Riegger, Hovhaness and Cowell with Howard Hanson and the Eastman Rochester Orchestra

Another wonderful recording, Mercury MG 40005, generously loaned to me by Ray in Montana. This record had appeared on another blog and Ray felt the transfer did not do the music justice. He sent along his copy of the lp to me and asked that I have a go at it. More then happy to oblige since this is a terrific program from start to finish. Maestro Hanson put together a concert for this record, from a zippy opening piece to a concertante culminating in a sadly neglected symphony of stature.

The Riegger pieces, New Dance, is a gem of a gem. This is an awesome piece to open up any concert program. It's extremely accessible, driving yet not overtly forceful or in your face. This is probably one of Riegger's more "mainstream" works since he experimented with rhythm and harmonies on much of his music and it can make for rather dense listening.

The Hovhaness work is from early in that composer's creative life. It's tuneful, ingenious and not minimalist like much of this composer's later works. Delightful contrasts are heard between the movements which keep the listener fully engaged.

The Cowell Symphony No 4 is in the same tradition as the best of Copland, Harris and Schuman's symphonic works. I think this symphony can stand confidently alongside the best of the mid 20th century symphonies, surely a work that could be included on the short list for the "great American symphony." This work is chock full of great ideas that are skillfully developed and marvelously orchestrated.

Howard Hanson and his band of students, professors and professionals give each work its full due. Clearly, Hanson loved this music and was able to convey his feelings to the orchestra, receiving musical results that are an A+. Great record and thank you Ray!


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A Whole Lot of American Music

I'm going to do something a bit different today. I've got a bunch, a BUNCH, of recordings of American classics that I have transferred over the months and been sitting on. In one fell swoop, I'm offering them up here for some industrial size transferring. Here goes!

The first one is the jacket above of music of Ruggles and Cowell, a monaural Columbia recording, ML4986. Pianist John Kirkpatrick shines in Evocations! It's a masterpiece played by a master!

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Monaural ARS-38 - music by Henry Brant and Burrill Phillips.

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The excellent Beveridge Webster playing Copland, Sessions and Carter on Dover HCR5265 - monaural.

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Dean Dixon conducts symphonies of Cowell and Piston on ARS 112 - monaural. One of my favorite conductors.

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Music of Swanson, Diamond and Hanson of ARS6 & ARS 7 - monaural. Dean Dixon again along with the underrated Texan, Walter Hendl.

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Chamber Music of Harris and Diamond with Lawrence Sobol, clarinet. Grenadilla GS1007 Stereo. Mid 70's Super, super musicianship here.

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Longtime New England Conservatory professor Veronica Jochum plays MacDowell and Griffes on stereo Golden Crest CRS4168. Mid 70's. If you do not know Eugen Jochum's daughter, now is your chance to make her acquaintance!

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Have fun! Whew!

Dean Dixon conducts symphonies by Cowell and Piston

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of posting the original 10 inch ARS of Dean Dixon conducting Walter Piston's Symphony No 2. Good fortune has shined down on me as I recently found the "reissue" of that recording coupled with Dixon's strong reading of Henry Cowell's Symphony No 5 on an ARS full play album.

As I mentioned in previous posts, Dixon was a unique and gifted talent but, because of the period in which he was active, his native American audience would never fully come to appreciate the gifts of this highly principled, sensitive and intelligent man. Known and respected throughout Europe, where he settled during the 1950's, Dixon as a conductor was as comfortable in Mendelssohn as he was in music by Walter Piston or Henry Cowell. Astonishing for me is how he was able to achieve such an idiomatic sound from Viennese musiciansfor these recordings. The offbeat folksiness of Cowell and somewhat spikey New England sound  of Piston shine through without a forced or agitated manner. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that that under Dixon, these Austrian musicians sound like they are actually enjoying these two unfamiliar pieces which had no real place in their repertoire.

It is disappointing that Henry Cowell's star has diminished over the years. He had a great way of balancing modern techniques against the simple folk rhythms that formed the base of his creative style. I don't think him far removed from Virgil Thomson though oddly, Thomson has fared well though he was, in my opinion, not as original, or interesting, as Cowell.

I'm really glad that I found this very clean lp. Great introduction to mid 20th century American music.

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Music of Henry Cowell and Harold Shapero

Another wonderful issue from the golden years of Columbia Masterworks and God Bless Goddard Lieberson for imaginative programming. Henry Cowell's first violin sonata is paired with Harold Shapero's Sonata for Piano Four Hands. 

I really enjoy the music of Cowell. The breadth and scope of his work is immense. I don't think we really have a full grasp of his talents, from being ultra modernist to embracing the simple, native tunes of this large and complex country. Perhaps much of this has to do with his "lifestyle" which was indeed hardly conforming to the norms of the day, resulting in a prison time in which he never wore off the stigma of. Happily, the violin sonata is fairly conventional and classical in sound and style. Included is one of the "fuguing tunes" which would be a hallmark of Cowell's later works. The soloist here is the great Joseph Szigeti, supported by pianist Carlo Bussotti. I'm not sure if Cowell indeed wrote this piece for Szigeti but, in my opinion, the great Hungarian would seem to be the wrong soloist for the work as I do not hear a complete sympathy with the writing and Szigeti's tone is kind of thin for the required fullness, almost Ivesian gutsiness, needed for this distinctly American composition. I would love to have heard say, a Louis Krasner, Louis Kauffman or even John Corigliano in this work.

Harold Shapero, neoclassicist, is best known for his Symphony for Classical Orchestra which Leonard Bernstein championed. Shapero in short would be considered an American Stravinsky for his writing bears a strong resemblance to Stravinsky's neoclassical compositions. The Sonata here is a delightful work with neat melodies and some spiky, lively harmonies. Shapero plays along with Leo Smit, the latter being one of the greatest and tireless advocates for piano music written by American composers.

My record is the CSP reissue of the record pictured above.

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