Tuesday, August 21
After Felix Mendelssohn's astounding Octet, who wrote the next major work for eight independent string parts? One Johan Svendsen. Norwegian by birth, Svendsen trained in Mendelssohn's own stomping grounds, Leipzig, and that's where he composed the String Octet that opens the show. Hours 2 and 3 take us to sultry Spain (Manuel de Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano, orchestra and a palpable, dark, warm humidity) and religious France (the St. Cecilia Mass by Charles Gounod).
11 AM
- Svendsen: String Octet in A major, Op. 3. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble (Chandos 9258)
- Verdi: Aida: Final Duet. Domingo, Ricciarelli, La Scala, Abbado (DG 447 270)
- Liszt: Sacred Dance and Final Duet from Aida, after Verdi. Alexadre Dossin (Naxos 8.557904)
- Strauss: Don Juan. Vienna Phil, Dohnanyi (London 430 508)
- Tartini: Violin Concerto in B minor, D. 125. Adriadne Daskalakis, Cologne Chamber Orch, Muller-Bruhl (Naxos 8.570222)
- Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain. Angela Cheng, Calgary Phil, Graf (CBC 5195)
- Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria. Cheryl Studer, London Sym, Marin (DG 435 387)
- Gounod: St. Cecilia Mass (Messe Solennelle de Saint Cecilie). Radio France orchestra and choruses, Hendricks Dale, Lafont, Gil, Pretre (EMI 47094)
