Virgil Thomson once said, “In every town in the United States you find a five-and-dime and a Boulanger student,” and he wasn’t far off. Nadia Boulanger taught and influenced an entire generation of musicians, from Aaron Copland and Ástor Piazzolla to Philip Glass and Quincy Jones. This week we’ll hear some of her own compositions, works by her talented sister, Lily, and performances of her prolific students. Bill features Nadia conducting her close friend Igor Stravinsky’s composition Dumbarton Oaks, and ends this retrospective of Nadia Boulanger listening to Piazzolla’s Oblivion.
Boulanger, Nadia
Playlist
Episode 1
Nadia Boulanger: Trois Pièces
I. Modéré
II. Sans vitesse et á l’aise
III. Vite et nerveusement rhythmé
Belmont Trio: Maxine Neuman, vc.; Karin Scholz, gtr.; Peter Erns, gtr.
Bella Musica
7:09
Lili Boulanger: D’un Matin de Printemps (excerpt)
The Women’s Philharmonic/Jo Ann Falletta
Boulanger, Tailleferre, Mendelssohn, Schumann
Koch 7169
1:27
Nadia Boulanger: Vers La Vie Nouvelle
Emile Naoumoff, p.
BOULANGER, Lili and Nadia: In Memoriam Lili Boulanger
Marco Polo 8.223636
4:37
Aaron Copland: Symphony For Organ & Orchestra
1. Prelude
2. Scherzo
3. Finale
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein; E. Power Biggs, org.
Early Orchestral Works 1922-1935
Sony 47232
5:57, :34, :42, 18:34
Copland: Appalachian Spring (excerpt)
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/Dennis Russell Davies
Appalachian Spring; Short Symphony; Symphony No. 3
Pro Arte 140
6:53
Episode 2
Virgil Thomson: Symphony On A Hymn Tune
1. Introduction & Allegro
2. Andante Cantabile
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/James Sedares
THOMSON, V.: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 / Symphony on a Hymn Tune
Naxos 8.559022
12:56
Thomson: Sentimental Tango No. 1
Bennett Lerner, p.
Nothing Divine is Mundane
Albany Troy 272
1:29
Robert Russell Bennett: Hexapoda (excerpts)
Jascha Heifetz, v.; Brooks Smith, p.
The Heifetz Collection Vol 19 – 51 Miniatures 1944-1946
RCA 61750
3:34
Igor Markevitch: Noces, I
Kolja Lessing, p.
MARKEVITCH, I.: Orchestral Works (Complete), Vol. 8 – The Musical Offering
Largo 56639
2:06
Markevitch: Sinfonietta, I & II
Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra/Christopher Lyndon-Gee
MARKEVITCH: Orchestral Music, Vol. 1 – Le Nouvel Age / Sinfonietta / Cinema Overture
Marco Polo 8.223653
8:05
Douglas Moore: “Willow, where we met together”
& “Warm as the Autumn Light” from The Ballad of Baby Doe
NYC Opera Orchestra & Chorus/Buckley; Beverly Sills, sop.; Walter Cassel, bar.
Moore: The Ballad of Baby Doe
DG 465148
7:09
Moore: The Letter Song from The Ballad of Baby Doe
Met Opera Orch/Levine, Renée Fleming, s.
I Want Magic!: American Opera Arias
Lon 460567
3:40
Sir Lennox Berkeley: Serenade For Strings
I. Vivace
III. Lento
English Sinfonia/John Farrer
English String Music – Berkeley, Holst, Tippett, Britten
IMP Masters 60
5:47
Thomson: “Susie Asado”
Glenn Siebert, ten.; Phillip Bush, p.
Nothing Divine is Mundane
Albany Troy 272
1:34
Episode 3
Bernard Rogers: Once Upon A Time
1. The Tinder-Box Soldier
2. The Song Of Rapunzel
3. The Story Of A Darning Needle
4. Dance Of The Twelve Princesses
5. The Ride Of Koschei The Deathless
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Moore, Carpenter, Rogers, Phillips
Mercury 434319
13:08, :22
Stravinsky: Infernal Dance of King Kashchei (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony/Boulez
The Firebird • 4 Etudes • Fireworks
DG 437850
:33
David Diamond: Elegy in Memory of Maurice Ravel
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz
Vol. Five – Rounds
Delos 3110
7:11
Louise Talma: Whirling Pin Wheels, The Robin, Duck Duet &
The Bird Says “Bob-White” fr. Soundshots
Sahan Arzruni, p.
