AKIRA IFUKUBE (1914-2006): Sinfonia Tapkaara, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah from Godzilla - Symphonic Fantasy, ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904): Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 “From the New World”.

Description: True, Naxos released a Tapkaara in their Japanese music series around 15 years ago (with a Russian orchestra and conductor) but there’s surely room for one more. This one is four-and-a-half minutes longer and the recording better brings out the parts in which the drum used separates the work from its Russian Romantic influences and looks ahead to the exotic sound world of the Godzilla film scores, of which a two-and-a-half minute excerpt from Ifukube’s Symphonic Fantasy makes us regret even more the standard rep coupling (this was a live recording of an actual concert). Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra; Andrea Battistoni.