# SS 03.07.21 - Piston # 4



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*Walter Piston (1894 - 1976)*

Symphony no. 4

I. Piacevole
II. Ballando
III. Contemplativo
IV. Energico

---------------------

Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


----------



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

For the July 4th weekend we'll go with Piston's 4th symphony. The symphony premiered in 1951 by the Minnesota Orchestra and was commissioned by the University of Minnesota. Known as a beloved teacher, Piston's music is balanced and expressive and to my ears at least in the first movement of this piece, very American. There always seems to be airy, spacious quality to his music. I know only two recordings by Ormandy and Philadelphia and Schwarz and Seattle.


----------



## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

With Italy moving forward to the semi finals, it's appropriate to air the music of a great Italian-American!


----------



## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll listen to Leon Botstein/American Symphony.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

HenryPenfold said:


> With Italy moving forward to the semi finals, it's appropriate to air the music of a great Italian-American!


Ah, Pistone! I learned something today.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Schwarz for me. Playing the Delos CD from my collection.


----------



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

This one and spotify


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

^ I think that's the same Delos recording, licensed to Naxos.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

And I shall be listening to the Naxos disc via Spotify


----------



## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

Art Rock said:


> Schwarz for me. Playing the Delos CD from my collection.


I'll be playing the same.


----------



## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

HenryPenfold said:


> With Italy moving forward to the semi finals, it's appropriate to air the music of a great Italian-American!


Walter Pistone!


----------



## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Schwarz for me too. Indeed, those Naxos releases were originally Delos.


----------



## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I also listened to Schwarz. I'm afraid it left me cold. I don't find myself liking much American music from the first half of the 20th century. I'm not sure why.


----------



## Bill Cooke (May 20, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> I also listened to Schwarz. I'm afraid it left me cold. I don't find myself liking much American music from the first half of the 20th century. I'm not sure why.


Try Ormandy - it's almost like listening to a different piece of music.


----------



## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> I also listened to Schwarz. I'm afraid it left me cold. I don't find myself liking much American music from the first half of the 20th century. I'm not sure why.


Could it be Schwarz that leaves you cold - I have found a lot of his recordings to be workmanlike but never quite releasing the heart of the music.


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Malx said:


> Could it be Schwarz that leaves you cold - I have found a lot of his recordings to be workmanlike but never quite releasing the heart of the music.


His Brahms is decent. Listening to this recording there are some of the elements, acoustically, in both recordings that I like here but I'm not warming to Piston's symphony. It doesn't seem to go anywhere.


----------



## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Bill Cooke said:


> Try Ormandy - it's almost like listening to a different piece of music.


Thanks. I did hear the Ormandy once but remember the sound being a bit "old". Perhaps it's OK, though?


----------



## Bill Cooke (May 20, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> Thanks. I did hear the Ormandy once but remember the sound being a bit "old". Perhaps it's OK, though?


The sound is mono and not the greatest, but the performance is terrific.


----------



## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Bill Cooke said:


> Try Ormandy - it's almost like listening to a different piece of music.


Thank you. I managed to listen to it and you are right: it is quite a different (and much more appealing) piece of music! I'll not try out works with Schwarz as my guide in future.


----------

