Used Bin Troll Tweets H.

Ethelbert Nevin

[May 2014.]

bmopsound_1033

George ANTHEIL: A Jazz Symphony (1925); Ballet pour Instruments Mécaniques et Percussion (1924, ed. Paul LEHRMAN, 1999). Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose (cond.). BMOP/sound 1033 (1 SACD) (http://www.bmopsound.org/).

With Disklaviers and MIDI, BMOP recreates Antheil’s clangorous and insistent but unemotional ballet. This will not relieve migraines. YES.

naive_v5346

Fazıl SAY: Symphony No. 2, “Mesopotamia,” Op. 38 (2011)¹; Symphony No. 3, “Universe,” Op. 43 (2012)². Carolina Eyck^1,2 (theremin), Çağatay Akyol¹ (b-recorder), Bülent Evcil¹ (b-fl), Aykut Köselerli² (perc), Fazıl Say¹ (pno), Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Gürer Aykal (cond.). Naïve V5346 (1 CD) (http://www.naive.fr/).

Say’s orchestral flair expresses true and tragic metaphors for the Middle East. Universe’s exotic percussion embraces the great beyond. YES.

naxos_8573122

Kara KARAYEV: The Seven Beauties Ballet Suite (1953); The Path of Thunder Ballet Suite No. 2 (1958). Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitry Yablonsky (cond.). Naxos 8.573122 (1 CD) (http://www.naxos.com/).

Romantic yet eclectic like Schnittke or Shostakovich’s populist works. Didn’t Ernie Kovacs use music from Seven Beauties? Finely played. YES.

harmoniamundi_hmu907580

Kevin PUTS: If I were a swan (2012)¹; To touch the sky (2012)²; Symphony No. 4, “From Mission San Juan” (2007)³. Conspirare^1,2, Craig Hella Johnson^1,2 (cond.), Baltimore Symphony Orchestra³, Marin Alsop³ (cond.). Harmonia Mundi HMU 907580 (1 CD) (http://www.harmoniamundi.com/).

Nice a cappella settings and a tuneful symphony predictably affirming at its close. Should this be your thing, don’t let me stop you. NO.

sonyclassical_88725461742

“Le sacre du printemps: 100th Anniversary Collection.” Igor STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring (1913). Var. orchs, var. conds. Sony Classical 88725461742 (10 CDs) (http://www.sonymusic.com/).

Ten rites make a wrong. Other than the original album covers cutely miniaturized as CD sleeves, here’s a silly “Glorification de l’élue.” NO.

duttonepoch_cdlx7294

Alan BUSH: Dance Overture (1930, rev. 1935); Symphony No. 4, “Lascaux,” Op. 98 (1982-83); Dorian Passacaglia and Fugue, Op. 52 (1959). Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Martin Yates (cond.). Dutton Epoch CDLX 7294 (1 CD) (http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/).

Unfairly skipped because of his unpopular Communist beliefs, these competent orchestral items suggest we weren’t missing all that much. NO.