Summer Night Concert Schönbrunn 2010 — Vienna Philharmonic/Franz Welser-Möst (DeutGram 4763793)

We begin this month with the first of two CD's recorded live in Vienna earlier this year (see Lang Lang's disc below). The Cleveland Orchestra's Music Director led the Vienna Philharmonic in a pops concert on the grounds of the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace on June 8th with a surprising and delightful program entitled "Moon, Planet & Stars." Appropriately themed dances by the Strauss family ("Music of the Spheres") and Josef Lanner ("Evening Stars") are here, but so are three selections from John Williams's 'Star Wars" scores, "Mars" from "The Planets" by Holst, and Yefim Bronfman is soloist in the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2. The Vienna Singverein even shows up for the "Moon Chorus" from Otto Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor."

Featured Wed 9/1, Fri 9/10, Tues 9/21, Thurs 9/30

Mi Alma Mexicana [My Mexican Soul] — Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas/Alondra de la Parra (Sony 75555)

In 2004 at the age of 23, Alondra de la Parra founded the New York-based Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (POA) with the mission of promoting the work of young soloists and composers of the American continent. Since its founding, POA has engaged in international tours, established an Arts and Education program, and initiated a Young Composers' Competition. The orchestra has been hosted at the White House; given concerts for over 30,000 audience members in New York, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Dallas, and Washington, DC, among other cities. The orchestra tours Mexico his month. "Mi Alma Mexicana" is the ensemble's first commercial recording, and it's a celebration of Mexico's 2010 bicentennial, with music from the past 200 years by a wide range of Mexican composers. It's a two-disc set, so we're giving it double exposure.

Featured Thurs 9/2, Tues 9/7, Mon 9/13, Thurs 9/16, Wed 9/22, Mon 9/27

Mozart Symphonies Nos. 14, 18, 20, 39, 41 — Boston Symphony/James Levine (BSO Classics 1001)

Here's what Tim Smith, music critic of the Baltimore Sun had to say about this brand new set from the Boston Symphony's in-house label, BSO Classics: "These live performances, taped in Boston's iconic Symphony Hall in February 2009, balance symphonies from Mozart's teen years - Nos. 14, 18 and 20 - with two of his last three symphonic efforts, Nos. 39 and 41. It's good to be reminded of the many qualities in those early symphonies, and it's rewarding to hear the two war horses given such refreshing, stylish treatment. Levine taps into the lyrical beauty of each score with satisfying results, while never slighting propulsion or clarity of texture. The music is alive with nuance, energy, character. Levine's affection for Mozart shines through in every measure of what are essentially old-fashioned performances - the kind that orchestras gave before the historical authenticity movement swung into high gear - and he inspires in the Bostonians seemingly effortless refinement of tone and articulation, considerable expressive richness of phrasing." You can read more at Mr. Smith's blog, Clef Notes.

Featured Fri 9/3, Tues 9/14, Thurs 9/23

Baroque Music for Trumpet — Josh Rzepka, trumpet; Christopher Toth, organ; Genéviève Leclair, conductor; Rebecca Freshwater, soprano (Josh Rzepka 2010)

Introducing Josh Rzepka, local jazz and classical trumpeter! From his website: "With his debut classical CD, "Josh Rzepka: Baroque Music for Trumpet," he has made a bold follow up to his critically acclaimed debut jazz CD "Midwest Coast," released less than a year ago. Quickly establishing himself as one of the most versatile upcoming performers in classical and jazz music, Josh has performed across the country at famed venues including Severance Hall, Boston's Symphony Hall, Cleveland's NightTown, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Knitting Factory in NYC. As a soloist Josh has presented recitals and concerts ranging from the baroque, to the modern, to original jazz. The CD features a string orchestra in concertos by Torelli, Purcell, Telemann and Vivaldi, plus the Neruda Concerto with organist Christopher Toth. Soprano Rebecca Freshwater sings Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim" accompanied by Mr. Rzepka. The link sends you to Josh's website.

Featured Wed 9/8, Fri 9/17, Tues 9/28

Live in Vienna — Lang Lang, piano (Sony 771901)

Lang Lang sells. How else to explain his new $3 million-dollar contract with Sony? This two-disc album was recorded live in the Golden Hall in Vienna's Musikverein, providing splendors aural and visual (for the DVD and Blue Ray versions of the concert). There's a satisfying range of music here: Beethoven's early Sonata No. 3 and the great "Appassionata" Sonata, Book 1 from "Iberia" by Isaac Albéniz, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7, and three Chopin encores honoring the Polish master's bicentennial.

Featured Thurs 9/9, Mon 9/20, Wed 9/29

Friedrich Witt: Jena Symphony, Symphony in C, Flute Concerto Op 8 — Sinfonia Finlandia/Patrick Gallois (Naxos 572089)

If any of these works are known to you at all, it is probably the "Jena" Symphony, and that's almost certainly because the work was once thought to have been written by Beethoven. German composer and cellist Friedrich Witt's Symphony in C Major is a very sure-handed work from a time when the symphony was achieving both prestige and popularity with a growing music-loving public. Witt's lightweight but delightful Symphony in A Major, with its deftly-written opera buffa finale, and sparkling Flute Concerto also show the skills of a masterful composer whose career spanned the climax of the Classical and the birth of the Romantic eras. Fluting/conductor Patrick Gallois has been in charge of Finland's Sinfonia Finlandia since 2003, and his orchestra scintillates in these recordings.

