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Sterling have just released two new CDs:
- Paul Graener: Wiener Sinfonie, Die Flöte von Sanssouci, Turmwächterlied & Flute Concerto (PhO Altenburg-Gera - Eric Solén). Gorgeous late romantic stuff, and a very good recording (the only other one is by Graener and therefore from the 1930s)
- Emil Sjögren: Songs, by Katarina Pilotti and Kristina Balstedt. Not bad either; Sjögren should be placed among Scandinavian songwriters such as Rangström and Larsson.

Edit: Have spent yesterday and today listening to the Graener. Really a very good release indeed!

The Flemish label Phaedra (I could say Belgian, but maybe that country doens't exist any more by the time you read this) has released, and is going to release, some interesting Flemish music:
- Works for piano by August de Boeck, played by Jozef de Beenhouwer (In Flanders' Fields, vol. 64)

Among the upcoming releases are:
- Jef van Hoof, Symphony No. 2, Symphonic Poem 'Perseus' and the overture 'Memories' (Janacek PhO - Ivo Venkov)
- Chamber works for horn, a.o. Joseph Ryelandt's Horn Sonata

Lovers of the unsung will be glad to know that eMusic has just listed a veritable avalanche of live recordings made by Leon Botstein's American Symphony Orchestra. Se: http://www.emusic.com/artist/American-Symphony-Orchestra-MP3-Download/11486166.html. Included are, among others:
* Raff's The Tempest
* Marx' Herbstsinfonie
* Bantock's Prelude to 'The Bacchanals'
* Some Cowell symphonies
* Braunfels' Don Juan
* Brüll's overture Das goldene Kreuz
* Hausegger's Wieland der Schmied
* Rubin's Fourth Symphony, Dies Irae
* Paul von Klenau's Klein Idas Blumen
* Casella's Italia
and lots of others. Worth a peek.

Hi all, I would ask you to read David Pogue's column in the New York Times:

From http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/08/no-easy-answers-in-the-copyright-debate/?scp=1&sq=pogue%20copyright&st=cse (registration necessary)

The last part of the column is of particular interest to us. Pogue quotes from a letter he received:
"[...] But copyright, like the people who originate the material and the industries that promulgate it, has a lifespan. I think the classical piano sheet music world gives a glimpse of the end state — out of the ashes of the music business, comes the rebirth of the musician business (as John Perry Barlow once said). It also, more importantly, shows what happens when a society does a poor, random job of preserving their cultural heritage to nurture future generations."

The comments have some interesting insights, as well (and a lot of not-so-relevant or insightful ones, of course).

Sterling has just released a new CD with a collection of works for choir, orchestra and (in one case) piano. For some reason my expectations weren't that high (compared to their previous release), but boy, was I wrong. Every single piece here is a real eye-opener, and reminds you of the reason for this forum's existence. Compliments to Bo Hyttner and Mark Thomas for having made this milestone possible!

p.s. just to make sure, I have no commercial interest in Sterling. I just think that any half-decent Raff admirer ought to own one of these.

Hi all,

At last I appear to have saved up enough money to buy an English Horn (or alto oboe). I've wanted to play one for years, but the fact that it is a ludicrously expensive instrument kept me from it. However, thanks to some favourable economics (for me personally if not for the remainder of the planet) it now seems as though I might fullfil my wish.

However, the literature for the music appears - using understatement - to be quite sparse. Does any of you know about concertante or chamber works that prominently features the English horn? I'm not claiming to be up to Paganini-esque levels within a week, but I'd like to look over some material if it's there.

[Sergei Bortkiewicz, Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 22]

A while ago I received a recording of Bortkiewicz' Violin and Cello Concertos from a fellow forum member. Since it now seems that these recordings are copyright-free (something with the state and art for the people and all that) we've decided to post them here.

You can click the links below to listen the MP3 files (use right-click to download) in your browser. The Violin Concerto is in three movements, the Cello Concerto in two.

They are Ukranian in origin, but we don't know much about the performers (if you know, please tell us). Recordings aren't great, particularly the Cello Concerto, but good enough to appreciate what fine works these are. The links will remain active for two weeks.

Sergei Bortkiewicz, Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 22
First movement: http://www.archaeopteryx.nl/temp/bort/vc1.mp3
Second movement: http://www.archaeopteryx.nl/temp/bort/vc2.mp3
Third movement: http://www.archaeopteryx.nl/temp/bort/vc3.mp3

Sergei Bortkiewicz, Cello Concerto in C minor, Op. 20
First movement: http://www.archaeopteryx.nl/temp/bort/cc1.mp3
Second movement: http://www.archaeopteryx.nl/temp/bort/cc2.mp3

[Research on conflict-induced migration of artists]

Hi all,

I thought you might be interested in the research topic mentioned below.

Ilja
====
Research on conflict-induced migration of artists

At Trinity College Dublin we are studying with Prof. John O'Hagan the impact of wars on forced emigration of classical composers born 1800-1950. It is an econometric analysis based on several countries that were the most relevant for classical music.

I am very interested in networking with researchers with related ongoing projects or similar research interests. Maybe somebody came across studies of conflict related emigration of creative individuals (artists, scientists etc.)?

Many thanks,
Karol

--
Karol Jan Borowiecki
Department of Economics
Room 3022, Arts Building
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2, Ireland

Office:  00353-1-8961083
Mobile: 00353-867943281
Webpage: http://www.tcd.ie/Economics/staff/borowiek/

Peter1953 wrote:"Interesting piano concertos are passed in review, some of which I have never heard off (e.g. a few on Ilja's list). Although the topic concerns the opening, I suggest we expand the thread to cover stirring con fuoco  finales as well.

Which post classical and romantic neglected piano concerto has a "fast and furious" finale?

For me the standard of the sung PC's is Saint-Saëns 2.

Unsung examples are in my opinion – here we go again – Henselt, Moscheles 3 and Scharwenka 4. However, none of these three examples beat the Saint-Saëns, I think. Which "fast & furious" finales do you have in mind?"

I've always had a soft spot for Scharwenka's Second Concerto, even though for much of the coda, the piano doesn't do anything. But it's definitely 'furious'

Other good ones include:
- Darius Milhaud's Carnaval d'Aix (not strictly a concerto, though)
- Dohnányi #1
- De Greef # 1 & #2 (Particularly Nr. 2 has a very careful build-up, recycling snippets from earlier movements)
- Charles Smulders' Piano Concerto (IMO the best piano concerto ever written by a Dutchman)
- Siefried Langgaard's Piano Concerto (Big, but without bombast, one of my favourite concertos)
- Again (sorry) Atterberg's Piano Concerto
- Bortkiewicz #3
- Pavel Pabst's Piano Concerto
- Stojowski #1
- Widor's Piano Concerto

And if you're one for OTT codas try Stavenhagen's first concerto, including the dramatic two last notes from the soloist.