The Louisville Orchestra 110th Release

The Louisville Orchestra - The Louisville Orchestra 110th Release

The Louisville Orchestra released a series of LPs on their own label, First Edition Records, from the 1950s to the 1980s. The label was started in 1950 and the recordings focused on contemporary music (i.e. mid 20th century music). There were 158 LPs along with 10 CDs released according to this website. This orchestra may be the only one in the United States with its own label. It still performs contemporary music occasionally and it has a presence on the web.

Jorge Mester - conductor on this LP

DE NATURA SONORIS No. 2 by Krzysztof Penderecki

recorded May 17, 1972

The second De Natura Sonoris begins almost where its predecessor had left the argument, although the choice of initial percussion (including pennywhistle, musical saw, antique cymbals, and wind machine) suggest more exotic things are in store. The strings enter maintaining the lowest dynamic levels as they slide from a single pitch to tightly-packed sound bands and back again. A favorite device of the composer's is a massive crescendo for all players which leaves a novel texture at its sudden termination. Here it is used to introduce an awesome snazzle of four trombones in their lowest register spaced a semitone apart, the prelude to a series of strong contrasts of color ranging from fff to ffff. (Robert McMahan from the program notes)

Note: a performance of this piece conducted by Penderecki himself is also in this previous post

GENGHIS KHAN, OP. 37 by Gene Gutché

recorded March 16, 1972

It is scored for a full complement of winds (in threes), brass, and percussion but dispenses with all the strings except for the basses, thus giving to the orchestra the "hard-edged" texture beloved of Stravinsky and other contemporary colorists. The omission makes a certain sense. One hardly needs the lyric flow of orchestral strings as an accompaniment to the exploits of the Mongol conqueror (ca. 1167-1227) who parlayed daring and savagery into control of a kingdom that stretched half-way across the known world and managed the feat in less than two decades of campaigning. (Robert McMahan from the program notes)

MUSIC FOR PRAGUE 1968 by Karel Husa

recorded May 17, 1972

Three main ideas bind the composition together. The first and most important is an old Hussite war song from the 15th century, "Ye Warriors of God and His Law," a symbol of resistance and hope for hundreds of years, whenever fate lay heavy on the Czech nation. It has been utilized also by many Czech composers, including Smetana in "My Fatherland." The beginning of this religious song is announced very softly in the first movement by the timpani and concludes in a strong unison (Chorale). The song is never used in its entirety.

The second idea is the sound of bells throughout; Prague, named also the City of "Hundreds of Towers," has used its magnificently sounding church bells as calls of distress as well of victory.

The last idea is a motif of three chords first appearing very softly under the piccolo solo at the beginning of the piece, in flutes, clarinets, and horns. Later it reappears at extremely strong dynamic levels, for example in the middle of the Aria.

Different techniques of composing as well as orchestrating have been used in "Music for Prague 1968" and some new sounds explored, such as the percussion section in the Interlude, the ending of the work, etc.

Much symbolism also appears: in addition to the distress calls in the first movement (Fanfares), the unbroken hope of the Hussite song, sound of bells, or the tragedy (Aria), there is also the bird calls at the beginning (piccolo solo), symbol of the Liberty which the City of Prague has seen only for moments during its thousand years of existence. (Karel Husa from the program notes)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. De Natura Sonoris No. 2 [composed by Krzysztof Penderecki] {8:55}

2. Genghis Khan, Op. 37 [composed by Gene Gutché] {8:52}

Side 2

1. Music for Prague 1968: Introduction and Fanfare [composed by Karel Husa] {5:48}

2. Music for Prague 1968: Aria [composed by Karel Husa] {6:14}

3. Music for Prague 1968: Interlude - Toccata and Chorale [composed by Karel Husa] {10:47}

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