Arthur Levering:  Catena (2000)
Donald Berman, piano; Dinosaur Annex Chamber Orchestra, Scott Wheeler, cond
New World Records 80662 (2008)

Terry Riley:  June Buddhas from Mexico City Blues (1991)
Brooklyn Philharmonic, Ennis Russell Davies, cond
Musical Heritage Society re-release 5180914 (2005)

Jeffrey Ryan: String Quartet #3 “sonata distorta”  (2006)
Penderecki String Quartet; Centredisques CMC CD 13308 (2008)

After a couple of programs of “challenging” music, here’s an hour of embarrassingly tonal “easy listening” piano music from recent releases we’ve received.

Ann Southam: Glass Houses
Gavin Bryars: After Handel’s Vesper
… Christina Petrowska Quilico, piano; Wellspringe WEL0008 (2008)

Valentin Silvestrov: Bagatells I-XIII (2005)
… Valentin Silvestrov, piano; ECM New Series 1988 (2007)

Giovanni Verrando: Agile (2004)
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, Stradivarius STR 33573 (2007)

Luciano Berio: Ritorno degli Snovednia (1977)
Ensemble InterContemporain, Pierre Boulez, cond., Sony Classics (1991)

Maurico Kagel: Tactil  (1970)
Deutsche Grammophon 445252

Mauricio Kagel, closely associated with Stockhausen, Boulez, and others of that generation, has died in Köln at 76.

Mostly self-taught, Kagel’s music combined theatrics and comedy. Nothing he produced was ordinary in any way.

Some worthwhile obits do justice to his life and legend more than I can:

• Philip Clark in Gramophone
• William Grimes in the NY Times
• Adrian Jack in the Guardian
• Tom Service in the Guardian

Hovhaness: Lousadzak (1945)
Keith Jarrett, piano; Dennis Russell Davies, American Composers Orchestra
Music Masters MMD 60204 1989 rereleased Musical Heritage Society 2005 5180932

Esa-Pekka Salonen: Dichotomie: Mecanisme/Organisme (2000)
Gloria Cheng, piano. Telarc 80712 (2008)

Michael Byron: A Bird Revealing the Unknown to the Sky (2005)
Joseph Kubera, piano; New World Records 80679 (2008)

Lejaren Hiller: Quartet #6 (1973)
Concord Str Qtet New World Records 80694 (2008)

Per Nørgaard: Quartet #9 “Into the Source” (2001)
Kroger Qtet Da Capo8.226059 (2008)

Johanna Beyer: Quartet #2 (1936)
New World Records 80678 (2008)

Lou Harrison: Suites for Tuned Guitars:

Serenade (1978)
Suite for National Steel Guitar (1952/92)
In Honor of the Divine Mr. Handel (1991)

John Schneider, guitars Mode 195 (2008)

Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano

Sonatina
Studies #1,2,7,8

Other Minds CD1012-1015 (2008)

While Music From Other Minds was on vacation, we rebroadcast some of our programs from last year.
Our next new program will be September 5 with number 151.

July 11 - #92 - Takemitsu/Messiaen
July 18 - #107 - Kagel/Holliger
July 25 - #131 - Adams/Scelsi/Feldman
August 1 - #111 - Corner/Wilson/Dahinden/Wilson/Satoh
August 8 - #123 - Kimura/León/Shapey
August 15 - #100 - Bryars/Garland/Fox/J.L.Adams
August 22 - #120 - Shapey/Tenney - ERGODICITY
August 29 - #141 - Messiaen’s Birds

Hope you had a great Summer. Please continue to support KALW!

William Duckworth: War Department, from Southern Harmony (1981)
Boston Secession Choral Ensemble - Brave Records BRAV0720 (2007)
War Department
No more shall the sound of the war whoop be heard.
The ambush and slaughter no longer be feared.
The tomahawk buried, shall rest in the ground,
And peace and good will to the nations abound.

Joan Jeanrenaud: Axis, Transition, from Strange Toys - Talking House (2008)

Karen Tanaka: Frozen Horizon, Water and Stone, Invisible Curve (1998-99) - Azure Ensemble - New World 80683 (2008)

Giacinto Scelsi (1905-1988): Rotativa (1930) for two pianos and percussion. A very early work (Scelsi was 25) in the style of Antheil and Stravinsky, perhaps?
– Ars Ludi Ensemble - Stradivarius STR 33802 (2007)

Giacinto Scelsi: Chukrum (1963) for string orchestra
– Orchestra di Roma e del Lazio - Stradivarius STR 33802 (2007)

Wolfgang Rihm (1952-): Sub-Kontur (1975) for orchestra
– SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden, Ernest Bour cond
– Hänssler Classic 93-202 (2007)

John Cage: 16 dances for Soloist and Company of 3 (1951)
Ensemble Modern Ingo Metzmacher cond - BMG Music 09026-61574 (1994)

Earle Brown: December 1952 for solo piano
David Tudor recorded in 1972 rereleased on New World Records 80650 (2006)

If you’re interested in the Cage/Cunningham collaboration and the avant garde world in New York and Europe in the 1950’s and 60’s, you must read Carolyn Brown’s memoir, Chance and Circumstance. Carolyn Brown, one of the founding members of Merce Cunningham’s dance company, was married to Earle Brown during those years.
Chance and Circumstance, by Carolyn Brown.