Osvaldo Golijov - Oceana

Osvaldo Golijov (b. 1960)

Oceana

12 tracks; 1 hour

Oceana (1996)

Luciana Souza, vocals

Scott Tennant, John Dearman, guitars

Elizabeth Remy Johnson, harp

Jamey Haddad, percussion

Jay Anderson, bass

Gwinnett Young Singers

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Robert Spano

Tenebrae (2002)

Kronos Quartet

Three Songs (2002)

Dawn Upshaw, soprano

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Robert Spano

Golijov is one of those composers who are treading the line between "serious" and "popular" music. I could attempt to describe Oceana, but I would fail. It's a unique work with a very specific atmosphere, and everyone needs to hear it. That Golijov is extremely talented should go without saying, this music exhibits both incredible passion and understanding for the music of his roots and for the classical tradition. Great stuff.

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Milton Babbitt - Occasional Variations

Milton Babbitt (1916-2011)

Occasional Variations

4 tracks; 56 minutes

String Quartet No. 6

Occasional Variations

String Quartet No. 2

Composition for Guitar

Challenging music, to say the least. The two string quartets are great experimental pieces, conjuring up some really interesting sounds, and the synthesizer piece "Occasional Variations" shows why Babbitt was at the forefront of electronic music.

His death is unfotunate, but even worse is the fact that something like this could be released during his lifetime.

Comic Sans? Word clouds?? CLIP ART?! What is going on?! This cover confuses me in ways I didn't know possible.

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RIP Milton Babbitt

I can't say I'm extremely familiar with his music, but it's always a sad day when an artist of such stature leaves us. I will post something by him before the day is over. I remember reading his essay "Who cares if you listen?", and it is still one of the biggest shocks I've had concerning the philosophy of music, I couldn't believe that there were people who thought that. But the few things of his I've heard are interesting and worth a shot. So rest in peace Maestro.

Remember

I miss him, and I didn't even know him. Funny how that happens sometimes.

Rest in peace Górecki, the emotions and feelings you left behind will keep going forever, and I'm sure you are enjoying that sweet place where only your harmony can be exceeded.

Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians

Steve Reich (b. 1936)

Music for 18 Musicians

Steve Reich and Musicians

14 tracks; 67 minutes

If you're in any way interested in new music, either as a composer, performer or listener, this is an absolute MUST. It's basically essential listening. Reich's style is the most influential of any of the post-war era. I love this piece very dearly and it has had a tremendous effect on the way I look at music, as it has on countless other composers of today.

(One of my most prized possesions. Nothing derives more pleasure for me than burying my face in this score and immersing myself in the shimmering nuances of this work. It plugs me out of everything around me like little else does.)

Do yourself a favor and download this like now.

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Philip Glass - Einstein on the Beach

Philip Glass (b. 1937)

Einstein on the Beach, opera in four acts (1976)

Music and Lyrics: Philip Glass

Design & Direction: Robert Wilson

The Philip Glass Ensemble

Michael Riesman, conductor

3 discs; 20 tracks; 3 hours 20 minutes

It's been at least three years since I first heard Einstein on the Beach, and I still, for the life of me, cannot figure out what it is about. Suffice it to say it is one of the most unique works in both operatic and in 20th-century repertoire. This is a good introduction for Glass newbies if they take it in small doses, and it is probably, with Music in 12 Parts, the greatest statement Glass made during his purely minimalist period.

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Disc 1

Disc 2

Disc 3

Charles Ives - Symphonies

Charles Ives (1874-1954)

The Symphonies; Orchestral Sets 1 & 2

2 discs; 22 tracks; 2 hours 38 minutes

Disc 1:

Symphony No. 1

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Zubin Mehta

Symphony No. 4

Orchestral Set No. 2

The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus

Christoph von Dohnányi

Disc 2:

Symphony No. 2

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Zubin Mehta

Symphony No. 3

Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Neville Marriner

Three Places in New England (Orchestral Set No. 1)

The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus

Christoph von Dohnányi

So here's the deal. Charles Ives was a BEAST of a composer, and I don't really hear much recognition towards that fact, to be honest. Even at school he's just acknowledged as an outsider figure who just grazed and pointed towards most 20th Century trends. "That old beardy dude who sort of tried out all the stuff we're doing much better now."

