A podcast introduction to Russian Music for Cello & Piano, a new CD featuring cellist Wendy Warner and pianist Irina Nuzova. Writing in the Newark Star Ledger, Bradley Bamberger said “American cellist Wendy Warner pairs a huge, lustrous tone with diamond-edge virtuosity …” This recording features well established works like Rachmaniov’s Sonata in G minor, alongside such rarities as Nicolai Myaskovsky’s Sonata No. 2 in G minor. The program also includes music by Scriabin, Schnittke and Prokofiev, all played with wonderful virtuosity and emotional power. Come listen to the podcast, then buy the CD so you can hear the entire pieces.

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Catalogue No.: Cedille CDR 90000 120

Jose Serebrier was 16 years old when he wrote his Symphony No. 1, and although he is better known as a conductor, he has been an active composer for more than five decades. This podcast, and this CD, trace his musical journey through music he has composed in four different decades. Included are the Symphony No. 1, composed in 1956, his Double Bass Concerto, composed in 1971, the Violin Concerto, composed in 1991, and three shorter works composed in the past decade. On this CD, Jose Serebrier serves as both composer and conductor, and is joined by a stellar group of musicians – double bass virtuoso Gary Karr, violinist Philippe Quint, actor Simon Callow, and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

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Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.559648

For most of his life, Danish composer Rued Langgaard had great difficulty getting his music performed, and for decades after his death in 1952, his work was all but forgotten. That is now changing, thanks to Langgaard’s amazing music, and thanks to the efforts of people like conductor Thomas Dausgaard, and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, who have been reintroducing this music to modern audiences. As the three works on this disc show, Langgaard was a composer with a unique vision, and exceptional talent. Seen from today’s perspective, it’s hard to believe there was ever any doubt about Langgaard’s music.

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Catalogue No.: Dacapo 6.220535

Were it not for Dr. Enrico Mihich, the music of Marcel Tyberg would almost certainly be lost forever. Tyberg entrusted all of his scores with Mihich, just before he was deported to Auschwitz. For more than six decades, Mihich carried the scores with him, trying to find a conductor who would pay attention to them. Finally, in 2005, Dr. Mihich met with JoAnn Falletta, Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic. Maestra Falletta saw what so many others had failed to see – that Tyberg’s music was original, beautiful and worth performing. This podcast, with it’s interview with JoAnn Falletta, traces the history of how she and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra came to rescue the music of Marcel Tyberg.

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Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.572236

Evan Ziporyn is a composer, bass clarinettist, and has worked as a beekeeper. These interests collide in his piece “Hive”, a wonderful piece for four clarinets based on the sounds and activities of a honey bee hive. With music by Ziporyn, John Harbison, Astor Piazzolla, Gunther Schuller, Thomas Barker and Vincent Persichetti, this CD dives deep into the fascinating world of contemporary clarinet music. The performers on this CD include Evan Ziporyn, Theodore Schoen, Laura Ardan, Ricardo Morales, Timothy Paradise and James Ognibene.

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Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.572264

After almost 2 centuries, one would think that every piece by Ludwig van Beethoven has long since been performed and recorded – but it isn’t so. This podcast looks at the Beethoven Project Trio (pianist George Lepauw, violinist Sang Mee Lee, and cellist Wendy Warner) and their adventures as they gave the first US performances of several trios by Beethoven, along with the world premiere recordings of these works.

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Catalogue No.: Cedille CDR 90000 118

Antonio Salieri was a contemporary of Mozart’s and one of the most influential composers of his time. He remained a lesser known colleague of Mozart for almost 200 years, when the movie “Amadeus”, with F. Murray Abraham in the role of Salieri made him a household name, and led to a renewed interest in his music. This podcast looks at this new recording of his Requiem in C minor, one of the only recorded versions of this piece. It features the Gulbenkian Chorus and Orchestra of Lisbon, under the direction of Lawrence Foster.

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Catalogue No.: Pentatone PTC5186359

William Schuman was at various times President of the Juilliard School and President of Lincoln Centre. Despite being one of America’s finest arts administrators, Schuman also found time to be one of America’s most important composers of the 20th century. In this podcast, Dr. Joseph Polisi, Schuman’s friend, author of “American Muse: The Life and Times of WIlliam Schuman”, and the current President of Juilliard, talks about Schuman’s Symphonies. The performances included in this box set at podcast feature the Seattle Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gerard Schwarz.

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Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.505228

Mozart Carmargo Guarnieri is one of the finest Brazilian composers of the 20th century. Unfortunately, except for Naxos recordings, he is all but unknown outside his native country, having been overshadowed by his flamboyant landsman Heitor Villa-Lobos. In this podcast, Latin American music scholar James Melo talks about Guarnieri’s place in Brazilian music, and about his Piano Concertos 4 – 6, which offer an introduction to his music. Musical excerpts feature pianist Max Barros, with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Conlin.

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Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.557667

Czech composer Antonin Dvorák had, among his many talents, the gift of seemingly endless melody. His symphonies are filled with these marvelous tunes that seem to grow out of each other. This is one of the qualities that conductor Marin Alsop loves about his music, especially his symphonies. In this podcast, she talks about his Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8 and Symphony No. 9, and about recording them with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

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Catalogue No.: Naxos 8.572112 and Naxos 8.570714