had at http://www.newworldrecords.org/cri-nwr-2004-03.shtml.

Best to all.

Thanks for the Goeb uploads, shamokin88. My information is that the Concertante No. 2 is played by the American Virtuosi (as the orchestra missing in your performers annotation – I got the piece from somebody else a while ago).

I downloaded the Goeb collection a few minutes ago.

One of the files-the Concertino II for Orchestra-has an issue. While the other files have an icon with a musical symbol in them the Concertino has no such musical symbol, ie the icon is empty. Yes..there is content in the file but I know from past experience that Windows Media Player will only play such a file if I over-ride a warning that there is an unknown extension attached to the file.

You must forgive me but I do not understand what you tell me about the Goeb Concertino II. I just downloaded it - this is the first time I have downloaded one of my own files - and it plays through without any problems.

It showed - but I am not sure how to describe "it" - an image of a page with the upper right-hand corner turned down and a pair of notes occupying the lower left, the image reminding me of the old Columbia logo.

Do I need to do something?

Hello again and thanks for your very swift response :)

No, I don't think that you need to do anything :)  From discussions with others who have been able to download your files perfectly well I have concluded that the problem is at my end NOT yours ;D

It may be that my Windows Media Player is not yet recognising your m4a files because of a lack of association. I should, hopefully, be able to get round that problem.

Thanks again for your concern :) :)

My mistake :(

It was the Roger Goeb Concerto for Orchestra file which was the problem(not the Concertino II)

The reason for this was that the ".m4a" extension title after the name of the piece had somehow or other gone missing and, as a result, my Windows Media Player
would not recognise it as any kind of file at all but instead as a stream ::)

I just had a look at Goeb's "Iowa" Concerto; all seems well with the tag on the icon for the download. I downloaded a bit of it to make sure. Again, should I do anything?

I downloaded the same file on a different pc at a friend's house last night and his machine also had difficulties with the file. It identified it as a text file which it clearly is not. The file had no little musical symbol inside it.

If the " .4ma" extension is not immediately after the name of the piece on the file there lies the problem. It may be that Mediafire is losing that extension addition.

I should make it perfectly clear that this applied to only five files out of scores, probably hundreds, which you have so kindly made available to members here.

The 'problem' can be sorted out at our end so do not concern yourself further with the issue :) :)

Your wonderful uploads are vastly more important than any temporary glitch which may affect only one other member.

Well this may not be helpful to anyone else, but I have been with AOL forever and it seems like every new version comes with more problems than the last.

I have had problems with AOL downloading files, intermittantly, not just from mediafire but other sources from time to time.  For me the fix that seems to always work is to close down AOL and use FireFox which retrieves tham every time without a hitch.  So it might be your browser.......

Jerry

Jerry, it's time to graduate to a real Internet provider. AOL is the slum of the Internet.

Quote from: Amphissa on Monday 16 January 2012, 17:38
Jerry, it's time to graduate to a real Internet provider. AOL is the slum of the Internet.

That's good advice -- I dumped AOL two years ago and I've never regretted it!

Jennifer Higdon
Sorry, I'm afraid I just don't share the hype about the music, which seems lacking in inspiration and meandering....there are others who deserve more notoriety..Libby Larson for one.

Higdon, agreed. I tried and tried but to no avail.

Quote from: Lionel Harrsion on Monday 16 January 2012, 19:10

Quote from: Amphissa on Monday 16 January 2012, 17:38
Jerry, it's time to graduate to a real Internet provider. AOL is the slum of the Internet.

That's good advice -- I dumped AOL two years ago and I've never regretted it!

Jerry, if you've got Firefox, what do you need AOL for? 

Quote from: Arbuckle on Monday 16 January 2012, 21:27
http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html (http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html)

The free version of Switch Sound File Converter works well for changing m4a to mp3, and I think maybe wav, too, however it being free it is limited and you would have to buy it for the more unusual file formats. Once you have downloaded a file, click on "show in folder", and in the folder when you right click the file it to highlight it, it will give you the option to "Convert with Switch sound File Converter", clicking on that places the file in Switch sound, where again you highlight it with a right click and hit the convert button, very easy, then the mp3 or whatever file shows up in "recently changed".
I was also able to do the Goeb Concerto "Iowa" by clicking and dragging it into Switch Sound File Converter.

Whenever I get a wav. file, I drag it into my iTunes and it converts it automatically.

Thanks to Shamokin for the Robert Ward symphonies :)

I have Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 6 on cd-in different performances obviously-but No.2 is new to me.

Incidentally, Nos. 1, 3 and 4 arrived as MPEG-4 Audio Files and No.2 as an mp3. My Windows Media Player has no difficulty opening and playing MPEG-4 Audio. I therefore don't see any real need to convert the files to mp3. Am I missing something ???

The difficulty I was experiencing was if-and this ONLY happened with five files-the files were downloaded without any extension and I failed to add an extension. In those cases WMP did not know or understand what it was opening, baulked at the prospect but did finally open and play the files.

Anyway.......the Ward files are all perfectly fine :) :)

I think there is less here than meets the eye. I'm still discovering technical things as I go along.

Ward 2 came to me as an MP3 file and, evidently, what comes in as an MP3 goes out as an MP3. I'm not certain that that is always the case - this is just a single example now that I pay it attention.

The other three Wards I put into my computer from discs burned on my stand-alone recorder. I don't know what they were to start with but my computer turned them out as M4As - there was no choice on my part.

I have Ward 5 in good sound and would be happy to put it up - why not? - but it is one of those big, billowy "city on the hill" bicentennial commemorations with an emoting speaker.

Best to all.

Roxio Creator has a utility for converting audio files.   If you're in to YouTube downloads, TubeSucker (horrid name) will convert videos into all kinds of audio or video files. 

Jerry

Oh, yes, thanks for the advice on AOL.  My wife has been talking getting rid of it for a long time.  The thought of changing email addresses after so many years is a bit daunting.....

Quote from: jerfilm on Tuesday 17 January 2012, 15:13
Oh, yes, thanks for the advice on AOL.  My wife has been talking getting rid of it for a long time.  The thought of changing email addresses after so many years is a bit daunting.....

Jerry, you can retain your AOL email address -- you just access your AOL mailbox by going to www.aol.co.whatever county!

Quote from: shamokin88 on Tuesday 17 January 2012, 12:42
I think there is less here than meets the eye. I'm still discovering technical things as I go along.

Ward 2 came to me as an MP3 file and, evidently, what comes in as an MP3 goes out as an MP3. I'm not certain that that is always the case - this is just a single example now that I pay it attention.

The other three Wards I put into my computer from discs burned on my stand-alone recorder. I don't know what they were to start with but my computer turned them out as M4As - there was no choice on my part.

I have Ward 5 in good sound and would be happy to put it up - why not? - but it is one of those big, billowy "city on the hill" bicentennial commemorations with an emoting speaker.

Best to all.

I certainly would welcome the Ward 5th....if only to complete the set ;D

As far as technology is concerned: we-or I should really say I ;D are all learning all the time :) I know that I have learned a lot about the 'new technology' of uploading, downloading, types of files etc over the last few months and, that for a real technophobe, that is no small achievement. There may be little glitches along the way but these can be sorted :) Keep the good music coming :)

Quote from: jerfilm on Tuesday 17 January 2012, 15:13
Roxio Creator has a utility for converting audio files.   If you're in to YouTube downloads, TubeSucker (horrid name) will convert videos into all kinds of audio or video files. 

Jerry

Oh, yes, thanks for the advice on AOL.  My wife has been talking getting rid of it for a long time.  The thought of changing email addresses after so many years is a bit daunting.....

Is your AOL dial-up?  If you have an Internet service that provides Mozilla or IE, you can open up a new email account by making Yahoo or MSN your homepage and using their free email.

No, heaven forbid.  If I had to live with dial up I'd give up the computer.

Incidentally, did you get the two emails i sent you?

Jerry

Thanks for the Robert Ward 5th, Shamokin :)

Quote from: jerfilm on Wednesday 18 January 2012, 00:07
No, heaven forbid.  If I had to live with dial up I'd give up the computer.

Incidentally, did you get the two emails i sent you?

Jerry

Indeed I did.  I'm thinking two weeks.  ;)

I have the pleasure of announcing the upload of a collection of music by American composer Ronald LoPresti, who is definitely, in my opinion, one of the most underrated American composers. Lopresti, a clarinetist as well as a composer, was born in 1933 in Williamstown, Massachusetts. A pupil of Howard Hanson, he graduated from the prestigious Eastman School of Music, and taught at Arizona State University.   He is most known for a band composition,  his moving elegy for JFK, "Elegy for  a Young American". (If you search youtube, you will find many versions of this).  His two movement Orchestral Suite "Masks", conducted by Hanson, was released as part of the Mercury Living Presence series, and is also a strong work, but, to date, far too little of his work has been commercially released.

I've uploaded a collection of live performances of some of his never-released orchestral works:  two excellent symphonies, a nocturne for viola and strings, and other works.  This collection is first of a series I will be sharing from the collection of musical archivist Karl Miller (with his permission, naturally).

Note:
There are some of LoPesti chamber works available through the Arizona State University web site at
http://repository.asu.edu/search?q=lopresti

Quote from: jowcol on Sunday 05 February 2012, 18:25
I have the pleasure of announcing the upload of a collection of music by American composer Ronald LoPresti, who is definitely, in my opinion, one of the most underrated American composers. .......

Totally agree! And, thank you so much for the uploads - giving us a chance to hear these engaging and carefully crafted works.  The 2nd Symphony is - to my neo-romantic ears at least - a real masterpiece, combining shimmering beauty with powerful majesty.

So, thank you again, jowcol.  :) :)

I've just posted the Elie Seigmeister Symphony 8 in the downloads section.

(http://www.newmusicbox.org/209/images/ElieSiegmeister_300x362.jpg)

Wikipedia Entry:

Elie Siegmeister (b. January 15, 1909, New York City – March 10, 1991, Manhasset, New York) was an American composer, educator and author.

His varied musical output showed his concern with the development of an authentic American musical vocabulary. Jazz, blues and folk melodies and rhythms are frequent themes in his many song cycles, his nine operas, his eight symphonies, and his many choral, chamber, and solo works. His 37 orchestral works have been performed by leading orchestras throughout the world under such conductors as Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Lorin Maazel, and Sergiu Comissiona. He also composed for Hollywood (notably, the film score of They Came to Cordura, starring Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth, 1959) and Broadway ("Sing Out, Sweet Land," 1944, book by Walter Kerr).

His Western Suite was premiered by Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra during a broadcast concert on November 25, 1945, in NBC Studio 8-H. Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony Orchestra later made a stereo recording of the music, which incorporates familiar cowboy tunes and garnered him many black friends. Biographer Mortimer Frank said Toscanini's premiere (preserved on transcription discs) is a remarkable performance led by a conductor whose roots went not to the Old West but the Parma conservatory.[1]

Siegmeister wrote a number of important books on music, among them "Treasury of American Song" (Knopf, 1940–43, text coauthored with Olin Downs, music arranged by Siegmeister), second edition revised and enlarged (Consolidated Music Publishers); "The Music Lover's Handbook" (William Morrow, 1943; Book-of-the-Month Club selection), revised and expanded as "The New Music Lover's Handbook" (1973); and the two-volume "Harmony and Melody" (Wadsworth, 1985), which was widely adopted by college and conservatory curricula. In 1960, Siegmeister also recorded and released an instructional album of music, Invitation to Music, on Folkways Records, on which he discusses the fundamentals of music.

From 1977 until his death, he served on the Board of Directors of ASCAP and chaired its Symphony and Concert Committee. Among his signal achievements, he was composer-in-residence at Hofstra University 1966-76, having organized and conducted the Hofstra Symphony Orchestra; established 1971 and chaired the Council of Creative Artists, Libraries, and Museums; and initiated 1978 the Kennedy Center's National Black Music competition. In 1939, he organized the American Ballad Singers, pioneers in the folk music renaissance whom he conducted for eight years in performances throughout the United States. He was the winner of numerous awards and commissions, among them those of the Guggenheim, Ford, and Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundations, the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the USIA.

Siegmeister earned a B.A. cum laude at the age of 18 from Columbia University, where he had studied music theory with Seth Bingham. He studied conducting with Albert Stoessel at the Juilliard School and counterpoint with Wallingford Riegger. He was among the numerous American composers, including Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson, who were students of the influential teacher Nadia Boulanger in Paris. The best known of his own students was Stephen Albert (1941–92), winner of a 1985 Pulitzer Prize for music. Other students included clarinetist Naomi Drucker and composers Michael Jeffrey Shapiro, Daniel Dorff, Leonard Lehrman, Herbert Deutsch, Joseph Pehrson, and Grammy-winner Jack Gallagher.

It will be good to hear another Siegmeister symphony :) I have the 3rd on disc and his Flute and Clarinet Concertos but I have been hoping to hear more of the symphonies :)

Elie Siegmeister

Unless I am beaten to the draw I will oblige with Siegmeister's symphonies nos.1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 over the weekend; missing 7 though.

I have a pamphlet of his entitled Music and Society published in 1938 by the Critics Group Press in New York. It is something of a curiosity. Their other titles advertised and some offered by another publisher in the end pages suggests some strong Marxist/Leninist sympathies on Siegmeister's part although that was nothing unusual three-quarters of a century ago. I have often wondered why he did not get in difficulties during the McCarthy period whereas Copland, briefly, did. Of course by mid-century Copland offered a much bigger target to those in search of one.

Can anyone speak to this?

Best to all.

I can't speak to the Red Scare issue, but I would welcome the symphonies!

Many thanks to shamokin for the uploads of five Elie Siegmeister symphonies :) Together with the Eighth uploaded by jowcol and the 3rd which is on cd, that makes almost the complete set :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 28 September 2011, 00:52
Third time lucky ;D

The download works now :)

It is fascinating to be able to listen to the symphony which, as you know, was withdrawn by the composer. The performance you have been able to make available is, as you say, the last time it was performed. I have always found this decision by Schuman rather strange. Copland certainly expressed his very strong admiration for the symphony.

***********************

This was not the last time it was performed. It was also done in Baltimore. To the best of my knowledge it was performed 4 times: Greenwich Symphony [25 May 1938]; CBSSO [11 September 1938]; Boston Symphony [17 February 1939]; Baltimore Symphony [1939]. For more information, you can consult the Steve Swayne Schuman bio.

Bill had considered revising the work. There may have been some political reasons why he withdrew it, but I believe it is worthy of a recording. In a conversation I had with him he suggested that the opening trumpet might be replaced by an oboe. I suggested that he leave the piece as it is. He seemed pleased that someone thought highly of the work. I assume the transfer being offered is the one I restored. It is likely that it is an early version which is incorrectly pitched. The sustained trumpet note is a C...my first restoration, had it a B flat.

Karl

Quote from: britishcomposer on Saturday 15 October 2011, 23:58
Thanks from another Harris-fan!  :D
Sound quality doesn't matter at all to me. It's just unbelievable that these documents exists!
shamokin88, I am VERY curious to know where you got all this from?!  ::)

**************************
While I don't know the source of the posted version of the Harris 12th, I got my copy from the Dan Stehman, author of two books on Harris. As for the Gould First Symphony, while I haven't listened to the posting offered, my copy came from a dub Paul Snook did of Gould's copy plus I added a bit from a tape I got from David Canfield who had copied some lacquers from a former member of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Karl

Quote from: eschiss1 on Friday 21 October 2011, 13:05
Apparently Vincent wrote (at least) 2 symphonies and the first (A Festival Piece in One Movement) was recorded twice (by Whitney and by Ormandy- the latter recording now available on CD. Anyone know of even broadcast performances/recordings of no.2? :) )

*********************
I have a recording of No.2. It is a transcription of the Consort for Piano and String quartet. The work, in its chamber version, was released on the Contemporary label.

Karl

Quote from: eschiss1 on Thursday 08 December 2011, 02:47
Re Rogers, ages ago I put together this very incomplete list...
here (http://www.lightlink.com/schissel/rogers.html)...

About Julia Smith, can't seem to find out anything about the conductor, even slightly changing the spelling of the name. Lee Schaend? ... Probably not looking in the right places though. Anyone know?

*********************
Are you referring to the Julia Smith Piano Concerto with Larry Waltz as soloist?

Thanks for your list of Rogers. I have the following works and perhaps in time can make some transfers if there is interest.

Karl


Rogers, Bernard   Apparitions for Orchestra
Rogers, Bernard   Dance Scenes for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   Elegy In Memory of F.D.R, For Orch
Rogers, Bernard   Four Pictures after Hans Christian Anderson for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   Goossens Variation for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   Leaves from the Tale of Pinocchio for Orchestra (Hanson;Schoenherr)
Rogers, Bernard   Once Upon a Time,suite for Orchestra
Rogers, Bernard   Portrait for Violin and Orchestra
Rogers, Bernard   Soliloquy for Flute and Strings
Rogers, Bernard   Song of the Nightingale, suite
Rogers, Bernard   String Trio
Rogers, Bernard   Symphony No.3, "On Thanksgiving Song"
Rogers, Bernard   Symphony No.4
Rogers, Bernard   Symphony No.5, "Africa"
Rogers, Bernard   The Light of Man, Oratorio for Chorus and Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   The Silver World for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   The Warrior (Met. 1947 Complete Opera)
Rogers, Bernard   Three Japanese Dances for Winds
Rogers, Bernard   Variations on a Song by Mussorgsky for Orchestra

Quote from: karl.miller on Monday 13 February 2012, 20:17

While I don't know the source of the posted version of the Harris 12th, I got my copy from the Dan Stehman, author of two books on Harris. As for the Gould First Symphony, while I haven't listened to the posting offered, my copy came from a dub Paul Snook did of Gould's copy plus I added a bit from a tape I got from David Canfield who had copied some lacquers from a former member of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Karl

Welcome, Karl!
This sounds all very thrilling!  ::) ;D

I read Mr Stehman's two-part essay on the Harris Symphonies in the Tempo Journal some years ago. A highly recommendable source for a beginner who is interested in Harris.

Quote from: karl.miller on Monday 13 February 2012, 20:49

Quote from: eschiss1 on Thursday 08 December 2011, 02:47
Re Rogers, ages ago I put together this very incomplete list...
here (http://www.lightlink.com/schissel/rogers.html)...

About Julia Smith, can't seem to find out anything about the conductor, even slightly changing the spelling of the name. Lee Schaend? ... Probably not looking in the right places though. Anyone know?

*********************
Are you referring to the Julia Smith Piano Concerto with Larry Waltz as soloist?

Thanks for your list of Rogers. I have the following works and perhaps in time can make some transfers if there is interest.

Karl


Rogers, Bernard   Apparitions for Orchestra
Rogers, Bernard   Dance Scenes for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   Elegy In Memory of F.D.R, For Orch
Rogers, Bernard   Four Pictures after Hans Christian Anderson for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   Goossens Variation for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   Leaves from the Tale of Pinocchio for Orchestra (Hanson;Schoenherr)
Rogers, Bernard   Once Upon a Time,suite for Orchestra
Rogers, Bernard   Portrait for Violin and Orchestra
Rogers, Bernard   Soliloquy for Flute and Strings
Rogers, Bernard   Song of the Nightingale, suite
Rogers, Bernard   String Trio
Rogers, Bernard   Symphony No.3, "On Thanksgiving Song"
Rogers, Bernard   Symphony No.4
Rogers, Bernard   Symphony No.5, "Africa"
Rogers, Bernard   The Light of Man, Oratorio for Chorus and Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   The Silver World for Orch.
Rogers, Bernard   The Warrior (Met. 1947 Complete Opera)
Rogers, Bernard   Three Japanese Dances for Winds
Rogers, Bernard   Variations on a Song by Mussorgsky for Orchestra

There definitely IS interest :) :)

Welcome to the site, by the way. And thanks!

I've been looking for some Swanson for a long time. Could you possibly make this link active again?

Quote from: Arbuckle on Wednesday 14 September 2011, 05:10
Howard Swanson (1907-1978)
These are some  pieces off old LPs of a few pieces by an unsung American composer:
1. Concerto for Orchestra
    Budapest phil orch, Benjamin Steinberg (Silhouettes in Courage SIL K 5001-2)
3. Short Symphony
    American recording Societ Orchestra, Dean Dixon (ARS-7)
4. Night Music
    New York Ensemble of the Philharmonic Scholarship Winners, Dmitri Mitropoulos
Charles Jones:
2. Symphony No. 6
    Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Benjamin Steinberg (Silhouettes in Courage SIL K 5001-2)

http://www.mediafire.com/?nmku8dqjy6rd6 (http://www.mediafire.com/?nmku8dqjy6rd6)

This is an article about him from the New Georgia Encyclopedia:
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2699 (http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2699)

[minacciosa: you must post replies like this in the appropriate thread in the Discussion board here, NOT in the Downloads board, which is only for posts and replies which have download links. Mark]

I am  posting Vittorio Giannini's IBM Symphony  in the downloads section.  For such a neglected composer, this work is very well documented, thanks to IBM.   I can't resist sharing a little history about the work, it's an enjoyable work, but the corporate propaganda surrounding it is even more fascinating.

Written in 1937, it was premiered at  the January 18, 1938  dedication of the IBM World Headquarters Building in New York, Vittorio Giannini conducted the Columbia Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra in the first performance of the IBM Symphony, which is the recording I am posting.  A  description (program notes) from that performance have been preserved, as written by Mrs. Marie Osborne.

QuoteThe piece is in one movement, subdivided into three parts, which follow each other without interruption.
I. Allegro
The Allegro expresses the unrest and confusion of the world today [1938]. The martial spirit is symbolized by trumpets sounding the call to arms. The Allegro reaches a climax and then softens gradually in an expression of the weariness of mankind.

II. Sostenuto
The Sostenuto depicts the exhortation of those who strive for peace and love amongst humanity. As the theme of this section, the composer uses the first six bars of the IBM song "Ever Onward," thus identifying the spirit of IBM with the world movement for international understanding.

III. Allegro Ritmico
The Allegro Ritmico begins with different rhythms in the violas, then the cellos, then the violins. This is descriptive of renewed activity in industry. Above these constant rhythms are heard the different anthems of the nations as they unite their common efforts for the prosperity and the betterment of mankind. Toward the end of the composition, the rhythms of industry acquire a joyous, triumphant tone; while the brass, playing in a broadened tempo, repeats "Ever Onward" which is now played in its entirety.

The IBM Symphony was played again on May 4 1939 at the World's Fair which also  featured a performance of the IBM anthem, "Hail To The IBM." (Tragically, I don't have a recording of that..)  A photo from that day is below.
(http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/music/images/3405PH11.jpg)
Seen here on stage that day are (from left) the anthem's composer, Vittorio Giannini; Olin Downes, music critic of the New York Times, who spoke at the event; Eugene Ormandy, who conducted the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra; and Thomas J. Watson, Sr., IBM's president. 

A description of that day is available here:  http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4138.html (http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4138.html)
I am reproducing the highlights below:

QuoteMay 2 was as nothing compared to Thursday, May 4—IBM Day at the world's fair. May 4 was a busy day for Watson, but not a uniquely busy day. Indeed, one of the remarkable aspects of his long life was the number of days such as this which he arranged (and which those around him endured). Things were kicked off as Watson opened the fair for the day. He was accompanied by a mounted escort from Perylon Hall on the fairgrounds to the IBM exhibit at the Business Systems Building, where a precursor of a form of e-mail was displayed:

Not only technology but art had a place in IBM Day. The company had commissioned the IBM Symphony by Vittorio Giannini, and the work was performed at this event and was broadcast. In a burst of understatement, Fortune magazine described the symphony as "somewhat programmatic in nature." The second movement contained a melodic reference to the most often sung of IBM's many songs, "Ever Onward."

Painting as well as music was part of IBM's artistic contribution to the fair. Watson was described in the New York Times as taking "a bold and potentially constructive step" by displaying works from seventy-nine countries in his Gallery of Science and Art in a large hall in the Business Systems Building at the fair. "Far-flung" would be the best way to describe the countries represented. They included French Indochina, Libya, Luxembourg, and the USSR. "Our endeavor," explained Watson, has been to increase the interest of business in art and of artists in business ... This step by an industrial organization is in recognition of the part played by art in industry and its importance to industry in broadening the horizons of culture and influencing the needs and desires of the people of every country.

I WAS going to include some biographical information, but this may already be more than you wanted to know.   It is a shame that Giannini was not available for commissioning  more disturbing work about an evil  man named Bill Gates and a company called Microsoft.