Here's the thing, though. Charles Ives, before going out and doing the amazing ground-breaking stuff he did with stuff like the Concord Sonata or the Fourth Symphony, displayed some mad traditional skills in works like his ultra-romantic First Symphony, which is a step most modern composers altogether skip nowadays, leaving it to speculation if they do in fact possess such mad skills.

I'll say no more, just that Ives is pretty much unparalleled in the art of quotation and motivic development of the quotations he used, and the Fourth Symphony is crazy good.

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Disc 1

Disc 2

Frederic Rzewski - The People United Will Never Be Defeated

Frederic Rzewski (b. 1938)

The People United Will Never Be Defeated

Stephen Drury, piano

39 tracks; 58 minutes

Let me just say right off the bat, this is a difficult work, both aurally and intellectually. Rzewski is as eccentric and massive a piano composer as there ever was. However, if you can wrap your head around its incredible structural arc, you're in for a world of treats. This is without a doubt one of the most mindblowing set of variations this side of the Diabelli's. From Wikipedia:

"In general, the variations are short, and build up to climaxes of considerable force. The 36 variations, following the 36 bars of the tune, are in six groups of six. The pianist, in addition to needing a virtuoso technique, is required to whistle, slam the piano lid, and catch the after-vibrations of a loud attack as harmonics: all of these are "extended" techniques in 20th-century piano writing. Much of the work uses the language of 19th-century romanticism, but mixes this language with pandiatonic tonality, modal writing, and even serial techniques."

Sounds amazing, huh? I really cannot recommend this recording enough, and it has as an added bonus the original Quilapayún political protest song that inspired the variations. Truly amazing stuff.

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 22)

I bet he's saying:

"You pushed me into serialism, Bob, I'll get you for it!"

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 22: Robert Craft conducts under the supervision of Igor Stravinsky

15 tracks; 68 minutes

Song of the Nightingale (1917)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Danses Concertantes (1942)

Columbia Chamber Orchestra

Epitaphium (1959)

Arthur Gleghorn, flute

Kalman Bloch, clarinet

Dorothy Remsen, harp

Double Canon (1959)

Israel Baker and Otis Ingleman, violins

Sanford Schonbach, viola

George Neikrug, cello

Abraham and Isaac (1963)

Richard Frisch, baritone

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Variations (Aldous Huxley in memoriam) (1964)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Requiem Canticles (1966)

Linda Anderson, soprano

Elaine Bonazzi, alto

Charles Bressier, tenor

Donald Gramm, bass

The Ithaca College Concert Choir

Gregg Smith, chorus master

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Robert Craft, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 21)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 21: Sacred Works Vol. 2

15 tracks; 70 minutes

Canticum Sacrum ad Honorem Sancti Marci Nominis (1955)

Richard Robinson, tenor

Howard Chitjian, baritone

Los Angeles Festival Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Introitus (1965)

Gregg Smith Singers

Columbia Chamber Ensemble

A Sermon, a Narrative and a Prayer (1961)

Cantata

Shirley Verrett, mezzo-soprano

Loren Driscoll, tenor

John Horton, speaker

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Anthem (The Dove descending breaks the air) (1962)

Festival Singers of Toronto

Elmer Iseler, director

Threni (id est lamentationes Jeremiae Prophetae) (1958)

Bethany Beardslee, soprano

Beatrice Krebs, contralto

William Lewis, tenor

James Wainner, tenor

Mac Morgan, baritone

Robert Oliver, bass

The Schola Cantorum

Hugh Ross, director

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Track 13 (re-upload)

Track 14 (re-upload)

Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 20)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 20: Sacred Works Vol. 1

23 tracks; 69 minutes

Chorale Variations (1920)

Zvezdoliki (Le roi des étoiles) (1912)

Festival Singers of Toronto

Elmer Iseler, chorus master

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Ave Maria (1934)

Festival Singers of Toronto

Elmer Iseler, chorus master

Credo (1932)

