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Allegro (I), fr Symphony No. 1 in d, Op. 75; Canzonetta, Op. 65, no. 2
Giuseppe Martucci
Symphony Orchestra of Rome/Francesco La Vecchina, conductor
Naxos
8.570929
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As pianist and conductor, Martucci promoted Austro-German instrumental music in opera-mad Italy (he conducted the Italian premieres of Brahms Second Symphony and Wagner's Tristan), and as composer contributed concertos, chamber music, salon pieces and two symphonies...all in an elegant and rich late-romantic style, and all unfortunately neglected these days. Our New Zealand players make us wish to hear more, and Naxos lists this package as "Volume One", so perhaps more is on the way. Goodie! 10:03 p.m.
De profundis/Psalm 130 (excerpts); Gloria, fr Dixit Dominus/Psalm 110 (1755)
Giacomo Puccini, Sr.
Jonathan Peter Kenny, counter-tenor; Adolph Seidel, bass; Kantorei Saarlouis; Ensemble UnaVolta/Joachim Fontaine, conductor
Arte Nova Classics
755070
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This Giacomo Puccini, founder of a family musical dynasty that would eventually produce a more familiar namesake (G. P. Senior is the famous opera composer's great-great-grand-father), writes in the style of Vivaldi during the age of Beethoven. But these semi-pro performances give an idea of genuine quality of these luxuriant psalm-settings, and serve well enough to introduce us to an interesting corner of music's history. 10:21 p.m.
Double Violin Concerto in d, RV 514
Antonio Vivaldi
Viktoria Mullova, Giuliano Carmignola, violins; Venice Baroque Orchestra/Andrea Marcon, conductor
Archiv Production
477 7466
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Happily, this album of rarely-recorded double concertos reminds that Vivaldi created much exciting, and emotional instrumental music beyond the belabored "Four Seasons", and Mullova and friends play them to the hilt. Exciting, dramatic, and grand. 10:37 p.m.
Preludio & Finale, fr Concerto for English Horn, Strings and Two Horns, Op. 34 (1947)
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
Alessandro Baccini, English horn; Orchestra Filarmonica Citta di Adria/Giorgio Fabbri, conductor
Tactus
872301
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Constitutionally incapable of embracing the modern styles of his time, Wolf-Ferrari wrote music with a soul-pleasing melodiousness, an agile contrapuntal zest, and a sweet, heart-warming harmony, all thoroughly listenable, if inevitably old-style. But it's 'old wine in new bottles', and tastes fine. 10:46 p.m.
Cantos for Slava
Augusta Read Thomas
Matt Haimovitz, cello; Geoffrey Burleson, piano
Oxingale
2015
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Haimovitz and Burleson are by no means the 'odd couple' of their album's title, since the 20th century scores (others by Barber, Carter and David Sanford) show them to be a perfectly balanced pair in their compelling advocacy of new music and 'modern classics'. Rich recorded sound contributes to a satisfying experience. 11:01 p.m.
String Quartet No. 1 ("In Praise of Poor Scholars") (excerpts)
Peter Garland
Apartment House (string quartet)
Cold Blue Music
0031
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Inspired by the cultures and landscapes of the southwest, Garland's scores are subtly involved, more complex than they may first appear. The oddly named British new-music quartet, Apartment House, welcomes us into these open and airy rooms with their unusual views. 11:10 p.m.
The Blue Dragonfly, fr The Cunning Little Vixen Suite; Overture, fr From the House of the Dead Suite
Leos Janacek
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Peter Breiner, conductor
Naxos
8.570706
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As some of the most emotionally compelling stage works of the early 20th century, Janacek's operas provided conductor/arranger Breitner with a rich resource for orchestral concert use. The New Zealand Symphony demonstrates a quality that qualifies it as world-class. Rewards are plentiful here. 11:21 p.m.
Duett-Concertino for Clarinet, Bassoon & Strings
Richard Strauss
Nicholas Cox, clarinet; Alan Pendlebury, bassoon; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Avie
2071
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Strauss created this piece for a bassoonist friend, perhaps to prove that Mozart was not the only one who wrote beautifully for that instrument. With a possible 'beauty-and-the-toad/prince' back story, this concertino contains some of its composer's sunniest ideas. Though it proved to be Strauss's last instrumental work, it shimmers with assertive life, and is included in a 2CD set with the wistful Oboe Concerto and two orchestral giants, the "Symphonia Domestica" and "Alpine Symphony". Schwarz, away from his Seattle home, gets superb performances from his English charges here. 11:37 p.m.