O.T.: new MTT/SFSO rec. of Ives/Brant "Concord Symphony"

[barry guerrero]

hey Ives fans,

MTT/SFSO - via SFS Media - is coming out with a cd that has the Henry Brant orchestration of Charles Ives' "Concord Sonata" (thus, Concord Symphony). It's being coupled with the Copland "Organ Symphony", with Paul Jacobs on organ. It comes out next week, via Harmonia Mundi, so Amazon and others should be showing it already. F.Y.I.

Barry

[Leo K]

Thanks for the heads up Barry, the samples on Amazon sound really good.

--Todd

[sbugala]

Cool! Let us know, if you could, when they release their new recording of Adams' Harmonielehre. That's one of my favorite works, and I was pleased to hear they are recording it.

[Don]

Just listened to the Concord Symphony. Brant's very angular, brassy orchestration really brings out the "modernisms" in this amazing score. It sounds even more like it was composed last year instead of 100 years ago. Really makes it almost a completely different composition. Not sure how I really feel about it, as it is quite different in sound to Ives' other orchestral works due to Brant's orchestration.

The Copland is a fine recording, I know only the old Biggs Bernstein recording and this one is heads above that one in sound and performance.

[barry guerrero]

I gave this a try, and I think it's musically a 'so-so'. The Brant orchestration, which IS highly functional, doesn't sound a whole lot like Ives. As for the Copland, even though it makes a ton of noise (WHY didn't they let the organ rip like this on MTT's M8?!?), is still kind of a quirky work. Interesting but not essential.

Barry

[Leo K]

Yeah, I was listening to the samples on Amazon, and the Brant orchestration sounds nothing like Ives. I'd rather have David Porter orchestrate this work, like his magnificant reconstruction of the Emerson Piano Concerto on Naxos.

--Todd