Gregg Smith Singers

Gregg Smith, director

Pater Noster (1926)

Festival Singers of Toronto

Elmer Iseler, chorus master

Cantata (1952)

Adrienne Albert, mezzo-soprano

Alexander Young, tenor

Gregg Smith Singers

Columbia Chamber Ensemble

Mass (1948)

Gregg Smith Singers

Columbia Symphony Winds & Brass

Babel (1944)

John Calicos, narrator

Festival Singers of Toronto

Elmer Iseler, chorus master

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 19)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 19: Oratorio - Melodrama Vol. 2

9 tracks; 73 minutes

Perséphone (1933)

Perséphone (the Goddess): Vera Zorina

Eumolpus (The Priest): Michele Molese, tenor

Ithaca College Concert Choir

The Texas Boys Choir of Fort Worth

Gregg Smith Singers

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Ode, for orchestra (1943)

Cleveland Orchestra

Monumentum pro Gesualdo di Venosa ad CD Annum (1960)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 18)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 18: Oratorio - Melodrama Vol. 1

9 tracks; 72 minutes

Oedipus Rex (1927)

Libretto by Jean Cocteau

Oedipus: George Shirley, tenor

Jocasta: Shirley Verrett, mezzo-soprano

Creon: Donald Gramm, bass

Tiresias: Chester Watson, bass

Messenger: John Reardon, bass

Shepherd: Loren Driscoll, tenor

Narrator: John Westbrook

Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera Society of Washington D.C.

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

The Flood, opera for television (1962)

Text compiled by Robert Craft

Narrator: Laurence Harvey

Noah: Sebastien Cabot

Noah's wife: Elsa Lanchester

God: John Reardon & Robert Oliver, bass

Lucifer: Richard Robinson, tenor

Caller: Paul Tripp

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Gregg Smith, chorus director

Robert Craft, conductor (in the composer's presence)

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Discs 16-17)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Discs 16 & 17: The Rake's Progress

32 tracks; 2 hours 20 minutes

The Rake's Progress, opera in three acts (1951)

Libretto by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman

Truelove: Don Garrard, bass

Anne (his daughter): Judith Raskin, soprano

Tom Rakewell: Alexander Young, tenor

Nick Shadow: John Reardon, baritone

Mother Goose: John Manning, mezzo-soprano

Baba the Turk: Regina Sarfaty, mezzo-soprano

Sellem (Auctioneer): Kevin Miller, tenor

Keeper: Peter Tracey, bass

Colin Tilney, harpsichord

The Sadler's Wells Opera Chorus

John Barker, director

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

Download:

Disc 1

Disc 2

Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 15)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 15: 35 Songs

38 tracks; 60 minutes

Faun and Shepherdess (1907)

Mary Simmons, mezzo-soprano

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Two Poems of Paul Verlaine (1910)

Donald Gramm, baritone

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Two Poems of Konstantin Bal'mont (1911)

Nezabudochka-Tsvetochek

Three Japanese Lyrics (1913)

Evelyn Lear, soprano

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Robert Craft, conductor

Three Little Songs (1913)

Pribaoukti (Pleasant Songs) (1914)

Cat's Cradle Songs (1916)

Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Four Russian Peasant Songs (1917)

Gregg Smith Singers

Gregg Smith, director

Four Russian Songs (1954)

Adrienne Albert, mezzo-soprano

Louise di Tullio, flute

Dorothy Remsen, harp

Laurindo Almeida, guitar

Three Songs from William Shakespeare (1953)

Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano

Columbia Chamber Ensemble

In Memorian Dylan Thomas (1954)

Alexander Young, tenor

Columbia Chamber Ensemble

Elegy for J.F.K. (1964)

Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano

Paul E. Howland, Jack Kreiselman and Charles Russo, clarinets

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat (1966)

Adrienne Albert, soprano

Robert Craft, piano

Tilim-bom / Klabum-Klabam (1917)

Evelyn Lear, Soprano

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Robert Craft, conductor

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 14)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 14: Operas

14 tracks; 72 minutes

The Nightingale (1914)

Libretto by Igor Stravinsky and Stepan Mitussov

Fisherman: Loren Driscoll, tenor

Nightingale: Reri Grist, soprano

Cook: Marina Picassi, soprano

Chamberlaine: Kenneth Smith, bass

Bonze: Herbert Beattie, bass

Emperor of China: Donald Gramm, baritone

Death: Elaine Bonazzi, alto

Japanese Envoys: Stanley Kolk and William Murphy, tenors; Carl Kaiser, bass

Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera Soiety of Washington D.C.

