"Because ignorance of your culture is considered uncool"
Back over to Paris this week for part of a radio recital given by the renowned Pianist and teacher Lelia Gousseau from 1951. This one features a seldom heard work by Paul Dukas – the Variations, Interlude and Finale on a theme by Rameau (Variations, interlude et finale sur un...
Americana of the hybrid variety this weekend. It’s hard to pin down exactly what genre Morton Gould could be best associated with. As someone who was considered a gifted American composer of some serious works, Gould was also widely regarded as a “light” composer, bordering on Pop. So his work...
Some recently rediscovered Americana tonight. American composers of the early-to-mid twentieth century, aside from the big names such as Aron Copland, have been largely forgotten over the years. Their style of composition has fallen out of favor in the academic world, and most audiences tend to be more interested in...
I originally ran this post a few years via my old website, but many readers weren’t happy with the sound quality available at the time. So, as promised, I am running it again with new and improved sound and a new transfer. This is the World Premier performance of the...
Carl Millöcker – A veritable one-man Factory of Viennese Operetta in the late 19th century. Karl Millöcker – Der Bettelstudent (abridged) – Soloists, chorus and Orchestra of the Berlin State Opera – Hermann Weigert, cond – Recorded in 1930 – Polydor (export) – Deutsche Grammophon (domestic) – Gordon Skene Sound...
Just in time for Christmas. Again from the French Radio Transcription collection. Here is a 1955 radio broadcast performance of A Christmas Cantata by Arthur Honegger, featuring Baritone Pierre Mollet, Maurice Duruflè, Organ. The Chorus of the ORTF, conducted by Yvonne Gouvernè. The Children’s Choir of the ORTF, conducted by...
Something a bit different this week. A concert from Canadian Jeunesses Musicales held during the Summer of 1964, and featuring (as always) a veritable who’s who of world musicians. This concert, all-Ravel, features the noted French cellist Guy Fallot, French/Hungarian violinist Lorand Fenyves and the celebrated Lithuanian/French pianist Vlado Perlemuter....
Camilla Wicks, violin – Los Angeles Philharmonic -Leopold Stokowski, cond. – 1946 Season – Hollywood Bowl – Gordon Skene Sound Collection. With the very sad news earlier this week that the legendary violinist Camilla Wicks had died at the age of 92, I found this broadcast of her Hollywood Bowl...
Eugene Bigot was one of the most widely respected and recorded conductors during the 1930s and 1940s. During the era of the 78 rpm record, Bigot was responsible for recording more French repertoire heard all over the world than just about any conductor at the time. Sadly, his recording activities...
Ondes Martenot Quartet – Messiaen – Oraison – Recorded by ORTF, Paris – 1954 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – Something unusual this weekend. The Ondes Martenot Quartet, featuring the inventor Maurice Martenot in a piece written by Olivier Messiaen especially for the Ondes Martenot; Oraison – recorded in the...
