Celebrating Our Thirty-fifth Anniversary: 35 for 35
“Greek mythology tells us that Apollo set out from the island of Delos every morning with his lyre in hand, bringing light, music and healing to the world. We at Delos share the awareness that our world needs the balm of music.”
Amelia S. Haygood, Delos Founder (1919-2007)
The Delos “35 for 35” Anniversary Collection
Commentary by Carol Rosenberger
In this special “35 for 35” collection, we revisit some of the pivotal recordings of our 35-year Delos adventure. The series reflects a number of high points and turning points in our Delos history.
Even as we celebrate the label’s 35 years, we mourn the passing of Delos founder Amelia Haygood. In a tribute to Amelia, James Jolly of Gramophone wrote: “Her zeal and desire for excellence created a label with a strong personality that not only attracted a host of major performers but which also gained plaudits for its technical excellence (John Eargle, Delos’s Director of Recording, won a Grammy in 2001 for Sound Engineering).”
Amelia was a pioneer at heart, and that pioneering spirit characterized the major developments at Delos for over three decades. In a letter she wrote at the time of Delos’s 30th Anniversary, she reminisced about “running around the country with my LP-size briefcase, hand-carrying samples of our first releases to new friends and acquaintances in press, radio and retail. Some said I was foolish; some said I was brave. But most everyone was interested in the idea of a label formed to give outstanding American artists an international platform.”
Through the next decades she provided a platform for some of the most honored names in classical music, and kept Delos at the forefront of new sound technology.
For Amelia, Delos was a labor of love, and a second vocation after a successful career as a psychotherapist. In developing Delos, she was able to embrace her lifelong passion for classical music and her interest in sound technology, psychoacoustics, and the physics of music.
In a sense, one could also say that, believing as she did that music has the immense power to reach and heal people, Delos became a natural extension of the work she had been doing for many years in psychotherapy and family counseling. As she wrote, in one of our CD booklet introductions, “Good music, like good books, can provide a haven throughout life — a shelter against the heavy weather that comes to us all.”
HINDEMITH: The Four Temperaments
2 — THE ART of the THEREMIN
3 — The SOUND of TRUMPETS
4 — HANDEL: Water Music
5 — WATER MUSIC of the IMPRESSIONISTS
6 — TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5
7 — JOE WILLIAMS: Nothin’ but the Blues
8 — MOZART: Clarinet Concerto / Clarinet Quintet
9 — BRAHMS: TWO GREAT QUINTETS
10— DVORAK: Serenade for Winds
11— LOVE SONGS
12— RACHMANINOFF: Sonata No. 2/Preludes/Études
13— Starker Plays Haydn Cello Concertos
14— Starker Plays Kodály
15— PERCHANCE TO DREAM
16— The Original, All-American, Sousa!
17— PORTRAITS OF FREEDOM
18— DANCES from RENAISSANCE to NUTCRACKER
19— Beyond Chant • Mysteries of the Renaissance • Voices of Ascension
20— Glière: Symphony No. 2
21— Tchaikovsky: 1812 Festival Overture and more
22— Respighi’s Rome
23— Songs We Forgot to Remember
24— Bach: Lute Suites
25— Shostakovich: Waltzes
26— Piazzolla
27— Dedicated to Victims of war and terror • SHOSTAKOVICH: & SCHNITTKE
28— Handel: Arias from Rinaldo and Orlando
29— Voices 1900 / 2000 – A choral journey through the twentieth century
30— Vodka and Caviar
31— Passione di Napoli • Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Neapolitan Songs
32— China Song • Chinese folk songs and popular music
33— Italian Flute concertos
34— RANJBARAN: PERSIAN TRILOGY
35— Albeniz: Suite Iberia
Title 1 —HINDEMITH: The Four Temperaments • Nobilissima Visione • Carol Rosenberger, piano • James DePreist, conductor • The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra • “We are in the presence of a recording so full of grandeur and eloquence that it may just succeed in turning the tide of opinion back in Hindemith’s favor … unsurpassable sonics… belongs in every self-respecting collector’s library.” —Fanfare [DE 1006]
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To represent the early Delos years, Amelia liked to cite this recording featuring James DePreist, our first Delos conductor. “One of the finest conductors this nation has produced,” as the Chicago Tribune called him, Jimmy has made an outstanding series of recordings for Delos through the years, representing his important music directorships in Helsinki, Oregon, and Monte-Carlo.
True to Amelia’s mission, Jimmy and I were both American artists at the very beginning of our recording careers when we recorded this Hindemith program. Jimmy had made his first recording of early Mozart symphonies before we went to London, and I had already made my first recording of Szymanowski solo piano music. We recorded the Hindemith program at Abbey Road in London in the summer of 1976; and I well remember our feeling of instant rapport with the Royal Philharmonic musicians. By happy accident, the release of this recording the following fall coincided with the Balanchine revival of the Four Temperaments ballet in the same season. Because of the great popularity of the ballet, there was suddenly widespread interest in this music, and our new recording became Delos’s first “hit.”
Title 2 — THE ART of the THEREMIN • Clara Rockmore, theremin • Nadia Reisenberg, piano [DE1014]
Robert Moog, the American electronic music pioneer and inventor of the Moog synthesizer, produced this unique recording, committed to an accurate documentation of Clara’s remarkable playing. Amelia loved working with him, and we were all enthralled by the “Immortal Clara Rockmore” playing “the first viable electronic instrument.” Bob also wrote fascinating program notes, complete with diagrams. Hearing a great artist play soulful Russian music on this unusual instrument, conveying true depth of musical expression, transformed public perception of the theremin as merely the ghostly effect in film scores, and inspired new interest in the instrument. The recording became an instant classic the moment it first appeared as an LP.
“Clara is to the theremin what Andres Segovia and Jimi Hendrix combined are to the guitar,” said Steven Martin, the filmmaker who produced the 1994 film “Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey,” which itself contributed to a theremin revival.
Title 3 — The SOUND of TRUMPETS [DE 3002] • Record of the Year —Stereo Review • “an audiophile’s dream come true” —The New York Times
In 1979 Delos became a leader in digital recording when Amelia got together with another pioneer, scientist/inventor Thomas Stockham and his prototype Soundstream Digital Recorder. The first two history-making recordings, the Haydn/Hummel Trumpet Concertos and “The Sound of Trumpets” marked Gerard Schwarz’s last performances as a trumpet virtuoso and his first as conductor, with his New York Chamber Symphony. Jerry went on to make many great recordings for us, with the New York Chamber Symphony, the Mostly Mozart Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony.
But these first two recordings were especially memorable for many reasons. Amelia had invited her friend, American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, to help on the production side; and the whole series of sessions, with our engineer Stan Ricker, along with Tom Stockham and his own engineers, attracted much industry attention. The usual playbacks had morphed into post-session demonstrations, since everyone was fascinated by the new prototype digital process.
