Monthly Archive: May 2017
Artur Schnabel: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings = BEETHOVEN: Concerti, Sonata; SCHUBERT: Impromptus- Artur Schnabel (p.) / Chicago Symph. Orch./ Frederick Stock (cond.) – Sony
Artur Schnabel: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings = BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58; Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 “Emperor”; Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109; Piano Sonata No. 32 in c minor, Op. 111; SCHUBERT: Four Impromptus, D. 899 – Artur Schnabel, piano/ […]
David Weiss & Point of Departure – Wake Up Call – Ropeadope
David Weiss & Point of Departure – Wake Up Call [TrackList follows] – Ropeadope RAD-328, 76:08 [2/10/17] ****: A re-consideration of the early fusion era with remarkable results. (David Weiss – trumpet, Fender Rhodes (tracks 1, 5); Myron Walden – tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 5-9); J.D. Allen – tenor saxophone (tracks 2-4); Ben Eunson – […]
STANFORD: Preludes – Sam Haywood (p.) – Hyperion
Sir Charles Villiers STANFORD: 38 Preludes from the Two Sets of 24 Preludes in all the keys for pianoforte, Opp. 163 and 179 – Sam Haywood, piano – Hyperion CDA68183, 69:41 (6/2/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: Irish composer and organ pedagogue Stanford has some effective statements in his extended homage to Bach, his 48 […]
Van Morrison – The Authorized Bang Collection – Legacy/Bang
Van Morrison – The Authorized Bang Collection – Legacy/Bang 88985424672 – 3 CD set (71:32, 74:31, 35:44) ***1/2 A case of “what could have been” rather than “what was”- Van Morrison – The Authorized Bang Collection (Van Morrison – guitar and vocals; Eric Gale, Hugh McCracken, Al Gorgoni, Donald Thomas – guitars; Russ Savukas, Bob […]
DR. MiNT – Voices in the Void – Orenda
DR. MiNT – Voices in the Void [TrackList follows] – Orenda 0037, 34:34 [1/27/17] ****: The doctor is in. (Daniel Rosenboom – trumpet; Gavin Templeton – saxophone; Alexander Noice – electric guitar, effects; Sam Minaie – electric bass, effects; Caleb Dolister – drums) Jazz quintet DR. MiNT (yes, it’s officially spelled that way) uses an […]
“El Amor Brujo – The Essence of the Music of Manuel De Falla” – Euskal Barrokensemble/Enrike Solinis – Alia Vox
“El Amor Brujo – The Essence of the Music of Manuel De Falla” – Euskal Barrokensemble/Enrike Solinis – Alia Vox AV9921, 57:15, (6/09/2017) Tracklist follows ****: Absolutely sultry and very authentic sounding. I have loved the music of Manuel De Falla for many years, having first heard my father’s old vinyl recordings as I was […]
Fifty Shades Darker, Blu-ray (2017)
A long second chapter of the best-selling book and movie, with more to come. Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Kim Basinger Director: James Foley Studio: Universal Pictures 61180932 (5/19/7) [2 discs] Video: 2.40:1 for 16:9 screens, HD color Audio: English DD 5.1 & 2.0, English SDH, French DD 5.1 & DTS-HD MA 5.1, […]
DVORAK: Serenades from Bohemia = Piano Octet, Serenades for strings and woodwinds – Czech Nonet/ Ivan Klansky (p.) / Pavel Huela, Vladimir Klansky (vlns.)/ Academy of St-Martin/Marriner – Praga Digitals
DVORAK: Serenades from Bohemia = Piano Octet-Serenade in E, B. 36; Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22; Serenade in d minor for Woodwinds (arr. Nonet), Op. 44 – Czech Nonet/ Ivan Klansky, piano/ Pavel Huela and Vladimir Klansky, vioins/ Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields/ Neville Marriner – Praga Digitals PRD 250 371, 77:21 (4/17/17) [Distr. […]
