Washington Post Lauds 'The City' DVD

Washington Post critic Anne Midgette says:

The Post-Classical Ensemble has given this Copland score its first modern recording (conducted by Angel Gil-Ordóñez) and issued it on a bountiful DVD that includes a version of the film with the original soundtrack, a discussion between Joseph Horowitz and the filmmaker George Stoney, and a documentary about Greenbelt... The crisp new recording sounds great... a worthwhile recording that deserves watching more than once...

American Record Guide Praises 'The City' DVD

In its May/June 2009 issue, American Record Guide offers this praise:

... The main interest for most ARG readers is probably going to be the new recording of Copland’s complete score for the film by Gil- Ordonez and his committed band of players. Rarely has music been more closely interwoven with cinematography, even in straight dramas, let alone a documentary. Excerpts from the score have been recorded, but they’re less interesting and evocative when separated from the visual element. So praise to executive producer Joseph Horowitz and Naxos for giving us the opportunity to experience the score in its intended setting—and in modern sound (Dolby and DTS Surround)...

Fanfare Magazine Lauds 'The City' DVD

Fanfare's Lynn René Bayley says:

This DVD gives us two complete versions of the film, one with the original soundtrack conducted by Max Goberman and narration by Morris Carnovsky, the second with an all-new soundtrack by the Post-Classical Ensemble conducted by Gil-Ordóñez with narration by Francis Guinan. Gil-Ordóñez is the better conductor, and, of course, the modern digital sound does wonders for the music...

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Film Threat Reviews Post-Classical Ensemble's 'The City'

Rumbo: Post-Classical Ensemble's 'The City'

Prince George Gazette: Post-Classical Ensemble's DVD 'The City' To Be Featured

Pop Matters: The City Is Most-Watched Documentary

Baltimore Sun: The City Shines Again on DVD

The Baltimore Sun reviewed "The City, calling it "a fresh look."

The Sun noted:

This Great Depression-era product has now re-emerged on DVD by Naxos, with Post-Classical's freshly recorded soundtrack, just as the country is in the grip of the Great Recession and the air is full of talk about government projects, large-scale and green. Seems like great timing...

That score, here conducted by the ensemble's music director, Angel Gil-Ordonez, with his usual care and expressiveness, comes through as vibrantly as the camerawork. This is particularly true in the brilliant urban scenes. It sounds as if Copland had more fun composing music for those city shots; that's where the music really jumps out at you.

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YouTube.com: Joe Horowitz Discusses The City

La Republica Cultural: The City

Toronto Star: The City

Naxos Names Angel Gil-Ordonez Artist of the Week

Classical music leader Naxos published a close-up feature on the Post-Classical Ensemble's musical director, Angel Gil-Ordonez on its website to help celebrate its DVD re-issue of the 1939 classic film The City, with music by Aaron Copland.

Gramophone: P-CE's DVD a "Vivid New Reading"

The upcoming April 2007 issue of Gramophone contains a review by Philip Kennicott of the DVD release by Naxos' of The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936) and The River, with a new recording of Virgil Thomson's musical score by Washington's own Post-Classical Ensemble.

Dallas Morning News: P-CE DVD "Smartly Played"

The Dallas Morning News has reviewed Naxos' re-issue of Pare Lorentz's 1930s classics The Plow That Broke the Plain and The River -- with soundtracks re-recorded by the Post-Classical Ensemble (P-CE).

It's a joy to hear Thomson's agreeably flinty music in up-to-date sonics, smartly played by the Washington, D.C.-based Post-Classical Ensemble, under conductor Angel Gil-Ordóñez. Thomson allows himself brief moments of gnarly mood music, but otherwise the score is a nonstop medley of marches, hymns, folk songs and what the composer himself called "darn-fool ditties," in harmonizations as spare as Lorentz's Dust Bowl scenes.

Click on the Dallas Morning Herald logo to read the full story:

NYT on P-CE: "Lively and Stylish"

Today's New York Times hailed the release of Naxos' DVD of The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936) and The River, which critic Anthony Tommasini called "historic, engrossing and artistically rich films" and want on to say of the Post-Classical Ensemble's contribution:

Naxos recruited the conductor Angel Gil-Ordóñez to record the scores freshly with the Post-Classical Ensemble.

The performances are lively and stylish.

Click on the New York Times logo below, please, to read the full article:

NPR Features P-CE DVD The Plow and The River

National Public Radio reports on Naxos' re-issue of Pare Lorentz's 1930s classics The Plow That Broke the Plain and The River -- with soundtracks re-recorded by the Post-Classical Ensemble (P-CE).

Elizabeth Blair's report includes an interview with the P-CE's musical director Angel Gil-Ordonez, who describes the majesty of Virgil Thomson's film scores.

Click on the NPR image to access the audio story as well as video clips:


Click on the DVD image to get your own copy today:

Washington Post features P-CE DVD Plow and River

The Washington Post reviews Naxos' re-release of The Plow That Broke the Plain (1936) and The River, with the Post-Classical Ensemble re-recording Virgil Thomson's original score.

Said The Post's Philip Kennicott :

The music draws on Thomson's study and appreciation of cowboy ditties, church hymns and other folk melodies, all of which have such deep and far-reaching associations that few Americans will fail to find something that is both familiar and unconsciously haunting.

Click on The Washington Post logo to read the full review (Sunday, January 28, 2007; Page N02):

Wesleyan celebrates DVD of P-CE's Music Director

The Wesleyan Connector celebrates the re-release of the 1930s classics The Plow That Broke the Plain and The River, whose scores are directed by the university's music director, Angel Gil-Ordonez, who is also musical director for the Post-Classical Ensemble (P-CE).

Click on The Wesleyan Connector logo to read the full article: