Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances etc. (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

Symphonic Dances, Op. 45; Capriccio on Gypsy Themes ‘Caprice Bohémien’, Op. 12; Scherzo in D minor; The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29. St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, conductor. VOX-NX-3042CD

 

How gratifying it is to see Naxos continuing its release of conductor Leonard Slatkin’s traversal of Rachmaninoff’s (that’s the currently accepted English spelling) symphonic music, which he recorded for the budget Vox label back in the 1970s with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. We reviewed the first of these recordings to be released back in February, 2023, a release that contained Symphony No. 2 along with the haunting Vocalise that review can be seen hereMost classical music lovers of a certain age are no doubt familiar with Vox, a budget label that produced some real gems over the years. Even though Vox was a budget label, the sound quality on some of their releases could be excellent, especially those recorded by the production team at Elite Recordings, led by engineer Marc Aubort and producer Joanna Nickrenz. There is an article at the PS Audio website discussing the fine-sounding Ravel box set Vox released in the 1970s that provides some insight into Elite’s recording process, which you can find here. The main sonic drawback back in the LP days of yore was the often-substandard quality of Vox’s vinyl pressings. But in the past few years, there have been some significant advances in digital technology, allowing the good folks at Naxos, who now own the rights to the Vox treasure trove, the opportunity to give us truly elite versions of the Elite recordings.

Appearing on the back cover of these new “Vox Audiophile Edition” versions is a highlighted statement affirming that “The Elite recordings for Vox legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be among the finest sounding orchestral recordings.” For these reissues, Naxos engineers have taken those tapes from the vaults and carefully prepared these CDs for release, the end product of their labors being what they describe as “new192 kHz / 24-bit high definition transfers of the original Elite Recordings analogue master tapes.” Of course, all that work would not mean much if the performances captured by Aubort and Nickrenz were no great shakes to begin with; however, these Rachmaninoff recordings by Maestro Slatkin and the SLSO were excellent when they were released, and they are excellent now. These new remasterings onto CD allow today’s listeners to fully enjoy the confident, expressive playing of the SLSO under Slatkin’s leadership captured in transparent, dynamic sound that captures the sense of an orchestra playing in a hall. 

 

The major works on the disc are the opening Symphonic Dances and the closing The Isle of the Dead. Slatkin leads the SLSO in a tight, controlled, yet lyrical reading of the former, made even more enjoyable by the transparent quality of the recording, which offers a convincing illusion of hearing an orchestra in a hall. The sound might lack that last bit of power and excitement that Telarc afforded David Zinman and his Baltimore players, but it is still very, very good. I really don’t have much to say about The Isle of the Dead, however; to be honest, although many folks find it to be one of Rachmaninoff’s most moving works, it is a piece that makes no real impression on me and I seldom give it a listen Slatkin’s version sounds just fine, to be sure, but that’s about all I can say. 

However, I will close with great enthusiasm by pointing out that the other two pieces on the program, the Capriccio on Gypsy Themes and especially the brief (4:49) Scherzo in D minor are delightfully tuneful and refreshing romps that remind you how much a master melodist Rachmaninoff could be. The Scherzo is a piece that almost demands that the listener break into a dance step before those brief five minutes pass by. By including these two extra compositions, Naxos has given a CD containing more than 77 minutes of well-recorded, well-performed music both familiar and unfamiliar. Like the other Slatkin/SLSO “Audiophile Edition” VOX releases, this one is well worth seeking out.

Rachmaninoff for Two (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

(CD1) Symphony No. 2 in E minor op. 27: 3. Adagio (Transcr. for 2 pianos by Daniil Trifonov); Suite No.2 for 2 Pianos op. 17; (CD2) Suite No. 1 for 2 Pianos “Fantaisie (Tableaux)” op. 5; Symphonic Dances op. 45 (Version for 2 pianos). Sergei Babayan, piano; Daniil Trifonov, piano. Deutsche Grammophon 486 4805

I think we sometimes tend to forget just how talented a musician the Russian-born Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) really was. Not only was he one of the all-time-great piano virtuosos, but he also excelled as a composer and even as a conductor, having been appointed at the age of 31 to the conducting staff of the prestigious Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. While at the Bolshoi, the young Rachmaninoff was in charge of presenting major Russian ballets, operas, and orchestral works. What is particularly compelling about this new album from the Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov (b. 1991) and Armenian-American pianist Sergei Babayan (b. 1961) is that we get to hear arrangements of two of Rachmaninoff’s best-loved orchestral works, offering us new insights into their structure while enchanting us with pianistic virtuosity and color.

