Five "unsung" works everyone should hear

[Mirror Image]

   The  New York Philharmonic has performed   recently, I believe a symphony by Martinu under its music director Alan Gilbert , and other works by him previously .  Even before Gilbert, the orchestra has played n extraordinarily wide variety of repertoire  ranging from baroque
to the latest contemporry composers  ,incluing many,many interesting rrities from the pst under  its music directors and guest conductors .
    Yet for some reason, critics ,local nd elsewhere have been consistently ccusing of being "stodgy and hidebound, even though nothing
could be farther from the truth .  There has been a lot of hype about how innovative Gilbert's programming has been, and although
his progrmming is  very interesting, the same has been true for decades under  Mzel,Masur,nd Mehta .
     

The New York Philharmonic have played a wide variety of music, especially during Bernstein's years. I mean look at all the great virtually 'unknown' American repertoire they recorded back in the '60s. But my complaint was merely about Martinu not getting much performance and not the variety of music orchestras like the LA Philharmonic or the NY Philharmonic perform.

[kyjo]

    Nikolai Myaskovsky : Symphony no 8 .
   
    Roussel : Evocations , for orchestra , chorus and soloists .

    Wilhelm Stenhammar : Serenade in F for orchestra .

    Sir Arthur Bliss :   A Color symphony .

    Mily Balakirev .  Symphony no 1 in C major .
   

Five stunning works right there!

[TheGSMoeller]

Really anything from Paul Schoenfield (Cafe Music, Camp Songs, Ghetto Songs, Viola Concerto) but from this disc the jazzy, dramatic but fun and klezmer-infused Vaudeville for Piccolo Trumpet and Orchestra.

[kyjo]

Really anything from Paul Schoenfield (Cafe Music, Camp Songs, Ghetto Songs, Viola Concerto) but from this disc the jazzy, dramatic but fun and klezmer-infused Vaudeville for Piccolo Trumpet and Orchestra.

I really like Four Parables, a fun, jazzy work with a passionate Elegy at its center. I didn't care so much for the rest of the works on that disc, though. They struck me as too "crossover-ish" for my tastes.

[TheGSMoeller]

I really like Four Parables, a fun, jazzy work with a passionate Elegy at its center. I didn't care so much for the rest of the works on that disc, though. They struck me as too "crossover-ish" for my tastes.

Crossover? Nope, don't see Groban or Brightmans names attached. 

I agree.   I almost had a chance to meet him when he came to Clarksville in 2011, to Austin Peay University, and played several of his new (then) chamber works.  But the weather was terrible, snow, which is somewhat rare for this part of the country, which prohibited me from traveling the 50 miles north of Nashville.

Bummer.
I wish there was more of Shoenfield's music recorded for variety of interpretations, but I shouldn't greedy, I must say there is a good amount, enough to satisfy my M.M. (Monthly Mandatory) listening sessions.

[Karl Henning]

Samples sound nice, I've wish-listed it.

[Karl Henning]

Crossover? Nope, don't see Groban or Brightmans names attached. 

How absolute the knave is! We must speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us.

[Brian]

I've been a big fan of Paul Schoenfield ever since a violist I knew in college burned me a CD of Schoenfield's Cafe Music and a Schnittke Concerto grosso to show just huge the range of contemporary music is. It did the job!

[Wanderer]

Medtner: Second Improvisation, op.47
Alkan: Grand duo concertant, op.21
Schreker: Kammersymphonie
Korngold: Piano Concerto for the left hand, op.17
Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress

[kyjo]

Medtner: Second Improvisation, op.47
Alkan: Grand duo concertant, op.21
Schreker: Kammersymphonie
Korngold: Piano Concerto for the left hand, op.17
Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress

+1 for the Schreker and the Korngold.

[Karl Henning]

. . . and a Schnittke Concerto grosso [....]

I am guessing that, if you did, you had mentioned it, but I have to ask: do you recall just which, dear fellow?

[Brian]

I am guessing that, if you did, you had mentioned it, but I have to ask: do you recall just which, dear fellow?

Alas, your guess is confirmed. I don't remember which.  I think Gidon Kremer was involved?

[kyjo]

Busoni: Piano Concerto
Diepenbrock: Symphonic Suite from Elektra
Lilburn: Symphony no. 2
Irgens-Jensen: Passacaglia
Liadov: From the Apocalypse

[asin]B000038I6D[/asin]   [asin]B00006NSE7[/asin]   [asin]B000066JHR[/asin]   [asin]B005CCJRS2[/asin]   [asin]B00005J71I[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Another list:

F. Martin: Cello Concerto
Barber: Piano Concerto
Dallapiccola: Frammenti sinfonici
Meyer: Mass
Mills: Bamaga Diptych

[cjvinthechair]

Mr. Mirror Image - Richard Mills I've found...not the Diptych, sadly, but Soundscapes, on YT. Not bad at all !
However, am struggling with the Meyer Mass; is this Ernst, 'cos nothing comes up on Google at all ?

[cjvinthechair]

There! That should keep you guys busy for a while! And doesn't that colorful mosaic of CD covers look so beautiful......

Gee, that's some terrific music you've got there...and yes, the sleeves are pretty too !

[kyjo]

Mr. Mirror Image - Richard Mills I've found...not the Diptych, sadly, but Soundscapes, on YT. Not bad at all !
However, am struggling with the Meyer Mass; is this Ernst, 'cos nothing comes up on Google at all ?

I'm also not sure what he's referring to by the "Meyer Mass". Could you please clarify, John?

[kyjo]

Taneyev: Symphony no. 4
Boris Tchaikovsky: Sebastopol Symphony (Symphony no. 3)
Rodó: Symphony no. 2
Blomdahl: Symphony no. 3 Facetten
Lars-Erik Larsson: Symphony no. 2

[asin]B00006FSPL[/asin]   [asin]B0007SK9LK[/asin]   [asin]B00000G4O5[/asin]   [asin]B0000016JO[/asin]   [asin]B000027EJ5[/asin]

[Rinaldo]

Petr Eben - The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart
Rued Langgaard - The Music of the Spheres
Philip Glass - Akhnaten*
Gérard Grisey - Partiels pour 18 musiciens
Jan Dismas Zelenka - Missa votiva

*not that it is entirely "unsung" but it is overshadowed by both Einstein & Satyagraha, undeservedly so

[kyjo]

Petr Eben - The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart
Rued Langgaard - The Music of the Spheres
Philip Glass - Akhnaten*
Gérard Grisey - Partiels pour 18 musiciens
Jan Dismas Zelenka - Missa votiva

*not that it is entirely "unsung" but it is overshadowed by both Einstein & Satyagraha, undeservedly so

+1 for the Langgaard!