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!

John Kirkpatrick plays music of Edward MacDowell

Lovely playing on this record by John Kirkpatrick of piano miniatures by Edward MacDowell. I believe the original issue was late 40's by which time, Kirkpatrick had established himself as probably the preeminent interpreter of music for piano by American composers. In his day, he was recognized as an expert in the music of  both Charles Ives and Carl Ruggles.

Though his music was not strictly "American sounding," MacDowell was one of the first American born composers to gain fame beyond our shores and he did serve as an inspiration/mentor to others who would develop a more idealized American school of composition. It is important to recognize thta MacDowell's education was wholly European and that his models were based on established forms from the continent. Not to say that MacDowell is an imitator - far from it. His works are individual, often pastoral in outlook, uncomplicated, and they are his way of describing his world in a way that is accessible, forthright, yet full of character. Probably the best comparison is to the composer Grieg who MacDowell was a direct contemporary and admirer of.

This is a beautiful program sensitively presented by John Kirkpatrick.

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The MacDowell piano concertos realized by Vivian Rifkin and Dean Dixon

This was an exciting one to find! Not only because Dean Dixon's name was on the cover, but also because I believe it represents the first recording of both of MacDowell's concertos on disc together. And, lastly it is a wonderful document of a husband and wife performing together in a solo and conducting role!

Vivian Rifkin really plays the hell out if these wonderful late romantic works and Dixon provides strong, loving accompaniment. Together, they offer the best argument on why MacDowell should be placed higher up in the repertoire list. I don't think that I've enjoyed these works as much as in this recording.

Rifkin was a fine pianist who made comparatively few recordings, most in the first half of the 50's. I believe that she was for many years a respected teacher in New York after she parted from Dixon. On a diversity note, she and Dixon must have been extremely brave individuals for being an interracial couple in the 50's was no small matter! 

Westminster must have loved these two concertos, for the company recorded them again several years later, also in Vienna, with Eugene List as the soloist and Carlos Chavez as the conductor.

My copy of this present issue was in overall pretty good shape. I did have to do a small splice in the first concerto and I think it came out ok. Enjoy the music!

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