As I mentioned I had a number of classical music cds this birthday which ties very well into the LG birthday theme as it always was big part of my childhood so I'll take this entry to talk about them.
I got two sets from Aaron Coplands "Copland Collection series" (1922-1935 & 1948-1971) on Sony that covers everything he wrote such as Music for the Theatre, Concerto for Orchestra and Organ plus his symphonic works.These were the pioneering recordings of this output where he conducts some even playing piano in others.
Copland was a major influence on my interest in music as he explored many differing forms all of which have a distinct American feel to them.
"Bernstein conducts Bernstein" Somy/Bmg 7 cd set.
Back in 1991 Sony compiled a nine cd set of all of Leonard Bernstein's works that he recorded himself which would of set you back about GBP £90 or more new.
In 2011 as part of their Masters series of box sets by Sony Music, this set was rejigged to fit on 7 discs sans notes for a very low price.
Included in it were his recordings of Candide, symphonic Dances from "West Side Story", symphonic Suite from "On The Waterfront" movie score, fancy Free, a selection from on the town, Prelude, Fudge & Riffs and heaps more.
I had the old 1986 CBS Masterwork cd with a number of these recordings on and this sounds much improved with respect to freqnency range and smoothness .
It's the kind of set you dip into at will.
Delius: Violin Sonatas 1 thru 3
Tasmin Little & Piers Lane
Conifer
This was a disc I had been interested in tghat originally came out at full price in 1997 having had a soft spot for English music from thge early part of the twentieh century.
Vaughan Williams is an English composer I've been aware of having heard performaces but hadn't collected recordings by and I got a set of his Symphonies a few months back.
Being rather impressed by them I decided to get used two discs of his orchestral works to complement it.
The Wasps wasn't dedicated to our Sammy I'll add but is a highly effective soundscape of that insect! It really buzzes in the overture!!!
The Lark Ascending
Five Variants of Dives & Lazarus
The Wasps-Aristophanic suite
London Philharmonic Orchestra cond Vernon Handley
CD EMX 9508 Issued in 1985 and one of the very first in Emi Eminence series to be issued on cd in 1987
Partita for Double String orchestra
Concerto for Oboe and Strings
Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis
Fantasia on Greensleeves
Royal Liverpool Phiharmonic Orchestra cond Vernon Handley with Jonathan Small on Oboe
CD EMX 2197
1991 recording on Emi Eminence
Sibelius was a very famous Finnish composer who sadly also had a drinks problem whose works I first encountered in the late 1980's buying on impulse a 4 cd set of his symphonies after playing to death a cd of his Tone poems such as Finlandia.
I decided to get the 1993 world premier recording of the entire music from the score set to Shakespeare's play
The Tempest
Lahti Symphony Orchestra cond Osmo Vanska
Bis CD581
Some of us had our minds blown on American music by people like Copland, Bernstein, Gershwin, Ives, Piston and this guy called Hanson.
I got this one used from a vendor in the same town I work in:
Hanson conducts Hanson
Symphonies 1 & 3; Song of Domocracy
Hanson Eastman-Rochestra orchestra
Mercury 432 008-2
plus
Symphony no3, Elegy & Lament for Beuwulf
Mercury 434 302-2
Finally I got two Stravinsky cds:
Symphony no1, Symphony in C
Ode
Symphony in Three Movements
Symphonies of Wind Instruments *
The Fairy's Kiss (ballet) **
Scottish National Orchestra cond Sir Alexander Gibson * SNO with Neeme Jarvi
** Nash Essemble cond Sir Simon Rattle
Chandros CHAN 241-8
Note: 2 cd twofer re-issue of previous full price discs with stunning recording and playing.
Stravinsky:
Concerto in E Flat "Dumbarton Oakes"
Concerto in D from String
Danses concertantes
Cantata on Old English texts
English chamber Orchestra cond Sir Colin Davis
London Enterprise 425 622-2
These will complement nicely my collection of his ballet scores covering hislater more neo classical compositions.
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