The Gorenman Beethoven Project

What happens when you put Yuliya Gorenman in front of a piano and all thirty-two Beethoven sonatas? Something close to how my high-school chemistry teach described the fusion of molecules – MAGIC!

As a music performance major at AU I have the extreme pleasure of getting to know Yuliya. She is a truly incredible musician and pianist and even more incredible woman. Technically I don’t think anyone knows the piano better than Yuliya, and her interpretations of compositions brings tears to her audience’s eyes – Yuliya puts everything into the music she plays. And when off the piano she puts everything into life. As anyone hanging around Katzen Arts Center – people smile when they see Yuliya. Her stories about cooking and fishing and kids will brighten anyone’s day.

This Saturday Gorenman will preform Sonatas No. 27, 28 and 29 at the Abramson Family Recital Hall in Katzen Arts Center. If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, you’ll want to act quickly, this is a performance you don’t want to miss! At the last Beethoven recital I remember at least 3 encores, complete with standing ovations.

If you want to listen to Gorenman right now check out CD 4941, CD 4942, CD 4943 and CD 4944 at the American University Music Library.

Christoph Eschenbach – the NSO’s New Music Director

Conductor/Pianist Christoph Eschchenbach was named as the National Symphony Orchestra‘s new music director last week. If you’re unfamiliar with him and his work (as I was), here are some resources:

• He was the subject of the cover story of this week’s Washington Post Magazine.
• He’ll be playing in a free, all-Beethoven program with several other NSO members October 8th, 6pm, at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
• You can hear him right now on CDs at the Music Library. As a pianist (CD 8701), conducting the Orchestre de Paris (CD 3519), the Philadelphia Orchestra (CD 3700), the Houston Symphony Orchestra (CD 1698), and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchester (CD 1277).

Buddy Collette (1921 – 2010)

I saw in the Post today that the great woodwinds player, Buddy Collette, died this past week. He is probably most famous for his time with Chico Hamilton‘s original quintet, whose unusual instrumentation (sax/flute/clarinet, guitar, bass, cello, drums) still gives their recordings a fresh and unique sound fifty years on.

His hundreds of credits include film and television work, and recordings with such artists as Charles Mingus, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Gerald Wilson, Barney Kessel, Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee, Les McCann, Sarah Vaughan, and Stan Kenton, among many, many others, as well as many albums as a leader.

Marc Myers at the JazzWax blog interviewed Buddy Collette earlier this year, and it’s a great look at the L.A. jazz scene in the ’40s and ’50s, and his role in integrating the musicians’ unions.

You can hear him on Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session!!! (CD 5275) and on many recordings on Naxos Jazz.

New DVDs at the Music Library

Three more DVDs have been moved from Media Services to a new home at the Music Library. As a reminder, AU students, faculty, and staff can check out up to two DVDs from the Music Library for two days.

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Tom Dowd & the Language of Music

Music Library DVD 133

This is a fascinating and entertaining look at the life and work of recording engineer and producer, Tom Dowd, whose innovative techniques and mastery of recording technology (among other things, he pioneered multi-track recording) created the sound of Atlantic Records. His work can be heard on recordings by artists like John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Ray Charles, the Allman Bros., and Otis Redding.

Atlantic Records: The House that Ahmet Built

Music Library DVD 134

This documentary follows the career of Turkish immigrant and legendary record executive, Ahmet Ertegun, who co-founded Atlantic Records in 1947. Under his leadership (and later with brother Neshui), Atlantic signed and released records by some of the most influential jazz, R&B, and pop artists of the 20th century. This DVD features rare clips of performances and recording sessions by many Atlantic artists.

John Cage: From Zero – Four films on John Cage by Frank Scheffer and Andrew Culver

Music Library DVD 134

Dutch director, Andrew Scheffer collaborates with composer, Andrew Culver on four short films about and based on the music and ideas of revolutionary 20th century composer, John Cage.

Never Too Late

We recently received an anonymous package here with the following note and accompanied by a stack of scores:

We have no way of knowing for sure, since they predate the time when our holdings were barcoded and tracked electronically, but our best guess from the clues we found is that they were checked out some time in 1982.

Makes you feel better about that pile of overdue CDs, huh?

Esperanza Spalding in DC

People call her the “hope” for the future of jazz and instrumental music. At 25, Esperanza Spalding has carved out a name for herself as one of the top jazz bassists of her generation. Young, hip and incredibly talented Esperanza’s music is a mix of jazz fusion, Brazilian samba and part hip-hop. She comes to DC’s Lincoln Theater this October 3rd.

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Update: If you ‘Like’ WPAS on Facebook, you’ll be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to Esperanza Spalding.

New Arrivals 9/16

Classical

Beethoven – The Music for Cello & Piano - Laurence Lesser, cello and Haesun Paik, piano (CD 5294)

Romantic

Buckner - Symphonies Nos 7 & 9 - Orchestre Philharmonique de Berlin directed by Wilhelm Furtwängler (CD 6168)

Kirsten Flagstad - Richard Wagner, Carl Maria von Weber, Ludwig Van Beethoven – live performances 1935-1948 (CD 6344)

Classical and Romantic

Furtwaengler – Beethoven, Wagner, Brahms, Buckner - Orchestre Philharmonique de Berlin directed by Wilhelm Furtwängler (CD 7471)

Free ‘Opera in the Outfield’ this Sunday

The Washington National Opera will be simulcasting its performance of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera at Nationals Park this Sunday the 19th at 2pm – gates open at noon. For more information, check the event website.

And if you can’t make it to the ballpark, you can check out the opera on CD (CD 8264) and/or the score (M1500.V48 B3).

Calling all AU CDs:

Music faculty and alumni, the AU Music Library wants to give credit where credit is due:

We are beginning to compile a list of all AU faculty and alumni CDs. We want to publicize our talent at AU in a coming open house and display, as well as add these CDs to a more easily, search-able list.

If you have a CD, please comment here and I will add it to the bag!

Thanks!

the AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSIC LIBRARY connects with FACEBOOK

Welcome to Facebook!

Today the AU Music Library extended our internet connection to include the world of  Facebook. Be among the first fans to our new page! Check us out, just search for:

“American University Music Library”