Music of Stephen Foster and Charles Ives

Trifecta of musical celebration for 2026 Fourth of July:

1. Stephen Foster (07.04.1826 – 01.13.1864) 200th birth anniversary. He was really born on Fourth of July ! His music was highly revered and heavily referenced by
2. Charles Ives (1874 – 1954), one of the truly original and revolutionary modern American composers. Orchestral works and songs conducted by 
3. Michael Tilson Thomas (12.21.1944 – 04.22.2026) who passed away earlier this year. 

Minkus: Don Quixote (Sofia National Opera Orchestra / Boris Spassov)

Ballet Music for Marius Petipa's Don Quixote, (mostly) by Ludwig Minkus. Sofia National Opera Orchestra / Boris Spassov.

前幾天是奧地利出生，後移居並在俄國打出名聲的芭蕾舞樂作曲家Ludwig (Léon) Minkus (03.23.1826 – 12.07.1917)的兩百年誕辰。一如往常，絕對可以保證龔詩堯兄有詳細介紹生平的格文。

恰巧又看到灣區這邊，同是美國歷史最悠久的芭蕾舞團SF Ballet現在正在表演Minkus所配樂的芭蕾舞，讓我不禁想到大學的一段回憶。

Concert: Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Riccardo Muti (01/17/2026)

Muti guest conducts Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Hearing CSO live after more than 20+ years. 

Ravel 150th Birth Anniversary. Complete Works by Warner

Ravel (03.07.1875 – 12.28.1937) 150th birth anniversary. The Complete Works box set by Warner.

2025年冥誕與逝世大週年的重要作曲家還蠻多的，自己設下的聆聽目標，在有限時間內只得做出一定的取捨。今年最瘋狂的，莫過於先前貼過的Johann Strauss II(小史特勞斯)管弦樂作品全集。而上半年開始卻未完成的Warner那套Ravel全集，則是近來在聖誕假期內完成。

Johann Strauss II: Complete Orchestra Works (Naxos)

Finished listening to the complete orchestral works of Johann Strauss II (10.25.1825 – 06.03.1899) on his 200th bicentennial birth year.

小史特勞斯滿月！(能跟我一樣那麼瘋狂的人，應該就只有Decca Chu朱醫生了)

Vaughan Williams: Film Music (BBC Philharmonic/Gamba)

Vaughan Williams: Film Music (BBC Philharmonic/Gamba)

Méhul: Symphonies (Minkowski/Juteau)

 

Étienne Nicolas Méhul: Symphonies (Minkowski/Juteau)

「得去買菜了。冰箱裡Méhul(沒魚)了～～～」

來自法國，可以和貝多芬平起平坐的交響曲。

Ives: Symphonies (Mehta/Marriner/Dohnanyi)(Litton)

 

Listening to some Charles Ives's symphonies this Fourth of July week. Arguably one of the most original, inventive, and experimental American composers to have walked the earth.

「他是個日本控，超Ives(愛武士)道精神的～～～」

Bedřich Smetana 200th birth and 140th death anniversary year

 

Celebrating Smetana (03.02.1824 – 05.12.1884) year (200th birth anniversary / 140th death anniversary). Getting reacquainted with the orchestral works and a long overdue discovery of The Bartered Bride.

「你已經很厲害了耶！」

「唉，但還Smetana(是沒他那)麼強～～～」

Ballroom Classics (Willi Boskovsky)

Driving music for the road trip two weeks ago. 11CDs of classical ballroom music may be too much of a good thing at times.....

Harnoncourt Complete Sony Recordings

 

Harnoncourt Complete Sony Recordings. Large coffee book design is kind of a space waster. It does come with a large hardcover book with easier-to-read large font, but also pretty clunky. True pioneer of the early music movement, but also generally one that would manage to find fresh ideas to even the most well-known pieces.

Korngold: Film Music for The Sea Hawk (BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba)

Erich Wolfgang Korngold film music for The Sea Hawk. BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba.

Bernard Herrmann Film music: Hangover Square & Citizen Kane (BBC Philharmonic / Rumon Gamba)

Film Music of Bernard Herrmann (1911 - 1975). Hangover Square & Citizen Kane. BBC Philharmonic / Rumon Gamba.

Hangover Square's Concerto Macabre is Herrmann's response to Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto.

Barber: Complete Orchestral Works (Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Marin Alsop)

 

Heading into Fourth of July with orchestral music from Samuel Barber, one of the most played 20th century American classical composers.

其實本來去年就有點想寫，只是當時全家在出遊，所以就算了。今年美國國慶日不出遠門，就發發音樂文唄 。

Khachaturian: Spartacus (RIAS-Kammerchor/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Michail Jurowski)

 

"I'm Spartacus!"

"No, I'm Spartacus!"

"No, Aram's Spartacus!"

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) Spartacus (full ballet, 1968 version). RIAS-Kammerchor/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Michail Jurowski.

Malcolm Arnold: 100th year birth anniversary. Symphonies and Orchestral Works (Penny/Handley)

Malcolm Arnold (10.21.1921 - 9.23.2006) 100th year birth anniversary.

Arriaga: Orchestra and Vocal Works (Il Fondamento/Dombrecht)

 

Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga (1806 - 1826) Orchestral and Vocal Works (Il Fondamento / Paul Dombrecht)

「什麼祕密？！Arriaga((閩南語) 啊你啊～～共(呷)) 我講啦！」

Howard Hanson: Orchestral Works (Schwarz)

 

Howard Hanson (1896-1981): Orchestral Works (Gerard Schwarz)

「好懷念小時候讀的Hanson(漢聲)小百科～～」

Dohnanyi: Orchestral Works (BBC Philharmonic/Bamert)

 

Dohnanyi: Orchestral Works (BBC Philharmonic/Bamert)

 

「這東西重死了，找了壯丁們來還是Dohnányi(都很難移)動～～」

Holst: The Planets (Berlin Philharmonic/Rattle)

 

Big Space Adventure! A musical journey through the planets with none other than Holst's The Planets......

 

古典音樂帶你飛向外太空～～