Audiophile Audition Archive
Audio News for May 10, 2011
TV Brands Changing Sales Strategies; Apple Beats Google for Top Brand Slot; D-Box Seats In Theaters Worldwide; Cyrus Introduces Music-Streaming Players; New Composer to Watch: Du Yun
How I Won the War, Limited Edition Collection (1967/2011)
A stab of surrealism and a shot of absurdity is How I Won the War.
VIVALDI Oboe Concertos – Alex Klein, oboe / New Brandenburg Collegium / Anthony Newman – Cedille
Fine performances of Vivaldi’s dashing, inventive concertos for oboe and strings.
JOSEF SUK: Fantasy for Violin and Orch.; Pohádk; Fantastické Scherzo – Michael Ludwig, violin / Buffalo Philharmonic Orch. /JoAnn Falletta – Naxos
Only Naxos’ price is in the budget category; the performance and recording, like Suk’s wonderful music itself, are world class.
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 6 – London Symphony / Colin Davis – LSO Live
Davis revisits these familiar scores with much success, and his efforts are captured in vivid sound from LSO Live.
SCHUMANN: Manfred – Sigrid Plundrich, sop. (Astarte) / Michelle Breedt, mezzo-soprano / Johannes Chum, tenor / Wiener Singverein / Tonkünstler-Orch. Niederösterrich/ Bruno Weil – Preiser
Schumann’s melodrama has a palpable sense of theater in Bruno Weil’s version, thanks in large part to Preiser’s superb SACD recording.
Long Duo – Concertos for Two Pianos and Orchestra = Works of VAUGHAN WILLIAMS; HARL McDONALD; DANA SUESSE – Beatrice & Christina Long, pianos/ Eskisehir Greater Municipality Sym./ Patrick Souillot – Sono Luminus
The repertory of this unusual disc is a much-needed contribution to the piano concerto literature.
Music of RAVEL = Piano Concerto in G; Ma Mere l’Oye; Bolero – Julius Katchen/London Sym./ Istvan Kertesz/Orch. de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet (Ma Mere) /Stanley Black (Bolero) – HDTT
Sumptuous Ravel remasterings of London ¼-track originals that will happily grace an audiophile’s record library.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor; MOZART: Piano Sonatas in F & C ; Rondo – Wilhelm Backhaus, p./Vienna Philharmonic/Karl Bohm – IDIS
Intelligent and passionate, the Backhaus-Bohm Beethoven collaboration makes a fine addition to the collectors’ catalogue.
Bob Dylan – In Concert at Brandeis University 1963 – Columbia/Sony Legacy
Such a find…
Rufus Reid and Out Front – Hues of a Different Blue – Motema
Rufus Reid and Out Front, still in the lead.
Tom Harrell – The Time of the Sun – High Note
Harrell continues to impress…
Tracy Nelson – Victim Of The Blues – Delta Groove Music
Veteran blues singer hits all the right notes.
The Dilemma, Blu-ray (2011)
Some interesting and unexpected plot twists make a rather simple dilemma into an entire feature supposed-comedy.
Audio News for May 6, 2011
Consumers Want One Tech Support to Handle It All; Panasonic To Cut 17,000 Jobs; LG Electronics Reports Unexpected Q1 Loss; Cisco Closing Flip Camcorder Division; Collaboration of Dolby and Livewire Mobile for Higher-Quality Mobile Audio
Kenny Werner – Balloons – Live At The Blue Note – Half Note Records
Recorded over two days at the legendary Blue Note, Balloons encapsulates a unique musical vision.
ALAN HOVHANESS: Solos, Duos, Trios [TrackList below] – Paul Hersey, p./Christina Fong, violin/viola & others – OgreOgress DVD-A
In addition to the longer playing time the fidelity is definitely a cut above the usual CD when heard at 96K resolution.
BACH: Aria with 30 Variations “Goldberg,” BWV 988 – Avner Arad, piano – MSR
Pianist Avner Avad pours spirited new wine into Bach’s old magic bottle we call “the Goldbergs.”
Julia Fischer – Poeme = Works of RESPIGHI; SUK; CHAUSSON; VAUGHAN WILLIAMS – Julia Fischer, violin/Orch. Philharmonique de Monte Carlo/Yakov Kreizberg – Decca
Violin virtuoso Julia Fischer brings some refreshed new repertory to the usual stable of bravura showpieces for her chosen instrument.
The Greatest Places – IMAX, Blu-ray (1998/2011)
This is a classic IMAX presentation which is now available for home viewing in hi-def Blu-ray.
Home (2009/2010)
A seriously odd little Swiss/French/Belgian production with terrific acting by Huppert and all concerned and excellent images.
Two Guitars – Bending Time – Modish Creative Group
Guitar duo reinterprets pop with a jazzy twist.