Ryabov and Templeton Strong.
John Carter
faction. In the new Fanfare both of these discs Ryabovs 4th and Templeton
Strongs no 2 are reviewed. I know neither composer.However Ihad already
bought the Ryabov and like it greatly because I had heard a fragment of
piano music once I thought it was a safe bet.In fact it is like Glazunov
with muscle, and actual tunes.
I steered clear of the Strong until I saw a review.We aren't likely to get
one in GB magazines.Classic CD still thinks Copland is rare
repertoire.Walter Simmons mentions Raff Tchaikovsky,Saint Saens and Liszt
which at first looks promising but indicates that Strong falls somewhat
short of them. and suggests it is far from being a "classic" As it is on
Naxos here as well, a welcome departure.I wonder if it is worth the modest
price, or more the time? Are there any contrary opinions to those of Walter
Simmons?Is Strong a lost master or even a highly individual one that
reviewers dislike unjustly as in the case of Raff ,Spohr and Rubinstein all
of whom I find most delightful?
John Carter Barsoom
James K. Stevenson
compose in Germany where his music was well received in his lifetime. He
belongs to the "forgotten generation" of American composers whose neglect
rests primarily in the fact that the narrow-mindedness of the 50's music
establishment shut out all late Romantic American composers (and similar
composers worldwide) in favor of the modernists. The shut-out furthered
some agenda of the establishment of the times, and the symptoms still
persist to a lesser degree today. My recommendation is that you buy the
Strong "Sintram" now available on Naxos for the fact that for a very low
price you develop your own opinion. I love the symphony and have know it
for 30 years. I heard it first when Karl Kreuger issued it on his Society
for the Preservation of the American Musical Heritage subscription lp in
the 1960's. Strong's time is coming thanks to Klaus Heyman and the
Naxos/Marco Polo group who are courageously giving these composers of this
era a hearing.
Jim Stevenson
In article <7nhoti$72m$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, "John Carter"
D Krause
news:jksteven-260...@cvx-dial59.seidata.com...
> Strong's time is coming thanks to Klaus Heyman and the
> Naxos/Marco Polo group who are courageously giving these composers of this
> era a hearing.
I didn't know the Strong Sym #2 before I bought the Naxos recording of it,
but I certainly enjoy it a great deal. Greatest thing I've ever heard? No.
Worth acquiring? Yes -- even at full price. To get it at Naxos's discount
price is a real bargain. Plus, Naxos should be encouraged in its efforts to
bring out more items of unjustly neglected repertoire.
Happy listening.
Clifford Ando
named after him?
Clifford Ando ca...@usc.edu
Classics Department phone: (213) 740-3683
University of Southern California fax: (213) 740-7360
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0352
I. Neill Reid
>George Templeton Strong was an American expatriot who went to live and
>compose in Germany where his music was well received in his lifetime. He
>belongs to the "forgotten generation" of American composers whose neglect
>rests primarily in the fact that the narrow-mindedness of the 50's music
>establishment shut out all late Romantic American composers (and similar
>composers worldwide) in favor of the modernists. The shut-out furthered
>some agenda of the establishment of the times, and the symptoms still
>persist to a lesser degree today.
Given that one of the main figures in the musical establishment in the
1950s was Howard Hanson, director of Eastman school of Music until
1964, and one of the pre-eminent late Romantic American composures,
I'm not quite sure what `establishment' you believe is responsible
for ignoring others of his ilk. There wasn't any ghastly conspiracy -
American audiences simply stopped listening to any near-contemporary
music (did they ever start?) regardless of what it sounded like.
Neill Reid - i...@deimos.caltech.edu
>My recommendation is that you buy the
>Strong "Sintram" now available on Naxos for the fact that for a very low
>price you develop your own opinion. I love the symphony and have know it
>for 30 years. I heard it first when Karl Kreuger issued it on his Society
>for the Preservation of the American Musical Heritage subscription lp in
>the 1960's. Strong's time is coming thanks to Klaus Heyman and the
>Naxos/Marco Polo group who are courageously giving these composers of this
>era a hearing.
