Eric Zeisl - Piano Concerto in C major - "Pierrot in der Flasche", Suite from the Ballet - Gottlieb Wallisch, Piano - Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Johannes Wildner - CPO 2007

Absolutely one of my top discs of 2007, this is a complete treasure from start to finish. It's further validation that Eric Zeisl was one of the finest and most interesting of composers of the 20th century. Do not be surprised if his glorious Piano Concerto in C major become an instant favorite; it pulls the listener in with it's aural magic from the first note. "Pierrot in der Flasche" is a Suite taken from Zeisl's ballet  of the same name (Pierrot in the Flask) and is also a true delight from start to finish. It's an extremely exciting, fun and colorful score, with influences and inspiration seemingly coming from everywhere; stylistically it's a musical cornucopia that manages to jump and shift from one idea to another, yet cohesively so. Every moment of this disc holds my complete interest, and this release is one to keep nearby imo as opposed to cataloging it deep within one's library. 

Information will be added (although you are really all set as I'm including the booklet notes) when I have the time, as I have been mentioning in prior offerings..

Enjoy this gem!!

Eric_Zeisl-Piano_Concerto_Pierrot_Ballet_Suite-Tzadik.zip

http://www69.zippyshare.com/v/m5gweM8r/file.html

Commotio: Organ Works of the Interwar Period - Oskar Lindberg, Organ Sonata in G minor - Olivier Messiaen, Le Banquet Céleste - Hans Gál, Toccata in E minor - Maurice Durufle, Scherzo - Carl Nielsen, Commotio - Christian Wilson, Organ - Acis Records 2015

Here's another great disc of organ music, and one of my favorite recent releases for solo organ. Five composers are represented here, starting off with the rarely heard "Organ Sonata in G minor" Op. 23 of Oskar Lindberg (it has been recorded before, on BIS and Swedish Society but unless you own either of those it's unlikely you will hear it on the airwaves). Next up is "Le Banquet Céleste" by Olivier Messiaen, followed by Hans Gál's wonderful "Toccata in E minor", one of the highlights of this collection. It goes without saying that the Durufle work ("Scherzo") is very fine, and lastly, and most significantly, is Carl Nielsen's masterpiece for organ "Commotio", which is substantial at over 25 minutes. The Nielsen is an absolute knockout and one of the pillars of 20th century organ repertoire.

In a letter Carl Nielsen wrote of "Commotio", "I myself think it is my most accomplished work". That is quite a statement from one of Denmark's greatest symphonists. Commotio was one of Nielsen's last works, completed in 1931, the year of Nielsen's death.

Again when I have more time, I will try to add more info on the rest of the program, I'm trying to post several things before leaving for work!

Enjoy!

Commotio-Organ_Works_of_the_Interwar_Period-Tzadik.zip

http://www82.zippyshare.com/v/powVSJbC/file.html

John Zorn: The Hermetic Organ Volume 3 - John Zorn, Solo Organ Improvisation, St. Paul's Hall, Huddersfield - Tzadik Records, 2015

Volume three of John Zorn's brilliant organ improvisations was recently requested, so here it is in all its majesty and curiosity. I am very fond of this disc as well, however due to time restraints I am simply going to post the music without any background so as to try to post a few more things for once.

A brief blurb from Tzadik:

Zorn’s organ improvisations are transcendent, inspiring, outrageous and ecstatic experiences, offering a direct line to the workings of his rich compositional imagination. In this performance, recorded live at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in 2013, Zorn creates a shockingly dramatic world of bizarre sonorities, spectral experimentation, hypnotic moods and stirring melodies. From first throbbing moment to last this third volume documenting Zorn’s legendary organ recitals on majestic instruments around the world presents the power of organ music at its most surprising, extreme and sublime.

Enjoy ye organ fiends and adventurous travelers 

John_Zorn-The_Hermetic_Organ_Vol.3-Tzadik.zip

http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/OPMtBlGx/file.html

Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis - Alexander Brott, "Ritual" for Solo Quartet & String Orchestra - Edward Elgar, Introduction & Allegro - Pierre Mercure, Divertissement for String Quartet & String Orchestra - Orford Quartet - CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Simon Streatfeild - CBC Entr. 1986

I was excited to unearth and import this ultra-rare CBC Enterprises disc today; the last time I knew where it was and thus able to play it, I was living with my parents. Yep. This disc focuses on works for string quartet and string orchestra, one of my favorite spine tingling, tear duct-activating and timeless combinations. Here we get two of the "major players" as far as the repertoire goes, by a composer right at the height of his powers (Elgar) and another whose genius was still blossoming yet

the emotional impact and power of his work was overwhelming (Vaughan Williams). Sharing the 'ticket' are two unknown works for the same forces by two Canadian composers, Alexander Brott and Pierre Mercure. "Ritual" by Alexander Brott is similar in it's feeling and modality to the great "Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis" of RVW, although one cannot compare the two as really nothing out there can hold a candle to the Vaughan Williams. Brott's work however is quite beautiful and imo is worthy of a place in the repertoire for string quartet with string orchestra. It's doubtful that will ever happen, but at least I have it to share :)

Here is a photo of the actual cd release, although if my copy (even the jewel case!) looked this worn

out I would be miserable:                                                                           Collectors will understand!

