Strings

Leonard Bernstein conducts 4 Tchaikovsky works with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra and violinist Boris Belkin.

Mark O Connor has created a first in classical music: for the first time in 300 years of violin concertos, he has composed an orchestral concerto where the solo violin lead is completely improvised each time it is performed! This CD+DVD release includes O Connor s world premiere performance of his own Improvised Violin Concerto performed at Boston Symphony Hall. It also includes his composition March of the Gypsy Fiddler, a triple concerto featuring The Ahn Trio. Two fantastic youth orchestras are featured in the performances the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey Youth Orchestra and proceeds from the sales of the CD+DVD will go to benefit both organizations. DVD Specs: NTSC, Region 0, 16:9 (Widescreen), Color, English (Stereo), Not Rated, Run Time: 64 min.

This musical release from the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the conduction of Charles Munch captures three live performances by the ensemble, recorded at the Sanders Theatre at Harvard Univeristy between 1959 and 1960. Some of the pieces featured in the program include Wagner's Orchestral Excerpts from Act III of Die Meistersingervon Nurnberg and Franck's Symphony in D minor. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

Prokofiev Concerto no. 1 in D major, op. 19 The Parisian public became acquainted with the music of Russian composer Serge Prokofiev in 1921, when his compatriot, Serge Koussevitzky, conducted the Scythian Suite. The work was received with some reservation, but the composer's reputation would later grow, thanks to works like the Chout ballet and the Concerto No. 1 for violin and orchestra. Prokofiev had begun his concerto in 1913 but completed it only in 1917. For various reasons, the first production did not take place until 1923 at the Paris Opera, under the direction of Koussevitzky, with violinist Marcel Darrieux as soloist. However, it was Joseph Szigeti who was to popularize the work, performing it in in Prague in 1924 and in Boston the following year. With the exception of the... Less