Barber, S: Capricorn Concerto

These live recordings showcase the spectacular voice and wonderful musicianship of American soprano April Fredrick whose star is now firmly in the ascendent. Much of this American repertoire is tailor-made for this artist, highlighting her expressive voice and sensitivity.

The central work on this recording of orchestral music by American composers is Roy Harris' Sixth Symphony, called the "Gettysburg." Prior to composing the work, Harris read Carl Sandburg's biography of Lincoln, and this, in addition to enlarging upon his factual knowledge of the sixteenth president, helped the composer solidify his own feelings towards the man and the symbol. Though in the years since the Sixth Symphony appeared, there has been growing skepticism about politicians, increasingly leading to an at times almost cynical re-evaluation of even some of our most hallowed figures, one must acknowledge the sincerity and strength of the idealistic spirit motivating Harris during this period. One must also recognize that the rich and varied symphony that emerged as a result reflects a complex tapestry of influences. The Sixth Symphony, written in 1943-44 on commission from the Blue Network (a predecessor of the American Broadcasting Corporation), is very much a summary of what Roy Harris was as a man and a composer.

In Barber’s anniversary year, Naxos is delighted to present his complete orchestral works in a specially priced 6-CD slipcase.

An extraordinary collection of Barber performances, most of them never before released. Several major works are included in both their original and revised versions. Newly restored sound.

Very few great conductors were able to polarise the concert scene like the Romanian-born Sergiu Celibidache (1912-1996). He hated marketing in all of its forms, and with the exception of Wilhelm Furtwängler, was disparaging of his more famous fellow conductors, including Herbert von Karajan and Arturo Toscanini. He also loathed going into the studio, so most recordings illustrating his astounding talents as a conductor are of concert performances.

The recordings featured in this 10-CD set were made between 1945 and 1963, and are mainly live broadcasts given with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Radio Symphony Orchestras of Berlin and Cologne, and a number of Italian radio orchestras. The repertoire ranges widely - from the English baroque of Purcell through Viennese Classicism of Mozart to Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Strauss. The compilation also features several popular works from the 20th century (Ravel, Gershwin and Samuel Barber for instance), plus music by Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling and Harald Genzmer associated with the German avant-garde. The least-known pieces are undoubtedly orchestral works of Heinz Thiessen (1887-1971), Celibidache’s composition teacher, to whom a full disc is devoted.