Robert’s Stäff Picks!!!

Don’t forget, the Music Library is having an LP Bag Sale this Friday, April 26 from 10AM-2PM in front of Bender Library!!!

This set of Staff Picks is dedicated to currently performing string quartets and new music ensembles/composers.

CD 5290 — Six Quartets, Op. 20 — Haydn

The quartets are pretty standard Haydn works but the cool part about this CD is that this recording is played by the Daedalus Quartet.  The Daedalus Quartet is considered a leader among the newest generation of string ensembles.  The members of this string quartet hold degrees from the Julliard School, Curtis Institute, Cleveland Institute, and Harvard University.  Min-Young Kim and Matilda Kaul play violin, Jessica Thompson plays the viola, and Thomas Kraines plays the ‘cello.  This CD was released in 2009.

CD 10048 — Meanwhile — eighth blackbird

eighth blackbird “combines the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band and the audacity of a storefront theater company.” The members of the ensemble  “hail from America’s Great Lakes, Keystone, Golden and Bay States, and Australia’s Sunshine State.  There are four foodies, three beer snobs and one exercise junkie.”  It seems like it would be fun to hang with these folks. Tim Munro plays the flutes, Michael J. Maccaferri the clarinets, Yvonne Lam the violin & viola, Nicholas Photinos the ‘cello, Matthew Dunvall percussion, and Lisa Kaplan the piano.  This CD was released in 2012.

John Adams

I often reference works by John Adams in my Staff Picks, and I honestly don’t think I could ever forget to mention him.  Adams is a North American based new music composer.  Once again, the symphonic version of my favorite opera, CD 9695 — Doctor Atomic / Guide to Strange Places.  This CD was released in 2009.

CD 10053 - Adam’s Lament — Arvo Pärt

Do you like Arvo Pärt as much as Ethan Hicks? I doubt it, but you should still take a listen to this fantastic Pärt CD that explores many of his works including, but not limited to: Adam’s Lament, Beaatus Petronius, Salve Regina, and Estonian lullaby.  This CD was released in 2012.

 

New Arrivals:

We have two new CDs and a new DVD here in the Music Library.

DVD 350 – The Ladies Sing the Blues – with Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Peggy Lee, & Sarah Vaughan

CD 10063 – Preservation Hall Jazz Band 50th Anniversary Collection (a 4 disc set!)

CD 10070 – La Belle et la Bête (The Beauty and the Beast) complete film score from 1946, by Georges Auric – Axios Chorus, Moscow Symphony Orchestra

 

Robert’s Staff Picks

CD 3538 -  At Folsom Prison – Johnny Cash

In honor of Johnny Cash’s birthday (2/26), I’m picking one a Johnny Cash CD from the Music Library’s collection.  Here’s the transcription of part of Cash’s handwritten notes about “Folsom Prison Blues” that can be found in the liner notes:”The culture of a thousand years is shattered with the clanging of the cell door behind you.  Life outside, behind you immediately becomes unreal.  You begin to not care that it exists.  All you have with you in the cell is your bare animal instincts.”

CD 10051 – True Bluegrass Banjo

Bluegrass music exploded with a bang in the mid 1940s, and the instrument most responsible for the growing popularity of the music was the 5-string banjo as played by the masterful Earl Scruggs.  Scruggs inspired literally thousands of musicians to learn a new way of picking the banjo, and many of these artists went on to inspire countless others with this fascinating new style.  This is a CD that the Music Library recently acquired. I’m obsessed with it.  If you hear banjo music in Katzen–Wednesday mornings from 9:00-11:30–don’t be alarmed…I’m just jamming in the Music Library.

CD 9834 – Harmonium The Klinghoffer Choruses – John Adams

This CD is a great introduction to contemporary opera.  John Adams is also the composer of my favorite contemporary opera–Dr. Atomic.  The Death of Klinghoffer tells the story of the 1984 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro by four Palestinian commandos and the subsequent killing of Leon Klinghoffer, a Jewish American passenger, whose body was thrown overboard in the wheelchair to which he had been confined.  Sounds like a pretty interesting opera to me.

CD 6753 – Ruffo

Ruffo Titta, (he reversed his names for the stage) was born in Pisa.  Coming from a large and poor family, Ruffo had an unhappy childhood and received no education.  From an early age he assisted his father as a blacksmith, but because of continued friction between them, Ruffo left home.  By the age of eighteen he had discovered his fine baritone voice and was admitted to the Santa Cecilia in Rome, becoming a pupil of the celebrated teacher, Persichini.  He’s a very interesting musician.

CD 6771 – Legendary Tenors & CD 6772 – Legendary Baritones

These two CDs are fantastic if you want to listen to the progression of styles of singing.  If you’re a baritone looking for new repertoire, I recommend listening to “Legendary Baritones.”  If you’re a tenor looking for new repertoire, I recommend you listen to “Legendary Tenors.”  Both CDs can be very informative.

Medici.tv – Virtual Classical Concert Hall

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Medici TV, you should take some time out of your busy schedule and go watch an opera…or a symphonic concert.

 

 

 

Opera Lafayette presents : Lalla Roukh 1/26/2013

Opera Lafayette continues its exploration and rediscovery of the repertoire of the Paris Opéra Comique, venturing into the 19th century to present the modern premiere of Félicien David’s important musical landmark of the orientalist movement, based on the poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. David’s lush and inventive score, which frames a story set on the road from Delhi to Samarkand, was considered his masterpiece. It held the Paris stage for twenty years after its debut in 1862, where it shared the stage with an opera by Monsigny. Opera Lafayette’s production features a collaboration with Kalanidhi Dance, which will bring a ravishing visual element to the ballets that accompany this opera’s captivating melodies and elaborate ensembles.