DVORAK & SCHUBERT: ‘American’ and ‘Death and the Maiden’ Quartets – Channel Classics
DVORAK & SCHUBERT: String Quartets ‘American’ & ‘Death and the Maiden’ – Channel Classics 39147, 64:17 (5/26/17) *****: The debut recording of a powerhouse Chinese ensemble featuring central works of the string quartet repertoire. Midway through the Dragon String Quartet’s vivid reading of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden”, I realized that this was not just […]
Joris TEEPE & Don BRADEN: Conversations – Creative Perspective Music
Joris TEEPE & Don BRADEN: Conversations – Creative Perspective Music 3004, 61:11 (2/17/17) ****: A well considered and deeply prepared trio outing in the footsteps of the legendary Sonny Rollins trio. (Don Braden; Tenor Saxophone, Flute/ Joris Teepe; Bass / Gene Jackson; drums (tracks 2,4 and 6) Matt Wilson; drums (tracks 1,7,8 and 9) Why […]
Cantelli: New York Phil.-Symph. Orch., Vol. I = Works of HAYDN, MOZART, RAVEL, de FALLA, VIVALDI, BEETHOVEN, PISTON, COPLAND – Walter Gieseking (p.) / New York Phil. Symph. Orch./ Guido Cantelli – Pristine Audio
Cantelli: New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I = HAYDN: Symphony No. 93 in D Major; MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467; RAVEL: Pavane pour une infant defunte; FALLA: El Sombrero des Tres Picos: Suite No. 2; VIVALDI: Concerto Grosso in d minor, Op. 11, No. 3; BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 […]
Henri MARTEAU: Serenade; Clarinet Quintet/Alexander ZEMLINSKY: Clarinet Trio – Mark Lieb (cl.)/Phoenix Ensemble – Navona Records
“Chamber Works of Henri Marteau and Alexander Zemlinsky” = Henri MARTEAU: Serenade; Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet/Alexander ZEMLINSKY: Trio for clarinet, cello and piano – Mark Lieb, clarinet/Phoenix Ensemble – Navona Records NV6076 [Distr. by Naxos], 77:09, (2/10/2017) ****: Pleasant and somewhat obscure music played with dedication. This very pleasant collection of chamber music, […]
Steve REICH, “Duet” = Duet for Two Solo Violins, compositions – MDR Leipzig Symph. Orch./MDR Leipzig Radio Choir/Kristjan Järvi – Sony Classical
Steve REICH, “Duet” = Duet for Two Solo Violins, compositions [Tracklist follows] – MDR Leipzig Symphony Orchestra/MDR Leipzig Radio Choir/Kristjan Järvi – Sony Classical 88985366362 (2 CDs), 92:58, (11/11/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Some of Reich’s best works given excellent performances, As one of the founding composers and one of the best known of America’s […]
Anat COHEN, Marcello GONCALVES, Trio Brasileiro: Outra Coisa & Rosa Dos Ventos – Anzic
Anat COHEN & Marcello GONCALVES: Outra Coisa: “The Music of Moacir Santos” – Anzic 0055, 46:45 (4/28/17) *****: Anat COHEN & Trio Brasileiro: Rosa Dos Ventos – Anzic 0057, 48:40 (4/28/17) ****: Anat Cohen fronts two small ensembles on a double release of stupendously creative and exciting music which draws its inspiration from choro, jazz […]
Art Pepper – Art Pepper Quartet – Omnivore Recordings
Art Pepper – Art Pepper Quartet – Omnivore Recordings/ Tampa OVCD-214/ TP-20 – Mono – Nov. 1956 – 45:59 **** Classic 1956 West Coast session from Art Pepper… (Art Pepper – alto sax; Russ Freeman – piano; Ben Tucker – bass; Gary Frommer – drums) One of my most treasured West Coast jazz LPs is a […]
Eliane Elias – Dance Of Time – ConcordJazz