The Giannini IBM Symphony is already up here :)

It was posted by shamokin on November 14th in a performance by the CBS Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer.

It is, of course, possible that you have a different version ???.............oh, it isn't unfortunately :( However, your accompanying notes are far too useful and informative to lose :) :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 15 February 2012, 01:58
The Giannini IBM Symphony is already up here :)

It was posted by shamokin on November 14th in a performance by the CBS Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer.

It is, of course, possible that you have a different version ???.............oh, it isn't unfortunately :( However, your accompanying notes are far too useful and informative to lose :) :)

As they say.. Ever Onward....   Thanks to  shamokin for getting it the first time. 

I've posted the Paul Bunyan Suite by William Bergsma, and this time, I did a search to see if anyone has posted it already.  (Thanks for keeping me honest, Dundonnell!)   I did  a bit of research and found a message board that said a lot more about this recording than I had expected to find.  (Most of this info, and the scans come from a  post by Bill Anderson)


The Paul Bunyan Suite was taken from Bergsma's ballet score from 1939.  From what I gather, it has not been commercially recorded. 

This recording is from a private lacquer  by the  St. Louis Philharmonic Society, an all volunteer orchestra that traces its history back to 1860. The conductor , Russell Gerhart, was active in St. Louis during the 1950's, eventually becoming the Music Director of the Huntsville, AL Symphony from 1959 though 1971.

Anderson also posted scans of the original, which I'm reproducing below, and including in the file.


(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/6877502485_4a7cfb12af_z.jpg)
and
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6877502255_3ded062b68_z.jpg)


After this, we have the obligatory composer picture and Wikepedia Entry.

(http://www.terrywinterowens.com/williambergsma/images/bergsma.jpg)

William Bergsma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Laurence Bergsma (April 1, 1921 – March 18, 1994) was an American composer.


After studying piano with his mother, a former opera singer, and then the viola, Bergsma moved on to study composition; his most significant teachers were Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers. Bergsma attended Stanford University for two years (1938-40) before moving on to the Eastman School of Music, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. In 1946 he accepted a position at Juilliard, where he remained until 1963, eventually holding such positions as chair of composition and from 1961-63, associate dean. In 1963 he moved on to the University of Washington, heading the music school until 1971, remaining a professor from then on after stepping down from the administrative post. In 1966 Bergsma founded the Contemporary Group at the University of Washington, which is an organization of composers and musicians who stage performances of new musical works and educate students and the public about contemporary music; the group remains active to this day. He is the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Students of Bergsma include composers Jack Behrens, Philip Glass, Karl Korte, and Robert Parris.

Bergsma's music is noted for its lyrical, contrapuntal qualities. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Bergsma rejected serialism in favor of a more conservative style, though one distinctly rooted in the 20th century. He eschewed the avant-garde—his obituary in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer describes him as having "never deserted tonality" and seeing "dozens of his former avant-garde colleagues returning to the fold"—though he did embrace aleatoric techniques later in his career.

He composed two operas, The Wife of Martin Guerre (1956) and The Murder of Comrade Sharik (1973), which are markedly different in style. The first is a somber tale of a 16th century French peasant's disappearance and return upon which he is suspected to be an impostor; the music is marked by dissonance which emphasizes the tension in the story, particularly in the final courtroom scene. The second is more lighthearted and comic; Bergsma wrote his own libretto after the story Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov, which involves a dog transforming into a citizen of 1920s Moscow as a result of a doctor's experiments. The partially-aleatoric orchestral writing is intended to be the voice of Stalin, and quotes from Carmen, La traviata and Don Giovanni for comedic effect. He was also a skillful composer of smaller works, including many chamber ensembles and solo piano pieces as well as orchestral writings.

Bergsma died in Seattle of a heart attack, at the age of 72.

A search for the Giannini uploads from November comes up with nothing, which is very peculiar ::) So even if you had done a search........... :(

They are still there however....and I downloaded them at the time ;D

Have seen reviews of Bergsma recordings some years back (from CRI, if I recall). It'll be interesting hearing his music. Thanks!

I've posted Piano Concerto #2 by Ross Lee Finney in the downloads section.

(http://www.james-joyce-music.com/extras/finneypics/finney_photo.jpg)

For those any of you (like me) that were not familiar with his work...

Wikipedia Entry

Ross Lee Finney Junior (December 23, 1906–February 4, 1997) was an American composer born in Wells, Minnesota who taught for many years at the University of Michigan. He studied with Nadia Boulanger, Edward Burlingame Hill, Alban Berg (from 1931-2) and Roger Sessions (in 1935).
His students included Leslie Bassett, George Crumb, Burton Beerman, Roger Reynolds, William Albright, Donald Bohlen, Robert Ashley, Robert Morris, Richard Toensing, Stephen Chatman, Rolv Yttrehus, Robert Cogan, George Balch Wilson, Philip Krumm, and Donald Harris.

According to the notes for the Composers Recordings, Inc. recording of Finney's second cello sonata (about 1953), Chromatic Fantasy In E for Violoncello Solo (1957) and second piano trio (1954), he received the Rome Prize in 1960 and the Brandeis Medal in 1968. He is quoted in those notes as having begun writing serial music from time to time beginning with his sixth string quartet (a work which uses serial principles but is "in E" on the score), his next work to be composed after the sonata.

He wrote eight string quartets, four symphonies as well as other orchestral works, other chamber works and songs.

Finney died on February 4, 1997, at his home in Carmel, California. He was 90.


Entry from the New York Public Library Archives:


Biographical/Historical Notes

American composer and teacher, Ross Lee Finney (b Wells, MN, 23 Dec. 1906; d Carmel, CA, 4 Feb. 1997) was the son of intellectual parents; his father was a professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota. He began playing and composing music as a child, learning cello, piano and guitar. Finney retained an interest in the guitar and folk music throughout his life and folk song and melody were important elements in his music. His first rigorous music courses were at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he studied with Donald Ferguson. He received a B.A. from Carleton College in 1927, after which he traveled to Paris to study composition with Nadia Boulanger. Finney's other teachers were Edward Burlingame Hill (1928-29), Alban Berg (1931-32) and Roger Sessions (1935), with whom he enjoyed a long friendship.

Finney joined the faculty of Smith College in Massachusetts in 1929. He was awarded Guggenheim and Pulitzer fellowships in 1937, and from 1943 to 1945 he served in the Office of Strategic Services in France, where he sustained combat injuries and received a Purple Heart. He won a second Guggenheim Fellowship in 1947. In 1949 he was appointed professor of music and composer-in-residence at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he remained until his 1972 retirement. There, Finney attracted many students who went on to become important composers, including George Crumb, Roger Reynolds, and William Albright. Finney continued composing through the mid-1980s.

Finney's music was tonal and melodic while sometimes employing serial technique, particularly after 1950; he lectured and wrote about the evolution of his style and his continuing interest in tonal resources. He was also interested in setting poetry to music. In the course of his career he composed for many musical settings, including soloists, chamber groups, choirs, wind ensembles, orchestras, opera and dance. His output was prolific and his music was performed often in his lifetime, both at the University of Michigan and by major orchestras and chamber groups around the country. He frequently served as a guest artist and lecturer at Universities and symposia and wrote about composition and music education for both children and advanced students.

I am posting three works by Bernard Herrmann (from a 2007 performance)  that were originally written during his tenure with CBS, and were later recycled into his movies. The photo below, with Orson Welles,  was taken during that period, I presume. 

(http://www.bernardherrmann.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ok_bhow01-300x227.jpg)

Nocturne and Scherzo:
From http://www.bernardherrmann.org/articles/biographical-sketch/ (http://www.bernardherrmann.org/articles/biographical-sketch/)

Bernard Herrmann's career took a professional turn when he went to work for the Columbia Broadcasting System in 1933. He started as composer, writing music for the Columbia Workshop radio programmes and in the following year he became first music adviser and later staff conductor at 'The American School of the Air', directing symphonic programmes in conjunction with other CBS conductors such as Howard Barlow and Victor Bay. Barlow had founded the Columbia Symphony Orchestra in 1927 and he introduced several of Herrmann's works to radio audiences, including the first performance of the Nocturne and Scherzo in the 1936 summer season.

According to: http://www.filmscorerundowns.net/herrmann/sneakpeek2.pdf  (http://www.filmscorerundowns.net/herrmann/sneakpeek2.pdf) he borrowed from this work in the 1963 Jason and the Argonauts:

(1) A fascinating assortment of examples that illustrate both categories of selfborrowing
can be found in the film Jason and the Argonauts (1963). At least five cues
were borrowed or reworked from earlier works: "Scherzo Macabre," "The Harpies,"
"The Triton," "A & J Fight," and "The Stolen Fleece." Occasionally Herrmann would
borrow an entire cue or major section of a previously composed work and use it in the
new project. Such is the case with "Scherzo Macabre" where he actually used the actual
leaves from the manuscript of his Nocturne and Scherzo composed in 1935. In spite of
that the instrumentation was changed for the version in Jason: Eight horns were
employed instead of four; six trumpets instead of three; and the brass were augmented.
The string parts in the original were not used because there were no strings in the Jason
orchestration. The slower passages in the corresponding part of the Nocturne were thus
also omitted. Whereas the original sequence in Scherzo (concert version) ran four
minutes and 17 seconds (4:17) the version in Jason runs only 3:26.

Shropshire Lad and City of Brass

These two works were first written for dramatic readings for CBS radio.  To quote from this site http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/daily/article.cfm/articleID/6666/Herrmann-Centennial---Radio-Work/ (http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/daily/article.cfm/articleID/6666/Herrmann-Centennial---Radio-Work/):


Almost from the very beginning, Herrmann was called upon to compose original music for dramatic readings of poetry and literature for David Ross, one of the top announcers at CBS. His excellent work on the first of these so called "melodrams" opened the door for a long series of experimental music and dramatic reading projects. In contrast to the nature of the music used for radio plays, here music was center stage, not only providing long introductions and closings for the dramatic text readings, but also providing a continuous score beneath the dialogue. Herrmann was able to develop greater musical identities with his music and it allowed him to present mood and psychological commentary to support the dramatic content of the readings. Again, perhaps this was another element in building the foundation for his later film scoring style which reflects his uncanny ability to set mood and deliver psychological subtext musically in a film.

A note of interest concerning the two examples of melodrams used here, and that is Herrmann's penchant for reusing his music from time to time. In this case the opening of A Shropshire Lad was reused as the "Prelude" to The Kentuckian and The City of Brass was reused as "Triton's" music in Jason and the Argonauts, both nearly 2 decades later. Most likely Herrmann thought that using music from a medium that got one or perhaps two plays ever probably wouldn't be remembered 2 decades later when used in an entirely different medium with most likely a different audience. Why waste good music that was long ago relegated to the ether?!

Once again, these are from a 2007 performance, so the sound is quite good.

I quite like Finney's music - thanks! Any of his quintets (piano or string)? A friend says that one of them (trying to remember which) is among the best of its kind from the 20th century in his opinion if I recall- I'd like to test that out.

Based on some  comments I've seen posted here, I'm not sure which is more likely to engender more controversy, wildly dissonant modernist works or Ferd Grofe.   Having done the former, I want to be an equal-opportunity annoyance... :P

I've posted the premiere of Grofe's Niagra Falls Suite in the downloads section.

(http://image.allmusic.com/00/acg/pic200/drz000/z054/z054719ak6o.jpg)

I'm also providing a description of the suite provided in the liner notes of the recent Naxos release of this work, penned be Victor and Marina A. Ledin

Among Grofe's last major works was a commission from the New York State Power Authority, to commemorate the opening of the largest power plant at Niagara Falls, the Roben Moses Power Plant, On l0th February 1961, Ferde Grofe was there to conduct the Buffalo Philharmonic in the first performance of his Niagara Falls Suite.

The four-movement suite begins with The Thunder of the Waters, a tone-painting tinged with Indian motifs, depicting the majesty of the cascading water. Devil's Hole Massacre recalls the ambush by Indians on 14th September 1763 of a British train of 25 wagons. Only eight out of around 360 British escaped. The romantic third movement of the suite is The Honeymooners, a waltz-like section that includes the faint sound of wedding bells, a reminder of the popularity of Niagara Falls as a place for honeymooners or Hollywood lovers. The finale, Power of Niagara – 1961, in Grofe's finest Hollywood style, shows a bustling hydro-electric plant. With a triumphantly patriotic middle section, the music suggests a factory whistle and a crowd of workers busily producing electricity to bring comfort and prosperity to a new generation. The suite, crafted by a master orchestrator, offers a vivid depiction of one of America's most magnificent sights.

Quote from: eschiss1 on Wednesday 15 February 2012, 14:10
I quite like Finney's music - thanks! Any of his quintets (piano or string)? A friend says that one of them (trying to remember which) is among the best of its kind from the 20th century in his opinion if I recall- I'd like to test that out.

I do not, unfortunately.  Anyone else?

With respect to Harris 12 I acquired the complete version and a separate performance, first "section" only from a Wisconsin collector whose name I cannot recall. It was about our only connection.

Quote from: britishcomposer on Monday 13 February 2012, 21:31

Quote from: karl.miller on Monday 13 February 2012, 20:17

While I don't know the source of the posted version of the Harris 12th, I got my copy from the Dan Stehman, author of two books on Harris. As for the Gould First Symphony, while I haven't listened to the posting offered, my copy came from a dub Paul Snook did of Gould's copy plus I added a bit from a tape I got from David Canfield who had copied some lacquers from a former member of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Karl

Welcome, Karl!
This sounds all very thrilling!  ::) ;D

I read Mr Stehman's two-part essay on the Harris Symphonies in the Tempo Journal some years ago. A highly recommendable source for a beginner who is interested in Harris.

Sorry, I have to correct myself: the two essays from Tempo were written by Malcolm D. Robertson, NOT Dan Stehman. However, Mr Robertson acknowledges the groundbreaking work of Dr. Stehman several times. The essays were published in the following issues:
No. 207, Dec., 1998
No. 214, Oct., 2000

I absolutely LOVE Grofe, and probably have the majority if not all of his compositions that's had a CD release. The Niagra Falls suite is a great piece -- not 'high art' perhaps but colorful and exciting.

And Herrmann is always welcome, of course.

Quote from: TerraEpon on Wednesday 15 February 2012, 18:16
I absolutely LOVE Grofe, and probably have the majority if not all of his compositions that's had a CD release. The Niagra Falls suite is a great piece -- not 'high art' perhaps but colorful and exciting.

And Herrmann is always welcome, of course.

I'll confess that I love the first and last movements of the Grand Canyon Suite,  even though I will go out of my way to avoid the 3rd movement, which I've heard too many times.

Quote from: jowcol on Wednesday 15 February 2012, 19:42
I'll confess that I love the first and last movements of the Grand Canyon Suite,  even though I will go out of my way to avoid the 3rd movement, which I've heard too many times.

As  a bass clarinetist, I cannot deny myself On The Trail. Hehe.

I'm posting a fairly recent performance of the 2nd Symphony by Walter Piston in the downloads folder.  I'm not sure if his as is "unsung" as some of the others here,  but I'll provide some background courtesy of Wikipedia nonetheless.

(http://www.netnebraska.org/extras/composer/images/cmampiston.jpg)

Wikipedia Entry:

Walter Hamor Piston Jr., (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976), was an American composer of classical music, music theorist and professor of music at Harvard University whose students included Leroy Anderson, Leonard Bernstein, and Elliott Carter.

Piston was born in Rockland, Maine. His paternal grandfather, a sailor named Antonio Pistone, changed his name to Anthony Piston when he came to America from Genoa, Italy. In 1905, the composer's father Walter Piston Sr. moved with his family to Boston.

Walter Jr. first trained as an engineer at the Mechanical Arts High School in Boston, but he was artistically inclined. Upon graduating in 1912, he proceeded to the Massachusetts Normal Arts School, where he completed a course of study in draftsmanship in 1916.[1]

During the 1910s, Piston made a living playing piano and violin in dance bands and later playing violin in orchestras led by Georges Longy.[2] During World War I, Piston joined the U.S. Navy as a band musician, after rapidly teaching himself to play the saxophone; he later stated that, when "it became obvious that everybody had to go into the service, I wanted to go in as a musician".[3] Playing in a service band, Piston taught himself to play most of the wind instruments. "They were just lying around" he later observed, "and no one minded if you picked them up and found out what they could do".[4]

Piston was admitted to Harvard in 1920, where he studied counterpoint with Archibald Davison, canon and fugue with Clifford Heilman, advanced harmony with Edward Ballantine, and composition and music history with Edward Burlingame Hill. Piston often worked as an assistant to the various music professors there, and conducted the student orchestra.[5]

In 1920, Piston married artist Kathryn Nason (1892–1976), who had been a fellow student at the Normal Arts School.[6] They remained married until her death in February 1976, a few months before his own.[1]

Upon graduating summa cum laude from Harvard, Piston was awarded a John Knowles Paine Traveling Fellowship.[7] He chose to go to Paris, living there from 1924 to 1926.[8] At the Ecole Nationale de Musique in Paris, Piston studied composition and counterpoint with Nadia Boulanger, composition with Paul Dukas and violin with George Enescu. His Three Pieces for Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon of 1925 was his first published score.[2]

He taught at Harvard from 1926 until retiring in 1960.[2] His students include Samuel Adler, Leroy Anderson, Arthur Berger, Leonard Bernstein, Gordon Binkerd, Elliott Carter, John Davison, Irving Fine, John Harbison, Karl Kohn, Ellis B. Kohs, Gail Kubik, Billy Jim Layton, Noël Lee, Robert Middleton, Robert Moevs, Conlon Nancarrow, William P. Perry, Daniel Pinkham, Frederic Rzewski, Allen Sapp, Harold Shapero, and Claudio Spies.[2]

In 1936, the Columbia Broadcasting System commissioned six American composers (Aaron Copland, Louis Gruenberg, Howard Hanson, Roy Harris, William Grant Still and Piston) to write works for CBS radio stations to broadcast.[citation needed] The following year Piston wrote his Symphony No. 1, and conducted its premiere with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on April 8, 1938.[9]

Piston's only dance work, The Incredible Flutist, was written for the Boston Pops Orchestra, which premiered it with Arthur Fiedler conducting on May 30, 1938. The dancers were Hans Weiner and his company. Soon after, Piston arranged a concert suite including "a selection of the best parts of the ballet." This version was premiered by Fritz Reiner and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on November 22, 1940. Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra included the suite in a 1991 RCA Victor CD recording that also featured Piston's Three New England Sketches and Symphony No. 6.[10]

Piston studied the twelve-tone technique of Arnold Schoenberg and wrote works using aspects of it as early as the Sonata for Flute and Piano (1930) and the First Symphony (1937). His first fully twelve-tone work was the Chromatic Study on the Name of Bach for organ (1940), which nonetheless retains a vague feeling of key.[11] Although he employed twelve-tone elements sporadically throughout his career, these become much more pervasive in the Eighth Symphony (1965) and many of the works following it: the Variations for Cello and Orchestra (1966), Clarinet Concerto (1967), Ricercare for Orchestra, Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra (1970), and Flute Concerto (1971).[12]

In 1943, the Alice M. Ditson fund of Columbia University commissioned Piston's Symphony No. 2, which was premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra on March 5, 1944 and was awarded a prize by the New York Music Critics' Circle. His next symphony, the Third, earned a Pulitzer Prize, as did his Symphony No. 7. His Viola Concerto and String Quartet No. 5 also later received Critics' Circle awards.[2]

Piston wrote four books on the technical aspects of music theory which are considered to be classics in their respective fields: Principles of Harmonic Analysis, Counterpoint, Orchestration and Harmony. The last of these went through four editions in the author's lifetime, was translated into several languages, and (with changes and additions by Mark DeVoto) was still regarded as recently as 2009 as a standard harmony text.[13]

He died at his home in Belmont, Massachusetts on November 12, 1976.[4]

Later today I shall be uploading three works by the American composer Richard Yardumian(1917-85)

The pieces I am uploading are taken from an EMI LP with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Anshel Brusilow:

Symphony No.1(1961)
Armenian Suite(1936-37)
Cantus Animae et Cordis for string orchestra(1954)

From Wikipedia:

"Yardumian was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the youngest of ten children to Armenian immigrant parents, and began studying the piano at a very early age. His mother, Lucia, was a teacher and organist, and his father, the Rev. Haig Yardumian, was the founding pastor of the Philadelphia Armenian Evangelical community, which later became the Armenian Martyrs' Congregational Church, now located in Havertown, PA.

Very little has been written about Yardumian's early life, but it is known that his family's household was busy and musical. Elijah Yardumian, a concert pianist and a product of the Curtis Institute, served as a musical mentor to his younger brother Richard, who began composing at age 14 and began a formal study of piano, harmony, theory and counterpoint at age 21. He was only 19 when he wrote his most popular piece, The Armenian Suite. This work, later recorded by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Utah Symphony, the Bournemouth Symphony, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, was also used as the signature theme for the Voice of America radio program Behind the Iron Curtain. Yardumian's earlier compositions frequently reflect the Armenian folk songs and religious melodies he was exposed to as a child.

The Great Depression of the 1930s precluded advanced formal music training for Yardumian, but he continued to progress on his own time. He was a private in the army during World War II when, in 1945, Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra premiered Desolate City, which marked Yardumian's debut as a composer. This was also the beginning of his long association with Ormandy, which led to several recordings on the Columbia label. Throughout the history of their relationship, the Philadelphia Orchestra premiered ten of Yardumian's works, bringing the total of known performances worldwide to nearly 100. This number includes the performances of his Story of Abraham, a multi-media composition that included the broadcast of Andre Girard's unique hand-painted 70mm film sequences.

In 1967, Fordham University, in celebration of its 125th anniversary, commissioned Yardumian to write his mass, Come Creator Spirit, which was premiered at Lincoln Center that year with mezzo-soprano Lili Chookasian. This musically complex piece is now rarely if ever performed, yet it stands as an interesting contribution to the Catholic musical canon, if for no other reason than for its having been penned by a Protestant.

In the 1950s, Yardumian began writing hymns for The Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma, a Swedenborgian congregation, in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, a church he later joined and for which he became musical director.

He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity.[1][not in citation given]

Yardumian died of complications following a heart attack at home in Bryn Athyn on August 15, 1985. He was the father of thirteen children, including pianist Vera Yardumian and painter Nishan Yardumian."

Yardumian has been surprisingly reglected on cd. His music is extraordinarily colourful and attractive. There is a BIS cd of the Second Symphony 'Psalms' coupled with the Armenian Suite and the Violin Concerto played by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra/Lan Shui(Swedish label, Singapore orchestra, Chinese conductor, Russian violinist, American-Armenian composer: how''s that for internationalism ;D). Eugene Ormandy championed the music in Philadelphia and John Ogden performed and twice recorded  Yardumian's Passacaglia, Recitative and Fugue for piano and orchestra.

(I think I recall shamokin saying that he had seen Yardumian at concerts in Philadelphia.)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 17 February 2012, 12:54
Later today I shall be uploading three works by the American composer Richard Yardumian(1917-85)

The pieces I am uploading are taken from an EMI LP with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Anshel Brusilow:

Symphony No.1(1961)
Armenian Suite(1936-37)
Cantus Animae et Cordis for string orchestra(1954)


Yardumian has been surprisingly neglected on cd. His music is extraordinarily colourful and attractive.

Excellent choice, Dundonnel.   I fully agree with your description, and strongly recommend these works to anyone who appreciates mostly tonal 20th century orchestral music.

Richard Yardumian

There was a Columbia mono LP of his music, ML 4991 - I think - that offered Desolate City, the Armenian Suite, the setting of Psalm 130 and the Violin Concerto. I mention this because the performance of the latter was of the 1949 version of the score, much more compact than the 1960 version that has subsequently been the standard. Anshel Brusilow was soloist both in it and Columbia's subsequent recording of the later version, MS 6462. Brusilow conducted a short-lived Philadelphia chamber orchestra during the mid-1960s that made a few recordings for RCA. The soloist in Psalm 130, Howell Zulick, was the proprietor of a small jewelry store in suburban Bryn Mawr and not a professional singer.

I went to many Philadelphia Orchestra concerts with my grandparents for most of a decade - mid fifties to mid sixties, and Yardumian sat one parquet circle box over. We would talk about what we had just heard, be it Cowell, Piston, Sessions, Dello Joio, Max Reger or whatever until the point of being shushed by others. Heady Friday afternoons for a then high school student!

