Monthly Archive: December 2014
JOHN WARD: Fantasies & Verse Anthems [Track List follows] – Phantasm/ Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford – Linn
Part two of the Ward fantasias add the even better verse anthems, a marvel of poetic nuance and expressiveness.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9, Chailly cond., Blu-ray – Accentus (2014)
A superb audio and video experience.
Audio News for December 12, 2014
You Can’t Receive UHD Movies from Netflix or Amazon on a Computer; Mobile Fidelity Wants More Fidelity on Releases; Meridian Audio’s MQA Technology Squeezes Higher Quality Out of Digital Music Files; Fiio X1 – an Inexpensive Hi-Res Mobile Player
MICHAEL G. CUNNINGHAM: “Paragonia” [Tracklist follows] – Navona
An interesting collection of his works (except the Schubert one).
Kenny Burrell – Midnight Blue [TrackList follows]– Blue Note (1963/2014) vinyl
A jazz blues classic is re-mastered to audiophile vinyl.
“Bach & Beethoven: Mostly Transcriptions 2” = BACH: Prelude and Fugue in D, “The Great” (Busoni); Prelude and Fugue in a (Liszt); Adagio from Sonata No. 5 in f (Siloti); Chorale Prelude “I Cry to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ”, (Busoni); BEETHOVEN: An die ferne Geliebte (Liszt); Piano Sonata No. 32 in c – Tien Hsieh, piano – MSR
Interesting transcriptions, but the Beethoven Sonata will knock your socks off.
Audio News for December 9, 2014
RadioShack Lenders Claim Default; Zero Edge FLEX Projection Screens from Screen Innovations; Audio-Technica Readies “Hi-Res” Headphones; Our Own Harper’s Index; AV Enthusiasts Should be Mad at Fireplaces
Sophisticated Lady – Jazz Quartet [TrackList follows] – Yarlung
A rare combination of expert jazz and modern recording technology.
“La Lira D’Esperia II: Galicia” = ALFONSO X O SABIO: Cantigas & Dances; ANONYMOUS: Cantos da terra – Jordi Savall, rebec, tenor viol, rebel morisco/ Pedro Estevan & David Mayoral, percussion – AliaVox
Terrific interpretations though the variety is somewhat monochrome.
BACH: Violin Concertos = Violin Concerto in A Minor. BWV 1041; Violin Concerto in E Major; Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins; Violin Concerto in G Minor; Violin Concerto in D Minor – Giuliano Carmignola, v./ Mayumi Hirasaki, v./ Concerto Cologne – Archiv
Violinist Giuliano Carmignola pours old Bach into a Venetian bottle, and the effect proves mesmerizing.
RACHMANINOV: Trio elegiaque, No. 1; TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Trio – Trio Testore – Audite
Among the best out there for these selections on SACD.
Ed Blackwell – The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint and Soul Note [TrackList follows] – /Cam Jazz (8 CDs)
Many of drummer Ed Blackwell’s myriad musical recordings are explored on an eight-CD set.
The Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy
Drummer captures big band jazz with a funky delivery!
BARGIEL: Complete Orchestral Music, Volume I = Symphony in C Major; Overtures: to a Tragedy; Prometheus; Medea – Siberian Sym. Orch./ Dmitry Vasilyev – Toccata Classics
First recordings of orchestral works by Woldemar Bargiel, a composer who follows Schumann and Weber with a strong sense of their Romantic idiom.
BRAHMS: String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major; String Sextet No. 2 in G Major – Quatour Sine Nomine/ Nicolas Pache, viola/ Francois Guye, cello – Claves
Thoroughly ingratiating readings of the Brahms sextets makes this disc a most attractive, stylistic experience.
Audio News for December 5, 2014
Best Buy Pulling Out of China; New Bluetooth v4.2 Spec; Lincoln Autos Offer Revel OEM Audio Systems; Uncoupled Power Working Group Adds Energous
American Hustle – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Madison Gate/ Legacy stereo vinyl (2 discs)
Movie soundtrack is released in a lavish double vinyl.
Siegfried Borries = DVORAK: Sonatina in G Major; Three Romantic Pieces; BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major; SCHUBERT: Violin Sonata in A Major – Siegfried Borries, v./ Michael Raucheisen, p. – MeloClassic
Selected recitals from wartime studios highlight Siegrfried Borries, concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic and Prussian State Orchestra.
SCHONBERG: Moses and Aaron – Franz Grundheber (Moses)/ Andreas Conrad (Aron)/ Johanna Winkel & Katharina Persicke, sop./ Elvira Bill, Nora Petrochenko, altos/ Jean-noel Briend, Jason Bridges, tenors/ Andreas Wolf, bari./ Friedemann Rohlig, bass/ Europa Choral Akademie/ SWR Sym. Orch. Baden-Baden and Freiburg/ Sylvain Cambreling – Hanssler Classic
The first SACD recording of this seminal piece—and it’s a great one.
“JOSEPH HAYDN: The London Sonatas” = Sonata No. 60 in C Major, Hob. XVI/50; Sonata No. 61 in D Major, Hob. XVI/51; Sonata No. 62 in E-flat Major\\; Variations in F Minor, “Un piccolo divertimento,” Hob. XVII/6; Sonata No. 59 in E-flat Major – Gottlieb Wallisch, piano – Linn
Excellent, wonderfully well-recorded late Haydn from Gottlieb Wallisch. Recommended with just the slightest of reservations.
“JOSEPH HAYDN: The London Sonatas” = Sonata No. 60 in C Major, Hob. XVI/50; Sonata No. 61 in D Major, Hob. XVI/51; Sonata No. 62 in E-flat Major\\; Variations in F Minor, “Un piccolo divertimento,” Hob. XVII/6; Sonata No. 59 in E-flat Major – Gottlieb Wallisch, piano – Linn
Excellent, wonderfully well-recorded late Haydn from Gottlieb Wallisch. Recommended with just the slightest of reservations.
* BERIO: Calmo; Quattro version originali della Ritirata Notturna di Madrid di L. Boccherini; Sinfonia – Virpi Raisanen, mezzo-sop./ Mirjam Solomon & Annika Fuhrmann, sop./ Jutta Seppinen, Pasi Hyokki, altos/ Simo Makinen, Paavo Hyokki, tenors/ Taavi Oramo, Sampo Haapaniemi, basses/ Finnish Radio Sym. Orch./ Hannu Lintu – Ondine
************* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ************
A bona fide masterpiece is given a bona fide mastery reading.