Review of Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

Artist:  Richard Wagner.
Album:  Twilight of the Gods - The Essential Wagner Collection.
Recording Studio:  Deutsche Grammophone.
Copyright:  1998.

Disc One:  Songs of Power, Conflict, and Death
Ride of the Valkyries from THE VALKYRIES
Siegfried's Funeral March from TWILIGHT OF THE GODS
Prelude to Act III from LOHENGRIN
Overture from THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
Sailors' Chorus from THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
Journey to Nibelheim from THE RHEINGOLD
Overture from THE MASTER SINGER OF NUREMBURG
Overture from TANNHAUSER
Entry of the Guests from TANNHAUSER
Tannhauser's Pilgrimage from TANNHAUSER
Act III Orchestral Interlude from SIEGFRIED
Siegfried's Rhine Journey from TWILIGHT OF THE GODS
Finale from TWILIGHT OF THE GODS
Entry of the Gods into Valhalla from THE RHEINGOLD

Disc Two:  Music of Love, Ecstasy, & Redemption
Prelude to Act I from LOHENGRIN
Bridal Chorus from LOHENGRIN
Prelude to Act I from PARSIFAL
Good Friday Music from PARSIFAL
Transformation Scene from PARSIFAL
Venusburg Music from TANNHAUSER
Pilgrims' Chorus from TANNHAUSER
Prelude to Act III from THE MASTER SINGER OF NUREMBURG
Vision of Valhalla (Scene II Introduction) from THE RHEINGOLD
Siegfried Idyll
Brunnhilde's Awakening from SIEGFRIED
Prelude to Act III from TRISTAN AND ISOLDE
Death of Isolde from TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

Overview:
This is 2.5 hours of Richard Wagner, who is responsible for the death of the Romantic era in classical music.  Aside from being an anti-Semite, Wagner was a musical genius.  Composers either admired or hated his work.

Wagner wrote for the stage.  Opera was his forte.  Most of his stories revolve around lust, power, love, and murder.  There are also tales of redemption and hope.  If you want to hear most of Wagner's musical work without much of the operatic singing, this two disc collection is for you.  Recommended.  

Review of Caroline Goulding

Artist:  Caroline Goulding.
Album:  Caroline Goulding.
Recording Company:  Telarc.
Release Date:  2009.

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962)
La Gitana
Gypsy Caprice
Berceuse Romantique
Syncopation

John Corigliano (b. 1938)
The Red Violin Caprices for Solo Violin

Paul Schoenfield (b. 1947)
Four Souvenirs for Violin and Piano

Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-1881)
Souvenir D'Amerique Variations on "Yankee Doodle"

George Gershwin (1898-1937)
Selections from Porgy and Bess

Traditional Cape Breton Island Fiddling:
Hector the Hero
Hey, Johnny Cope!; Tulllochgorum; Jean's Reel

I heard Caroline Goulding on NPR a while back.  This was her debut album at age 16.  She's moved onto touring in Europe after spending sometime at the New England Conservatory.  Goulding's playing is amazing.  Recommended.

Review of Hero Soundtrack

Album Name:  Hero - Music From the Original Soundtrack.
Record Label:  Sony Classical.
Recording Date:  2004.

Hero:  Overture
For the World - Theme Music
Warriors
Gone with Leaves
Longing
At Emperor's Palace
In the Chess Court
Love in Distance
Spirit Fight
Swift Sword
Farewell, Hero
Sorrow in Desert
Above Water
Snow
Yearning for the Peace

Music composed and conducted by Tan Dun.  China Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.  I liked the movie Hero.  I enjoyed the soundtrack even more.  Izkak Perlman is on this album.  I wish it had been a straight up historical film, instead of a fantasy martial arts piece.  But I still enjoyed the music.  Recommend.

Review of The Canadian Brass Plays the Pachelbel Canon

Artists:  The Canadian Brass.
Album:  The Canadian Brass Plays The Pachebel Canon.
Recording Studio:  RCA Red Seal.
Recording Date:  1980.

J.S. Bach:
Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Sheep May Safely Graze
"Giggue" Fugue
"Little" Fugue
Wachet Auf
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor

Handel:
Suite from "Water Music"

Frescobaldi:
Toccata

Pachelbel:
Canon

The Canadian Brass consists of Fredrick Mills, Ronald Romm, Graeme Page, Eugene Watts, and Charles Daellenbach.  This is one of their earlier recordings on the RCA Red Seal label.  It consists of the Pachelbel Canon, J.S. Bach's works, Handel's "Water Music," and Frescobaldi's Toccata all on one disc.  This along with The Canadian Brass's other work, High, Bright, Light, and Clear:  The Glory of Baroque Brass is recommended for those who like 17th century and early 18th century Baroque masters.

Review of Royal Brass by The Empire Brass Quintet

Artists:  Empire Brass Quintet.
Album:  Royal Brass - Music from the Renaissance and Baroque.
Recording House:  Telarc.
Recording Date:  1990.

Mouret (1682-1738) - Rondeau
Holborne (d. 1602) - Five Pieces
                                - Elizabethan Dance Suite
Palestrina (1525-1594) - Riceracr del primo tuono
Scheidt (1586-1654) - Canzona bergamasca
Anonymous - Two 15th Century Fanfares
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) - March from Cantata 207a
                                      - Trio Sonata in G major
                                      - Fugue from Trio Sonata in C major
Albinoni (1671-1751) - Suite in G major
Handel (1685-1759) - Aria
Froberger (1616-1667) - Toccata
Pezel (1639 - 1694) - Sarabande
D. Scarlatti (1685-1757) - Sonata No. 49

Overview:  This is a glorious CD of Baroque and Renaissance brass by the Dallas based Empire Brass Quintet.  They are as good as the Canadian Brass CD I own.  It's a good sampling of the Renaissance and Baroque composers.  Highly recommended.
  

Sarah Chang/Vivaldi/The Four Seasons

Artist:  Sarah Chang.
Album:  The Four Seasons.
Recording Studio:  EMI Classics.
Recording Date:  2007.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Concerto No. 1 in E
Concerto No. 2 in G minor
Concerto No. 3 in F
Concerto No. 4 in F minor
Concerto in G minor

Sarah Chang recorded Vivaldi's The Four Seasons with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in 2007.  The production is a bright, crisp recording.  Though The Four Seasons have been recording many times by different artists, I enjoyed Ms. Chang's rendition of it.  I got a chance to see her live once.  And I've followed her career since.

Recommended.

Classical Music in St. Louis Metro Area

There are several opportunities for listeners of classical music in the St. Louis metro area.  The first station is 90.7 FM KWMU HD-3.  You can listen on your computer if you don't have an HD radio.  I've been doing that when I have my computer on.  A play listing can be seen on the KWMU 90.7 FM HD-3 website.

The second opportunity is 107.3 FM courtesy of the Radio Arts Foundation.  Some of the old hands from Classical 99.1 FM are now back on the air.  However, the station range is limited to the immediate St. Louis metro area.  You can find an online broadcast on the Radio Arts Foundation website, too.

90.7 FM HD-3 has Saturday Metropolitan Opera broadcasts on Saturday mornings.  107.3 has Houston Grand Opera, too.  Give both of these stations a whirl.  You'll be glad you did...