Audiophile Audition Archive
Mike Rood – The Desert and the City
Guitarist Mike Rood is anything but rude on his even-tempered, mostly understated debut.
Corea, Clarke & White – Forever – Concord Records
Disc 1 of this set is an all-acoustic compilation of eight tunes, with the first four and the closing two all recorded live at Yoshi’s in Oakland, CA.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, “Resurrection” – Soloists & Choir / /Israel Philharmonic/ James Levine – Helicon
A fine and welcome addition to the Mahler discography.
LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 2; BRAHMS: Sym. No. 1 – Aldo Ciccolini, piano/ Orch. de la Suisse Romande /Ferenc Fricsay – Cascavelle
Fine historic performances from the OSR enter the catalog, each a testament to inspired interpreters of Liszt and Brahms.
American Graffiti – Special Edition, Blu-ray (1973/2011)
An iconic classic, and fans who already had earlier DVD versions are crowing about how much improved in both picture and sound this Blu-ray version is.
The Mike Eldred Trio – 61 and 49 – ZohoRoots
An ear-popping delight with style and heart.
Audio News for June 3, 2011
SRS Labs Offers iWow 3D Hardware Adaptor; VRM Box Lets Recordists Hear Mixes via Ten Different Playback Systems; Comcast Offers IT Support and Insurance Service; New Technology Expands Wireless Audio Connectivity; Samsung Takes Lead in U.S. Plasma Market
FABIÁN PAN ISELLO: Various works – Dimitri Vassilakis, p. – Neos
Dimitri Vassilakis’s remarkably assured pianism may be the best reason to sample this disc.
BRAHMS: String Quartet Op. 51; SCHOENBERG: Verklärte Nacht, versions for string orchestra – Amsterdam Sinfonietta / Candida Thompson – Channel Classics
Suitably lush Schoenberg and equally, but inappropriately, lush Brahms may be a misfire by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
Fritz Busch = Works of BRAHMS; BEETHOVEN; MOZART; REGER – Wuertembergischen Landes-Th./Dresden St. Orch./Danish Radio Sym. Orch. – Guild
The earliest recordings of conductor Fritz Busch, as well as some of his last concert appearances, testify to a past master of his craft.
GUI SOOK LEE: Stillness & other works – percussion ens. – Ravello “Scream” = MASSIMO BOTTErR- Zeula – Stradivarius
East is East, and West is West. . . .
Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble – Couldn’t Stand The Weather – Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Re-release of his second album is a feast of Texas blues.
California Concert – The Hollywood Palladium – CTI Records/Sony Masterworks
Summit of contemporary jazz giants is a resounding success.
MOZART: Don Giovanni; ROSSINI: Il Barbiere di Seviglia – Netherlands Wind Ensemble – Pentatone
There is no wind band more glorious than the Netherlands Wind Ensemble.
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 8; String Quartet in C Major; BARTOK: String Quartet No. 5; String Quartet No. 6 – Hungarian Quartet – Testament
Distinctive live renditions of Bartok and Beethoven from the great European ensemble whose studies with Bartok legitimized their persuasive power.
Classica Venezolana – Annette Maiburg, flute/ Fabiola Jose, soprano/ Nirse Gonzalez, guitar/ Jesus Gonzalez Brito, cuatro – MDG
A marvel of precision, execution, and highly emotional playing, not to mention the fabulous music.
Editorial for June 2011
Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6 To be one of the ten AUDIOPHILE AUDITION readers during June who will be receiving the two great jazz albums from Putumayo World Music, you need to register this month using our simple non-intrusive email-protected form Here. (We reviewed both jazz albums Here.) 12 jazz legends are heard on the […]
Ambrose Akinmusire – When The Heart Emerges Glistening -Blue Note
Some tantalizing glimpses of promise.
Rose of Sharon – 100 Years of American Music 1770-1870 – Ensemble Phoenix Munich/ Joel Frederiksen – Harmonia mundi
This album is beautifully connected, taking on a large challenge across a hundred years, and succeeding at every turn.
CHOPIN: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (arr. for piano and string quintet) – Gian Luisi, piano/ Ensemble Concertant Frankfurt – MDG
Chopin concertos for string quintet? Just because it can be done doesn’t mean it should…
LISZT: Sonata in B Minor; SCHUMANN: Humoreske in B-flat Major, Op. 20; KNUSSEN: Ophelia’s Last Dance – Kirill Gerstein, piano – Myrios Classic
Oliver Knussen’s Ophelia’s Last Dance derives from a 2010 commission specifically for pianist Gerstein.
Sound the Bells! American Premieres for Brass – The Bay Brass/ Guest Artists/ Alasdair Neale, Michael Tilson Thomas, Robert Ward, Jeffrey Budin, Bruce Broughton, Paul Welcome & Charles Floyd, conductors – Harmonia mundi
Never owned a brass ensemble disc before? This is a great place to start.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
