New Arrivals — April 18

Enjoy this wonderful batch of music ranging from classical guitar to bamboo music.

Messa da Requiem; Quattro pezzi sacri — Giuseppe Verdi (CD 9679)

Istanpitta vol. 1: a Medieval Dance Band — Ensemble for Early Music (CD 9680)

Oklahoma! — Original Cast (CD 9682)

Brasileiro (CD 9683)

Mabel Mercer sings Cole Porter — Mabel Mercer (CD 9684)

Solo piano — Philip Glass. (CD 9685)

Bamboo on the mountains — Kmhmu highlanders from Southeast Asia and the U.S. (CD 9686)

Guitar Concertos — by Villa-Lobos and Castelnuovo-Tedesco performed by Pepe Romero and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields led by Neville Marriner (CD 9681)

Marlboro Music Festival – Serenade No. 10 and Sonata for Bassoon and Cello by W.A. Mozart (CD 9687)

The Very Best of Aretha Franklin – from the 60s (CD 9688)

Tommy Dorsey – with the David Rose String Orchestra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (CD 9689)

Ray Charles: Anthology – (CD 9690)

Edward Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Cockaigne performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Yehudi Menuhin (CD 9691)

Ethel Ennis – (CD 9692)

The Highly Anticipated Staff Picks by Johanna

I know that my last staff picks post offered some great CDs but this time around, the CDs will be even better, hopefully. Here we go!

Stokowski Encores – This recording is as exciting as it gets, just the pieces that the legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski uses for encores. Plus! Stokowski did all of the orchestrating on this CD for example pieces like Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (my favorite piece ever and the reason I listened to this CD in the first place) and The Engulfed Cathedral by Debussy. Guaranteed to take any rocking evening to the next level! (CD  1440)

To What Strange Place: The Ottoman-American Diaspora 1916-1929 – A while back, January to be exact, I wrote a post about Ian Nagoski and his 78 78s. To summarize this amazingly interesting story, Nagoski is a collector of old 78s but not just any old old 78s, he only collects ones with foreign sounding titles. What he found was that all those seemingly foreign 78s were actually recorded in the United States during a period where record companies brought in immigrant artist to make recordings to sell back to their respective ethnic neighborhoods. Nagoski discovered this and has since been releasing albums of these 78s and To What Strange Place is one of them. My favorite track of this album is the haunting Smyrneiko minore  by Maria Papagika. (CD 9614)

Mechanical Music by Gyorgy Ligeti – Ever hear a barrel organ? If not then you need to listen to this album. If yes then you still need to listen to this album, because it isn’t just music for barrel organ, but also player piano and 100 metronomes. That’s right 100 metronomes. I can’t really say too much more about this album other than that it is so cool and you need to listen to. Seriously though, listen to it. (CD 9538)

Complete Viola Quintets Vol. 1 by Wolfgang Mozart – Is the thought of finals bringing you down bringing you down? Then this CD is your savior. It’s all you love from Mozart’s quartets with a bonus viola. How can you say no? Probably because you can’t. Even if you are having the worst day of your life, for example if what you think is your father’s ghost, but is really your rival dressed up as your dead father, is forcing you to write your own Requiem which will probably lead to your death (if you don’t know what I’m talking about get this DVD from Media Services), then this album is guaranteed to brighten even your most sturm-und-drang days. (CD 9666)

Ohm +: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music  – Finally, my final staff pick is this awesome compilation of Electronic Music. This CD is great for those of us who have never heard electronic music before and for those of us who can’t get enough of it. Featuring instruments like the telharmonium, theremin, ondes martenot, electronic sackbut, clavivox and electronium. Including performances by artists such as Clara Rockmore, John Cage, Brian Eno, Olvier Messiaen, Steve Reich, Iannis Xenakis and La Monte Young (one of my personal favorites). Plus a DVD! So good! (CD 4976)

Performances by Esteemed Faculty Yuliya Gorenman

Check out these upcoming concerts with AU faculty member Yuliya Gorenman.