Childhood Memories
New World 80590
3:13
Roy Harris: Symphony No. 1, III
Louisville Orchestra/Jorge Mester
Symphony 1933 (Symphony No. 1) • Concerto For Violin And Orchestra • Symphony No. 5
Albany 012
6:39
Walter Piston: Symphony No. 2, III
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz
PISTON: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 6
Naxos 8.559161
4:34
Piston: Quintet for Pianoforte and String Quartet, I
Portland String Quartet, Leonard Hokanson, p.
Piston: Sonata pour Piano; Quintet for Pianoforte and String Quartet; Improvisation; Passacaglia
Northeastern 232
5:48
Piston: Symphony No. 4, I
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz
Symphony No. 4 • Three New England Sketches • Capriccio For Harp And String Orchestra
Delos 3106
6:17
Episode 4
Igor Stravinsky: Concerto In E-flat for Chamber Orchestra,Dumbarton Oaks, I
Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Igor Stravinsky
Works Of Igor Stravinsky
Sony 710311
4:25, :17
Sir Lennox Berkeley: Serenade For Strings, I (excerpt)
English Sinfonia/John Farrer
English String Music
Imp Masters 60
:14
Gabriel Fauré: In Paradisum fr. Requiem, Op. 48
BBC Symphony and Chorus/Nadia Boulanger
Fauré: Requiem; Boulanger: Psalm 24
BBC Legends 4026
3:44
Stanisław Skrowaczewski: Concerto For English Horn And Orchestra, II
Minnesota Orchestra/Skrowaczewski; Thomas Stacy, eng. Horn
Mayer: Two Pastels & Andante For Strings – Skrowaczewski: Concerto for English Horn & Orchestra
Phoenix USA 120
4:23
Karel Husa: Apotheosis Of This Earth – III. Postscript
The Louisville Orchestra, University Of Louisville Concert Choir/Husa
Karel Husa: Music for Prague 1968 & Apotheosis of This Earth
First Edition 0009
6:34
Easley Blackwood: Symphony No. 1, Op. 3, I (excerpt), III
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Munch
Easley Blackwood: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 1
Cedille 90000016
:31, 5:24
Easley Blackwood: Symphony No. 5, Op. 34, II
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/James DePreist
Easley Blackwood: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 1
Cedille 90000016
11:02
Ned Rorem: “For Poulenc” & “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
Susan Graham, ms.; Malcolm Martineau, p.
Songs Of Ned Rorem
Erato 80222
4:28
Episode 5
Ross Lee Finney: Fiddle-Doodle-Ad (excerpts)
I. Rosin The Bow
II. Rye Whiskey
III. Wayfaring Stranger
Miranda Cuckson, v.; Thomas Sauer, p.
Music by Ross Lee Finney
Centaur 2757
3:23
Finney: Sonata No. 2 (excerpt) V. Tranquility
Miranda Cuckson, v.; Thomas Sauer, p.
Music by Ross Lee Finney
Centaur 2757
1:27
Elliott Carter: A Symphony of Three Orchestras
New York Philharmonic/Pierre Boulez, G. Schwartz, tpt.
Carter: Symphony of Three Orchestras – Varèse: Deserts, Equatorial & Hyperprism
Sony 68334
15:48, 1:09
Michel Legrand: “Les parapluies de Cherbourg”
Legrand, piano.; Jessye Norman, soprano
I Was Born In Love With You – Jessye Norman Sings Legrand
Phil 456654
3:46
Astor Piazzolla: Adiós Nonino
Astor Piazzolla, Kicho Diaz, Astor Piazzolla Et Son Quintette, Oscar lopez Ruiz, Dante Amicarelli, Antonin Agri
Adios Nonino
Columbia – 2C 062-92.792
7:47
Astor Piazzolla: Oblivion
Astor Piazzolla
The Best Of
Fabulous Records
3:36
Aaron Copland: Concerto for Clarinet, I (excerpt)
I Musici De Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Composers in New York
Chan 9848
3:07