Order now from Amazon.com click here DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIPS: Rhapsody in Blue I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise Yankee Doodle Blues New Acoustic Recording Click here to download complete program notes in PDF format Right to left: Leopold Godowsky III (Gershwin's nephew), Maestro Richman, Diana Schillizzi (Ferde Grofé's niece), 2010

BILLBOARD Top Classical Chart Top 10!

Specialist Classical Chart (UK)


     Classica Magazine Award (France)



International Consensus
DISC OF THE MONTH
Classicstoday.com, Classicstodayfrance.com

"Gershwin enthusiasts are in for a real treat... These are, in many respects, ideal performances: while not live, they catch a moment on the fly, framing the performances within beautifully gauged tempos. The off-the-cuff playing so intrinsic to Gershwin is never lost... Gallodoro really struts his stuff with the clarinet flourish, setting you up for what's to come from the horns in this gleaming, tremendously extrovert performance... [In] Variations on 'I Got Rhythm'... The band swings like a bucket of miscreant rattle-snakes and the effect is elegant without sounding stuffy or over-produced. The same can be said of the arrangements, which spill over with humorous tomfoolery the like of which I am sure will thrill jazz enthusiasts every bit as those listening with a shirt and tie on... This is the most consistently pleasing recording I've heard this year, with Mayorga, Gallodoro and Richman coming over as formidable Gershwin exponents. Oh, and if you think you've already got as many versions of Rhapsody in Blue as your credit card can handle, think again."

Mark Tanner, INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW

"It is as exciting to hear now in its original arrangements as it must have been for the celebrity audience first hearing it. Stripped of all the orchestral claptrap imposed later upon it, Rhapsody sounds fresh, invigorating, and exciting. I believe [it] is a definitive version of the piece, and the way you really ought to hear it - exuberant, joyous, much like what we in New York supposed it must have been almost 100 years ago. I felt like dancing. Boy, I did."

Harry Pearson, THE ABSOLUTE SOUND

"Throughout, Steven Richman, his ensemble and soloists perform with the youthful energy and charming nonchalance that Gershwin always brought to his work...an absolutely terrific program, one that does full justice to a repertoire too often abused. While avoiding mere imitation, Mayorga duplicates the heady sense of discovery, and the sheer joy in technical prowess, that were part of Gershwin's performance style. And he certainly knows how to swing, something others who assay this literature may talk about, but few come close to achieving. Gallodoro...plays with vigor, authority, and elegance. It is hard to credit these performances to a man in his tenth decade. Harmonie Ensemble New York...mastered the style of a 1920s symphonic jazz orchestra for their first Grofé/Gershwin disc on Bridge. Now...they have further polished that style. The result is irresistible...the digital engineering recreates the sound of the ensemble with vivid realism. Simply put, this is great stuff, and not to be missed."

Ronald E. Grames, FANFARE

"This is the de-symphonized Gershwin disc we have been waiting for for a very, very long time. There has never been something like this before."

Christophe Huss, Classicstodayfrance.com

"...gives us the real thrill, and the true colors. New York in the 1920's, as if you were there!"

LeDevoir

FEELGOOD CD of the MONTH
"Skip to the end - Rhapsody in Blue - and you're assailed by a clarinet solo of such oomph and panache, the klezmer-like wailings sounding like a ghost from the past. It's startling, brilliant, and brings tears to the eyes. And then you read the sleeve notes and find out that the soloist Al Gallodoro was a member of the Paul Whiteman band in 1930s New York, the same ensemble which premiered the work in 1924. Sadly Gallodoro died two years after recording this account of the Rhapsody, aged 95. The piece is more often heard in the rather bloated full orchestral version orchestrated by Ferde Grofé, but here we get his original jazz band version. Leaner, meaner and tighter-sounding, it packs an effervescent punch here, helped by a close-up recording balance and some idiomatic banjo-twanging. There are so many moments where you want to jump up and cheer, my favourite being the lower brass chord change accompanying the violin solo after the big tune in the middle. This disc would be worth buying for the Rhapsody alone, but we also get original Paul Whiteman Orchestra versions of Gershwin standards, and the composer's own orchestration of the quirky, underrated "I Got Rhythm" Variations. Playing and direction are faultless, with marvellous piano playing from Lincoln Mayorga. As a novelty bonus, one track is duplicated, recorded on a 1909 Edison wax cylinder."

Graham Rickson, Barbican The Arts Desk (England)

5 STARS
"The contribution of Steven Richman's Harmonie Ensemble New York is a delight: beautifully recorded, crisply played, and stylistically spot-on. The Rhapsody is graced by the authoritative presence of clarinetist and saxophonist Al Gallodoro. Gallodoro and Mayorga also duet inventively on 'Summertime'. A fascinating and hugely enjoyable disc."

