Customer Reviews

Composers in New York

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The other pieces on this CD are wonderful, but I am mainly going to talk about Charles Neidich's Copland Clarinet Concerto. This is an outstanding recording! All you clarinet players should have this CD in your library because this is the edition of the Concerto you never hear normally! It is the version that was unedited, later it was simplified in places because Benny Goodman couldn't play some of the passages. This version has a longer cadenza, extra runs at the end and a range to super high D! Neidich is probably the most technical-orientated clarinetist in the world and you'll hear virtuosic playing all over the piece. My only complaint is that his tone is slightly more spread than in other recordings. All in all, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is a terrific collection of American music, made in Canada, on an English label. The performances by I Musici de Montreal, a 15 person string orchestra led by cellist Yuri Turovsky are top notch and the sound excellent.

Copland's whimsical clarinet concerto is one of my favorite pieces by this composer, and here, in its original version, played with extraordinay virtuosity by Charles Neidich.
Morton Gould, who's Americana flavored compositions are so sadly neglected, here gets wonderful renditions of his "Spirituals for Strings". This CD is worth buying for track # 8 alone, "Calvary-He Never Said a Mumblin' Word".

I never tire of hearing Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" (I even own the CD that has 8 different versions of it played by a wide range of artists), and this version is brilliant and intense.
William Schuman is another composer we don't hear enough of. His "Symphony # 5" is the most modern sounding piece on this CD...the 2nd movement "Larghissimo" is beautiful, and the upbeat final "Presto" a great ending.
If you're feeling patriotic, why not celebrate some of America's finest classical composers, with this very special CD !

Just amazing a must have, especially if you know the history of Copland and his clarinet concerto, written for Goodman but too difficult for him to play Copland wrote a revision. This is the original score, never released before.