Meyerbeer on ice . . .

Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864): Coronation March, from La Prophète
Detroit Symphony; Paul Paray, cond.
Mercury 434 332
&
Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948): Starlight Express, from Starlight Express
Julian Lloyd Webber, cello;

Royal Philharmonic; Barry Wordsworth, cond.
Philips 426 484

Premieres:
1942 — Samuel Barber: "Second Essay," by New York Philharmonic, Bruno Walter conducting;
1959 — Ned Rorem: Symphony No. 3 by New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducting.

A dispatch from the Wagner-Brahms Wars . . .

Hugo Wolf (1860-1903): Italian Serenade
Hagen Quartet
DG 427 669

Premieres:
1975 — Leonard Bernstein: "Seven Dances," from "Dybbuk" by New York Philharmonic, with the composer conducting.

Of the maestro and the mouse (Mickey, that is) . . .

J.S. Bach (arr. Stokowski): Toccata and Fugue in d, S. 565
London Symphony; Leopold Stokowski, cond.
BMG/RCA 68643

Premieres:
1913 — Debussy: "Printemps" (as re-orchestrated by Henri Busser, after Debussy's 1887 manuscript score was destroyed by fire), in Paris;
1983 — Persichetti: Piano Sonata No. 11 ("Mirrror Sonata"), in Notre Dame, Ind., by pianist Jeffrey Jacob.

"76 Trombones" — plus one . . .

Meredith Willson (1902-1984) Symphony No. 1 (A Symphony of San Francisco)
Moscow Symphony; William T. Stromberg, cond.
Naxos 8.559006
&
Wendy Mae Chambers (b. 1953): A Mass for Mass Trombones
77 trombone ensemble; David Gilbert, cond.
Centaur 2263

Premieres:
2001 — Poul Ruders: "Paganini Variations" (scheduled), in Odense, Denmark, by guitarist David Starobin.

Join the Navy and see the world . . .

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908): Scheherazade Suite, Op. 35
London Symphony; Pierre Monteux, cond.
London 421 400

Premieres:
2001 — Richard Daneilpour: String Quartet No. 4 ("Apparitions") (scheduled), in Kansas City, Mo., by American String Quartet.

Bernstein makes his debut as a composer . . .

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): Clarinet Sonata
Stanley Drucker, clarinet; Leonid Hambro, piano
Sony 66493

Premieres:
1948 — Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6, by BBC Symphony at Royal Albert Hall, Boult conducting;
1983 —Persichetti: "Parable XXIV," at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, by harpsichordist Cathy Callis.

Hanging music vrs. Acquittal music . . .

Morton Gould (1913-1996): Fall River Legend Suite
orchestra; Morton Gould, cond.
BMG/RCA 61505

Births:
1932 — American composer Michael Colgrass, in Chicago;

Premieres:
1993 — Phillip Ramey: Horn Concerto by New York Philharmonic, with soloist Philip Myers andLeonard Slatkin conducting.