The choir of All Saints Beverly Hills provides a superb sampling of the current state of contemporary Anglican hymnody. Included here are numerous familiar tunes with descants old and new, and a few first recordings as well Among the latter is a tune by Thomas Foster honoring organ builder, C. B. Fisk. The choir is beautifully accompanied by Craig Phillips on an organ refined by Manuel Rosales. - Gothic Records

SCHUBERT: OCTET CLEVELAND OCT

Toto and session drummer Phillips and Kimmel keyboardist Babko are featured performing lots of great jazz music. This disc has Multiple 5.1 surround mixes plus HD stereo.

A glorious, joyous, tuneful celebration of the days of Silent Cinema.

Of course there were no soundtracks for films of the silent era. Music was provided, in situ, in cinemas, by pianists or small instrumental groups, and, very occasionally, by orchestras playing in large cinemas for important film premieres. Often the music played comprised odd snippets - frequently from well known classical compositions that fitted the locations, pace and mood of the on-screen action. Years later when these Silent Era classics were rediscovered, new original music was composed for them. Foremost amongst composers for silent films are Carl Davis – and William Perry. This Naxos CD is a celebration of Perry’s work.

William Perry’s Gemini Concerto draws cleverly on themes created for films of the 1920s; for example the ‘New York: Broadway and Finale’ quotes music written from: Show People (1928), Fine Manners (1928) starring Gloria Swanson and from King Vidor’s 1928 masterpiece, The Crowd. The Gemini Concerto was written for the Swiss identical twin sisters, Fiona and Ambra Albeck, featured on this recording. It was premiered in Greenfield Massachusetts in May 2010.

The Gemini Concerto begins with an ‘Introduction and Travel Music’ that is a fizzy, exuberant mix of styles beginning with a ‘we’re off’ train whistle sparking material evocative of accelerating train wheels; this sparkling Introduction has colourful harmonies and imaginative orchestrations and ensembles - piano and violin solos, chamber and orchestral segments - all in pursuit of adventure, discovery and revelling in nostalgia. The sense of the train proceeding continues with ‘Dublin, Celtic Air and Runaway Reel’ which is the Concerto’s second movement that has a typically Irish tune with a prominent violin solo. The third movement takes us to Berlin for a ‘Cabaret March and Berliner Lied’, beautifully evocative, reminiscent of that city between the wars. It has an exquisite poignant melody for piano and violin - the Berliner Lied – that speaks of sadness of parting. This movement is worth the price of the CD alone. On to Moscow for a ‘Twilight Troika and Romance’ horses trotting through a snowy landscape; sleigh bells a-ringing before bells of a different kind introduce a sweet Romance for piano and violin à la Rachmaninov. In Vienna there is a sparkling and gaily romantic ‘Polytonal Polka and Waltz ‘Wiener Wein’ that sends champagne corks a-poppin’. Finally we land in New York for the Concerto’s glittering, jazzy ‘Broadway Ballet and Finale’.

Perry has drawn together music from three of his scores to form the somewhat less original, less inspired The Silent Years: Three Rhapsodies for Piano and Orchestra. The first of these Rhapsodies is on music for the 1927 John Barrymore swashbuckler, The Beloved Rogue which was a film based on the adventures of 15 ^th century rogue and poet, François Villon. Fanfares announce a swaggering devil-my-care theme for Villon. The suite includes music for court pomp and majesty and the requisite love music - material that Korngold would not have sniffed at - Blood and Sand famously starred Rudolph Valentino and Perry’s score is suitably exotically Latin, including flashing flamenco rhythms and music reminiscent of de Falla, for this Andalucian-based torrid melodrama about the fortunes of bullfighters. The evocative score follows this story of bravery in the bull ring, passion and betrayal and ultimate tragedy. Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush inspired Perry to pen music suggesting labouring with pick and hammer, comic and poignant adventures of prospector Charlie, a New Year’s party dance, Charlie’s shy romancing and his big gold strike.

