ERNEST BLOCH (1880-1959) ‘Israel’ Symphony Schelomo (Rhapsody for Cello) ; Three Jewish Poems

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:48:34 +0000

“Bloch’s Israel Symphony is a large-scale work anticipating the Hollywood film composers’ styles for biblical epics … the vigour and spontaneity of Abravanel’s Utah performances … transferred to CD with great success” [Penguin Guide] “Nelsova’s Schelomo , with Abravanel’s support, is a fitting setting for the cellist who was Bloch’s own choice for the work.” “The Three Jewish Poems hints towards Respighi’s Roman triptych (then yet to be composed) … Bloch’s subtly coloured canvasses seem custom-built for an age increasingly attracted to late-romantic musical tone-painting. We are therefore greatly indebted to Sedares for these clear-headed, sensitively turned performances, extremely well engineered. Anyone with a taste for atmospheric evocations cannot fail to enjoy” [Gramophone]

Trois Poèmes Juifs (Three Jewish Poems) (1913) [25:46]

[1] Dance: Poco animato 8:53

[2] Rite: Calmo (Andante moderato) 7:16

[3] Funeral Procession: Lento assai 9:36

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / James Sedares

Recorded October 1993 at Symphony House, Wellington, New Zealand

Producer/Engineer: Michael Fine Assistant Producer: Tamra Saylor Fine

Production Coordinator: Susan Napodano Technical Assistant: Geoffrey Eyles

[4] Schelomo, Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra* [19:19]

Zara Nelsova, cello* / Utah Symphony Orchestra / Abravanel

‘Israel’ Symphony [29:10]

[5] Adagio molto, ‘Prayer in the Desert’ 4:30

[6] Allegro agitato, ‘Yom Kippur’ 13:09

[7] Moderato, ‘Succoth’ 11:03

Blanche Christensen & Jean Basinger Fraenkel, sopranos

Christina Politis & Diane Heder, altos Don Watts, bass

Utah Symphony Orchestra / Maurice Abravanel

(4-7) Recorded April 1967 in Salt Lake City, Utah; Producer: Seymour Solomon

Engineer: Ed Friedner; Digital Remastering: David Baker

[4-7] Licensed from Vanguard Classics, [1]-[3] from Koch International

Mastered for Alto by Paul Arden-Taylor (www.dinmore-records.co.uk)

Russian Legends & Dances

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:47:04 +0000

“Abravanel is very good in this music – crackling with energy tempered with tender ways with the great melodies. Antar is a neglected prize among Rimsky’s works ranking with Sheherazade …Caucasian Sketches have These You Have Loved status with Procession of the Sardar establishing the idiom for a thousand Hollywood triumphal and barbarous marches … The Glière is a fun piece that stamps emphatically and clearly influenced by Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition.
As an inexpensive single disc collection of less obvious Russian repertoire this is difficult to top. I recommend it strongly.” (Rob Barnett / MusicWeb International)

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: ‘Antar’ Suite (Symphony), Op.9 [29:25]

[1] I. Largo – Allegro giocoso – Allegretto vivace 11:15

[2] II. Allegro 5:01

[3] III. Allegro risoluto alla marcia 5:20

[4] IV. Allegretto vivace – Andante amoroso 7:47

Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov: Caucasian Sketches, Op.10 [21:59]

[5] I. In a Mountain Pass 9:51

[6] II. In a Village 4:43

[7] III. In a Mosque 3:29

[8] IV. Procession of the Sardar 3:54

Reinhold Glière: The Red Poppy, Op.60

[9] Russian Sailors’ Dance 3:27

Aram Khachaturian: Gayaneh Ballet Suite [22:52]

[10] I. Sabre Dance 2:35

[11] II. Lullaby 6:08

[12] III. Dance of the Rose Maidens 2:22

[13] IV. Dance of Ayshe 4:13

[14] V. Dance of the Kurds 1:57

[15] VI. Dance of the Young Kurds 2:26

[16] VII. Lesginka 3:07

Maurice Abravanel – Alto CD

ERNEST BLOCH (1880-1959) ‘Israel’ Symphony Schelomo (Rhapsody for Cello) ; Three Jewish Poems

Russian Legends & Dances