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!

DOWNLOAD

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

DOWNLOAD

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

DOWNLOAD

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

DOWNLOAD

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

DOWNLOAD

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

DOWNLOAD

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!

DOWNLOAD PART 1

DOWNLOAD PART 2

Have fun! Whew!

Walter Hendl conducts Copland and Barber for the American Recording Society

Today, American Recording Society Number 26  featuring Walter Hendl and the "American Recording Society" Orchestra in Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite and Barber's Overture to the School for Scandal and Music for a Scene from Shelley.

This is a very persuasive offering by an American  born conductor who has all but disappeared from the musical radar. Though Hendl would rerecord with Copland with the formidable Chicago SO, this earlier effort from Vienna captures beautifully the spirit of Copland's great rural ballet with surprisingly alive and alert orchestral playing. I will echo the same for the Barber pieces as they positively come to life with great energy and virile excitement. Considering that this was the first time these Viennese ever saw the music and, recorded with minimal rehearsal time, the results are simply astonishing, at least for this listener's ears. Hendl was known as a conductor who could work under extreme conditions and this record  is a testament to his excellence as an orchestral coach with solid interpretive skills, second to none.

You will love Hendl's Appalachian Spring. What gorgeous music!

DOWNLOAD

Walter Hendl conducts Sessions, Harris and Schuman on ARS

How happy I was to find this lp, again, last week. I've owned a copy for years but it proved to be in a very poor shape and though I tried to transfer it, the odds were against that enterprise. So, when I came across this in a second hand shop, I rejoiced. Great condition and eminently transferable...here it is.

We have here Sessions' The Black Maskers, Schuman's American Festival Overture and Harris' monumental Symphony No 3. Everything is led by the underrated American conductor Walter Hendl with the American Recording Society Orchestra, whomever they be.

These are strongly shaped and idiomatic performances. No excuses need to be made for committed music making even if the orchestra is less then first rate. Hendl understands, and loves, this music well and the results bear witness to that. Listen to the "dirge" from Black Maskers and you'll get the picture. Great mid 20th century fare, no doubt about that.

I'd like to hear more from Hendl. Hopefully some other bloggers will take notice; I'll be on the lookout for his other recordings.

DOWNLOAD