Eliane Elias – Dance Of Time – ConcordJazz CJ A00027 56:16 **** Samba Olé (Eliane Elias – vocals , piano; Marcus Teixeira – acoustic guitar 1-3, 5-10; Conrado Goys – electric guitar 4; Marcelo Mariano – electric bass – 1-10; Edu Ribeiro – drums 1-3, 5-10; Celso de Almeida – drums 4; Marivaldo dos Santos […]
PROKOFIEV and ZABOROV: Piano Works – Jenny Lin (p.) Steinway & Sons
PROKOFIEV: Pieces from Cinderella – Pieces for Piano – ZABOROV: Nine Variations on the theme by Dmitri Shostakovich – Variations for piano “Quattrocento” – Ten Apparitions – Suite for Piano “Entrelacs” – Jenny Lin, piano, Steinway & Sons 30055, 62:56, ***** Classic and modern Russian piano scores, played with intelligence and verve This is the […]
Sir John BARBIROLLI conducts = SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 6; NIELSEN: Symphony No. 4 – The Hallé Orch. – HDTT
Sir John BARBIROLLI conducts = SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 6; NIELSEN: Symphony No. 4 – The Hallé Orchestra – HDTT [various formats including hi-res PCM & DSD from www.highdeftapetransfers.com] [Reviewed from DSD64 files], TT: 64:33 Barbirolli shines in two works from Scandinavia. Sir John Barbirolli (1899-1970) was born in London; his father and grandfather were violinists […]
KLEIBERG : Mass for Modern Man – Mari Eriksmoen (sop) / Johannes Weisser (bar) / Trondheim SO & Choir / Eivind Gullberg Jensen – Pure Audio Blu-ray 2L
KLEIBERG : Mass for Modern Man – Mari Eriksmoen (sop) / Johannes Weisser (bar) / Trondheim SO & Choir / Eivind Gullberg Jensen – Pure Audio Blu-ray – 5.1 surround + stereo + mShuttle / 9.1 Auro-3D + 11.1 Dolby Atmos 48kHz / SACD multichannel and stereo; 2L-136SABD – TT: 67:59 ea. (2 discs) [Distr. […]
Leopold STOKOWSKI conducts BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1; WEBER: Invitaton to the Dance; STRAUSS: Blue Danube and Vienna Woods Waltzes; LISZT: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 – Philadelphia Orch./ Leopold Stokowski – PASC
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in c minor, Op. 68; WEBER: Invitaton to the Dance, Op. 65 (arr. Berlioz/Stokowski); J. STRAUSS: On the Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 314; Tales from the Vienna Woods Waltz, Op. 325; LISZT: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (orch. Mueller-Berghaus) – Philadelphia Orchestra/ Leopold Stokowski – Pristine Audio PASC 500, 70:01 [www.pristineclassical.com] […]
Arrangements or Transfigurations = BACH, MOZART, BRAHMS, STRAVINSKY, JANACEK: Pieces for piano, string trio/quartet, wind ensemble, orch. – Wilhelm Kempff (p.); Grumiaux Trio/ Arthur Rubinstein, Guarneri String Quartet; Chicago Symph. Orch./ Robert Craft/ Tokyo String Quartet/ London Symph. Orch./ Antal Dorati/ Prague Wind Quintet/ Zemlinsky Quartet – Praga Digitals
Arrangements or Transfigurations = BACH: Prelude and Fugue in e-flat minor, BWV 853; MOZART: 6 Preludes and Fugues, K. 404a: No. 3 in d minor; BRAHMS: Piano Quartet No. 1 in g minor, Op. 25: Intermezzo; Intermezzo (orch. Schoenberg); STRAVINSKY: Three Pieces for String Quartet; Four Etudes for Orchestra; JANACEK: Mlada Suite for Wind Sextet; […]
BRUCH: String Octets; String Quintet – The Nash Ensemble – Hyperion
The aging German master displays his melodic and often explosive temper in three late string works. BRUCH: String Octet in E-flat Major; String Quintet in a minor; String Octet in B-flat Major – The Nash Ensemble – Hyperion CDA68168, 62:48 (3/31/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: The three chamber works by Max Bruch (rec. 18-20 […]