Crystal Records — New
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This page lists all new releases starting 2018.
The newer CDs are at the top. We will add to the list as necessary. Please
check back frequently; we usually issue one or two new releases each
month. SOUND SAMPLES are available for selected movements of most of
the new releases and more will be added when available.
For a
copy of our 2021 catalog (32 large pages in color with copies of the covers and
listings of more than 300 CDs) please email us at info@crystalrecords.com. The 2021 catalog was sent to everyone on our
mailing list in December 2020. (if you have ordered before or asked for a
catalog before you should have gotten one).
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CD782:
The Voxman Project. Featuring Kenneth Tse,
Saxophone, and faculty and staff from the Voxman
School of Music, University of Iowa, conducted by Richard Mark Heidel. UPC 009414778222 BUY
NOW
Kirk
O’Riordan,
Ductus Figuratus, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and
Chamber Ensemble; Darius Milhaud, La Création
du Monde; Kurt Weill, Little Threepenny Music
Recorded
in the Voxman Music Building (cover picture),
University of Iowa. The impressive Voxman Bldg.
houses equally impressive music faculty, staff, and students. This CD features
the playing of these fine musicians.
“Tse plays with seductive tonal beauty
and sheer virtuosity” American Record Guide
CD782 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
(to return to this
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O’Riordan Ductus figuratas,
Concerto for Alto Saxophone Mvt. 1 Cadens Mvt. 2 Abeo Mvt. 3 Tripudio Mvt. 4 Demum Milhaud
La Création du Monde Mvt. 1 Overture Mvt. 2 Chaos Before Creation Mvt. 3 Birth of Flora and Fauna Mvt. 4 Birth of Man and Woman Mvt. 5 Dance of Desire Mvt. 6 Spring or Appeasement Weill
Little Threepenny Music Mvt. 1 Overture Mvt. 2 Mack the Knife Mvt. 3 The Instead-of Song Mvt. 4 Ballad of the Easy Life Mvt. 5 Polly’s Song Mvt. 6 Tango-Ballad Mvt. 7 Cannon Song Mvt. 8 Threepenny Finale
CD205:
FINE ARTS BRASS QUINTET. Ingolf Dahl, Music for Brass Instruments; Anthony Plog, Four Sierra Scenes; Robert Linn, Quintet
for Brass Instruments; Donal 
Michalsky,
Fantasia sopra M.F.V., and Fantasia alla Marcia. UPC
009414720528. BUY
NOW
The Los Angeles-based Fine Arts Brass Quintet
concertized in the U.S. and Europe from 1968-1990. Anthony
Plog and Russell
Kidd, trumpets; Robert Henderson,
horn; John Daley, trombone; Alan Johnson, bass trombone.
"The Fine Arts Brass Quintet plays with robust, outspoken
style [with] expressive gesture." Philadelphia Enquirer
CD205 Sound samples
(mp3 files) Click on the
link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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Dahl Music for Brass Instruments: 1.
Chorale Fantasy 2.
Intermezzo 3.
Fugue Plog Four Sierra Scenes: 1.
Mountains 2.
Sunset 3.
Temples 4.
Sunrise Linn Quintet: Mvt. 1 Rhythmic
Mvt. 2 Broad Mvt. 3 Spirited
Michalsky:
Fantasia
sopra M.F.V. Fantasia
alla Marcia
CD252:
RIC
HARDS WIND QUINTET. Three Woodwind Quintets
by Johann Peter Müller. UPC
009414725226. BUY NOW
The
Richards Quintet was in-residence at Michigan State University. This recording
was made in 1976 and digitally remastered for CD in 2020. Performers are Israel Borouchoff,
flute; Daniel Stolper, oboe; Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, clarinet;
Edgar Kirk, bassoon; Douglas Campbell, horn.
PETER MÜLLER (as he was known) was born in
Germany in 1791 and died in 1877. Though he lived in the Romantic era, these
pieces are delightfully classical in nature.
Dan Stolper was
oboe editor of the International Double Reed Society Journal since its
beginning in 1972 and was teacher at Michigan State University and the
Interlochen Center for the Arts for 45 years. He died 2020. Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr with her husband Walter Verdehr
are founders of the Verdehr Trio and have 24 CDs with that ensemble.