 

A closer look at the cover photo leads to the observation that the two pianos being played by the two pianists are not identical. As it turns out, Babayan plays a Steinway, while Trifonov plays a Bösendorfer. The program opens with Trifonov’s arrangement of the famous Adagio from Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. For those familiar with the lushly scored orchestral original, this version offers a whole new way to enjoy the music. Next up are two suites written explicitly for two pianos. Suite No. 1 was inspired by and dedicated to Tchaikovsky, who unfortunately succumbed to cholera before the work’s premiere. The Suite No. 2, which Rachmaninoff composed concurrently with his Piano Concerto No. 2, is a lively work suffused with dance rhythms. Trifonov and Babayan really sparkle in these two works, bringing energy and enthusiasm that really brings out the dance-like elements. 

 

Only in the Symphonic Dances did I at times find myself missing the color, weight, and heft of the orchestra. The arrangement, by the way, is by Rachmaninoff himself. Still, despite my reservations, it is interesting to hear – it is just that the Trifonov transcription that opens the program strikes these ears as more convincing. Overall, though, Rachmaninoff for Two is an entertaining release, well worth an audition.

Russian Variations

by Bill Heck

John Field: Variations on a Russian Folk Song; Alexander Glazunov: Theme and Variations, Op. 72; Pytor Tchaikovsky: 6 Pieces, Op. 21; Serge Rachmaninoff: Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22. Piers Lane, piano. Hyperion CDA68428

Now this is the kind of album that I really enjoy reviewing: music that is off – but just barely off – the beaten path but still very much worth hearing, played flawlessly, and nicely recorded. What's not too like?

As quickly becomes apparent upon listening, the title of the album accurately describes the works here, even though the pieces are not all named "variations". Let's start with the short (6:00 minute) piece by John Field, which dates from 1818. The excellent liner notes for this release say that many listeners might think of something between Mozart and Chopin and that's not a bad description at all. Heard here, not only the composition but also Lane's playing straddles that line, with a delicacy of touch that really does sound Mozartian but arrangement of shading and emotion that is indeed Chopinesque.

Our second composer, Alexander Glazunov, unfortunately makes it into the consciousness of many classical music lovers today as the possibly drunken conductor of the disastrous premiere of Rachmaninoff's First Symphony. While conducting wasn't his strong suit, and alcohol was a significant factor in his life, his contemporaries thought highly of him; as these variation show, he was a highly skilled composer.  The theme that Glazunov works with could hardly be simpler, but the variations he produces are quite wide ranging and imaginative within a late romantic context. You won't hear the rhythmic excursions and harmonic dissonances produced by his somewhat younger near-contemporaries such as Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich, but you will hear much beauty without mere sentimentality. Lane's playing provides perfect atmosphere, providing an almost dream-like quality punctuated as appropriate by outbursts of energy.

The six pieces by Tchaikovsky each can stand alone, but they really are built around the same theme, even though the theme is sometimes difficult to find. No matter, though: this is Tchaikovsky at his most imaginative and his most willing to try out various forms. For instance, in the first variation, "Prelude", the jarring use of minor sevenths suggests to my twenty-first century-influenced ears that he was warming up for a blues session. Naturally there's much more here than that, but the brief moment illustrated to me the adventurous road that Tchaikovsky was traveling here. In the next movement, a fugue for four voices, our composer is showing that he too, can write counterpoint, suggesting shades of J S Bach. And so it goes, with wonderful creativity through all six of these surprising works.

