Monthly Archive: April 2016

**********  Ben Webster – The Warm Moods  ********** With orch. arr. & cond. by Johnny Richards – Reprise/Pure Pleasure vinyl

********** Ben Webster – The Warm Moods ********** With orch. arr. & cond. by Johnny Richards – Reprise/Pure Pleasure vinyl

A wonderful long and intimate vinyl session with Ben Webster. * Ben Webster – The Warm Moods [TrackList follows] – With orch. arr. & cond. by Johnny Richards – Reprise (also Discovery) R9-2001 (1960)/ Pure Pleasure (2015) [11/6/15] *****: What a sound! I had thought Stan Getz was my favorite saxist, but now I’m sure it’s […]

BRUCKNER: Sym. No. 9 arr. for 2 Pianos & Mass No. 3 – HDTT audio-only Blu-rays

BRUCKNER: Sym. No. 9 arr. for 2 Pianos & Mass No. 3 – HDTT audio-only Blu-rays

Two newly-recorded Bruckner items in hi-res surround on Blu-ray. ANTON BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in d arr. for Two Pianos  – Till Alexander Korber & Reinhold Puri-Jobi, pianos – HDTT 4-channel 24/192 (2015) DTS-HD MA audio-only Blu-ray ****: ANTON BRUCKNER: Mass No. 3 in f – Cynthia Clayton sop./ Melanie Sonnenberg, mezzo/ Joseph Evans, tenor/ […]

Julian Lage, guitar – Arclight – Mack Ave.

Julian Lage, guitar – Arclight – Mack Ave.

Guitarist Julian Lage plugs in. Julian Lage – Arclight [TrackList follows] – Mack Ave. MAC1107, 36:45 [3/11/16] ****: (Julian Lage – guitar; Kenny Wollesen – drums, percussion; Scott Colley – bass) In the rock music community, going unplugged (or primarily concentrating on acoustic instruments) is enough of an unusual turn it becomes a special event. […]

“Dawn to Dust” – Music of THOMAS, MUHLY, and NORMAN – Utah Sym. Orch. / Thierry Fischer – Reference Recordings

“Dawn to Dust” – Music of THOMAS, MUHLY, and NORMAN – Utah Sym. Orch. / Thierry Fischer – Reference Recordings

“Dawn to Dust” – Music of THOMAS, MUHLY, and NORMAN – Utah Sym. Orch. / Thierry Fischer – Reference Recordings multichannel SACD FR-719, 69:31 (4/8/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Notable contemporary music from Utah in a lovely recording. Dawn To Dust contains live recordings of three significant and interesting works by leading composers Augusta Read […]

LARSSON: Symphony No. 2; Variations; Barococo Suite – Helsingborg Sym. Orch. /Andrew Manze – CPO

LARSSON: Symphony No. 2; Variations; Barococo Suite – Helsingborg Sym. Orch. /Andrew Manze – CPO

LARS-ERIK LARSSON: Symphony No. 2; Variations, Op. 50; Barococo Suite, Op. 64 – Helsingborg Sym. Orch. /Andrew Manze – CPO 777 672-2 multichannel SACD, 69:53 [Distr. by Naxos] (11/13/15) ****: Very dedicated performances of these works that remain pretty obscure. There are probably a lot of reasons why the music of Swedish composer Lars-Erik Larsson […]

Christopher Zuar Orchestra – Musings – Sunnyside

Christopher Zuar Orchestra – Musings – Sunnyside

Keep an eye on Christopher Zuar… Christopher Zuar Orchestra – Musings – Sunnyside SSC 1434, 55:17 ****1/2: (Christopher Zuar – composer, arranger, conductor; Dave Pietro, Ben Kono, Jason Rigby, Lucas Pino, Brian Landrus – woodwinds; Tony Kadleck, Jon Owens, Mat Jodrell, Matt Holman – trumpets; Tim Albright, Matt McDonald, Alan Ferber, Max Siegel – trombones; […]

KREISLER: Music for Violin and Piano – Shlomo Mintz, v./ Cliford Benson, p. – PentaTone

KREISLER: Music for Violin and Piano – Shlomo Mintz, v./ Cliford Benson, p. – PentaTone

A charming hour of Fritz Kreisler favorites, performed by a gifted violinist who relished the composer’s renaissance.  KREISLER: Music for Violin and Piano – Polichinelle; La Gitana; ALBENIZ: Tango; Rondino on a theme by BEETHOVEN; Caprice viennois, Op. 2; WEBER: Larghetto; Zigeuner-Capriccio; WIENIAWSKI: Caprice in E-flat Major; Liebesleid; Tambourin chinois; DVORAK: Slavonic Dance, Op. 72, […]

“MAHLER Rarities” = Symphony No. 2 in c minor “Resurrection”: Andante moderato; Sym. No. 4 – Soloists/ Hilversum Radio Philharmonic/ Paul van Kempen – Pristine Audio

“MAHLER Rarities” = Symphony No. 2 in c minor “Resurrection”: Andante moderato; Sym. No. 4 – Soloists/ Hilversum Radio Philharmonic/ Paul van Kempen – Pristine Audio

