Various Artists - The Alamo Concert (2001)

This CD is a collection of classical and jazz pieces performed by various San Antonio-based artists/groups for a broadcast of National Pubic Radio's Performance Today classical music program. As described on the back insert:

I couldn't find much online about the disc - the website listed on the CD insert (www.alamoconcerts.org) is long gone if it ever truly existed - so the following data is about as reliable as a Wikipedia article. It appears the music was recorded on September 15-17, 1997 for broadcast on NPR stations in early November of that year (very brief descriptions of the broadcasts can be found here and here). The CD has a copyright date of 2001 and I'm guessing it was given as a premium to station members who donated a certain amount to the local classical music NPR station, KPAC.

The tracks that feature the San Antonio Symphony were recorded at the Watson Fine Arts Center Theatre on the campus of St. Philip's College. All others were recorded at Alamo Hall, a remodeled fire station deeded to the Alamo by the city of San Antonio in 1938 that currently serves as an event venue near the famous Alamo chapel. The latter probably chosen for historical location rather than acoustical reasons.

A nice mix of ensemble sizes, musical styles and eras. Composers hail from many locales with strong ties to the area: Peru, Spain, Mexico, and, of course, Texas. Performances are strong and the extensive liner notes detail each piece, performer, and composer. A well-executed endeavor.

Tracks:

My top picks are tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, & 15. There's some uncomfortable "Southern Pride" lyrics on track 10 plus I'm always uncomfortable hearing a classically trained voice singing folk songs, but that's the only skippable track.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When the San Antonio Symphony folded after 83 years, I went searching for any recordings by the orchestra. Turns out they are few and far between. However, the search led me to this CD, which features the SA Symphony on 4 of the disc's 15 tracks.