Piers Lane

And then there are Rachmaninoff's "Variations on a Theme of Chopin". And yes, as enjoyable as the previous works have been, this is a case of saving the best for last. One of Rachmaninoff's earlier compositions, written as he was finally emerging from the depression that followed the disaster of the First Symphony (see above), this is one of the composer's first really large efforts for solo piano, with the original statement of the theme followed by no fewer than 22 variations, clocking in at nearly 29 minutes. The booklet gives a nice high-level summary; I won't attempt to repeat that, but certainly can say that these variations are truly variable, ranging from slow, almost dirge like meditation to joyous exultation. By the way, Rachmaninoff's trademark Dies Irae shows up, blending remarkably with the main theme. While perhaps not as well-known as Rachmaninoff's later masterworks, this clearly is the effort of a major composer, one that will reward repeated hearings.

I blush to admit that I was not familiar with the recordings of Piers Lane, who has a prodigious output on the Hyperion label both as a soloist and a chamber musician. Many of his recordings are like this one in that “off the beaten path” sense that I mentioned earlier, which I say counts as a service to classical music lovers everywhere. A quick look around the Web reveals a high level of critical acceptance of his work, and there certainly will be no dissent here: his playing is wonderfully adjusted to the shifting moods and requirements of these works, and is, of course, technically sure.

As usual with Hyperion, the recorded sound is excellent. The album is available on CD, in a variety of downloadable formats, and also on major streaming services. Easily recommended.

Rachmaninoff/Gershwin Transcriptions by Earl Wild (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

Rachmaninoff: Songs transcribed for the piano by Earl Wild - Dreams Op. 38 No. 5; The Little Island Op. 14 No. 2; Midsummer Nights Op. 14 No. 5; O, Cease Thy Singing Op. 4 No. 4; On the Death of a Linnet Op. 21 No. 8; Do Not Grieve Op. 14 No. 8; George Gershwin: Three Preludes; Earl Wild: Fantasy on Porgy and Bess. John Wilson, piano. AVIE Records AV2635

Sadly enough, Earl Wild (1915-2010) has become somewhat a forgotten figure among followers of classical music. Perhaps Bill Heck and I are a bit more tuned into his name than most, because for many years, Wild resided in Columbus, Ohio, where Bill and I both attended graduate school and where we both live today. In addition, we are both quite fond of his recordings of the Rachmaninoff piano concertos, which he originally made for Reader’s Digest with Jascha Horenstein conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and have subsequently been rereleased on other labels including Chandos and Chesky. Wild was a remarkable virtuoso who was skilled not only as a performer (he was the first American pianist ever to be invited by Arturo Toscanini to perform as soloist with the New York Philharmonic) but also as a transcriber, particularly of the music of Gershwin and Rachmaninoff.  Interestingly enough, accordion to Wikipedia, Wild also holds the distinctions of being both the first pianist ever to perform a recital on U.S. television (1939) and evert to stream a performance on the internet (1997). He is also the only pianist ever to have been invited to the White House to perform before six consecutive U.S. Presidents: Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. What a career! 

On this release from the American pianist John Wilson (not to be confused with the English conductor of the same name), we hear Wild's transcriptions of seven songs by Rachmaninoff, three brief preludes by Gershwin, and then Wild’s own Fantasy on Porgy and Bess. The Rachmaninoff transcriptions are elegant and expressive, richly romantic as you might expect. Wilson clearly loves this music, and that love comes through in his playing, which is clear, confident, and convincing. These are songs, imbued with melody and emotional overtones; however, they are not sappy or sentimental, but are carefully crafted pieces of serious music. The three Gershwin Preludes are in turn bouncy, moodily reflective, and finally a bit skittish. None, however, sound legitimately jazz-like or particularly inspired. At least to my ears, this is not top-drawer Gershwin. YMMV.

The needle on the old Gershwin-O-Meter bounces back up the scale with Wilson’s rendition of Wild’s take on Gershwin, however – the Fantasy on Porgy and Bess is in an entertaining romp through the familiar themes from Gershwin’s tuneful work. You can tell that Wild enjoyed putting these tunes together for the keyboard, and you can tell that Wilson enjoys playing them for us at the keyboard. In the liner notes, which are based on a conversation between Wilson and the English music broadcaster Jeremy Nicholas, Wilson recalls that it was Gershwin’s music that first lured him into classical music. He goes on say, “the first Earl Wild piece I learned was his Porgy and Bess. I just loved it. I’d played most of it since I was 19, so when I came to record it, it was in my heart. I think it’s perhaps his perhaps his best crafted transcription.” 

