New CDs for November & December 2016
Avant Garde Music
Rhys Chatham – Pythagorean Dream for Guitar, Flutes & Trumpet
Blues
Pinetop Perkins – After Hours
Pinetop Perkins – Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie
Pinetop Perkins – Portrait of a Delta Bluesman
Choral Music
Tonu Korvits – Mirror
Classical
Michael Daugherty – Tales of Hemingway
Henri Dutilleux – The Centenary Edition
Eighth Blackbird – Hand Eye
Ieuan Jones – Schubert by Ieuan Jones, Harp
Hugo Kauder – Rediscovering Hugo Cauder
Steve Reich – Double Sextet / Radio Rewrite
The Russian Guitar Quartet = A Tribute to the Mighty Handful
Jazz
Melissa Aldana – Back Home
Ron Carter Quartet & Vitoria Maldonado – Brasil L.I.K.E.
Snarky Puppy – Culcha Vulcha
Pop/Rock/R&B
Rhys Chatham – Harmonie du soir
The Julie Ruin – Hit Reset
Madness – Madness 7
Madness – One Step Beyond …
Vocal Music
Lawrence Brownlee – Allgro io son: Bel Canto Arias
Dialogos / Kantaduri – Dalmatica: Chants of the Adriatic
World Music
Ralph Samuelson – The Universal Flute
Spider Sounds: Holiday Music Special Edition – Part 2
Editor’s Note: Our Spider Sounds holiday music extravaganza continues today (you can check out part 1 here). We asked folks who work in the Parsons Music Library, Boatwright Memorial Library, and the Music Department to share some of their favorite music to listen to during the holiday season. Any holiday and all genres of music were fair game and we got quite a fun selection — so much so that we split everyone’s picks across two posts! Links will take you to either the library catalog or to other relevant information. Do you see any of your favorites on this list? If there are favorites or overlooked classics you’d like to add, please share them in the comments to this post! We at the Parsons Music Library wish you all a peaceful and enjoyable Winter Break.
A list of holiday favorites (familiar and otherwise) — part the second:
Cate Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2019
The Waitresses – “Christmas Wrapping”
Barenaked Ladies – Barenaked For the Holidays
Malorie Olivier Administrative Coordinator, Boatwright Memorial Library
Kasey Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017
Paul McCartney – “Wonderful Christmastime”
Elvis Presley – “Blue Christmas”
James Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017
“Pie Jesu” from Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Requiem
Joanna Love Adjunct Professor of Music
Mariah Carey – “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Gayla Peevey – “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas”
Susie Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2019
Bernice Johnson Reagon – “Seven Principles”
Wesley Whatley – “Habari Gani (What’s The News?)”
Sally Albrecht – “Light the Kinara for Kwanzaa”
Iria Jones Operations Manager, Boatwright Memorial Library
Samantha Guss Social Sciences Librarian, Boatwright Memorial Library
Evie – “Come On Ring Those Bells”
Ray Charles – “That Spirit of Christmas”
Alexandra Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017
Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
Colette Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017
Vince Guaraldi – A Charlie Brown Christmas
Jennifer Cable Professor of Music & Coordinator of Voice Studies, Music Department
Leroy Anderson – “Sleigh Ride”
We’ve shared lots of holiday music in the past couple of posts. What are some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments on this post (or the first post in the series). Some of the selections shared stream on UR’s audio subscription services and some are available as CDs. Stop by the Parsons Music Library to pick up some holiday tunes for listening — or even some scores and do some music making of your own this season!
Spider Sounds: Holiday Music Special Edition — Part 1
Editor’s Note: Spider Sounds presents a special holiday edition today (it’s so special we’ve broken it into two parts!). We asked various folks who work in the Parsons Music Library, Boatwright Library and the Music Department to share some of their favorite music to listen to during the holiday season. Any holiday and all genres of music were fair game and we got quite a fun selection. Links will take you to either the library catalog or to other relevant information. Do you see any of your favorites on this list? If there are favorites or overlooked classics you’d like to add, please share them in the comments to this post! Tune in this Friday for part 2 of our Holiday Music Special!
A list holiday favorites (familiar and otherwise):
Emily Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017:
Claire Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2020
Mary Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2018
Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You”
Linda Fairtile Head, Parsons Music Library
John Rutter – “What Sweeter Music”
Any arrangement of “In The Bleak Midwinter”
“The Little Drummer Boy”
“O Holy Night”
Gabriela Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2020
Julian Casablancas – “I Wish It Was Christmas Today”
Liza Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017
The soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas
Kim Wolfe Resource Sharing Specialist, Boatwright Memorial Library
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – “Big Bulbs” from their It’s A Holiday Soul Party album.
Also “8 Days (Of Hanukah)” from the same album!
Zach Music Library Student Worker, Class of 2017
Samuel Barber – Agnus Dei (Adagio for Strings) (the choral version)
Melanie Armstrong Music Library Associate (and blog editor!)
Duke Ellington‘s version of The Nutcracker Suite
Benjamin Britten‘s A Ceremony of Carols
Darlene Love – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
Singer Darlene Love performs her classic, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” on the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, Thursday, Dec. 23 2010 on the CBS Television Network.