The Philadelphia concerts were in the afternoon ???

Philadelphia Orchestra concerts in those days always offered a Friday afternoon - that was when I went. If the concert was a little bit on the long side there were occasional scurryings as concertgoers left for their various suburban trains, especially the 4:24 express to Bryn Mawr then local to Paoli!

QuoteQuote from: Dundonnell on Today at 12:54
Later today I shall be uploading three works by the American composer Richard Yardumian(1917-85)

The pieces I am uploading are taken from an EMI LP with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Anshel Brusilow:

Symphony No.1(1961)
Armenian Suite(1936-37)
Cantus Animae et Cordis for string orchestra(1954)


Yardumian has been surprisingly neglected on cd. His music is extraordinarily colourful and attractive.


Excellent choice, Dundonnel.   I fully agree with your description, and strongly recommend these works to anyone who appreciates mostly tonal 20th century orchestral music.

Love that First Symphony!

Delighted to hear that :)

I also have an LP with the Yardumian Passacaglia, Recitative and Fugue for piano and orchestra with John Ogden and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Igor Buketoff coupled with Peter Mennin's Piano Concerto.

Does anyone know if the Yardumian was ever transferred to cd?

I think the Mennin was to a CRI American Masters cd....but NOT the Yardumian ???

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 17 February 2012, 20:39
I also have an LP with the Yardumian Passacaglia, Recitative and Fugue for piano and orchestra with John Ogden and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Igor Buketoff coupled with Peter Mennin's Piano Concerto.

You may be interested to know that his LP is currently on sale at 35 Pounds!
http://www.audiophileusa.com/item.cfm?record=44858
:o

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 17 February 2012, 20:39
I also have an LP with the Yardumian Passacaglia, Recitative and Fugue for piano and orchestra with John Ogden and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Igor Buketoff coupled with Peter Mennin's Piano Concerto.

Does anyone know if the Yardumian was ever transferred to cd?

I think the Mennin was to a CRI American Masters cd....but NOT the Yardumian ???

The John Ogdon Foundation's complete discography at http://johnogdon.org.uk/johnogdon/discography.php lists the Yardumian as LP only, Colin, and I have searched high and low for a CD version without success - Archiv, Amazon, Discogs, Classicalnet, Allmusic, etc etc.  It looks like you are pretty safe if you are thinking of uploading it!  ;D ;D

Oh I shall certainly upload it ;D

£35 eh....... :)  Tempting ;D

As recompense and an apology for having to temporarily withdraw the Adrian Cruft Divertimento from the British Music section I have stayed up even later at night to bring forward the upload of Richard Yardumian's Passacaglia, Recitatives and Fugue(a concerto for piano and orchestra) of 1957   :)

This is the recording made by John Ogden and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Igor Buketoff made for RCA Victor in 1972 but never reissued on cd.

The work was given its first performance on January 3rd 1958 in Philadelphia with Rudolf Firkusny, for whom it was written, as soloist and Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Many thanks, Shamokin, for the Loeffler downloads; I thought I would never hear Evocations and it did not disappoint. The virtual boycott of this composer by record companies remains a mystery.

Happy to see more Yardumian uploads, courtesy of shamokin.

However the uploaded files for Psalm 130 and 'Desolate City' are identical, ie different links but to the same file.

Yardumian Desolate City.

Sorry. I think it is fixed now.

All afternoon MediaFire was telling me "failure" when uploads were about 95% complete and I must have lost track.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Saturday 18 February 2012, 22:34
Yardumian Desolate City.

Sorry. I think it is fixed now.

All afternoon MediaFire was telling me "failure" when uploads were about 95% complete and I must have lost track.

I am sorry to report back that the problem is not yet solved :( I have downloaded both links and the music in each is the same.

(I know how frustrating it is to get to 95% of an upload when it fails. This happens to me too....a lot ::))

Sorry you are having upload problems, shamokin.

Can you just confirm which piece of Yardumian is 5m 47s in length.... I must say that it sounds like a Desolate City, but from what you've said it might be the Psalm 130. It's a fine piece, either way!  ;D


Psalm 130

English Standard Version (ESV)


My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.


130
1Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2     O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
     that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

I am assuming that both links take one to 'Desolate City' on the grounds that Psalm 130 has a tenor soloist and I hear no tenor in the music I have downloaded.

Well, I will deal with this on Monday. Desolate City has no vocal part. My daughter and grandson here for a week's visit.

Deepest thanks to Dundonnell and shamokin88 for the Yardumian posts.  I had some of them, but am delighted to get more.  And am also glad that he is well represented at UC.

I've posted the Violin Concerto 1 by Jack Waldenmaier the the American Music Downloads folder.


(http://gp1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/802892/production_public/Artist/476072/image/small/JackPartial-Jaw100x100.jpg)
(http://jackwaldenmaier.com/images/JackPartial-Eye100x100.jpg) (http://jackwaldenmaier.com/images/JackPartial-Hand100x50.jpg) (http://jackwaldenmaier.com/images/JackPartial-Ear50x100.jpg)

For those of you who are curious, Jack Waldenmaier has both a  commercial business selling royalty-free mp3s (and a twitter account) at

http://musicbakery.com/ (http://musicbakery.com/)

And a site dedicated to his classical work here:

http://jackwaldenmaier.com/ (http://jackwaldenmaier.com/)


This is how he describes himself:

Jack Waldenmaier, D.M.A.
• President and Executive Producer of The Music Bakery
• President of Dallas' Modern Music Ensemble, Voices of Change
• Formerly a Professor of Music Composition and Theory at SMU
• Husband, Father of three, Admirer of Berio, Starbucks addict

Jack Waldenmaier's commercial music is heard on broadcasts throughout the world and is presented and marketed through this website.

Composer of more than 800 commercial music compositions: Listed at BMI

His serious concert music can be accessed at JackWaldenmaier.com
Dissertation: University of Cincinnati 1981

I've added the Violin Concerto by Ben Weber to the downloads section.

(http://pulitzerprizemusic.com/wp-content/gallery/pulitzer-composers/Ben%20Weber.jpg)


Wikipedia Entry:

William Jennings Bryan "Ben" Weber (July 23, 1916 in St. Louis – June 16, 1979 in New York) was an American composer.
Weber was largely self-taught. He worked initially as a copyist and only came to recognition in the 1950s. Weber used the twelve-tone technique but, rather than avoid tonality, he worked with it and achieved a virtuoso Romantic style. He composed chamber music for various combinations of instruments, orchestral music including concertos for violin and piano, piano music, and songs.

Among those who admired Weber's music were Ned Rorem, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, John Cage, Elliott Carter, Milton Babbitt, and David Diamond.

Weber received the Thorne Music Award in 1965. He authored his own memoirs, How I Took 63 Years to Commit Suicide, the year he died.

Review of  Memorial Concert from the NY Times.
 
Arts
MUSIC REVIEW; A Serialist With a Penchant for Lyricism
By ANTHONY TOMMASINI
Published: December 04, 1999

The American composer Ben Weber was not a major figure in his lifetime, but he earned the lasting esteem of his colleagues. That esteem was palpable on Wednesday night when a group of those colleagues marked the 20th anniversary of his death in a program called ''Ben Weber Remembered'' at Miller Theater.

Weber, born in 1916 in St. Louis, was largely self-taught as a composer. He was one of the first Americans to embrace the 12-tone techniques of Schoenberg, starting in 1938. After moving to New York in 1945, he maintained a strikingly diverse circle of friends, Milton Babbitt, John Cage, Leonard Bernstein and the poet Frank O'Hara among them. A voluble, roly-poly man talker, and excellent cook, Weber became more reclusive as he got older. He died alone at 63.

Weber's personality is reflected in his music, by turns witty and melancholic, rigorous and free-wheeling. Two works for cello and piano, played compellingly by the cellist Joel Krosnick and the pianist Gilbert Kalish, are typical. Five Pieces for cello and piano (1941) was inspired by Webern's radically concise 12-tone works. But Weber could not stifle his bent for expansive lyricism and bold gestures. In Three Capriccios for cello and piano (1977), one gets the sense that his adaptation of the 12-tone technique was his way of ensuring that his music would keep its cutting edge and not slip into Romanticism. There is a rather Brahmsian spirit trying to emerge here. In the ''Concert Aria After Solomon,'' performed by the soprano Lauren Skuce with an ensemble including members of the New York Woodwind Quintet, Weber gave free rein to his rhapsodic side, with engaging results.

This event was conceived by the composer Roger Trefousse, whose idea it was to invite five of Weber's composer-colleagues to compose tributes using, if they chose to, the same instruments that Weber did in his self-effacing Prelude and Nocturne: flute (Tara Helen O'Connor), cello (Dorothy Lawson) and celesta (Margaret Kampmeier). Mr. Trefousse's contribution was a colorful ''Fantasia on the Name of Ben Weber.''

The best of these tributes were equally self-effacing. Mr. Babbitt's ''Composition for One Instrument and Ben'' is a sparkling piece of about one minute for solo piano (played by Michael Barrett). Ned Rorem's ''For Ben,'' a wistfully lyrical solo piano work that Mr. Rorem performed, is spiked with pungent harmony that captured Weber's nature. Lou Harrison, who could not attend, offered a spunky piece for flute, cello and celesta alive with pulsating ethno-music rhythms. Also scored for the same trio was Francis Thorne's attractive ''Lyric Variation No. 8,'' and Michael Colgrass's ''Memento Trio,'' a somewhat over-stuffed piece that tries to evoke the conflict between 12-tone and tonal styles, with bits of jazz and pop thrown in.

Other Weber works were performed, though the impact of the music was not served by the length of the program (nearly three hours). Still, as several of the composers emphasized in a preconcert panel, Weber was a garrulous fellow who liked parties. He would have liked this one.

Richard Yardumian

Nothing is ever simple but I am hopeful that the link to Desolate City goes to Desolate City - 10.9 MB at 5:47, no vocal part. And the the link to Psalm 130 goes to Psalm 130 - 19.37 MB at 10.13 with vocal part. If not I will have to do it all over again and bite the radiator!

Quote from: shamokin88 on Wednesday 22 February 2012, 16:35
Richard Yardumian

Nothing is ever simple but I am hopeful that the link to Desolate City goes to Desolate City - 10.9 MB at 5:47, no vocal part. And the the link to Psalm 130 goes to Psalm 130 - 19.37 MB at 10.13 with vocal part. If not I will have to do it all over again and bite the radiator!

No need to bite the radiator, Edward ;D It works this time :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Wednesday 22 February 2012, 20:12

Quote from: shamokin88 on Wednesday 22 February 2012, 16:35
Richard Yardumian

No need to bite the radiator, Edward ;D It works this time :)

Yes, indeed! Thank you, Edward!  ;)

Many thanks to Dundonnell and others for the Yardumian uploads. I quite like nearly all the music of this composer but this is no surprise as I am very keen on Hovharness!

cheers
Dennis

QuotePerhaps this will be of some interest. Most of Bingham's music is for solo organ - there is a lot of it - and his career was played out in New York City where he served on the faculty of Columbia University.
His music is pretty conservative, on the academic side. I know there are always some organ groupies out there who enjoy shop talk about their preferred instrument. For me those conversations might as well be about Fermat's Last Theorem. I can tell you nothing about the instruments and am hopeful, wooly sonics aside, that these works will please someone.

I, for one, am delighted! As an organist, I'm especially pleased about these uploads. The Connecticut Suite is a work that I've been curious about for decades, but have never been quite desperate enough to actively seek it out. Now I can finally satisfy my curiosity. Thank you!

Thank you - can never get enough organ & orchestra work; listening to C'cutt suite now...delightful !

Shamokin88 - Edward! :)  Is there any possibility of uploading the rest of the music by Cowell which you mentioned some months ago? I was thinking of the early symphonies.... You've uploaded so much recently (for which my grateful thanks) that you have perhaps forgotten.  :) :)

Henry Cowell with a yes, but . . . the symphonies now present a problem. Numbers 2 and 11 are available as paid downloads on Classical Archives, 2 also from the ASO website. Number 4 is similarly available from Pristine Audio. The entire CRI catalogue of LP recordings is now available from New World Records, which blocks numbers 7 and 16 - they make custom-CDs for you that reflect exactly what what was on a given LP. And number 5 was last available on a Bay Cities CD, probably out of print for a dozen years. Given that I won't step on someone's paid source or copy CDs that leaves me with options for only symphony 14. Is the First Edition CD of Cowell's music still available? I will gladly offer that, which leaves many other works available besides symphonies. Have I understood our availability guidelines correctly friends?

Unfortunately for UC, many of these changes have come during last six months, and I have only gradually become aware of them.

Guidance appreciated.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Monday 19 March 2012, 13:12
Henry Cowell with a yes, but . . . the symphonies now present a problem. ......
Guidance appreciated.

Hmmmm ...... fingers crossed!

Thank you for the Grofe - charming music - odd title but decidedly atmospheric.  It's one that I will play often. :)

Yet again we are deeply indebted to shamokin for his uploads of a substantial batch of works by Henry Cowell :)

and to Shamokin for the Piston Piano Trios too.

Gosh! The Rod McKuen symphony! It's very 60s, the themes are unmemorable, the orchestration alternates between simple and pretentious, and I kept thinking of Richard Clayderman!  ;D

But - sincere thanks for uploading it - it IS good to have the opportunity to hear it.  :)

A large picture of the LP cover can be found at: http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=539892

I'd love to hear his Concerto for Four Harpsichords & Orchestra (same conductor, different LP). Who knows - it might be brilliant!  ;)

Quote from: semloh on Sunday 01 April 2012, 11:29
Gosh! The Rod McKuen symphony! It's very 60s, the themes are unmemorable, the orchestration alternates between simple and pretentious, and I kept thinking of Richard Clayderman!  ;D

But - sincere thanks for uploading it - it IS good to have the opportunity to hear it.  :)

A large picture of the LP cover can be found at: http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=539892

I'd love to hear his Concerto for Four Harpsichords & Orchestra (same conductor, different LP). Who knows - it might be brilliant!  ;)

Yes that's it, this symphony is actually pure crap  but don't forget it is april fools day !  ;D

Gosh, I kinda like his 3rd Piano Concerto.   But then I've always liked movie scores, too......

Jerry

I've never heard any of McKuen's symphonic works, thanks :)

Yes, it is pretty dreadful ;D  There is a sort of waltz 11 minutes in which would make Johann Strauss turn in his grave with disgust. After that the symphony just gets worse....indeed, SO BAAD that I can take no more :o :o :o :o


Still....I always think that it is a tribute to the ongoing stature of 'classical music' that so many 'popular' artists feel that they must eventually turn to composing something 'serious' :)

Thanks, shamokin88, for your Peter Mennin uploads. As for the Flute Concertino, the Orchestra must be the "New York Chamber Symphony of the 92nd Street Y", that's not only what your annotations indicate but I also found out Thomas Nyfenger was principal flutist in just this orchestra, so as he is the soloist in your recording it's pretty clear it must be just this orchestra. (Compare http://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/20/obituaries/thomas-nyfenger-a-principal-flutist-and-a-teacher-53.html (http://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/20/obituaries/thomas-nyfenger-a-principal-flutist-and-a-teacher-53.html))

McKuen - Ah yes, April 1st - that explains it!  ;D ;D

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 02 April 2012, 01:33
Still....I always think that it is a tribute to the ongoing stature of 'classical music' that so many 'popular' artists feel that they must eventually turn to composing something 'serious' :)

Not about American music but in response....   Jon Lord (ex- Deep Purple) is clearly a gifted musician and composer; Robert Godfrey (from The Enid) has a talent for luscious harmonies and sweeping romantic melodies, although perhaps not played to the taste of most on this forum; and, Tony Banks (ex-Genesis) has had a very promising start with his (to my mind) quite lovely work Seven: A Suite for Orchestra released by Naxos in 2004. According to Wiki, his second classical CD was due for release last week, and I will be seeking it out!  :)

Could I respectfully point out that the Elegy in Memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt composed by Bernard Rogers and uploaded by Amphissa in December is a short work for orchestra alone rather than for soloists, chorus and orchestra.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Thursday 05 April 2012, 01:05
Could I respectfully point out that the Elegy in Memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt composed by Bernard Rogers and uploaded by Amphissa in December is a short work for orchestra alone rather than for soloists, chorus and orchestra.

Well, they obviously played it wrong!   ;D

I'll see what I can do to correct the note.

Quote from: Amphissa on Sunday 08 April 2012, 00:29

Quote from: Dundonnell on Thursday 05 April 2012, 01:05
Could I respectfully point out that the Elegy in Memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt composed by Bernard Rogers and uploaded by Amphissa in December is a short work for orchestra alone rather than for soloists, chorus and orchestra.

Well, they obviously played it wrong!   ;D

I'll see what I can do to correct the note.

;D

Ah, I see what happened. This piece was part of a concert that included Beethoven's 9th. I just copy/pasted the performers for the entire concert. Sloppiness on my part. Thanks for catching my error. (I seem to make a lot of them.)

No problem :)   I did wonder where the soloists and chorus had disappeared to when I finally got round to listening to the download ;D

Many thanks to shamokin for more American uploads, and, particularly, for the Siegmeister and Harris which plug more gaps in the available repertoire :)

QuoteMany thanks to shamokin for more American uploads, and, particularly, for the Siegmeister and Harris which plug more gaps in the available repertoire

Thanks from me as well! Anytime you feel like regaling us with more of these morsels, I'll be delighted!

Strang? Could Gerald Strang have been related to Samuel T. Strang (1855 or 1856-1921)? ... sorry, just curious! (viz. IMSLP (http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Strang,_Samuel_Tudor) (also German Wikipedia (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_T._Strang))

Thanks from me for the Harris, even though I have many rare off-air Harris works I didn't have this one!

If anyone is interested I have the following Harris rarities that haven't been uploaded as yet:

Concerto for Clarinet, Piano & String Quartet
String Quartet No 1
Piano Trio
Farewell to Pioneers
Railroad Man's Ballad
Piano Concerto No 1 'Jamboree'
Free Fantasy: Rock of Ages
String Quintet
Ode to Truth
Melody for Orchestra
Radio Piece
Piano Concerto No 2
Ad Majorem Gloriam... for Band
Symphonic Epigram
Ode to Consonance
Canticle to the Sun

plus alternate off-air versions of
Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun (Warfield)
Chorale for Strings (Ormandy)
Symphony No 5 (Kubelik)
Symphony No 9 (Ormandy and Kubelik)
Symphony No 11 (Harris)


I can add these to my list if anyone is interested. I'm currently looking at a cassette to mp3 converter so hopefully will be able to start uploading in a few weeks.

Among the works of Harris I'm most interested in hearing are: A Song of Occupations, Horn of Plenty (I have a score but have never heard the work), Cello Sonata (original as opposed to the shortened later Duo version), Cumberland Concerto for Orchestra, Elegy & Paen for Viola & Orchestra.

QuoteIf anyone is interested I have the following Harris rarities that haven't been uploaded as yet:

Yes, please! I vote for the following:

Farewell to Pioneers
Railroad Man's Ballad
Piano Concerto No 1 'Jamboree'
Free Fantasy: Rock of Ages
Ode to Truth
Melody for Orchestra
Radio Piece
Piano Concerto No 2
Ad Majorem Gloriam... for Band
Symphonic Epigram
Canticle to the Sun

plus alternate off-air versions of
Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun (Warfield)
Chorale for Strings (Ormandy)
Symphony No 9 (Ormandy and Kubelik)

If the Kubelik performance of Symphony No. 5 is with the Chicago SO, that may not be uploadable as it was issued by the CSO on CD about 15 years ago. I look forward to anything else on the list, though! Sorry, I don't have any of the works you're looking for, though.

Just a note-- I've also posted links to FLAC versions of the Ron LoPresti music.

Yes it is a Chicago SO performance Latvian, though I was never aware it was issed on CD as I've never noticed it being issued in the UK as I would have snapped it up. It is a tape of a live concert performance I have though (with one or two errors in the brass). Kubelik observes a few small cuts in the 1st movement. Allsop's CD records the 1st movement complete, her perfromance is let down by the error in the horns in the last couple of bars of the finale as they do not complete the upward phrase and thereby ruin the effect of the final bitonal chord.

The recordings of the 9th are of the premiere under Ormandy and the European Premiere played in a superb performance by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Kubelik (how I wish Kubelik had commercially recorded all of Harris's symphonies). Kubelik makes a couple of small cuts in the finale which helps taughten the movement, Ormandy and both CD versions play the work complete.

Any additions of music not otherwise commercially available by composers of the generations from 1893(Bernard Rogers) to 1918(George Rochberg), particularly composers like Piston, Hanson, Harris. Creston, Schuman and Diamond, would be welcomed with open arms/ears by me ;D ;D

We are still not clear whether or not Naxos has decided to abort its projected Alsop set of the Harris symphonies. This was promised but I understand that someone who had contacted the company was told that they had changed their collective minds. While I was very disappointed to hear this I do have to say that the Alsop performances released struck me as under-powered and under-motivated to a surprising and alarming extent :(

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 08:40
If anyone is interested I have the following Harris rarities that haven't been uploaded as yet:
.....

I can add these to my list if anyone is interested.

I am certainly interested in ANY Harris pieces, suffolkcoastal! It just depends on your power of endurance!  ;)  ;D

Quote from: Latvian on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 13:03

QuoteIf anyone is interested I have the following Harris rarities that haven't been uploaded as yet:

Yes, please! I vote for the following:

Farewell to Pioneers
Railroad Man's Ballad
Piano Concerto No 1 'Jamboree'
Free Fantasy: Rock of Ages
Ode to Truth
Melody for Orchestra
Radio Piece
Piano Concerto No 2
Ad Majorem Gloriam... for Band
Symphonic Epigram
Canticle to the Sun

plus alternate off-air versions of
Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun (Warfield)
Chorale for Strings (Ormandy)
Symphony No 9 (Ormandy and Kubelik)

If the Kubelik performance of Symphony No. 5 is with the Chicago SO, that may not be uploadable as it was issued by the CSO on CD about 15 years ago. I look forward to anything else on the list, though! Sorry, I don't have any of the works you're looking for, though.

Latvian-- I can help with some of your wish, and have posted a link to the downloads section that has some of these works.
I've included a longer  technical note at the end of the post in the downloads section  about the tracks, but in short.

The origin of these tracks are from the collection of Karl Miller,
The versions I have I had tweaked and compressed for my MP3 player.
Karl gave me permission to share them in this form, providing make it clear that what I'm posting are not the definitive versions.
I'll replace these with the "real thing" if I get them.  Still, there is some great music here.


Assorted Orchestral works by Roy Harris


1.  Farewell to the Pioneers (A Symphonic Elegy)(1935)
California State College-Community Sym. Orch.
Alan Krueck, cond. [12 May 1971]

2 Salute to Youth (1964)
All-California High School Symphony Orchestra
Stanley Chapple, cond. [28 February 1965]

3.  Ode to Consonance (1956)
Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Paul Paray
[26 December 1958]

4-5:  #2 and #3 of Three Symphonic Essays (1937)
Juilliard Orchestra; Jean Morel [7December 1951]

6.  Celebration Variations on a Timpani Theme from
Hanson's Third Symphony (1946)
Orchestra of America; Richard Korn
[8 November 1961]
 

7 Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra (1954)
Johan Harris, piano; MGM Symphony Orch.
Izler Solomon MGM E 3210

8 These Times for Piano and Small Orch. (1963)
Johana Harris, piano; Musical Arts Orch.
Composer [8 August 1963]

9 Radio Piece (1946)
Eastman School Little Symphony Orch.
Howard Hanson [18 May 1946]

10.  American Creed 91940)
New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein
[5 February 1959]

I forgot to mention that I had the Three Symphonic Essays as well. My recording of Radio Piece is more recent and is from a specially recorded performance on BBC R3 in the 1970's.

That recording of the Fantasy for Piano & Orchestra is now available commercially on CD so can't be uploaded.

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 23:04
I forgot to mention that I had the Three Symphonic Essays as well. My recording of Radio Piece is more recent and is from a specially recorded performance on BBC R3 in the 1970's. The recording of the Three Symphonic Essays is the same though I seem to have all three. My recordings of Farewell to Pioneers and the Ode to Consonance are the same.

The MGM recording of the Fantasy for Piano & Orchestra is now available commercially on CD so may need to be removed. I still have the treasured original LP.