“These are charming
pieces. The Richards Quintet sports good energy, technique, and phrasing”
American Record Guide
CD252 Sound samples
(mp3 files) Click on the
link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown. (to return to this page
after listening to samples, please use your browser back button)
Quintet No.1 Mvt.1
Larghetto, Allegro Mvt.2
Scherzo Mvt.3
Larghetto Mvt.4
Allegro molto Quintet
No.2 Mvt.1
Allegro con brio Mvt.2Andante
con moto Mvt.3
Menuetto Mvt.4
Allegro ma non troppo Quintet No. 3 Mvt.1
Allegro Mvt.2
Andante Sostenuto Mvt.3
Menuetto Mvt.4
Allegro
CD330:
JAMES CAMPBELL, CLARINET. John York, Piano. UPC 
009414733023. BUY NOW
Malcolm Arnold, Sonatina, op. 29; Claude Debussy, Petite
Pièce and Premiere Rhapsodie; Gabriel Pierné, Canzonetta; Alban Berg, Four Pieces for Clarinet
and Piano, op. 5; Witold Lutoslawski, Five Dance
Preludes; Paul Jeanjean, Carnival of Venice; Carl
Maria von Weber, Seven Variations on a theme from Silvana, op. 33.
James Campbell, Clarinet, with John York, Piano.
James Campbell has been named Canada's Artist of the Year, made a member of
the CBC Classical Music Hall of Fame, awarded the Queen's Gold and Diamond
Jubilee Medal, an Honorary Doctor of Laws, and Canada's highest honor, the
Order of Canada. He has performed in over 35 countries with over 60 orchestras,
including the Boston Pops, Montreal Symphony, and three of London's top
orchestras: the Philharmonic, Symphony, and Philharmonia. He has over 40 recordings. Campbell was
Professor of Music at Indiana University from 1988-2019.
“Clarinet playing simply
doesn’t get any better than this…his tone is pure honey, his transitions
between registers smooth and seamless, his intonation precise, his technical
execution flawless, and his music instincts in matters of tempo,dynamics,
phrasing, and interpretive expression always true to the letter and intent of
the score before him. If you love the clarinet, this is a must. If you hear it
and you don’t love James Campbell, you don’t love music.” Fanfare May 2021 (Dubins)
John York
is a winner of the International Debussy Prize in Paris, and soloist with many
orchestras. For 33 years he was Professor at the Guildhall School of Music and
Drama in London
CD330 Sound samples
(mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement
shown.
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back button)
Arnold: Sonatina Mvt 1 Allegro con
brio Mvt 2 Andantino Mvt 3 Furioso Debussy:
Petite
Piece Premiere
Rhapsodie
Pierne Canzonetta Berg: Four Pieces Mvt 1 Massig Mvt 2 Sehr Langsam Mvt 3 Sehr rasch Mvt 4 Langsam Lutoslawski: Five Dance Preludes Mvt 1 Allegro molto Mvt 2 Andantino Mvt 3 Allegro
giocoso Mvt 4 Andante Mvt 5 Allegro Molto Jeanjean: Carnival
of Venice Von Weber: Seven
Variations on a theme from Silvana
CD372:
CHRISTOPHER LEUBA, HORN. Kevin Aanerud, Piano. Sonatas
for Horn and Piano by Paul Tufts, John
Verrall, and Halsey Stevens. UPC
009414737229 BUY NOW
Christopher Leuba was principal horn with the Chicago Symphony, Minneapolis
Symphony, and Portland Opera. For many years he was on the faculty of the
University of Washington and played with the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet. He was principal horn for several
seasons at the Aspen Music Festival, and played
frequently with the Philharmonica Hungarica.
The works on this CD were all written
for Leuba and have established themselves prominently
in horn recital literature. “Performances are
top-notch. The works bubble with an appealing melodic facility.” Los Angeles Times
“[This CD] is a must for devotees of virtuoso horn playing as
well as fans of twentieth century American music.” Music
Web (March 2021, Kreindler)
CD372 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35
seconds of the movement shown.
