Serendipity

[Ferretfancy]

Recently I bought a second hand two disc set of music by Poulenc, and to my surprise discovered that a third disc had been accidentally sandwiched into the box.
It's on the Albany label with the Louisville Orchestra, and has three works, Homage to Haydn by Norman dello Joio, Five Songs for french horn and orchestra by Peter Schickele, and Vincent Persichetti's 8th Symphony.

I know the names of all three composers, but apart from some Persichetti dances I have heard none of their music. The Homage to Haydn is an attractive piece, not very Haydnesque except perhaps in its first movement. The Schickele is certainly arresting, with much use of unusual horn effects such as singing into the bell of the instrument. There is also a passage in the last song in which a male vocalist sets out a fairy tale like riddle. The Pesichetti is beautifully scored but doesn't make a strong impression.

All the pieces receive spectacular recording quality.

Now, who knows these composers, and would they recommend other works? The only information I have is on the disc label, the notes are missing.
It's been a fun discovery of a demo quality disc.

[umslopogaas]

Well ... I cant say I know them, but I do have two further items, both on LP:

Dello Joio 'Fantasy and Variations' for orchestra, played by the Boston SO cond. Leinsdorf
Persichetti 'Symphony for [wind] Band', on a selection called 'Diverse Winds' played by The Eastman Wind Ensemble cond. Frederick Fennell

Nothing by Schickele, I'm afraid, unless its on another LP of various bits that's filed under another composer. But I dont recognise the name.

As I recall (which isnt much), the Dello Joio is very enjoyable, but I cant remember a thing about the Persichetti, except that its a Mercury LP and the whole thing sounds wonderful, as Mercury LP usually do.

The Louisville Orchestra issued recordings under its own label in the LP era, but I havent encountered any CDs on the Albany label. I shall enquire of the local CD shop.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Norman dello Joio's Triumph of St Joan Symphony is an enjoyably spent half-hour:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Triumph-St-Joan-Sedares/dp/B000001SHA/ref=sr_1_18?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1370973962&sr=1-18&keywords=Norman+dello+Joio

You're very lucky, Ferretf - the only "bonus" disc I've ever obtained was when I bought the Sawallisch/Zimmermann Brahms Violin Concerto from a charity shop. Inside the jewel case was ... a second copy of the Sawallisch/Zimmermann Brahms Concerto!

[amateur51]

Well ... I cant say I know them, but I do have two further items, both on LP:

Dello Joio 'Fantasy and Variations' for orchestra, played by the Boston SO cond. Leinsdorf
Persichetti 'Symphony for [wind] Band', on a selection called 'Diverse Winds' played by The Eastman Wind Ensemble cond. Frederick Fennell

Nothing by Schickele, I'm afraid, unless its on another LP of various bits that's filed under another composer. But I dont recognise the name.

As I recall (which isnt much), the Dello Joio is very enjoyable, but I cant remember a thing about the Persichetti, except that its a Mercury LP and the whole thing sounds wonderful, as Mercury LP usually do.

The Louisville Orchestra issued recordings under its own label in the LP era, but I havent encountered any CDs on the Albany label. I shall enquire of the local CD shop.

I may be about to make a grade#A chump of myself () but I reckon that Peter Schickele is also the great American musical humorist aka PDQ Bach

[amateur51]

Wasn't the brass chorale used as a theme to the old BBC/Open University broadcasts a piece by Norman Della Joio?

[umslopogaas]

Am 51, yup, you are right. Just did a quick Google and Peter Schickele is indeed PDQ Bach. Pass on the BBC Open University theme ... anyone else know?

Listening now? 'Rigoletto' in a 1960 studio recording recommended (possibly here?) as not wonderful sound, but marvellous singing. The singing is marvellous (Kraus, Bastianini, Scotto, Vinco, Cossotto etc) and there is nothing wrong with the sound as far as I'm concerned.

[Suffolkcoastal]

I have the disc in question and enjoy it. Another recommendable work of Dello Joio is the Meditations on Ecclesiastes for String Orchestra. The Persichetti String Quartets are very enjoyable as are some of his works for concert band, the 3rd and 5th Symphonies (the 5th is for Strings) and the Piano Concerto.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Wasn't the brass chorale used as a theme to the old BBC/Open University broadcasts a piece by Norman Della Joio?

