Token Creek Beethoven

We continue our survey of music recorded live at the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival. Episode #73 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" features selections from the Token Creek release of Beethoven piano trios. Fascinating interpretations with that excitement that only live performances seem to have.

Great listening!

And remember, you don't need an iPod to enjoy a podcast -- just download it straight to your computer, or just listen online.

- Ralph

Sound files added to Henk Badings release

We just added sound files for Henk Bading's "Trio-Cosmos," as we continue to upgrade our website. Vartan Manoogian turns in a remarkable solo performance of these violin trios. (How does he do it? Overdubbing, of course).

DCD Classical 'Cast #63 posted

At long last, episode #63 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" is now available. The program features two recordings by oboist Mark Fink. "Music for Strings" pairs him with members of the Pro Arte Quartet, while "Russian Music for Oboe of the Twentieth Century" pairs the solist with the University of Wisconsin Madison Russian Folk Orchestra for some rousing folk song arrangements.

This episode was scheduled to be released February 26, 2009. The retooling of our website and moving from one server to another (and the subsequent unexpected glitches) pushed that release date back. We have the next two episodes awaiting release. We'll probably post one of them next week and the following the week after in an effort to get back on our biweekly schedule.

Thanks for your indulgence. And please let us know what you think of the program! You can write us at info[at]DCDRecords.com, or send us a tweet at Twitter.com/DCDRecords, or even sign up for our FaceBook fan page. We're one [very small] media company that's trying to be social!

And remember -- you don't need an iPod to enjoy a podcast. You can download it to any digital music player or just listen to it on your computer.

- Ralph

New Release: Ernest Bloch - Music for Viola

The latest release from Laurel Records continues their line of Ernest Bloch recordings. "Music for Viola" features four different settings for the viola. In addition to the "Suite Hebraique" for viola and orchestra (one of Bloch's most famous compositions), the CD also includes his suite for viola and string quartet, viola and piano, and even for solo viola.

Grammy-nominated violist Karen Elaine Bakunin ably performs these works. According to the Los Angeles Times, Bakunin is "the soloist to bring the viola out of obscurity." And this disc amply demonstrates why.

Available now from DCD Records.

- Ralph

Episode #56 of the DCD Classical 'Cast posted

Program #56 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" features selections from the two new releases from the Con Brio label. And it just happens to be bi-coastal in the process!

Jocelyn Swigger is based at Sunderman Conservatory, in Gettysburg, Pennslyvania, and the Icicle Creek Piano Trio call Leavenworth, Washington their professional home. They may be seperated by a vast distance, but these recording artists are close together where it counts. Both releases feature imaginative performances and some darned good music-making.

Remember, you don't need an iPod to listen to a podcast. Just follow the links and listen!

- Ralph

Icicle Creek Piano Trio Debut CD

Con Brio's latest release is a debut album by the Icicle Creek Piano Trio. This young ensemble features Jennifer Caine (violin), Sally Singer (cello), and Oksana Ezhokina (piano). The three perform with a refreshing insight and as with a single mind. Their debut release includes the Ravel Piano Trio in A minor, and the Schubert Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 100.

Now available!

- Ralph

Episode #055 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" posted

Program #055 of our podcast presents a variety of odds and ends. There's no real theme, save that all of the tracks haven't appeared before on the show. You'll hear some interesting arrangement of Schubert, Schumann and French baroque composer Jean Mouton. And there's also music by another baroque musician, Vincenzo Albrici.

Remember, you don't need an iPod to listen to a podcast. Just follow the links and listen!

- Ralph

Podcast episode 50 published

Today we uploaded episode #50 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast." For this landmark edition, we went back to one of the themes of our early podcasts -- artist-run labels. Since we started the podcast back in 2006, the music industry has changed dramatically.

At one time an artist-run label would be considered little more than a vanity label. These days, its a standard business model. The artist gets to record what they want, connect directly with their audience over the Internet, and keep most of what their recordings earn (as opposed to the major label system which gives only a fraction of the income to the artist).

This program we feature three outstanding performers. Mark Gardner and Robert de Gaetano are both composers and piano virtuosos, and we feature them performing their own compositions. Violinist Gary Levinson is heard playing Martinu's "Three Madrigals."

Which also makes this a podcast of 20th century music.

Look for changes over the next 50 podcasts -- and don't forget to let us know what you want. You can e-mail us at info@dcdrecords.com, or simply leave a comment in the comment field of this blog.

- Ralph

Podcast Episode #49 posted

Episode No. 49 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" has just been posted. In this program we look at three different American composers with varying degrees of fame. Samuel Barber has it, Arnold Rosner is gaining it, and Ernst Bacon deserves it.