>
James K. Stevenson
>1950s was Howard Hanson, director of Eastman school of Music until
>1964, and one of the pre-eminent late Romantic American composures,
>I'm not quite sure what `establishment' you believe is responsible
>for ignoring others of his ilk. There wasn't any ghastly conspiracy -
>American audiences simply stopped listening to any near-contemporary
>music (did they ever start?) regardless of what it sounded like.
> Neill Reid - i...@deimos.caltech.edu
Neill, I agree in part. But Hanson was on a quest and had at his command
the entire resources of the Eastman School of Music and represented that
"alternate" establishment. But even today the main "establishment" still
holds sway. In this newsgroup alone, how often we hear that same cant that
"the only music worth hearing are the works of the great masters?" And
isn't it true that those responsible for programming concerts and
selecting repertoire for recordings were and are interested mainly in the
bottom line to which they (in the past, at least) feared those "old
fashioned" late Romantic composers would not much contribute?
I believe that with the effort of modern orchestral conductors to "teach"
the listening public to hear "modern music" (Michael Guiland made this a
point of effort when music director of the Cincinnati S.O.,) this same
effort was never applied to composers such as John Alden Carpenter, George
Chadwick, Henry Hadley, George Templeton Strong... and a plethora of their
contemporaries.
J Stevenson
John Carter
maybe the same degree of exposure over here.Piston, Harris Cowell but not
those mentioned.The Naxos American Classics thus represents a challenge
which we ought to face.I think we tend to think of most American composers
are something likeCopland or Gershwin which is obviously far from the
case.What other American originals should we look out for?
John Carter Barsoom
Bridgerec
RPO recordings. Thus far the MacDowell tone poems have been issued, as well as
the Amy Beach Symphony coupled with William Grant Still's Afro American
Symphony. Upcoming releases in this series will be devoted to MacDowell,
Foote, G. T. Strong, Arthur Farwell, Henry Gilbert,
Victor Herbert, J.A. Carpenter, J.K. Paine and others. Please see
www.bridgerecords.com for info and mp3 samples.
D Krause
news:19990726164434...@ng-fl1.aol.com...
The good folks at Bridge Records obviously didn't want to be seen as overtly
advertising on the newsgroup -- which is indeed good of them -- as they
refrained from mentioning that they're selling the Krueger/RPO CDs and
others for $9.99 plus S&H from their website. (At everycd.com, the Krueger
CD is $12.50; at amazon.com, $15.49.) Solid!
And no, I don't have any commercial, financial or otherwise connection with
Bridge -- but they're getting me as a customer!
Happy listening.
steve wolk
They will have me for a customer too, but I can't help but wonder why
their first 2 releases were of items that were already available. I
want *new* stuff!
Steve
Luca Sabbatini
effort by an American composer in the 19th century. Excellent
performance. Warmly recommended.
LS
Marc Perman
>James K. Stevenson <jkst...@seidata.com> wrote in message
>news:jksteven-260...@cvx-dial59.seidata.com...
>
>> Strong's time is coming thanks to Klaus Heyman and the
>> Naxos/Marco Polo group who are courageously giving these composers of this
>> era a hearing.
>
>I didn't know the Strong Sym #2 before I bought the Naxos recording of it,
>but I certainly enjoy it a great deal. Greatest thing I've ever heard? No.
>Worth acquiring? Yes -- even at full price. To get it at Naxos's discount
>price is a real bargain. Plus, Naxos should be encouraged in its efforts to
>bring out more items of unjustly neglected repertoire.
For three movements I thought the Strong 2nd was the great lost
symphony, but the finale falls apart a bit. Very worth hearing
nonetheless.
Marc Perman
Bridgerec
>They will have me for a customer too, but I can't help but wonder why
>their first 2 releases were of items that were already available. I
>want *new* stuff!