Featured Wed 9/15, Fri 9/24

Haydn: 12 "London" Symphonies — Musicians of the Louvre/Marc Minkowski (Naïve 5176)

From ArkivMusic.com: "Versatile French conductor Marc Minkowski has established a strong reputation as a master of the Baroque style and has, in recent years expanded his repertoire beyond the Baroque into the Classical and Romantic eras. Minkowski and The Musicians of the Louvre (based in Grenoble) bring to the music of Haydn the same clarity and precision of their Baroque recordings but with an admirable understanding of the new sound and performance practices of the Viennese Classical era." These recordings were made live at the Vienna Konzerthaus in June of 2009. Four discs for the price of two, just $34.99!

Featured Mon 8/2, Wed 8/11, Fri 8/20, Tues 8/31

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos; Harpsichord Concertos Nos. 1 & 5; Violin Concerto BWV 1052 — Apollo's Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (Avie 2207)

We are featuring two Apollo's Fire releases on the British Avie label this month. These Brandenburgs are not new recordings by Cleveland's Baroque Orchestra—they were originally released in 2000 on the Eclectra label—but this set's two CDs contain much more music! In addition to the six concertos dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg, we have two versions of Bach's Concerto in D minor BWV 1052: the familiar configuration for solo harpsichord and a reconstruction featuring the terrific violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch. Rounding out the collection is the Harpsichord Concerto No. 5 in F minor. Naturally Apollo's Fire Music Director Jeannette Sorrell handles the harpsichord solos. All recordings were made at St. Paul's Church in Cleveland Heights between 1999 and 2005.

Featured Tues 8/3, Thurs 8/12, Mon 8/23

Chopin: 24 Etudes — Irena Portenko, piano (Blue Griffin 213)

2010 is the Chopin bicentennial and the Blue Griffin label presents this month's contribution to the festivities: the composer's Etudes Op. 10 and Op. 25. The artist is relatively unknown, Ukrainian-born Irena Portenko, but she is apparently fearless. This disc comes on the heels of her highly successful performance of the same program at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, where she received a standing ovation. Chopin's extremely challenging Etudes are difficult enough in the recording studio, but playing the 24 pieces in a live recital is an enormous undertaking, a pianistic high-wire act. Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times praised Irena Portenko's 2009 performance as "admirably honest and clear-textured," and stated that "Portenko pulled off a feat that puts her in a select company." To say the least! (This link sends you to the Blue Griffin website.)

Featured Wed 8/4, Fri 8/13, Tues 8/24

Eric Whitacre: Choral Music — Elora Festival Singers/Noel Edison (Naxos 559677)

Here at WCLV, whenever we play Eric Whitacre's "Lux aurumque" we get calls from enraptured listeners, so this disc of eleven Whitacre choral pieces&,dash;including "Lux aurumque"—should set our phones ringing this month. To quote the Naxos liner notes, "Whitacre's dedication to the beauty of sound, paired with exquisite texts, results in a poetic combination that creates a unique sonic experience…[His] fluid lines and blossoming harmonies give his music its own highly personal and irresistible magic." The Elora Festival is based outside Toronto, Ontario, and was founded in 1979 by conductor Noel Edison. To add one more enticement, this disc is yours for just $6.99 at ArkivMusic.com!

Featured Thurs 8/5, Mon 8/16, Wed 8/25

Mozart: Symphony No. 40; Lucio Silla aria; Idomeneo Ballet Music; Dances — Amanda Forsythe, soprano; Apollo's Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (Avie 2159)

This is the other new Apollo's Fire release this month (see the Bach disc above) and close followers of this blog will immediately recognize it as a disc we featured in April when Apollo's Fire circulated a pre-release version on their own label. "Cleveland's Baroque Orchestra" is clearly "Cleveland's Classical Era Orchestra" as well. The symphony crackles with energy; the ballet music sounds grand, and the graceful dances arranged by Jeannette Sorrell are full of charm. The bonus is "Parto m'affretto," an aria from the opera Lucio Silla, written by the 16-year-old Mozart in Milan in 1772, and sung spectacularly by soprano Amanda Forsythe.

Featured Fri 8/6, Tues 8/17, Thurs 8/26

Wagner: Orchestral Works; Wesendonck Lieder — Measha Brueggergosman, soprano; Cleveland Orchestra/Franz Welser-Möst (DeutGram 4778773)

Only five months from concert to CD! Deutsche Grammophon has turned last February's all-Wagner program at Severance Hall into this new release by The Cleveland Orchestra. I attended this concert and had never before heard the Wesendonck songs in concert. There's something about Measha Brueggergosman's communication of the texts—along with sympathetic support from Franz Welser-Möst—that brings this cycle alive. As for the orchestral works, this is not your grandfather's Wagner: tempos are faster, textures more transparent. This is leaner, meaner Wagner from Welser-Möst and it's great to be able to revisit these performances on CD. Click through to the ArkivMusic site for their rave recommendation!

Featured Mon 8/9, Wed 8/18, Fri 8/27

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 24, 25, 26, 27 — Vassily Primakov; Odense Symphony/Scott Yoo (Bridge 9328)

Karen Knowlton, Executive Director of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, must be pleased indeed when past prize-winners establish international careers. Since winning Silver in the 1999 CIPC, Vassily Primakov has won other prestigious competitions, given concerts and recitals all over the globe and begun an impressive list of recordings. We featured his Chopin Mazurkas last year, and ArkivMusic has ten Primakov CDs available, most on the Bridge label. "With this specially priced set of Mozart's final four piano concertos (two discs for the price of one)," says the ArkivMusic website, "the brilliant Vassily Primakov embarks on a complete cycle of the Mozart piano concertos in collaboration with Denmark's Odense Symphony Orchestra, led by American conductor Scott Yoo." Karen Knowlton must be glowing with pride.

Featured Tues 8/10, Thurs 8/19, Mon 8/30