DUPRE: Works for Organ, Vol. 13

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.

KABALE UND LIEBE

Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé stars as a ravishingly rich-voiced Violetta, alongside consummately stylish Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi and ever-thrilling US baritone Sherrill Milnes as Germont fils et père, plus an absolutely complete musical text, in a 1967 set that the Penguin Guide still calls “consistently satisfying”.

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REVIEW:

All three singers are excellent. Caballé is dramatically involved and vocally brilliant. Bergonzi is an ideal Alfredo, and Milnes is excellent. Some critics have not liked Prêtre’s conducting, but he supports the singers well. The minor roles are not particularly well sung, some just barely competent.

– Fanfare

The 1955 Studio Cast of Carousel was the first comprehensive recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s great score. Metropolitan Opera stars Patrice Munsel and Robert Merrill bring their sumptuous voices to the roles of Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow plus a cast that includes the future “Mrs. Brady,” Florence Henderson, Tony-winner George S. Irving, Gloria Lane and Herbert Banke. Legendary Broadway maestro Lehman Engel conducts this recording, of which Richard Rodgers wrote, “It is my hope that you will enjoy the splendid artists who have made this album as much as I enjoy them.”

Close your eyes, lean back and enjoy!

In October last year, I reviewed for MusicWeb International, the first volume of songs by American composer Margaret Ruthven Lang. She was unknown to me at the time, and naturally, I had never heard her music. Little did I know that I was in for a treat! Indeed, Volume I of Lang’s selected songs was a very pleasant surprise. The music was exquisite and beautifully matched the lyrics. It made me think: where on Earth had this composer been hiding all my life! For me, it was a revelation, which was why I selected it as one of my Recordings of the Year 2011. I have been anticipating the launch of the second volume. Well, it is here now, under the charming title of New Love Must Rise. I am very pleased to say that it does not disappoint; on the contrary, if anything, it is even better than the first.

In a brief interview to me, via e-mail, tenor Donald George, who performs the songs with pianist Lucy Mauro in both volumes, said of Lang’s work: “The songs are simple, eminently singable and enjoyable. They work in the singing voice”. For me, this is exactly why the songs have an instant appeal and the reason why one is happy to listen to them repeatedly. As with the first CD, the songs are organised into topics: The Garden, The Twilight, Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures and Tomorrow and a Lullaby. The recording opens with On an April Apple Bough; a gorgeous piece and one of my favourites in Volume II. Although not the most difficult to perform, its heart-warming, poetic melody immediately has you hooked! All the other songs within the Garden topic are equally beautiful but there are two that stand out and which I would describe as two mini-masterpieces. The first, I Knew the Flowers Had Dreamed of You, is delicate and lyrical. The second, Nameless Pain, sets a poem by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, where the music perfectly illustrates the poetry. It is vibrant, poignant and powerful all at the same time; if you close your eyes, you can almost feel the summer wind or the scent of the rose and sense the nameless pain of the poet.

These two precious gems are by no means unique. The second topic, The Twilight, begins with another of these little treasures, Song in the Songless. This is on a poem by George Meredith from “A Reading of Life”. It is an extraordinary piece, emotionally very expressive, almost operatic. It is probably one of the most difficult to sing but also one of the most effective dramatically. It works almost like a duet between the voice and the piano. Donald George does it justice and has here the opportunity of showcasing an excellent technique, with some very warm, confident high notes, a very fine crescendo and the right level of sentiment. The piano line is exquisite and engaging, particularly on its own when responding to the voice. Lucy Mauro’s delicate touch and flawless technique give us a luminous sound of great beauty, adding to the emotional impact of the song.

Besides the abovementioned little masterpieces, there is much to enjoy and admire. All the songs within the second topic, The Twilight, are simply adorable; often evocative of a certain romantic atmosphere that adds to the general charm. Then, there is the very funny, at times witty group of Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures, effectively performed by George and Mauro with humour and a real sense of fun. I felt like jumping in and singing along! The last topic, Tomorrow and a Lullaby, is perhaps, from my perspective, as a linguist, the most fascinating section of the recording. It includes a song in German Lied der Nebenbuhlerin and one in French Lament. These songs are not better than the ones in English but it is remarkable how well Lang is able to compose to languages that were not her own. It shows her versatility, knowledge and sensibility.

Tenor Donald George and pianist Lucy Mauro are in this CD, as in the first, in fine form. The musical rapport between them is transparent throughout, as is their obvious admiration for the composer. They revel in the music; their sheer delight is contagious and, like me, you will suddenly realise that you are smiling, all alone in a room, for no apparent reason!

I could go on forever, describing the intricate beauty of Margaret Lang’s songs, one by one, but then, this review would become far too long! To summarise: the songs of the second volume are as admirable as the ones of the first. Lang’s music is full of appealing melodies and sophisticated harmonies but most of all, the songs have a freshness, an innocence of days gone by. They are often deceptively simple but the more one listens, the more one grasps their delicate complexity. This collection of little musical treasures comes, yet again, in an attractive, colourful package as delightful as the music. There are some very interesting, informative notes, on the composer and her songs, written by Lindsay Kooth.