>
The answer is: This is the material that we were initially given access to.
The rest of the Krueger recordings were opened up to us only two months ago.
Without tooting our horn too much, however, I'd like to invite comparison
between the material issued by the LOC and our first two releases. To me, it
sounds like 'new stuff'. Anyway, stay tuned--new stuff to follow, shortly.
-ds
John Carter
Luca Sabbatini <lsabb...@geneva-link.ch> wrote in message
news:7nirph$huo$1...@news1.sunrise.ch...
of French composers. Tournemire comes to mind. I think the first movement
is terrific and the second is almost as good. The third is enjoyable but to
me suggested Mahler. Yes the last movement is weaker but no weaker than
most late romantic symphonies.I think it was pretty hard for romantic
composers to write last movements as they had to be entirely different from
classical last movements which is what we expect at least subconsciously.. I
will now play it again. Does anyone know if there will be others in the
series? Another question that comes to mind is "how does he compare to
Blair Fairchild?" another American composer one reads about but one never
hears . For some time two members of my music club have been hoping for some
Blair Fairchild, though they seem to have no recordings.are there any? The
Bridge is available from Koch over here by the way.
John Carter Barsoom
Luca Sabbatini
John Carter wrote...
> Does anyone know if there will be others in the series
I talked just yesterday (!) to the conductor Adriano, who lives in
Zurich, Switzerland. He told me that volume two is already recorded, and
should be released later this year (Naxos 8.559048, including Die Nacht
(four little symphonic poems), and the symphonic poem Le Roi Arthur).
Adriano will record the complete orchestral output of Templeton Strong
(five or six CDs). His next plans are *amazingly* interesting. Stay
tuned.
LS
James K. Stevenson
brid...@aol.com (Bridgerec) wrote:
> Bridge Records has begun the restoration and release on CD of Karl Krueger's
> RPO recordings. Thus far the MacDowell tone poems have been issued, as
well as
> the Amy Beach Symphony coupled with William Grant Still's Afro American
> Symphony. Upcoming releases in this series will be devoted to MacDowell,
> Foote, G. T. Strong, Arthur Farwell, Henry Gilbert,
> Victor Herbert, J.A. Carpenter, J.K. Paine and others. Please see
> www.bridgerecords.com for info and mp3 samples.
This is indeed a revelation! Thank you for this information!
J Stevenson
James K. Stevenson
<jrca...@marcopolo26.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>>Hanson was on a quest and had at his command
> > the entire resources of the Eastman School of Music and represented that
> > "alternate" establishment. But even today the main "establishment" still
> > holds sway. In this newsgroup alone, how often we hear that same cant that
> > "the only music worth hearing are the works of the great masters?" And
> > isn't it true that those responsible for programming concerts and
> > selecting repertoire for recordings were and are interested mainly in the
> > bottom line to which they (in the past, at least) feared those "old
> > fashioned" late Romantic composers would not much contribute?
> >
> > I believe that with the effort of modern orchestral conductors to "teach"
> > the listening public to hear "modern music" (Michael Guiland made this a
> > point of effort when music director of the Cincinnati S.O.,) this same
> > effort was never applied to composers such as John Alden Carpenter, George
> > Chadwick, Henry Hadley, George Templeton Strong... and a plethora of their
> > contemporaries.
> >
> > J Stevenson
> Thank you for the information and advice. American composers have not had
> maybe the same degree of exposure over here.Piston, Harris Cowell but not
> those mentioned.The Naxos American Classics thus represents a challenge
> which we ought to face.I think we tend to think of most American composers
> are something likeCopland or Gershwin which is obviously far from the
> case.What other American originals should we look out for?
> John Carter Barsoom
John,
Here is my general list of the forgotten generation of American composers.
Of course some will say I left a certain composer out, and I will gladly
add any I have forgotten... but this is a list of composers whom I feel
deserve a hearing, as least a greater exposure than they have had in this
century. (And to be fair, in the last several years some have been getting
some of that exposure ... George Chadwick, finally, for one.)