The performance is on January 26, 2013.  Student tickets are 50% off of the posted prices.  If you want to purchase a student ticket, please call 202.546.9332.

For a synopsis of the opera, click here.

New Aquisitions for the Music Library

Here are the newest additions to the Music Library:

CD 9985 – Breath – The Percussion Music of Stuart Saunders Smith

CD 9982 – Satchmo at Symphony Hall – Louis Armstrong and The All Stars

CD 9986 – Atlantic R & B 1947-1974 – Various Artists

CD 9984 – Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath

CD 9983 – Black Sabbath Vol.4 – Black Sabbath

DVD 333 – Magical Mystery Tour – The Beatles

M1010 .C15 C6 1960 – Concerto for Prepared Piano and Chamber Orchestra – John Cage

M2020 .C86 S8 1977 – Star-Child – George Crumb

 

 

Composer Elliott Carter dies at age 103

Elliot Carter, recognized as one of the most distinguished American voices in classical music, died at the age of 103 in New York.  In a career that spanned over 75 years, Carter composed 158 works.

Carter was born in New York City on December 11, 1908, and was first encouraged to pursue a career in classical music by his friend and mentor Charles Ives.  Carter attended Harvard University where he studied under Walter Piston.  Carter then moved to Paris and began his compositional studies with Nadia Boulanger.

In his lifetime, Carter received two Pulitzer Prizes, as well as many other prestigious awards.  He was named the Commander of the “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” as well as the Commander of the Legion of Honor.

Here are a few scores and CD that we have of Elliot Carter’s music:

CD 3910 – Emblems

M25.C373 T95 2009 – Two Thoughts About The Piano: For Piano

M25.C373 N5 1995 – Night Fantasies: For Piano

M557.4 .C4 1993 – Brass Quintet (1974)

New Music Library Item Acquisitions!!!

As you very well know, the Music Library regularly acquires new items that help expand our collection!
CD 9956 - Aural Borealis — Baroque Choral & Instrumental Music for the Christmas Season

CD 9957 – American Breeze — Musical Arts Woodwind Quintet

CD 9958 – Song Cycles with Double Bass and Piano — Allan Blank

CD 9959 – Little Heaven — Songs of Lowell Libermann

M 5 .M558 2012 – Milton Babbitt: A Composers’ Memorial

M 22 .C34 T36 2004 v.4 – John Cage Works for Piano, Prepared Piano, and Toy Piano

M 296 .E57 1973 – Ensemble for Recorder & Guitar

M 457.4 .O66 D822 2011 – A Ducal Fanfare – Tarik O’ Regan

M 298 .H87 E44 2012 – Elegie – Karel Husa

M 229 .L57 P54 2011 – Pieces for Violoncello – Liszt

M 485 .C34 no. 2 1978 – Second Construction – John Cage

M 685 .C34 .C66 1962 – First Construction (In Metal) – John Cage

M 1047 .M42 no.2 1998 – Danzon No. 2 – Arturo Marquez

MT 285 .W65 op.45 1961 v.1 – 60 Studies for Viola Solo – Wohlfahrt

Robert’s Staff Picks!

 

My staff picks are all over the place this week.

DVD 327 - The Audition:  This is a great DVD for those who enjoy opera or are training to be opera singers.  The documentary offers a look at the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions, where each year thousands of hopefuls face their fears and compete for a cash prize, the chance to sing on the Met stage–and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career.

CD 9808- Intuitivo:  The music on this CD was composed by AU’s own Fernando Benadon.  Professor Benadon describes this CD as “A collage of free improvisations.  My goal was to shape the players’ raw individual ideas into a spontaneously ‘coherent’ whole, all the while preserving and highlighting their unique subtleties of time and timbre.”

DVD 166 – Def Leppard/Hysteria – I really enjoy listening to Def Leppard when I’m not listening to classical music.  This is a really great track-by-track review of Def Leppard’s Hysteria album.

CD 5138 – Elvis at Sun (Studios) -  I’m pretty sure this has been on my staff picks before, but I can’t get enough Elvis. Take this CD home and listen to it over the weekend!

I also encourage everyone to check out Medici TV so you can watch Dr. Atomic!!! Use our databases!!!

 

 

1878 Edison Audio Features World’s First Recorded Music

 

For 78 seconds you–a part of the modern masses–can listen to the world’s first recorded music.  The recording starts with a man’s voice reciting “Mary Had a Little Lam” and “Old Mother Hubbard.”  The recording was made on a sheet of tinfoil ( 5″ x 15″) and was placed on the cylinder of the phonograph that Thomas Edison had invented in 1877.

For more information about the tinfoil “sheet music” click here.

To listen to the actual recording of the music, click here!

New DVDs at the Music Library!

We have some new DVDs in the Music Library!
DVD 320 – Show Boat

DVD 321  – Hit The Deck

DVD 322 – Deep in My Heart

DVD 323 – Kismet

DVD 324 – Nancy Goes to Rio & Two Weeks with Love

DVD 325 – Broadway Melody of 1936 & Broadway Melody of 1938

DVD 326 – Born to Dance & Lady Be Good

DVD 327 – The Audition

DVD 328 – Pina

DVD 330 – Love Never Dies
Come check out our great new additions!