Amelia told the story about a glitch in the Soundstream recorder at one point, which had inadvertently erased part of Jerry’s cadenza in one of the concertos. “His lip was swollen out to here,” she would demonstrate, “but he just said cheerfully ‘No problem; I’ll do it again’ and went back out and did a brilliant cadenza.” Jerry remembers Amelia’s ability to keep calm and focus for everyone: ”We must have had 30 music writers at this session. I was oblivious to them all. That’s how it felt with Amelia — nothing else mattered except the music.”
Title 4 — HANDEL: Water Music (Complete) • Gerard Schwarz, conductor • Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra [DE 3010] • “a magnificent feat of orchestral playing… brilliant, warm, and above all, clear.” — Ovation • “The most thrillingly played of all recorded performances of Handel’s popular score… some of the most breathtaking technical legerdemain to be heard on recordings today.” —The Record Shelf Guide
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Gerard Schwarz’s tenure with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra also coincided with our “early digital” period; and Amelia and I both felt that if we had to pick a favorite among the wonderful series of recordings that resulted from this partnership, it would be the Handel Water Music. LACO enjoyed outstanding wind and brass players, such as oboist Allan Vogel and French hornist Robin Graham. Jerry gave free rein to his imagination in writing ornamentation for this performance, knowing that the players could do any dazzling thing he asked of them.
Title 5— WATER MUSIC of the IMPRESSIONISTS • Liszt • Debussy • Ravel • Griffes • Carol Rosenberger, piano [DE 3006] • Critic’s Choice — Gramophone • All Time Great Recording —Billboard • Best Classical Compact Disc —Stereo Review • “defines the state of the art in piano recordings.” — CD Review • “Rosenberger provides the cascading musical flow that effectively brings the music flooding into your listening area.” — American Record Guide
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In those early digital years I became guardian to a noble Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand, which sang into the microphone for us over many years to come. Its first voyage out to a recording venue brought it to a lovely hall in Claremont, California for two of our first digital recordings: a Beethoven Sonata album and the “Water Music of the Impressionists.” I had played Bösendorfers during my student days in Vienna, but was ecstatic to record on my own instrument.
The album begins with three “fountain” pieces, first Liszt’s cascading, spraying arpeggios and glistening tremolandos conjuring up the fountains of the Villa d’Este; then Griffes’ gently sentimental Fountain of the Acqua Paola with its “shimmering lights” reflected in “happy bubbles”; and finally Ravel’s celebrated Jeux d’eau, which he prefaced with the quote “Dieu fluvial riant de l’eau qui le chatouille” (a river god laughing at the water which titillates him).
Ravel’s magnificent “Ondine” must be the masterpiece of all “water pieces,” sensuously beautiful, with its sad and tender song accompanied by scintillating liquid figuration. Debussy’s “Ondine” is a more mysterious aspect of the water nymph; “Goldfish” is wonderfully playful; and “Reflections in the Water” is peaceful in its lovely, ever-changing images.
I told Amelia that I was tempted to add the low “C” found only on an Imperial to Debussy’s “bourdon” effect in “The Engulfed Cathedral,” and she egged me on to do it. The Imperial’s lowest notes are there only for resonance, but in this case the enriched “bourdon” special effect, suggesting the tolling of the great cathedral bell, thrilled our recording engineers and countless subsequent listeners.
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Title 6— TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor • Eugene Ormandy, conductor • Philadelphia Orchestra [DE 3015] • “the finest of Ormandy’s many recorded versions of the Fifth.” —Ovation • Choc d’or — Le monde de la musique
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A set of happy circumstances led to another milestone in our early digital days: producing the great Eugene Ormandy’s last two recordings with his Philadelphia Orchestra. The first, and most memorable for us, was the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, followed shortly by the Symphony No. 6 — the two Tchaikovsky symphonies most closely identified with him. Ormandy told Amelia that because he wanted to make these digital recordings his Tchaikovsky testament, he had taken the score when he went back to Hungary, and while relaxing there, had re-thought the music, so that he could bring something new to this recording. As Amelia wrote, “These prize recordings, Ormandy’s final statement, reflect the great maestro’s fresh insights and his mature musical vision. We made the recording in (what looked like the ruins of) the Philadelphia ‘Old Met,’ complete with armed guards; but the music, the performance and the Philadelphia Sound transcended all.”
Title 7— JOE WILLIAMS: Nothin’ but the Blues: Red Holloway • Ray Brown • Jack McDuff • Eddie Cleanhead Vinson • Phil Upchurch [DE 4001] • Grammy Award • “Record of the Year” — Stereo Review • “Williams’ relaxed, enthusiastic, and highly personal voice rings out with the freedom of a consummate musician.” —CD Review • “An instant classic!” —Cash Box—Feature Pick • “… rarely have I heard him in as splendid form.” — Compact Disc Buyers’ Guide
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Our jazz series brought us some fascinating sessions with outstanding artists in the field: Clark Terry, Art Blakey, Jimmy Rowles, Major Holley, Ron Carter, Cedar Walton, Billy Higgins, Kenny Garrett, Thad Jones, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and a number of others. We are representing this series with Joe Williams’ “Nothin’ But the Blues,” the irresistible, one-of-a-kind album that brought Joe his first Grammy at the end of a long career.
Amelia was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about good jazz; in fact during her husband Doug’s lifetime, she would often be with him when he “sat in” as pianist with expert jazz combos. For the Delos classic jazz recordings, she was in evidence at every session, making sure everyone felt comfortable and at ease for that precious “performance take.”
Meanwhile, recording guru John Eargle, who wrote the bibles on sound recording, had joined the Delos team. Through the decades that followed, John was Delos’s Director of Recording, and beloved mentor to Delos’s younger engineers, until his death in 2007. Virtually every major audio publication worldwide has recognized Delos for the highest achievement in quality recording. As a departure from his outstanding work in the classical field, John ventured into the jazz arena to engineer the Delos Jazz series, and had a wonderful, most successful, time.
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Title 8— MOZART: Clarinet Concerto / Clarinet Quintet • David Shifrin, clarinet • Gerard Schwarz, conductor • Mostly Mozart Orchestra • Chamber Music Northwest: Ida Kavafian, violin / Theodore Arm, violin / Toby Apel, violin / Fred Sherry, cello [DE 3020] • RECORD OF THE YEAR — Stereo Review • RECORDING OF DISTINCTION “Listening to this superb recording of these two great works is like hearing them for the first time…the entire disc is a gem. Not to be missed.” — Ovation • David Shifrin is one of the world’s great clarinetists. If there is a bel canto school of clarinet playing, Shifrin is surely its finest exponent.” — Los Angeles Times
David Shifrin is another of the great wind players we first got to know from his work with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Not only had we fallen in love with David’s “bel canto” playing, but we were fascinated with his idea of recording the great Mozart Clarinet Concerto on a special extended-range clarinet, made for David, that allowed him to play the clarinet solo in its reconstructed original Mozart version. This recording helped to put David on the musical map, and has become a well-loved Delos Evergreen around the world.
