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

New John Cage Release

OgreOgress has released a new collection of compositions by John Cage. This is a DVD-Audio release, and features three world premier recordings. "Twenty-Eight," a chamber work composed in 1991 could, according the composer, either be performed separately, or with one of two companion pieces, "Twenty-Six" and "Twenty-Eight."

This release presents all three versions of this work, along with another chamber work, "Three."

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 #045 posted

This episode of the DCD Classical 'Cast we showcase the winner of the Boston GuitarFest performance competition. One of the prizes for this professionally juried competition is a recording with VGo. We play selections from that prize recording with last year's winner, Christina Pérez Madiedo.

We also go back and sample two works from the previous year's co-winners, Steve Lin and Joseph Williams II.

If you like classical guitar music, then this is the program for you!

- Ralph

Podcast episode #044 posted

Con Brio's new release of Richard Arnell symphonies is so good (in my opinion), we decided to devote an entire episode of the DCD Classical 'Cast to it.

Arnell's music has fairly long movements, so it's nice to give it the space it needs. Hopefully you'll hear enough of both symphonies to get a good idea of how they sound -- and have a desire to hear the entire works.

- Ralph