Mats Norrman wrote:

>I have tried this Piston.  I had never heard any Piston before - I found
>it to be carefully constructed, but dry academic music.  I don't think the
>recording, without being bad, stands out as something special.  Maybe there
>is a recording to compare it with?

There was one other commercial recording of the First Concerto and I also
have performance recordings of both, including Bernstein conducting the
Second.  The Naxos issue compares very well with all of these.  I must
admit I approached it with some fear, especially since I knew the Bernstein
conducted version of the Second.  The Naxos issue did not disappoint me.

While I don't know what one means by academic music, I find most of
Piston's music to be refreshing, engaging, tuneful...brilliant.

I have yet to find a clunker in the Naxos American Music series.

Karl