Leif Ove Andsnes plays Liszt – Via Crucis & Solo Piano – Sony Classical
LISZT: Via Crucis, S. 53; 6 Consolations, S. 172; Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S. 175: No. 9 Andante lagrimoso; No. 8 Miserere, d’après Palestrina. Largo – Leif Ove Andsnes, piano/ Oystein Stensheim, tenor/ Olie Holmgren, bass-baritone/ Ditte Marie Braein & Magnhild Korsvik, sopranos/ Mari Askvik, mezzo-soprano/ The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir/ Grete…
Timothy Ridout, Viola – Bach, Britten, Shaw, Telemann – Harmonia Mundi
Timothy Ridout (viola) plays: BACH: partita no 2. BRITTEN; Elegy. SHAW: in manus tuas, TELEMANN: Fantasias – Harmonia Mundi HMM 902 750 (61.08) 2/2025 [Distr. PIAS] **** Timothy Ridout’s new issue has no title, unusual for Harmonia Mundi productions. It is his first solo performance on disc after a…
Roland Kirk – Now please don’t you cry, beautiful Edith – Acoustic Sounds
A significant achievement for the Acoustic Sounds Series... historic document of a key jazz figure
James Ehnes, Andrew Armstrong – Brahms Viola Sonatas, Schumann Märchenbilder – Onyx
BRAHMS: Viola Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 120/1; Viola Sonata No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 120/2; Wiegenlied, Op. 49/4; SCHUMANN: Märchenbilder, Op. 113 – James Ehnes, viola/ Andrew Armstrong, piano – ONYX 4256 (9/11/24) (61:31) [Distr. by PIAS] ****: Canadian-American violinist James Ehnes (b. 1976) addresses (9-12…
GANZ – The Complete St. Louis Symphony Recordings – Pristine Audio
Historic Orchestral Recordings from the 1920s...
Classic Vanguard Jazz Piano Sessions – Mosaic Records
The Vanguard Jazz Showcase happily continues...
Carla Thomas – Sweet Sweetheart – Craft Recordings
Carla Thomas – Sweet Sweetheart – Stax/Craft Recordings
BRAHMS: Piano Quartets Nos. 2, 3 – Krystian Zimerman – Deutsche Grammophon
BRAHMS: Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26; Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 60 – Krystian Zimerman, piano/ Maria Nowak, violin/ Katarzyna Budnik, viola/ Yuya Okamoto, cello – DG 486 4650 (2/6/25) (79:10) [Distr. by Universal] ****: Recorded at LAC Lugano Arts e Cultur, Sala…
Sonny Rollins – Original Music From The Score “Alfie” Impulse! – Acoustic Sounds
This re-mastered vinyl showcases an excellent Sonny Rollins album with a large ensemble.
Rodzinski – Shostakovic Symphony No. 8 – Pristine Audio
Concert Performance... Huge Applause!
Near Field Nirvana – LS3/5A Monitor Loudspeakers
A look at loudspeaker offerings from Sound Artist and Falcon Acoustics
Manley MAHI Amplifier
A closer look at top-flight art from Manley...
Towards a Better Sounding System – Part 3
After the system... refining tweaks!
Towards a Better Sounding System – Part 2
Reflections on System Configuration
Towards a Better Sounding System – Part 1
Reflections on the sound environment
Near-Field Nirvana – ELAC/Alchemy Components Reviewed
The Sweep ELAC/Alchemy amazes!
Near-Field Nirvana Upcoming – Corner Industry News Update
Looking forward – new developments, Looking back – Gems of the past
Near-Field Nirvana – Rogue Audio Sphinx V3
Mancuso takes a close look at the Rogue V3 Sphinx!
Near-Field Nirvana — ELAC Carina Loudspeaker
Ric Mancuso ongoing coverage of system components!
The Audition Corner, 8 Feb 2020
Audition Reflections -- Getting the best from components!
Roland Kirk – Now please don’t you cry, beautiful Edith – Acoustic Sounds
A significant achievement for the Acoustic Sounds Series... historic document of a key jazz figure
Carla Thomas – Sweet Sweetheart – Craft Recordings
Carla Thomas – Sweet Sweetheart – Stax/Craft Recordings
Sonny Rollins – Original Music From The Score “Alfie” Impulse! – Acoustic Sounds
This re-mastered vinyl showcases an excellent Sonny Rollins album with a large ensemble.
Warren Zevon – Piano Fighter: The Giant Years – Rhino Entertainment Company
Rhino Entertainment Company releases a vinyl box set of an under-appreciated rock legend.
Miles Davis – Walkin’ – Craft Recordings
Craft Recordings releases a seminal album re-mastered on audiophile vinyl.
The New Stan Getz Quartet Featuring Astrid Gilberto – Getz Au Go Go – Acoustic Sounds
A jazz artist embraces Bossa Nova on this re-mastered vinyl.
Freddie Hubbard – On Fire: Live From The Blue Morocco – Resonance Records
Freddie Hubbard - is On Fire, RSD 3 LP set, a true understatement...
