REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Crumb documentary film produced and directed by Terry Zwigoff, Sony Films 1994, 120 minutes. Terry Zwigoff initially ran into fierce resistance from his otherwise very good friend Robert Crumb, when he proposed the idea of this film. In reply, Zwigoff threatened to commit suicide, thus convincing the artist of the […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates MozartMozart Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat Major for Violin, Viola and Orchestra; Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, French horn, Bassoon, and Orchestra- various soloists, Armin Jorad conducting the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Musical Heritage Society- MHS 4739H, 12-inch stereo LP, recorded April, 1980. A very fine LP of two of Mozart’s most […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto Lou Shankson, piano, with the Philharmonia Orchestra; Royale 18163, 10-inch vinyl LP, copyright 1956. This infinitely lovely Concerto of Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) receives a really good performance, but not from the above listed parties, which are pseudonyms. Research in recent years now identifies the team as […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Bach Suites 2 and 3 Fritz Rieger conducting the Munich Philharmonic- Mercury MG10068, vinyl lp, from 1940’s German radio broadcast tapes. These two Orchestral Suites of J.S. Bach constitute some of the most joyous, very melodic and quite listenable music, both for newcomers to classical music and experienced connoisseurs who […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Beethoven String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130 – Quartetto Italiano Angel 35064, 12-inch LP, recorded early ‘50s . The 16 String Quartets of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) constitute some of the composer’s most powerful and beautiful music, especially the last five. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 were composed between […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Puccini Madame Butterfly Selections Arthur Pryor’s Band; Victor – 31697, 12-inch one-sided black label acoustic shellac 78, recorded approximately between 1905 and 1913. Several shellacs from the pre-1924 acoustic era feature symphonic bands doing very nice performances of operatic excerpts. Arthur Pryor’s Band left one devoted to the matchless melodies […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Dick Kuhn and his Orchestra Wild Flower; Bambalina- Decca -3723, ten inch blue label 78 disc, recorded March 25, 1941. There is very little information to be gleaned anywhere on bandleader Dick Kuhn, he starting his own band while in high school being about the only morsel uncovered. It would […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Kodaly Hary Janos Suite; Respighi: Feste Romane- Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra; RCA Victor LM-1973, 12-inch vinyl mono LP, released 1956. Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) was, arguably, one of the four best known conductors of the 20th century, the others being Leopold Stokowski, Arthur Fiedler, and Leonard Bernstein (these […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Jean-Baptiste Loeillet Sonatas; Trio Sonatas; and Lesson for the Harpsichord Pierre Pouleau, recorder; Andre Chevalet, oboe; and Yvonne Schmit, harpsichord. Music Guild MS-113, 12-inch stereo vinyl LP, released 1965. One of a select group of baroque composers who wrote truly beautiful music for both the flute and recorder, Jean-Baptiste Loeillet […]
REVIEW POTPOURRI by Peter Cates Words of Inspiration by Aladdin Dot DLP 3570, mono LP, recorded early ‘60s. Aladdin Ahmed Abdullah Anthony Pallante (1912-1970) was best known as a regular on the Lawrence Welk Show from 1953 to 1967 and a talented violinist, comic foil for novelty songs and skits and reciter of inspirational verse. […]