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Tag: Alexander Gibson

Happy Music from the Highlands for the Birthday of Hamish MacCunn

It’s not a round birthday or anything, but since it’s a Sunday and it will make for a concise post, here’s a link to some music that just makes me happy every time I hear it – especially in this recording, made for EMI in 1968, by Alexander Gibson and the Scottish National Orchestra. The team later remade it in digital sound for Chandos Records in 1981 (reissued on CD in 1985), but the second recording cannot recapture the organic flow of felicitous sunshine and galloping thunder conjured in the original. (But do get the Chandos disc also for the best recording of Malcolm Arnold’s “Tam O’Shanter Overture.”) I hope you enjoy “The Land of the Mountain and the Flood,” first performed at London’s Crystal Palace in 1887. A tip of the tam to Scottish composer Hamish MacCunn (1868-1916) on his birthday!

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PHOTO: Hamish MacCunn, before Michael Nesmith stole his look

March 22, 2026
Keyboard Birthdays on Classical Network

It will be quite the day for keyboard enthusiasts, as we will celebrate the anniversaries of the births of Hans von Bronsart (1830-1913), a pupil of Franz Liszt; Rudolf Firkušný (1912-1994), a student of Leoš Janáček and Josef Suk and a friend and champion of Bohuslav Martinů; and Philadelphia-born Jerome Lowenthal (1932- ), on the faculty of the Juilliard School since 1991.

In addition, we’ll mark the birthday of Scottish-born conductor Sir Alexander Gibson (1926-1995). So it’s possible that any “burr” could be attributed to something more than a nip in the air.

The ivories will sparkle and the snow will glisten, from 4 to 7 p.m. EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

February 11, 2019
Classical Music for All Seasons on WWFM

As the weather has careened over the past several days from 20 degrees and snow to a projected 60 degrees tomorrow, so shall our musical selections this afternoon be varied and perhaps even a mite exhilarating.

We’ll observe the anniversary of the birth of composer Reinhold Glière with his flamboyant symphonic poem “The Zaporozhy Cossacks,” inspired by the raucous painting of Ilya Repin. Sir Alexander Gibson’s artistry will be recalled through one of his great Sibelius recordings. The Norwegian composer, Christian Sinding (he of “Rustles of Spring” fame) will be represented by his über-Romantic piano concerto. And Maurice Duruflé will set a more contemplative mood with his “Four Motets on Gregorian Themes.”

Is it winter? Spring? We have music suitable for all seasons this afternoon, from 4 to 7:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.

January 11, 2017

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