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listening to samples, please use your browser back button)
Verrall Sonata:
Mvt. 1 Pastoral
Mvt. 2 Nocturne
Mvt. 3 Vivace
Stevens Sonata: Mvt. 1 Allegro moderato Mvt. 2 Poco adagio
Mvt. 3 Vivace
Tufts Sonata: Mvt. 1 Allegro moderato Mvt. 2 Adagio Mvt. 3 Allegro
CD646:
MOZART SERENADE NO. 10 IN Bb, K. 361 for 12 Winds and Double Bass. Toronto
Chamber Winds, Winton Webber, Conductor.
UPC
00941476462. BUY NOW
Mozart's Serenade No. 10 in Bb, K.361, for 12 Winds and Double Bass, is
a masterpiece in every respect. It is one of his longest instrumental
works and is a musical blockbuster. It
is written for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 basset horns, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, and
double bass. The Toronto Chamber winds include members of the Toronto Symphony,
the Canadian Ballet Orchestra, and the Hamilton Philharmonic. Oboes: Harry Sargous, David Sussman; Clarinets: James Campbell, Gwillym Williams; Basset Horns: David Bourque, Daniel
Leeson; Bassoons: Christopher Weait, Mitchell Clarke;
Horns: R. Scott Wilson, Miles Hearn, Wayne Jeffrey, Gary Pattison; Double Bass:
Peter Madgett.
Serenade K. 361,
Over 49 minutes, consists of seven movements of extraordinary contrast,
requiring unusual instrumental resources whose characteristic colors were
exploited as never before and rarely since. This performance by the Toronto
Chamber Winds is one of the only recorded performances that adheres to the
original Mozart manuscript. There are many differences between this and the
corrupted versions that are usually heard and have been recorded previously.
This recording was originally on Crystal LP S646,
released 1982, and was the first recording of the work under the guidance of
Daniel Leeson, who was one of the editors of the Serenade for the Bärenreiter publication
of the complete edition of Mozart’s music. The performance is embellished in a
style appropriate to the time of composition.
“This recording represents the best in North
American wind performance.” The Horn Call (Chris Leuba)
“interpretation by the Toronto
Chamber Winds of this masterpiece is exemplary…lively, refined, and
spiritual…remarkable virtuosity and an irreproachable musicality.” Sonances (Jacques Boulay)
“the composer’s crowning achievement
in the serenade genre, an undisputed masterpiece…a fine performance. The Toronto Chamber Winds
are more than worthy for serious consideration…a fine performance.”
Fanfare (Jerry Dubins)
“The performing on this recording is
exquisite. Lyrical, sonorous, perfectly balanced, the musicians are to be
lauded for this hallmark achievement. For an exemplary recording of the Gran Partita, one need look no further.” The Horn
Call (Lydia Van Dreel)
“Masterfully performed… lush performance and a
master-class in knowing when to lead and when to get out of the way. This
is a worthy addition to every band director's collection and teachers should
make a point of sharing this with their double reed, clarinet, and horn
players.” Instrumentalist (April 2020)
“The playing is polished and professional; and
the group produces a rich and resonant sound. Solo passages are clear and
lyrical; and the accompanying lines have excellent balance and rhythm.” American Record Guide (July/August 2020, Hanudel)
CD646 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35
seconds of the movement shown.
(to return to this page after
listening to samples, please use your browser back button)
Serenade in Bb, K. 361 (370a) I.
Largo; Allegro molto II.
Menuetto;Trio 1,Trio 2 III.
Adagio_sample.mp3 IV.
Menuetto; Trio 1, Trio 2 V.
Romanze
VI.
Thema_mit_Variationen VII.
Finale:Rondo Allegro molto
CD775:
Tribute to John Cerminaro, Horn. UPC 009414777522. BUY NOW
RICHARD STRAUSS, Horn
Concerto No. 1 (live performance Switzerland 2007, with the PaulTaylororCHestra, Paul Taylor, conductor) Francis Poulenc, Sonata for Trumpet, Horn,
and Trombone (Thomas Stevens, trumpet; John Cerminaro,
horn; Ralph Sauer, trombone); Poulenc, Elegie
for Horn and Piano; Doppler, LOiseau des Bois for Flute and Horn Quartet (Nadine Asin, flute; horns:
John Cerminaro, Frøydis Ree Wekre, Carol Bacon, Brian
Drake); Saint-Saëns, Romance, Horn and Piano; Leonard
Bernstein, Elegy for Mippy, Horn and
Piano; Scriabin, Romance, Horn and Piano; Gliere, Nocturne for Horn and Piano.