On Sunday March 4th, 6pm at the Sixth and I Historic Syagogue, come see the “What Makes It Great?” Program with Rob Kapilow. This will be an exploration of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 3 for Cello and Piano. Yuliya Gorenman, piano and Zuill Bailey, cello.

For more information visit www.wpas.org or www.yuliya.com or call 202-785-WPAS (9727).

The Gorenman Piano project continues with a concert of W.A. Mozart’s greatest works. Come join us in the Abramson Family Recital Hall on Saturday March 24th at 8pm.

Tickets can be purchase online here.

Finally, enjoy reading this interview with Yuliya published by MusicWeb International.

Johanna’s Picks! (aka The Best)

Here are some of my favorite CDs at the Music Library, they range in content from silly to serious.

Creampuffs From Vienna –  I love Viennese waltzes and this CD is chock full of them! Plus it has a silly name.  (CD 8063)

Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass – This is an amazing recording, I would especially recommend the last movement of the Mishima Quartet (No 3). (CD 6835)

The Goat Rodeo Sessions – If you haven’t heard of Goat Rodeo, or had a chance to listen to this album, now is the time to check it out. Featured on the Colbert Report, this CD is more than likely to brighten your day. Plus Yo Yo Ma! (CD 9529)

The Mystery Sonatas – This set of violin sonatas by early composer Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber uses scordatura, where the strings of the violin are tuned differently from their normal pitches. I’m working on a few of these for my senior recital which you should all go to! (CD 9523)

Little Richard, The Georgia Peach – Need I say more? (CD 9544)

Unsilenced Cell Phone leads to a Beautiful Musical Moment

Violist Lukas Kmit improvises on the ring tone of an interrupting cell phone.

78 78s by Ian Nagoski

15 years ago Ian Nagoski began collecting old 78s, specifically focusing on non-English releases. With recordings from over 40 different countries he has unearthed important pieces of cultural history. He explains in a short film titled, “To What a Strange Place” (embedded below) that while he was collecting music by foreign performers, most of the recordings were made in America. These performers were immigrants and their recordings were made to sell back into their communities. The music harkens back to traditions and communities that have been changed or lost over the years. Nagoski has created a mix of 78 of his favorite 78 recordings for NPR. He remastered and re-released scores of 78s and is currently on tour with this project, traveling to Baltimore on January 26. This isn’t the first time Nagoski was mentioned on our blog, a year or so ago we highlighted the Washington Post Magazine that featured the work done by Nagoski with music from the Greek immigrant community.

So Many New Scores! And a CD!

CD

On a Sensual Note – Spare Change (CD 9449)

Scores

Fisher Tull – Eight Profiles : For solo Trumpet (M87 .T84 P7 1980)

Tschaikowsky – Variations on a Rococo Theme, Violincello and piano (M1017 .T33 op.33 2010)

G.F. Handel – Aria con Variazioni, transcribed for cornet and piano by R. Bernard Fitzgerald (M261 .H27 HWV430 2001)

Christopher Rouse – Rapture (M1045 R.857 R37 2011)

Kennan – Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (M261 .K45 S6 1997)

Janacek – Capriccio for piano and brass ensemble (M1010 .J3 C3 1990)

John Cage – Music for Piano #1 (M25 .C34 M8 no.1) Music for Piano #2 (M25 .C34 M8 no.2) Music for Piano #4-19 (M25 .C34 M8 no.4-19)

Richard Danielpour – The Enchanted Garden (Preludes, Book 2) for piano (M25 .D29 E52 2008)

Melodious Etudes for Trombone – Joannes Rochut, Volume 1 (MT465 .B6 1928 v.1) Volume 2  (MT 465 .B6 1928 v.2)

Chen Yi – Angel Island Passages ; For Children’s Choir and String Quartet (M1546.5 .C45 A55 2011)

Wolff – Schonen met Veters : For the Workshop (M762 .W64 S3 2011)

A History of the Trombone – David M. Guion (ML965 G83 2010)

Solos for the Trumpet Player – selected and edited by Walter Beeler (M260 .B5 S6 1963)