Photo: John Paul Filo/CBS
©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved
All of the music (written by Paul Williams) from the Muppets special Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
Don’t forget the second part of this holiday music extravaganza will be out on Friday and feel free to share your own holiday favorites in the comments!
Spider Sounds: The Beatles “Abbey Road”
Editor’s Note: Spider Sounds invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of Spider Sounds comes courtesy of Music Library Student worker Gabriela (class of 2020) and features Abbey Road, the last studio album by the Beatles. Thanks, Gabi!
Abbey Road may have one of the most recognizable album covers in all of rock music.
It is known for depicting the Fab Four walking across the famous London street near the studio where the Beatles did most of their recording. Apart from the iconic artwork, however, Abbey Road’s production quality and track list are undeniably stellar.
There are several stand out songs, like “Come Together,” “Something,” and “Here Comes the Sun,” which are individually famous and could be enjoyed on their own.
However, if you listen to Abbey Road from start to finish, it is almost as if the entirety of the album is one song. The transitions from track to track are so perfect, that the flow of listening is almost medley-like.
An out-take from the August 8, 1969 photo session for the album cover.
The album also highlights the talents of all band members, with some of George Harrison’s most beautiful songs (“Something” and “Here Comes the Sun”), Ringo’s quirkiness in “Octopus’s Garden”, and of course, the amazing harmonies between Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison in “Because” — a song that barely needs instruments.
Another out take from the album cover photo shoot
Abbey Road is my favorite Beatles record because it represents everything I think a record should. Abbey Road was the last album to be recorded by the Beatles, and throughout the last four tracks (especially in “The End Continue reading
Spider Sounds: Billy Joel
Editor’s Note: Spider Sounds invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” comes courtesy of Music Library Student worker James (class of 2017) and features a greatest hits compilation from American singer-songwriter & pianist Billy Joel. Thanks, James!
If your only experiences with Billy Joel are “Piano Man,” “Uptown Girl,”or maybe “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” — boy, are you missing out. We forgive you, but do yourself a favor and stop by the Parsons Music Library to check out Mr. Joel’s 1985 album, Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II.
Billy Joel performs his first show of his Madison Square Garden residency, on Monday, January 27, 2014, in New York. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)
We’re confident you will hear something incredibly thoughtful and provocative in nearly every track, whether it be in the melodies, timelessness, or even social commentary found in the lyrics. The worst thing that could happen would be gaining exposure to one of the most celebrated musicians of our time.
Spider Sounds: Moses Hogan
Editor’s Note: Spider Sounds invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item (or items) in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” comes courtesy of Music Library Student worker Zach (class of 2017) and features African American pianist, conductor, and arranger of international renown, Moses Hogan. Thanks for contributing to Spider Sounds, Zach!
Choral and Vocal Arrangements of Moses Hogan: Volume One
Moses Hogan is renowned for his captivating arrangements of spirituals and hymns. Capturing the essence of African American spirit that has endured adversity throughout United States history, Hogan appeals to the Christian tales that are so ingrained within Black American culture. Parsons Music Library has two albums featuring Hogan’s work: Choral and Vocal Arrangements of Moses Hogan: Volume One (CD) and Negro Spirituals (online resource).
While the style of spirituals are fairly monorhythmic and repetitive, the harmonic layering and upbeat nature within each piece is unique and vibrant. Spirituals also have a tendency to use similar tunes throughout their history while allowing a personal spin on how they should be sung.
“Walk Together, Children”, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, and “Wade in the Water” are all fairly well-known spirituals that Hogan uses to put his own musical interpretation as to how to capture the sentiment and history behind it. Many well known scriptures are also revisited through these two albums that help to encapsulate the ethereal nature behind spirituals.
Moses George Hogan, born in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 13, 1957, was a pianist, conductor and arranger of international renown.
Even if a person does not have involvement within the Christian community, the artistic merit and joyful feeling behind these works is infectious and notable. Music is a universal language understood by all, regardless of background, interest, or creed. Moses Hogan’s work is simply another voice in the infinite meanings behind the untranslatable essence of music.
Editor’s note: you can also find performances of Hogan’s works as performed by various UR Music ensembles like Schola Cantorum and the Women’s Chorale in the Music Library’s collection — just ask at our front desk!
Spider Sounds: Beyonce “Lemonade”
Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” comes courtesy of Boatwright Library Faculty Member Irina Rogova, who is the project archivist for UR’s Race and Racism project. She has chosen to highlight Beyoncé’s latest album, Lemonade which was released earlier this year. Thanks, Irina!
On April 23, 2016, Beyoncé released her sixth studio album, Lemonade, to mass critical acclaim. Leading up to the release, promotional materials alluded to some sort of release on HBO, though no details were given about what was actually being released—album, documentary, live show?