Perry explains that he sometimes conceives themes that could be used to score film assignments he might yet receive. Accordingly, from such a store of themes, he has drawn together another brilliantly coloured suite of music entitled, Six Title Themes in Search of a Movie. Number one is a Dance Overture for an imaginary film that might conceivably be entitled ‘Wild Nights in Toronto’. It’s wild alright, bright and breezy and jazzy redolent of the roaring twenties with gangsters and their molls. Next we travel to France for a typically Gallic waltz that could grace such a film called ‘Raincoats of Dijon’; the obligatory accordion is featured prominently. Then it is south to Italy for a Serenade for a projected film ‘Angelus for an Angel’. The orchestration calls for wistful use of tubular bells. The fourth theme carries us off to South America and another Perry dream film, ‘The Bridge on the River Plate’. This time he uses stirring quick march music that he had actually composed for a silent film about World War I, What Price Glory; the soldiers must be in a happy mood judging by their whistling! Now comes a Nocturne in jazz blues mode for a film that might be entitled, ‘The Black Marigold’ – possibly a film noire set in a Manhattan night club? The final theme is for an imaginary science fiction film called ‘Voyage to the Dog Star’. This is a glamorous score that reminds one more of those Ziegfeld musicals and Bette Davis tear-jerkers than a sci-fi epic. The music might remind one of the grand Late Romantic piano concertos and there is a grandiloquent solo Siren Song from Irish soprano Helen Kearns as the space craft nears the fiery surface of Sirius. A wonderful way-over-the-top finale.

The RTÉ Orchestra and Paul Phillips play these colourful and melodic works with great enthusiasm and panache and mention must be made of Robert Nowak’s brilliant orchestrations.

Naxos have really gone to town with the documentation for this release. The 16-page booklet includes colour pictures of the composer and all the artists, plus full notes and even musical examples. ’Pity then that the dates of composition and films are not always given.

A glorious, joyous, tuneful celebration of the days of Silent Cinema.



-- Ian Lace, MusicWeb International

Anthony Burgess, celebrated author of A Clockwork Orange, memorably filmed by Stanley Kubrich, once said, “I wish people would think of me as a musician who writes novels, instead of a novelist who writes music on the side.” Initially thwarted in his desire for a professional musical career, Burgess returned to composition in the mid-1970s, writing prolifically in many genres. His music is mostly tonal but sometimes dissonant, a hybrid of Holst and Hindemith. Mr. W.S. is an imaginative evocation of the Elizabethan era while Mr. Burgess’s Almanack is a variegated work of ingenuity and charm with a nob towards modernism. This is the first recording of Burgess’s orchestral music.

The United States Navy Band is the premiere ensemble of the Navy, and is known as “The World’s Finest.” The band supports our troops and government officials through concerts, tours, ceremonies, and recordings, and has been doing so since its creation in 1925. Through its musical mission, the members of this historic group have served to inspire patriotism in its audiences, and to preserve American musical heritage. Designed to emulate a Navy Band concert program, this album contains a balance of patriotic music, marches, and concert band standards, all of which represent the very best recordings of this historic ensemble. Enjoy this exclusive production of the best of the Navy Band.

The trio has released a half dozen albums over the last 20 years, each with the freshness of a first encounter. There’s always a sense of discovery in their playing, as if it were their first time meeting. The trio seems somehow to exist perpetually at dawn. So the encounter in Lucerne in December, 2021, documented on this recording but it was, at any rate, the first time they played this particular concert: there’s wisdom in the conversation. None of the participants rush to dominate the discussion.

‘… a score truly inspired by a tragic event (9/11) and one that is likely to transcend it.’ – Peter G. Davis, New York Magazine Thus did a leading critic sum up the remarkable Concerto for Clarinet (chamber orchestra version) by Ellen Taafe Zwilich, one of America’s cutting-edge contemporary composers. And this is but one of this release’s four vibrant modern chamber works for clarinet and various chamber ensembles by major composers: music that greatly enriches the modern chamber repertoire. Filling out the fascinating program are Aaron Copland’s brisk and brainy Sextet for Clarinet, Piano and String Quartet, Stephen Hartke’s delightfully wacky The Horse with the Lavender Eye, and Aaron Jay Kernis’ richly evocative Trio in Red. The performers – all among the finest soloists and chamber artists anywhere – are drawn from the ranks of Chamber Music Northwest and its legendary director, renowned clarinet virtuoso David Shifrin.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Ongs are simply the most sensuous kind of fun one can have with the combination of words and music,' remarks Scott Wheeler, composer of the highly praised the Construction of Boston.