You'll hear the first movement of Barber's String Quartet Op. 11 (the slow movement's the famous one). We also play an outstanding orchestral work by Rosner, and an intimate composition for violin and piano by Bacon.

- Ralph

Podcast Episode #48 posted

I'm really happy with this edition of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" podcast. It features the music of Virginia-based composer Walter Ross, and most if it comes from his new recording on DCD Records. "Walter Ross, Brass Trios."

I've always enjoyed Ross' music (I use his works for the podcast's opening and closing themes), and this album of brass trios is a real treat. Ross started out as a french horn player, so he knows how to write for brass instruments -- and the music shows it.

I'm always excited for our labels when they send us a new release (or two or three). But to have one of our own to offer up. Well, that's something else again.

Enjoy!

- Ralph

Podcast Episode #47 posted

Just posted part two of our Robert Muczynski overview. This particular episode of the "DCD Classical 'Cast" we focus on music from the latter part of Muczunski's career. In addition to his solo piano music, we also play some selections from his other chamber music for flute and for clarinet.

All of the selections come from volume 2 of Muczynski's recital disc on Laural Records.

- Ralph

Podcast episode #046 posted

The Laurel recordings of composer-pianist Robert Muczysnki have been selling extremely well for us, and I thought it was time to look at those discs in detail. The two-CD series features Muczynski performing a wide range of his piano works that run from his earliest published piano composition on through to one of his last, written in 1994.

With this much music to sample, I decided to break up the program into two podcast episodes. The first part is on episode #46 of the "DCD Classical 'Cast," which I just posted today. It concentrates on Muczynski's earlier works. Part two, which will follow in about two weeks, will have mostly his later compositions.

Interesting music from a truly gifted composer and performer!

- Ralph

Podcast episode #040 posted

The first of our two-part look at Musica Rediviva's new releases just got posted today. Episode 40 of the DCD Classical 'Cast looks at two releases that are concerned with new sounds.

The Tribukait/Pettersson/Berg Trio is all about new sounds. This contemporary chamber group comprises of a keyboardist, a flutist and a percussionist, giving them a wide variety of new and unusual instrumental combinations.

Torbjörn Näsbom and Andreas Edlund play music from the Baroque period, but they, too are concerned with new sounds. Näsbom performs on the nyckelharpa, a traditional Swedish folk instrument that's a distant cousin to the medieval hurdy-gurdy (it's that fiddle-like thing in the image above, left).

So our podcast alternates between old music with a new sound, and new music with a new sound. And it all sounds great.

- Ralph

A new release from VGo Recordings

Steve Lin's new release on VGo Recordings isn't his first appearance on the label. He shared an earlier release with Joseph Williams II.

One of the prizes for the Boston GuitarFest was a recording with VGo -- but the judges deemed both Lin and Williams co-winners, and so they shared the prize (and their debut recording).

This time Lin's on his own, playing the music he loves. "Imagen" features works by noted flamenco composers Augustin Barrios, Antonio Lauro, and Benito Canónigos. If you enjoyed his joint release with Williams, then you'll really like "Imagen."

- Ralph

Podcast episode #29 now available

I just posted epispode #29 of the DCD Classical 'Cast. The title is "Summertime Fare." All of the selections have a light texture, which is the common theme.

We start with a Baroque lute duet performed by John Schneiderman, and then sample some short piano works of Brahms ably played by Vera Breheda.

The final selection is a concerto for double bass. The title may suggest a heavy work, but it's actually a short early classical composition for double bass and harpsichord. And so the podcast ends on a light (but very low) note.

- Ralph

Podcast Episode #27 posted

DCD Classical 'Cast #027 has just been posted to the web. The episode, titled "Biggs, Beethoven and the Barber" features a selection from one of our newest labels -- Consort Press. California-based composer and conductor John Biggs leads a performance of his "Mass for Our Time."

We also continue our survey of Monument Records, this time presenting a world premier recording of a Beethoven string quartert.

And it all starts with probably the most unusual recording heard yet on the DCD Classical 'Cast -- an occarina ensemble performing Rossini. It's not as strange as it might sound, though. The Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese as an organization has been around since the late 19th century, and they're performing arrangements made for the ensemble in 1901.

- Ralph

Milhaud Podcast Posted

We've put the finishing touches on our Milhaud special podcast, and posted it to the site. Troubadisc's 3-CD set presents an interested profile of this French composer. Although we could have given each of the three discs their own podcast episode, I thought that holding the set to a single episode let the listener get an overview of the series.

Hope you enjoy it!

- Ralph