Considering the precedent set by her 2013 release of Beyoncé, which was dropped with accompanying music videos for all tracks with no promotion, fans speculation hit an all-time high leading up to the release. The Lemonade premiere on HBO was accompanied by a visual album which interspersed songs from the record with prose and poetry by London-based Somali poet Warsan Shire, and featured a wide cast including Serena Williams, Amandla Stenberg, Quvenzhané Wallis, along with the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner, all victims of racial profiling and extra-judicial killing at the hands of law enforcement officials and vigilante citizens. The album and its visual component weave a story which has been described as “every woman’s journey of self-knowledge and healing.”
Immediately following the release of Lemonade, fans and academics took to Twitter to contribute to a syllabus which would give context to the plethora of references and symbols used in the visual album. Connections ranged from black southern gothic traditions to visual references to Yoruba deity Oshun to audio of Malcolm X. The syllabus was eventually compiled and made available for download by Candice Benbow, who launched the campaign.
Download it here: https://issuu.com/candicebenbow/docs/lemonade_syllabus_2016.
The syllabus, made through collaborative efforts from over 70 black women, focuses heavily on work created by and about the experience of black women in the United States and beyond.
The syllabus was only one of the various intellectual endeavors inspired by Beyoncé’s Lemonade. Melissa Harris-Perry, bell hooks, dream hampton, Ijeoma Oluo, and countless other theorists, activists, and cultural critics have written on the album’s meaning and impact.
Find a collection of some of these pieces here: http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/beyonces-lemonade-ten-articles-on-queen-bey-that-are-actually-worth-reading .
A collage of images from Boatwright Memorial Library’s Lemonade Syllabus display
During the first half of the Fall 2016 semester, a display of materials from the Lemonade syllabus was on view on the second floor of Boatwright Memorial Library.
New CDs added in October!
New CDs for October 2016
Ballet Music
Atlantic Sinfonietta- Music For Martha Graham
Atlantic Sinfonietta- More Music For Martha Graham
Atlantic Sinfonietta – Music For Martha Graham III
Jazz
Joey Alexander – Countdown
Seamus Blake – Bellwether
John Daversa- Kaleidoscope Eyes: The Music of the Beatles
Sara Gazarek and Josh Nelson – Dream in the Blue
The Fred Hersch Trio – Sunday Night at the Vanguard
Marquis Hill – The Way We Play
Charlie Hunter – Everybody Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth
Charlie Hunter Trio – Let The Bells Ring On
Steve Lehman – Se´le´be´yone
Steve Lehman Octet – Mise en abime
Lage Lund – Idlewild
Jeff Parker – The New Breed
Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau – Nearness
Catherine Russell – Harlem On My Mind
Dayna Stephens featuring Walter Smith III – Reminiscent
Scott Tixier – Cosmic Adventure
Steve Turre – Colors for the Masters
Ben Wendel – What We Bring
Opera
Antonio Carlos Gomes – Il Guarany
Classical
Leopold Stokowski – The Columbia Stereo Recordings
Pop/Rock/R&B
Babes in Toyland – Spanking Machine
Bikini Kill – The First Two Records
Huggy Bear – Weaponry Listens To Love
Kate Nash – Girl Talk
Sleater-Kinney – Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney – Dig Me Out
Spider Sounds: Eva Cassidy “Songbird”
Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” comes courtesy of Music Library Student worker, Emily (class of 2017) and features a compilation of songs by the late Eva Cassidy. Thanks for contributing to Spider Sounds, Emily!
I picked the album “Songbird,” by Eva Cassidy. This is one of my favorite albums, because it
can find its way into almost any occasion, and makes you smile–and sometimes makes you cry. My mom would always listen to it in the car, and I’ve found it complements studying and cooking time, or can be a good refuge if you are stressed and need to zone out.
Rather meditative and nostalgic, the tone set by the album is reflective of its publication. It was compiled two years after Cassidy’s death, in her memory. Many of the songs are from live concerts, and her introductions have been maintained, to give the listener not only a feel for the song they are about to hear, but for the character and spirit of the singer. Many of the numbers are recognizable, others more obscure, but for all, the experience will pull at a listener’s heart.
Spider Sounds: Bon Iver
Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” comes courtesy of Music Library Student worker, Liza (class of 2017) and features indie folk band Bon Iver’s second album, “Bon Iver, Bon Iver”. Thanks for contributing to Spider Sounds, Liza!
If you haven’t heard of Bon Iver before, you can already get a feeling of their music with a glimpse at this album’s cover artwork.
Bon Iver is an American indie folk band founded by the singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, who won the 2012 Grammy Award for Best New Artist and Best New Alternative Music Album for Bon Iver, Bon Iver.
A promotional photo of Bon Iver frontman Justin Veron taken around the time the album was released.
Differentiating himself from the typical sounds of “folk,” Vernon combined chamber pop with an edge to create his own sounds from scratch. His soulful voice remains a unique characteristic that no other singer sounds like; he evokes an earthy virtuosic voice that you can easily get lost in when listening to his lyrics.
The album is composed of 10 songs, each representing a place. In particular, “Holocene,” is one of my favorite songs on the album because of its ability to trigger dozens of emotions within seconds. I would recommend listening to Bon Iver when you’re in a “chill” and relaxed mood or even when you’re studying, so come by the Parsons Music Library to check it out!