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Born in Pennsylvania in 1954, Gregory Fritze is a prize-winning composer and Fulbright Scholar. His compositions have been performed more than a thousand times in 26 countries, and he has written over a hundred works for orchestra, band, chamber ensembles and soloists.
‘Both symphonies on this album (A Day in Valencia and Sinfonia de Valencia) were previously composed for the orchestra-hybrid ensembles of Valencia, which is known for its many strong music societies. I am fortunate to have been commissioned by several societies to compose for these unique ensembles. Arranging these two symphonies enables them to be a part of the regular symphony orchestra repertoire.’
– Gregory Fritze
Gregory FRITZE (b. 1954)
Overtures and Symphonies
London Overture • A Day in Valencia
Waterplace Park • Sinfonía de Valencia
London Symphony OrchestraRafael Sanz-Espert
Prize-winning composer Gregory Fritze has written over a hundred compositions for a variety of forces, and is also a greatly admired teacher. The four works on this album share programmatic perspectives. The city of London is evoked in a celebratory overture full of vitality, diversity and pageantry; the two symphonies reflect Fritze’s immersion in the warmth, landscape and festive excitement of the city of Valencia; and the overture Waterplace Park, a popular meeting place in Providence, Rhode Island, is a jovial piece that features five unusual instrumental soloists.
IV. Late Night at a Fiesta
Spanish conductor Rafael Sanz-Espert began his professional career playing alto saxophone in the Banda Municipal de Valencia. In 2002 he began his tenure as principal conductor of the Banda Municipal de Música de Bilbao, a position he held for ten years. He then moved to a similar position in Madrid for five years, subsequently returning to Valencia. He has conducted over a thousand concerts, and his guest conducting engagements have included international appearances, with performances in South America, North America, Africa and throughout Europe.
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) was established in 1904 as one of the first orchestras shaped by its musicians. Since then, generations of remarkable talents have built its reputation for uncompromising quality and inspirational performances. Including its famed work in the studio, the LSO has made more recordings than any other orchestra – over 2,800 projects to date across film, video games and bespoke audio experiences – many of which have received honours from the Emmys, GRAMMYs, Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and BRITs, as well as the Mercury Prize.
Black, Brown, and Beige
Harlem • Three Black Kings • The River • Take the ‘A’ Train
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Falletta
– Fanfare
Rhapsody in Blue
Strike Up the Band: Overture • Promenade • Catfish Row
Weiss • Fullam
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Falletta
– Fanfare
Orchestral Music, Vol. 3
Sleigh Ride • The Typewriter
Plink, Plank, Plunk • The Syncopated Clock
BBC Concert Orchestra
Slatkin
– Fanfare
– MusicWeb International