Robert Sherman about “Music and Memories”
Source: http://nadiareisenberg-clararockmore.org/march-2020/
It’s been in the works for nearly two years, so the Big News for 2020 is that Roméo Records has released an extraordinary two-CD set of Clara Rockmore’s “Music and Memories.” Here you’ll find a treasury of never-before-released broadcast interviews, home recordings and performances recorded (in stereo) at her final concert appearance, greatly expanding her available theremin repertoire and providing in-person evidence of her joyful spirit.
Ron Mannarino, founding-director of Roméo, tells me that since the earlier “Music In and On the Air” album was released in 2011, excerpts (most especially Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan”) have been downloaded an incredible 1,700,000 times. Haven’t done the math myself, but Ron assures me this works out to something between 3 and 5,000 streams a week.
You can stream particular tracks from the new two-CD anthology as well, but it may be difficult to choose, say, between Clara’s experimental double-tracked performance of two Glinka songs, and the entire Franck Sonata with (her celebrated sister) pianist Nadia Reisenberg
Then there’s Clara’s demonstration of the theremin’s capabilities for an astonished John Corigliano, and her exuberant memories of Vilna (now Vilnius) shared with Alexander Schneider, in the course of which we learn that Clara sang Kurt Weill in French, and the famed violinist-conductor explains why he’s not really Alexander or Schneider. There’s more too, Clara on the telephone with radio host David Garland, at WQXR with the inventor of her instrument, Lev Sergeyevich Termen (a.k.a. Leon Theremin), and giving her final public performances at Merkin Hall.
You can download tracks at Spotify, YouTube and other websites.
If you’d like to own the full two-CD set, its 16-page booklet filled with historical details, plus photographs and other fascinating visuals, you can order it for a tax-deductible contribution of $30 or more.
Please make a check payable to: Nadia Reisenberg-Clara Rockmore Foundation, and mail it to:
Or make your $30 (or more) contribution by clicking on this PayPal button:paypal.me/nadiaclarafoundationHome
Sonata for violin and piano in A major:
Clara Rockmore (theremin)
Nadia Reisenberg ( piano)
Cesar Franck Music and Memories: Clara Rockmore ℗ 2020 Romeo RecordsAllegretto ben moderato
Allegro
Recitativo-Fantasia (ben moderato)
Allegretto poco mosso
FULL CD:
Music and Memories: Clara Rockmore =
Lalo: Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21: Andante;
BACH: Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043:
Largo, ma non tanto; FRANCK: Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano;
PONCE: Estrellita; RAVEL: Kaddish;
RACHMANINOFF: “O Cease Thy Singing, Maiden Fair,” Op. 4, No. 4; Song of Grusia;
GLINKA: “Doubt”; Elegy, “Do Not Tempt Me Needlessly”;
SAINT-SAENS: The Swan –
Clara Rockmore, theremin
Morey Ritt, piano
Nadia Reisenberg, piano
Erick Friedman, violin
Robert Sherman, moderator
John Corigliano, Jr., host
David Garland, host
Alexander Schneider, interviewer and commentator
Leon Theremin, commentator
Romeo Records 7230/1 (2 CDs) 71:25; 71:25 [Distr. by Albany]