The liner notes, although not extensive, are heartfelt and revealing. And as we have come to expect from AVIE, the engineering is first-rate, capturing the sound of Wilson’s Steinway in fine fashion. If you are a fan of melody, this release is one that should be right up there on your audition list. 

Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; Respighi: Toccata for Piano and Orchestra; Casella: Partita for Piano and Orchestra (CD Review)

by Ryan Ross

Joshua Pierce, piano; Anton Nanüt, conductor; RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. MSR 1839                  

This disc’s program notes by Eric Salzman state that all the works on it are “modernist pieces with strong connections to tradition,” and “can be regarded as neo-classical.” While he qualifies the latter label for each in turn, these claims seem variably strained to me. Despite the fact that two of the pieces are by Italian contemporaries, it would be truer to acknowledge the heterogeneity of the music here and gladly stick to that. (As an aside, I am thoroughly exasperated by the looseness with which the term “modernism” is thrown around these days.) What really strikes me about this offering is not only how much each work should be considered on its own terms, but also how easily the familiarity and accessibility of the Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody can impede fair hearings of its disc-mates here; what these other works need are fair hearings, regardless of the conclusions the listener may reach about them. 

I tried with the Respighi, I really did. But little do I see myself returning to the Toccata for Piano and Orchestra very often for the purpose of listening pleasure. That said, I cannot fault Pierce and company; they do as fine a job as one could ask. I just find the composition itself to be clunky and aimless. True, the title “Toccata” promises nothing in terms of strict form or consistency. But this 21-minute clump of undigested manners and influences is not the composer’s top-drawer product. That is not to say there aren’t beautiful moments and passages of exciting virtuosity – there definitely are both. But these elements do not make a strong impression in total. Still, I encourage listeners to give this piece a try and see for yourselves. Your experience may differ, and the music at least deserves a chance. I remain grateful to these performers and their recording for mine. 

 

I admit that my exposure to Alfredo Casella’s music has been patchy; this was my first encounter with his Partita for Piano and Orchestra. I did not think much of the piece at first, but I stuck with it for many hearings. I’m glad I did – this is music that needed time and exposure to grow on me. I could sense the composer’s distinctive voice from the start, but my affection was a bit slower to follow. What I hear now when I listen to it is refulgent, tuneful music that beams amiably. I also took the time to listen to a competing recording from Naxos (8.573005), and find the present rendering by Joshua Pierce and company to be more convincing. This Partita being the most squarely “neoclassical” work on the disc, I appreciated the latter’s crisp, brisk approach (excepting the finale, where the Naxos performance’s tempo is actually a bit quicker). 

Speaking of brisk, try out this Paganini Rhapsody! At 21:43 it is definitely one of the fastest performances I have ever heard (perhaps the fastest). Not even Yuja Wang (whose own recently recorded performance of this work I reviewed here some months ago) blazes through at such a pace. Technically, Pierce acquits himself very well. I also like his tone and articulation. While there are more soulful, more glowing performanes out there, his expressiveness is acceptable. But, not all that dissimilar to my feelings about Wang’s performance, there are just too many fine interpretations available for me to enthusiastically push this one. Even if it did not feel too breathless, which it does, this Paganini Rhapsody would be middling. I’m afraid my recommendation here is for collectors only. 

 

If the Rachmaninoff is the hook for customers to also sample the less-familiar repertoire, and the lesser-familiar repertoire lures the explorer to buy yet another recording of the Rachmaninoff, this disc was shrewdly calculated. There is likely something here for most classical listeners, and for me there is plenty: the wholly satisfying Casella Partita, the well performed but disappointing Respighi Toccata (which I’m nonetheless glad to have in my collection), and a fast Paganini Rhapsody. On balance, the price of the disc is worth what it offers. Maybe barely worth it, but worth it all the same.