OH, MY GOODNESS ;D ;D

A Harris Fest of uploads :) :)

Absolutely amazing ;D  Thank you so very very much :) :)

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 23:22

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 23:04
I forgot to mention that I had the Three Symphonic Essays as well. My recording of Radio Piece is more recent and is from a specially recorded performance on BBC R3 in the 1970's. The recording of the Three Symphonic Essays is the same though I seem to have all three. My recordings of Farewell to Pioneers and the Ode to Consonance are the same.

The MGM recording of the Fantasy for Piano & Orchestra is now available commercially on CD so may need to be removed. I still have the treasured original LP.

I'll have a new version of the link up shortly-- minus the fantasy.  Thanks!

Amphissa

You uploaded a zip file of Vittorio Rieti's Symphony No.4 "Sinfonia Tripartita" on Sunday 8th April. Unfortunately, there is no music in the file :( There are short introductions and a talk about General Motors but that's it :(

Quote from: Latvian on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 13:03

QuoteIf anyone is interested I have the following Harris rarities that haven't been uploaded as yet:

Ad Majorem Gloriam... for Band

Latvian-- I found this Roy Harris work as well--  was lurking on a backup drive-  once again, these were "tweaked" versions of a Karl Miller sources - I'll replace if I get an original.  An interesting work for band, about 15 min.

Roy Harris:
Ad majorem Gloriam (Symphonic Tone Poem) - Premiere
University of Illinois Concert Band
Composer [8 March 1958]


http://tinyurl.com/bo5ean3 (http://tinyurl.com/bo5ean3) --I found a  program from the event!

It is the same recording as I have jowcol. I'll have a listen and see if my one is any clearer than the one you've uploaded.

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Wednesday 18 April 2012, 17:32
It is the same recording as I have jowcol. I'll have a listen and see if my one is any clearer than the one you've uploaded.

Please do for any of these-- I wish I had the originals archived. 


And thanks for your diligence in looking for commercial releases-- it's appreciated!

Posted in the downloads folder--
Works and Rarities  by Howard Hanson:
Please note-- these tracks have been "tweaked" and compressed from the original Karl Miller source.  I'll update them if/when possible.  What worked better for my mp3 player may not be better for you.  Consider these a temporary placeholder.   I may have introduced some saturation effects when I tweaked them.   



1.  Piano Concerto
Alfred Mouledous, piano  Same performer as commercial release, but this is live, and later, I would assume.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Composer, conductor
[27 February 1967]
 
2.  Streams in the Desert for Chorus and Orch. (1969)
Crane College Chorus and Orch.
McElheran Brock, conductor

3.Concerto for Organ (Full Orchestra Version) fascinating version of a great work- but sound is not the best.
Francis Bettina Jones, organ
Rochester Civic Orchestra
Composer, conductor
[14 April 1937]

4. Music from the Forest Play "The Soul of the Sequoia"
Rochester Civic Orchestra
Composer, conductor [28 April 1938]

5. Concerto for Organ (full Orchestra Version) Once again, the sound is not the best.
Harriette Slack, organ
Eastman Symphony Orchestra? Robert Weiskopf, cond.
[19 March 1940]


6. Mystic Trumpeter for Narrator, Chorus and Orch.
Dallas Civic Orchestra and Chorus
Composer, conductor




New Land, New Covenant Oratorio (1976) more than an  hour...
Pasadena Presbyterian Church
Composer, conductor
[7 November 1976]


 



 

Will do, I've got quite a list to upload by the looks of things!

Thanks for the Hanson, most interesting. This just really leaves Songs from Drum Taps. As I mentioned before I just wish I'd purchased the LP when I had the chance.

I just listened to the Oratorio - would be nice to have a commercial recording of it. 

Thanks for the Hanson uploads.

Jerry

I am fast running out of both superlatives and appropriate variations of expressions of thanks for all these uploads of American music from the 'great generation' born just before 1900 and during the first twenty years of the 20th century :)

I need to continually update the information on the composer catalogues-which, of course, I certainly don't mind doing :) I also, I fancy, need to update the request/unrecorded lists :)

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Wednesday 18 April 2012, 22:45
Will do, I've got quite a list to upload by the looks of things!

Thanks for the Hanson, most interesting. This just really leaves Songs from Drum Taps. As I mentioned before I just wish I'd purchased the LP when I had the chance.

Plus the Heroic Elegy of 1927 ???

Information about Home keller can be found at

http://composers.com/homer-keller

the catalogue of his papers/scores is here

http://www.esm.rochester.edu/sibley/specialc/findaids/pdf/Homer%20Todd%20Keller%20Library.pdf

Works of Edward Burlingame Hill
As long was were are on the topic of neglected 20th century American Composers who were born in the previous century, I am posting a handful of tracks in the American Composers downloads folder with the music of Edward Burlingame Hill.

(http://cdn.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2010/07/Edward-Burlingame-Hill_812cb.jpg)

Biographical Sketch from Answers.com
Though not as widely remembered as some of his more revolutionary contemporaries, composer and educator Edward Burlingame Hill played a not inconsiderable role in the development of American music in the first half of the twentieth century. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 9, 1872, Hill came from a distinguised tradition of higher education, which he himself would carry on: His father was a Harvard chemistry professor, his grandfather the president of that university. His formal training in music was extensive and well-rounded, including studies with leading American musicians like Arthur Whiting, John Knowles Paine, and George Chadwick. He also studied composition in Paris with renowned organist/composer Charles-Marie Widor.

Hill made his living as a private teacher in Boston until he was appointed to the faculty of Harvard, his alma mater, in 1908. He became a full professor in 1928 and remained at the university until his retirement in 1940. Among Hill's students were several who eventually emerged as central figures in the history of American music, including Leonard Bernstein, Elliott Carter, and Virgil Thomson.

Hill's own music bears the strong influence of French impressionism, an aesthetic he was no doubt exposed to during his studies in Paris. Like many "serious" composers in the early decades of the twentieth century, Hill also exhibited an interest in jazz, whose rhythms and inflections he incorporated into such works as Jazz Studies for two pianos (1924 - 35) and the Concertino for piano and orchestra (1931). Though he produced much choral and chamber music, his best-known works are evocative orchestral essays like The Parting of Lancelot and Guinevere (1915), The Fall of the House of Usher (1920), and Lilacs (1927); he also wrote three symphonies. Throughout Hill's music, clear design and structual integrity are primary compositional concerns. ~ Michael Rodman, Rovi


I am posting the following works:

1  Symphony No.1. Op.34
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Serge Koussevitzky, conductor
[27 February 1943]

2 Lilacs, Poem for Orchestra, Op.33
New England Conservatory Orchestra
Gunther Schuller, conductor
[date unknown]

3. Music for English Horn and Orchestra, Op.50
Louis Speyer, English Horn
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Serge Koussevitzky, conductor
[3 March 1945]




When Karl posted the original tracks to Symphony Share—(alas, the links are dead) he offered this spirited endorsement of EB Hill.  You also may notice he refers to some tracks that, unfortunately, I  no longer have to post.

QuoteWhile I rarely comment (or proselytize) about the music...
 
Hill was a teacher at Harvard. His pupils included the likes of Bernstein, Carter and Piston. Most of Hill's music was performed in his lifetime. It was conducted by Koussevitzky, Stock and Reiner. Hill's 4th Symphony was never performed. It is a fine work...I have the score. His music displays the influence of jazz and impressionism.
 
As to why this attractive, well-written music faded into oblivion can be attributed to the rise of the younger generation of Copland, Piston, Harris and Schuman. In those days, being "old hat" was considered to be a drawback. Many of Hill's generation faded quickly...Mason, Whithorne, etc. Also, Hill never promoted his own work. He would write something, Koussevitzky would program it, sometimes repeatedly, and then it would be sent to the shelf.   
 
I have included the brief excerpt of the Concertino as that is all that appears to have survived of that performance. It was one his more clearly jazz inspired pieces. One reviewer called it a Rhapsody in Scarlett!  Hill, along with Milhaud and Carpenter, was amongst the first to include references to jazz in his concert music.
 
As far as I know the only other Hill works available in recording are the Prelude for Orchestra, (conducted by his student Bernstein); the Stevensoniana Suite No.1 and the Violin Concerto (Posselt, violin; Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony...a superb restoration job by Lani Spahr). There is also an extant broadcast recording of the Stevensoniana Suite No.2, conducted by Reiner, but I have not had any luck getting a copy.
 
In addition to the many orchestral works, he wrote a great deal of excellent chamber music...all awaiting rediscovery. For me, he remains near the top of my list of American composers deserving a revival. For me, the finale of the First Symphony tells me that there is much gold out there to be mined.

Some Personal Comments:

• Hill reminds me in ways of Charles Tomlinson Griffes in that he adopted some of the impressionist style, but definitely had his own personality.  Hill was also interested in jazz, which intrigues me.
• I REALLY love the EB Hill Prelude, (conducted by Bernstein in mono, 1953 with the Columbia SO.) You can get it on the Bernstein American Masters 2 disc.
• I am DYING to hear his "Fall of the House of Usher", as I love all things Poe – but there doesn't seem to be a recording ANYWHERE. 


• There are plans to perform (and record) Hill's 4th Symphony in the next few months.  I don't know if this will be a commercial or private recording, but if there is interest, I'll try to keep you posted.

Finally, with a little searching, I've found Hill's text on "Modern" French music online for free at:
http://archive.org/details/modernfrenchmusi00hill (http://archive.org/details/modernfrenchmusi00hill)

He also was a contributing editor to a major multivolume history, The Art of Music.  It is available (for free) here:
http://www.archive.org/details/artofmusidcompre03masouoft (http://www.archive.org/details/artofmusidcompre03masouoft)

I don't think I'll be able to keep up with Shamokin88 in terms of pulling out neglected American composers on a daily basis much longer, but I still have one or two more....

Thanks yet again to shamokin88, jowcol, and others are posting works by "forgotten" American composers. I've dreamed of hearing many of these works for years, in some cases decades, and am overwhelmed with gratitude at finally having that opportunity. Unsung Composers has become a daily necessity to so many of us impassioned collectors and connoisseurs of the obscure and arcane -- a daily "high"! Today's thrills: Homer Keller and E.B. Hill!

Do any of you have otherwise unavailable works by Arthur Farwell, apart from the disappointingly dull "Rudolf Gott" Symphony?

I want to chime in with my thanks!  :D

Yet, I must say I am very curious about the Harris chamber pieces, also vocal music of any kind. His 'Abraham Lincoln walks at midnight' is so deeply moving in its restrained simplicity. He should have attempted more like that!

Latvian, do you have a recording of this Farwell Symphony? I have been interested in it for a while.

Many thanks to shamokin88 for all his uploads, specially for those of Wallingford Riegger, one of my favorites American composers. I had no idea that his fourth symphony (the first work of him that I listened to) was related to the Spanish Civil War.
I am waiting expectantly for the John J. Becker's uploads. Becker is one of those composer whose works commercially available (mostly his third symphony) leave one asking for more!.

Actually britishcomposer, there are a number of simpler moving works that Harris composed, but no-one has ever bothered to perform them in recent years or record them. The earlier MGM recording of Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight is also now available with its LP coupling of the Fantasy for Piano & Orchestra and the composer's wife in the masterly Piano Quintet.

Shamokin you beat me to it with the Riegger Quartets and Scherzo which I had on my list to upload. Has anyone uploaded 'With my red fires'? I have it if no-one else has.

Dundonell pointed out a problem with my upload of the Vittorio Rieti Symphony No. 4. If you downloaded the file, please discard it.

I have placed a new link in the Downloads folder for the corrected file. Please download the new file.

Apologies for the error. I seem to be making a lot of them lately.

QuoteLatvian, do you have a recording of this Farwell Symphony? I have been interested in it for a while.

Yes, I do. I'll upload it when I have some time, hopefully this weekend. Right now I'm terribly busy so my visits to UC are "hit and run."

shamokin had actually already posted a link to the same performance of Edward Burlingame Hill's Symphony No.1 on 27th September last year but the other two Hill works are certainly new to the site and many thanks for them :)

This seems to point up once again the growing need for a consolidated catalogue of American Music uploaded for members of this site similar to that produced with so much hard work by Albion for British music. Sydney Grew recently produced an enormously helpful list of all the Czech music uploaded. Those sorts of catalogues would, hopefully, save members from duplicating uploaded files.

I would be perfectly prepared to interrupt my Composer Catalogues to produce something along the same lines as Sydney (although not so 'professional' as Albion's :)).

(I know this should probably also go into the Suggestions section :))

Also....thanks to Amphissa for sorting out the Rieti files :) Don't worry about the error-they are easy to make :)

Thanks for the update about the EB Hill symphony (which, for whatever reason, didn't show up when   did a search).

I'd recommend that the other link be considered the "definitiive" version.

There seems to be a problem with part one of Riegger's 4th Symphony -- according to the introductory announcement in German, it's actually Gunther Raphael's Fantasy for Violin and Strings.

I'll get to that as soon as I am able. No idea what happened.

Thanks to minacciosa for the opportunity to listen to music by HK HADLEY - most enjoyable. Othello is a little gem.  :)

The Wikipedia article on Hadley is very comprehensive, by the way, with a list of works and recordings - I was surprised to see it includes five operas and five symphonies!

Quote from: semloh on Saturday 21 April 2012, 01:21
Thanks to minacciosa for the opportunity to listen to music by HK HADLEY - most enjoyable. Othello is a little gem.  :)

The Wikipedia article on Hadley is very comprehensive, by the way, with a list of works and recordings - I was surprised to see it includes five operas and five symphonies!

Ok, ok........the Wikipedia article is good but if you want a fuller catalogue of the orchestral and choral compositions why not try mine ??? ??? :( ;D ;D

Yes, there's plenty missing from the wiki article. For the truly interested, there is a great dissertation on Hadley by John Clair Canfield.

Re Wallingford Riegger Symphony #4.

I will do this again but I am completely baffled. I have it into two parts - it was spread over both sides of the LP from which it came. A few hours ago I listened to the CD that I made of it. Both parts are the two parts of the Riegger symphony, which I have listened to, off and on, since I bought the U of Illinois boxed set some 55 years ago. No announcements of any sort.

Further to complicate things I do not even have the Günther Raphael piece in my collection - though perhaps this is an easy way to obtain it!

So I will tend to this tomorrow - I have more Riegger to upload.

Could this have been some sort of Media Fire hiccup?

Best to all.

PS. I just downloaded what was the Riegger when I put it up. Sure enough, it is Raphael now. What a clever trick. Ah, well, I suppose I must be part of a transitional generation: I can use my kitchen appliances but can't make them stop flashing twelve.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Saturday 21 April 2012, 02:36

Ok, ok........the Wikipedia article is good but if you want a fuller catalogue of the orchestral and choral compositions why not try mine ??? ??? :( ;D ;D

Ah, well I didn't check to see whether you had done one!  ;D

Quote from: semloh on Saturday 21 April 2012, 01:21
Thanks to minacciosa for the opportunity to listen to music by HK HADLEY - most enjoyable. Othello is a little gem.  :)

Hear hear!

Quote from: Lionel Harrsion on Saturday 21 April 2012, 15:05

Quote from: semloh on Saturday 21 April 2012, 01:21
Thanks to minacciosa for the opportunity to listen to music by HK HADLEY - most enjoyable. Othello is a little gem.  :)

Hear hear!

Othello is dedicated to Stokowski, and it was performed often.

Riegger: Symphony #4

I have replaced the rogue Raphael that for unknown reasons ended up as part one. Part one is now
Riegger as of about half-past seven east coast US time.

Best to all.

Quote from: Dundonnell on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 15:18
Any additions of music not otherwise commercially available by composers of the generations from 1893(Bernard Rogers) to 1918(George Rochberg), particularly composers like Piston, Hanson, Harris. Creston, Schuman and Diamond, would be welcomed with open arms/ears by me ;D ;D

We are still not clear whether or not Naxos has decided to abort its projected Alsop set of the Harris symphonies. This was promised but I understand that someone who had contacted the company was told that they had changed their collective minds. While I was very disappointed to hear this I do have to say that the Alsop performances released struck me as under-powered and under-motivated to a surprising and alarming extent :(

Naxos have become thoroughly frustrating, often starting projects which they half-heartedly give up. At the same tie issuing works by some American composers that in some cases should probably never have been heard let alone recorded. Perhaps I should contact them and push myself forward more. Alsop's performance of the 3rd was very poor though it was complete, unlike most versions. With the 4th I noticed that a couple of errors I corrected in the hire score were included, not sure thought if it was me or another person who'd found the same errors. The 5th was much better, again played complete for the 1st time, one or two small errors and a glaring one at the end. The 6th wasn't bad but the Albany recording was much better.
Perhaps my knowledge and enthusiasm for composers such as Harris and Piston could be put to use so that Naxos can produce more worthwhile and valuable recordings of American music, at least  hopefully some of the errors will be ironed out.

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Sunday 22 April 2012, 21:38

Quote from: Dundonnell on Tuesday 17 April 2012, 15:18
Any additions of music not otherwise commercially available by composers of the generations from 1893(Bernard Rogers) to 1918(George Rochberg), particularly composers like Piston, Hanson, Harris. Creston, Schuman and Diamond, would be welcomed with open arms/ears by me ;D ;D

We are still not clear whether or not Naxos has decided to abort its projected Alsop set of the Harris symphonies. This was promised but I understand that someone who had contacted the company was told that they had changed their collective minds. While I was very disappointed to hear this I do have to say that the Alsop performances released struck me as under-powered and under-motivated to a surprising and alarming extent :(

Naxos have become thoroughly frustrating, often starting projects which they half-heartedly give up. At the same tie issuing works by some American composers that in some cases should probably never have been heard let alone recorded. Perhaps I should contact them and push myself forward more. Alsop's performance of the 3rd was very poor though it was complete, unlike most versions. With the 4th I noticed that a couple of errors I corrected in the hire score were included, not sure thought if it was me or another person who'd found the same errors. The 5th was much better, again played complete for the 1st time, one or two small errors and a glaring one at the end. The 6th wasn't bad but the Albany recording was much better.
Perhaps my knowledge and enthusiasm for composers such as Harris and Piston could be put to use so that Naxos can produce more worthwhile and valuable recordings of American music, at least  hopefully some of the errors will be ironed out.

Naxos is now primarily concerned with having the artist or performing organization pay for the recording; they want to be handed a finished master, whereupon they will take on the admittedly expensive job of duplication, artwork, publicity and distribution. They don't pay for anything anymore. Sometimes they will contribute a small amount towards recording, but that is now the exception. It's great to have their distribution network, but be prepared to come with your project fully funded.

This is probably why some recent Naxos issues have included music of highly dubious quality to say the least.  I think I'm a bout ready to give up on Naxos and pray Albany get round to recording more rare Harris, Piston, Diamond etc. I would willingly give my services for nothing to help.

Quote from: suffolkcoastal on Sunday 22 April 2012, 23:02
This is probably why some recent Naxos issues have included music of highly dubious quality to say the least.  I think I'm a bout ready to give up on Naxos and pray Albany get round to recording more rare Harris, Piston, Diamond etc. I would willingly give my services for nothing to help.

Naxos American Classics have completely lost direction.

I entirely agree about Naxos American Classics but the same thing seems to be happening to Albany :( I used to rush to their website every month in the hope and expectation that there would be some new releases of real interest but now their catalogue has been taken over by not so much 'unsung' composers but completely unknown composers. I have nothing against the music of these composers being given some exposure but not in preference to the fine people we have been talking about in this thread.

Thanks, Colin, for the list of American works. :)

Quote from: fr8nks on Monday 23 April 2012, 15:33
Thanks, Colin, for the list of American works. :)

Pleasure :)

Hopefully it should make it easier for members to avoid posting items which are already on the site.

What other lists are there for downloads? I know one exists for Czech music.

Quote from: fr8nks on Monday 23 April 2012, 16:15
What other lists are there for downloads? I know one exists for Czech music.

Well, British and Irish obviously-the master Catalogue and Archive maintained by Albion :)  And Czech, as you say, and now American....but that's it, I think....until or unless I try my hand at any more ;D

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 23 April 2012, 14:32
I entirely agree about Naxos American Classics but the same thing seems to be happening to Albany :( I used to rush to their website every month in the hope and expectation that there would be some new releases of real interest but now their catalogue has been taken over by not so much 'unsung' composers but completely unknown composers. I have nothing against the music of these composers being given some exposure but not in preference to the fine people we have been talking about in this thread.

I was just looking at Albany and I must admit to feeling as depressed as I do with Naxos. The US seems to currently be producing total composing mediocrities which seem to be being lapped up by the likes of Albany and Naxos and I just don't understand why. Listening to some of their works and comparing them to my own compositions makes me feel like a composing genius (which I certainly aren't!).

Thank you, Colin, for your magnificent index of American downloads! This is very helpful in many ways, and also clearly shows the depth and breadth of content on our site.

Ditto on the kudos for the index of American music. It's gratifying to see so many American composers recognized by our site.

Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein are played regularly in concerts these days, Korngold occasionally. But unfortunately, rather than playing more of the excellent music by lesser-known romantics, instead we get lots of Adams, punctuated by a seemingly endless stream of unmemorable, boring and sometimes irritating doodling by living composers with little to say musically. It would be wonderful to hear Diamond, Foote, Hanson and Paine in our concert halls instead.

But at least we have them here. The contributions of our notable collectors enrich our musical lives. Thanks to you all!

Certainly here in the UK, even the Copland and Bernstein played and broadcast are now increasingly confined to a handful of 'popular' works. You no longer get Copland works such as Inscape, Music for a Great City, Statements, the Piano Variations and Fantasy or even Dance Panels or Bernstein works such as the Jeremiah Symphony, Dybbuk or Songfest. Even Barber has been reduced largely to a handful of songs, the Violin Concerto, Knoxville... and of course the Adagio. Adams is one of the few 'in composers' but he hasn't produced anything of interest to me for almost 15 years and has become a cliche of himself. Of the younger generation of American composers only Michael Hersch has made much of an impression on me (although Stephen Albert's untimely early death robbed us potentially of another composer of great interest), the rest seem largely to be, as I said above, mass produced mediocrities.

When I play works by Harris, Schuman, Hanson, Piston, Diamond and the like to friends and colleagues, the immediate recation is 'wow why do we never here works like this in concerts or on the radio these days'. Interestingly too these types of works and composers, as do Copland, Barber etc, seem to be more greatly appreciated by pop music loving friends than do the likes of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.

If classical music is to survive, a greater variety of music needs to be heard on the radio and in our concert halls.

Thanks to the generosity of Tapiola in making this available to me to digitise  :)

the major missing orchestral work by William Schuman- American Hymn: Orchestral Variations on an Original Melody(1981) has been uploaded. The LP recording appears to have been made two days after the first performance on 24th September 1982 by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin.
A shortened version for wind band is on an Albany cd but this is the full orchestral version.

Schuman's American Hymn has been one of my favourites since I nabbed a copy of the LP back in the mid-80s when I was on a big Americana binge, and I fear I'll be waiting till the end of eternity before I see this marvellous recording issued on CD (Nonesuch has a tremendous recorded catalogue of American music, but it looks like it wants to keep it incarcerated in vinyl limbo: ever since the mid-90s that label has overdosed on Adams or Glass or Reich!). Many thanks and then some for making this available!  :)

Thanks for all the Riegger, shamokin88. My first audition of Symphony 3 was one of the more memorable listening experiences I've had. Likewise the Study in Sonority. Today I've had the unexpected pleasure of listening repeatedly to the two string quartets, thanks to your generosity.

Yes, thanks from me too for the Riegger.

I cannot say that he is my favourite American composer ;D but the more works we hear by any composer the fuller and rounder picture we can build up.

Once again, a substantial batch of recordings from shamokin: this time of music by the eminently accessible composer Douglas Moore. I knew his Symphony No.2 in its two commercial recordings(CRI and Albany) but it is splendid to now have the Symphony No.1 "A Symphony of Autumn" :)

Thanks, fra8nks, for posting that wonderful group of pieces by Mark Lehman.  Some of these works are haunting and beautiful, and none of the other pieces is anything less than interesting and rather gripping.  Molte grazie!

Thanks to shamokin for the two Hovhaness uploads :)

I was particularly happy to get the Symphony No.29 since, along with Nos. 17 and 34, it was one of the few recorded Hovhaness symphonies I had not acquired :)

Interesting to see a bartione paired with an orchestra rather than a band.