John Moriarty, Chorus Master

Mavra (1922)

Libretto by Boris Kochno

Parasha: Susan Belinck, soprano

Mother: Mary Simmons, mezzo-soprano

Neighbour: Patricia Rideout, contralto

Husar (Cook): Stanley Kolk, tenor

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 13)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 13: Chamber Music & Historical Recordings Vol. 2

20 tracks; 70 minutes

Duo Concertant for Violin and Piano (1932)

Joseph Szigeti, violin

Igor Stravinsky, piano

Serenade in A (1925)

Igor Stravinsky, piano

Concerto for 2 Solo Pianos (1935)

Igor Stravinsky and Soulima Stravinsky, pianos

Piano-Rag Music (1919)

Igor Stravinsky, piano

Sonata for 2 Pianos (1943)

Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale, pianos

Piano Sonata (1924)

Charles Rosen, piano

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 12)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 12: Chamber Music & Historical Recordings Vol. 1

15 tracks; 65 minutes

Preludium for Jazz Ensemble (1937)

Columbia Jazz Ensemble

Concertino for 12 instruments (1953)

Octet for Wind Instruments (1923)

Ragtime for 11 instruments* (1918)

*Toni Koves, cimbalom

Columbia Chamber Ensemble

Tango (1940)

Columbia Jazz Ensemble

Septet (1953)

Pastorale* (1933)

Israel Baker, solo violin

Columbia Chamber Ensemble

Ebony Concerto for Clarinet solo and Big Band (1945)

Benny Goodman, clarinet

Columbia Jazz Ensemble

Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920)

Symphonieorchester des Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunks

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 11)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 11: Miniature Masterpieces

32 tracks; 62 minutes

Greeting Prelude (1955)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Suite No. 1 for Small Orchestra (1925)

Suite No. 2 for Small Orchestra (1921)

Members of the CBC Symphony Orchestra

Concerto in E-flat for Chamber Orchestra, "Dumbarton Oaks" (1938)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Four Norweigan Moods for Orchestra (1942)

Circus Polka (19429

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Concerto in D for String Orchestra (1946)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Eight Instrumental Miniatures for fifteen players (1963)

Members of the CBC Symphony Orchestra

Four Etudes for Orchestra (1928)

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 10)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 10: Concertos

15 tracks; 65 minutes

Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments (1924)

Philippe Entremont, piano

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Movements for Piano and Orchestra (1959)

Charles Rosen, piano

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929)

Philippe Entremont, piano

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Robert Craft, conductor (under the supervision of the composer)

Concerto in D for Violin and Orchestra (1931)

Isaac Stern, violin

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 9)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 9: Symphonies

10 tracks; 70 minutes

Symphony in Three Movements (1945)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Symphony in C (1940)

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Symphony of Psalms (1930)

Festival Singers of Toronto

Elmer Iseler, director

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 8)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 8: Symphony in E-flat, Rehearsals and Talks

Columbia Symphony Orchestra; Igor Stravinsky, conductor

11 tracks; 71 minutes

Symphony in E flat, Op. 1 (1907)

Portrait of Stravinsky

Stravinsky in his own words

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 7)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 7: Ballets Vol. 7 (Suites)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra; Igor Stravinsky, conductor

34 tracks; 74 minutes

Suites from:

Petrushka (1911)

Pulcinella (1920)

The Firebird (1910)

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 6)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 6: Ballets Vol. 6

16 tracks; 69 minutes

Pulcinella (1920)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Orpheus (1947)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor.

