“FANFARES FOR THE COMMON MAN.” Members of...

“FANFARES FOR THE COMMON MAN.” Members of the London Philharmonic conducted by Jorge Mester. Koch International Classics 3-7012-2 (CD). Included are 20 fanfares for winds and percussion, mostly by American composers, 12 of which Eugene Goosens commissioned during his wartime tenure with the Cincinnati Symphony. They range in length from 22 seconds to almost six minutes, from such obscurities as Fuleihan’s “Fanfare for the Medical Corps” to Copland’s over-familiar “Fanfare for the Common Man,” which, nevertheless, is the best offering on the disc. Relative standouts: Bernstein’s disruptive “Shivaree,” Thomson’s simple and jolly “Fanfare for France,” Cowell’s swaggering “Fanfare for Latin Allies.” All are seemingly under-rehearsed and poorly played; it’s hard to believe that these are members of the London Philharmonic led by the usually able Mester.

MOZART: Piano Sonatas, K. 281, 282, 284, 545. Alicia de Larrocha, piano. RCA Victor Red Seal 60709-2-RC. Long one of our most gracious Mozart players, Alicia de Larrocha continues so on this disc, the second volume of what promises to be a superior sonata cycle. Recognizing the intimate nature of the music recorded here, Larrocha opts for understatement, quietly declaring her thoughts through subtle variations in touch and timbre. A bright and civilized recording.