John Williams’s Oboe Concerto

19. February 2015 · Write a comment · Categories: Composers

In celebration of Boston Pops Laureate Conductor John Williams’s 81st birthday on February 8, 2013, the Boston Pops is releasing a new live recording of the composer’s Oboe Concerto. Written for principal Pops oboist Keisuke Wakao, the Oboe Concerto is the latest John Williams work to showcase the talented musicians of the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops. The recording took place during the world premiere performance of the work at a Boston Pops concert at Symphony Hall on May 25, 2011.
Release: 1/29/2013
Duration: 00:18:34
Genre: Classical – Live Performance
Label: BSO Classics

Just go here to purchase the recording.

Works for Oboe by Kerry Lewis

06. February 2015 · Write a comment · Categories: Composers, Listen, Videos

In case you aren’t familiar with him, Kerry Lewis is a composer in our area and he’s written some wonderful pieces for oboe and piano. Here are some samples with the fantastic Michael Adduci on oboe. Both works are available through Trevco.

Suite: 1. At Play 2. At Rest 3. Intermezzo 4. Rondo

Here’s the second movement in its complete form (but including a bit of noise, as it’s a live recording). It’s lovely and works quite well on its own!
At Rest from Oboe Suite

Elegy for Oboe

Sandy Schubert

01. July 2014 · Comments Off · Categories: Composers, Videos

From the YouTube page:
As part of the 2014 East Neuk classical music festival in Scotland, Sand in Your Eye created a sand drawing portrait of the composer Franz Schubert. The film was captured on a Go Pro 3 camera on a DJI Phantom Quadcopter.

John Tavener 1944-2013

12. November 2013 · Comments Off · Categories: Composers, Losses

I just read of Sir John Tavener’s death.

Happy Birthday, Samuel Scheidt

03. November 2012 · 4 comments · Categories: Birthdays!, Composers

… even though I’d not heard of you before!
(Wikipedia entry)

This is the German Brass (2009 posting)

What Were You Doing When You Were Nine Years Old?

24. October 2011 · Comments Off · Categories: Composers, Videos

The Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias plays works conceived, composed and orchestrated by 9 year-old Asturian composers (plus one from NYC). This concert was given in Mieres, Asturias, SPAIN May 27, 2011, with Daniel Sanchez, guest conductor.

I’d love to know more about the young composers. Are they taking lessons? Did they write out all of the parts? How much help did they receive? So far I’ve not found more about this anywhere, but it’s interesting to hear. No, the music isn’t going to necessarily last … but what were you doing when you were nine years old?

Composers sure make the big bucks!

25. March 2011 · 3 comments · Categories: Composers, Videos

… at least this one must be making ‘em. $48 milion? Yikes!

The Plaza Hotel has hit a high note.

A Russian composer has just closed on a $48 million home at the Plaza — the highest price ever paid for a single condo unit in New York.

The buyer is Igor Krutoy and his wife Olga.

The 6,000-square-foot unit in the swanky, historic hotel is on the 12th floor. While it has sweeping views of Central Park, it is not even a full-floor unit.

Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Lisa Simonsen, who brokered the deal, declined to comment.

Sources told the Post that Krutoy was willing to shell out the big bucks because he was tired of losing out. Krutoy had previously lost other apartments he was interested in buying at fancy 15 Central Park West and the Time Warner Center by bidding too low.

RTWT

One does need a lot of square footage in order to write music, I’m sure. Sorry he didn’t get a full-floor unit, though. Sad.

I’d not heard of him before, so I’m guessing maybe one or two of you hadn’t either. So here, let me share …

Want another?

Anthony Hopkins, Composer

26. February 2011 · Comments Off · Categories: Composers

Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins will appear at two concerts in the U.K. in July to present his own music for the first time plus scores from several of his films performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
The Welsh-born actor will present scores he has written including those for August (1996) and Slipstream (2007), which he also directed and starred in, and a new piece that he has written especially for the Birmingham orchestra.
Hopkins said, “There are themes and passages in these pieces that have been several decades in the making, and to bring them all vividly to life with one of the great symphony orchestras of the world is absolutely thrilling.”

Found here.

Villa Lobos

22. February 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Composers, Photos

I’m not sure if it’s legal to put the photo up at my site, so I’ll just link to it for now. It just make me laugh a little. Not that I like smoking at all … but still ….

I’ve Neglected It Again

22. January 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Composers

So sorry, but I’ve not been good about the whole “Top Ten” from Mr Tommasini. So I’m just going to put links up for the rest of his series. You’ll have to click on over to read and watch the videos.

Top 10 Composers: Hailing Opera’s Shakespeare, and Its Proust

Top 10 Composers: The Female Factor

The Top 10 Composers: The Romantics

The Greatest

Agree? Disagree? Think it’s ridiculous to even attempt a top 10 list? I know this really did get some people up in arms. Me? I just figure if it gets anyone interested in listening to any of this music I’m a happy camper. I’m easy that way.

Update:
I just found another Top 10 List (this blog entry is the top 2, but I’m sure you can figure out how to read about the rest), by John Althouse Cohen. (And this is a new blog to me, so I’ll be checking it out now.)

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