Monthly Archive: April 2018
BERLIOZ: Les Troyens (complete opera) – Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra/John Nelson – Erato
A magnificent achievement, and one that doesn’t come along often. BERLIOZ: Les Troyens (complete opera) – Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Choeur de l’Opéra national du Rhin, Choeur Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Badischer Staatsopernchor/ John Nelson [Complete opera cast below] – Erato 9029576220 (4 CDs + DVD), 1 hour 54 minutes *****: Is this the best Trojans I […]
The Music Treasury for 15 April – Gundula Janowitz
The Music Treasury, 15 April 2018 – Gundula Janowitz This week, The Music Treasury is featuring the great helden-soprano Gundula Janowitz. Gundula Janowitz was very active on the opera stage from the 50s through the 70s. Janowitz had high international popularity of singers in her field; she also developed a comprehensive discography of works ranging […]
The Modern Jazz Quartet – Fontessa – Atlantic/Speakers Corner
Mono jazz comes alive on re-mastered audiophile vinyl! The Modern Jazz Quartet – Fontessa – Atlantic 1231 (1956)/Speakers Corner (2018) 180-gram mono vinyl, 36:28 ****1/2: (John Lewis – piano; Milt Jackson – vibraharp; Percy Heath – double bass; Connie Kay – drums) As members of Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, John Lewis and Milt Jackson were […]
Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign – Stax/Speakers Corner
Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign – Stax S 723 (1967)/Speakers Corner (2018) 180-gram stereo vinyl, 34:19 ****1/2: A wonderful analog re-mastering of vintage blues! (Albert King – guitar, vocals; Steve Cropper – rhythm guitar; Booker T – piano, organ; Isaac Hayes – piano; Donald “Duck” Dunn – bass; Al Jackson Jr. – […]
DVORAK: String Quintet Op.97; String Sextet Op.48 – Jerusalem String Quartet/ Veronika Hagen, viola/ Gary Hoffman, cello – Harmonia mundi
Bohemia and America find sumptuous musical celebration in these two large chamber works of Dvorak. DVORAK: String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97; String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48 – Jerusalem String Quartet/ Veronika Hagen, viola/ Gary Hoffman, cello – Harmonia mundi HMM 902320, 66:57 (1/19/18) [Distr. by PIAS] ****: Recorded 14-17 January 2017, […]
Takaaki – New Kid In Town – Albany Records
From classical training to jazz playing with impressive results! Takaaki – New Kid In Town – Albany Records 1689 59:06**** ( Takaaki Otomo – piano; Noriko Ueda – bass; Jared Schonig – drums) It is an uncommon occurrence when a classically trained pianist makes the transition to a jazz player with such impressive results. However […]
Les McCann & Eddie Harris – Swiss Movement – Atlantic
Speakers Corner releases a masterful vinyl upgrade of an historic jazz concert! Les McCann & Eddie Harris – Swiss Movement – Atlantic 1537 (1969)/Speakers Corner (2018) 180-gram stereo vinyl, 36:26 *****: (Les McCann – piano, vocal; Eddie Harris – tenor saxophone; Benny Bailey – trumpet; Leroy Vinnegar – bass; Donald Dean – drums) 1969 […]
FALLA: Fantasia Baetica & other piano works – Garrick Ohlsson, piano – Hyperion
Spain’s musical soul enjoys brilliant illumination in this survey of Manuel de Falla’s keyboard works. FALLA: Cuatro piezas espanolas; El sombrero de tres picos; Canto de los remeros del Volga; El amor brujo (trans. Falla); Homenaje “Pour le tombeau de Claude Debussy”; Sequnda danza Espanola; Fantasia Baetica – Garrick Ohlsson, piano – Hyperion CDA68177, 70:00 […]
The Ruggiero Ricci/Martha Argerich 1961 Leningrad Recitals
The Ruggiero Ricci/Martha Argerich Leningrad Recitals from April 21-22, 1961 This week, The Music Treasury features historic recordings of two exceptional musicians of the last century—Ruggiero Ricci and Martha Argerich. Ruggiero Ricci (1918-2012), the San Francisco-born violin prodigy, retained his prowess almost to the day he died. Like Menuhin, Ricci was a pupil of Louis […]
SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata D. 960; Fantasie for piano, four hands, D. 940; Marche militaire, D. 733 – Philippe Entremont, piano/ Gen Tomuro, piano – Solo Musica
Philippe Entremont fulfills a personal project to record the Schubert keyboard music he most treasures. SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat Major, D. 960; Fantasie in f minor for Piano, Four hands, D. 940; Marche militaire in D Major, D. 733, No. 1 – Philippe Entremont, piano/ Gen Tomuro, piano – Solo Musica SM […]
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends – To Bonnie From Delaney – Atco
An album by under-appreciated rock icons gets an analog upgrade! Delaney & Bonnie & Friends – To Bonnie From Delaney – Atco SD-33-341 (1970)/Speakers Corners (2018) 180-gram stereo vinyl, 42:18 ****1/2: (Delaney Bramlett – guitar, vocals; Bonnie Bramlett – vocals; complete list of performers below) In the annals of rock history, there has never been […]
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas “Hammerklavier” & “Moonlight” – Murray Perahia, piano – DGG
Murray Perahia offers two distinct Beethoven sonatas from polar aspects of his idiosyncratic Romanticism. BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 “Hammerklavier”; Piano Sonata No. 14 in c-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 “Moonlight” – Murray Perahia, piano – DGG 470 8353, 55:42 (2/9/18) [Distr. by Universal] ****: Beethoven in 1818 had […]
LOUIS COUPERIN: Dances from the Bauyn Manuscript = Three suites (d minor, g minor, A Major) and other dances. – Pavel Kolesnikov, piano – Hyperion
Pavel Kolesnikov devotes a refined disc to the music of Louis Couperin, one of the pillars of the French clavecin school. LOUIS COUPERIN: Dances from the Bauyn Manuscript = Suite in d minor; Suite in g minor; Suite in A Major; Allemande Grave in F Major; Chaconne in F Major; Chaconne ou Passacaille in g […]
Editorial for April, 2018
Celebration of Debussy Impressions: The Sound of Debussy is a 3 CD set from Warner Classics, an enticing sampler of Warner’s release of the entirety of Debussy’s surviving corpus—Warner’s Claude Debussy: The Complete Works, released this year in at the centenary of his death, celebrating his rich creative output. Warner Classics has created a definitive […]
Bill Frisell – Music Is – Okeh
A master of Americana music… Bill Frisell – Music Is – Okeh/Sony Masterworks 19075815002 – 58:44 – ****: (Bill Frisell – electric and acoustic guitars; loops; bass; ukulele, music boxes) Bill Frisell is a guitarist for all seasons. He fits in as the ultimate guitar sideman. His tastes are eclectic and cover rock, country, jazz, […]
Rahsaan Barber – The Music In the Night – Jazz Music City
A pleasurable amalgam of sounds that shows curiosity in accessing the contours of melody and harmony. Rahsaan Barber – The Music In the Night – Jazz Music City 56:12*** ( Rahsaan Barber – saxophones; Matt Endahl – piano; Jack Aylor – upright bass; Derrek Phillips – drumset; special guests: Dara Tucker – vocal #4; James […]
Richard Royall “Duck” Baker IV (solo guitar) – Duck Baker Plays Monk – Triple Point
Monk on acoustic guitar is marvelous! Richard Royall “Duck” Baker IV (solo guitar) – Duck Baker Plays Monk [TrackList follows] – Triple Point TPR 271 (LP), 46:15 [3/23/18] ****: It’s been 36 years since Thelonious Monk passed away. His music and compositions continue to influence and inspire. Case in point is American fingerstyle guitarist Richard […]
Alfred Brendel Live in Vienna = SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto; BRAHMS Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel – Alfred Brendel, piano/ Vienna Phil. Orch./ Sir Simon Rattle – Decca
Music of Schumann and Brahms graces these two appearances in Vienna by Alfred Brendel, testaments to his mastery of the Romantic idiom.