Portland Youth Philharmonic

On this CD:

1. Chameleon Variations for orchestra
Composed by William Bergsma
Performed by Portland Youth Philharmonic
Conducted by Jacob Avshalomov

2. Prologue, Capriccio and Epilogue for orchestra
Composed by Benjamin Lees
Performed by Portland Youth Philharmonic
Conducted by Jacob Avshalomov

3. World of Paul Klee for orchestra
Composed by David Diamond
Performed by Portland Youth Philharmonic
Conducted by Jacob Avshalomov

4. Suite symphonique, for orchestra
Composed by Ernest Bloch
Performed by Portland Youth Philharmonic
Conducted by Jacob Avshalomov

5. Symphony, for trombone (or cello) & orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Ernest Bloch
Performed by Portland Youth Philharmonic
Conducted by Jacob Avshalomov

Tracks:

Piano Concerto In G, On Chinese Themes And Rhythms: I. Allegro non troppo
Piano Concerto In G, On Chinese Themes And Rhythms: II. Adagio
Piano Concerto In G, On Chinese Themes And Rhythms: III. Finale: Allegro moderato
Peking Hutungs: Symphonic Poem On Chinese Street Sounds And Cries
The Taking Of T'ung Kuan
Prophecy, For Mixed Chorus, Cantor And Organ

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Oregon Composers

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000049NL
Release Date: 1995-08-10

Jacob Avshalomov: Symphony of Songs, etc.

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Music of Individual Character

Jacob Avshalomov: Symphony of Songs, etc.

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Praises From The Corners Of The Earth: I. John Donne, Holy Sonnets xxiii
Praises From The Corners Of The Earth: II. Chief Joseph Strongwolf - III. The Koran, Surah xciii
Praises From The Corners Of The Earth: IV. e.e. cummings - I. John Donne Repeats
Raptures For Orchestra On The Madrigals Of Gesualdo: Moro, lasso, al mio duolo
Raptures For Orchestra On The Madrigals Of Gesualdo: Mille vilte il di moro
Raptures For Orchestra On The Madrigals Of Gesualdo: lo pur respiro
Symphony Of Songs: I. Fed By My Labors
Symphony Of Songs: II. Adieu, Farewell Earth's Sweet Bliss
Symphony Of Songs: IIIa. Answer July - IIIb. The Watch
Symphony Of Songs: IV. Who Is My Shepherd
Symphony Of Songs: Va. The Smile - Vb. The Grain Of Sand

Customer Reviews:

Music of Individual Character.......2001-06-08

Born in Tsingtao, China, in 1928, Jacob Avshalomov came to the United States in the 1930s, studied with Ernst Toch, won a prize for his opera "The Taking of T'ung Kuan" in 1952, and later settled in for a long, long stint as conductor of the Portland Youth Philharmonic - the ensemble heard in the Albany CD under review. Avshalomov leads the young players in a trio of his own works. A word first about the performances, all of which were recorded in concert. It's a "youth symphony," not a fully professional orchestra; it sometimes shows intonation problems and can be slow to pick up cues from the baton. As training orchestras go, however, it's pretty good. I remember a CRI LP of Avshalomov and the PYP doing Ernest Bloch's Trombone Symphony and his Suite Classique. Those are thorny scores and the musicians did a convincing job with them. They do the same here. Avshalomov's music resembles Bloch's, assimilating Jewish, Chinese, American-Indian and other influences in a neo-Romantic idiom spiced by occasional bitonal harmonies; he orchestrates with an ear for attractive sonorities. "Praises from the Corners of the Earth" (1964), a symphony for orchestra and chorus, sets texts taken from John Donne, the Koran, e. e. cummings, and Chief Joseph Strongwolf. It's the kind of music that would make a good impression in the Hollywood Bowl on a warm night, not only because the texts laud the beauties of the fair earth, but because the openness of the music suggests the ethos of clear air and a beneficent nature. I find it immediately attractive. "Raptures for Orchestra on the Madrigals of Gesualdo" (1982) directly quotes its source, using the chorus, at the beginning of each of its three movements and then develops Gesualdo's music instrumentally and chorally in Avshalomov's idiom. The technique is related to that in William Schuman's "New England Triptych" after hymns of William Billings and might owe something in conception to Ottorino Respighi's Gregorian pastiches of the 1920s and 30s. Only modesty prevents Avshalomov from calling "Raptures" a symphony; it is a better organized and more pleasing score than many another under the name of symphony. Purely instrumental, the "Symphony of Songs" (1994) takes its title from the fact that each of the five movements develops the material of one of Avshalomov's voice-and-keyboard songs. At thirty minutes, "Symphony of Songs" beats the two other works in scale, although it strikes me as slightly less distinctive (or less pithy) than its companion-pieces. Nevertheless, it has its merits, enough of them to have made me listen through it twice in succession. This disc reminds us that there are dozens of American composers of the mid-century who wrote attractive music that is now unknown or all but unknown. Thanks to the people at Albany for making this music, in these performances, available.

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Avshalomov: Fabled Cities

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000A33C
Release Date: 1998-08-25

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Portland Youth Philharmonic

Manufacturer: Composers Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005TVN
Release Date: 1994-06-13

Tracks:

Chameleon Variations
Prologue, Capriccio And Epilogue
The World Of Paul Klee
Suite Symphonique
Symphony For Trombone And Orchestra

Portland Youth Philharmonic: Music by Avshalomov, Harris & Ward

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Portland Youth Philharmonic: Music by Avshalomov, Harris & Ward

Manufacturer: Composers Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005TWF
Release Date: 1994-09-20

Tracks: