Naxos American Classics

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

What else would I do with an entire wall of my (large) sitting room but decorate it with shelves of CDs?

Now I understand! 

[karlhenning]

Wm Grant Still, Afro-American Symphony



Eventually, this piece will appear in the Horowitz book, Dave. It really is worth a listen.

[Grazioso]

A fascinating and much-needed series. I strongly recommend newcomers to check out the 25-disc Naxos American Symphonies Collection available from Arkiv: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/listPage.jsp?list_id=734 (Note that they sometimes sell it more cheaply.)

A couple of my favorites from the series include the disc with Diamond's Brucknerian 2nd and luminous 4th symphony:



and Rorem's three symphonies, which sound a bit like Copland crossed with Hindemith:

[mn dave]

Wm Grant Still, Afro-American Symphony



Eventually, this piece will appear in the Horowitz book, Dave. It really is worth a listen.

I was looking at that one just last night, Karl. Thank you.

[mn dave]

There is so much to enjoy in this series--I say this based on research and personal listening experience--that we'd probably save time and space by listing which recordings to avoid. 

[Szykneij]

IFor instance Chadwick, a fellow of who I had never heard but who was apparently a very well known composer in Boston around 1900. I sampled some of the tracks available online, e.g. of the 2nd symphony, and what I heard appeared to me, as they would have said in his day, rather delightful, so I am thinking about getting some of his music. Any tips?

Not Naxos, but this VoxBox two-CD release has Chadwick's string quartet:



It also includes works by Arthur Foote, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Henry Hadley, Charles Martin Loeffler, Daniel Gregory Mason, and an unusual open-string composition attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

With Chadwick, Foote (1853-1937, born in Salem, Massachusetts) was one of the Boston Six. Hadley (1871-1937) was born in Somerville, MA and Mason (1873-1953) was born in Brookline. Loeffler was German-born, but played with the BSO from 1882-1903.

[mn dave]

Not Naxos, but this VoxBox two-CD release has Chadwick's string quartet:

It also includes works by Arthur Foote, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Henry Hadley, Charles Martin Loeffler, Daniel Gregory Mason, and an unusual open-string composition attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

With Chadwick, Foote (1853-1937, born in Salem, Massachusetts) was one of the Boston Six. Hadley (1871-1937) was born in Somerville, MA and Mason (1873-1953) was born in Brookline. Loeffler was German-born, but played with the BSO from 1882-1903.

Why must it be out of print?

[sound67]

Flagello's work [is] of extra ordinary quality

I agree. It's not just routinely ordinary. 

The Naxos series is wildly uneven, from landmark Ives down to the bottomless pit of neo-romanticism à la Kenneth Fuchs.

Thomas

[mn dave]

I agree. It's not just routinely ordinary. 

The Naxos series is wildly uneven, from landmark Ives down to the bottomless pit of neo-romanticism à la Kenneth Fuchs.

Thomas

Seems more to me like it's wildly diverse.

[Szykneij]

Why must it be out of print?

You're not allowed to have the good stuff, I guess  .  I picked up my copy on ebay a couple of years ago and to the best of my recollection, it was in new condition. There still might be a small stockpile somewhere.

[sound67]

Seems more to me like it's wildly diverse.

Only if you're a subscriber to the "I'm okay, you're okay" doctrine. 

[mn dave]

Only if you're a subscriber to the "I'm okay, you're okay" doctrine. 

Not really. But even light music has its uses for some of us.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I know this set is expensive but if you are intersted in hearing some of this music in "idiomatic" in every sense of the word performances go with this set only available from the NYPO:

http://nyphil.org/buy/estore/itemDetail.cfm?itemnum=5&itemcategorynum=cds&itemdetail=yes

which you may find on ebay from time to time. Every single work features the NYPO in flawless form with biting winds, growling brass, and with rhythmic and lithe attacks. As good as most of the Naxos recordings are, and they are very very good, I just think the NYPO captures the spirit of this music better. The highlight of the set is an Appalachian Spring from 1946 conducted by Arthur Rodzinski and the 2nd Symphony of Howard Hanson conducted by the composer himself which is head and shoulders above his anemic remake with his Eastman Rochester Orchestra. Every single cd clocks in at almost 80 minutes so you are getting your money's worth for 10 cds.

[Hector]

Let's not forget the incomparable Amy Beach.

However, every time I hear something by Alan Hovhaness I like it.

I was so impressed with the 'City of Light' symphony that I went out and bought the Naxos disc which has the 'Cello Concerto played by Janos Starker, no less.

I think that it is because he reminds me, just reminds me and nothing more, of VW!

[karlhenning]

However, every time I hear something by Alan Hovhaness I like it.

I was so impressed with the 'City of Light' symphony that I went out and bought the Naxos disc which has the 'Cello Concerto played by Janos Starker, no less.

That is a mighty fine disc!