Finally, I would like to end by making a simple suggestion: Get the recording, close your eyes, lean back and enjoy!

-- Margarida Mota-Bull, MusicWeb International

Classical Music

Classical Music

Flautist Brandon Patrick George describes his debut album as a dialogue between the past and the future. It is indeed quite a leap in time from Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) to the Finnish composer Kalevi Aho, born in 1949 – yet he has included works for solo flute by both composers on this recording. There are also two important chamber works for a flute and piano duo which represent milestones in the repertoire: a sonata by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) and a sonatina by Pierre Boulez (1925-2016) – and so this release represents a walk through musical history spanning 300 years. Brandon Patrick George is the flutist of the Grammy®-nominated Imani Winds, and has performed with many of the world’s leading ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE).

REVIEW:

What strikes the listener on this debut release by Brandon Patrick George is the chances he takes. Until the final Flute Sonata, Op. 94, of Prokofiev, George plays perilously virtuosic works, with every detail of his playing exposed by hyper-clear sound. George chooses an intelligent program that begins with the Bach's Flute Partita in A minor, BWV 1013. George's crisp, sharp-edged performance is masterly. The pieces by Pierre Boulez and Kalevi Aho not only extend the virtuoso challenges but tie into the implied Baroque counterpoint of Bach's Partita. Only with the Prokofiev Flute Sonata does the music relax, and George with it. It's an exceptionally well-structured program, flawlessly executed.

- James Manheim, AllMusic.com

With a tally of more than ninety commissioned works for band, Matthew George and the Minnesota-based University of St. Thomas Symphonic Wind Ensemble are blazing the trail in spurring new works for the medium. The Other Side is the seventh installment on their ongoing UST Symphonic Wind Ensemble Commissioning Series. This golden volume has something for everyone: symphonic Romanticism, allusions to Surrealism and Abstract Art, and virtuosic solos performance, not to mention the unlikely pairing of a rock group with wind band. The music of Spanish composer Luis Serrano Alarcon bookends the album, starting with his B-Side Concerto. A rock/jazz fusion band and the symphonic wind ensemble tackle and support each other over the course of three sections in a concerto that Vivaldi could never have imagined. Nigel Clarke's Mysteries of the Horizon was inspired by the artwork of Rene Magritte, and the four movements are named after some of his most popular paintings. The performance features the virtuosic cornet soloist, also from Belgium, Harmen Vanhoorne, whom the composer had in mind while writing this dazzling work. Another British composer and another work inspired by art follow; this time Kit Turnbull and Wassily Kandinsky respectively. The title, Everything starts from a dot, is a direct quote from Kandinsky when answering a question about how he goes about starting a painting. Staying with Russia for the final work on the album, Serrano Alarcon's Second Symphony for Wind Orchestra pays tribute to the era of Russian Romantic symphonic composers. The emotional content of the music matches the powerful forces of the symphonic wind ensemble.

Classical Music

Bassist-composer-singer Brandi Disterheft's fifth album, Surfboard (October 30, 2020), is her most accomplished yet. Joined by two iconic octogenarian masters - virtuoso tenor saxophonist George Coleman and the definitive Brazilian drummer Portinho - and world-class pianist Klaus Mueller, Disterheft authoritatively and organically guides the flow on a varied program that reflects her capacious interests. Her kinetic, harmonically erudite basslines anchor ensemble interpretations of choice tunes culled from the blues, mainstem jazz, and the Great Brazilian and American Songbooks. She sings those Songbook numbers, and her own evocative lyrics, with an instantly recognizable voice that conveys vulnerability and emotional intelligence. And she matches the high bar set by her partners on a series of creative solos.

Vinyl LP pressing. 2024 release. Vintage George Benson vocals float over an orchestral reimagining of beloved American Standards & Soul Classics in this incredible collaboration with renowned composer and conductor, Robert Farnon. The brand new 10-track collection, once thought to be lost to history, was recently discovered in Benson's personal vaults and remastered to their original glory. With this new release, Benson also marks a musical return to the Warner Family - where he recorded such classic hits as "On Broadway" and "Breezin".

This enthralling recital by the young American pianist George LI, silver medallist at the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, marks his recording debut and launches a new relationship with Warner Classics. Captured at a live performance in the Mariinsky Concert Hall in St Petersburg, it presents a dramatically conceived programme of works by Haydn, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Liszt: a descent into deep darkness; re-emergence into the light, and a concluding, boisterous celebration. LI, now 21 years old, was born in Boston to music-loving parents who came to the USA from China. He started taking part in music competitions as a child and experienced something of an epiphany when, as a young teenager, he performed a Beethoven concerto with orchestra. As he told Pianist magazine: "All of a sudden I felt like I had entered a different world... It was a unique and amazing experience: for the first time I was feeling music a lot more emotionally, rather than just remembering the right notes and where to come in. Afterwards people were coming up to me and saying that listening to me had changed their lives. I was shocked. I didn't know before that music had that kind of power. After that, I just wanted to be able to find that feeling again."