Alexander Goedicke – Concert Etude; For Bb Trumpet (Cornet) and Piano (M1031 .G43 op.49 1980)

Haydn – Trumpet Concerto in Eb Major (M1031 .H41 H.vII31 1991)

Guiseppe Concone –  Lyrical Studies for Trumpet (MT 445 .C665 L9 2007)

Robert Baksa – Twelve Shakespeare Songs ; for voice and guitar (M1624 .B357 S53 2010)

Andre Previn – Four Outings for Brass (M557.4 .P75 F7 1975)

Stravinsky – Tango for string quartet (M454 .S95 T2 2010)

New CDs for You to Listen to and New Scores for You to Play!

CDs

Legacy: Violin Music of African-American Composers – Includes works for violin by Johnson, Morrison, Baker, Cargile and Hughes (CD 9446)

Ursula Mamok – Volume 3 performed by Heinz Holliger and the Sonar Quartet (CD 9447)

Scores

Gernot Blume – Shinkansen for Trombone, Piano, and Percussion (M 385 .B62 S54 2008a)

Elliot Carter – Brass Quintet (M 557.4 .C4 1993)

Alvin Etler – Quintet for Brass Instruments (M 557.4 .E7 Q5 1993)

Karel Husa – Landscapes for Brass (M 557.4 .H93 L3 1984)

Leos Janacek – Concertino per Pianoforte, Due Violini, Viola, Clarinetto, Corno E Fagotto (M 722 .J33 C62 2006)

Violin Classics – for Violin and Piano, from Intermediate to Advanced levels, includes works by Brahms, Handel, Schubert, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Dvorak and many more!

Intermediate Level (M 217 .V552 2008)

Intermediate to Advanced (M 217 .V554 2008)

Advanced Level (M 217 .V55 2008)

Start off the New School Year with some New CDs and Scores!

New CDs!

Jorge Martin – Cello Music, Yehuda Hanani, cello (CD 9442)

William Schuman – On Freedom’s Ground, includes American Festival Overture, A Free Song, Prelude for Full Chorus of Mixed Voices with Soprano, and On Freedom’s Ground: An American Cantata for Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra (CD 9443)

Still Life – works for saxophone and piano, performed by Noah Getz, saxophone and Andrew Simpson, piano.  Includes works by Simpson, Amram, Lincoln-DeCusatis, Van Brink, Pertout  (CD 9445)

Lines – works for violincello and piano, performed by Carline Stinson, cello and Molly Morkoski, piano.  Includes works by Bloch, Sessions, Harbinson Lutoslawski, Stucky, Waggoner, Weesner, Boulanger and Carter.  (CD 9441)

Eruptions – Orchestral excerpts for low brass.  Includes works from a variety of different composers such as Brahms, Mahler, Verdi, Strauss, Copland, Bruckner and Berlioz.  (CD 9444)

New Scores!

Debussy – 43 Songs for Voice and Piano (M 1620 .D3 K27 1961)

Chen Yi – Jing Marimba for solo Marimba (M 175 .X6 C5 2010)

Classical Pieces or Solo Clarinet – Includes works by Mozart, Spohr, Weber, Saint-Saens, Brahms, Stanford, Gade, Rossini and Debussy (M 72 .C5 2010)

Kronos Collection – Includes works for string quartet by Riley, El Din and Vrebalov (M 451 .K76 2006)

Peter Zambito – Athens Sonata for Trombone and Marimba (M 298 .Z35 A75 2010)

Essential Piano Repertoire from the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries – Includes works by Scarlatti, Bach, Clementi, Beethoven, Kuhlau, Schubert, Burgmuller, Schumann, Spindler, Tchaikovsky, Grieg and Duvernoy.  (MT 745 .E79 2007)

Bolcom – Fancy Tales for violin and piano (M 221 .B68 F36 2010)

John Harbison – Six Motets for chorus (SATB) a cappella (M 2082 .H33 M67 1995)