[vandermolen]

Thanks to all for your replies. I agree with Colin and we need to complete the William Schuman and David Diamond series above all else. Schuman's 6th Symphony has not yet appeared on Naxos but it has to be one of his greatest works, although a bit more uncompromising than the excellent better-known No 3. In my terrific Ormandy CD, the 6th Symphony is described as a "Requiem for the 20th Century", which I do not find inappropriate. I too like Hovhaness (Symphony 50 is my favourite, the "Mount St Helens"). Diamond's Third is one of the greatest American symphonies IMHO and deserves to stand alongside those other great Third symphonies by Copland, Harris, Ives and Schuman. Antheil's No 4 has enormous appeal too.

[Dundonnell]

Naxos will-presumably-be coupling Schuman's 6th and 8th in performances by Gerard Schwarz. That will be a coupling which will really test both orchestra and conductor! These two symphonies are positive powerhouses which require the greatest possible orchestral virtuosity to pull off successfully. Ormandy and the Philadelphia did a fantastic job with the 6th in a performance dating back now to 1953(reissued by Albany Records on CD in 1997) and Bernstein had the New York Philharmonic for his incandescent recording of the 8th from 1962(reissued on CD by Sony in its Bernstein Century series). But these were conductors of genius with the most superb American orchestras. Schuman's music requires such consummate musicianship and orchestral virtuosity to make the maximum impact. It is sad to have to recognise that at the present time it is almost completely inconceivable that orchestras like those would record music like this!

(Incidentally, there is another recording of Schumann's 6th on the Koch label with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hugh Keelan, coupled with Roy Harris's 7th. That is a worthy performance with the New Zealanders to be applauded for their enterprise
but however hard they try they cannot match the sheer power of a major world-class orchestra.)

David Diamond's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 8th symphonies(Seattle Symphony/Schwarz) have all been transferred from Delos to Naxos and are all very fine works indeed. I managed to find his 5th symphony in a performance by the Juilliard Orchestra(Christopher Keene) on New World Records coupled with Vincent Persichetti's Night Dances and Milton Babbitt's Relata I. As I think I have remarked before here,
Delos also issued the Adagio from Diamond's 11th Symphony on a CD containing other works by the same composer. I thought at the time and still think that this was an unimagineable disgrace! Why on earth one would issue-in this day and age-a single movement from a modern symphony I find impossible to understand

Agree too about Antheil's 4th. CPO issued Antheil's 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hugh Wolff but not the 2nd. They may not have got round to that symphony before Wolff left Frankfurt but I hope they can find someone else to record it.

Naxos have also reissued the Delos recordings of Piston's 2nd, 4th and 6th symphonies. I wonder if they plan to record the other five?

There are plenty of great American compositions still awaiting recording in the American Classics series and I am sorry that some of these have not preceded some of the lesser music that has been included in that series to date.

Oh...N.B.....just announced for issue next month-Virgil Thomson's Cello Concerto, William Perry's Jamestown Concerto(for cello) and Schuman's Song of Orpheus for cello and orchestra. Excellent!

[drogulus]

Naxos will-presumably-be coupling Schuman's 6th and 8th in performances by Gerard Schwarz. That will be a coupling which will really test both orchestra and conductor! These two symphonies are positive powerhouses which require the greatest possible orchestral virtuosity to pull off successfully. Ormandy and the Philadelphia did a fantastic job with the 6th in a performance dating back now to 1953(reissued by Albany Records on CD in 1997) and Bernstein had the New York Philharmonic for his incandescent recording of the 8th from 1962(reissued on CD by Sony in its Bernstein Century series). But these were conductors of genius with the most superb American orchestras. Schuman's music requires such consummate musicianship and orchestral virtuosity to make the maximum impact. It is sad to have to recognise that at the present time it is almost completely inconceivable that orchestras like those would record music like this!

     I don't think Schwarz recorded the Schuman 6th or 8th for Delos. Are they making new recordings? I wasn't aware of that. We really need a new recording of the 6th.

     You're absolutely right about the Schuman 8th and the Bernstein recording of it. It's tremendous on both counts, one of the most powerful American symphonies and a tremendous performance. Bernstein is the best imaginable conductor for this work.

[Dundonnell]

     I don't think Schwarz recorded the Schuman 6th or 8th for Delos. Are they making new recordings? I wasn't aware of that. We really need a new recording of the 6th.

     You're absolutely right about the Schuman 8th and the Bernstein recording of it. It's tremendous on both counts, one of the most powerful American symphonies and a tremendous performance. Bernstein is the best imaginable conductor for this work.

The only Schuman symphony Schwarz recorded for Delos was No.5 for strings. The others(Nos.3, 4, 7, 9 and 10) are all new recordings for Naxos. Nos. 4 and 9 and Nos. 7 and 10 were recorded in 2003/4 and released in 2005 while No. 3 was recorded in 2005 and released(coupled with No.5) in 2006.

[drogulus]

   

The only Schuman symphony Schwarz recorded for Delos was No.5 for strings. The others(Nos.3, 4, 7, 9 and 10) are all new recordings for Naxos. Nos. 4 and 9 and Nos. 7 and 10 were recorded in 2003/4 and released in 2005 while No. 3 was recorded in 2005 and released(coupled with No.5) in 2006.

Thanks, Dundonnell. I have some catching up to do with this composer.