George Szell's commitment to musical truth made him an intimidating figure - even among the other formidable conductors of the 20th century. His uncompromising quest for perfection drew performances of exalted quality from soloists and orchestras. In particular, his long tenure as the Cleveland Orchestra's music director (1946-1970) established it firmly as one of the world's great ensembles. This recording of Franz Schubert's masterwork, the "Great" Ninth Symphony, is one of the highlights of the discography Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra made for EMI. It is proposed here in the 2019 remastering done by Warner Japan.

In choosing Movements as the title for this album of piano works, George LI highlights both their structure and their dancing spirit: the 18 movements of Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze (supplemented by his Arabeske in C major) are followed by Ravel's eight Valses nobles et sentimentales and three movements from Stravinsky's score for the ballet Petruskha. "There are intriguing and intoxicating elements in this dance programme that captured me from the outset when crafting it," says the Boston-born pianist. "Broadly speaking, I love the effects of color and harmony in these works, as well as the general feeling of an evolution, or perhaps a continuous battle, between the introverted and extroverted impulses... The Davidsbündlertänze embodies the full spectrum of human emotion - despair, anxiety, sorrow, triumph, bliss, or pure love, to name a few... Another fascinating element in this program is the motivic and harmonic threads which connect the smaller pieces into a cohesive whole. Recently, I've developed a great obsession with learning how to weave musical moments into a single overarching architectural narrative. This program offers a different challenge - giving space for each musical moment to be it's own distinct individual voice, while also still maintaining the narrative arc..."

After presenting a program of gnarly originals for quartet on "Ultimatum" (CRC #1222), his Criss Cross debut, pianist George Colligan offers a beautifully paced trio recital. Mixing well-wrought originals with iconic standards like "Sophistcated Lady" and "Body and Soul" and such less-traveled repertoire as "Holiday for Strings" and "Three Views of a Secret," Colligan again displays the musicality and personal perspective that have marked his oeuvre over the past decade. In the rhythm section: bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart.

(2-CD set) This best of set was picked from 52 George Lewis CDs issued by GHB - Jazzology group. This collection covers the clarinetist's entire recording career from the 1940s to the 1960s. Musicians included are Bunk Johnson, Kid Howard, Elmber Talbert, Kid Thomas, Baby Dodds, Joe Watkins, and George Guesnon.

Features four tracks recorded with Rosemary Clooney in New Orleans in 1952, which are: I'm Goin' Home, Bourbon Street Parade, You Cooked My Goose and a Good Man Is Hard to Find. Features 14 other tracks recorded 1953-1956 including five with vocals by trumpeter George Girard. Musicians include Sidney Davilla - clarinet, Lester Bouchon - sax, Jack Delaney - trombone, Armand Hug - piano, Joe Loyacano - bass and Monk Hazel - drums. Includes the tracks: I'm Sitting on Top of the World, Roses of Picardy, Riverboat Shuffle, Doctor Jazz, New Orleans Parade, Dippermouth Blues.

Recorded in September, 1964 at historic San Jacinto Hall in New Orleans, clarinetist George Lewis is joined by de De Pierce, Jim Robinson, Mike Polad, John Joseph and Cie Frazier.

George Lewis-cl, Punch Miller-tpt, Louis Nelson-trombone, Joe Robichaux-piano, Papa John Joseph-bass, Emanuel Sayles-banjo, Joe Watkins-drums.

George Lewis-cl, Punch Miller-trumpet, Louis Nelson-trombone, Joe Robichaux-piano, Papa John Joseph-bass, Emanuel Sayles-banjo, Joe Watkins-drums.

This music on this album has become known as the George Lewis "Jam Session." This benchmark recording was originally captured on two tape recorders by producer Dr. Edmond Souchon on May 22nd, 1950 in New Orleans and features George Lewis, Elmer Talbert, Jim Robinson, Alton Purnell, Lawrence Marrero, Slow Drag Pavageau and Joe Watkins. This special release contains the complete session with never before heard outtakes. Souchon wrote the liner notes and there are photos from the session with a complete technical rundown of the material.

W. George Lewis-clarinet, Avery Howard-trumpet, Alton Purnell-piano, Lawrence Marrero-banjo, Alcide Pavageau-bass, Josiah Frazier-drums, Joe Darensbourg-soprano sax & clarinet.

Clarinet player is joined by Kid Thomas-tpt, Jim Robinson-trmb, George Guesnon-bjo, John Joseph-bss, Josiah Frazier-drms, 1962.