(Zita Carno, piano)
The
Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1
was recorded live on a concert by the Swiss orchestra paultaylororCHestra in
2007. It is
a phenomenal performance. In addition to this, the CD includes solo and chamber
works played by John Cerminaro which were originally
on LP but were not previously re-released on CD.
John Cerminaro was principal horn with the New
York Philharmonic from 1969-1979, the Los Angeles Philharmonic
from 1979-1986 , and the Seattle Symphony from 1996-2011. He was
the founding principal horn of Live from Lincoln Center with the New York
Philharmonic, and Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts at Avery Fisher
Hall. He has been a faculty member of The Juilliard School, California
Institute of the Arts, Le Domaine Forget International Music Festival and
Academy, and for 35 seasons, the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Widely known for his diverse recording work,
ranging from Mozart's Four Horn Concertos on Crystal Records
CD515 to the theme music for The NBC Nightly News, Cerminaro's numerous symphonic recordings are only
surpassed in popularity by his Hollywood movie scores & television music,
as well as familiar horn logos heard in all major
motion picture studio fanfares released since 1981.
Leonard Bernstein called Cerminaro "The greatest horn player in the world". The American Record Guide called Cerminaro "The best solo horn the
New York Philharmonic has had since World War II."
“This
is a truly outstanding performance. Cerminaro’s
gloriously robust playing, his impeccable precision and clarity of articulation
and his stupendously rich and varied tone...set this performance apart from
many others and place it very near – if not at – the top of my own personal
recommended versions of this most entertaining of Strauss concertos.” (Marc
Rochester, Music Web)
“FIVE STARS. Any horn player will see this as
a gift. The programing is exemplary, a selection of chamber pieces well known
to each and every self-respecting player plus a gleaming performance of a
repertoire staple…[In the Strauss Concerto] the agility of Cerminaro
in the finale is a demonstration of perfect technique, each note perfectly
placed…While horn players that can play brazenly and brashly are ten to a
penny, those who can play with real sensitivity are few and far between. Cerminaro is one of those players who has it all.” (Colin Clarke, Fanfare)
“For younger players who may not know of Cerminaro’s legacy and flawless performances, this disc is
a good initiation to his artistry. The tempi of the Strauss are brisk and are
exquisitely performed. Cerminaro’s inimitable
renditions are absolutely pristine. His singing tone and agile passages are
hallmarks of his playing. Cerminaro’s tribute disc is
highly recommended, especially to those younger players who may not be aware of
his stunning musicianship.” (Eldon Matlick, The Horn Call)
CD775 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up
to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
(to return to this page after listening to
samples, please use your browser back button)
Strauss: Concerto No. 1 in Eb I. Allegro II. Andante III. Allegro Poulenc: Elegie Doppler: LՏiseau des Bois Saint
Saens: Romance Bernstein: Elegy for Mippy Scriabin: Romance Gliere: Nocturne Poulenc:
Sonata for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone I. Allegro moderato II. Andante III. Rondeau
See John Cerminaro for a listing of his other CDs.
The art work on the
cover of CD775 is by John Cerminaro.
CD826:
BHAVANI’S OBOE. Bhavani Kotha, Oboe; Kimberly Russ, Piano;
Christie Reside, Flute. Benjamin Britten, Temporal Variations (oboe, piano); Eugene Bozza, Fantaisie Pastorale, op.