Title 9— BRAHMS: TWO GREAT QUINTETS • Quintet for Strings in G Major, Op. 111 • Quintet in B Minor for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 115 • Chamber Music Northwest: David Shifrin, clarinet • Ani Kavafian, Ida Kavafian, violins • Walter Trampler, Steven Tenenbom, violas • Fred Sherry, cello [DE 3066] • “While Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet is hardly a stranger to our concert halls, one would be hard put to recall a live performance (perhaps even one on recordings) with the degree of thoughtfulness, warmth and ensemble polish shown [here] …The G-major Quintet is given a soaringly dramatic, songful reading.” — Los Angeles Times
For many years David Shifrin was Music Director of both Chamber Music Northwest and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. From these two positions, he has guided some of the finest ensemble playing in America. Our chamber music recordings with David evolved into two notable series, in which friends and colleagues join him for rare and lyrical music-making. This beautiful Brahms recording represents the Delos series with Chamber Music Northwest; a series which also includes Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, and two albums of chamber music by great American composers.
Title 10— DVORÁK: Serenade for Winds, Op. 44 • String Quintet, Op. 77 • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center • David Shifrin, director [DE 3152] • “Great music-making… only a few ensembles maintain such balances consistently… the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is a member of that elite… revelatory to both mind and heart.” — Los Angeles Times •
New York’s Finest (virtuosi, that is) have consistently been praised for their “high-class playing” (Gramophone) as well as their “palpable joy in music making” (The New York Times). Under David Shifrin’s leadership, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center developed an impressive Delos discography, including Debussy’s complete chamber music, “Beethoven in New York,” the Mendelssohn Octet, the Bach Brandenburg Concertos, and more. This lovely Dvorák album is one of the first in the series.
Title 11— LOVE SONGS: Arleen Auger, soprano • Copland • Obradors, Strauss • Marx • Poulenc • Mahler • Turina • Gounod • Schubert • Schumann • Foster • Britten • Coward • Lerner & Loewe • Ovalle • Cimara • Quilter • O. Straus • Lippé • Bridge • Donaudy • with Dalton Baldwin, piano • Grammy Nomination • Billboard Classical Chart • A Penguin Guide Rosette Disc “This extraordinarily wide-ranging recital is a delight from the first song to the last… this cannot be too strongly recommended.” — Penguin Guide to Compact Discs • “Listening to a song recorded by Arleen Auger, one might be inclined to credit the engineers for some of the apparent perfection. That any singer should be able to sustain such effortless lines, such pure and exquisitely gauged sound, so consistently, seems unbelievable. Believe it.” Los Angeles Times [DE 3029]
“The extraordinary Arleen Auger,” as The Times of London called the American soprano, was an icon around the world, revered for the luminous quality of her voice and her superb musicianship. Stereo Review summed up Arleen’s singing as “an artistry that affords us a real glimpse of what we thought was a lost art.”
As Amelia wrote in a letter about “Love Songs”: “Arleen made close to 200 recordings in her too-short lifetime, but the all-time around-the-world favorite among them was ‘Love Songs,’ which she recorded for us, together with Dalton Baldwin, in the lovely chapel of the First Congregational Church in Los Angeles. After recording all of the repertoire they had prepared, Arleen and Dalton decided on the spur of the moment, just for fun, to do a couple of takes of ‘Before I Gaze at You Again’ from Camelot. Magic! It turned out to be one of the favorite ‘Love Songs’ tracks.”
Arleen’s untimely death in 1993 left a number of eagerly-awaited projects undone, among them a planned Love Songs, Vol. 2. But the superb collection on this disc has the distinction of being Arleen’s personal favorite among her many recordings. She recorded two other much-prized albums for Delos: Great Arias of Bach and Handel with Gerard Schwarz and the Mostly Mozart Orchestra; and Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasieiras No. 5 with the Yale Cellos.
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Title 12— RACHMANINOFF: Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor / Favorite Preludes and Etudes-Tableaux / Moment Musical / Daisies • John Browning, piano [DE 3044] • “an outstanding, brilliantly sensitive collection. Superb sonics. Highest recommendation.” — San Francisco Chronicle
The late John Browning, one of America’s finest pianists, and a dear friend, was among our first Delos artists, recording Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for us in our early analog days. His recording of the Liszt Sonata in B Minor and other works was a Stereo Review “Record of the Year” Honorable Mention. But Amelia, John Eargle and I all felt that John was in his element in the Rachmaninoff repertoire; and it is this recording that can well represent his contributions to our catalog.
Title 13— Starker Plays Haydn Cello Concertos • HAYDN: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major • Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major • Janos Starker, cello • Gerard Schwarz, conductor • Scottish Chamber Orchestra [DE 3341]
“It’s as if Haydn suddenly were reborn, a formidable giant emerging from the dark shadows of Mozart and Beethoven.” — Editors’ Choice, CD Review • “The thing that makes the Delos Haydn project special is the skill with which it is focused on the color and feeling in Haydn’s music. It is an approach well calculated to shake the dust off the music of Haydn and let its sparkle come through.” — Washington Post “…made particularly special by Janos Starker’s effortless, ebullient account of the cello concerto. It instantly rises to the rank of top contender on the best-recorded-performance list…a must-have.” — Christian Science Monitor
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Amelia always had a soft spot for anything Scottish, so our unforgettable sojourn in Edinburgh (1987-88) for performances and recordings of Haydn — with Jerry Schwarz, Janos Starker and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra — was a high point for us all. In fact, we all took to calling the experience a “Haydn High.” The four CDs that resulted are symphonic programs with concertos — two cello and two piano — as centerpieces. A few years ago, we decided to combine Janos’s performances of the two cello concertos on one CD, and here in the special 35th Anniversary Collection it represents the Haydn series.
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Title 14— Starker Plays Kodály: Bottermund-Starker: Variations on a Theme by Paganini • Kodály: Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, Op. 8; Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7* • Janos Starker, cello • *with Josef Gingold, violin • Choc d’or, — Le monde de la musique • “Ever since I can remember, the famous Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 8 of Kodály, the only work in this genre comparable with the Cello Suites of Bach, has been synonymous with the name of Janos Starker” —Gramophone “The one outstanding twentieth-century chamber disc is of Kodály’s Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, superbly played by Janos Starker.” — Ovation [DE 1015]
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Relaxing after one of the Haydn Concerto sessions, Janos and Amelia, over some single-malt scotch, got to talking about one of his signature pieces, the Kodály Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello. He described to her a recording he had done in Japan of the Sonata, along with his own arrangement of Bottermund’s Variations on a Theme of Paganini. Back at Indiana University, with his colleague and good friend, Josef Gingold, he had also recorded the Kodály Duo for Violin and Cello. He felt that they were his definitive performances of these works, but since having them recorded he hadn’t been sure what he wanted to do with them. Not sure, that is, until he got to know Amelia. When he asked if Delos would like to finish the mastering and release the program, her answer was very high on the enthusiasm scale, and another instant classic was born.