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 5)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 5: Ballets vol. 5

22 tracks; 67 minutes

Scènes de Ballet (1944)

CBC Symphony Orchestra

Bluebird - Pas de deux: Transcriptions for chamber orchestra of portions of "Sleeping Beauty" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1941)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

The Fairy's Kiss (1928)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor.

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 4)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 4: Ballets Vol. 4

29 tracks; 74 minutes

Apollon Musagète (1928)

Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Agon (1957)

Los Angeles Festival Symphony Orchestra

Jeu de Cartes (1937)

Cleveland Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky, conductor.

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 3)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 3: Ballets Vol. 3

14 tracks; 64 minutes

Les Noces (1923)

Mildred Allen, soprano; Regina Sarfaty, mezzo-soprano; Loren Driscoll, tenor; Robert Oliver, bass; Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss and Roger Sessions, pianos; The American Concert Choir - Margaret Hills, Director; Columbia Percussion Ensemble

Renard the Fox (1916)

George Shirley and Loren Driscoll, tenors; William Murphy, baritone; Donald Gramm, bass; Toni Koves, cimbalom; Columbia Chamber Ensemble

The Soldier's Tale (1918)

Israel Baker, solo violin; Charles Brady, trumpet; Richard Kelly, bass; Roy d'Antonio, clarinet; Don Christlieb, bassoon; Robert Marsteller, trombone; William Kraft, percussion; Columbia Chamber Ensemble

Igor Stravinsky, conductor

(Check out the pianos on Les Noces. Yeah, that's right, Barber, Copland, Foss and Sessions. CRAZY!)

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 2)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 2: Ballets Vol. 2

Columbia Symphony Orchestra; Igor Stravinsky, conductor

29 tracks; 65 minutes

Petrushka (1911 version)

Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)

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Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky (Disc 1)

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Works of Igor Stravinsky - Disc 1: Ballets vol. 1

Columbia Symphony Orchestra; Igor Stravinsky, conductor

25 tracks; 63 minutes

The Firebird (1910)

Scherzo à la Russe (1944)

Scherzo Fantastique, Op. 3 (1908)

Fireworks, Op. 4 (1908)

There's a bunch of incredibly good music blogs around, and I don't pretend I can add a lot to what they are doing. I don't have a particularly large or noteworthy CD collection, but one of my prized possessions is the great Sony Stravinsky set, which I believe is now out of print (though it doesn't go for much on places like Amazon Marketplace (30 bucks!? I mean come on, that's the best bargain I've ever seen, you'd all better be on it like a fat kid on twinkies)), and I have never seen it posted anywhere apart from a FLAC rip which at 22 CDs comes to about, oh let's see, a gazillion Rapidshare (yeah, Rapidshare) links and basically weeks of downloading to get. So here I am posting it in 22 easy to get Mediafire links! Yay!

This set is really really cool in that almost everything is conducted by Stravinsky himself. Granted, he wasn't the most gifted of conductors, and I've heard many people say nasty things about his interpretation of HIS OWN MUSIC! I mean, come on, this is about as real as it gets, in my opinion, and frankly, his Rite -though admittedly not as visceral and wild as say Ozawa's or Salonen's- is up there with the finest recordings of it around. Just sayin'. So get this amazing document of this great composer's music. Alright?

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Alan Hovhaness - Symphonies Nos. 4, 20, 53, etc.

Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000)

Symphonies Nos. 4, 20, 53; The Prayer of St. Gregory; Return & Rebuild the Desolate Places

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Wind Orchestra; Keith Brion, conductor

Hovhaness was an american composer of armenian roots. His output is both vast and extremely varied. He has works for all sorts of instrument combinations and also instruments you've never heard of. He was very interested throughout his life in learning more about the musical traditions of other areas of the world.

His music is immensely spiritual and gorgeous and really worth checking out. He's also amazing with counterpoint, his double fugues will have you running around proclaiming his genius. Ascending scales have never sounded prettier! Also, he does this great interweaving sort of thing with trombone glissandi like every other piece and it doth pleaseth exceedingly. So please get in on this (So Unjustly) neglected composer. He's really amazing.

