classical music: Walter Piston

classical music: Walter Piston

classical music:

Walter Piston

Howard Hanson Conducts Barber, Piston, Griffes, McCauley, Kennan, Bergsma

Samuel Barber, William Bergsma, ...

Mercury Living Presence / Philips, 1992

Stunningly good sound -
In the 1950s I used to work for one of the firms mentioned in the CD notes. Westrex made the film sound recording equipment for Mercury - we prided ourselves on the quality of our sound recording products. My Vinyl collection of Mercury recordings sounded great but ...

Piston: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2; Fantasia Concertos

Walter Piston, Theodore Kuchar, ...

Naxos American, 1998

Buswell is amazing!
What a wonderful CD! This is the first time I have had a chance to hear this much talked about CD and I am blown away by the sheer virtuosity, imagination and integrity of Buswell's playing. This is a true artist whose mind, heart and soul are completely engaged in ...

Walter Piston: Serenata; Symphonies 5, 7 & 8

Walter Piston, Jorge Mester, ...

First Edition, 2003

An American Classic
In the middle of the last century a number of American composers produced cycles of multiple symphonies, and anyone seeking a broad acquaintance with classical music needs to dip at least a toe or two into these waters. I'm thinking of the likes of Schuman, Harris, ...

Zwilich: Concerto for Flute and Orchestra/Piston: Concerto for Flute and Orchesta/Bernstein: Halil
Leonard Bernstein, Walter Piston, ...

Koch Int'l Classics, 1994

Walter Piston: Symphony No. 4; Three New England Sketches; Capriccio for Harp and String Orchestra

Walter Piston, Gerard Schwarz, ...

Naxos American, 2003

Walter Piston: Symphonist and Impressionist
I'm so glad Naxos has stepped up to the plate and refused to allow these invaluable Delos recordings simply to vanish. I could go on and on about what a great label Naxos is (commissioning new string quartets by Peter Maxwell Davies, producing a flood of fine ...

The Story of American Classical Music

John Adams, George Antheil, ...

Naxos, 2005

A Great Intro to American Classical Music - Almost a Short Course!
Many reasonably sophisticated American and European musiclovers still think there are really no American classical music composers of note other than perhaps Gershwin and Copland. It is to the credit of the Naxos label, via their 'American Classics' series, that the ...

Music for a 20th Century Violinist
Allen Blustine, Arthur Berger, ...

CP2 Recordings, 2004

American Classics Sampler

Samuel Barber, John Cage, ...

Naxos American, 2001

WOW - This is a great CD!
The title about sums it up. The composers did a magnificent job, the pieces are great. But the musicians! Oh, they are inspired!

Ives: Three Places in New England, Ruggles: Sun Treader, etc.

Charles Ives, Walter Piston, ...

Deutsche Grammophon, 2001

Quintessential Ives, Ruggles, Piston, and MTT
I must confess a bit of biographical prejudice in reviewing this disc. It was the original DG LP incarnation of the Ives included here--"Three Places..."--and its Ruggles discmate "Sun Treader" that opened my eyes to both composers back in high school. That worn ...

Piston: Chamber Music

Judith Glyde, Walter Piston, ...

Naxos American, 2000

Five Stars for the Performances, Four for the Music
Walter Piston's chamber music isn't as well known as his symphonic works, and this disc tells us why. Though these pieces share with the orchestral music Piston's hallmarks--an easy melodiousness that is very American, flexible rhythmic patterns and driving cross ...

Piston: Symphony No6; Concertino for piano
Walter Piston, A. Gauk, ...

Citadel, 1999

American Harpsichord Music of the 20th Century

Bruce Creditor, Lou Harrison, ...

Albany Records, 2001

"Canterbury Tales" is a triumph!
Mark Kroll's contemporary harpsichord album is great, but I am particularly impressed by soprano Nancy Armstrong's exuberant performance of "Four Fragments from the Canterbury Tales". Nancy Armstrong deserves to be far better known than she is. Years ago, she was ...