37 (ob, pa); Benjamin Godard, Scènes
Écossaises (ob, pa);
Madeleine Dring, Trio for Flute, Oboe, & Piano (fl, ob, pa); and Danza Gaya (ob, pa); Antonio Pasculli, Fantasia
sull’ opera “Poliuto” di
Donizetti (ob, pa). UPC
009414782625 BUY NOW
Bhavani Kotha is a winner of the Yamaha
Young Performing Artists Competition and the National Federation of Musicians
Double Reed Award. She played the Strauss Oboe Concerto on a tour of Europe,
where the Gottingen Kulturbüro wrote of her “musicality
and great technical abilities.” These qualities are shown on the wonderful
works on this CD, which require the highest musicianship. Peter Christ,
president of Crystal Records and founder/oboist of the Westwood Wind Quintet,
said of Bhavani: “As a professional oboist for over 65 years, I am not
easily impressed with an oboist. But impressed I am with Bhavani Kotha. Her playing on this CD is spectacular and the choice
of repertoire is wonderful.”
“Bhavani Kotha is a
phenomenal oboist, able to make her instrument purr like a clarinet or ring out
brazenly like a trumpet.” Fanfare Magazine (James H. North)
“Bhavani Kotha shines…she
takes listeners on a musical journey that is both exciting and calming, and it
is a joy to become absorbed in her playing. Her mastery of the oboe in all
registers is noteworthy.”
The Instrumentalist
CD826 Sound samples (mp3
files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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Britten: Temporal
Variations Bozza:Fantaisie
Pastorale Godard: Scénes Écossaises I.Légende pastorale
II.Sérénade à Mabel
III.Marche des Highlanders Dring: Trio for
Flute, Oboe, and Piano I.Allegro con brio
II.Andante semplice
III.
Allegro giocoso Dring: Danza
Gaya Pasculli:
Fantasia
sull’opera “Poliuto” di
Donizetti (oboe entrance at :42)
CD961:
RIPPLES -- CLARION: Keith Benjamin, Trumpet; Melody Turnquist-Steed,
Organ. Anthony Plog, For Cam; Samuel Adler, Life is an Ecstasy; Stacy Garrop, Road Warrior; James Mobberley, Passing
Illuminations; Adam Schoenberg, Apollo. BUY NOW
Keith Benjamin has been Professor of Trumpet at
the University of Missouri since 1989. Melody Turnquist-Steed
is Music Specialist for the Waterloo (Iowa) Community School District. Active
recitalists, they appear nationally as soloists and as chamber musicians.
Clarion is their trumpet-organ duo and it has
performed throughout the U.S. with a specialty of contemporary works as well as
the standard baroque literature. All of the works on this CD were written
specifically for the CD and the Clarion Duo.
“Clarion [reveals] here not just an
extraordinarily high level of technical ability but a keen sense of the
dramatic gesture…Clearly the unique
qualities of both Benjamin and Turnquist-Steed have
inspired some very original writing, and they respond with performances which
are nothing if not committed to the music.” ( Rochester, Music Web)
“The standard of performance here is utterly
remarkable, caught in a fine, present recording. Keith Benjamin is the superb trumpeter, his legato a dream;
organist Melody Turnquist-Steed is the perfect
partner. Adler’s Life is an Ecstasy is
joyous…how lovely to hear a performance of such assurance…Garrop’s
Road Warrior is gestural, descriptive, and highly effective. Clarion fully invests
in Mobberley’s vocabulary; the result is spellbinding…In Schoenberg’s
Apollo, the grandeur of space meets timelessness. The finale is a glorious,
bejeweled explosion of joy…the aspirational trumpet lines speaking of hope and
expectation of return.” Fanfare Magazine (Colin
Clarke)
CD961 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click
on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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button)
Plog: For Cam Adler:
Life is an Ecstacy I. Like a March II. Declamatory Garrop: Road Warrior I. I am the ghost rider II. My little baby soul III. Are you with me here? Mobberley: Passing Illuminations Schoenberg:
Apollo I. Beyond II. Light III. Return
An LP classic is reborn as a spectacular CD.
CD102: When the first LP of the Los Angeles Brass
Quintet was released in 1967 it set high standards to which other quintets could
strive. This recording introduced fabulous trumpeter Thomas Stevens and tuba
player Roger Bobo to the world, along with Miles Anderson on trombone, Mario
Guarneri on trumpet, and Ralph Pyle on horn. Now on Compact Disc with
additional pieces from the LABQ's 2nd LP, the playing still proves to be some
of the best brass playing anywhere.