Alexander Brott wrote "Ritual" for Solo Quartet and String Orchestra in 1942 and over time regarded it as a product of his questing youth. It is quite the attractive work, and doubly so in this context because of certain affinities with the music of Vaughan Williams. The "ritual" so to speak lies partly in the compositional procedures governing the behavior of the initial notes, partly in the decorum of the antiphony between the small and large string groups, and partly in the progress of the work from regal at the outset (calling to my mind some of the Works for Strings by Braga Santos or the earlier works by Henry Cowell such as the "Hymn and Fugueing Tunes" etc.) to ethereal at the end. The single modal (Dorian) movement begins with superimposed fifths which move forward majestically in contrary motion, in a long songlike peroration. The contrary motion yields frictions and dissonances which are multiplied in the middle section; here the frames of fifths are filled with variation note patterns. The String Quartet is increasingly prominent in the middle section, and an intense point of arrival is reached, after which the work draws to a close very quietly. Beautiful music.. 

I will write up on composer Pierre Mercure tonight as I must leave for work immediately. Same with the track listing (only the last work by Mercure is in more than one movement). 

The Vaughan Williams and the Elgar need no introduction; I am sure most visitors here could effortlessly write a dissertation on either masterful work :)  I will that "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" gets a very very good reading here, as does Elgar's "Introduction and Allegro". The musicians here are more than just capable! 

Enjoy!

Vaughan_Williams_Alexander_Brott_Etc.-Tzadik.zip

http://www94.zippyshare.com/v/6DBpFBjL/file.html

John Zorn: The Hermetic Organ Volume 2 - John Zorn, Solo Organ Improvisation, St. Paul's Chapel N.Y.C. Tzadik Records, 2014

I love organ music and I have special sweet-spot for *everything* JS Bach ever wrote for the massive pipe instrument, and an equal adoration and fascination for contemporary organ literature. Zorn's first instrument was actually the organ, and he was already putting his fingers to work by the age of 9. As actual "captured" commercially available performances/ recordings, "The Hermetic Organ", is in three Volumes, the first two recorded live at St. Paul's Chapel in New York City. From torrential intervals raining down the pipes, to the ecclesiastical moments of modal prayer, to the restraint of a Webern-like simplicity, Volume 2 is my absolute favorite and the rewards add up and reveal themselves more and more each time one listens (good headphones needless to say make the experience that much more fantastical).   

Tzadik discs usually come with the signature informative spine, that is loose once you unwrap the plastic. Saving you all the 1 second it would take to enlarge the photo, here is what is said of Vol. 2:

"Drawing upon traditions as varied as Messiaen, Xenakis, Ligeti, Bach, Tournemire, Ives, Korla Pandit and The Phantom of the Opera, Zorn’s organ improvisations are transcendent, inspiring, ecstatic experiences, offering a direct line to the workings of his rich compositional imagination. Performed at St. Paul’s Chapel at a time when the organ was undergoing extensive reconstruction, the limited number of stops available to him focused his imagination to new heights, resulting in Zorn’s most revelatory recital to date. The second volume documenting these legendary organ recitals is a overwhelming experience filled with moments of passion, tenderness, fragility and extraordinary power."

John Zorn performing at Alice Tully Hall

Before the majestic, swirling improvisations of the (Vol.1) performance at St. Paul's

Enjoy everyone!

Zorn-The_Hermetic_Organ_Vol.2-Tzadik.zip

http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/4euincts/file.html

Zorn-The_Hermetic_Organ_Vol.2(LastTracks)-Tzadik.zip

http://www39.zippyshare.com/v/0EKHODMO/file.html

Cheap shots lead to cheap prices

Leave them alone already!! Careers withering, even members of the New York Philharmonic find themselves reduced to playing in the NYC subway system.

English Oboe Concertos: Gordon Jacob, Concerto No.1 for Oboe & Strings - Gustav Holst, A Fugal Concerto - Eugene Goossens, Concerto En Un Mouvement - Vaughan Williams, Oboe Concerto - Ruth Bolister, Oboe - Elgar Chamber Orchestra, Stephen Bell - ASV 2003

Having a Saturday evening visit with my family, and once again I have crept upstairs to go through discs. 'Bad son part deux' should be the title of this post. Anyhow, here's a very nice disc of British Oboe Concertos; I am still trying to locate my favorite recordings of Vaughan William's gorgeous Oboe Concerto and while this version is very good, it's not in my top three or so...in fact I needed to hear it again after importing to refresh my memory! I am quite happy to have blown off the dust on

this cd, as it also contains great concertos by Gordon Jacob, Eugene Goosens, and the always delightful "A Fugal Concerto" by Holst. We also get a brief orchestration by Gordon Jacob of Elgar's "Soliloquy", originally from a Suite for oboe and piano. 

That's all I have time for at the moment. Enjoy everyone!

English_Oboe_Concertos-Tzadik.zip

http://www50.zippyshare.com/v/Mkw9LFNt/file.html