Title 15— PERCHANCE TO DREAM • A Lullaby Album for Children and Adults • Mozart • Chopin • Kabalevsky • Bach • Schubert • Beethoven • Tchaikovsky • Schumann • Brahms • Fauré • Haydn • Carol Rosenberger, piano [DE 3079] • “a splendid disc to be treasured by young and old.” — American Record Guide • “The world’s loveliest piano music, beautifully programmed to help people of all ages find an inner core of tranquility.” — Keynote • “the perfect gift among recordings for introducing a child to the intimacies and universality of music… My eight-year-old daughter Rachel recommends it, and I concur.” — Fanfare
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Amelia felt that one of the most important things we’ve ever done is our series for the very young, which began with “Perchance to Dream.” In planning “Perchance,” which set the tone for the entire series, Amelia and I spent a lot of time and thought on the program, wanting it to be the very best music, all with the qualities of simplicity and innocence, and not requiring sharp dynamic peaks. We had planning sessions at the piano where I would play a piece I thought appropriate, and she would say something like “That’s lovely, but not pre-pubertal enough.” We shaped a program of true masterpieces that were indeed “pre-pubertal enough” and yet satisfying to adults as well.
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Title 16— The Original, All-American, Sousa! • Stars & Stripes Forever • Sabre & Spurs • U.S. Field Artillery • Nobles of the Mystic Shrine • Solid Men to the Front • Free Lance • Glory of the Yankee Navy • Jack Tar • New York Hippodrome • Semper Fidelis • Royal Welch Fusiliers • Pride of Pittsburgh • March, 1930 • Keith Brion • New Sousa Band • Plus historic recordings of Sousa conducting. [DE 3102] • “brings us as close to the real effect of Sousa’s band as we are probably ever to get… a most important disc for anyone with a love of this music and a desire to hear how it ought to be made to sound.” — Fanfare
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When Amelia got together with our modern-day “Mr. Sousa,” Keith Brion, this recording was a natural. Keith went on to make subsequent recordings for us, of Percy Grainger’s music, and some wonderful Hovhaness symphonic band music. But Keith’s fame as a virtual reincarnation of the great bandmaster and American patriot, and the fact that he was steeped in the music, the style, and even the impersonation in live performance, created one of the favorite Delos Evergreens. As a bonus, Keith obtained some precious archival recordings of Sousa conducting his original band, and speaking in a radio broadcast.
Title 17— PORTRAITS OF FREEDOM: JAMES EARL JONES, speaker • COPLAND: Lincoln Portrait • Fanfare for the Common Man • Canticle of Freedom • Outdoor Overture • HARRIS: American Creed • When Johnny Comes Marching Home • Gerard Schwarz, conductor • Seattle Symphony [DE 3140] • “Lincoln Portrait… has finally found a speaker equal to its musical merits… James Earl Jones… succeeds in making the text as relevant to our day as it was to the 1940s… vibrant, precise playing from the Seattle Symphony, captured with hair-raising sonic presence.” — The New York Times
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“We must think anew and act anew…
We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
Abraham Lincoln
In the mid-1980s, Amelia began her pioneering efforts on behalf of American composers, beginning with Boston’s Musica Viva, and soon followed by the celebrated series with Gerard Schwarz, the Seattle Symphony and the New York Chamber Symphony. The Delos Great American Composers Series received Grammy nominations for the artists, engineer John Eargle, and the label; and helped to reawaken American interest in its own classical music.
In this Anniversary collection we are representing the Great American Composers series with “Portraits of Freedom.” The recording sessions were memorable for many reasons, especially the wonderful time we all had working with James Earl Jones. “Portraits of Freedom” emerged at the time of our Delos 20th Anniversary, in 1993.
Title 18— DANCES from RENAISSANCE to NUTCRACKER • Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite • Gabrieli, Morley, Praetorius: Dances • Warlock: Capriol Suite • Los Angeles Guitar Quartet [DE 3132] • “…the best present of all… for young and old alike… the L.A. Guitar Quartet wraps its eight fast-fingered hands around the Suite with a sweet energy that will have your kids dancing all around the house.” — Newsweek
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The Delos guitar series began with Pater Familias Celedonio Romero in our early analog days, and has continued with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, 8-string guitarist Paul Galbraith, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Angel Romero and Italian guitarist Emanuele Segre. The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet — John Dearman, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant and Andrew York —was formed in 1980 at the University of Southern California by Pepe Romero. The LAGQ went on to make a number of highly-praised recordings for Delos: “For Thy Pleasure,” “Evening in Granada,” “Labyrinth,” and a solo album from Scott, “Wild Mountain Thyme.” “Dances from Renaissance to Nutcracker” is the first album in the series. A delightful variety program, it has become a favorite Christmas present and a popular year-round Evergreen.
All of the arrangements on this album were made by LAGQ members.
Title 19— Beyond Chant • Mysteries of the Renaissance • Voices of Ascension • Dennis Keene, conductor • Palestrina, Victoria, Josquin Desprez, Lassus, Byrd, Sweelinck, Tallis, Gibbons, Schütz, Leo, Tye, Hassler, Batten [DE 3165] • A Billboard Chart-topping success. • “a wonderfully satisfying cross section of Renaissance music” — USA Today • “Dennis Keene is the finest young conducting talent in the choral world today.” — Gregg Smith • “Sheer musical excellence… Mr. Keene drew an intensity from his singers that effectively tapped into both the meditative and ecstatic currents of the music.” — New York Times
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Our Delos choral series began with Roger Wagner’s last recording, and continued with outstanding professional and symphonic choirs across the U.S., and three in Russia. Representing the series here is a favorite from Dennis Keene’s New York-based Voices of Ascension.
Amelia wrote: “Dennis Keene, one of America’s stellar choral conductors, and his superb choir of professional singers, Voices of Ascension, have made a number of recordings for us that represent the finest in choral art. The most famous of these is probably ‘Beyond Chant.’ We recorded most of their programs, including this one, in the lovely acoustic of their ‘home’ Church of the Ascension in New York City — at night to minimize traffic noise. Both in the control room at the sessions and back home in our studio during post-production, I was reminded more vividly than ever of the emotional, psychological and just plain physical effect on human beings of the overtones that result when chords are sung with perfect intonation.”
Title 20— Glière: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 25 • The Red Poppy Ballet Suite, Op. 70• Zdenek Macal, conductor • New Jersey Symphony Orchestra • “A singular voice.. Macal seemed to be inventing the music himself… a kind of conducting, risky by today’s standards, that recalls the great musical personalities of a half century ago.” The Washington Post
Before he left the U.S. to become Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic, Zdenek Macal made many wonderful albums for us with the New Jersey Symphony. Considered both musical and engineering triumphs, the series includes definitive Dvorak from that composer’s leading exponent in our time; memorable Mussorgsky; and the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique. On a number of the recordings the NJSO joined forces with the splendid Westminster Symphonic Choir, led by one of the choral world’s heroes, Joseph Flummerfelt. One of the albums brought John Eargle a long-overdue Grammy for his engineering. To represent this series in our 35 for 35 Collection, we are choosing the stunning Glière program, recorded in 1995. It was the very first release in our Virtual Reality Recording series, John Eargle’s development in sound recording.
Title 21— Tchaikovsky: 1812 Festival Overture, Op. 49 (with Chorus) • The Sleeping Beauty (arr. Andrew Litton), Op. 66 • The Voyevoda: symphonic ballad, Op. 78 • Moscow: Coronation Cantata • Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Chorus • Andrew Litton, conductor • Svetlana Furdui, mezzo-soprano • Vassily Gerello, baritone [DE 3196] • “…a very rich and expansive sound due to creative microphone placement. The performance is simply stunning as well, charged with energy and excitement. The electrifying young conductor Andrew Litton uses the choral version of the overture, which is rarely recorded. Also included on the disc are a rarely performed Coronation Canata written for Alexander III of Russia in 1883, and a suite arranged by Litton of some of the composer’s best-loved melodies from the “Sleeping Beauty” ballet. The “Waltz” is absolutely luscious. — The Sun
This album, our second VRR release, was also a major event. Amelia wrote:
The muses must have been smiling when the quantum leap in Delos’s VR2 sound coincided with our first Dallas recording. The forces that have come together here for this large-scale Tchaikovsky program have created a powerful introduction to Virtual Reality Recording. What better demonstration could you have than the “1812 Overture” with chorus!
Also part of this album is the “Moscow Cantata,” for which the baritone soloist is Vassily Gerello. Little did we know at the time that we would meet up with Vassily again in Russia, or that he would sing the title role in Rachmaninoff’s “Aleko” for us. The “1812” with chorus is an engineering triumph for John Eargle, and has become a much-admired “surround” demo. I also remember being amazed at the quality of David Davidson’s DSO Chorus and their coaches. I loved the moment when their language coach stepped quickly to the talkback in the control room and corrected a vowel sound, saying ‘You’re beginning to sound Ukrainian there!’”
John Eargle wrote:
We are at a new golden age in sound recording, which allows a sense of dimension, space and timbre that takes us a step closer to the wrap-around sound we hear in the concert hall. Delos’ first recording with Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is ‘tailor-made’ for our VR2 process. What could be more glorious than the Russian Chorale opening of the “1812 Overture”? It takes no longer than a second or two to sense the essence of VR2 recording: rich, spacious, and above all timbrally correct, qualities which continue through the rest of the program. Quite a tribute to Maestro Litton, his orchestra and hall, and of course to modern technology. And what an auspicious inauguration of the relationship between the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Delos.
Further musical and sonic standouts in the series with Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony and Chorus are Shostakovich, Copland, Gershwin, Mahler albums; and the famous “Space Spectacular” — Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra and Holst’s The Planets.
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Title 22— Respighi’s Rome • RESPIGHI: Fountains of Rome • Pines of Rome • Roman Festivals • James DePreist, comductor • Oregon Symphony [DE 3287] •
“Respighi’s popular showpieces provoke virtuoso playing in a spectacular recording (headline)…Delos offers a triumph. The sound has a sensuously velvety, wrap-around quality that is both warmly atmospheric and finely detailed, helped by a sharp terracing of textures to make the sound both immediate and vividly realistic. …the Fountains of Rome, with its gentle opening…the clean separation of the recorded sound immediately conveys a fine sense of presence…DePreist, over the years since he became music director of the Oregon orchestra in 1980, has built it into a virtuoso band more than able to hold its own in any international company, presenting these showpieces with just the sort of panache that they need.” — Gramophone
Among our favorite VRR recordings with James DePreist and the Oregon Symphony, which include Korngold’s “Sea Hawk” Overture and Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” and “Firebird Suite,” we are choosing Respighi’s colorful Roman Trilogy to represent the series. This one also has a bit of history. In 1987 we made our first recording with Jimmy and the OSO: an album we called Bravura, that won superlatives from every corner of the globe. It was an Ovation “Recording of Distinction,” and Bert Whyte of Audio proclaimed: “James DePreist’s incandescent performance and John Eargle’s spectacular engineering blaze new trails in the musical sonic firmament.” The lead piece on the album, Respighi’s Roman Festivals,became an audiophile benchmark. 15 years later we completed the Respighi Trilogy with new DePreist/OSO recordings of Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome, which were recorded with John Eargle’s VRR process, thus making “Pines” and “Fountains” audiophile benchmarks as well. We called the new album Respighi’s Rome. It was a great satisfaction to Amelia, John and everyone at Delos to have Jimmy’s memorable versions of the three Respighi favorites together at last.
Title 23— Songs We Forgot to Remember • John Aler, tenor • Grant Gershon, piano [DE 3181] • “This is a gem of a disc — 25 songs from ‘I hear You Calling Me’ to ‘Annabelle Lee’ and the lovely ‘A Perfect Day,’ beautifully vocalized by the American lyric tenor with superb piano accompaniments from Grant Gershon. —Denver Post • “Tenor John Aler often calls John McCormack to mind in this collection … for the tonal purity of his light tenor voice, his stylistic perfection and intense dedication.” — The Washington Post
John Aler, one of the most acclaimed lyric tenors on the international stage, can be heard on Delos as the glorious tenor soloist in the Berlioz Te Deum with Dennis Keene and Voices of Ascension, and in the Dvorak Requiem with Zdenek Macal, the New Jersey Symphony and Westminster Choir. Here, John put together for Delos a sentimental trip down memory lane. These are songs that were popular in the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s, and sung in every home where sheet music was to be found. In fact, the distinguished American tenor’s suggested subtitle for the album was “Songs from the Piano Bench.”
Title 24— Bach: Lute Suites arr. Galbraith for 8-string guitar • Suite in G Minor BWV 995 • Suite in E Minor BWV 996 • Suite in C Minor BWV 997 • Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E-flat Major BWV 998 • Paul Galbraith, 8-string guitar [DE 3258]
“British guitarist Paul Galbraith has made something of a sensation in the guitar world… extraordinarily skillful, cohesive and passionate performances… sensational guitar music with a remarkable depth of feeling.” Stereo Review • “10/10. Warm and resonant sound yet highly detailed and confidential. To these appealing sonics, Galbraith brings consummate musicianship and an unerring sense of phrasing and lyrical line. His playing is sensitive, astute, and seems to fully convey the core essence of every movement. The recorded sound is ideal…” — ClassicsToday
The remarkable Paul Galbraith began his series for Delos with his own arrangements for 8-string guitar of the Bach Violin Sonatas and Partitas, and went on to the Lute Suites heard here. In the course of his five Delos albums, Paul has further tweaked and developed his unusual 8-string guitar and resonance box. His latest, enthusiastically-received, recording, “French Impressions,” offers his own ingenious arrangements of Debussy and Ravel piano music.