In general or in specific? I seem not to be tracking very well but there's also Delius, Stenhammar (Florez och Blanzeflor), Sibelius' Ferryman's Bride op33 (also for mezzo and orchestra), Reznicek's Chamisso-variations (for bass-baritone), Bloch's 1914 Psalm 22, etc.

Quote from: eschiss1 on Friday 04 May 2012, 06:49
In general or in specific? I seem not to be tracking very well but there's also Delius, Stenhammar (Florez och Blanzeflor), Sibelius' Ferryman's Bride op33 (also for mezzo and orchestra), Reznicek's Chamisso-variations (for bass-baritone), Bloch's 1914 Psalm 22, etc.

I think the baritone in question is a baritone horn (a kind of small tuba) not a baritone singer.  My brother used to play it in the high school marching band.

Oh ok - sorry, sorry... and now... I shall have to see how much there is that I can find for baritone-horn and orchestra- for I am curious. (Yes, looking through scanned-in band parts online I've seen baritone horns or cornets or something- it's not always clear on the parts which are which since, I'm guessing, the -intended- audience would already know! - rather like- well, many other examples- like why CPE Bach wrote a book on ornamentation when that tradition was beginning  to fall apart and had to be written down, if I understand correctly. Anyways.)

Quote from: JimL on Friday 04 May 2012, 07:43]I think the baritone in question is a baritone horn (a kind of small tuba) not a baritone singer.  My brother used to play it in the high school marching band.

Indeed, it's in the same range as a euphonium (and trombone), but they are different, though often don't have separate parts written for them (and in the US, baritones are pretty rare, and thus usually their parts are in fact played on euphonium).

I must say that I can't help liking the Hovhaness 29th Symphony ;D

Quote from: TerraEpon on Friday 04 May 2012, 06:29
Interesting to see a bartione paired with an orchestra rather than a band.

The most famous use of a Baritone Horn with full orchestra is certainly the extensive solos this warm instrument gets in the fisrt Mvt of Mahler's seventh. The american Baritone Horn is actually the german Tenor one, not to be confused with the Tenor Wagner Tuba using the same mouthpiece as a french horn while the other horns need a trombone one  :o

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 04 May 2012, 20:39
I must say that I can't help liking the Hovhaness 29th Symphony ;D

There's a commercial recording on Delos, with the solo part on trombone. It's a very nice piece yes....though like with many of Hovhaness's works, more of a concerto than a symphony.

Music of Bernard Rogers

At long last, I am happy to say that I have just posted several works of Bernard Rogers from the collection of Karl Miller.  Having listened to about half of this, I can say without doubt that he is definitely a candidate for poster child for unsung composers, and this should be a major bonanza.  Some of the sources were pretty lo-fi, but my thanks to Karl for spending more than a week on doing everything he could to improve them.  He's provided some technical notes on some of the sources and restorations, which I will reproduce in the downloads section.

I haven't found much about Rogers with a quick search, but we'll start with a photo and 2 quick bios.

(http://wfiles.brothersoft.com/d/deems_taylor_57905-800x600.jpg)
Rogers is on the left!  Thanks for the correction, Shamokin88!

Wikipedia Bio
Bernard Rogers (4 February 1893 – 24 May 1968) was an American composer.
Rogers was born in New York City. He studied with Arthur Farwell, Ernest Bloch, Percy Goetschius, and Nadia Boulanger. He taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Hartt School, and the Eastman School of Music. He retired from the latter school in 1967, and died in Rochester, New York.

Bernard Rogers composed five operas , five symphonies, other works for orchestra, chamber music, three cantatas, choral music and Lieder.

He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity.[1]

Archive.Org  Bio:

Bernard Rogers (1893-1968) was professor of composition and chair of the composition department at Eastman from 1930 to 1967. He was born in New York City, and studied architecture before turning to music. His early composition teachers were Hans van der Berg, Arthur Farwell, and Ernest Bloch. After the successful premiere of his symphonic elegy, To the Fallen, by the New York Philharmonic in 1919, Mr. Rogers was awarded a Pulitzer Traveling Scholarship for study in Europe. In 1927, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship, and studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and with Frank Bridge in London. He began to teach composition and orchestration at Eastman when he returned to the United States in 1929. In the ensuing 38 years, he taught more than 700 composers, many of whom went on to achieve international prominence. Mr. Rogers' work as a composer included four symphonies, three operas, several major choral works, and numerous works of chamber music. His book The Art of Orchestration has been acknowledged as a classic in its field since its publication in 1951. He received honorary doctorates from Valparaiso University and Wayne State University, and was elected a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1947.

I pulled the bio from  this page, which also features with 4 very clean transfers of 78s of neglected American artists conducted by Hanson, free to download.  I would not hesitate to snag the Rogers Soliloquy for Flute and the Barlow.

 http://archive.org/details/AmericanWorksForSoloWinds (http://archive.org/details/AmericanWorksForSoloWinds)

I've often wondered if we should be making an effort to help place the music we are saving on archive.org.

The Music:

Anyway, you might be eager to see what I've uploaded.  If you are looking for the best sound and a lovely work—go straight for the Nightingale Suite in the Second Volume.

Music of Bernard Rogers Volume 1

1-5: Symphony No.4 "To Soldiers"
Battle Fantasy; Eulogy; Fugue and Epilogue
CBS Symphony Orchestra
Thor Johnson, conductor
[15 May 1949]  (I know this has been posted before, but check the notes on the download page. This may be a better source)

6-8:  Symphony No.4
Eastman Rochester Symphony Orchestra
Howard Hanson, conductor
[6 May 1948]


9:  Symphony No.5 "Africa" (1962)
Visions; Tribal Drums
Symposium Orchestra
Composer, conducting


Music of Bernard Rogers Volume 2.

1-10: Song of the Nightingale, Suite (1939)
Prelude; The gardens of the porcelain palace; Expedition of the Chinese gentlemen; Berceuse; A court festival; The clockwork nightingale; Death and the emperor; Song of the nightingale; Happy ending
Peabody Orchestra
Gunther Schuller, conductor

11: Symphony No.3 in C
"On a Thanksgiving Song"
Rochester Philharmonic
Howard Hanson, conductor
[27 October 1937]


Music of Bernard Rogers Volume 3

1Apparitions for Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra/Max Rudolf
[date unknown]

2-3 Four Pictures after Hans Christian Anderson
Eastman Rochester Symphony Orchestra/Howard Hanson [28 April 1945?]

4- 8 Three Japanese Dances
Cleveland Orchestra/Louis Lane
[date unknown] (Not the version I've seen on CD...)

9 Portrait for Violin and Orchestra
Josef Gingold, violin
Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
[18/20 October 1956]

10 Suite "Silver World" (1949)
A Hobby Horse; Chinese March; A Princess; Tug of War
Eastman Little Symphony/Frederick Fennell
[date unknown]


Happy Hunting, and let me know if there are any problems or concerns.

Joy is unconfined ;D ;D

Profound thanks to Karl for all his work on these recordings and to yourself for posting them :)

"Unconfined joy" is receiving a care package with more then 50 discs to share!   I'll be busy the next couple of months...  Which means you will be as well...

Nothing new there then ;D ;D

Wonderful stuff.

Many thanks.

But isn't the photo Deems Taylor?

Shades of the Army/McCarthy hearings. The photo has been cropped! Here is the link - the other guy is Bernard Rogers. http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/deems-taylor-57905.html (http://wallpapers.brothersoft.com/deems-taylor-57905.html).

A site for the radio broadcaster Norman Corwin has a photo with Rogers at the piano, facing the viewer. Leaning against it both Taylor and Corwin plus a singer - whose name I forget.

Thanks for correcting the photo-- (although that will be on the MP3 files)--  It was funny, but the cropped version I found as identified as Rogers...

Listened to Sessions' Montezuma recently (libretto by Borghese). Even though I've been a fan of Roger Sessions' music since the early 1990s, I admit that I was expecting listening to a 2-hour work by him to be something of a trudge and a trawl, I fear. 

I'm not surprised that I didn't get the whole opera in one go, but it was a much more sheerly enjoyable experience than I was expecting, much more diverse in musical material and means, more humorous in libretto (though indeed I knew, and sympathized with, the general political idea that did not however smush everything else out of the writing) (and "they say all cats are grey in the night" while an -- interesting way of putting what the conquistador wanted to say, was definitely an amusing one! ... )  --- well, generally, by now I should remember to give a composer more credit (and it wasn't his first opera (Lucullus- still haven't heard), and definitely not his first vocal-orchestral work either (e.g. Theocritus- which I have heard, and like). So experience counted for, if I still worried before listening...)

Thanks!!

People here are a treasure.

Music of Meredith Willson
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Meredith_willson_1937edited.jpg/220px-Meredith_willson_1937edited.jpg)
This was a surprisingly enjoyable work, with wonderful scoring and melodic lines, and is a lot more than one might suspect from the person who wrote "The Music Man".   If you like Rhespighi's tone poems, you'll be right at home with this work.  I know that I'll need to get the Naxos version.

One thing that annoys me is that most of teh reviews of read of this work seemed  to damn it with faint praise.  I like my share of edgy, serious stuff, but I can't resist a well-told story, and that's what I'd call this work.


I've posted the 1940 premiere of Willson's 2nd Symphony in American section of the downloads folder, and have some of my obligatory biographical information below.   There is a brief intro by the composer himself, but he was rushed, and you'll hear why.

Naxos Bio

MEREDITH WILLSON

QuoteMeredith Willson was one of America's most talented artistic personalities. As a composer his idiom, style and sources of inspiration were always American. Meredith was born in Mason City, Iowa on 18 May 1902. It was a family tradition to gather every evening around the piano in the living room to sing favorite songs. As a boy, Meredith was the proud owner of the first mail-order flute ever seen in his native city. The fact that he promptly sat on it, bending it to resemble a scimitar, may have been inadvertent. But it may also have been intentional, because he was bitterly disappointed to discover that he had to play it sideways, over his shoulder, instead of where he could see what was going on.

At fourteen, armed with a new flute, his father's prayers and a bag of his mothers fried chicken, he set off for the Damrosch Institute of Musical Arts in New York, for the start of what was to be a brilliant career. There, young Meredith took private flute lessons from Georges Barrère, composition from Mortimer Wilson and conducting from Henry Hadley. To help meet expenses during his musical schooling he began playing in motion picture theaters in the Bronx. At the age of seventeen he auditioned for John Philip Sousa, who signed him up for a nationwide tour with his famous band. He remained with Sousa for three seasons, touring the United States, Mexico, Cuba and Canada. In 1925 Willson joined the New York Philharmonic as flutist, performing under such conductors as Toscanini, Furtwängler, Mengelberg, Goossens, Reiner, Stravinsky, and others.

In 1932 he joined NBC as general musical director of the Western Division, with headquarters in San Francisco, at radio station KFRC. He was a busy man for the next ten years, directing sometimes as many as seventeen musical radio programs a week and finding time for such extra-curricular activities as conducting the Seattle Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

For nearly four years during World War II he was addressed as Major Meredith Willson, head of the music division of the Armed Forces Radio Service, which produced such memorable programs as Command Performance and Mail Call for GIs all over he world. He came out of the service determined to embark on a personal crusade to do something about what he felt were the trite musical programs on radio and the tired format into which commercial announcements had fallen. In his zeal to make commercials palatable, Willson conceived the "Talking People," a speaking chorus to deliver the sponsor's message, and various other ingenious devices. He also developed his own radio personality as a comedian.
As a composer of popular songs, Willson apparently had a Midas touch. "You and I", "Two in Love" and "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You" swept the country within a few weeks after they were published. He also wrote marches, anthems, and musical scores for a number of films, notably The Great Dictator and The Little Foxes. His autobiography, And There I Stood with My Piccolo, became a best seller.

Meredith Willson achieved his greatest triumph with his musical revue The Music Man, for which he wrote the book, the lyrics and the music. It opened on Broadway on 19 December 1957 and became an instant success. The sparkling score and the hit chorus 76 Trombones made Willson a household name. He followed this with another Broadway hit, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1960). Both were made into movies. In addition to his two symphonies, Willson composed a symphonic poem, The Jervis Bay, O.O. McIntyre Suite, based on the writing of the famed columnist, Symphonic Variations on an American Theme, Song of Steel, premièred by John Charles Thomas, Radio City Suite, a choral work, Anthem of the Atomic Age, and numerous shorter orchestral pieces in a lighter vein, including Sneezing Violins, A Child's Letter, Piccolo Polka, and The Marguerite Waltz. Meredith Willson died in Santa Monica, California on 15 June 1984.

Music of Charles Wakefield Cadman

(http://www.naxos.com/SharedFiles/Images/Composers/Pictures/25915-1.jpg)

I've posted the following in the Downloads Section

Charles Wakefield Cadman-
Symphony # 1 "Pennsylvania" (Premiere)
Introduction by Composer, Andante Moderato, Allegro Scherzando, Allegroe con fuoco
Los Angeles Philharmonic/Albert Coates
March 7 1940

From the collection of Karl Miller

The backstory behind this broadcast is rather touching.  Cadman sounds like he was a very interesting person, and you can hear the pride with which he introduces the work-- and it seems that his life went downhill after this premiere, at least as it is described in the -Naxos biography I am reproducing below.


CHARLES WAKEFIELD CADMAN 
(1881 - 1946)
Best remembered as the composer of the art songs At Dawning and From the Land of Sky-blue Water, Charles Wakefield Cadman has been in virtual eclipse during the past half century. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, however, the American musical community seems much more tolerant of our musical ancestors and their quest to forge an American music idiom.

Although Cadman held his classical works in great esteem, his life-long association with the Indianist Movement in American music (circa 1880-1920) made it difficult for the works to be judged on their individual merits. His output includes five operas, orchestral suites, chamber works, cantatas, piano works, violin works and over 250 songs.

Cadman's musical background was completely American. One of the earliest American composers not schooled in the European tradition, his music reflects an independence of thought influenced strictly by Native American sources. If Arthur Farwell was the theoretician of the so-called Indianist Movement, then Cadman can be considered its most brilliant populariser.

Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on 24th December, 1881, Cadman traced his musical background to his maternal ancestry. His great-grandfather, the celebrated Samuel Wakefield (1799-1895), built the first pipe organ west of the Allegheny Mountains, wrote books on theology and music, and composed early-American sacred music. Cadman began piano lessons at the age of thirteen, and soon composed several simple pieces. Abandoning formal education the following year, he financed his musical studies as a church organist as an errand boy. In Pittsburgh, he briefly studied harmony and theory with Leo Oehmler (1902), orchestration with Luigi von Kunits (1908), concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and with Emil Paur, its conductor. This was the sum total of Cadman's musical education. In 1908, he was appointed music editor and critic of the Pittsburgh Dispatch.

Although Cadman was exposed to Indian lore as a youth, it was not until 1907, after reading Indian Story and Song by the ethnologist Alice Fletcher, that he began to compose works based on Indian melodies. In 1909, he ventured to Santa Fe in New Mexico, seeking a cure for a tubercular condition. Here he corresponded with Fletcher, who urged him to visit the Omaha Indians in Nebraska. Following her advice, he met Francis La Flesche, son of a French trader and an Omaha woman. Together, Cadman and La Flesche made cylinder recordings and transcriptions of Omaha tribal melodies for the Smithsonian Institution. Cadman learned to play their instruments and later "idealized" (adapting the melody into a nineteenth century harmonic idiom) their music for concert audiences. Striving to make the works "artistically palatable", he legitimized this in an article for the Musical Quarterly (July, 1915) on The "Idealization" of Indian Music.

Cadman's early works did not enjoy popularity until From the Land of the Sky-blue Water was given an encore by the soprano Lillian Nordica at a Cleveland, Ohio recital in 1909. His most successful song, At Dawning, written in 1906, followed a similar course, being popularised by the tenors John McCormack and Alessandro Bonci. The words of both songs were written by Nelle Richmond Eberhart (1877-1944), a neighbour of the Cadman household during his youth and the person who introduced him to Indian lore.

With the success of his songs, Cadman lived comfortably and pursued serious composition. His opera, Shanewis ('The Robin Woman'), based on authentic Indian melodies, was given by the Metropolitan Opera in 1918. It was the first American opera with a contemporary American setting staged at the Met, the first American opera with a libretto by a woman (Eberhart) at the Met, and the first American opera to be performed in a second season.

By the early 1920s, Cadman had become a self-proclaimed expert on American Indian music, and toured North America and Europe delivering his celebrated 'Indian Talk.' When not on tour, he returned to Los Angeles, where he had lived since 1916. He was a charter member of the founding organization of the Hollywood Bowl and a featured Bowl soloist seven times in his career.

With Hollywood close by, it was natural for Cadman to gravitate toward the film industry. In 1929, he was hired by Fox Studios to score motion pictures. His scores included The Sky Hawk, Captain of the Guard, Women Everywhere, and Harmony at Home. Before leaving Fox, he became embroiled in a public dispute with the composer Dmitri Tiomkin over the future direction of music for film. Cadman felt the music should be based on classical or traditional styles and was opposed to Tiomkin's popular jazz approach. Eventually, Cadman would relent but only after his severance with the studios was complete.

By the early 1930s, interest in the Indianist Movement had declined and Cadman saw his popularity erode. Sales of his songs had decreased and personal funds were depleted. Though he was voted the Most Popular American Composer of 1930 by the National Federation of Music Clubs, he recognised the change in public taste. European-trained American composers like Copland, Piston, and Harris were presenting a more sophisticated sound to the American public. Cadman intensified his classical output but the critics still stereotyped him as a composer of "Indian melodies."

As late as 1935, the California Pacific International Exposition at San Diego declared 4th September Cadman Day. It was based entirely on Cadman's past association with American Indian music. The following year, Cadman again received national prominence when he resigned from the American Music Committee of the Berlin Olympic Games Festival. He declared the Nazi régime 'repugnant.'

Cadman spent the last decade of his life composing and promoting his 'serious works.' These attained little acceptance beyond southern California. An exception was the 1940 national broadcast of the première of his Pennsylvania Symphony with Albert Coates conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The symphony received enthusiastic acclaim but Cadman could not secure a second performance with a major Eastern orchestra. The problem was twofold. Cadman handled his own publicity ineffectively, and deteriorating political conditions in Europe had brought many talented European composers and conductors to American shores. Competition for performances was intense.

Living the last years of his bachelor life in semi-frugality at a modest hotel in Los Angeles, Cadman tried to persevere though in poor health and depression. He died on 30th December, 1946, a forgotten and "vanished" American.

Forgotten?  or Unsung?

What a great pleasure to be transported back to Hollywood in 1940 for these premieres, and to hear the interviews with the composers themselves. Marvellous stuff. Thank you!  :) :)

Oops!  I forgot to say:

"From the collection of Karl Miller"-- but yes, I had the same reaction!

Quote from: jowcol on Monday 14 May 2012, 18:21
Music of Charles Wakefield Cadman

I am quite looking forward to this (once I get the time to sit down by the computer and listen to it.)  I have been a Cadman-iac since hearing his piano trio - such charming music.  Great fun.

According to Naxos' online description of Willson's 2 symphonies in Sternberg's recording of them the movements of the 2nd symphony are -
5.              I  Junipero Serra (Lento - Allegro)
6.         II San Juan Bautista (Andante)
7.         III San Juan Capistrano (Vivace)
8.         IV El Camino Real (Allegro, a la marcia)

which is interesting since this download has 3 tracks and that recording has 4. Will have to listen to rationalize the discrepancy...

Quote from: eschiss1 on Wednesday 16 May 2012, 03:12
According to Naxos' online description of Willson's 2 symphonies in Sternberg's recording of them the movements of the 2nd symphony are -
5.              I  Junipero Serra (Lento - Allegro)
6.         II San Juan Bautista (Andante)
7.         III San Juan Capistrano (Vivace)
8.         IV El Camino Real (Allegro, a la marcia)

which is interesting since this download has 3 tracks and that recording has 4. Will have to listen to rationalize the discrepancy...

Ah, well spotted, Eric!   ;)

Looking at the timings, perhaps the 3rd (4m 57s) and 4th movements (6m 44s) listed by Naxos are here combined into a single movement (14m 52s - which is slightly longer, as it also is for the other movements, as it includes extra time for the lead-in/out, settling of the audience, etc).  :)

That said, the names of the movements are all different... so I am totally confused!!  ???

Quote from: eschiss1 on Wednesday 16 May 2012, 03:12
According to Naxos' online description of Willson's 2 symphonies in Sternberg's recording of them the movements of the 2nd symphony are -
5.              I  Junipero Serra (Lento - Allegro)
6.         II San Juan Bautista (Andante)
7.         III San Juan Capistrano (Vivace)
8.         IV El Camino Real (Allegro, a la marcia)

which is interesting since this download has 3 tracks and that recording has 4. Will have to listen to rationalize the discrepancy...

That is why I didn't put the names of the movements that I had on the tracks.  I figured that some of our scholars would untangle this pretty quickly.

Has anyone heard the Naxos release?  It's on my to buy list...

It should be on mine, or on my to-download list once I have one, or something, seeing as how The Music Man has been among my favorite musicals for a very, very long time (and I fairly recently caught a production of it locally, happily and happily.)

(It was musical theater that made me a classical music fanatic in the first place- darn you, Wright & Forrest's Kismet, and Borodin.)

I've had the Naxos disc for years. Pretty enjoyable though not spectacular.

Quote from: TerraEpon on Wednesday 16 May 2012, 18:51
I've had the Naxos disc for years. Pretty enjoyable though not spectacular.

That's about my take on it, too.  I bought it, and listened to it once - don't remember a note.  Perhaps I'm due for a re-listen.  (Been doing a lot of that lately.)

A belated thank you, Latvian, for the Farwell Symphony! I suppose I was this forum member who requested it. Much appreciated!  :D

Quote from: britishcomposer on Friday 18 May 2012, 12:56
A belated thank you, Latvian, for the Farwell Symphony! I suppose I was this forum member who requested it. Much appreciated!  :D

_{Pssst - Haydn forum's t'other way.  ;D}

(Sorry.)

Reiger: Your uploads of old Louisville LPs are wonderful. Thanks!!

Quote from: gabriel on Friday 18 May 2012, 21:59
Reiger: Your uploads of old Louisville LPs are wonderful. Thanks!!

Glad you like them! I'm working on completing my Louisville LP collection, and I'm in process of converting them to digital... There will be more uploads on the way... Stay tuned!  :)

Quote from: reiger on Friday 18 May 2012, 22:49

Quote from: gabriel on Friday 18 May 2012, 21:59
Reiger: Your uploads of old Louisville LPs are wonderful. Thanks!!

Glad you like them! I'm working on completing my Louisville LP collection, and I'm in process of converting them to digital... There will be more uploads on the way... Stay tuned!  :)

Most of the music you have uploaded is indeed well worth having in my opinion. I do say "most" because I am afraid that the Claude Baker piece lies just beyond my own particular 'comfort zone' ;D  However the Giannini Divertimento and the Sowerby piece were extremely welcome. Most of all, I was delighted to make the acquaintance of the Robert Bernat Passacaglia-a work I had not heard for decades :)

If you have the Louisville LP collection I wonder if amongst those works is the Benjamin Lees Concerto for Orchestra ???  If so..........please :)

Quote from: gabriel on Friday 18 May 2012, 21:59
Reiger: Your uploads of old Louisville LPs are wonderful. Thanks!!

Indeed, I have to second/third/fourth this.  I have been drooling over the Louisville catalogue for years with scant hope of hearing most of the stuff listed therein.  Guess it's true what they say about good things coming to those who wait.  :D

Worldcat tells me that Boosey & Hawkes released a CD with Benjamin Lees' orchestral works, including the concerto for orchestra, in 2004 (I wonder if that's right and not a misfiling under CD of something else-- will check.. does Boosey & Hawkes even do CDs? I know Schott does, on their Wergo label, but... ) Never mind, and no wonder all those works fit on one CD (either it was an mp3 CD or...) - it's a sampler, according to Benjaminlees.com (though even as a sampler, it might be the only CD representation of the concerto for orchestra.. hrm... just as a Teldec CD has one -movement- of a performance of a string quartet by Weinberg I'd otherwise upload as I have a copy of the LP :))

Quote from: Dundonnell on Saturday 19 May 2012, 00:31

Most of the music you have uploaded is indeed well worth having in my opinion. I do say "most" because I am afraid that the Claude Baker piece lies just beyond my own particular 'comfort zone' ;D  However the Giannini Divertimento and the Sowerby piece were extremely welcome. Most of all, I was delighted to make the acquaintance of the Robert Bernat Passacaglia-a work I had not heard for decades :)

If you have the Louisville LP collection I wonder if amongst those works is the Benjamin Lees Concerto for Orchestra ???  If so..........please :)

Nice to see Louisville getting the love! ;)  Frankly The Glass Bead Game is a bit out of my realm too, but I figured I'd put it up for the more avant garde in the group. 8) 

And yes, I've got the Lees' Concerto for Orchestra - I haven't converted that LP to digital yet, but I'll try to get that up shortly.

