Monthly Archive: January 2014
JANACEK: The Cunning little Vixen (complete opera) x 2, Blu-rays (2013)
It’s not often a chance to review two releases of this opera comes about—and the differences in concept are quite revealing.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5 – Budapest Festival Orch./ Ivan Fischer – Channel Classics
A reference performance and recording of one of the great Mahler Symphonies.
“Barefoot” = Piano Music of Chopin, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Adams, Hofman, Kupferman, Muczynski, & Wolfgang – Joanne Pearce Martin, p. – Yarlung Records
Pianist Joanne Pearce Martin shares her favorite music.
MOZART: Die Zauberflöte (complete opera), Blu-ray (2013)
This ghastly rendition, though presented in splendid sound and vivid Blu-ray, should never have been.
“BACH: Complete Solo Keyboard Concertos” – Julia Zilberquit, p./ Moscow Virtuosi/ Saulius Sondeckis – Warner Classics (2 CDs)
Zilberquit’s 2001 survey from Moscow of the Bach keyboard concertos retains its persuasive charm and (archaic) nobility of expression.
WEINBERG: Complete Sonatas and Works = 5 Sonatas for Violin and Piano; Sonatina in D Major; Rhapsody on Moldavian; Sonata No. 6; 3 Pieces – Linus Roth, violin/ Jose Gallardo, p. – Challenge Classics (3 CDs)
Linus Roth and Jose Gallardo assemble a comprehensive survey of the Weinberg chamber works for violin.
HAYDN: Op. 2 String Quartets, Nos. 1, 2, 4, 6 – Auryn Quartet/ Matthias Lingenfelderm & Jens Oppermann, violins/ Stewart Eaton, viola/ Andreas Arndt, cello – Tacet audio-only Blu-ray
Non-standard surround placement on this disc, but excellent performances and audio quality.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor; Symphony No. 7 – Geza Anda, piano/ Cologne Radio-Sym. Orch./ Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Hans Knappertsbusch – Tahra
An opportunity to hear the late Geza Anda in concert with Hans Knappertsbusch in 1962.
Audio News for January 7, 2014
New York Times Favorite Classical Recordings of 2013; Best Jazz Discs of 2013; Benedictines of Mary Again Top Traditional Classical Album of 2013; Forecast of Growth of Sensors Industry; DEG Honors Industry’s Finest at CES 2014
Neil Swainson & Don Thompson – Tranquility – Cornerstone Records
A responsive duo who have a fluidity of empathy.
“English Music for Viola and Piano” = SIR ARTHUR BLISS: Sonata for Viola and Pianoforte; ARNOLD BAX: Sonata for Viola and Piano; RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Suite for Viola and Pianoforte – Christian Euler, viola/ Paul Rivinus, p. – MD&G Scene
Three lovely works by British composers for viola and piano.
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition; Songs and Dances of Death; The Nursery – New Zealand Sym. Orch./ Peter Breiner – Naxos Pure Audio Blu-ray
New orchestrations of three important works by Mussorgsky, in Blu-ray hi-res.
Audio News for January 3, 2014
LG to Show UHD OLED TVs at CES; Worldwide Computer Monitor Shipments Rise in Q3; Wolf Cinema Has Three New Video Projectors; Celebrity Guests to Promote Latest Consumer Technologies at International CES
BRAHMS: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77; 4 Hungarian Dances; BARTOK: Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Piano; Rhapsody No. 2 for Violin and Piano – Leonidas Kavakos, violin/ Peter Nagy, p./ Gewandhausorchester/Riccardo Chailly – Decca
Kavakos’ first Decca release features a potent, loftily mounted Brahms Concerto and a selection of “gypsy” salon works.
HAYDN: Missa in Angustiis (“Lord Nelson Mass”); Sym. No. 102 in B-flat – Mary Wilson, sop./ Abigail Fischer, mezzo-sop./ Keith Jameson, tenor/ Kevin Deas, bass-bar./ Boston Baroque/ Martin Pearlman – Linn
Not revelatory, but outstanding in every way; one of the best of the most modern recordings.
DENLER: “Portraits of Colorado” = An American Symphony No. 1; Six Variations for Violin and Piano – The Colorado Sym. and Chorus/ Scott O’Neil – Fresh
Pleasant impressions of Colorado, played and recorded well.
“Opera Baroque” box set – Les Arts Florissants, William Christie/ Ensemble 415, René Jacobs/ Concerto Vocale, René Jacobs/ Hilliard Ensemble, Paul Hillier – Arkiv, et al. Harmonia mundi (39 CDs+3 DVDs)
A stunning collection that will keep you enthralled for the rest of your life.
“Cuatro” – SOR: Grand Solo; RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Capriccio Espagnol; ALBENIZ: Fantasie Espagnole; IAN KROUSE: Folias (Guitar Quartet No. 4) – Aquarelle Guitar Quartet – Chandos
A most enjoyable guitar quartet album of Spanish-flavored music.
Metallica – Through the Never (Music from the motion picture) – Blackened (Universal)
Heavy metal listeners get an ear-full on Metallica’s soundtrack.
Home Page for January 2014
Our January drawing/giveaway is for one of six hi-res Pure Audio Blu-rays from Sono Luminus plus a standard CD of the same program. The three albums are: Entendre, with the violin/cello duo in works of Kodaly, Ravel, Sousa, Halvorsen, Servais & Leonard, Inscape’s Sprung Rhythm—with a collection of works by three new American composers, and […]
Music of Life: Orchestral Masterworks of Karel Husa = Cello Concerto; Pastorale for Strings; Suite for Orchestra: Scenes from the “Trojan Women” – Paul York, cello/ University of Louisville Sym. Orch./ Kimcherie Lloyd – Ablaze Records
Husa’s music is always worth hearing, and these pieces are quite important.
“Winter Songs and other vocal works” = ROBERT PATERSON: Captcha; Winter Songs; Eating Variations; Thursday; Batter’s Box – Jesse Blumberg, bar./ Blair McMillen, p./ David Neal, bass-bar./ Robert Gardner, bar./ Nancy Allen Lundy, sop./ Dimitri Pittas, tenor/ American Modern Ensemble – American Modern Recordings
Subtle and intricate musical settings that truly define the words “art songs”.