Monthly Archive: December 2016
Last Of The Mississippi Jukes (2016)
Last Of The Mississippi Jukes (2016) An interesting historical blues documentary finally gets released on DVD. Performers: Alvin Youngblood Hart; Bobby Rush; Chris Thomas King; Vasti Jackson; Patrice Moncell; Eddie Cotton; George Jackson; The King Edward Blues Band; The House Rockers; Abdul Rasheed; J.T. Watkins & Levon Lindsey; Dennis Fountain & Pat Brown; Lucille; Greg […]
Stuart McCALLUM & Mike WALKER – The Space Between – Edition
Atmospheric guitar duo music in the tradition of early Pat Metheny with string quartet adornment. Stuart McCALLUM & Mike WALKER – The Space Between – Edition 1082, 49:11 (11/25/16) ***: (Stuart McCallum – acoustic guitar & electronics/ Mike Walker – electric guitar; (string quartet on tracks 1, 3, 6 & 7) Laura Senior & Gemma […]
William Kapell, p. – Broadcasts and Concert Performances, 1944-1952 = Works of BACH, BRAHMS, CHOPIN, DEBUSSY, GRANADOS, LISZT, MENDELSSOHN, RACHMANINOV, SCHUBERT, R. STRAUSS & others – Marston (3 discs)
Marston Records bestows a glorious boon on those who revere the great American virtuoso, William Kapell. William Kapell – Broadcasts and Concert Performances, 1944-1952 = BACH: Suite in a minor, BWV 818; Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. Busoni); Concerto in a minor for Four Klaviers (after Vivaldi); BRAHMS: Intermezzo in A-flat, Op. 76, No. […]
Nadia Reisenberg, piano – Live Ch. Recitals and Home Solo Performances = Works of WEBER, MOZART, BEETHOVEN, LISZT & Others – Romeo (2 discs)
Piano virtuoso Nadia Reisenberg’s “personal elation” in making chamber music with gifted friends and colleagues. Nadia Reisenberg – Live Chamber Recitals and Home Solo Performances = WEBER: Grand Duo Concertante, Op. 48; MOZART: Piano Trio in E-flat Major, K. 498 “Kegelstatt”; BEETHOVEN: Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11 “Gassenhauer”; Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, […]
PHILIP GLASS & ROBERT WILSON: Einstein on the Beach, Blu-ray (2016)
Still Philip Glass’ most important work in a stunning production! PHILIP GLASS & ROBERT WILSON: Einstein on the Beach, Blu-ray (2016) Production: Chatelet Theatre, Paris Performers: The Philip Glass Ensemble/The Lucinda Childs Dance Company/Antoine Silverman, Helga Davis, Kate Moran/Michael Reisman (cond.) Robert Wilson (stage director)/ Don Kent (screen director) Studio: Opus Arte (2 discs) [10/28/16] […]
Audio News for December 30 2016
The 2016 Year in Classical Music – Two of the most influential musicians of both centuries took their final curtain calls during 2016: Pierre Boulez (who blew minds in conservative classical music with his compositions) and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, the Austrian cellist, conductor, music researcher and founder of historic performance practice. Also deceased was Peter Maxwell […]
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique – Royal Concertgebouw Orch./ Daniele Gatti – RCO/ Avotros 45rpm vinyl (2)
Amazing fidelity in this 45 rpm vinyl, though perhaps not the best performance. HECTOR BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Daniele Gatti – RCO/ Avotros 45 RPM vinyl (2 discs) ****1/2: Gatti is the seventh conductor of the famed Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amserdam, and takes an unconventional version of the score which has astonished […]
“Hawniyaz” – Kayhan Kalhour, kamancheh/Aynur, chant/Cemil Qoçgirî, tenbûr/Salman Gambarov, p. – HM
Just sit back and enjoy this wonderful ensemble and learn something. “Hawniyaz” – Kayhan Kalhour, kamancheh/Aynur, chant/Cemil Qoçgirî, tenbûr/Salman Gambarov, p. – Harmonia mundi, 57:31 [Distr. by PIAS] (8/12/16), ***1/2: Upon first seeing this album I honestly had no idea what I was in for. I have heard very little of contemporary classical music come […]
American Psalmody of the 20th Century – Gloriae Dei Cantore/Richard K. Pugsley – Paraclete (3 CD set)
A fine tour of American choral music on 3 CDs. American Psalmody of the 20th Century – Gloriae Dei Cantore/Richard K. Pugsley – Paraclete Recordings 8999 (3 CD set) TT: 3:11:00 (7/20/16) ****: This new recording from Paraclete is a pretty complete tour of American Choral music based on Psalms from the Bible. The collection […]
Lee Konitz / Kenny Wheeler Quartet – Olden Times – Live At Birdland – Neuburg Double Moon
Lee Konitz / Kenny Wheeler Quartet – Olden Times – Live At Birdland – Neuburg Double Moon DMCHR 71146, 78:31 ****: Time has not diminished the astounding expressiveness of these two musical innovators. (Lee Konitz – alto saxophone/ Kenny Wheeler – trumpet, Flugelhorn/ Frank Wunsch – piano; Gunnar Plümer – drums) It would be futile […]
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Blu-ray (2016)
A classic that has been seen by millions—now in your living room. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Blu-ray (2016) TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker (Live from Lincoln Center) Performers: The New York City Ballet Director: Katherine E. Brown Producer: John Goberman Studio: C Major 738704 2016 [Distr. by Naxos] Video: 16:9 HD Blu-ray Audio: PCM Stereo 2.0, DTS-HD […]