Quote from: Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Saturday 19 May 2012, 02:27

Quote from: gabriel on Friday 18 May 2012, 21:59
Reiger: Your uploads of old Louisville LPs are wonderful. Thanks!!

Indeed, I have to second/third/fourth this.  I have been drooling over the Louisville catalogue for years with scant hope of hearing most of the stuff listed therein.  Guess it's true what they say about good things coming to those who wait.  :D

Thank you sir! Anything in particular you're looking for? I take requests now! 8)

Well, there are several works by Quincy Porter (1897-1966), whose music I like very much, that were recorded in the series that never made CD in any form (or those performances didn't, anyway), I believe - let me see if I can't be more specific. Hrm. Checked but even the 2nd symphony is out (available as a download at itunes.apple.com with some works by Floyd). Will keep looking (and makes me think that very little is going to turn up- not that that's all and entirely bad, as it means someone's keeping the stuff available in -some- way anyway, pardon horrible grammar and word choice...)

Quote from: reiger on Saturday 19 May 2012, 04:40

Quote from: Dundonnell on Saturday 19 May 2012, 00:31

Most of the music you have uploaded is indeed well worth having in my opinion. I do say "most" because I am afraid that the Claude Baker piece lies just beyond my own particular 'comfort zone' ;D  However the Giannini Divertimento and the Sowerby piece were extremely welcome. Most of all, I was delighted to make the acquaintance of the Robert Bernat Passacaglia-a work I had not heard for decades :)

If you have the Louisville LP collection I wonder if amongst those works is the Benjamin Lees Concerto for Orchestra ???  If so..........please :)

Nice to see Louisville getting the love! ;)  Frankly The Glass Bead Game is a bit out of my realm too, but I figured I'd put it up for the more avant garde in the group. 8) 

And yes, I've got the Lees' Concerto for Orchestra - I haven't converted that LP to digital yet, but I'll try to get that up shortly.

"...the more avant garde in the group" ??? ???  Do we have any of those on here ???  Surely not ;D

The Lees would be splendid :)

Hrm. Careful of uploading the following, since they're available for not-free download at itunes.apple.com (do a search) in the same performances from Louisville as conducted by Robert Whitney-
the LP of Fine, Berger and Shapero's music (Diversions, Serious Song, Polyphony, etc.)
Quincy Porter's symphony no.2, Carlisle Floyd's In Celebration or The Mystery;
Leon Kirchner's Toccata for strings, Hall Overton's symphony no.2, Ben Weber's Prelude and Passacaglia, and Dolmen - An Elegy
etc. ("Googled" whitney louisville site:itunes.apple.com )

Quote from: eschiss1 on Saturday 19 May 2012, 14:17
Hrm. Careful of uploading the following, since they're available for not-free download at itunes.apple.com (do a search) in the same performances from Louisville as conducted by Robert Whitney-
the LP of Fine, Berger and Shapero's music (Diversions, Serious Song, Polyphony, etc.)
Quincy Porter's symphony no.2, Carlisle Floyd's In Celebration or The Mystery;
Leon Kirchner's Toccata for strings, Hall Overton's symphony no.2, Ben Weber's Prelude and Passacaglia, and Dolmen - An Elegy
etc. ("Googled" whitney louisville site:itunes.apple.com )

OK. Thanks for the Google tip... I'll be sure to check before uploading.

If I may join in the Louisville sweepstakes there are two pieces for which I am looking: the first Little Symphony by Robert Sanders [635] and the Divertimento by Alexei Haieff [611].

I think we have many reasons to be grateful to Robert Whitney, and not only for his harmless little Concertino.

Best to all.

Quote from: shamokin88 on Saturday 19 May 2012, 16:02
If I may join in the Louisville sweepstakes there are two pieces for which I am looking: the first Little Symphony by Robert Sanders [635] and the Divertimento by Alexei Haieff [611].

I think we have many reasons to be grateful to Robert Whitney, and not only for his harmless little Concertino.

Best to all.

The Haieff Divertimento is available on iTunes, so unfortunately I can't upload that one - but I've got the Sanders Little Symphony, which I'll get up there shortly.

Sanders Symphony in A, anyone?

Thank, you, Reiger, for the Sanders 1st Little Symphony.

The Symphony in A is available directly from New World Records. They now have the rights to the whole CRI catalogue and will make you a CD of it. Because the LP offered only the Symphony in A, that is all that will be on their CD.

I can put up the Violin Concerto and a couple of other short pieces as a consolation prize.

Best to all.

Any Sanders would be great! Thank you.

Many thanks to reiger for the very quick response to my request for the Benjamin Lees Concerto for Orchestra :)

This is the first-but not, I think, the last- work by that very impressive composer to be uploaded for us here. I do know that a couple of members have a very substantial collection of the music which has not been commercially recorded and I think that other members may be able to get access to at least some of these in due course :)

Quote from: shamokin88 on Saturday 19 May 2012, 22:44
Thank, you, Reiger, for the Sanders 1st Little Symphony.

The Symphony in A is available directly from New World Records. They now have the rights to the whole CRI catalogue and will make you a CD of it. Because the LP offered only the Symphony in A, that is all that will be on their CD.

I can put up the Violin Concerto and a couple of other short pieces as a consolation prize.

Best to all.

Glad to be of service... And thanks to shamokin88 for the wonderful Deems Taylor pieces!

Does anyone have a photo of Robert Sanders?

Maybe somewhere on the Indiana University (http://www.indiana.edu) website- I think he (Robert Sanders, 1906-74) was one of their past Deans? Not sure. (I'm not at my own computer and limited in my downloading abilities etc.)

I wonder how Whitney's recording of the Vincent compares with Ormandy's (which has been available on CD)? - will try to catch a listen to the latter at some point and look forward to downloading the former. (Unusual for works to be recorded- or, it sometimes seems, performed- twice. I seem to recall hearing the Vincent symphony on the radio and thinking quite well of it.)
Thanks! (Have generally enjoyed Ormandy's take on things anyway, as with his Harris 7/Schuman 6/Piston 4 recordings- now also on one CD - a very good one, I do think. And Whitney's too, and Mester's.)

Found it. Go to 1938 to grab pic of Robert Sanders.  Can it be posted on here? Thank you!

http://www.music.indiana.edu/about/timeline.shtml

I'm currently in the act of uploading three American Organ Concerti from (drum roll please....) the collection of Karl Miller

The first is:

Leo Sowerby, Organ Concerto in C
E. Power Biggs, Organ
Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy, cond.
Academy of Music
September 29, 1963

(http://pulitzerprizemusic.com/wp-content/gallery/pulitzer-composers/Leo%20Sowerby.jpg)

There is an interesting story to this work-- E Power Biggs bascially sought out Sowerby to write the concerto--  I can't cut/paste form this site, so you may check it out here if you are interested.

http://tinyurl.com/87rp8pz (http://tinyurl.com/87rp8pz)


Biographical info from Wikipedia:

Leo Sowerby (May 1, 1895–July 7, 1968), American composer and church musician, was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1946, and was often called the "Dean of American church music" in the early to mid 20th century.

Biography
Sowerby was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he began to compose at the age of ten. Early recognition came when his violin concerto was premiered in 1913 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Stalford & Meckna 2001). In 1921 he was awarded the Rome Prize (from the American Academy in Rome), the first composer to receive this. In addition he received the 1946 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his cantata, the Canticle of the Sun, written in 1944 (Stalford & Meckna 2001).

In 1927 he became organist-choirmaster at St James's Episcopal Church, Chicago, which was consecrated as a cathedral while he was there (1955). Previously, Sowerby was associate organist at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago (1919).

In 1962, after his retirement from St James's, he was called to Washington National Cathedral to become the founding director of the College of Church Musicians, a position he held until his death in 1968 (Stalford & Meckna 2001). He died in Port Clinton, Ohio, while at Camp Wa-Li-Ro, in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, the summer choir camp where he had taught for many years.

His substantial output includes over 500 works in every genre but opera and ballet (Stalford & Meckna 2001). His later works, done at St James's, Chicago, and Washington Cathedral, are primarily church music for choir and organ. Sowerby's notable pupils included Robert Beadell, Miriam Clapp Duncan, William Ferris, Edwin Fissinger, Milan Kaderavek, Gail Kubik, Roland Leich, Darwin Leitz, Norman Luboff, Maylon Merrill (Jack Benny's longtime music director), Gerald Near, William Partridge, Florence Price, Ned Rorem, Ronald Stalford, Robert Stewart, and David Van Vactor.


Finally, a reminiscence of Sowerby by  Roger Petrich



This anthem by Leo Sowerby was the sufficient cause for my desire to study composition with him. The text itself [from Luke:24] is one of my favorites, and in Sowerby's music this Post-Easter narrative moves into a warmly expressive world, both touchingly human and transcendent.

In person he was somewhat gruff and pragmatic. "How about this?" as he would pencil in some suggestions on my manuscript compositions. "You've done this before, now do something more interesting here."

My tasks in technical comprehension were uncompromising. Sowerby assigned the Franck "Symphony" for harmonic analysis. And so, chord by chord, I penciled in at the bottom of the miniature score pages each chord with its Roman numeral, and inversion, along the way also identifying the non-harmonic notes. He took pleasure in pointing out notes I had missed because these were played by transposing instruments. Attention to detail was expected. And for counterpoint it was a measure by measure journey through the 24 Fugues of the "Wohltempierte Klavier" of Bach, followed by the 12 Fugues of the "Ludus Tonalis" of Hindemith.

There were stories from the Frederick Stock years with the Chicago Symphony, and in a casual moment I saw the complete score and parts of Sowerby's "Third Symphony" neatly tied up with string. A visual memory: Sowerby conducting with a yellow #2 pencil for a baton his "Classic Concerto" for organ and strings. A time to informally visit with John Browning over martinis about his recent performances of the Barber "Piano Concerto" - this was at Sowerby's home on the Washington Cathedral Close. [I was the one mixing the martinis]

The John Vincent Symphony in D was uploaded yesterday by reiger. The exact same performance has been available here since 21 October 2011, when it was uploaded by shamokin88.

The whole point of compiling an Index of American Music Downloads was to avoid this sort of thing happening. I keep the index up to date on a daily basis.

Organ Concerto by Robert Cundick
Composer, Organ
Utah Symphony Orchestra
Maurice Abravenel, conductor
Archival recording of live performance

From the collection of Karl Miller

(http://www.deseretnews.com/media/photos/1884369.jpg)

I haven't been able to find out much about this work in general, but I've dug up a little on Cundick.  I'm enjoying this work a lot..


Robert M. Cundick -- Wikipedia Bio:

Robert Milton Cundick Sr. (born 1926) is a Latter-day Saint composer. He also served for many years as an organist at the Mormon Tabernacle. This included accompanying the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and playing organ solos on the weekly broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word.

Early Life
Cundick was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1926. He spent his childhood in Sandy, Utah. His parents, Milton and Florence Pierson Cundick, were both faithful and devoted members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the standards of the Church were a major influence on his life. His interest in music began early in life as he played in bands and orchestras, as well as served as the organist for weekly church services (by age 12 he had become organist for his congregation). As his organ skills progressed, he was privileged to become the student of Mormon Tabernacle Organist Alexander Schreiner.

Young Adulthood
After serving in the United States Merchant Marine during World War II, Cundick immediately enrolled at the University of Utah. Despite the fact that his Merchant Marine service was not covered by the G.I. Bill of Rights, Cundick worked hard to pay for his education, and received his BFA, MFA and eventual PhD in Music Composition from the University. He was privileged to study under the tutelage of internationally famous composer Leroy J. Robertson.

It was during his time as a university student that Cundick married his wife, Charlotte (Cholly) Clark. Clark was an organ student of Cundick's. The couple made their home in Salt Lake City, where Cundick was able to continue his university studies.

Life Experiences
Cundick joined the music faculty at BYU in 1957.

In 1962, LDS Church President David O. McKay called Cundick and his family (including five children ages 5-11) to go to London, England, to serve as the organist at the new Hyde Park Chapel. While in England, Cundick appeared in concert at St. Paul's Cathedral and King's College, Cambridge, in addition to his daily recitals at Hyde Park Chapel and a BBC broadcast.

After completing this two year mission, Cundick and his family returned to Provo, Utah, where he resumed his teaching and compositional activity at BYU. This was interrupted when Cundick was called to serve as an organist at the Mormon Tabernacle, located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served for twenty-seven years.

Following his retirement in 1991, Cundick and his wife were called to serve as Directors of Hosting at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Jerusalem, Israel.
Since his retirement as Tabernacle Organist, Cundick has sought to publicize serious works of Utah and Mormon composers. In 2004 he won the Life Time achievement Pearl Award. Cundick continues to devote much of his time to composition and other music related activities, always making time to serve those around him. In 2007 he released a CD containing compositions from over 50 years of his creativity.

Compositions
The current English LDS hymnal has two hymns with music by Cundick: hymn number 198 "That Easter Morn" (words by Marion D. Hanks) and hymn number 279 "Thy Holy Word" (words by Marvin K. Gardner). Cundick has written many vocal works, such as the cantata The Song of Nephi, as well as The Redeemer (widely viewed has his most significant work), an oratorio with the text selected by Brigham Young University professor Ralph Woodward.[1] Cundick also provided music for the 2004 film Woman, The Pioneer, and he composed the music for The Brothers, a musical play based on the life of Karl G. Maeser, with text by Keith Engar.[2] Most recently, Cundick composed the music to God's Everlasting Love, [3] an oratorio with text by David A. Bednar, performed in the fall of 2009 by the BYU-Idaho choirs and orchestras.[4]

If you wish to hear audio of an  interview with Cundick, you may go here:

http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/archive/episode/?id=5/7/2007 (http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/archive/episode/?id=5/7/2007)

The oddest thing I found out is that he had an active role in coming up with a new Fight song  for the University of Utah's. (Their original sounded like Tom Lehrer's parody "Fight Fiercely Harvard").  Story follows:


'We'll fight to win again' — the U. is singing a new tune

Alumnus writes a feisty fight song to complement famed 'Utah Man'

By Rebecca Cline Deseret News music critic

Published: Sunday, Oct. 15 2000 12:00 a.m. MDT
"Yeah, fight songs are corny and their lyrics make no sense, but I love them all, except Nebraska's and Utah's." This quote, from writer Rick Reilly and published in a recent edition of Sports Illustrated, may stir some red University of Utah blood.

"I just love fight songs," Reilly elaborates. "I, however, hate Utah's: 'I'm a Utah man sir, and I live across the green. Our gang it is the jolliest that you have ever seen.' That stirs the ol' blood, eh? Can't you see the Utes' coach at halftime? 'Dadgummit, gang, we're losin' 51-7! Now get out there and get jolly!' "

On the other hand, however, there are probably many who would agree that it's time for a new fight song.

Accordingly, U. alumnus and Tabernacle organist emeritus Robert Cundick was set to the task of creating the music for a new University of Utah fight song.

"Robert Cutler, who is an avid long-time U. of U. booster and also was president of the Alumni Association, contacted me," Cundick said during an interview in his Salt Lake home. "He had for years wanted to get a real fight song for the U.

" 'Utah Man' was based on a Jewish drinking song, and he always felt it was inappropriate. Every time I'd see him over a period of years, he would try to get me to do this. And so, finally, I was out, working in the yard, and I put my mind to it. I quickly wrote ('Utah Fight Song.')"
The U.'s new fight song will have its premiere during halftime at the football game on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Cundick explained that "Utah Man" isn't a true fight song. "There are two different kinds of songs," he said. "The old song is something that is very nostalgic. It comes out of a time and place that is long gone. (I wanted) to make (the new song) contemporary and very topical; the fight song is a battle cry. My thought was to get a fight song that was in the same style as the Midwest fight songs and Southern California. It's simple and repetitious, and the range of the melody is only a seventh."

Cundick pointed out that the new song is not intended in any way to replace "Utah Man." He explained that since "Utah Man" is not a true fight song, the new "Utah Fight Song" simply fills a niche that had previously been void.

One unique aspect of the song is that it may be a first in the fight-song tradition for athletes of both sexes. "One thing that I feel very strongly about is that it's equally suited to men and women," Cundick said. "It's a very politically correct fight song. Every Ute woman should say, 'Finally, we're not just a token any more.' "

Written around the turn of the century, the exact origins of the "Utah Man" lyrics are unclear. Cundick said that one popular legend attributes them to the football team. "There was a retired English professor at the U. who said that they got the football team together around the campfire and collectively fashioned the words. Someone said, 'OK, what rhymes with that?' and that sort of thing.

"It came out of a macho tradition. However, the original lyric, 'We lift our stein and lager and smoke our big cigar,' didn't fly very long. I'm sure that every Ute woman was up in arms, saying, 'How do we figure into this?' Thus, the line, 'Our coeds are the fairest and each one a shining star,' was undoubtedly a reaction against that line."

While the new song itself was fairly simple to write, Cundick said that his real challenge was to have it approved by the various organizations at the U. "(The alumni association) was worried about it upsetting the old graduates," he noted. "We finally convinced them that this was not a threat to the status quo — it was just an addition."

While Cundick has been key to both writing and championing the new song, he is reticent to linger in the spotlight. "At the outset, I said, 'OK, I'll do this with a pseudonym. It's got to be anonymous. . . . I wanted to do something for the university. But (others) insisted that, 'Oh no, your name is known, you've got to put your name on the music.' People think you're trying to blow you're own horn, and that's not at all what I'm trying to do. I guess it's my character flaw that when I start a project, I see it through. I never let go." (The lyricist of the new song, however, remains anonymous.)
Cundick's persistence has paid off. The new fight song, in addition to "Utah Man" and a collection of other songs of that genre, has been published in a new "University of Utah Songbook."

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 21 May 2012, 17:03
The John Vincent Symphony in D was uploaded yesterday by reiger. The exact same performance has been available here since 21 October 2011, when it was uploaded by shamokin88.

The whole point of compiling an Index of American Music Downloads was to avoid this sort of thing happening. I keep the index up to date on a daily basis.

Thanks for the reminder, Colin-- I was about to post Seth Bingham's Organ Concerto, but had noticed that Shamokin 88 has beaten me to the draw.

I would want to say that there are times we may want to have additional postings of the same performance-- an LP transfer may depend on the condition of the LP-- and tape recordings may vary in quality depending on how many generations they are removed from the source.

My recommendation is that the best way to use Indexes (when we are fortunate enough to have them-- thanks to those of you are are dedicated to keeping them up!), is first try to identify any holes or gaps we may have that can be filled from your collection, and avoid duplication.  But, if you've heard what is posted, and think you can provide a better version,  I'm sure your efforts will be welcome.

rieger-- I haven't had a chance to listen to everything you've posted, but I really appreciate you opening up your collection...

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 21 May 2012, 17:03
The John Vincent Symphony in D was uploaded yesterday by reiger. The exact same performance has been available here since 21 October 2011, when it was uploaded by shamokin88.

The whole point of compiling an Index of American Music Downloads was to avoid this sort of thing happening. I keep the index up to date on a daily basis.

Sorry... Please accept my sincere apology for the inadvertent duplication. I have deleted it. Below is the pic of the program notes for those interested...

(https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=d51b067358&view=att&th=1376c01a80095797&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=f_h2gkvdao0&safe=1&zw)

jowcowl -- thanks for the upload tips - and for the tip o' the cap!  :)

Quote from: jowcol on Monday 21 May 2012, 17:50

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 21 May 2012, 17:03
The John Vincent Symphony in D was uploaded yesterday by reiger. The exact same performance has been available here since 21 October 2011, when it was uploaded by shamokin88.

The whole point of compiling an Index of American Music Downloads was to avoid this sort of thing happening. I keep the index up to date on a daily basis.

Thanks for the reminder, Colin-- I was about to post Seth Bingham's Organ Concerto, but had noticed that Shamokin 88 has beaten me to the draw.

I would want to say that there are times we may want to have additional postings of the same performance-- an LP transfer may depend on the condition of the LP-- and tape recordings may vary in quality depending on how many generations they are removed from the source.

My recommendation is that the best way to use Indexes (when we are fortunate enough to have them-- thanks to those of you are are dedicated to keeping them up!), is first try to identify any holes or gaps we may have that can be filled from your collection, and avoid duplication.  But, if you've heard what is posted, and think you can provide a better version,  I'm sure your efforts will be welcome.

rieger-- I haven't had a chance to listen to everything you've posted, but I really appreciate you opening up your collection...

Of course you are absolutely correct :) It may well be that someone has a better quality recording of a piece already available and it would be an obvious advantage to have the better recording. If so, it would be helpful if the poster could add that info' so that there is no unnecessary duplication :)

reiger.....don't worry about it ;D

reiger - thank you for the sweet suite by Wilder - one of my favourite confections!  ;D

Jowcol - thanks so much for the wonderful organ concerti; truly uplifting music for a pretty soggy May.
Huge appreciation to you, and to all who upload for us here.

Robert Kelly, Symphony # 2
1-3 Symphony #2
University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra
Wayne Dunlop, Conductor
Date unknown, Lo-Fi recording.

From the collection of Karl Miller

Info from the American Composer's Alliance.

America Composer's Alliance
Robert Kelly was born September 26, 1916, at Clarksburg, WV. He studied violin at an early age and later majored in violin at the Juilliard School of Music under Samuel Gardner. He studied composition with Rosario Scalero at The Curtis Institute of Music where he received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition. Much later he continued studies with Herbert Elwell at the Eastman School of Music where he received his Master of Music Degree in Composition.

From 1946-76 he was Professor of Composition and Theory at the University of Illinois School of Music, Urbana, Illinois. Many of his compositions were composed and performed in this period. Notable ones were: MINIATURE SYMPHONY (Symphony No. 1) premiered by the Austin Symphony, Ezra Rachlin, conductor, and later with Rafael Kubelik conducting this MINIATURE SYMPHONY on one of the University of Illinois Contemporary Arts Festivals. Later there was a memorable performance of the MINIATURE SYMPHONY by the Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell conducting. Kelly's SYMPHONY NO. 2 was premiered in Tokyo, Japan by the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Akeo Watanabe conducting. The EMANCIPATION SYMPHONY (Symphony No. 3) was premiered in Washington DC by the National Symphony in 1963, the 100th Anniversary Year of the Emancipation Proclamation. WALDEN POND, an Environmental Cantata for Mixed Choir, Percussion Ensemble, Flute, Soprano, and Narrator was premiered by the University of Illinois Concert Choir and Percussion Ensemble conducted by Harold Decker.

1) Kelly was appointed Associate Member of the University of Illinois Center for Advanced Study in 1963-65 with a grant to compose an opera, THE WHITE GODS, The Aztec Viewpoint of the Conquest of Mexico; 2) guest composer of the New York City Composers Forum in 1957 with the Walden String Quartet of the University of Illinois performing STRING QUARTET NO. 2, and Robert Swenson, cello, and Stanley Fletcher, piano performing SONATA No. 1 for Cello and Piano. 3) commissions by the University of Illinois were SYMPHONY NO. 2, and EMANCIPATION SYMPHONY; 4) National Endowment for the Arts commissions were - CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA, and CONCERTO FOR VIOLA AND ORCHESTRA.
SYMPHONY NO. 2, Japan Philharmonic, Akeo Watanabe conductor, by Composers Recordings, Inc. "Sunset Reflections" from ADIRONDACK SUITE, OP.1 with Leopold Stokowski and the NBC Symphony by RCA recordings (recently released on CD). SONATA FOR OBOE AND HARP, by Joseph Robinson, principal oboe of the New York Philharmonic, and Deborah Hoffman, harp, on CRS8424. Soon to be released - SONATA FOR OBOE AND HARP on a CD with James Gorton, principal oboe, and Gretchen Van Hoesen, principal harp, both of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Publishers of Kelly's music are: American Composers Edition, Inc. NYC, and E.C. Schirmer of Boston. Professor Kelly retired from the University of Illinois in 1976; he has been a member of Broadcast Music, Inc. NYC, since the mid 50s.

reiger - Thank you for the  Trois Poemes Juifs by Bloch.  Fine pieces! :)

Ah, will have to check out the uploaded Bloch poems- they've been recorded a few times but I like them quite a lot. I have the Fritz Mahler/Hartford Symphony recording now reissued on a Vanguard CD (with Bloch's violin concerto and Bloch's first rhapsody performed by the recently-deceased Roman Totenberg (yes, father of Nina).)