This CD, CD102, features Paganini
Three Caprices, Bartok Suite from For Children, Wilder Brass Quintet No. 1,
Hindemith Morgenmusik, Schmidt Variations on a Negro
Folk Song, Cheetham Scherzo, and pieces by J.S. Bach, and Pezel.
UPC 009414710222 BUY NOW
The players were all members of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic at the time this recording was made. Formed in 1966, the LABQ
toured the U.S. and Europe, playing its last concert in 1975, At the time they
retired from the orchestra, Thomas Stevens had been principal trumpet for 25
years; Roger Bobo tubist for 25 years. All of the
players had long tenures with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and continued after
retirement from the orchestra to perform and teach throughout the world.
Stevens and Bobo have
four solo CDs each on Crystal Records. They are considered some of the finest
solo brass recordings ever made.
"The contents of this compact disc are
taken from Crystal LPs released in 1967 and 1968, not that one could
guess from the sound. The original engineers did a great job; but so did Tal Miller of Next Generation Audio and Sonny Ausman in transferring the recordings so fabulously it is
impossible to guess their provenance. And what performances they are. The music
is glowing... Paganini arranged for brass smacks of virtuosity...The trumpeter
Mario Guarneri must take the major bow in the central number, assuming the lead
with those descending gestures... It is difficult to fully convey the
life-enhancing nature of this album. This is a glorious celebration of what a
brass ensemble can achieve, produced to the highest possible
standards"> (Fanfare, Colin Clarke, March/April 2019)
"Recorded during the heyday of the Los Angeles Brass
Quintet (now disbanded), this enjoyable disc showcases an appealing array of
music, including Hindemith's triumphant Morganmusik
and Alec Wilder's mischievous Quintet No. 1" (BBC Music Magazine, Jan 2019)
CD102 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up
to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
(to
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button)
Pezel: Five Dances I. Intrade II. Sarabande III. Bal IV. Sarabande V. Gigue Paganini: Three
Caprices I. Moderato II. Sostenuto, Andante III. Theme and Variations Bartk: Suite from ҆or ChildrenӼspan
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I. Children at Play II. Childrenճ Song III. Play IV. Childrenճ Game V. Study for the Left Hand VI. Quasi Adagio VII. Allegro Robusto Wilder: Brass
Quintet I. Trumpet Prelude II. Horn Elegy III. Tuba Showpiece IV. Trombone Lyric V. Toccata VI. Finale Hindemith: Morgenmusik I. Massig Bewegt II. Langsame Viertel III. Bewegt Bach: Fantasie in C Major Air pour les Trompettes Prelude & Fugue in E Minor Schmidt:
Variations of a Negro Folk Song I. Theme II. Fanfare III. Ostinato IV. Chorale V. March VI. Fugato Cheetham: Scherzo
Another LP classic on CD from the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, now
with the Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble; Stanley Chaloupka,
Harp; and Sharon Davis, Piano.
CD109: The third LP from the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, released in 1974,
also garnered attention for its spectacular playing and exciting repertoire.
Now on CD109, the playing and recording quality are still among the best. Brass
performers, same as on the first LABQ LP and CD, are fabulous trumpeter Thomas
Stevens and tuba player Roger Bobo, along with Miles Anderson on trombone,
Mario Guarneri on trumpet, and Ralph Pyle on horn. The Los Angeles Percussion
Ensemble, the brass players, and Stanley Chaloupka,
harpist, were all members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the time this
recording was made. Sharon Davis is a famous recording artist and touring pianist.
William Kraft, Nonet for Brass Quintet and
Percussion; Frank Campo, Madrigals for Brass Quintet; Rayner Brown, Concertino
for Harp and Brass Quintet; William Schmidt, Concertino for Piano and Brass
Quintet. UPC 009414710925 >BUY NOW
These works were all written for the Los Angeles
Brass Quintet. The Kraft Nonet is unique in its instrumentation and its 22
minutes are an exciting listening experience. Rayner Brown was Dean and State
Chairman of the American Guild of Organists. He wrote a wonderfully listenable
piece for this recording. William Schmidt is well known for his hundreds of
works for brass and woodwinds, which are staples in the repertoire for concerts
throughout the world. Frank Campo was a Professor at California State
University Northridge for 25 years, and his many works are performed regularly.
