Archive for Martin West
Two 2023 International Classical Music Awards Nominations!
We are thrilled to share that the International Classical Music Awards have nominated two of our recordings in the 2023 ICMAs! The final result with all winners will be announced on January 18, 2023, and the Award Ceremony and Gala concert will take place in Wrocław, Poland on April 21, hosted by the NFM Philharmonic. Nominations Symphonic Music Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Contemporary Music Martin West & the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra
MusicWeb International Reviews Frankenstein
“the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra play with a ravishing warmth. Clearly the orchestra has been well rehearsed. The brass playing is monumentally precision perfect; Liebermann’s music… is of extraordinary complexity. This is an especially densely written ballet in places in others it is quite the opposite, open to making orchestral players feel very exposed – and yet the orchestral playing is brilliant enough that details emerge with astonishing clarity. Those great sweeping string passages at…
Five Stars for Liebermann: Frankenstein from Pizzicato
Martin West and San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s Lowell Liebermann: Frankenstein recording gets a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review from Remy Frank’s Pizzicato Magazine: “Lowell Liebermann’s score has a distinctly visual, plot-driven and dramatic character, and is absolutely brilliantly orchestrated, so that it is a great pleasure to hear this imaginative, colorful and richly ornamented music, pleasantly rich in movement. The distinctive themes for the acting characters and the descriptive music make it easy to follow the action purely…
Classical Music Daily on Frankenstein: “electrifying”
Gerald Fenech has Martin West and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s new recording of Lowell Liebermann: Frankenstein in the Classical Music Daily Spotlight: “Liebermann and [Liam] Scarlett have created a truly modern three-Act masterpiece that keeps you rooted to your seat. The choreography by Scarlett has come in for high praise, but the music is terrific, and it is this element that concerns us here. Indeed, Liebermann’s inspirational vein shines from beginning to end, and…
Shining A Spotlight on The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra
Order Now “As another San Francisco Ballet season draws to a close, it’s a good time to turn the spotlight on the magnificent SF Ballet Orchestra, led by music director Martin West, which plays such a vital role in the success of the Company’s performances. Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, this Grammy Award-winning ensemble, under West’s direction, has recently released a delightful album of music by Moritz Moszkowski (1854 -1925), entitled From Foreign Lands. ……
Gramophone Reviews San Francisco Ballet Moszkowski
Gramophone Magazine reviews San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands recording in the November 2016 issue: “Why concert promoters and record labels have such trouble with Moszkowski I’ll never know, especially his once-celebrated orchestral music. For instance, not a single item from this disc ever featured in the BBC’s wide-ranging, inclusive Proms, with the exception of the work that made Moszkowski’s fortune, the five Spanish Dances, Op. 2…it is a pleasure…to have the repertoire…
Moszkowski Scores Four/Five from ClassicalEar
“Martin West and his excellent San Francisco Ballet Orchestra[‘s]… affable and lively performances, always well played, fall very happily on the ear, and the sound is superb. … the programme is well worth hearing, especially the polonaise-style Torch Dance, Habanera, Six Airs de Ballet and the Gondoliera, all of which are here given their world première recordings. And what to expect, musically? Think of the lighter side of Elgar and that will give you some…
San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s Moszkowski Gets Four Stars From Audiophile Audition
“These are memorable and melodious orchestral compositions which, especially in their full orchestra versions, seem much more than mere salon pieces from the 19th century. The opening Torch Dance is based on a tradition at some German weddings in a certain area of a dance with torches featured. The From Foreign Lands is a nearly half-hour suite which has been a San Francisco Ballet performance. This ballet orchestra is one of the leading ones in…
Audiophilia Highly Reccomends Moszkowski From Foreign Lands
“First off, Moszkowski’s music is delightful. Expertly composed and beautifully arranged for full symphony orchestra. If you like orchestral music with both froth and depth, then this CD’s repertoire is for you. … Percussion is highlighted throughout the CD and the section is spectacularly recorded by Reference. Sure, the loud is good, but the micro dynamics of the cymbals, castanets and bass drum are just brilliant. … As a first class ballet orchestra, the players…
Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands a WCRB CD of the Week!
WCRB Classical Radio Boston names the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands their CD of the Week! “Martin West leads the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra in an eclectic assortment of hidden orchestral gems by the Prussian composer.” —WCRB Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands is Available Today! San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Martin West Reference Recordings Amazon Arkiv Music
Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands is Available Now!
Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands is Available Today! San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Martin West Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) is most known for his scintillating piano compositions. he also composed an opera, a full-length ballet, three orchestral suites, a symphony (still in manuscript form), songs, concertos, and chamber music—almost all of which remain neglected or forgotten. How unfortunate! San Francisco Ballet Orchestra music director and principal conductor, Martin West, approached Reference Recordings with the hope that there were…
You’ll Want Moszkowski In Your Collection
“Fairly unknown, except by the most advanced classical listener, this CD has turned out for me to be a real treat. Included in the release are 4 works that are making their premiere release on recording media. Anyone who is familiar with Reference Recordings knows that the recording in 24-Bit is a step above in quality and finer equipment will capture all of the clarity and transparency that are a trademark of Prof. Johnson and…
ConcertoNet Reviews “From Foreign Lands”
ConcertoNet reviews the new San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands recording: “Reference Recordings aids in erasing the paucity of collections by introducing us to the delectability of From Foreign Lands. Moszkowski’s mastering of highly ornamental, approachable music without trivial fanfare is securely tethered under the confident leadership of San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s (SFBO) Martin West…the CD couldn’t be in better hands.… Keith O. Johnson again masters the sound to create a joyful journey…
Martin West on KALW
San Francisco Ballet Orchestra conductor Martin West talks about the orchestra’s 40th Anniversary and their upcoming Moszkowski recording with KALW San Francisco: Moszkowski: From Foreign Lands — Rediscovered Orchestral Works San Francisco Ballet OrchestraMartin West Pre-Order Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) is most known for his scintillating piano compositions. he also composed an opera, a full-length ballet, three orchestral suites, a symphony (still in manuscript form), songs, concertos, and chamber music—almost all of which remain neglected or…
Moritz Moskowski: The Man Behind the Mustache
Moritz Moszkowski was born in what was then called Breslau on August 23, 1854. The Silesian city of Breslau, during its long history, has been part of the Kingdom of Poland, Bohemia, Hungary, the Austrian Empire, Prussia and Germany. Since 1945, due to the border changes after the Second World War, Breslau became part of Poland and is known now as Wroclaw. Along with his parents, Isaac Moszkowski and Salomia Moszkowski (born Hirschberg), and older…