The poems are
I. Danse (poco animato)
II. Rite (Calmo (Andante moderato))
III. Cortege funèbre (Lento assai).

Early Recording of Edgar Stillman-Kelley

(http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/westernarchives/kelley/images/kelley.jpg)

The Lady Picking Mulberries
Prince's Orchestra (recorded circa 1910)

This is an interesting novelty, but a short instrumental work that was likely written for the early phonograph.  I don't have more to go on here other than the notes above-- but it seems the Kelley is very under-recorded, and another "Indianist".

At least there is a fairly detailed Wikipedia entry on Kelley:

Edgar Stillman Kelley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edgar Stillman Kelley (April 14, 1857 – November 12, 1944) was an American composer, conductor, teacher, and writer on music. He is sometimes associated with the Indianist movement in American music.[1]

Life
Kelley was of New England stock, his ancestors having come to America from England before 1650. He himself was born in Sparta, Wisconsin.[1] His mother was from a musical family, and herself was skilled in music; she became his first teacher. Kelley's own college career was interrupted by bouts of poor health. He was a talented artist and writer, but he decided to devote his life to music after a performance of Felix Mendelssohn's music for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Consequently, he traveled to Chicago at 17, there to study with Clarence Eddy and Napoleon Ledochowski. Two years later he went to Stuttgart, where he studied organ, piano, and composition. His teachers there were Frederich Finck, Wilhelm Krüger, Wilhelm Speidel, and Max Seifriz.[2] His friendship with Edward MacDowell began in Stuttgart, and later Kelley worked at the MacDowell Colony.

Kelley graduated from the conservatory in Stuttgart in 1880, and performed around Europe for a time with a number of orchestras. Upon his return to the United States, he came west to San Francisco, where he worked as a church organist and was a music critic for the Examiner. He also became active as a composer, writing incidental music for a production of Macbeth that garnered him much attention. An interest in theater drew him to New York City in 1886, and there he married Jessie Gregg on July 23, 1891; the two then returned to California for four more years, during which time Kelley composed, conducted, lectured, and taught. In 1896 the couple returned to New York, where Edgar was hired to conduct an operetta company. He also taught, at the New York College of Music and New York University,[2] and in 1901 replaced Horatio Parker for a year at Yale when the latter went on sabbatical.[1] The following year saw the Kelleys move to Berlin, and for eight years they lived and worked in Europe, lecturing, teaching, conducting, and performing in an attempt to expand European interest in American music. Kelley, though, wished to spend more time composing, and in 1910 took a post at the Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, where he would remain until his death.[2]

Kelley and his wife divided their time between the Western College and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music; Kelley taught composition there, and later served as dean of the Department of Composition and Orchestration. Among his pupils was C. Hugo Grimm, who would himself later lead the department.[1] His wife lectured there as well. The couple retired in 1934 but continued to travel while maintaining a house in Oxford. Kelley died in Oxford in 1944.[2]

Music
Kelley was a Romanticist in the vein of Horatio Parker, George Whitefield Chadwick, and Arthur Foote, and brought much of his German training to bear in his compositions. Even so, he was always interested in bringing non-Western influences into his work. For his orchestral suite Aladdin, one of his early successes, he studied the music he heard in San Francisco's Chinatown, and used oboes, muted trumpets, and mandolins to imitate Chinese instruments. His New England Symphony is based on themes found in bird songs, as well as American Indian and Puritan music. For incidental music to a New York production of Ben-Hur in 1899, he based his composition on Greek modes. This music was to go on to become his most popular work; it is said to have been performed some five thousand times in English-speaking countries by 1930.[1]

Kelley's best-known composition was an oratorio, The Pilgrim's Progress, composed on a text by Elizabeth Hodgkinson and based on the eponymous text by John Bunyan. It was first performed in Cincinnati in 1918, and was frequently revived thereafter, both in the United States and in England. He also wrote program music, including orchestral suites after both "The Pit and the Pendulum" and Alice in Wonderland; his first symphony was based on Gulliver's Travels, and depicted Lemuel Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput. His output also included numerous pieces of chamber music.[1]

Kelley had very definite ideas about American music and its creation, and was not shy about sharing them. Expressing his views, he once wrote that

Quotethe American composer should apply the universal principles of his art to the local and special elements of the subject-matter as they appeal to him, and then, consciously or unconsciously, manifest his individuality, which will involve the expression of mental traits and moral tendencies peculiar to his European ancestry, as we find them modified by the new American environment.[3]

A good deal of Kelley's music was published by Arthur Farwell's Wa-Wan Press in the early years of the twentieth century.

Other work

In addition to his work as a composer, Kelley was active as a writer on music, continuing after his early experience with the Examiner in San Francisco. Included in his output were a number of books, including Chopin the Composer and a work on Beethoven.[2] His important article "The Bach-Schumann Suites for Cello" appears in Music: A Monthly Magazine for November 1892, 612-19; he owned a unique copy of the six suites (now lost?). The most notable of his composition pupils was Wallingford Riegger; among his other students were Frederick Ayres, Joseph W. Clokey, James G. Heller, Rupert Hughes, and W. Otto Miessner.[1]

Miami University maintains an archive devoted to Kelley and his wife; it contains correspondence, music manuscripts, books, and other material related to the composer's life and career.[2] In addition, his house and studio, built in 1916, remains on the Miami University campus, and is made available for the use of incoming faculty and administration.[4]

Recordings
Little of Kelley's music has been committed to disc. The Aladdin fantasy for orchestra has been recorded as part of an anthology of American orchestral music, and pianist Brian Kovach has recorded his complete output of piano music; both recordings were released by Albany Records.



Also-- this site has a LOT more about Kelley-- http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/westernarchives/kelley/bio2.php (http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/westernarchives/kelley/bio2.php)

Emma Lou Diemer: Flute Concerto (1963)
(Soloist unidentified)
Sewanee Symphony Orchestra
Mark Thomas, Conductor
THE Mark Thomas?  Better known as an Admin at UC?
21 July, 1968
(http://www.emmaloudiemermusic.com/i//rsz_1Emma004.jpg)



Biography (From her web site)

Emma Lou Diemer was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father, George Willis Diemer, was an educator (college president); her mother, Myrtle Casebolt Diemer, was a church worker and homemaker. Her sister, Dorothy Diemer Hendry, was an educator, poet, writer (married to Col. Wickliffe B. Hendry; their children are Betty Augsburger, Terri Sims, Alan Hendry, Bonny Gierhart). Her brothers were George W. Diemer II, an educator, Marine fighter pilot, musician, and John Irving Diemer educator, musician (his children are George W. Diemer III, René Krey, Jack Diemer, Dee Dee Diemer).

Emma Lou played the piano and composed at a very early age and became organist in her church at age 13. Her great interest in composing music continued through College High School in Warrensburg, MO, and she majored in composition at the Yale Music School (BM, 1949; MM, 1950) and at the Eastman School of Music (Ph.D, 1960). She studied in Brussels, Belgium on a Fulbright Scholarship and spent two summers of composition study at the Berkshire Music Center.

She taught in several colleges and was organist at several churches in the Kansas City area during the 1950s. From 1959-61 she was composer-in-residence in the Arlington, VA schools under the Ford Foundation Young Composers Project, and composed many choral and instrumental works for the schools, a number of which are still in publication. She was consultant for the MENC Contemporary Music Project before joining the faculty of the University of Maryland where she taught composition and theory from 1965-70. In 1971 she moved from the East Coast to teach composition and theory at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At UCSB she was instrumental in founding the electronic/computer music program. In 1991 she became Professor Emeritus at UCSB.

Through the years she has fulfilled many commissions (orchestral, chamber ensemble, keyboard, choral, vocal) from schools, churches, and professional organizations. Most of her works are published. She has received awards from Yale University (Certificate of Merit), The Eastman School of Music (Edward Benjamin Award), the National Endowment for the Arts (electronic music project), Mu Phi Epsilon (Certificate of Merit), the Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards (for piano concerto), the American Guild of Organists (Composer of the Year), the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers/ASCAP (annually since 1962 for performances and publications), the Santa Barbara Symphony (composer-in-residence, 1990-92), the University of Central Missouri (honorary doctorate), and many others.

She is an active keyboard performer (piano, organ, harpsichord, synthesizer), and in the last few years has given concerts of her own music at Washington National Cathedral, St. Mary's Cathedral and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, and elsewhere.

Emma Lou lives in Santa Barbara, California, five minutes from the Pacific Ocean.

QuoteTHE Mark Thomas?  Better known as an Admin at UC?

Amongst my many accomplishments, I don't number conducting, more's the pity.  :(

Quote from: Mark Thomas on Sunday 27 May 2012, 19:50

QuoteTHE Mark Thomas?  Better known as an Admin at UC?

Amongst my many accomplishments, I don't number conducting, more's the pity.  :(

This WAS a perfect opportunity for you to increase the size of your internet footprint.  But your honesty got in the way.

I'm the son of a policeman, my feet are big enough already!  ;)

According to a review (http://classical-scene.com/2011/11/05/rugged-american-elegance/) of a 2011 performance, the movements of Walter Piston's 1966 2nd piano trio are Molto leggiero e capriccioso - Adagio - Vigoroso.

Variations for Orchestra(1964), by Jackson Hill
(http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jhill/JHphoto3.jpg)

Variations for Orchestra
National Gallery Orchestra
Richard Bales, Conductor
Radio Broadcast, Date unknown.   
( I welcome ANY input from you scholars out there...)

From the collection of Karl Miller

A lyrical and colorful work.  I'd be interested in hearing anything else by him.

Bio information from the Bucknell University site:


JACKSON HILL, born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1941, was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (Ph.D. in musicology in 1970). A composer from the age of 14, he studied composition with Iain Hamilton at Duke University (1964-66) and Roger Hannay (1967-68). He has served as a choral assistant at Exeter College, Oxford, and as a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge University.  He studied Buddhist chant as a Fulbright Fellow in Japan in the 1970s, and Japanese traditional music has been a strong influence in his work.  He has received numerous awards and prizes for his music, which includes choral, solo, and chamber music, and as well as a chamber opera and three symphonies.  Hill's music has been widely performed in Europe, Asia and the Americas, including performances at the Tanglewood, Ravinia, Chautauqua, and Edinburgh festivals.  Recent commissions have come from Lichfield Cathedral, Chanticleer, and The King's Singers.  His composition Voices of Autumn was part of Chanticleer's Grammy nomination in 2003.  He has taught at Duke University (1966-1968) and since 1968 at Bucknell University, where he has served as Associate Dean, Presidential Professor, and Chair of the Department of Music.

Quintetto Energicio, by Andrew Rudin
(http://216.246.78.61/admin/pictures/Clearfield.jpg)

Marshall Taylor, Alto Saxophone
Bill Zacagni, Baritone Saxophone
Anthony Orlando, Percussion
Donald Liuzzi, Percussion
Andrea Clearfield, Piano

NOTE: WRONG LINK POSTED--- I'LL FIX IN A COUPLE OF DAYS--

Live performance, Date/Venue unknown

From the collection of Karl Miller

This selection may seem to be a little more "out there" than some of my recent postings, and the Bio below may mention a couple factors (Rochberg, Electronic Music, Nonesuch Record label.... )  which, without listening,  could mark it as a candidate of deletion from a well known hard drive.  But after listening, this is more of a work of "chamber jazz", and is rhythmically engaging,  so I decided to post this.  Let me know if you all feel this one goes over the edge-- it may help better inform my decisions in the future.

I pulled the following Bio from his web site.

Rudin's reputation was established in the 1960's through his association with Robert Moog and a pioneering series of synthesized compositions, most notably his Nonesuch album, Tragoedia. Throughout the 1970's many of his compositions were theatrical in nature, involving collaborations with ballet and modern dance, film, television, and incidental music for the stage. His one-act opera, The Innocent was produced in Philadelphia in 1972 by Tito Capobianco. A number of these works blended electronically synthesized sound with traditional instruments and voices. Particularly of note among these works is the inclusion of his music in the soundtrack of the film Fellini: Satyricon. Among the dance groups and choreographers with whom he has worked are Dance Theatre Workshop, Jeff Duncan, Murray Louis, The Pennsylvania Ballet, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Louis Falco, and four collaborations with Alwin Nikolais. The 1980's saw the completion of his full-evening opera Three Sisters, on a libretto by William Ashbrook from the play by Chekhov, as well as many works for traditional instruments, both orchestral and chamber music. After his graduation from The University of Pennsylvania, where he studied primarily with George Rochberg, he joined the faculty of The Philadelphia Musical Academy, remaining there for the next thirty-seven years, as it eventually became part of the present University of the Arts. During this time he taught music history, theory, and composition, directed the new music ensemble, and headed the electronic music studio. He taught in the graduate division of the Juilliard School from 1981-1984. Since his retirement in 200l he has worked as a broadcaster for WWFM, The Classical Network from Mercer County Community College, and served on the board of directors for Philadelphia's Orchestra 2001. He continues to compose extensively. His professional affiliation is BMI. He lives in Allentown, NJ.

Bruce Saylor: Peans to Hyacinthus (1980)

Houston Symphony Chamber Orchestra
C. William Harwood, Conductor
February 7, 1981
Radio Broadcast


(http://emanuelnyc.org/media/composers/full_19.jpg)

From the collection of Karl Miller

Bruce Saylor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bruce Saylor (born April 24, 1946, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American composer.
•   
Biography
Saylor was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. In 1952, his family moved to Springfield Township, just outside the city, where he attended suburban public schools. Active as a musician in high school, he played, sang, and conducted. During this time, Saylor also functioned as the organist and choirmaster of a small Anglo-Catholic parish in the city. He attended the Juilliard School of Music from 1964 to 1969, where he studied composition with Hugo Weisgall and Roger Sessions. From 1969 to 1970, he studied with Goffredo Petrassi at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome under a Fulbright fellowship. He received his PhD in 1978 from the City University of New York Graduate Center, where he studied composition with Weisgall and George Perle, and theory with Felix Salzer.

Saylor won numerous prizes and scholarships during his years at Juilliard as both a student and a teaching fellow there. In 1970, he began teaching at Queens College. From 1976 to 1979, he taught at New York University, then was appointed a Mellon Foundation professor at Queens. He has won fellowships and awards from the National Society of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Letters (Charles E. Ives Scholarship and Music Award), the Ingram Merrill Foundation and the Guggenheim Foundation. As of 2012, he is a professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens as well as at the City University of New York Graduate Center in Manhattan.

Works
Saylor's musical idiom evolved from highly dissonant neo-classicism, though dense chromaticism, to a more streamlined harmonic language. Though he has written intrumental works such as Turns and Mordents for flute and orchestra, Notturno for piano and orchestra, Archangel for large orchestra, Cantilena for strings, and much chamber music, Saylor's vocal music dominates his output. His two-act opera Orpheus Descending was premiered in 1994 at end of his stint as composer-in-residence at Lyric Opera of Chicago. J. D. McClatchy fashioned the libretto from the Tennessee Williams play. He has also written two one-act operas: My Kinsman, Major Molineux, after Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Scrimshaw Violin, after the story of Jonathan Levi. The poetry of James Merrill has inspired Songs from Water Street, Five Old Favorites, incidental music for live readings of Voices From Sandover, and instrumental music as well. His vocal chamber music has most often been performed and recorded by his wife, the mezzo soprano Constance Beavon, who created Saylor's monodrama It Had Wings, a story by Allan Gurganus. Saylor has written ten substantial pieces for chorus and orchestra, among them The Idea of Us and The Book in Your Hearts (both to texts by J. D. McClatchy), The Star Song (Robert Herrick), Dreams (slave narratives and spirituals), and Proud Music of the Storm (Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson). He has written several elaborate scores for Nine Circles Chamber Theater, among them The Inferno of Dante and Falling Bodies. He has also been composer in residence at The Yard, an artists' colony for dancers and choreographers on Martha's Vineyard.

Additionally, Saylor has composed numerous works for religious or ceremonial occasions in a tonal idiom: O Freedom! for President Bill Clinton's Second Inaugural, Grand Central for the rededication of Grand Central Terminal, Fanfares and Echoes for the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, In Praise of Jerusalem (Psalm 122) for Pope John Paul II's visit to New York City, two Christmas recordings for soprano Jessye Norman, and concert arrangements of sacred music by Duke Ellington for Norman's Honor! festival for Carnegie Hall in 2009. Saylor has written dozens of anthems, hymn tunes, and service music for church and concert use.

I have fixed the link for Dawson's Symphony No.2

I can't seem to find much biographical information about Dawson, or even birth / death dates, by the way?

Quote from: jowcol on Sunday 27 May 2012, 19:07

At least there is a fairly detailed Wikipedia entry on Kelley:

Why thank you  ;D

(Many of the Indianists' biographies on Wikipedia are my work; I had a LOT of free time once a year or so back, and decided to put it to good use.)

It'll be nice to put some music to the name, finally.

Very limited info indeed on Dawson! A genealogical site yielded this:

Carl Alfred Dawson, born 19 Jan 1917, Indianapolis, Indiana; died 7 Jun 1994, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Might this be our man?  :-\

Otherwise I too see nothing online or in any American composer reference material that I've got.

Hrm. Maybe. Thanks!!

Re Jackson Hill:
according to Wikipedia and the composer's website - Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Hill_(composer)) and here (http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jhill/) respectively - he was born in 1941, and the Variations were composed in 1964.

According to Bio (http://www.composerudin.com/bio.php) Andrew Rudin was born 1939 in Texas. (There does seem to be some sort of low-distribution cassette release of that performance of the Quintetto Energico of some kind - not sure what kind - but it's not a CD release. According to this playlist (http://www.wprb.com/printplaylist.php?show_id=19371) it's a private tape. Nothing on the site gives a year of composition.)

Bruce Saylor (1946), Paeans to Hyacinthus composed 1980. No mention anywhere of a commercial release of that recording either- it's been remastered recently for library use, I do see ("Stokowski Legacy Series" is mentioned in the catalog entry - name of the concert series it was part of, not a CD recording series, I gather.)

And thanks for the P Greeley Clapp 9th!

... wait, how many did  Clapp write again- 12? more? Ah right- "of his dozen" -
and "Symphony no. 12 : after "The rime of the ancient mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge" (manuscript, not recording, reference).

NYPL likes "Fickénscher". This may help with some search engines if it's more accurate. Don't know.

Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 04 June 2012, 14:16
Re Jackson Hill:
etc

Thanks for the info-- I've hopefully updated the composition dates you've provided.

QuoteAccording to Bio Andrew Rudin was born 1939 in Texas

He was living in New Jersey last I heard. He used to teach in Philadelphia. I know he has been featured on Philadelphia-area classical radio in recent years... I haven't heard him in a while, so I don't know if he still does that.

I remember hearing several performances of the Quintetto in the mid-1980's, if that helps any.

Quote from: jowcol on Monday 28 May 2012, 18:52
Quintetto Energicio, by Andrew Rudin

Marshall Taylor, Alto Saxophone
Bill Zacagni, Baritone Saxophone
Anthony Orlando, Percussion
Donald Liuzzi, Percussion
Andrea Clearfield, Piano
Live performance, Date/Venue unknown

Private tape.  Am happy to remove link (or have Admin remove link) if someone determines otherwise.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?4c4l52y5cy5bq7y (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?4c4l52y5cy5bq7y)




From the collection of Karl Miller...

Hi, I don't think this is the correct recording. The instrumentation does not match. Can you please fix the link (and identify what is currently here)? Thank you!

I think you're correct.  I must have set the parameters wrong when I did the rip.

I can re-rip and post a corrected link.  To be honest, I don't think I have the time to identify what is up there now.

Thanks for the catch! 

Rhapsody for Piano and Saxophone by Tutti Camarata
(http://www.spaceagepop.com/images/camarata.jpg)
Performers Unidentified
February 13, 1949
Radio Broadcast

From the Collection of Karl Miller

Okay, this is a case where I must admit I find the composer more interesting than the work.   I have to confess that I take a perverse pleasure in posting a work by a composer who has had artistic interactions with:

Jascha Heifetz
(http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/hollywood/portraits/jascha_heifetz.jpg)


Benny Goodman
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/BennyGoodmanStageDoorCanteen.jpg/267px-BennyGoodmanStageDoorCanteen.jpg)


Annette Funicello
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MxCt2x6NBAc/TCJuuwgHG4I/AAAAAAAAAcA/jDIPhoX167w/s1600/1.jpg)

Van Halen:
(http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/306x306/eddie-van-halen.jpg)

and Kiss:
(http://www.hecklerspray.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/kiss-.jpg)

Who was this person? 

From the Space Age Music Maker site.

Salvatore "Tutti" Camarata
________________________________________
•   Born 11 May 1913, Glen Ridge, New Jersey
•   Died 20 April 2005, Burbank, California
________________________________________
Nicknamed by bandleader Jimmy Dorsey, "Tutti" Camarata was truly a jack of all musical trades--instrumentalist, orchestrator, arranger, composer, producer, and even record company executive.

Perhaps his drive had something to do with being born as the youngest in a family of eight children. He started studying the violin at the age of nine and switched to the trumpet at twelve. He managed not only to be heard above the noise of his siblings but to earn an invitation to attend the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. Working in stage and radio studio orchestras to pay the rent, he completed Juilliard and went on to study composition at Columbia University.

At 21, he was hired by Charlie Barnet, whose band was just starting to gain some fame. Known then as "Toots," he then worked briefly on Bing Crosby's radio show and as an arranger for bandleader Paul Whiteman when Jimmy Dorsey lured him in with the chance to work both as an arranger and as Dorsey's first-chair trumpet player.

Camarata's arrangements were one of the crucial ingredients in the Dorsey band's quick rise to success in 1939. The sponsor for Dorsey's radio spots wanted the last number of the show to showcase all of the band's top talents--singers Bob Eberle and Helen O'Connell, Dorsey and several other top instrumental soloists. Camarata came up with a three-part structure--a slow intro featuring Eberle, a mid-tempo section with O'Connell, and a finale with a full, upbeat swinging band. At least two of Dorsey's biggest hits--"Green Eyes" and "Maria Elena"--are direct results of this novelty.

In the early 1940s, Camarata quit Dorsey's band and went to work for Glen Gray as the lead arranger for his Casa Loma Orchestra, and then for Benny Goodman. His round of the best of the era's big bands came to an end in 1942, however, when he went to work as a civilian flight instructor for the U.S. Army Air Force, and later enlisted.

In 1944, Jack Kapp of Decca Records hired him as a musical director, and Camarata arranged and orchestrated for a number of Decca's biggest acts, including Crosby, Mary Martin, and Louis Armstrong. During this period, he arranged and conducted Billie Holiday's first sessions backed with a studio orchestra.

Within a year of hiring him, Kapp dispatched Camarata to the U.K., where he scored the film, "London Town," starring Sid Field, Kay Kendall, and a very young Petula Clark. The big band Camarata put together for this film later became the core of Ted Heath's band. He became close friends with Sir Edward Lewis, CEO of the U.K. arm of Decca, and together, the two founded London Records with the aim of distributing classical music from the U.K. in the U.S. market.

While London did become a major classical label, both in the U.S. and internationally, it also went on to become one of the U.K.'s most prominent record companies, with artists ranging from Edmundo Ros to the Rolling Stones. Camarata himself recorded for London as a classical performer, usually preparing original settings for full orchestra of pieces ranging from Erik Satie's solo piano works to chamber pieces by Bach and opera overtures and airas by Verdi, Puccine, and Rossini.

His stay in the U.K. was short, however, and he returned to the U.S. in 1950, where he rejoined Decca. He set up a studio big band, dubbed the Commanders, which had good sales with a series of albums such as Meet The Commanders. He also began working in television, arranging and conducting a number of the medium's more spectacular musical productions, including "Together With Music," which featured Mary Martin and Noel Coward.

