All posts for the month December, 2013

Strauss (and Ivanovici) for the New Year

As ever I like to ring in the New Year with a nod in the direction of a Viennese New Year’s Day Concert. France’s Garde Républicaine returns with two pieces with a Danube theme. Iosif Ivanovici – Flots du Danube (Valse) Johann Strauss II – Le Beau Danube Bleu Garde Républicaine Ivanovici – Flots du […]

A festive feast of Wagner and Verdi

To round off the Wagner and Verdi bicentenary year, I’ve gathered a varied selection of music by these two operatic greats, in various guises. Dajos Béla recorded extensively in many genres. The following abridged version of the Tannhäuser Overture is one of his more straightforwardly classical recordings, though the scoring is adapted for his band […]