Mitropoulos Conducts Prokofiev and Swanson

This is a continuation of two ongoing series - one devoted to the music of Howard Swanson, the other to the recordings of conductor Dimitri Mitropoulos. The record also contains music by Sergei Prokofiev, which the blog has presented a number of times as well.

This 1950 LP is unusual in that represents the only appearance of Mitropoulos on US Decca records. At the time, he was recording for Columbia with his band, the New York Philharmonic.

Dimitri Mitropoulos

The Philharmonic does not appear here, but the featured ensemble is related to the Philharmonic even so. Its unwieldly name, "The New York Ensemble of the Philharmonic Scholarship Winners," signifies that the musicians all had received scholarships from the Philharmonic in younger years. In gratitude, they banded together to provide their own scholarships to other worthy young musicians. Mitropoulos was the honorary chair of the effort.

While the term "Scholarship Winners" might lead you to think participants were neophytes, that was not the case. All were well-regarded professionals generally in their 30s. The members included clarinetist David Weber, pianist William Masselos, cellist Avron Twerdowsky of the Kroll Quartet, violinist Jacques Margolies and bassist Fred Zimmerman, who were in the Philharmonic at the time, bassoonist Harold Goltzer and his oboist brother Albert, who also were in the Philharmonic for many years, and the well-known horn player David Rattner.

As far as I can tell, this is the only record that the Ensemble made. It is entirely a chamber program, so Mitropoulos' presence may only have been to lend prestige to the affair.

Sergei Prokofiev and Howard Swanson

The bulk of their program is devoted to two Prokofiev works, his Quintet, Op. 39 and his wonderful Overture on Hebrew Themes. Howard Swanson's then-new "Night Music" completes the enjoyable program, which is well played by the talented ensemble. That said, the Swanson perhaps could have sounded more nocturnal and less careful. Also, the witty Prokofiev overture may have benefitted from a more relaxed approach.

Decca's engineers produced sound that was close and a little harsh. It benefited from my adding a small amount of convolution reverberation to the mix. The download includes a review from The Gramophone.

The LP's cover art is by Erik Nitsche, who handled many assignments for Decca during the period. His cabalistic symbols look like they ought to represent something, but I have no idea what. Interpretations are welcome.

Mid-Century Music by Howard Swanson, Roger Goeb and Ben Weber

When I posted Howard Swanson's Short Symphony a few years ago, I promised to revisit his oeuvre for the blog, and now (after a little prodding) I am making good.

This particular American Recording Society disc also contains what I believe to be the first recordings of music by Roger Goeb and Ben Weber  - and fine pieces they are.

This release dates from 1950. The sessions were probably held in that year or possibly 1949.

I am indebted to musicologist Derek Katz for providing information about the provenance of these works. All three were presented in concerts of the Festival of Contemporary American Music at Columbia University's McMillan Theatre in 1947 and 1950. Details on each below.

Howard Swanson - Seven Songs

Howard Swanson

Swanson (1907-78) is perhaps best known for his vocal music, and among those pieces for his settings of the poetry of Langston Hughes. This collection includes three of his five settings of Hughes' verse, including the most famous, "The Negro Looks at Rivers." These are highly accomplished compositions, both subtle and evocative.

Helen Thigpen

Also in this collection are settings of Carl Sandburg, Vachel Lindsay and Edwin Markham. A detailed article on Swanson's song settings is in the download.

The artists presenting these selections are soprano Helen Thigpen and pianist David Allen. The versatile Thigpen was previously heard here in excerpts from Porgy and Bess. I haven't been able to turn up any information about David Allen.

Per Derek's research, the Swanson songs were performed by Thigpen and Allen at the opening concert of the 6th Festival of Contemporary American Music, on May 18, 1950. A New York Times review is in the download.

Roger Goeb - Prairie Songs for Woodwind Quintet

Roger Goeb

In common with all the works on this record, Goeb's Prairie Songs are both skillful and enjoyable. They are written in the then-common Americana style. The fluid performances are by the Five-Wind Ensemble.

The Goeb had been performed by that group at a Festival of Contemporary American Music concert on May 18, 1947. At the time, the then-new ensemble consisted of Ralph Eichar, flute, Lois Wann, oboe, Milton Shapiro, clarinet, David Manchester, bassoon, and John Barrows, horn. Derek has provided a Times review of the concert, which is in the download.

Goeb (1914-97) had been a pupil of Nadia Boulanger, Otto Luening and Herbert Elwell. At mid-century he was entering a productive phase that would have as a highlight the premiere and recording of his Symphony No. 3 by Leopold Stokowski.

The download also includes a Bruce Duffie interview with Goeb.

Ben Weber - Concert Aria after Solomon, Op. 29

Ben Weber by Roger Tréfousse

The largely self-taught Weber (1916-79) was one of the first American composers to adopt the twelve-tone method, although his music remained lyrical and accessible. This quality is well demonstrated in his Concert Aria after Solomon, a setting from the Song of Songs.

Bethany Beardslee

This performance is by soprano Bethany Beardslee, making the first of many appearances in recordings of contemporary music. Her complete command of this unfamiliar music is remarkable.

Although the players are unidentified on the LP, the performance at the 1950 Festival of American Contemporary Music included the Five-Wind Ensemble along with Broadus Erle and Claus Adam of the Fine Arts Quartet, so they perhaps are on this recording. The conductor here is Frank Brieff, rather than Saul Schechtmann, who led the Festival performance. Brieff was a former viola player under Toscanini in the NBC Symphony. He would become the music director of the New Haven Symphony in 1952.

The download includes reviews of the live performance from the Times and the Brooklyn Eagle. If you like this music, be sure to read the affectionate remembrance of the reclusive and eccentric Weber by his student, the composer Roger Tréfousse.

Thanks again to Derek for his help with this post.

Second LP cover

Howard Swanson and David Diamond

Here is an early 10-inch LP in the American Recording Society (ARS) series mainly devoted to contemporary composers. It presents the first recordings of important works by Howard Swanson (1907-78) and David Diamond (1915-2005), both introduced by Dimitri Mitropoulos.

Swanson's Short Symphony, composed in 1948, was premiered by Mitropoulos with the New York Philharmonic in 1950. Here, the attractive work is performed by an orchestra directed by Dean Dixon. It is likely one of the Viennese ensembles that were busy in the recording studios throughout the 1950s.

Whatever their identity, the orchestra plays well for Dixon, particularly in the beautiful slow movement.

Howard Swanson

This circa 1952 recording was quickly succeeded by a Vanguard LP with Vienna State Opera Orchestra under Franz Litschauer, a reading I have not heard.

ARS followed up on this Swanson composition with another LP that included his Seven Songs, along with works by Roger Goeb and Ben Weber. I have that album and will transfer it later, along with a recording of Swanson's "Night Music" conducted by Mitropoulos.

David Diamond, 1955

David Diamond's Rounds for String Orchestra is possibly his best known work, commissioned by Mitropoulos when the conductor was still in his 20s. The ARS recording is, I believe, its first, and would be soon be joined by competing versions led by Vladimir Golschmann and Izler Solomon. The ARS recording is conducted by the underrated Walter Hendl, leading what is likely another Viennese orchestra.

The music is fascinating, with the formal structure providing ample opportunity for both extraordinary lyricism and exhilarating orchestral virtuosity.

The sound is very good. [Note (June 2023): this recording has been newly enhanced by ambient stereo.]