Title 25— Shostakovich: Waltzes • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Moscow Chamber Orchestra [DE 3257] • “Still another side of this prodigious composer is shown in Shostakovich Waltzes, featuring the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in 21 waltzes, polkas and galops. These impish pieces are drawn from various sources and are absolutely delightful, especially an orchestration of Vincent Youmans’ ‘Tea for Two’ that Shostakovich for some reason relabeled ‘Tahiti Trot.” — Parade • “You won’t find any Shostakovich collection around like this one, even though most, if not all, of these selections have been recorded before as part of the ballet suites or film scores. So if the music appeals to you, this disc won’t let you down. Delos offers stunning sound.” — AllMusic
In 1998, American pianist/conductor Constantine Orbelian came into our lives; and again, one pioneer recognized another. The first American ever to become Music Director of a Russian ensemble, Constantine brought us together with like-minded artists who became part of our extended family; among them the famed Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia of Russia, Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia, Olga Guryakova, Marina Domashenko, Federico Mondelci, Raffaele Trevisani, the great Ewa Podles and opera star Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
For our “35” collection, we’ll let the delightful “Shostakovich Waltzes” album represent our early projects with Constantine. Among our first recordings in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the sessions were an “event,” and spirits were high. Constantine put together an exhilarating range of Shostakovich music from theater, film and ballet.
Shostakovich wrote film music for many decades, beginning in the late 1920s. He loved the cinema, and while he was studying at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, earned his living as a pianist at the movie houses of his native city. He also knew and liked ballet from childhood; his mother was a faithful ballet amateur. The Golden Age, a sports-themed dance production, was his first ballet score. The orchestration is virtuosic and brilliant; the music has humor and satire. The production starred the greatest dancers of the Mariinsky Theatre, including the young Galina Ulanova.
Another turning point for Shostakovich was his film score The Golden Hills, with unusual orchestration, including a Hawaiian guitar, and inventive treatment of the central waltz theme. It was considered one of the most significant Russian film scores of the 20th century. The music from The First Echelon and Unity, as well as the famous film score and symphonic suite from The Gadfly, stem from a difficult personal period in Shostakovich’s life. As Elena Karkova says in the album notes, “the music for the film The Gadfly embodies the unbroken spirit of Italy and depicts strong and passionate characters. It has overflowed the screen and is still popular in numerous adaptations.”
About his 1958 operetta Moscow, Cheremushki Shostakovich said in an interview: “I suppose that every real composer must try his forces in all genres. There is nothing evil, let alone harmful in music for entertainment. Mozart and Beethoven, too, wrote light music; yet nobody blames them for this.”
Title 26— Piazzolla: Tangos • Federico Mondelci, saxophones • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Moscow Chamber Orchestra [DE 3252] •
“cd pick of the week The sax is a particularly good instrument for Piazzolla’s music: like the tango, it is sexy, steamy and evocative, perfect listening for hot summer nights. Mondelci, playing baritone, tenor and soprano saxophones, brings a rich, jazzy appeal to Piazzolla’s hauntingly beautiful melodies; he seems to have a real feel for the music’s power and gutsiness, as well as its gentle tenderness.” The New York Times
We first heard Italian saxophonist Federico Mondelci play a group of these tangos at Constantine’s “Palaces of St. Petersburg” Festival, and knew immediately that we had to record them. Once Federico became part of our Delos family, he brought us his Italian Saxophone Quartet as well. In addition to his extraordinary musical gifts, Federico is one of the most relaxed and spontaneous of performers on his baritone, tenor and soprano saxophones, resulting in entertaining stage business appropriate to the venue, repertoire and audience. Upon the success of this Piazzolla album, it came as no surprise to anyone that Federico then created an album of “Favorite Italian Movie Music” by Morricone, Rota and Molinelli, arranged for saxophone and chamber orchestra, which became his most recent Delos release.
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Title 27— Dedicated to Victims of war and terror • SHOSTAKOVICH: Chamber Symphony, Op. 110a • SCHNITTKE: Concerto for Piano and Strings * Constantine Orbelian, pianist and conductor • Moscow Chamber Orchestra [DS 3259] • “…hits one right between the eyes…a superb recording, deep and warm and staggeringly true…” BBC Music Magazine • “Orbelian has star quality, and his orchestra plays with great passion and precision.” The Audio Critic
Constantine is both pianist and conductor in this important album, recorded at Skywalker Studio when the MCO was on tour in California. The album takes its title, “Dedicated to Victims of War and Terror,” from Shostakovich’s dedication of his Chamber Symphony, which begins the program. The other work on the program is Schnittke’s moving Concerto for Piano and Strings. Amelia wrote at the time of release: “When Constantine and the MCO perform this concerto, the experience is so powerful that the audience seems to hold its collective breath, transfixed, at the end, as if transported spiritually to another place. We want our listeners to have that experience, too.”
In the album introduction, Constantine wrote about his and the MCO’s experiences with this program, and dedicated the album to his grandparents:
Dedicated to the memory of my grandparents: Agaparon Orbelian, who was arrested at the height of the Stalinist purges in 1936, and murdered in the dungeons of the Lubiyanka Prison in Moscow on April 21, 1938; and Sophia Atarbekova, who was arrested in 1938 and spent ten years in the GULAG prisons of the USSR. Their lives and fates lend a special meaning to my vision of these very important works, and performing these works enables me to honor, musically, some of the hopes and horrors with which they lived and died.
Combining the Shostakovich Chamber Symphony and the Schnittke Piano Concerto on one CD is a programming choice that developed gradually over years of performing these works on our tours, feeling their impact on ourselves and our audiences, and reflecting on what they mean to us.
The Chamber Symphony depicts the horror and terror of the 1930s and ’40s, both in the Soviet Union and in the larger context of World War II. Each movement of the work symbolizes aspects of those acts against humanity, encompassing a world of intense emotional states in its progress. From the dark opening measures and the gloom of the first movement, to the whirlwind second movement; to the personal, emotional and very internal third movement; to the “Knocks of Death” at the door by the dreaded “authorities” — the Gestapo and the KGB — the work takes us finally to the spirituality of the finale. All of this sets the scene, in turn, for the religious service of the Schnittke Piano Concerto, with the sounds of the church bells, the vicious intrusion of the war — or annihilation — machine, and the inspiring thematic presence of the Russian liturgical “Gospodi pomilui” (Lord have mercy upon us) as the major focus of the composition.
At the time of the album’s release, Amelia wrote a letter to friends in the press and music industry, and I’d like to quote it here:
Dear Friends,
Every once in a while a recording project emerges as a special event. I am writing to you now about such a project — one that has much of significance to say, and on many levels.