Prokofiev – Sonata Opus 94 for violin and piano (M 223 .P964 op.94 2011)

Musical Theatre for Classical Singers: Soprano and Baritone/Bass – Includes numbers from a multitude of different shows such as Show Boat, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Sweeney Todd and Wicked. Soprano: (M 1507 .M992 2011) Bass: (M 1507 .M9921 2011)

Lippa – The Addams Family (M 1508 .L547 A33 2010)

Glee – Music from the FOX television show (M 1527.8 .G54 2009)

Yazbek – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (M 1508 .Y39 D57 2005)

Finn – Falsettos (M 1508 .F22 F32 1992)

Some more NEW CDs!

Schoenberg – Pelleas Und Melisande, Variations for Orchestra, Violin Concerto and Piano Concerto (CD 5723)

Classic Brass – Works by Mlada, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Copland, Smetana, Grieg, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Bizet, Dvorak, Brahms, Ginastera, Ravel, Mussorgsky (CD 5705)

Sibelius – Symphony No. 3 & No. 6 conducted by Herbert Blomstedt (CD 5708)

Khachaturian – Gayane, A Ballet in 3 Acts, conducted by Djansug Kakhidze (CD 5725)

Tchaikovsky – Complete Symphonies performed by the Russian National Orchestra with Mikhail Pletnev (CD 5726)

Schubert – Symphony No. 9 and Overture in C, conducted by Herbert Blomstedt (CD 5706)

Mendelssohn – Symphonies 3 ‘Scottish’ & 4 ‘Italian’ conducted by Herbert Blomstedt (CD 5707)

Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring, Caticum Sacrum, Choral Variations and Requiem Canticles (CD 5727)

Beethoven – Piano Concert No. 5 and Grosse Fugue performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra (CD 5728)

Melartin – Symphonies 5 & 6 (CD 5729)

Prokofiev – Piano Concerto No. 3 and No. 1, Szell – Piano Sonata No. 2 & No. 3 performed by Gary Graffman (CD 5730)

Respighi – Pines of Rome, The Birds and Fountains of Rome performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (CD 5731)

Part – De Profundis, Solfeggio, ‘And one of the Pharisees’, Cantate Domino, Summa, The Beatitudes and Magnificant (CD 5712)

Charles Schlueter – Trumpet Concertos of Neruda, Haydn, Tartini and Hummel (CD 5713)

Brahms – Ein Deutsches Requiem conducted by Herbert Blomstedt (CD 5714)

Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 conducted by Herbert Blomstedt (CD 5715)

Brahms – Concerto No. 1 performed by Helene Grimaud (CD 5716)

Shostakovich – Symphony No. 7, ‘Leningrad’ performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (CD 5724)

Gade – Complete Symphonies, Conducted by Neeme Jarvi, No. 1 & No. 8 (CD 5717), No. 2 & No. 7 (CD 5718)

Part – Arbos, An den Wassern zu Babel, Pari Intervallo, De Profundis, Es sang vor langen Jahren, Summa, Arbos, Stabat Mater (CD 5722)

Prokofiev – Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 3, 5 & 9 performed by Yefim Bronfman (CD 5721)

Gade – Symphonies 7 & 8 (CD 5720), Symphonies 3 & 5 (CD 5719)

Sibelius – Symphonies 4 & 5 conducted by Lorin Maazel (CD 5733)

R. Strauss – Eine Alpensinfonie, Festliches Praluduim, conducted by Dave Zinman (CD 5734)

Glass – Symphony No. 3, conducted by Dennis Russell Davies (CD 5732)

Bruckner – Symphony No. 7 performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker with Nikolaus Harnoncourt (CD 5735)

Prokofiev – Sonatas Nos. 1, 4 & 6 performed by Yefim Bronfman (CD 5709)

Shostakovich – Symphony No. 8 performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Sir Georg Solti (CD 5710)

Orff – Carmina Burana conducted by Herbert Blomstedt (CD 5711)

Shostakovich – Symphony 8 conducted by Valery Gergiev (CD 5695)