"Nonet for Brass and Percussion by William Kraft, heard here under the composerճ baton, is a superb piece, uncompromising and
massively exciting... The performance is impeccable, here and elsewhere. One
notices the careful balancing of simultaneities, the superb, consistent spot-on
attack from all players... There are three Madrigals by Frank Campo...The sheer
accuracy of the opening trumpet line is astonishing... The sound of a harp at
the opening of Rayner Brown's Concertino For Harp And
Brass Quintet is quite a shock on first blush. How surprising it
seems in this context to find the sound of harp and muted trumpet are so
closely aligned. The recording balance helps; each instrument clear as a
bell...Finally, there comes William Schmidt's Concertino For
Piano And Brass Quintet. The writing here indeed speaks of fluency. Jazz,
post-Impressionism, and a goodly dollop of spikiness to combine to make for an
enjoyable romp, made all the more relishable thanks to the tightness of
ensemble between Sharon Davis and the brass" (Fanfare, Colin Clarke, March/April
2019)
"This recording is terrific." (American Record Guide,
Kilpatrick, March/April 2019)
CD109 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up
to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
(to
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button)
Kraft: Nonet for Brass Quintet I. Presto II. Andante III. Interlude 1 – Scherzo a Tre IV. Allegretto; quasi Scherzando V. Interlude 2 –Scherzo a Quatro VI. Maestoso e Rubato Campo:
Madrigals I. Indifference II. Unrequited Love III. Aria Perduta Brown:
Concertino for Harp and Brass Quintet I. Allegretto II. Adagio III. Allegro con brio IV. Adagio V. Allegretto Schmidt:
Concertino for Piano and Brass Quintet I. Allegro con Brio II. Largo III. Allegro con Spirito
CD360:
TRUMPETER EXTRAORDINAIRE THOMAS STEVENS. UPC 009414736924. >BUY NOW
Stravinsky, Fanfare for a New Theater (w/Mario Guarneri,
trumpet); Elliott Carter, Canon for Three (w/Mario Guarneri & Roy Poper, trumpets); Aurelio De La Vega, Para-Tangents
(w/pre-recorded sounds); Iain Hamilton, Five Scenes (w/Ralph Grierson, piano);
Henri Lazarof, Concertazioni (w/instrumental ensemble);
Harold Budd, New Work #5 (w/Ralph Grierson, piano); Carlos Chvez,
Soli (w/Peter Christ, oboe; David Atkins, clarinet; Kay Brightman, bassoon).
This new CD has the works that Stevens recorded for Crystal LPs that had not
been released previously on CD. Stevens died on July 14, 2018; this CD is a
tribute to his spectacular playing.
"THOMAS STEVENS, TRUMPET
(1938-2018), was solo trumpet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 28
years. He was, without a doubt, one of the world's finest brass
players" said
the American Record Guide. "He was at one and the same
a virtuoso and a highly thoughtful musician. I can think of only handful who
are his equal, and certainly none better" Andre Previn. He has five solo CDs.
Doc Severinson, writing
about one of Stevens’ many Crystal recordings, wrote “I first heard Stevens’ new CD while lying
down, which was a good thing since I would have fainted if I were standing.
This recording clearly defines what is possible on the trumpet…in a very artistic fashion.”
See Thomas Stevens. See also L.A. Brass Quintet CD102 and CD109 under Brass Ensembles.