Enjoy

John Adams - Nixon in China

John Adams (b. 1947)

Nixon in China, opera in three acts

Libreto by Alice Goodman; Directed by Peter Sellars

3 discs; 2 hours 24 minutes

Ok, on occasion of its long overdue revival at the Met next month (you're all seeing the HD broadcast, right? right?) I'm posting one of the finest operas of the latter part of the 20th Century. This is pretty much required listening if you're in any way interested in minimalism, modern music, contemporary composition and/or opera. It's supreme. I dare you to find a more rousing opening aria than "News Has a Kind of Mystery". Didn't think so.

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Disc 1

Disc 2

Disc 3

Also, 80's Adams looks like a supporting character in an James L. Brooks movie, amirite?

Jacques Ibert - Complete Chamber Works

(seriously, can not find a bigger picture.... "???")

Jacques Ibert (1890-1962)

Complete Chamber Music

Eleonore Pameijer; Pauline Oostenrijk; Hans Colbers; Peter Gaasterland; et al.

Beautiful chamber music by one of France's most (unjustly) overlooked composers.

Mostly remembered for his Flute Concerto and his orchestral pieces "Escales" and the light "Divertissement", Ibert has a not-modest-at-all chamber output in dire need of a revival. The Six Pieces for Harp that start off the set are sure to charm everyone and Ibert's wind writing is just masterful. A true gem.

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Disc 1

Disc 2

Carl Nielsen - Choral Works

Carl Nielsen (9 June 1865 - 3 October 1931)

Choral Works

Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Choir and Chamber Choir

Leif Segerstam and Stefan Parkman, conductors

I promise this is not a choral music blog! To prove otherwise I will be posting some instrumental music later today. However, Nielsen's choral music is too gorgeous not to post immediately. Of particular interest should be the Hymnus Amoris, which to me is one of the most beautiful and lyrical large choral pieces of its time. Lovely recording and a great selection for those unfamiliar with Nielsen's vocal writing.

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Thomas Tallis - Spem in Alium

Thomas Tallis (c. 1505 - 23 November 1585)

Spem in Alium

The Tallis Scholars; Peter Phillips, conductor

7 tracks; 43 minutes

Amazing choral music from the great British composer Thomas Tallis.

Included is the 40 part motet "Spem in Alium", one of the pinnacles of polyphonic writing, and the lovely pentecost motet "Loquebantur variis linguis".

The selection in this CD is flawless and it's one of my favorites, so here it is for everyone to enjoy.

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Nico Muhly - A Good Understanding

Nico Muhly (b. 1981)

A Good Understanding

Los Angeles Master Chorale; Grant Gershon, conductor

12 tracks; 64 minutes

Gorgeous and immensely satisfying choral music by successful young composer Nico Muhly.

It has that great minimalist twang, yet it shows a very learned awareness of the Anglican choral tradition, which in my book is goodgoodgood.

Enjoy

Purcell/Handel - Odes for St. Cecilia's Day

Hello, this is a music blog I'm starting because I have nothing else to do, and because music blogs have been such an important part of my musical formation, and I wanted to give something back and all that. So without further ado I'll start with the piece that gives the name to the blog: Purcell's Ode to St. Cecilia's Day (Welcome to all the pleasures), which is a delightful verse setting of some very lovely texts in honor of St. Cecilia, patron saint of music. Particulary amazing and satisfying to me is the incredibly beautiful connotations of the second person used in my favorite Purcell movement, "Here the deities approve", it has a weird air of accusation, urging you to take responsibility for the talents the deities lent you. I'm including another beautiful Purcell setting of Psalm 102 for good measure and another Westminster Abbey musician: Handel's own Ode to St. Cecilia. I've long since lost any record of the people responsible for the recording I'm sharing, but it's a good one, trust me.

I was recently in Westminster Abbey, incidentally, and I found what was written on Purcell's memorial particularly moving: "Here lyes Henry Purcell, Esqr. who left this life and is gone to that blessed place where only his harmony can be exceeded."

Henry Purcell - Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, "Welcome to all the pleasures" Z339 / Psalm 120 - Hear my prayer O Lord

Georg Friedrich Handel - Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (HWV 76)

3 tracks; 68 minutes

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