The Great Kai & J.J. – Brand New, Swinging Together Again – Acoustic Sounds Series
A wonderful trombone collaboration gets an audiophile vinyl upgrade.
Kenny Dorham – Blue Bossa in the Bronx – Record Store Day
Honoring a trumpet giant, Kenny Dorham...
The English Patient: Original Sound Track, Vinyl – Gabriel Yared, Academy of St Martin In The Fields – Varèse Saraband
A memorable Oscar-winning score makes it’s vinyl debut!
Leif Ove Andsnes plays Liszt – Via Crucis & Solo Piano – Sony Classical
LISZT: Via Crucis, S. 53; 6 Consolations, S. 172; Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S. 175: No. 9 Andante lagrimoso; No. 8 Miserere, d’après Palestrina. Largo – Leif Ove Andsnes, piano/ Oystein Stensheim, tenor/ Olie Holmgren, bass-baritone/ Ditte Marie Braein & Magnhild Korsvik, sopranos/ Mari Askvik, mezzo-soprano/ The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir/ Grete…
Timothy Ridout, Viola – Bach, Britten, Shaw, Telemann – Harmonia Mundi
Timothy Ridout (viola) plays: BACH: partita no 2. BRITTEN; Elegy. SHAW: in manus tuas, TELEMANN: Fantasias – Harmonia Mundi HMM 902 750 (61.08) 2/2025 [Distr. PIAS] **** Timothy Ridout’s new issue has no title, unusual for Harmonia Mundi productions. It is his first solo performance on disc after a…
James Ehnes, Andrew Armstrong – Brahms Viola Sonatas, Schumann Märchenbilder – Onyx
BRAHMS: Viola Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 120/1; Viola Sonata No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 120/2; Wiegenlied, Op. 49/4; SCHUMANN: Märchenbilder, Op. 113 – James Ehnes, viola/ Andrew Armstrong, piano – ONYX 4256 (9/11/24) (61:31) [Distr. by PIAS] ****: Canadian-American violinist James Ehnes (b. 1976) addresses (9-12…
GANZ – The Complete St. Louis Symphony Recordings – Pristine Audio
Historic Orchestral Recordings from the 1920s...
BRAHMS: Piano Quartets Nos. 2, 3 – Krystian Zimerman – Deutsche Grammophon
BRAHMS: Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26; Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 60 – Krystian Zimerman, piano/ Maria Nowak, violin/ Katarzyna Budnik, viola/ Yuya Okamoto, cello – DG 486 4650 (2/6/25) (79:10) [Distr. by Universal] ****: Recorded at LAC Lugano Arts e Cultur, Sala…
Rodzinski – Shostakovic Symphony No. 8 – Pristine Audio
Concert Performance... Huge Applause!
Charles Munch Vol. 43 – Bach, Prokofiev, Schmitt, Roussel, Berlioz, Ravel – Yves St-Laurent
An excellent addition to the recorded legacy of French conductor Charles Munch
Paul Paray Conducts – Beethoven, Chabrier, Roussel, Pierne – Forgotten Records
Mid-century recordings of a significant conductor
Rafael Kubelik – Mozart Symphonie Concertante, Brahms Violin Concerto – Yves St-Laurent
Another in this retrospective of Rafael Kubelik
Zlata Chochieva – In Recital
Concert Recital -- Bach, Bartok, Brahms, Rachmaninoff...
Roland Kirk – Now please don’t you cry, beautiful Edith – Acoustic Sounds
A significant achievement for the Acoustic Sounds Series... historic document of a key jazz figure
Classic Vanguard Jazz Piano Sessions – Mosaic Records
The Vanguard Jazz Showcase happily continues...
Carla Thomas – Sweet Sweetheart – Craft Recordings
Carla Thomas – Sweet Sweetheart – Stax/Craft Recordings
Sonny Rollins – Original Music From The Score “Alfie” Impulse! – Acoustic Sounds
This re-mastered vinyl showcases an excellent Sonny Rollins album with a large ensemble.
Warren Zevon – Piano Fighter: The Giant Years – Rhino Entertainment Company
Rhino Entertainment Company releases a vinyl box set of an under-appreciated rock legend.
Miles Davis – Walkin’ – Craft Recordings
Craft Recordings releases a seminal album re-mastered on audiophile vinyl.
The New Stan Getz Quartet Featuring Astrid Gilberto – Getz Au Go Go – Acoustic Sounds
A jazz artist embraces Bossa Nova on this re-mastered vinyl.
Blue Moods – Force & Grace – Posi-Tone
A hefty helping of Hubbard.
Freddie Hubbard – On Fire: Live From The Blue Morocco – Resonance Records
Freddie Hubbard - is On Fire, RSD 3 LP set, a true understatement...
Charles Mingus – Mingus In Argentina/The Buenos Aires Concert – Resonance Records
A late-career live album by Charles Mingus is an excellent Record Store Day release!