The Mahler legacy adds two rare documents of innate interest to the history of recorded sound.  “MAHLER Rarities” = Symphony No. 2 in c minor “Resurrection”: Andante moderato only; Sym. No. 4 in G Major – Cadillac Sym. Orch./ Arnold Schoenberg (Sym. No. 2)/ Corry Bijster, sop./ Hilversum Radio Philharmonic Orch./ Paul van Kempen – […]

Misconduct, Blu-ray (2015)

Misconduct, Blu-ray (2015)

A thriller with a twist, demonstrating that “Ambition can be deadly.” Misconduct, Blu-ray (2015) Cast: Josh Duhamel, Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins Director: Shintaro Shimosawa Studio: Lionsgate (4/19/16) Video: 2.40:1 for 16:9 widescreen, 1080p HD color Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: English Extras: “The Making of Misconduct” featurette; Deleted scenes; Trailer Gallery Length: 93 min. […]

“Woodwinds of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra” – JANACEK: Mladi; MARTINU: Sextet for Piano & Winds; VERESS: Sonatina for Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon; POULENC: Sextuor – Soloists – RCO Live

“Woodwinds of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra” – JANACEK: Mladi; MARTINU: Sextet for Piano & Winds; VERESS: Sonatina for Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon; POULENC: Sextuor – Soloists – RCO Live

A delightful spotlight on the woodwind section of the great Concertgebouw Orch. “Woodwinds of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra” – JANACEK: Mladi; MARTINU: Sextet for Piano and Winds H. 174; SANDOR VERESS: Sonatina for Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon; POULENC: Sextuor – Soloists – RCO Live multichannel SACD RCO15008, 59:59 *****: Antonine Reicha made the quintet of […]

Audio News for April 15, 2016

Black Contributions to Classical Music Thru Video Games – The National Endowment for the Humanities has given a start-up grant to faculty members of the American University School of Communications for a web-based game called The Search for Harmony, which explores the rich influence of African descent musicians on classical music. Players will understand vital […]

VERDI: Aida (complete opera) – Anja Harteros (Aida)/ Other soloists/ Orch. & Chorus of Santa Ceclia/ Pappano – Warner Classics (3)

VERDI: Aida (complete opera) – Anja Harteros (Aida)/ Other soloists/ Orch. & Chorus of Santa Ceclia/ Pappano – Warner Classics (3)

A twenty-first Aida to set the stage and the bar very high. VERDI: Aida (complete opera) – Anja Harteros (Aida)/ Jonas Kaufmann (Radames)/ Ekaterina Semenchuk (Amneris)/ Ludovic Tezier (Amonasro)/ Erwin Schrott (Ramfis)/ Marco Spotti (Il Re)/ Paolo Fanale (Messaggero)/ Eleonora Buratto (Sacerdotessa)/ Orch. and Chorus of the Dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecelia/ Antonio Pappano – […]

VIVALDI: The Complete Viola d’Amore Concertos – Rachel Barton Pine, viola d’amore/ Ars Antigua – Cedille

VIVALDI: The Complete Viola d’Amore Concertos – Rachel Barton Pine, viola d’amore/ Ars Antigua – Cedille

A bold disc and stunning achievement. VIVALDI: The Complete Viola d’Amore Concertos – Rachel Barton Pine, viola d’amore/ Ars Antigua – Cedille CDR 90000 159, 79:11 [Distr. by Naxos] *****: One should never be quick to assume, even in the case of talented and multifaceted artists like Rachel Barton Pine, a transfer to another, even […]

Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet – Acknowledgement – Bounce-Step

Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet – Acknowledgement – Bounce-Step

Drummer Matt Kane proves that, yes, you can go home again. Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet – Acknowledgement [TrackList follows] – Bounce-Step 88295524038, 64:10 [3/4/16] ****: (Matt Kane – drums; Ben Leifer – bass; Andrew Ouellette – piano; Michael Shults – alto saxophone; Hermon Mehari – trumpet; Steve Lambert – tenor saxophone) […]

WEBER: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Concertino – Paul Meyer, clarinet & cond. l’Orch. De Chambre De Lausanne – MD&G

WEBER: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Concertino – Paul Meyer, clarinet & cond. l’Orch. De Chambre De Lausanne – MD&G

WEBER: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Concertino, Op. 26 – Paul Meyer, clarinet & cond. l’Orch. De Chambre De Lausanne – Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm multichannel SACD MDG 940-1922-6 (also 2+2+2), 51:27 (4-1-16) *****:  Classy hi-res recordings of the two Clarinet Concertos by Von Weber. Just turned 50, French clarinetist Paul Meyer’s classy new […]

WEILL/BRECHT: Die Sieben Todsünden – Gisela May (sop.), Peter Schreier (tenor)/ Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orch. Leipzig – Brilliant Classics

WEILL/BRECHT: Die Sieben Todsünden – Gisela May (sop.), Peter Schreier (tenor)/ Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orch. Leipzig – Brilliant Classics

WEILL/BRECHT: Die Sieben Todsünden – Gisela May (sop.)/ Peter Schreier (tenor)/ Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orch. Leipzig – 95126, 70:33 – Brilliant Classics (Distr. by Naxos) ****½: What a difference the right style makes. A short while ago I listened to the DVD release of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (2007), the performance with Patty […]