The DCD Classical 'Cast

This episode we showcase selections from the debut recording by the Spectrum Brass Quintet. This group has an unusual mission: to perform and record music with other musicians not normally associated with brass quintets.

Their first CD release, Rhapsody, does just that. The quintet performs the music of George Gershwin with drummer Alex Trahjano, pianist Aviram Reichart, and soprano Elizabeth

This episode we take a closer look at a release we've had before on the DCD Classical 'Cast. Monument Records is dedicated to recording music by Beethoven -- but not just any music. They're after the unusual, the obscure, the under-recorded and sometimes never recorded works by Beethoven.

The release, Beethoven: Early Dance Music, features three such works. The Ritterballet, Hess 89 and the

Nadia Boulanger was best known as a teacher of composers. The number of pupils who studied with her between 1907 and 1979 is staggering -- especially when you consider how many of them would go on to become internationally known composers and performers. The list includes Aaron Copland, Lennox Berkeley, Roy Harris, and Philip Glass to name but a few.

But first and foremost, Boulanger was a

Daniel Berg is a talented marimbist based in Sweden. In this episode of the DCD Classical 'Cast we feature selections from his debut album, "In a Landscape."

The CD collects some of Berg's favorite works for solo marimba together, and provides a fascinating snapshot of the breadth of compositional styles that make up the repertoire. The composers hail from the Americas, Europe, and Japan, where

Hershel Burke, founder of Laurel Records, was a successful film composer. But he was also active in the Los Angeles classical music scene. That was where he met UCLA-based composer Henri Lazarof.

Burke was impressed with Lazarof's well-crafted music, and decided it needed a wider audience. The result were several Laurel Record albums exclusively devoted to Lazarof's compositions -- many of them

This episode we play selections from a DTR Release, "Paradise Gardens." The CD is a Frederick Delius recital by Michael Stairs at the legendary Longwood Gardens organ. Even during the 1930's as Delius was composing many of his best-known works, organist Dom Gregory Murray was arranging them for organ. We hear his arrangement of "A Song Before Sunrise."

We also feature three other tracks from

In this edition of the DCD Classical 'Cast we showcase a remarkable 1995 release from Laurel Records. Renowned pianist Mark Zeltser teamed up with his fellow countryman, conductor Rudolf Barshai, to record two mainstays for piano and orchestra from their native Russia.

The Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto, Op. 26 bristles with emotion and energy in this recording. Zeltser captures Prokofiev's sly

This edition of the DCD Classical 'Cast podcast we feature selections from an exciting new CD from Troubadisc. For some time now, this German-based label has been building up an impressive catalog of chamber and solo music by Max Reger.

The latest addition to the series, Max Reger: Piano Pieces showcases the artistry of pianist Wolfram Lorenzen. Lorenzen has appeared on several other of

The story of Luciano Simoni is a fascinating one. This gifted Italian studied composition with one of Respighi's pupils while pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. In time, Simoni was recognized as one of the leading researchers in the field of electrical insulation in the world, and held a prestigious post at the University of Bologna.

Yet all the while he continued to compose -- and not

 In 1995 the University of Wisconsin at Madison School of Music celebrated its 100th anniversary. To commemorate the event, the school commissioned six composers with ties to Wisconsin to write works for the various student and faculty ensembles. The composers were then invited to the school to serve as artists in residence, and to be present for the premier of their works. This