Click on the link here for Audio Player: The Paris Wind Ensemble – Blanchard: Quartet for Woodwinds – ORTF Studio recording – circa 1955 Roger Blanchard (1919-2011) wasn’t particularly recognized as a composer. His many recordings as founder of the Roger Blancard Vocal Ensemble are probably better known. But in
Click on the link here for Audio Player – click Save As to download: Elsa Barraine – Wind Quintet – Wind Quintet of The FNO – 1956 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection One of the leading lights among Women Composers in France after the end of World War 2, Elsa
Click on the link here for Audio Player – President Truman address to Newspaper Guild – Point 4 Program – June 28, 1950 On this day in 1950, President Truman introduced an idea that, had it not been mired in the outbreak of the Korean War only a few days
The music of Henri Tomasi this week. His Woodwind Quintet 1952, as performed at it’s premier by Quintett a Vent Francaise, featuring Jean-Pierre Rampal, Jacques Lancelot, Paul Hongne and Gilbert Coursier. As a prominent composer in the 20th Century, Tomasi divided his time between a busy composition as well as
Click on the link here for Audio Player: Something rather short and rare tonight. From a broadcast recital from Paris Radio (ORTF) given by the legendary French Soprano Ninon Vallin in 1952 are two songs (sorry): Debussy: Les Cloches and Faurè: Soir. According to the notes, this recital
Click on the link here for Audio Player: I originally ran this story in 2013, when the legendary Fats Domino turned 85. Today, with the sad news of his passing, it’s not only a reminder of the giant we lost, but to also give those of you who
Click on the link here for Audio Player: Not the world premier recording (that happened in 1934 and that performance may not exist), but instead the performance by the dedicatee, who conducted the same orchestra as the premier. Only this one is from around 1956. Jane Evrard and
Click on the link here for Audio Player: Sixty years ago, almost to the day, America was muddling over the question “what’s happening to today’s youth?” – Crime was up, juvenile delinquency was up, unwanted pregnancies were up, drug and alcohol abuse were up, high-school drop-outs were up.
Click on the link here for Audio Player: Even at the ripe old age of 97, the passing earlier this week of French Contemporary composer Henri Dutilleux was sad news. One of the leading Contemporary Composers of the late 20th Century, Dutilleux was a rugged individualist, refusing to
Click on the link here for Audio Player: Back to Paris this week for another installment of French radio performances of the 1950s. This time it’s the music of Jeanine Rueff, who is probably best known as a music educator, with one of her star pupils being Jean-Michel