CD360 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up
to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
(to
return to this page after listening to samples, please use your browser back
button)
Stravinsky: Fanfare for a New Theater Carter: Canon for Three De
La Vega: Para-Tangents Hamilton:
Five Scenes I. Wild II. Nocturnal III. Declamato IV. Nocturnal V. Brilliant Lazarof: Concertazioni Budd: New Work #5 Chvez: Soli
CD362
– Snapshots: ANTHONY PLOG, TRUMPET. Verne Reynolds, Music for 5 Trumpets (performed by Anthony Plog and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Trumpet section);
Alan Hovhaness, Sonata for Trumpet and Organ (Anthony Plog,
trumpet; Ladd Thomas, organ); Fisher Tull, Three
Bagatelles (Anthony Plog, trumpet; Sharon
Davis, piano); Eugene Bozza, Caprice
(Anthony Plog, trumpet; Sharon Davis, piano); Frank
Campo, Duet for Equal Trumpets (Anthony Plog, Russell
Kidd); Anthony Plog, Fanfare for Two Trumpets
(Anthony Plog, Russell Kidd); Anthony Plog, Animal Ditties – based on poems by Ogden Nash
(Anthony Plog, trumpet; Sharon Davis, piano; Hal
Smith, narrator); Georges Enesco, Legend (Anthony Plog,
trumpet; Sharon Davis, piano); Leroy Southers, Three
Spheres (Anthony Plog, trumpet; Ken Wolfson, bassoon;
Sharon Davis, piano) UPC 009414736222. > BUY NOW
"A virtuoso player. Plog
is a composer as well, represented by a brief Fanfare for Two Trumpets> and
Animal Ditties, a witty mini-suite for narrator (Hal Smith), trumpet and piano
on poems by Ogden Nash....piano played impeccably by Sharon Davis...Enescu and Bozza works allow one to gauge Plog's
undeniable musicianship but it is the sheer diversity that is the winning
feature of the disc" Gramophone, June 2018, Guy Richards
"The playing is first-rate, sound quality
excellent"
American Record Guide, May/June 2018, Kilpatrick
"All in all, this is a great celebration
of trumpet playing.” Fanfare July/August 2018, Colin Clarke
"Verne Reynold's three-movement Music for
Five Trumpet's has an all-star lineup of players from the Los Angeles
Philharmonic: Anthony Plog, Mario Guarneri, Robert DiVall, Irving Bush, and Thomas Stevens. These
people make consistently full-toned sounds and their intonation
is impeccable. The finale is very fast and exciting. Plog's Animal Ditties became an instant hit when this
recording was made. The very cute setting of Ogden Nash poems has
trumpeter Plog and Pianist Sharon Davis interacting
with the excellent narrator, Hal Smith." (American Record Guide, Kilpatrick)
ANTHONY
PLOG has performed with
numerous orchestras around the world, including the Los Angeles Chamber
Orchestra, the Basel Symphony, and the San Antonio Symphony (all as principal
trumpet), the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the Buenos Aires
Symphony (as co-principal trumpet on tour), the Utah Symphony (as associate
principal trumpet), and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. He has performed and recorded extensively as a
chamber musician with groups such as the Fine Arts Brass Quintet, the Summit
Brass (as a founding member of both), the St. Louis Brass Quintet, and as a
substitute with the iconic New York Brass Quintet. He has also toured
throughout the world and recorded as a soloist. His other solo CD on
Crystal Records is CD663.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Trumpet Section
(Robert DiVall, Thomas Stevens, Irving Bush, and
Mario Guarneri) which played on this recording was an extremely versatile and
recognized group of players. The individual players performed in such diverse
musical settings as jazz, commercial recordings for major Hollywood studios,
avant-garde chamber music, and solo appearances.
SHARON
DAVIS' musical training was in
her native Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, then at The
Juilliard School in New York and in
Paris, France, on a Fulbright Scholarship. Her performances have
been as piano soloist, collaborative pianist, and chamber player on tours and
in live broadcasts in North America and Europe, plus work as a recording
artist. As composer she won the Colorado Art Commission's Creative Fellowship
Award in Classical Composition, and she is active as editor, composer, and
arranger for Western International Music, Inc.
CD362 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up
to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
(to
return to this page after listening to samples, please use your browser back
button)
Reynolds: Music for Five Trumpets I. Fanfare II. Chorale III. Finale Hovhaness: Sonata for Trumpet and Organ, Mvt.
I (begins at :28) Tull:
Three Bagatelles I. Prelude II. Improvisation III. Caprice Bozza: Caprice Campo: Duet for Equal Trumpets Plog: Fanfare for Two Trumpets Plog: Animal Ditties I. The Turtle (begins at
:30) II. The Python III. The Hyena IV. The Hog (begins at
:35) Enesco: Legend Southers: Three Spheres I. Sphere I II. Sphere II (begins at 1:00) III. Sphere III (begins at :55)
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