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 Copland: Billy the Kid Suite; Symphony No. 3. New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd, conductor. (Naxos 8559106)
James Judd conducted the Juilliard Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall this past February as the culmination of an 11-day residency at the School. Formerly music director of the Florida Philharmonic for 14 years, the British-born Judd now holds the same post with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Judd started his career at age 24 as assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra for four years. He will become music director of the Malaysian Philharmonic in 2005.Judd has been making an admirable series of CDs for Naxos, six of which have been released so far. Foremost is his recording of Copland's Symphony No. 3, which is regarded as one of the great American symphonies along with the Third Symphonies of Roy Harris and William Schuman. The introduction to the finale incorporates Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, which has established an independent life in the concert hall. Judd leads a performance of genuine sweep and power, solidly played by the New Zealand Orchestra, aided by recorded sound of demonstration quality. The CD also includes a spirited account of the Suite from Billy the Kid.Another attractive CD is Judd's recording with the New Zealanders of orchestral favorites by Ralph Vaughan Williams. It contains luminously played works of a quiet, pastoral nature (mostly for string orchestra), including his "Tallis" and "Greensleeves" Fantasias (Naxos 8555867). Other recordings with the same orchestra include buoyant readings of Gershwin orchestral works, some off the beaten path (Naxos 8559107); and Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 1 (Jeremiah) with his Jubilee Games (Naxos 8559100). With the Florida Philharmonic, Judd has recorded Bernstein's Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety), coupled with the Candide Overture and dances from West Side Story (Naxos 8559099). Judd's CD of the Sibelius-influenced Three Symphonies by New Zealand composer Douglas Lilburn evokes the rugged landscapes seen in the Lord of the Rings films (Naxos 8555862). Lastly, on DVD, Judd conducts Vaughan Williams's Symphony No. 7 (Antartica), illustrated by awe-inspiring vistas of the frozen continent (Pangaea 5401).
The Fauré Album: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op. 13; Piano Trio, Op. 120; Nine Miniatures and Transcriptions. Gil Shaham, violin; Akira Eguchi, piano; Brinton Smith, cello. (Canary Classics ATM-CD-1239)
Gil Shaham's concerts in New York this season have included a November recital at Avery Fisher Hall and a March appearance at Carnegie Hall with the San Francisco Symphony. This June 10-12 he performs the Prokofiev Second Violin Concerto with the New York Philharmonic. Shaham studied with Dorothy DeLay at Juilliard from 1982 to 1990.Shaham recently founded his own record company, Canary Classics, to issue his recordings. Its first release, The Fauré Album, is an auspicious debut, representing perhaps the finest work Shaham has done on discs. Shaham plays his lyrical program—a sonata, a trio, and various miniatures and song transcriptions—with commitment, subtlety, and opulent tone. His top-notch collaborators, both Juilliard alumni, are Akira Eguchi (a past winner of the Juilliard William Petschek Piano Debut Recital Award) and cellist Brinton Smith.Praiseworthy prior Shaham CDs for DG include the Brahms Violin Concerto with Abbado (469529); the Wienawski First and Second Concertos (431815); Messiaen's visionary Quartet for the End of Time (469052); concertos by Barber and Korngold—which, one critic unfairly carped, "was more 'Corn' than 'Gold' " (439886); and the Bartok Concerto with Boulez (459639). On DVD, Shaham may be seen playing Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy (Arthaus 100027).Michael Sherwin, marketing manager of the Juilliard Bookstore (bookstore.juilliard.edu), has written for High Fidelity and Musical America.
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