For the Record, Op. 293: Charles Yang; Jasper String Quartet; Juilliard String Quartet re-issue

July 27, 2024, 7:35 PM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!

Composer Kris Bowers and violinist Charles Yang.

For a Younger Self
American Youth Symphony, Carlos Izcaray conducting
Charles Yang, violin
Kris Bowers, composer

This final recording by the American Youth Symphony (which shut its doors in March 2024) features a violin concerto by Los Angeles-based composer Kris Bowers, performed by violinist Charles Yang. The work was commissioned by Sarah and Peter Mandell as part of the AYS's "Korngold Commission Project," which aimed to bring the work of film composers (such as the late Erich Korngold) into the concert hall. Being primarily a film composer himself, this is Bowers' first concert work for orchestra. "Throughout my collaboration with Charles Yang, conversations led us to reminisce on our fledgling years at Juilliard and in NYC," Bowers said, "and so, 'For a Younger Self' is an effort to encapsulate the essence of a young hero’s journey – one where the protagonist, embodied by Charles and his violin, embarks upon the adventure of self-discovery amidst the challenges of young life in an unfamiliar space." The AYS premiered the piece at Walt Disney Concert Hall in February 2020. BELOW: Mini-documentary about the violin concerto "For a Younger Self":

Barefoot
Jasper String Quartet
Natalie Zhu, piano
Tina Davidson, composer

This portrait album highlights five of composer Tina Davidson's chamber pieces for varying combinations of strings and piano, composed over the past decade, including Tremble (2013) for violin, cello and piano; the title track Barefoot (2011) for violin, cello, viola, and piano; Wepan (2014) for string quartet and piano; Hush (2017) for violin and piano; and Leap (2021) for violin, cello, viola, and piano. "I am, I suppose, always looking to understand myself. I pry into these words, digging deeper into what it is for me to tremble, weep or leap – how I see myself, now, as I move forward," Davidson said. The album follows the publication last year of Tina's book, a memoir called Let Your Heart Be Broken.
BELOW: Teaser for the album.

The Juilliard String Quartet Plays Schoenberg
The Juilliard Quartet

Sony Classical is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of composer Arnold Schoenberg with this reissue of a seven-disc set of the Juilliard Quartet’s recordings of Schoenberg's four quartets (versions from both the 1950s and 1970s). Their complete set from 1975 won them the 1977 Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance. The set also includes a sextet version of "Verklärte Nacht," with the Juilliard Quartet joined in 1991 by violist Walter Trampler and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. BELOW: the 1954 recordings: Schoenberg's String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7: Mäßig, langsame Viertel

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes.

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Replies

Elisabeth Matesky

July 28, 2024 at 08:13 PM · {#1} As from Violinist {Apostle of Heifetz & Nathan Milstein} Daughter of Arnold Schoenberg's UCLA Pianist & Professor Schoenberg's appointed T.A. for her full Two Years studies with Prof Arnold Schoenberg, I was quite early on {& long after my Mother's studies w/Schoenberg} made aware of many Arnold Schoenberg rare Atonal Compositions known well to Momma, due her 'Savant' Gifts at birth of both Harmony and Transposition which enabled her to Hear most Complex Atonal sounds most other musicians at that time, {circa 1938 - 1940} could not & did not understand or recognise the significance of "Verklarte Nacht" ~ Schoenberg's most Romantic styled yet Atonally fused gloried Composition which during one of her Mentors Lectures on 'Orchestral Structure & Composition', she performed for whilst demonstrating much of Professor Arnold Schoenberg's many Human Emotions inserted Atonally from A - Z, and to, in Arnold Schoenberg's Words to my Mother-to be, at one of The Schoenberg Sunday Soirees at their Brentwood West LA Rockingham Drive home, "How can you perform my Atonal works Near Flawlessy, B.!?" Her Answer to Arnold Schoenberg will be featured in my In Process Book focusing on my Life in Music along with memories of both my GOAT Violinist Mentor's, Jascha Heifetz and Nathan Milstein!!

The ability to Hear Atonal Sounds for non musicians to now acquaint themselves with this rare & most unusual Gift from bitrth = that of Dustin Hoffman's Character, Raymond, in the Movie of Fame, "RAINMAN" when Brother played by Tom Cruise's character, then adds up near impossible thousands and of countless combined numbered configurations in his head who immediately upon seeing or hearing all of them and Perfectly which almost none of All Scientists - Mathematicians can do in a matter of Seconds and suddenly realising his Brother, Raymond, compromised in a Psychiatric Home has genius which they then use to Win Thousands of US Dollars at Caesar's Palace gambling Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada to immense Joy amid relief & The Ending I'll leave for All to See Just One More Time!!!

To recap, "Momma", from Birth was blessed with This Gift yet in Music which enabled her with Piano Skills greatly developed by the time of meeting Arnold Schoenberg, as an Advanced Theory; 'Form & Analysis' plus 'Orchestral Structure and Composition' Student to Do All Required and often minus Piano Reduction Parts yet Schoenberg would bring his own Manuscripts on Paper w/composed Atonal notes plus vast markings which my brilliant Mother would read at sight & almost effortlessly perform which after her First Year, The Arnold Schoenberg's began inviting his Savant pupil T.A., & Pianist w/Leonard Stein, to join them at their fabled Sunday Soirees introducing young Momma 'B' to their many famed colleagues, Stravinsky, Miklos Rosza, Great Bernard Herrmann {& later Academy Award Winner for Best Score: 'North by Northwest' - Hitchcock Producer}, and many other Composers for Major Hollywood Movie Studios of public note!!

The above Introduction seems necessary to those informed violinists & string cousins coming on Editor, L. Niles', Sunday Violinist.com string website seeing a blanket statement from myself & a reasonably well known now Veteran Violin Soloist and Master Artist Teacher of Violin & now being passed on by myself; Carrier of the Heifetz - Milstein Violin Art & Mentoring Legacy ~ so fortunate to be gifted this from the Two GOATs of Grand Violin Playing Artists in both the 20th & 21st Centuries IMO thus far, and in the global opinions of Today's Finest Violin Soloists knowing this Universal Truth!!

I would like to Thank Sony for the Release of The late Original Juilliard String Quartet of their and then in the '70s "Verklarte Nacht" with both Walter Trampler, superb Violist/also friend of my Iconic Violin Mentor, Nathan Milstein, whom I met when back stage in London eons ago Congratulating NM on his truly remarkable Double Two Violin Concerti RFH/London offered Glazounow & Prokofiev V.C. #1 in D, after dazzling the Sold Out House British Audience dumbfounded by my mentor, Milstein's Wizardry!!! And to the Grand Musician Violoncellist, Yo Yo Ma, who certainly honours Composer - "Father of Atonal Composition", Viennese born Arnold Schoenberg's String Sextet Score remarkably and lovingly ~

A bit too lengthy, Thank You's to Editor of Violinist.com, again for this very needed Spotlight on Schoenberg Quartets and Now in July of Anno 2 0 2 4, when The String World needs reminding of Greatest USA & European Emigre's becoming Naturalised Citizens of our Republic fleeing Hitler for Then Welcoming Soil of The United States of America!

~ ~ ~ Yours musically from Chicago ~ ~ ~

................. Elisabeth Matesky ..................

Fwd ~ dmg

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