These shows brought his name to the attention of Charles Hansen, an executive working with Walt Disney, who had been looking for someone to run a record label that could release soundtracks of his movies on the then-new LP format. Camarata moved to southern California, where he established and ran Disneyland Records for nearly twenty years. Soon after the label's formation, Disney stumbled into a huge popular hit with its "Mickey Mouse Club" television series. Camarata was soon busy producing singles by most of the show's featured performers, including the young Annette Funicello.
Funicello had a fairly thin voice and was something of a reluctant performer at first. But then Camarata experimented with a new echo effect device Disneyland Records had bought, and he was able to develop a richer, rounder sound that convinced Disney to push her as a full-fledged recording star.
Camarata was more than just a record maker for Disney. He played an important role in building up the studio's already well-known library of original music and provided some significant additions to the studio's casts. He introduced Sterling Holloway, who became the voice of Winnie the Pooh, and helped convince Louis Prima and Phil Harris to provide the voices for King Louie the Ape and Baloo the Bear in "The Jungle Book." He also expanded the label's repertoire to works outside the Disney oeuvre, including a series of Broadway musical songtrack albums he recorded with the Mike Sammes Singers. Over the course of his time with Disney, Camarata's recordings earned a total of eight Grammy Award nominations.

Even with his hectic schedule of work as an executive and musical director with Disney, Camarata managed to return on occasion to his big band roots. Of particular note are the two albums, Tutti's Trumpets and Tutti's Trombones. Trumpets dates from 1957 and features a trumpet choir manned by some of the best jazz and studio musicians in Hollywood: Mannie Klein, Uan Rasey, Pete Candoli, Conrad Gozzo, Joe Triscari, and Shorty Sherock. In 1970, he reprised the approach with Trombones, using a stellar ensemble that included Dick Nash, Joe Howard, Tommy Pederson, Ernie Tack, Kenny Shroyer, Frank Rosolino, Hoyt Bohannon, Herbie Harper, Gil Falco, and Lloyd Ulyate, plus Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Red Mitchell on bass, and Hal Blaine on drums. Despite the solid jazz credentials of most of the players, the two albums stay on the easy listening end of the Space Age Pop spectrum.

In the early days of Disneyland Records, Camarata relied on recording studios rented from other firms in the L.A. area, and he kept pressing Disney to invest in its own studio to reduce costs and provide a consistent quality of recordings. "Why would I want to own a studio," Walt Disney responded to the suggestion of his company's director of recording Tutti Camarata. "I'd rather be a client." After Disney rejected the idea several times, Camarata decided to take action himself. He bought an old auto repair shop on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, built and equipped several studios, and, in 1960, opened Sunset Sound Recorders.

Although Disneyland Records was the studio's principle customer at first, it quickly became known, along with Gold Star, as one of the best independent studios in Hollywood. Soon a wide range of artists began to pass through the space. Sunset Sound was an early adopter of the more sophisticated mixing technology used as rock shifted its focus from singles to albums, and some of rock's biggest names, including the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Prince, and Van Halen, became regular customers.

As Sunset's success increased, Camarata found it increasingly difficult to juggle its demands with those of Disney, and in 1972, he decided to leave Disney to concentrate on his own company. He continued to arrange and conduct accompanying groups as part of his work at Sunset Sound, but his energies returned to his earliest interest, classical music.

One of his last creative endeavors was the orchestration of a number of the most popular numbers from the Church of Latter Day Saints' hymnal. Camarata then traveled to London, where he recruited and conducted an ensemble including a 100-piece orchestra, a choir of 180 adults, a children's choir, a pipe organ, and a brass section for the resulting recording, The Power and the Glory. "This is the most important album I have ever done," he said of the work when it was completed.

Camarata continued to work on classical recordings into the mid-1990s. He eventually turned over the control of Sunset Sound to his son, Paul, who still heads the studio today.


Wiki Bio
Tutti Camarata
Salvador "Tutti" Camarata (May 11, 1913 - April 13, 2005) was a composer, arranger and trumpeter.

Early life and career
Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Camarata studied music at Juilliard School in New York - a student of Bernard Wagenaar, Joseph Littau, Cesare Sodero, and Jan Meyerowitz. His early career was as a trumpet player for bands such as Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and others, eventually becoming the lead trumpet and arranger for Jimmy Dorsey (arranging such hits as Tangerine, Green Eyes and Yours). He also did arranging for Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and many others. He conducted and orchestrated a recording of Jascha Heifetz, the legendary violinist.

During World War II, he served as a flight instructor in the Army Air Forces.

London Records
In 1944, J. Arthur Rank summoned him to London, England, to write a musical score for the film London Town. He became good friends with Sir Edward Lewis, CEO of the U.K. arm of British Decca, and often visited Bridge House in Felsted (this was Sir Edward And Lady Lewis' summer home) and the two founded London Records with the aim of distributing classical music from the U.K. in the U.S. market.[1] One of his assignments was to see that London Records maintained the best classical catalog in the industry. In addition to his "administrative" duties at London Records he also served as a classical artist orchestrating and conducting a number of classical albums including the works of Puccini, Verdi, Bach, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff.

Joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1948, his popular songs and instrumentals include Mutiny in the Brass Section, Story of the Stars, Hollywood Pastime, Dixieland Detour, Moonlight Masquerade, Louis, and No More. He also composed the work Verdiana Suite.
He also recorded other albums, including the popular Tutti's Trumpets (1957) and Tutti's Trombones, titles which featured his compositions and arrangements and are considered classics of the genre.

Sunset Sound Recorders
In 1956 Walt Disney hired him to form Disneyland Records and to be Music Director and producer for the label. Camarata had suggested Disney build his own recording studio, but Disney declined and instead encouraged Camarata to build his own. In 1958 Camarata purchased the first building, an old auto repair shop on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, that would become the location of Sunset Sound Recorders. He produced over three-hundred albums there during his 16-year association with Disney. He scored several albums at Disney to help children gain a knowledge of, and love for, classical music.

By the early 1960s, Sunset Sound Recorders became an independent recording studio - and remains so to this day - one of the largest independents in the industry. Clients over the years have included: Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Miles Davis, Carly Simon, The Doors, Herb Alpert, Jackie DeShannon, Brazil '66, Ricky Nelson, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Macy Gray, Bee Gees, the Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Dave Grusin, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Lee Ritenour, Fourplay, Richard Thompson, Yes, Brian Wilson, Beach Boys, Annette Funicello, Louis Armstrong, The Bangles, Fishbone, Randy Newman, Sly and The Family Stone, Tom Petty, Sheena Easton, Patti Austin, Aaron Neville, Sam Cooke, The Turtles, Lovin' Spoonful, Buffalo Springfield, Janis Joplin, Genesis, Kenny Loggins, Jackson Browne, Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Celine Dion, Earl Klugh, Alanis Morissette, Toto, Robert Palmer, Aretha Franklin, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Holliday, Olivia Newton-John, Melissa Manchester, Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack, Rick James, Andy Williams, and many, many more.

Television and cinema work
Camarata was the musical conductor for several TV series, including Startime, The Vic Damone Show and The Alcoa Hour. He was also the vocal supervisor for the 1963 movie Summer Magic, which included musical performances by Hayley Mills and Burl Ives. A great many Disney movie sound tracks were also made at Sunset.

Sound Factory
In November 1981, Camarata would also purchase The Sound Factory, previously owned by David Hassinger. Like the Sunset Sound studios, the Sound Factory is one of the top recording studios in Hollywood, and has been used by many top music artists including Jackson Browne, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Ringo Starr, T Bone Burnett, Bette Midler, Richie Furay, Warren Zevon, Dolly Parton, Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips, Tonio K., Neil Diamond, Cher, Los Lobos, The Wallflowers, KISS, Kenny Rogers, Beck, Brian Wilson, Victoria Williams, Ben Folds Five, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Danny Elfman and many others..

Final work
Camarata's last album was The Power and the Glory on which he worked for four years. Once completing the arrangements, Camarata returned to England (St. John's Smith Square) to conduct a large orchestra and choir for the recording of the album which he had noted in one of his last interviews to be one of his most important works.

Latvian has just uploaded Henry Cowell's 'Ancient Desert Drone' in the performance by the Janssen Symphony Orchestra. This was uploaded by shamokin on 20 March of this year in the same performance.

Gentlemen...this is why I catalogued all American uploads and keep the catalogue updated on a daily basis ::)

It is, of course, perfectly appropriate to upload the same piece in the same performance if the recording is markedly superior but it would be helpful if that is explicitly stated.

As the compiler of the American Downloads Index can I respectfully ask members to check the Index before posting new upload links :)

Winding back the clock three quarters of a century, I've uploaded an orchestral work by John Knowles Paine: his Symphonic Poem The Tempest. It's four connected sections should last about 25 minutes according to the score, but in this performance the work has a duration of only 16 minutes and so I assume that it has had a hatchet taken to it. Still, I know of no other recording.

Hrm. Was the American Symphony/Botstein performance in 1993 of Paine's The Tempest broadcast (are any of theirs?)

It doesn't seem to be available for download unfortunately.

QuoteLatvian has just uploaded Henry Cowell's 'Ancient Desert Drone' in the performance by the Janssen Symphony Orchestra. This was uploaded by shamokin on 20 March of this year in the same performance.

Gentlemen...this is why I catalogued all American uploads and keep the catalogue updated on a daily basis ::)

It is, of course, perfectly appropriate to upload the same piece in the same performance if the recording is markedly superior but it would be helpful if that is explicitly stated.

As the compiler of the American Downloads Index can I respectfully ask members to check the Index before posting new upload links :)

My apologies!!! I didn't realize the upload had occurred -- somehow I missed it. I remember shamokin88's post stating he couldn't find the disc, and in the spirit of helpfulness I thought I would upload my copy. I didn't realize he had subsequently downloaded it. Makes me wonder what else I've missed!

My apologies!!! I didn't realize the upload had occurred -- somehow I missed it. I remember shamokin88's post stating he couldn't find the disc, and in the spirit of helpfulness I thought I would upload my copy. I didn't realize he had subsequently downloaded it. Makes me wonder what else I've missed! (//http://)

Oh, drat! In looking back over the American downloads folder I just realized I uploaded the wrong piece! I should have uploaded H. F. B. Gilbert's Dance in Place Congo! I will do so later, once I find my copy. I'll be happy to remove my post of the Cowell, if you like, Colin!

Sorry for the confusion!  :-[

That is entirely for you to decide, Maris :)

All I am trying to do is to help members to avoid using up their valuable time uploading a performance which has already been made available :)

Quote from: Latvian on Tuesday 12 June 2012, 23:59

Oh, drat! In looking back over the American downloads folder I just realized I uploaded the wrong piece! I should have uploaded H. F. B. Gilbert's Dance in Place Congo! I will do so later, once I find my copy. I'll be happy to remove my post of the Cowell, if you like, Colin!

Oh, drool.  I've been wanting to hear this for ages.  It's almost impossible to find any Gilbert to listen to - I have a string serenade on CD, but that's it.  Funny for someone who was once so well-respected as he.

(Well, maybe not really "funny", but still...)

Got in a chance to hear the Whithorne symphonic poem and poem for piano and orch. Sound to the side of course, much pleased especially by the inventive and intriguing piano work. Thanks!

As we are not exactly deluged by recordings of his music, I have uploaded yesterday's broadcast of

Horatio Parker (1863-1919) - Organ Concerto, Op.55 (1902)

:)

Conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite, no less :)

I had wondered what had become of a conductor who recorded a lot of good British music for Lyrita a long time ago.

Here's a resumé of NB's career:
http://www.tennantartists.com/nicholas-braithwaite/index.php (http://www.tennantartists.com/nicholas-braithwaite/index.php)

Thank you, Alan :)  I had not been able to access that link.

Any record labels looking for a conductor to record some more British music ??? ;D

Thanks very much Shamokin for Kelly's Piano Quintet - a real rarity. Unfortunately your upload of his Gulliver Symphony seems instead to be a six minute long piece of music for violin and piano! As the performance of the Symphony is by different players to mine (Hanson and the Eastmann Rochester Orchestra in very poor sound) I was really looking forward to it!

According to the sources I have examined, Edgar Stillman's surname is actually Kelley; this information may avoid fruitless searches under 'Kelly'. I just downloaded the score of the piano quintet from IMSLP and on the title page his name is shown as Edgar Stillman-Kelley but whether the hyphen (like Coleridge-Taylor's) was a professional acquisition I don't know.

I am forgetting my manners!  Thanks very much, Shamokin, for the Kelley Piano Quintet - downloading as I type!

It's quite a big, confident  piece and thoroughly romantic in its idiom. Thanks very much Shamokin. I see that 1907 is the publication date but IMSLP gives the composition dates as 1898-1901. The movements, by the way, are:
I. Allegro risoluto
II. Lento sostenuto e misterioso
III. Allegretto scherzando
IV. Moderato molto — Allegro

The Gulliver Symphony.

This particular glitch has happened before which is to say I upload piece A, confident that I am uploading piece A but it turns out when someone else downloads it it has turned into piece X. So here I am doing it once more.

As it is I'm increasingly sure that the two performances are the same performances. Well, we'll see. I think it may be all right now.

Is there an unattached piece for violin and piano rattling around loose inside MediaFire that has three times attached itself to one of my uploads? Can such things happen?

It seems fine now, thanks. As for the phantom Violin Sonata haunting MediaFire, I can't imagine how it could happen.

The Gulliver Symphony's movements, according to the library record at the Fleischer Collection in Philadelphia are:
I. Lento - Allegretto tranquillo
II. Lento rubato
III. Allegro agitato
IV. Allegro
I had always assumed that there was some extra-musical movement description too, but an internet search reveals nothing.

Latvian: I think Roger Sessions still counts as unsung (though not Romantic) and Seiji Ozawa has made, as I recall, two fine recordings of major works of his (his Whitman Requiem - When Lilacs (on New World?) - and his Concerto for Orchestra. (Hyperion)) :) Looking forward to hearing the Converse of course though (I hope Converse did not have to hear many Inversely Contrapositive jokes from mathematicians and ex-mathematicians like me thinking they were funny, but that's another.)

(Also Ozawa conducting Lieberson's piano concertos. Worldcat is a bit broken- or hacked- and turns up the wrong info here, a book where a CD is promised, and not of music either...)

Violin sonata- ah, I noticed that when I downloaded one of the two Clapp 9th symphonies, I wondered what had happened. Downloading the work again cured the problem.  But I am now very curious what piece, by whom, which one, the violin sonata -is- - did someone say they recognized it? :)

shamokin...

The second and third links for the Harberg Viola Concerto are the same. Presumably, if it it a three movement work, there should be a third but different link ???

Sorry. It gets too hot to think sometimes. I'll have it sorted out by my bedtime. I had a phone conversation with her this afternoon about her work.

It should be all right now.

Thank you for fixing the Harberg Viola Concerto, Edward :)

And what a lovely piece it is :) At times reminiscent of Vaughan Williams but, obviously, with a much more modern twist.

If you are in contact with her again please pass on my very best wishes to her and for her future as a composer and my thanks for the opportunity to hear a piece which in the normal course of events none of us would ever have come across.

Let me add to that.  It is gorgeous.  My daughter is playing the viola, and I look forward to exposing her to it.

The Harberg Concert is beautiful! I've alerted a violist friend of mine in the market for recording repertoire.

There have been several comments about duplication of repertoire. In particular mention was made of the Vincent Symphony in D. It might be worth mentioning that sometimes, an upload of the same repertoire might be a better sounding version of a particular performance. Hence, is such duplication to be discouraged?

And, as to the Vincent Symphony, there are two versions of the work. The Louisville recording features the original ending of the piece and the Ormandy performance, the revised ending.

Karl

I know that as the indexer of the American Music uploads one of the aims of the index was to avoid members duplicating works already posted...but I did also add to my posts the additional point that if the recording was of superior quality then that would, of course, be a desirable addition. I only requested that if this was the case then the poster should indicate that in their post :)

Quote from: minacciosa on Saturday 07 July 2012, 20:18
The Harberg Concert is beautiful! I've alerted a violist friend of mine in the market for recording repertoire.

I've gone to her website- she has written several works for viola--  I liked everything I've heard so far.

Dance Preludes for Piano, by Alex North
(http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/features/images/alexnorth_bw.jpg)

Radio Intro
Dance Preludes for Piano
Radio Outro

Joan Schlesinger, Piano

From the collection of Karl Miller

Something different from an American Composer that was best known for his film scores.


Wikipedia Bio for ALex North

Died   September 8, 1991 (aged 80)
Los Angeles, California

Spouse   Gladlynne Sherle Treihart (1941–1966)
Annemarie Hoellger
Anna Sokoloff

Alex North (December 4, 1910 – September 8, 1991) was an American composer who wrote the first jazz-based film score (A Streetcar Named Desire) and one of the first modernist scores written in Hollywood (Viva Zapata!).

Born Isadore Soifer in Chester, Pennsylvania to Russian Jewish parents[1], North was an original composer probably even by the classical music standards of the day. However, he managed to integrate his modernism into typical film music leitmotif structure, rich with themes. One of these became the famous song, "Unchained Melody". Nominated for fifteen Oscars but unsuccessful each time, North is one of only two film composers to receive the Lifetime Achievement Academy Award, the other being Ennio Morricone. North's frequent collaborator as orchestrator was the avant-garde composer Henry Brant. He won the 1968 Golden Globe award for his music to The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968).

His best-known film scores include The Rainmaker (1956), Spartacus (1960), The Misfits (1961),The Children's Hour (1961) Cleopatra (1963), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), The Devil's Brigade (1968), and Dragonslayer (1981). He composed the music for "The Wonderful Country" in a Mexican and southwestern US motif.

His commissioned score for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is notorious for having been discarded by director Stanley Kubrick. North reused themes from the rejected score for The Shoes of the Fisherman, Shanks (1974), and Dragonslayer, but the score itself was unheard until composer Jerry Goldsmith rerecorded it for Varèse Sarabande in 1993. In 2007, Intrada Records released North's personal copies of the 1968 recording sessions on CD.

North was also commissioned to write a jazz score for Nero Wolfe, a 1959 CBS-TV series based on Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe characters, starring William Shatner as Archie Goodwin and Kurt Kasznar as Nero Wolfe.[2] A pilot and two or three episodes were filmed, but the designated time slot was, in the end, given to another series.[3][4] North's unheard score for Nero Wolfe and six recorded tracks on digital audio tape are in the UCLA Music Library Special Collections.[5]
Though North is best known for his work in Hollywood, he spent years in New York writing music for the stage; he composed the score, by turns plaintive and jarring, for the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman. It was in New York that he met Elia Kazan (director of Salesman), who brought him to Hollywood in the '50s. North was one of several composers who brought the influence of contemporary concert music into film, in part marked by an increased use of dissonance and complex rhythms. But there is also a lyrical quality to much of his work which may be connected to the influence of Aaron Copland, with whom he studied.

His classical works include a Rhapsody for Piano, Trumpet obbligato and Orchestra. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his score for the 1976 television miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. North is also known for his opening to the CBS television anthology series Playhouse 90 and the 1965 ABC television miniseries FDR.

Awards
The American Film Institute ranked North's score for A Streetcar Named Desire #19 on their list of the greatest film scores. His scores for the following films were also nominated for the list:
•   Cleopatra (1963)
•   The Misfits (1961)
•   Spartacus (1960)
•   Viva Zapata! (1952)
•   Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

Music of John Williams
(http://mahawa.jw-music.net/images/class/williams_pilot.jpg)
John Williams and Ann Hobson-Pilot

1. Radio Intro
2. Fanfare for a Festive Occasion
3. Esplanade Overture
4. Radio Outro
Boston Pops
John Williams, Conductor
(Source- Radio Broadcast, Early 80s?)

5. Radio Intro
6. On Willows and Birches (Concerto for Harp)-I
7. On Willows and Birches (Concerto for Harp)-II
8. Radio Outro
Ann Hobson Pilot, Harp
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Danielle Gatti, Conductor
October 1, 2009

(Note, this is NOT the October 3, 2009 performance that the BSO has released as a commercial download.)

All from radio broadcasts.
From the collection of Karl Miller

Some comments.  Williams may not be an "unsung" composer.   The first two works are pretty typical Williams in an extroverted mode.   The work for Harp is much more "artsy", but the second half has some of the typical Williams flair to it, and I've enjoyed the work.  It's certainly worth a listen if you like that sort of thing.


There is a LOT of source material about this work, I'll share some with you. 


First of all, we have a video interview with the composer about the work,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6OsY5C6mYA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6OsY5C6mYA)

Of all the written descriptions, this one by Joseph  Dalton seems the most complete:

By JOSEPH DALTON
Special to the Times Union

The harp is typically an elusive, soft spoken star set amidst the more brash instrumental characters that make up a symphony orchestra.   The sounds of its strings, plucked or strummed, become precious moments within a more grand and sweeping score. As if for added mystic, the instrument is often entirely absent form the proceedings, since so much repertoire just leaves it out entirely.

Yet the harp will be fully in the spotlight this Saturday night when the Albany Symphony Orchestra presents "On Willows and Birches," a recent concerto by John Williams.  The soloist will be Ann Hobson Pilot, who was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 40 years, serving 28 years as principal.  The piece was commissioned by the BSO to honor her retirement in 2009.

"James Levine said they've like to give me a retirement gift and I thought a new concerto would be good to add to the repertoire," explains Pilot.  "Then he asked who I'd like to ask to write it."

Such an opportunity doesn't come often and Pilot says she spent about a week considering some of the big composers names of today.  When she settled on Williams, he actually turned her down, at least a first.

"He's an extremely modest man and said it would be too intimidating for him," recalls Pilot. "Eventually he said something like I'll give it a try and if you don't like it then put in the fireplace."

Pilot was confident that Williams would deliver something suitable.  Having also been a member of the Boston Pops, she worked extensively with Williams and knew his sensitivity to the instrument, as both composer and conductor.

"He seems to understand the instrument, but some composers maybe should be intimidated by the instrument because of the pedals," she explains.  "Lots of composers write at the piano, where all the notes are right in front of you. But the harp has white keys and the pedals make the black keys.  And there are certain things you cannot or should not do."

As for the title "On Willow and Birches," Williams has a famous fascination with trees.  A number of his other concerto works bear similar names, including the bassoon concerto, "Five Sacred Trees," and the violin concerto "TreeSong."

The 15-minute concerto is in two movements, as suggested by the species in the title, first willows, then birches.  The opening was suggested by a line from Psalm 137, which begins "By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept."  It continues, "We hanged our harps upon the willows."

"In the process of my reading about trees, which I do fairly frequently, I came upon a quote from the Bible," explains Williams in a program note for the piece.  "This fascinated me, the picture of harps hanging on the trees with the wind wafting through the strings making, one can imagine, a beautiful, very delicate, subtle sound."

That's followed by a more rhythmically charged second movement.  It also takes an image from poetry, this time that of Robert Frost, who wrote, "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."

"'Swinger' in our language has a lot of connotations," says Williams.  "I remember in my mind the picture of the little boy swinging on the birch branches."
The debut of the concerto in 2009 occurred during a troubled time for the Boston Symphony, just as its music director James Levine (who has since left the orchestra) suffered a health setback just after conducting the debut at Symphony Hall.  Two additional performances that week, including in a concert at Carnegie Hall, were led by two different conductors.

"It was challenging enough to be at Carnegie, and my first time as a soloist there," recalls Pilot.  The third performance, back in Boston, was her farewell performance and featured her as soloist in two additional works."

Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) is best known for his operas. But he did write a few orchestral works. I've added a few to the collection.

The  mediafire link(s) both download the same piece, i.e. Apocalypse

Apocalypse, symphonic poem for orchestra (1951)
I. Improperia
II. La citta celeste
III. Gli angeli militanti
New York Philharmonic
Thomas Schippers, conductor
14 March 1966
From radio broadcast
http://www.mediafire.com/?18sdtp4aq5rtzli

2 Symphonic Interludes from The Island God 
New York Philharmonic
Leopold Stokowski, conductor
16 January 1949
From radio rebroadcast [date unknown, probably in the 1950s]
http://www.mediafire.com/?9c2r21xwl3f2eu0

Well, that's because I uploaded Apocalyse twice! hahaha

Thanks for catching that. I've corrected the link to the Interludes -- I think. Try again now.

You wouldn't happen to have Menotti's Piano Concerto too, would you, Dave?  Maybe this should go in the requests, but...

No, the only recording of the Menotti piano concerto I've heard is the one by Earl Wild, which is available commercially. There are other orchestral pieces that I'd like to hear, like the Sebastian Ballet Suite.

I saw an LP of the PC decades ago, but I forget who the performers were.  Is the Wild performance (I presume available on CD) a re-release of that?

Yes. The CD has "remastered" audio. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, as I have the LP only.