Yet More Bulgarian Classics - Music of Pancho Vladigerov

I recently had a request for music by Pancho Vladigerov and here it is....from a 20+ year old Balkanton cd which I picked up some 20 years ago in a Bulgarian bazaar. Normally, I would not transfer from a cd but this is what I have in my collection. The disc features Vladigerov's most famous composition, "Vardar." A full listing of tracks is included in the download.

Enjoy!

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Charles Munch and the BSO in Don Quixote

Ah....Munch and the BSO! Like champagne and cavier, isn't it? I never heard a Munch BSO recording that I didn't find compelling; his combination of driving passion  and the BSO's smooth sound and razor precision certainly produced much to gush about!

Admittedly though, we really don't associate Munch with Richard Strauss but here we have an "on the edge of your seat" performance of Don Quixote featuring the great Gregor Piatigorsky with BSO greats Richard Burgin and Joseph DePasquale lending impeccable support. This Don Quixote is unlike any other you know and you probably know well Karajan, Beecham, Reiner and Kempe to name a few. It's subtleties are few but Munch manages to steer this music on, avoiding  sections that, in the wrong hands, can, and will bore the listener. I've always found this large tone poem the most difficult to engage myself in but Munch's performance kept me focused throughout.

So..maybe not a version for everyone, but still, a reminder of Charles Munch as a presence and a personality who had definite ideas and COULD communicate them to an orchestra, achieving sparkling though sometimes controversial results.

Enjoy this 1953 RCA recording.

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Havergal Brian's Symphony No. 4 with the "Edinburgh Youth Symphony"

Havergal Brian certainly was one of the most original, and possibly misunderstood, composers of the 20th century. Largely self taught, he is unique in that his early compositions required massive forces  and were sprawling affairs, while his later works were often quite compact in structure and instrumentation. As a composer, he wrote in practically every medium.

Here's an offering of Brian's 4th Symphony "Das Siegeslied" from an Aries LP. The performance is attributed to the Edinburgh Youth Symphony and Chorus but in fact, it is from a BBC Radio broadcast of 1974. John Poole conducts the London Philharmonic and BBC choruses with Felicity Palmer as soprano soloist. Interestingly, Brian set the text in German, it is said to attain performances in Germany since his work was generally not accepted in his native England. I could find no evidence that a German performance took place of this work.

This is a fascinating work, as most of Brian is. One thing is for sure, you can't peg him easily!

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Bernard Hermann conducts Raff's Symphony No. 5 "Lenore"

Conductor/Composer Bernard Hermann almost singlehandedly resurrected the nearly forgotten Joachim Raff with this beautiful recording of Raff's wonderful "Lenore" Symphony. A programmatic work, like most of Raff's symphonies, it contains lovely lyrical passages which depict idyllic nature scenes as well as stirring marches that lift the spirit, propelling the listener forward and upward. In spite of some just criticisms of Raff's body of  opuses, I will say that this symphony is a strong, determined and vital work; its a shame that it does not appear in the concert hall more regularly. In short, a solid 19th century work that suggests  Liszt, Goldmark, Bruch, Wagner and even Mahler at times.

Bernard Hermann prepared this recording well. He had a great orchestra at his disposal and a recording team led by the legendary Bob Auger. Outside of few clicks and pops (this Nonesuch record was in a fair shape), I think the end result came out rather well.

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More from Hans Swarowsky

Yes...a few more items from the esteemed Hans Swarowsky. We have here Tchaikovsky's Little Russian Symphony form a Parliament LP and Saint Saens' Organ Symphony from a Urania LP. Professor Swarowsky conducts the Vienna Philharmusica Symphony Orchestra in both works; this orchestra is obviously a pseudonym for the famed Philharmonic, the Symphoniker, the Tonkuenstler, the Volksoper....who knows? Well, I'm sure someone out there has the answer!

These are good performances, well played with no mannerisms or eccentricities.  I find both works enjoyable and recorded  sound is pretty good  for the late 50's to mid 60's. LP pressings are budget so results are somewhat variable on that end. My hope is that this offering will lead to other transfers of Swarowsky's art.

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Haydn - Missa in angustiis "Nelson Mass" conducted by Hans Swarowsky

Hans Swarowsky - the name has featured for soooo many years as the conductor of such pseudonymous orchestras as the Bamberg Philharmonic, Philharmonia Slavonica, South German Philharmonic and London Festival Orchestra (the last not to be confused with Ross Pople's REAL orchestra.) Many have thought Maestro Swarowsky to in fact be a pseudonym but he was very real but unfortunately his name has been used as a rather scurriously to hide the real identities of other conductors...my, this is getting tooooo confusing!

The fact is that Swarowsky was one of the leading conducting teachers of the last century and his students have included Zubin Mehta and I believe Claudio Abbado. He was the Jorma Panula of his day and well regarded by his pupils for his insight, musicianship and broad repertoire. I heard years ago Mehta positively gush over Swarowsky during an on air interview.

Here is a real Swarowsky recording and it is a highly dramatic reading of Haydn's Nelson Mass, transferred from a Nonesuch LP. Haydn's masses are magnificent choral works and in the right hands, THE RIGHT HANDS, there is little that can better them for melody, spiritual meaning and inspiration. Listen to this recording and you will understand why Mozart referred to Haydn as "Papa"...the ultimate compliment!

This is big band and big choral Haydn. Those approaching this recording through John Elliot Gardiner glasses might be in for a seismic shock. However, the message and strong interpretation make them a vital statement for our times. At least I think so.....

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Union of Bulgarian Composers Recordings - Part 2

I received a number of requests for a second posting of recordings by Bulgarian composers from my collection of Balkanton recordings made in conjunction with the Union of Bulgarian Composers.

This second offering features works written after 1950 and those who like decided modern works in that spiky style with dissonances, tone clusters, sudden meter adjustments etc. will find much to admire here. I think that this, along with the first posting, offer a nice survey of how Bulgarian music progressed stylistically during the first three quarters of the 20th century.

The works offered are Mara Petrova's Overture My Motherland, Alexander Raichev's Third Symphony, Dimitar Hristov's Concert Miniatures and Alexander Tanev's Divertimento-Concertante for Piano and Orchestra.

I hope you, the listener, find much to enjoy here.

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