In honor of what would have been Henri Dutilleux’s one-hundredth birthday, this commemorative box set is being released by The Seattle Symphony. This three-volume series is a critically acclaimed overview of all of Dutilleux’s major works for orchestra. This is an essential collector’s item for any lover of 20th century French music. The individual releases included in this box set have been nominated for a number of honors, included Grammy Award nominations for Best Orchestral Performance, Best Engineered Album, Classical, and received the Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo by Augustin Hadelich.

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REVIEW:

The defining recording project of Ludovic Morlot’s tenure as music director in Seattle, this luscious three-disc set is a compendium of the orchestral canvases of Henri Dutilleux, whose centenary has been celebrated this year. It’s all played with considerable refinement, but there are particularly special results when the poised violinist Augustin Hadelich joins in for “L’arbre des songes” and “Sur le même accord.”

­– New York Times (David Allen)

These seldom-heard Schubert lieder- setting verses by German poets including Schiller and Goethe- reflect the Romantic era’s artistic obsession with the classical myths and literature of ancient Greece. The resulting songs and duets reveal levels of fantasy and nobility rarely found among Schubert’s nearly 700 lieder. As performed by renowned artists soprano Susanna Phillips, bass-baritone Shenyang, and pianist Brian Zeger, these memorable pieces will come as a revelation to lieder fans. Listeners who revisit the “lost world” of Greek antiquity in this recording will revel in its deep, three-dimensional splendor: the combined genius of Schubert, two legendary poets, and three marvelous musicians.

An experiment that violinist Niklas Liepe dares to conduct here: to put the devil violin cycle of the Paganini Caprices into new light: 22 contemporary composers have participated in this experiment. Liepe plays confidently, without tears... differentiated in expression. A worthwhile experiment, wrote the press about Niklas Liepe's 2018 Sony Classical release "Paganini Project". The young German violinist had recorded Paganini's famous caprices in new versions for violin and orchestra in collaboration with the renowned arranger Andreas N. Tarkmann. For his new album #GoldbergReflections, Liepe has recorded, again in collaboration with Andreas N. Tarkmann, 13 variations from the famous "Goldberg-Variations" by Johann Sebastian Bach arranged for solo violin and strings. The violinist is accompanied by the NDR Radiophilharmonie under the direction of Jamie Phillips. Liepe has also invited eleven internationally renowned composers such as Moritz Eggert, Sidney Corbett, Wolf Kerschek, Rolf Rudin and Daniel Sundy to compose new variations on the basis of the Bach original. Tarkmann has transposed the variations into a baroque conceto grosso sound. These variations thus create a connection to the original and at the same time frame the new compositions, which bring the "Goldberg Variations", written 280 years ago, into the present. Anyone who is prepared to embark on something new will greatly enjoy this album. Bach's "Goldberg Variations" have never been heard in such an excitingly new and colorful way.

Part of the great French musical tradition and a member of Les Six, Darius Milhaud was an important avant-garde figure in early 20th century Paris. The Oresteia of Aeschylus trilogy arose from his lifelong interest in Greek mythology and drama, inspired by the expressive, syncopated rhythms of Paul Claudel’s poetic texts. In addition to innovative rhythmic elements, the trilogy exhibits complex harmonic techniques, particularly polytonality, which Milhaud believed gave him more varied ways of expressing sweetness in addition to violence.

Composer-Producer William Perry Has Played a Major Role in the Revival of Interest in Silent Films, Both Through His 100 Silent Film Scores and His Emmy Award-Winning TV Series 'The Silent Years', Hosted By Orson Welles and Lillian Gish. The Critically-Acclaimed Naxos Recording 'Music for Great Films of the Silent Era' (8.572567) Presented a Rich Array of Perry's Film Music; This Companion Volume Offers a Further View of Perry's Colorful, Exuberant Writing, Including His New Silent Film Heroines Song-Suite for Mezzo-Soprano and Orchestra, Celebrating Eight Legendary Silent Cinema Actresses. Perry's Supremely Melodic Sense of Period and Style Captures Perfectly the Romance, Grandeur and Humor of Those Entertaining Days When Movies Were Movies!

EL LEON DE OROAMARAE MORTI

CD reissue of this 1981 album. Flip Phillips was an American jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He is best remembered for his work with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts from 1946 to 1957. Phillips performed in a variety of genres, including mainstream jazz, swing, and jump blues.