— Anthony Burton, BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

"Certainly an 'ear opener'!... the most stylishly accurate recording of Gershwin's Symphonic Jazz ever produced in a modern recording. Steven Richman's total grasp and comprehension of Gershwin's intent causes the music to come alive in a manner seldom encountered in performance, let alone a recording. The Harmonie Ensemble/New York performs with great virtuosity and joy of the music, that is both captivating and revealing.
The original scoring for the Whiteman Band is much "jazzier" and far more entertaining. Pianist Lincoln Mayorga plays it with all of the verve and panache the concerto requires, as does the Harmonie Ensemble/New York...absolutely amazing playing of ninety-three year old reedman Al Gallodoro, an original member of the Whiteman Band. His playing of the extremely difficult opening clarinet cadenza...can hardly be equaled. He established the standard and has set it for years to come.
...demonstrates how perfectly accurate[ly] Steven Richman has captured the original performance style of this very special music....the sonics of the recording are simply spectacular. If you are an admirer of Gershwin's music or a jazz enthusiast in general, you cannot pass this recording by. This is an absolute 'must have'!"

Micaele Sparacino, ConcertoNet.com

"A smash! Richman and his gleaming players recreate the sounds that audiences in the 1920s and '30s would have savoured. The performances are shaped with vivacity and precision. Richman and company nail the style..."

Donald Rosenberg, Gramophone (England)

"This is a wonderful disc in every respect. Paul Whiteman clarinet/sax player Al Gallodoro... rocks, plain and simple. Lincoln Mayorga... gives the music an easy elegance and sophistication... Steven Richman has assembled (and conducts) a splendid program that more than justifies buying yet another recording of the two concertante chestnuts. Go for it."

David Hurwitz, Classicstoday.com

"Terrific, brilliant, very affecting... the CD is a beaut, worthy of a Grammy!"

Martin Bookspan
"The Voice of the New York Philharmonic"

"A masterful achievement in that it feels absolutely right on every level: performance, sound, interpretation and overall grasp of the genre. Truly I enjoyed it so much... it sounded so fresh. Thanks for your dedication to this music!"

Michael Feinstein

"If you've never heard Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" as the world first heard it, in the raucous jazzy version first performed by the Paul Whiteman orchestra in 1924, you need to get this CD. There are others available, but this one has the razzle-dazzle of Gershwin's genius in every measure. This recording is clearly a labor of love for Richman...His music lives."

Jay Furst, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, MN

"Steven Richman takes his ensemble to that place where classical art meets popular entertainment and navigates smoothly and confidently through those choppy waters. In other words, these are classy performances, performed by technically dexterous musicians, but the end result is pure fun. You might want to dance to Ferde Grofé's takes on Gershwin's tunes, but you find you'd rather listen because the arrangements are just too interesting. Grofé, after all, is the orchestrator responsible for the twenty-six-year-old Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, He was, as they say, "present at the creation." The CD also benefits from a master clarinetist straight from the Gershwin era, the late Al Gallodoro, whose rich sound and whose swinging, seemingly effortless improvisations are on display here. An instructive novelty are two recordings of an early Gershwin song, Yankee Doodle Blues, one is done "straight," the other on an Edison cylinder machine which has been lovingly preserved. But the lion's share of the credit must ultimately go to Richman, whose relaxed tempos allow the tunes to breathe. His love for, and great knowledge of, the era are evident in every aspect of this recording, including the extensive liner notes. Art and entertainment have met on this CD, and the winner is... music."

James Roberts, Amazon.com

Buy this CD at Amazon.com Buy this CD at Bridge Records DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIPS: Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite 3. On the Trail Grofé: Gallodoro's Serenade

"It's just GREAT!!! My father would be so proud of your accomplishment ... wondrous clarity and outstanding musicianship. My most profound congratulations to you and your fellow artists in this great work. Your rendition is flawless. I hope many will have the opportunity to hear this extraordinary performance. You've achieved a milestone and on behalf of my Father I repeat the congratulations with gusto! BRAVO!"

Ferde Grofé, Jr.

"Delightful and ear-opening. The Second Rhapsody sounds remarkably light and sassy (with) greater coherence and flow, aided by Lincoln Mayorga's elegant playing and Steven Richman's idiomatic and alert conducting. Grand Canyon Suite (has) sheer charm, and the music sounds somehow more modern, less dated. The sonics are terrific, while Richman and the Harmonie Ensemble/New York deserve lots of credit for digging up these arrangements and bringing them back to life with such gusto and polish."