Ramon Llull – A time of conquests, dialogue…- Savall – Alia Vox
A fascinating probe into one of the most brilliant minds ever to grace the earth. “Ramon Llull – A time of conquests, dialogue, and disconsolations” = Hespérion XXI /La Capella Reial de Catalunya/ Jordi Savall — Alia Vox multichannel SACD AVSA9917, (2 discs) TT: 137:34 & book [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ****: Ramon Llull (1232-1316) […]
BEETHOVEN: Two Sonatas – Grumiaux, v./Arrau, p. – Pentatone
Beethoven as he was meant to be played. BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonatas No. 1 in D, Opus 12:1; No. 5 in F, Opus 24, “Spring” – Arthur Grumiaux, violin/ Claudio Arrau, p. – Pentatone multichannel (4.0) SACD PTC 5186 235, 45:22 (8/26/16) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: They don’t get much better than this—Beethoven violin sonatas, that […]
MONTEVERDI: Messa a Quattro voci et salmi of 1650; CAVALLI: Magnificat – The Sixteen/ Harry Christophers – Coro
A terrific start to a new two-part series. MONTEVERDI: Messa a Quattro voci et salmi of 1650 (Vol. 1); CAVALLI: Magnificat – The Sixteen/ Harry Christophers – Coro Cor 16142, 71:29 ****: After Monteverdi’s death in 1643 at the age of 76, his publisher thought highly enough of some of his unpublished pieces to put […]
“The Clarinet in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries from Solo to Quartet” – Music of ERNESTO CAVALLINI, DOMENICO SCARLATTI & others – Stark Quartet – Tactus
“The Clarinet in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries from Solo to Quartet” – Music of ERNESTO CAVALLINI, DOMENICO SCARLATTI & others – Stark Quartet – Tactus TC890001, 62:14 [Distr. by Naxos] (11/11/16) ***: Very nice playing in this collection for the true enthusiast. There is a decent amount of repertoire (well, pretty large actually) for […]
Martha Argerich: Live Broadcasts, Vol. 5 – Works of MOZART, BACH, SCHUMANN & CHOPIN – Doremi
The Argerich legend continues in potent and sometimes manic performances from 1966. Martha Argerich: Live Broadcasts, Vol. 5 – MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor, K. 466; BACH: Toccata in c minor, BWV 911; SCHUMANN: Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17; CHOPIN: 3 Mazurkas, Op. 59 – Martha Argerich, p./ Sym. Orch. of […]
Art Pepper & Warne Marsh – Unreleased Art: Volume 9 at Dante’s, April 26, 1974 – Widow’s Taste
A blend of passion and cerebral coolness… Art Pepper & Warne Marsh – Unreleased Art: Volume 9 at Dante’s, April 26, 1974 – Widow’s Taste APM 16001 – 3 CDs 58:44, 60:03, 57:22 ****: (Art Pepper – alto and soprano sax; Warne Marsh – tenor sax; Mark Levine- piano; John Heard – bass; Lew Malin […]
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major; Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major – The Cleveland Orch./ Mitsuko Uchida, p. and cond. – Decca
Pianist-director Uchida instills both pomp and poetry into her latest survey of the Mozart concertos. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453; Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503 – The Cleveland Orch./ Mitsuko Uchida, piano and cond. – Decca 483 0716, 67:23 (10/28/16) [Distr. by Universal] **** : Piano […]
Audio News for December 27, 2016
Alexa Control4 Home Automation Setup – Control4 is smart-home-as-a-service company which specializes in custom-installed connected entertainment setups. Fairly high end, the master receivers start at $600 and go as high as $2000, and to that must be added costs of your smart home gear. But it offers seamless, dealer-installed integration of all home AV needs, […]
FRANCK: Sonata for v. & p.; Melancolie, Andantino quietoso; RAVEL: Sonata for v. & p. No. 2; Tzigane – Kirill Troussov, v./ Alexandra Troussova, p. – MD&G Recital
An excellent performance of Ravel & Franck violin & piano sonatas, plus extras. FRANCK: Sonata for violin & piano; Melancolie, Andantino quietoso Op. 6; RAVEL: Sonata for violin & piano No. 2; Tzigane – Kirill Troussov, v./ Alexandra Troussova, p. – MD&G Recital multichannel SACD 903 1984-6 (plus 2+2+2), 65:28 (Distr. by Naxos) [1/13/17] ****: […]
GAVIN BRYARS: The Fifth Century; Two Love Songs – Prism Quartet/The Crossing/Donald McNally – ECM New Series
Music that sounds both ancient and modern and beautiful throughout. GAVIN BRYARS: The Fifth Century; Two Love Songs – Prism Quartet/The Crossing/Donald McNally – ECM New Series ECM2405, 50:58 [Distr. by Naxos] (11/18/16) 50:58 ****: I have always found Gavin Bryars’ music to be beautiful, mysterious, unique; sometimes a bit disturbing – but always worth […]
Patrick ZIMMERLI – Shores Against Silence – Songlines
Patrick ZIMMERLI – Shores Against Silence – Songlines 1619, 38:38 (11/4/16) ****: (Patrick Zimmerli, tenor sax/ Kevin hays; p./ Larry Grenadier. bass/ Tom Rainey, drums, Satoshi Takeishi, percussion) Previously unreleased quartet music from 1992 by heady classical/jazz composer Patrick Zimmerli. Given the technical mastery and expressive range of tenor saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli, it is surprising […]