At this point in my own life, both personal and professional, it has been a profound experience to witness live performances of the Shostakovich Chamber Symphony and the Schnittke Piano Concerto in a few of the many tour performances American conductor Constantine Orbelian and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra have given in the past few years. I have wept along with the audiences, and been transported as well. Maestro Orbelian and the orchestra are identified with these pieces, and rightly so.
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Title 28— Handel: Arias from Rinaldo and Orlando • Ewa Podles, contralto • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Moscow Chamber Orchestra [DE 3253]•
“the Polish artist is that extremely rare phenomenon – a genuine contralto of luxuriant tone and bottomless resources. … a true bel canto expert. It’s hard even to imagine a voice of this weight scaling the heights and depths of Handel coloratura with such nonchalance, and it’s even more amazing to hear it on this disc… incredible agility, seamless breath control and almost terrifying authority.” — San Francisco Examiner • “impressive three-octave range…hugely resonant and heroic low tones, smoky middle, brilliant top…astonishing flexibility… this recital reveals her dazzling outrageous and personalized approach to Handel, and it is stunning. The first two tracks alone demonstrate mastery of every vocal, theatrical and musical technique demanded by this repertoire…. This is the stuff eighteenth-century writers used to rave about… Such artistic integrity and completeness set Podles apart… Seat belts suggested.” — Opera News
Purchase this cd.
Also recorded at Skywalker Studio when Constantine and the MCO were on tour in California was our first album with the great contralto Ewa Podles, who is often referred to as “a force of nature” by those who have heard her sing. She is also a Polish National Treasure. As Amelia wrote: “The feeling at Skywalker during the sessions, since echoed around the world, was that we were hearing the human voice do things we didn’t know it could do, and express things in a way we didn’t think possible in that music; and that Handel benefited spectacularly.”
Ewa wrote in a special comment in the album booklet:
In the multiplicity of musicological theories and scientific treatise which confront each other concerning the style and performance of Baroque and Classical music, one can be completely at a loss. But who can be utterly certain about the way in which this music should be played today, or the manner in which it was played or sung at the time of its creation? The interpretations I offer in the program chosen for this concert arise from nstinct and from the heart. For of one thing I am absolutely sure: these composers were human beings of flesh and blood, writing for other living beings. And in his innermost substance, man remains the same today as he was in the past: in happiness, joy and the ecstasy of love; in the pain and despair of solitude, separation or loss…
Title 29— Voices 1900/2000 – A choral journey through the twentieth century • San Francisco Symphony Chorus • Vance George, director [DE 3270] •
“The beautiful singing of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (including some exceptional solo work), the subtly nuanced sound, and texts that speak of the gently redemptive links between love and death, make a tremendous effect. The recording, made in Davies Symphony Hall where the San Francisco Symphony performs, has a natural sense of space as if it were illuminated by an audio equivalent of light.” —Gramophone • “Most of the music chosen glows with spiritual life… Vance George is a top-flight choral conductor who knows how to create a gorgeously hushed choral sound, then takes his time with the music so we can revel in its beauty right along with him.” — American Record Guide
Just a short scenic drive from Skywalker Studio to Davies Hall in San Francisco, the setting for this beautiful album by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Long-time SFSC Choral Director Vance George and his superlative chorus also recorded a popular Christmas album for us, appropriately titled “Christmas by the Bay,” which received a Grammy nomination.
Vance George wrote in his introduction to this album:
Voices 1900/2000 is a choral portrait of the past century. It is a story of Romanticism, Expressionism, Impressionism and Minimalism. The twentieth century invented new music and searched for truth in other cultures and religions. It was a century of experimentation, a kind of “anything goes.” But, any style eventually exhausts itself: Schoenberg’s atonality, Stravinsky’s neo-classicism, Orff’s neo-medievalism, folk-flavored nationalism of Kodály, Hindemith’s Gebrauchsmusik, the neo-Romanticism of Prokofiev and Britten, or the avant-garde of Cage, Berio, Penderecki and Lutoslawski. Listeners and composers created a dartboard effect; one composer would suggest an idea or style and others would throw darts at the same bull’s-eye.
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Title 30— Vodka and Caviar — The Ultimate Russian Spectacular • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Philharmonia of Russia • Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia [DE 3288] •
“The sound is truly spectacular… the recording contains some wonderful music …Orbelian, born in America of Russian and Armenian emigré parents, has a real feel for this material, and the Philharmonia of Russia plays with precision and verve. The recording is simply a lot of fun; you’d have to be a thoroughly jaded curmudgeon not to enjoy it. File this one under ‘Guilty Pleasures,’ if you like, but don’t miss it.” — Stereophile
From California to Russia for “Vodka and Caviar,” an exhilarating symphonic “spectacular” of music from Ballet and Theater, with Constantine’s “crème de la crème” Philharmonia of Russia. Stirring music of Khachaturian shares the program with favorites of Borodin and Tchaikovsky. The disc, recorded in 2001, became a demo for sound developments via Sony’s DSD recording technology and was used to show off the new hardware at Audio/Video conventions. Amelia remarked that she had so many favorite tracks on this album that it was hard to settle on one for a demo. The young Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia, heard here in the Polovtsian Dances, was formed at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the music of the Orthodox Church could once again be performed freely. The Choir has made some highly praised recordings for us on its own, including “Serene Ecstasy,” and “Sounds on My Spirit.”
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Title 31— Passione di Napoli • Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Neapolitan Songs • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Philharmonia of Russia [DE 3290] • “undoubtedly one of the voices of the century” Opera News • “…some of the most beautiful and eloquent sounds that can currently be heard from any human throat… His voice is redolent of luxury: beautiful tone, pinpoint intonation, elegant, and impassioned delivery.” The New York Times • “The Philharmonia of Russia, under the baton of the US-born conductor Constantine Orbelian, give it their all. The brass swells, the strings shimmer and the percussion sparkles… Hvorostovsky himself is on top form, his miraculously burnished voice seamlessly modulated, his phrasing unselfconsciously expressive, shamelessly ardent and thrillingly dramatic… To paraphrase Mae West, sometimes too much of the good thing can be wonderful.” — BBC Music Magazine
Another major event that took place at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory in 2001 was Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s first Delos recording, “Passione di Napoli,” with Constantine and the Philharmonia. Recording this repertoire fulfilled a lifelong dream on Dmitri’s part and, as Amelia put it, “sent the rest of us into a state of ecstasy.” A strong musical and personal connection developed among us all as Dmitri joined the Delos family; and he went on to record Verdi arias, four albums of Russian songs, and one of his signature arias on our “Great Scenes from Queen of Spades.” Dmitri dedicated his most recent aria album, “Heroes and Villains,” to Amelia; it was the last pre-release master she was able to hear. Two more albums follow “Heroes and Villains”: a two-disc set of Tchaikovsky songs, and a variety album of songs based on poetry of Pushkin.