David Hurwitz, Classicstoday.com

Buy this CD at Amazon.com DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIP: Stravinsky: Histoire du Soldat The Royal March

"The Pastorale is as supple and tender a performance as has ever been recorded. The two big works (Histoire and Octet) are among the best performances of the works in existence."

James Leonard, All Music Guide

"The now familiar Octet for wind instruments is so well played here that the disc is worth owning for the performance of this work alone ... Although the ensemble - expertly led by Steven Richman - plays with exceptional precision throughout, the performers never lose sight of the music's soul and spirit, allowing for interpretations of both the Octet and the Histoire suite that are faithful to the score but never precious or dry."

Daniel Felsenfeld, Classicstoday.com

"... a varied program, wonderfully conducted and performed. Everything is clear and spontaneous, judiciously paced, clearly textured. A prime Stravinsky program (with) delightful surprises. Evocative, texturally lucid readings under the baton of Steven Richman, who is unerring in defining the folk elements and the quirky rhythmic shapes. A marvelous achievement."

Donald Rosenberg, Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Richman leads a lively, engaging and often humorous account of the Octet. Each player in the Harmonie Ensemble/New York is clearly a virtuoso, and they bring welcome variety of colors and moods to this music. The lumbering bassoons are a pure delight. In Histoire the playing is lithe, athletic and effortless."

Tom Godell, American Record Guide

"Wonderful, a fine effort, really a great recording. I have enjoyed it immensely!"

John Stravinsky, grandson of the composer

Buy this CD at Amazon.com Buy this CD at Bridge Records DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIPS: Copland: Appalachian Spring Copland: Music for the Theatre 2. Dance

"What a delightful, refreshing release! Simply sensational! This recording goes straight to the top of the list! Fantastic."

ClassicsToday.com

"A reference version of the Appalachian Spring Suite in its original chamber version."

HI-FI+

"Classical CD of the Week. Both [Appalachian Spring and Music for the Theatre] are superbly performed on this historic disc!"

The London Observer

"Hearing 'Music for the Theatre' played by an ensemble that conceivably could squeeze into a theatre pit is a pleasure! Here, it is both raunchy and naïve - surely what Copland had in mind! Next to this, Bernstein's well-liked recording lacks nuance."

International Record Review (England)

"... beautiful chamber playing under Steven Richman, who worked with Copland in the last decade of Copland's life, and the Harmonie Ensemble/New York, in a recording that is a total winner ..."

Diverdi 128, Boletin de Información Discográfica (Spain)

Buy this CD at Amazon.com DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIP: Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 ("From the new world") 4. Allegro con fuoco

"One of the two or three best 'New World' Symphony recordings I have ever heard!"

Martin Bookspan, 'The Voice of the New York Philharmonic'

"... beautifully recorded, spiritedly played, and a delight from start to finish. ... (played with) an appealing combination of zip, refinement, enthusiasm and sheer love."

Justin R. Herman, American Record Guide

"Dvorák Day was one of the greatest days of my life. Steven Richman's performance of the "New World" Symphony was fantastic!"

Violinist Josef Suk, Dvorák's great-grandson

Buy this CD at Amazon.com DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIP: Dvorák: Octet-Serenade, Op. 22 3. Scherzo: Vivace

"Steven Richman's recording of an early Octet version of the String Serenade on 'Dvorák Discoveries' is a particular delight."

James Oestreich, Music Editor, New York Times

"A beautiful performance. Wonderful, I enjoyed it immensely. A rave!"

First Hearing, WQXR-FM New York, syndicated nationally

Buy this CD at Amazon.com DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIP: Rossini: William Tell Overture

"Excellent, fascinating ... clever, well played"

Lloyd Schwartz, Fresh Air, National Public Radio

"Perfect, simply superb ... elegant, entertaining."

Fanfare

Buy this CD at Amazon.com DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIP: Dvorák: Serenade for Winds, Cello and Bass, Op. 44 1. Moderato, quasi marcia

"The playing of Harmonie Ensemble/New York conducted by Steven Richman is beyond praise; an excellent recording."

Gramophone (England)

"The best recording of the Dvorák Serenade I have ever heard!"

Richard Glasford, Programming Director, Music Choice

"First place in its class!"

Fanfare Magazine

Buy this CD at Amazon.com DOWNLOAD mp3 SOUND CLIPS: Reynaldo Hahn: Le bal de Beatrice d'Este 2. Lesquercade Jacques Ibert: "Paris" Suite 4. Restaurant in the Bois de Boulogne

"Remarkable, fresh, with great style and class. For us the French, certainly an object lesson."

Repertoire, France

"The best performance of the Poulenc I have ever heard, including Poulenc's. Superbly performed and splendidly recorded."

C.J. Luten, Opera News