Naxos Blog » Seattle Symphony http://blog.naxos.com Insights on music from the world's leading classical music label Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:57:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Podcast: Joseph Polisi talks about composer William Schuman http://blog.naxos.com/2010/02/09/podcast-joseph-polisi-talks-about-composer-william-schuman/ http://blog.naxos.com/2010/02/09/podcast-joseph-polisi-talks-about-composer-william-schuman/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:35 +0000 Raymond http://blog.naxos.com/?p=4424 SCHUMAN, W., Symphony No. 8 album coverAmerican composer William Schuman, born 100 years ago, was one of the best-known composers of his day. He was also an arts administrator of great skill who was at various times President of The Julliard School and President of Lincoln Centre. In this podcast, Dr. Joseph Polisi, current President of Julliard and Schuman’s friend and biographer, talks about Schuman and his music. The music featured in this podcast comes from a new CD on the Naxos American Classics series featuring the Seattle Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz playing Schuman’s Symphony No. 8, Night Music, and Schuman’s arrangement of Charles Ives‘ “Variations on America”.

Album details…
Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559651

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* enhanced version of the podcast contains chapter markers and cover art.

]]> http://blog.naxos.com/2010/02/09/podcast-joseph-polisi-talks-about-composer-william-schuman/feed/ 0 Podcast: William Schuman – Prayer in a Time of War http://blog.naxos.com/2009/11/17/podcast-william-schuman-prayer-in-a-time-of-war/ http://blog.naxos.com/2009/11/17/podcast-william-schuman-prayer-in-a-time-of-war/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:41 +0000 Raymond http://blog.naxos.com/?p=4069 SCHUMAN, W.: Symphony No. 6 album coverWhen he graduated from high school, William Schuman enrolled in New York University with every intention of doing a commerce degree. Then his sister took him to a New York Philharmonic concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini. That very night, he decided to become a composer. Schuman went on to become one of the most important American composers and composition teachers of the 20th century. He was president of Julliard School, President of Lincoln Centre in New York, and the composer of eight major symphonies. This podcast looks at a new recording of his Symphony No. 6, Prayer in a Time of War, and New England Tryptich, with the Seattle Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz.

Album details…
Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559625

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* enhanced version of the podcast contains chapter markers and cover art.

]]> http://blog.naxos.com/2009/11/17/podcast-william-schuman-prayer-in-a-time-of-war/feed/ 0 World Premiere Recording of Deems Taylor’s Peter Ibbetson http://blog.naxos.com/2009/07/16/world-premiere-recording-of-deems-taylors-peter-ibbetson/ http://blog.naxos.com/2009/07/16/world-premiere-recording-of-deems-taylors-peter-ibbetson/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:07:53 +0000 Kelly http://blog.naxos.com/?p=3434 On July 28, Naxos of America and Seattle Symphony release the world premiere recording of Deems Taylor’s 730099901673 lang en us World Premiere Recording of Deems Taylors Peter Ibbetson1931 opera Peter Ibbetson. Recorded live in Benaroya Hall, this concert performance features Music Director Gerard Schwarz conducting Seattle Symphony, and star tenor Anthony Dean Griffey in the title role, with soprano Lauren Flanigan as Mary, Duchess of Towers, and baritone Richard Zeller as Colonel Ibbetson.

Peter Ibbetson’s triumphant Metropolitan Opera premiere in 1931 featured an all-star cast that included American baritone (and movie actor) Lawrence Tibbett as Colonel Ibbetson; Canadian tenor-and later the Metropolitan Opera’s general manager-Edward Johnson in the title role; and Spanish soprano Lucrezia Bori as Duchess of Towers. Peter Ibbetson received 22 performances over four seasons from 1931 to 1936, a record for an American opera it held until Porgy and Bess entered the Metropolitan Opera’s repertory in 1985. Peter Ibbetson was such a commercial success in its day that Johnson, after becoming the Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager in May of 1935, commented that the money it generated during the Great Depression helped keep the company afloat.

The story, based on the novel by George Du Maurier, is of two star-crossed lovers who escape together to a mystical “dream world.” Immensely popular in the 1930s, the story inspired several a Broadway play starring John Barrymore and a Hollywood film starring Gary Cooper, in addition to Taylor’s successful opera.

Composer Deems Taylor was one of America’s most prominent musical figures in the 1920s-30s, and served as the president of ASCAP for six years; in 1967, ASCAP established the Deems Taylor award, which honors books, articles, broadcasts, and websites on the subject of music, in his memory. Taylor still is known to millions as the host of the original Disney Fantasia movie.

This is the first-ever commercial release for Peter Ibbetson, recorded in Benaroya Hall in 1999. Additional cast members on this disc include bass Charles Robert Austin, sopranos Terri Richter and Erin Clark, mezzo-sopranos Lori Summers, Emily Lunde, and Carolyn Gronlund, tenor Paul Gudas, baritone Barry Johnson, and bass Eugene Buchholz.

]]> http://blog.naxos.com/2009/07/16/world-premiere-recording-of-deems-taylors-peter-ibbetson/feed/ 1 Podcast: An American Romantic – Arthur Foote http://blog.naxos.com/2009/06/02/podcast-an-american-romantic-arthur-foote/ http://blog.naxos.com/2009/06/02/podcast-an-american-romantic-arthur-foote/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:00:17 +0000 Raymond http://blog.naxos.com/?p=3088 FOOTE, A.: Francesca da Rimini album coverArthur was one of America’s finest Romanic composers, and one of the first completely trained in the United States. His gorgeous melodies and lush orchestrations beg the question: Why isn’t the music performed much more often?

In this podcast, conductor Gerard Schwarz tries to answer that question.

Album details…
Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559365

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* enhanced version of the podcast contains chapter markers and cover art.

]]> http://blog.naxos.com/2009/06/02/podcast-an-american-romantic-arthur-foote/feed/ 0 Podcast: The Phoenix and the Composer – an Interview with Bright Sheng http://blog.naxos.com/2009/05/05/podcast-the-phoenix-and-the-composer-an-interview-with-bright-sheng/ http://blog.naxos.com/2009/05/05/podcast-the-phoenix-and-the-composer-an-interview-with-bright-sheng/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 16:00:49 +0000 Raymond http://blog.naxos.com/?p=2804 Bright Sheng - The Phoenix album coverBright Sheng has spent half his life in his homeland China, where he survived the Cultural Revolution by playing piano and percussion in a folk music group on the border with Tibet, and has spent the other half of his life in the United States where he has become one of the most saught after composers.

A fascinating story and interview.

Album details…
Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559610

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Download this Episode: AAC* | MP3

* enhanced version of the podcast contains chapter markers and cover art.

]]> http://blog.naxos.com/2009/05/05/podcast-the-phoenix-and-the-composer-an-interview-with-bright-sheng/feed/ 0