BRISTOW, GEORGE (American: 1825-1998)
BUCK, DUDLEY (American: 1839-1906)
CADMAN, CHARLES WAKEFIELD (American:1881-1946)
CARPENTER, JOHN ALDEN (American: 1876-1951)
CHADWICK, GEORGE W. (American: 1854-1931)
COERNE, LOUIS ADOLPHE (American: 1870-1922)
CONVERSE, FREDRICK (American: 1871-1940)
COWELL, HENRY (American:1897-1965)
DAMROSCH, WALTER (American: 1862-1950)
DUBENSKY, ARCADY (American: 1890-1966)
FARWELL, ARTHUR (American: 1872-1952)
FOOTE, ARTHUR (American: 1853-1937)
FRY, WILLIAM HENRY (American: 1813-1864)
GILBERT, HENRY F.(American: 1868-1928)
GILLIS, DON (American: 1912-?)r
GOLDMARK, RUBIN (American: 1872-1936)
GRUENBERG, LOUIS (Polish-American: 1884-1964)
GUION, DAVID (American: 1892-1981)
HAUBIEL, CHARLES (American:
HILL, EDWARD BURLINGAME (American: 1872-1960)
KELLY, EDGAR STILLMAN (American: 1857-1944)
LOEFFLER, CHARLES MARTIN (American: 1861-1935)
MASON, DANIEL GREGORY (American: 1873-1953)
MOORE, DOUGLAS (American: 1893-1969)
NEVIN, ETHELBERT (American: 1862-1901)
PAINE, JOHN KNOWLES (American: 1839-1906)
PARKER, HORATIO (American: 1863-1919)
STRONG, GEORGE TEMPLETON (American: 1856-1948)
TAYLOR, DEEMS (American:
THOMPSON, RANDALL (American: 1899-1984)
This is not to say these composers have not been recorded: they have. But
in such a meager way that merely tantalizes the "taste buds" as it were.
Fortunately for this, or I and many other music lovers never would have
discovered how enjoyable the music is that these composers have produced.
I personally would love to see a renaissance of American musical awareness
such as has occurred in the UK with the rediscovery of such composers as
Stanford, Parry, MaCunn, MacKenzie, McEwen, Dyson, Moeran, Holbrooke, and
others, as these composers were, of course, the contemporaries of most of
those in my list above.
Jim Stevenson
John Carter
I think there are at least six I had not heard of and I have been trying to
explore American music..The British renaissance still has far to
go.Interestingly it is composers of a pre WWII generation but still mostly
of this century that are still under represented Jacob, Bainton, Scott, .As
it is we owe what revival there has been to three labels. Hyperion, Marco
Polo and Chandos and later to Naxos .This same period seems to be the best
represented in American music.I would love some more Gruenberg and compare
say "the Hill of Dreams" and"The Enchanted Isle" with say the semi occult
symphonic poems of Ireland, both influenced byMachen. Also how do you all
ignore that happy tunesmith Gillis.If he was British I suspect that Marco
Polo would be on the second or third British light music disc and also with
MacBride.
I think the important thing is for us to support these recordings when they
are available.look how the wonderful Holbrooke series stopped short because
British critics disliked not the music but the man. How Holbrooke would have
loved the internet and the newsgroups. British and American music is closely
related.We both imported it from Germany and France, We both had low
awareness of our own composers at the very moment that they were reaching
maturity and individuality.From other postings it looks as if Naxos means to
serve you well as they have us with Rawsthorne etc.
To increase awareness you need a label like Naxos. I live five miles outside
a small town 13,000 pop It has one record store, not very big, but this
morning I picked up the Strong Symphony there.Agreed it was his only copy,
and I telephoned first to see if he had it.He did because it was on Naxos He
had the Piston and the Cage as well and three copies of the Bax.That is the
sort of availability that produces awareness for both British or American
music.
John Carter