. . . or click on the link here for Audio Player – Curtis Institute 70th Birthday for Samuel Barber – March 9, 1980 – Part 1
. . . or click on the link here for Audio Player – Curtis Institute 70th Birthday for Samuel Barber – March 9, 1980 – Part 2
Something special again this week. On March 9th of this year, it would have been the 105th birthday of the legendary American Composer Samuel Barber (Born: March 9, 1910). So I thought I would run a concert celebrating his 70th birthday, which took place on March 9th 1980. Featuring The Curtis Institute of Music Orchestra conducted by Curtis alumni Calvin Simmons, conducting, and another Curtis alumni, Jaime Laredo as violin solo and soprano Marianne Casiello joining the group in a performance of Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915.
Also on the program is a performance of the Violin Concerto (featuring Laredo as solo), the 2nd Essay for Orchestra, Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (with Casiello as solo) and opens with the overture to The School For Scandal.
The concert is a little under 2 hours so it’s on 2 players. The first part is School for Scandal, Knoxville and the 2nd Essay for Orchestra. The second part is the Violin Concerto.
A memorable concert, not the least being one of the rare live recordings of the late and much admired conductor Calvin Simmons, whose early death in a boating accident robbed the music world of a very bright and promising light.
Enjoy and please survive Wednesday.
This is a real gem! There are very few Simmons recordings floating around…didn’t even know this one existed! What a gifted artist, lost at such a young age. So very sad.
A great tribute to Barber’s music…..a so fantastic composer !!! THX