Lavinia Meijer: Winter (CD Review)

 by Karl Nehring

Richter: The Departure; Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil, Op. 37: V. Nunc dimittis; Reyer Zwart: Amethyst^a,b; Lambert: As Ballad; Meijer: A Winter Interlude (After Schubert); Meijer: Open Window - Part I | Part II | Part III; Satie: Pièces froides: II. Danses des travers, No. 2 Passer; Nils Frahm: Over There, It's Raining; George Gurdjieff/Thomas de Hartmann: Song of the Fisherwomen; Britten: Corpus Christi Carol; Philip Glass/Foday Musa Suso: The Orchard^c; Ölafur Arnalds: Lag fyrir Ömmu^a; Meijer: Tomorrowday; Glass: ^dFreezing (lyrics by Suzanne Vega). Lavinia Meijer, harp (all tracks); ^aAlma Quartet Amsterdam; ^bReyer Zwart, double bass; ^cNadia Sirota, viola; ^dWishful Singing. Sony Classics 19858868622

I had hoped to have this review posted while it was still officially winter on the calendar; however, I will excuse and console myself by noting that as I write the words on the second full day of spring here in rural central Ohio, the wind chill is currently 33° and the overnight low is forecasted to be 20°, so it might as well still be winter here for all intents and purposes. In that light – the light of winter! – I declare this a timely review indeed. That is certainly not to imply that either the music, the playing, or even the sound quality, for that matter, is on the cold, icy end of the spectrum. Far from it. From start to finish, Winter by the South Korean-born Dutch harpist Lavinia Meijer (b. 1983) is an album that is warmly communicative. Although its title is season-specific, its musical content has variety and depth that transcend any particular season, making it an album that could be enjoyed just as easily during the dog days of summer.

The program opens with a brief piece from the British composer Max Richter, appropriately enough titled The Departure. Richter is something of a minimalist in his approach, and this style of music works well when played on the harp. Next up is a selection from Rachmaninoff, who certainly would never be characterized as a minimalist composer. However, this reduction for harp of a selection from his All-night Vigil works well, allowing the listener to hear both the main melody line as well as the accompaniment. There does seem to be some slight electronic manipulation or enhancement going on, but the effect is subtle and positive. Meijer brings us back to the present with Amethyst by Dutch session bassist and composer Reyer Zwart (b.1971), a yearningly wistful piece in which Meijer’s harp is joined by the sound of strings. Another contemporary composition is As Ballad by the young German pianist Lambert (who always wears a Sardinian mask when playing in concert); here again we seem to have some subtle electronic effects enhancing the sound.

 

Meijer then takes her turn as composer, first on the Schubert-inspired A Winter Interlude, with its pensive melody that does seem to allude to the keyboard works of that ill-fated genius, and then her three-part Open Window, which demonstrates that Meijer has skill and imagination not only as a performer, but as a composer. Each of the three parts has a directness of expression that is appealing and effective. Then it is on to a short (1:29) piece by Satie – not the dreamy Satie of the Gymnopédies, which you might expect on a harp album – but instead, an odd little snippet of a dance. From German composer, performer, and record producer Nils Frahm (b. 1982) comes Over There, It’s Raining. Frahm is known for bridging pop and classical; this piece leans more toward the former over its two minutes. Also clocking in at just over two minutes is the Gurdjieff and de Hartmann collaboration Song of the Fisherwomen, a pleasant tune in more of a folk style. Britten’s Corpus Christi Carol reminds us quite clearly by both title and musical style that we are enjoying an album titled “Winter.” It’s a composition that works perfectly in this arrangement for harp – a highlight of the album. 

Then comes the longest single track (6:55) on the CD, The Orchard by Philip Glass and Gambian musician and composer Foday Musa Suso (b. 1953). It is played here as a quiet, reflective duet between Meijer’s harp and Sirota’s viola, the two instruments plying off against each other in a gentle dialogue. The Alma Quartet returns to join Meijer on the next track, the easygoing Lag fyrir Ömmu by the Icelandic multi-instrumentalist, producer, and compose Ölafur Arnalds (b. 1986), on which Meijer begins, the quartet joins in, and then Meijer drops out, allowing the strings to close out the final measures. Tomorrowday is another composition from Meijer herself, sounding contentedly reflective before closing her album with another piece by Philip Glass, this time with lyrics by Suzanne Vega, sung here by the female vocal quintet Wishful Singing. Oddly enough, those lyrics are not included in the CD booklet; in fact, the booklet contains very little other than basic track information, production credits, and a poem by Ms. Meijer. More information bout the music and artists, or at least a photo or two, would have been welcome. Still, Winter is a splendid release. 

Mikyung Sung: The Colburn Sessions

by Bill Heck

Bottesini: Tarantella, Capriccio di Bravura, Elegy No. 1 in D Major; Massenet: Meditation from Thaïs; Hindemith: Sonata for Double Bass and Piano; Montag: Sonata in E Minor for Double Bass and Piano; Mendelssohn: Cello Sonata No. 2 in D Major; Rachmaninoff: Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19 (third movement); Franck: Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano. Jaemin Shin, Mikyung Sung. Modus Vivendi Media MVM2301

When I first happened upon this album, I was dumbfounded. So far as I can tell, it should be physically impossible to play a double bass in the manner that Ms. Sung does. Flying through endless quick series of notes with on the nose intonation along the extended neck with thick strings of this instrument: how in the world does she do that?

But, of course, there is more to this two-CD set than mere technical brilliance, so let’s explore. 

Giovanni Bottesini

The first disc opens with three works by Giovanni Bottesini (1821 – 1899), considered in his time as the “Paganini of the Double Bass”, and who moved from virtuoso command of that instrument to conducting and composing. The first piece, Tarantella, certainly is a showpiece for the double bass, with shifting tempi and virtuoso runs: If you do think of Paganini on the bass instead of the violin, you’ll have the general idea. The next, Capricio di bravura, begins as a soulful singing piece that moves across the entire range of the instrument. It breaks into a lively dance, and back and forth we go, ending it all with a flourish; the overall feel is reminiscent of a dance scene from an opera. Finally, we have the Elegy, several minutes of quite lovely playing. Showpieces all, the music is interesting and enjoyable, and in any case bravura playing is enough to carry the day.

Massenet’s Meditation from Thais is one of those works that you’ve heard somewhere, even if you didn’t know what it was. Originally composed for violin and orchestra, in the wrong hands it can degenerate into a rather saccharine tearjerker, but the transposition of the work to double bass with piano accompaniment gives it a whole new sound, perhaps more straightforward than the original. In any case, Sung’s playing is moving without turning into treacle.

Next up are two more recent works also originally composed for the double bass, namely Paul Hindemith’s Sonata for Double Bass and Piano, followed by Vilmas Montag’s work of the same name.

The Hindemith Sonata is in much the same vein as some of his better know and more popular works, such as the Mathis der Maler or the Metamorphosis (on Themes by Weber). Although there are moments of dissonance, the composition still is tonal, with a mood best described as mysterious, and developed mostly in minor keys. Personally, I found it quite engaging and I’m glad to have made its acquaintance.

I’m less certain of the Montag composition but can say with confidence that Sung makes the best possible case for it. Her playing, especially in the lower register of the instrument, is lovely and powerful at the same time.

This is a good time to mention that the contributions from pianist Jaemin Shin are beyond mere accompaniment: there’s no doubt that the album is about Sung, but she and Shin are very much partners in music making.

The second disc contains works originally composed for other instruments and redone for the double bass. There are three: Mendelssohn‘s Cello Sonata No. 2, Rachmaninoff’s Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano (third movement), and Franck’s Sonata in A for Violin and Piano. You may be familiar with these works in their original versions, so I won’t go into a lot of description here. What I will say is that all of them sound absolutely natural when played on the double bass; indeed, if you didn’t know that they were originally composed for different instruments, you could easily presume that they were composed for the bass. (That’s not too surprising in the first two works, as the move from cello to bass at least seems like a plausible idea. But it really is amazing that the third piece loses nothing in the translation.) In all three, what could have sounded just gimmicky are instead propelled by Sung’s musical sensitivity as well as her virtuosity and come across simply as wonderful music. Yes, the bass gives the pieces more sonic weight, but it never weighs them down.

The sound on both discs is clean and natural, although that on the second is just a touch more distant that on the first. (The recording venues were different.) I listened to the album on my streaming service; sadly, the CD booklet was not available there. (I wish I knew why booklets are or are not available on streaming service that support them; they are for some newer works but not for all.) The CD is generally available, but you also can purchase a digital download of the entire thing at Mikyung Sung’s website.