String Theory 14: 28 Quartets, etc.

The 1918 quartet titled Rosengaardsspil arranges Classical and Romantic gestures like appliques on faded wallpaper. Langgaard dashed off the Italian Scherzo in 30 minutes on the morning of October 21, 1950.

Mostly Symphonies 20.

Exuberant performances propel charming, uncomplicated music. Look beyond the Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture and hear why later compatriots heralded Glinka as Russian music’s father.

String Theory 9: 30 Quartets, etc.

As we’d expect from a seasoned musician, Ramsay’s quartets reveal a deep understanding of and admiration for the genre’s giants.

Piano Factory 7.

I’ve been dipping into this fluent sampler between more difficult stuff, enjoying Halffter’s compact brightness and Santinelli’s flair and execution.

Mostly Symphonies 16.

A central instigator in the Wiener Aktionismus movement, Nitsch has been celebrated and vilified for events involving paint-splattering, animal disembowelment and nudity.

Mostly Symphonies 7.

Weiner completed his arrangement in 1955, and this is apparently the first recording. The challenges and decisions are huge.

Armchair Operas 1.

Dacapo describes Langgaard’s bizarre Antikrist as a “religious mystery opera,” “magnificent doomsday vision” and “full length nightmare.”

Mostly Symphonies 5.

This auspicious recording, the first on the CSO’s own label, is a keeper to shelve near Horenstein’s beloved Third.