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American Classics

American Classics

American Classics is a new series from EMI which will feature, over several releases, recordings of as many different American composers as is possible. These will be single CD releases and, where possible, 2-CD sets, of music of different genres, including symphonies, concertos and purely orchestral works with some instrumental, chamber, song and opera.

Before the 20th century, there was very little in the way of American concert music. There was a handful of composers who were notable exceptions but these almost always followed the European compositional traditions. Not until the arrival of Charles Ives (1874-1954) could America boast an original, native-born, composer of it's own.

The close of the old and the advent of the new century saw the births of a whole generation of world-class composers who, although they might have studied in Europe, represented a new and original voice for American Music. The very first year of the new century brought with it the birth, in New York City, of possibly the best-known of them all, Aaron Copland. Samuel Barber, Roy Harris, Walter Piston, Elliott Carter, William Schuman, Virgil Thomson and George Gershwin were all born by 1910 and put American music on the world map.

Only one of the above-mentioned composers is still with us today and in 2008 Elliott Carter will celebrate his 100th birthday. We are pleased to include in this first issue of American Classics a programme of works by Carter.

Showing 1 - 9 of 9 results
Showing 1 - 9 of 9 results
  • Copland - Symphony No. 3 & Dance Symphony

    Copland - Symphony No. 3 & Dance Symphony

    Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filharmónica de la Cuidad de Mexico, Eduardo Mata, Enrique Bátiz

    Copland's monumental Third Symphony and the lively Danzón Cubano are well played and handsomely recorded; but the Mexico orchestra under Bátiz is less secure in the Dance Symphony. — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009, 4 out of 5 stars More…
    • Release Date: 8th Jun 2009
    • Catalogue No: 6952212
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 66 minutes

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    No digital booklet included

  • Ives - Piano Trio & Violin Sonatas Nos. 2 & 4

    Ives - Piano Trio & Violin Sonatas Nos. 2 & 4

    Deborah Voigt, Brian Zeger, Glenn Dictenow, Alan Staphansky & Israela Margalit

    • Release Date: 3rd Nov 2008
    • Catalogue No: 2344502
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 68 minutes

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    No digital booklet included

  • John Adams

    John Adams

    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & London Chamber Orchestra, Simon Rattle & Christopher Warren-Green

    Under Rattle the foxtrot from The Chairman Dances has unabated energy — Penguin Guide, January 2011 More…
    • Release Date: 5th May 2008
    • Catalogue No: 2066272
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 74 minutes

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  • Steve Reich & Philip Glass

    Steve Reich & Philip Glass

    Ransom Wilson

    London Chamber Orchestra, Christopher Warren-Green & Michael Tilson-Thomas

    • Release Date: 5th May 2008
    • Catalogue No: 2066242
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 79 minutes

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  • Barber - String Quartet, Serenade, Dover Beach & Songs

    Barber - String Quartet, Serenade, Dover Beach & Songs

    Thomas Allen & Roger Vignoles, with Eric Cutler, Bradley Moore

    Endellion String Quartet

    Mostly a wide-ranging choice of Barber's songs, intense and rather Brittenish in idiom, but polished and often warm-hearted, plus his String Quartet, source of the famous Adagio. — BBC Music Magazine, November 2009, 4 out of 5 stars More…
    • Release Date: 8th Jun 2009
    • Catalogue No: 6952322
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 71 minutes

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  • Great American Showpieces

    Great American Showpieces

    Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Eduardo Mata, Leonard Slatkin

    • Release Date: 11th Apr 2011
    • Catalogue No: 9489522
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 79 minutes

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  • George Gershwin

    George Gershwin

    Peter Donohoe (piano)

    Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra & London Sinfonietta, London Sinfonietta, André Previn & Leonard Slatkin, Simon Rattle

    • Release Date: 5th May 2008
    • Catalogue No: 2066282
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 77 minutes

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  • Barber - Cello Sonata, Excursions & Summer Music

    Barber - Cello Sonata, Excursions & Summer Music

    Alan Staphansky, Israela Margalit, Jeanne Baxtresser, Joseph Robinson, Stanley Drucker, Judith Le Clair & Philip Myers

    • Release Date: 3rd Nov 2008
    • Catalogue No: 2344732
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 60 minutes

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  • American Counterpoint

    American Counterpoint

    City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle, Thomas Adès, Michael Tilson Thomas

    Cage's Dances are scintillatingly played...Harmonielehre is magisterial — BBC Music Magazine, April 2010, 4 out of 5 stars More…
    • Release Date: 2nd Nov 2009
    • Catalogue No: 9671322
    • Label: Warner Classics
    • Series: American Classics
    • Length: 77 minutes

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