No, Leonard Salzedo's 1959 Divertimento for Three Trumpets and Three Trombones Op 49. (The rest of it doesn't live up to the Intro:)

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Open_University.html

[LeMartinPecheur]

You're very lucky, Ferretf - the only "bonus" disc I've ever obtained was when I bought the Sawallisch/Zimmermann Brahms Violin Concerto from a charity shop. Inside the jewel case was ... a second copy of the Sawallisch/Zimmermann Brahms Concerto!

Not quite a bonus disc from a charity shop, but certainly a surprise: snapped up the Decca Pascal Roge Ravel piano music twofer for 99p Got it home and the second disc isn't Ravel, it's Moura Lympany's Best Loved Piano Classics 2

Nearly as disappointing as the time as a schoolkid I snapped up in a WHS mono deletion sale (remember them c1971?) the Decca LP of Nilsson/VPO/ Solti in the closing scenes of Gotterdammerung and Salome for 99p(*).

Gleefully rushed it home, pulled it from its inner sleeve and was puzzled to find each side was banded. Look at label: "Highlights from The Count of Luxemburg"

(*) Belatedly I spot the common element. Memo to self: Never buy bargain discs if the price is 99p

[amateur51]

No, Leonard Salzedo's 1959 Divertimento for Three Trumpets and Three Trombones Op 49. (The rest of it doesn't live up to the Intro:)

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Open_University.html

Cheers, ferney - my mistook

[Pabmusic]

... The Schickele is certainly arresting, with much use of unusual horn effects such as singing into the bell of the instrument. There is also a passage in the last song in which a male vocalist sets out a fairy tale like riddle...

Peter Schickele has another musical identity as P. D. Q. Bach, in which guise he has written a host of things that would have fitted well into a Hoffnung concert. Here's Eine Kleine Nichtmusic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enT9oAE0TxM

Here's his website:

http://www.schickele.com

Apparently the youngest - and only unknown - son of J S Bach, his parents tried to ignore him for five years but eventually decided they'd have to give him a name (or at least initials). Later, when P D Q asked what the initials stood for, he was told "absolutely nothing".

Here's a biography:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Definitive-Biography-Bach-1807-1742/dp/0394734092/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1370988718&sr=8-2&keywords=p+d+q+bach

Other pieces that have been recorded include Iphigenia in Brooklyn cantata (S. 53162), the Unbegun Symphony, another cantata The Seasonings (S. 1/2 tsp), the operas The Stoned Guest and Oedipus Tex, the Short-Tempered Clavier, and the Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion (S. 1000). I have played in the last piece!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Further to my #9, if there's anyone out there whose been bitterly disappointed in a charity-shop purchase of Moura Lympany's Best Loved Piano Classics 2 by finding a Pascal Roge Ravel disc inside, do please contact me by PM

[Thropplenoggin]

Not quite a bonus disc from a charity shop, but certainly a surprise: snapped up the Decca Pascal Roge Ravel piano music twofer for 99p Got it home and the second disc isn't Ravel, it's Moura Lympany's Best Loved Piano Classics 2

Nearly as disappointing as the time as a schoolkid I snapped up in a WHS mono deletion sale (remember them c1971?) the Decca LP of Nilsson/VPO/ Solti in the closing scenes of Gotterdammerung and Salome for 99p(*).

Gleefully rushed it home, pulled it from its inner sleeve and was puzzled to find each side was banded. Look at label: "Highlights from The Count of Luxemburg"

(*) Belatedly I spot the common element. Memo to self: Never buy bargain discs if the price is 99p

Alternatively, simply open the box and check the discs.

[verismissimo]

In a previous home, short of space, I got rid of a lot of LP boxes and secreted the contents in other appropriate sleeves/boxes.

So if one day in Oxfam you come across boxes apparently of Karajan's Ring cycle and, opening them at home, you discover that you've not one but two Rings, the second the La Scala Furtwangler, then you'll know that one day it belonged to me.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Alternatively, simply open the box and check the discs.

Yes, but umm, more and more these days they tape the *****y boxes up!!! Then you have to remember to get stroppy at the cash desk and sometimes I forget...