Grande Fantaisie Triomphale Sur L'Hymne National Bresilien, Op. 69
Marcha Triunfal Y Final De Opera, For Orchestra & Band (RO 157)
Symphony No. I 'La Nuit Des Tropiques' (RO 157)
Variations On The Portuguese National Hymn For Piano & Orchestra (RO 289)
Track 5
Escenas Campestres (Cuban Country Scenes) Opera (RO 77)
Despite the value revisionists pretend to find in MacDowell and his contemporaries, the only really interesting 19th century American composer is the Creole Louis Moreau Gottschalk, who conquered Europe and South America w... more »ith his colorful music and extravaganza piano performances. These recordings aren't new, and they don't include any of his solo piano music. But they do include some of Gottschalk's most characteristic music, in performances and recordings that are at least fairly good. It's a lot of fun for the money, and the accompanying booklet does a very good job of telling you what is interesting about Gottschalk's life and music. --Leslie Gerber« less
Despite the value revisionists pretend to find in MacDowell and his contemporaries, the only really interesting 19th century American composer is the Creole Louis Moreau Gottschalk, who conquered Europe and South America with his colorful music and extravaganza piano performances. These recordings aren't new, and they don't include any of his solo piano music. But they do include some of Gottschalk's most characteristic music, in performances and recordings that are at least fairly good. It's a lot of fun for the money, and the accompanying booklet does a very good job of telling you what is interesting about Gottschalk's life and music. --Leslie Gerber
Joseph B. (joebellanca) from MALVERN, PA Reviewed on 11/8/2009...
Fine piano playing by an interesting American composer who doesn't recieve the credit he deserves. A must for piano lovers.
CD Reviews
An essential American composer
M. J. Smith | Seattle, WA USA | 05/23/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"When I bought my first component stereo system some 30 years ago, Gottschalk was one record I took along to test the sound. Gottschalk remains as enjoyable now, but this cd would never be my test case of a stereo. The performance and recording are adequate but they lack the vitality one can find in other recordings. However, except for the lack of solo piano pieces, the album has a nice selection of Gottschalk's work and it's inexpensive. The last track on disc 1, Pasquinade, Caprice is probably his best known piece - a good introduction to his work.Gottschalk's music is decidedly American - he grew up in New Orleans at the height of Creole culture. His father was of Spanish Jewish descent, his mother was French. However, Gottschalk began training in France at the age of 13. Thus he was very familiar with the European music of his era (1829-1869); in many ways, his music serves as a bridge between the European and American piano traditions - Scott Joplin being an example of the trajectory of American piano music. Depending upon your taste you may consider his music as classical, as salon orchestra music, as early decidedly American multi-cultural music or as just plain enjoyable fun."
My two cents
Amicus Lincoln, MSLIS | Westchester County, NY | 04/02/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This is not a terrible album, but I do find it wanting. My greatest complaint is with the quality of the recordings and the CD's themselves (scratched too easily). My copy also has some misprints on the cover (the pieces are not listed in the correct order- if you didn't know any better you might think that you were listening to an arrangement of the Pourtuguese national anthem instead of "A Night in the Tropics"!). However, it is inexpensive (it is a 2 CD set) and worth it to those who are giving Gottschalk a first try. It also has an interesting and informative booklet on Gottschalk and the pieces featured (unfortunately I am not enough of an expert to verify their acuracy)."
Excellent introduction to Gottschalk!
M. J. Smith | 11/23/1998
(3 out of 5 stars)
"While the disc (and performances) are not flawless, the CD redeems itself with an ambitious presentation of a wide variety of this neglected composer's works. The tarantelle is his masterpiece and well played here. Listen for the two-piano pieces; this man was a master!"
Very good performances of Gottschalk's works
Jill Malter | jillmalter@aol.com | 04/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The United States has produced very few great composers of anything that might be called classical music. Who was the best of them? While there have been many American composers, including MacDowell, Joplin, Rodgers, Copland, Gershwin, Sousa, Anderson, and Bernstein, well, how many were truly great?
My choice for the best of them is Gottschalk. And these discs give one a good idea of what he composed. A couple of "symphonies," some piano duets, some marches, a one-act opera. Yes, there are bombastic patriotic marches. And some precursors to ragtime. And plenty of what sounds like modern program music. Maybe my favorite of the orchestral works is "La Nuit des Tropiques." Now, is this performance as good as the ones by the Utah Symphony with Abravanel? Some folks think Abravanel's best one is better, but you may not be able to find it so easily. And I prefer this one.
Gottschalk's many solo piano compositions may be his best works, and they aren't included. But I still like these discs and performances."