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Title 32— China Song • Chinese folk songs and popular music arranged by Yi-Wen Jiang • The Shanghai Quartet • Eugenia Zukerman, flute [DE 3308] • “…vividly detailed, diverse and beautiful works… the Five Yunnan Songs…are brought vibrantly into three dimensions in this lush, rich arrangement…Reflections of the Moon in the Er-Quan Spring… is well-loved enough to have been referred to as the Chinese version of Barber’s Adagio… sensitively arranged collection of songs…” The Strad
Of the Shanghai Quartet’s nine beautiful and varied albums for Delos, their most distinctive — and most popular to date — is “ChinaSong.” The enchanting arrangements of favorite Chinese folk songs were created by Yi-Wen Jiang, the Quartet’s second violinist; a labor of love on his part, and some years in the process. Everywhere the Quartet plays a group of these song arrangements, they are an instant hit with audiences. Flutist Eugenia Zukerman, who joins the Quartet in some of the arrangements, has also recorded a number of lovely albums for us, including a program with the Shanghai Quartet entitled “Music for a Sunday Morning.”
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Title 33— Italian Flute concertos • ALBINONI: Concerto in G Major • PERGOLESI: Concerto in G Major • TARTINI: Concerto in D Major • VIVALDI: Concerto in C Minor • GALUPPI: Concerto in D Major • BOCCHERINI: Concerto in D Major • Raffaele Trevisani, flute • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Moscow Chamber Orchestra [DE 3332] • “I do not hesitate to say that he belongs to the best of the flutists of the day,” Sir James Galway • “Trevisani’s interpretation has, besides the sheen of its sparkling virtuosity, a quality of sound, a fineness of expression, elegance and lightness of phrasing. A musical freshness that makes it truly significant.” —Amadeus
Purchase this cd.
Virtuoso flutists with memorable performances on Delos include Jean-Pierre Rampal (“Magic Flutes,” “Romantic Music for Two Flutes”), Eugenia Zukerman (“Incantation,” “Aria”), Oleg Sergeev (Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp, “Flight of the Bumblebee” on “Showpieces and Encores”), and Italian virtuoso Raffaele Trevisani. “Raffi” is recognized as one of the outstanding flutists of his generation, and has been praised consistently for his style, musicality and beautiful tone quality. He has made a range of recordings for Delos, including C.P.E. Bach Flute Concertos, Mercadante Flute Concertos, and his own arrangements of Mozart Violin Sonatas for Flute and Piano. One of the very few pupils of Sir James Galway, Raffi has received his distinguished mentor’s enthusiastic approval, and now owns and plays Galway’s 14-carat gold Muramatsu flute.
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Title 34— RANJBARAN: PERSIAN TRILOGY • Seven Passages • Seemorgh • The Blood of Seyavash • JoAnn Falletta, conductor • London Symphony Orchestra [DE 3336] • “…Very highly colorful, expertly scored… lively writing, huge, swirling climaxes… memorable fragments of tunes of a Persian nature…a properly confident orchestral composer…” — Fanfare • “[Ranjbaran] focuses on certain instruments such as the oboe, harp and violins, all of which have great prominence in the ethnic music of Persia. The music is unmistakably graphic in its appeal. Dark, threatening, driving, splashy and brilliant…” — Los Angeles Times • “…filled with elegant themes and a rich, tuneful musicality based in part on Persian modes but eminently accessible and richly orchestrated.” — Press-Telegram
In this world premiere recording, American conductor JoAnn Falletta and the London Symphony Orchestra offer a remarkable performance of Behzad Ranjbaran’s dramatic and colorful “Persian Trilogy” for orchestra. The orchestral cycle “Persian Trilogy,” comprising Seven Passages, Seemorgh, and The Blood of Seyavash, takes its inspiration from ancient Persian legends, as recounted in the 11th century epic poem “Shahname” (The Book of Kings).
A quote from the introduction to an English translation of the Book of Kings, still a respected classic a thousand years after its creation, touches on its cultural significance: “The Shahname has had a sustained and vital influence within its cultural tradition… it depicts the beliefs and values of Iranian society as they were before the coming of Islam…”
Behzad Ranjbaran composed the cycle over a period of 10 years. His rich orchestrations, exciting rhythms, and powerful climaxes are balanced by lyricism and delicacy. An instantly accessible fusion of ancient and modern, this music leaves a lasting impression. Behzad says: “Seemorgh (Phoenix) was inspired by an ancient Persian legend about a giant magic bird and the struggle between good and evil.” The piece is a ballet in seven scenes.
“I have come to realize that in real life, courageous acts are not limited only to heroes. Unsung heroes perform countless acts of courage and struggle daily,” Behzad says about the theme of “Seven Passages.” The Los Angeles Times commented that in “Seven Passages” “the heroic theme emerges in the course of the music… as the work progresses from a fairy-tale gossamer beginning to its full-scale triumphant conclusion.”
Born in Tehran, Behzad came to the U.S. in 1974, where he attended Indiana University and received his doctorate from the Juilliard School. He is on the faculty of The Juilliard School, and has received numerous awards and honors for his compositions. His Violin Concerto for Joshua Bell and his Songs of Eternity for Renee Fleming have added to his reputation as an extraordinarily gifted composer.
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Title 35— Albeniz: Suite Iberia • The Brazilian Guitar Quartet [DE 3364] •
“as warm and transcendentally evocative as Albeniz could have wished for.” (Allmusic) • “BGQ Makes Historic Recording of Albéniz (Headline) This CD is so good that one should be concerned, when praising it, not to do so insufficiently. However, the least that can be said of this recording of the Iberia suite of Isaac Albéniz, just released by the American label Delos, is that it will stand as a reference recording of the Catalan composer’s masterpiece… The Quartet has now taken its place alongside [Alicia de Larrocha and Daniel Baremboim], beneath the ideal sun of Iberia, and in no-one’s shadow.” Folha de São Paulo, Brazil
In their own country the Brazilian Guitar Quartet is called “the Dream Team,” four of Brazil’s most brilliant guitarists. Considering that the guitar could be called the national instrument of Brazil, this already establishes the BGQ on a rarefied level. The group’s unique combination — regular six-string and extended-range, eight-string guitars — allows for the exploration of an original and unusual repertoire. Put all of this together with exceptionally creative musicality, and the result is a series of recordings that can justly be called masterpieces. The BGQ’s first three Delos albums — “Essencia do Brasil” and “Encantamento,” both offering a range of Brazilian music; and the Bach Four Suites for Orchestra— have been universally acclaimed (Classical Critics Choice, Billboard; Best of the Year, Audiophile Audition). The “Suite Iberia” is their fourth, and most recent, masterpiece. For albums five and six, please see the Delos website. We are confident that you won’t be disappointed. Back to top
Constantine Orbelian and I, as the current artistic directors of Delos, dedicate our efforts to continuing Amelia’s superb legacy. Amelia’s pioneering spirit, her commitment to artists, and her insistence on the highest quality will continue to be our Muse.
Carol Rosenberger