John Sunier Archive
Audio News for July 17, 2012
Deep Purple’s Jon Lord Dies; 40% of UKers Can’t Recall When They Last Bought a CD; Bose Has Two New VideoWave II Systems; Mobile DTV to Increase TV Viewership
Don Cherry – Organic Music Society (1973) – Caprice/Caprice Reissue Series
Don Cherry and Organic Music Society: a living, breathing multicultural, multi-instrumental portrait.
DVORAK: Zigeunerlieder = Gypsy Melodies; Moravian Duets; Biblical Songs – Genia Kühmeier, sop./ Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano/ Christoph Berner, p. – Harmonia mundi
A fine Dvorak lieder album conveyed with spirit and understanding.
* BRITTEN: War Requiem – Sabina Cvilak, sop./ Ian Bostridge, tenor/ Simon Keenlyside, bar./ Choir of Eltham College/ London Sym. Chorus & Sym. Orch. /Gianandrea Noseda – LSO Live (2 discs)
************ MUTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH **************
50 years after the premiere we are treated to an outstanding performance, proving that the War Requiem is still relevant.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor; BERG: Lulu Suite – Mary Lindzey, sop. (Berg)/ Hildegarde Ruetgers, mezzo (Mahler)/ Choeurs de L’ORTF/ Maitrese de l’ORTF/ Orch. National de l’ORTF/ Jean Martinon – Cascavelle (2 CDs)
Two live performances explore French maestro Jean Martinon’s rarely documented fascination with Austro-German repertory, in music by Mahler and Berg.
Woody Shaw – Woody Plays Woody – HighNote Records
Peak Woody Shaw, live in San Francisco.
Thinking Plague – Decline and Fall – Cuneiform Rune
A post-apocalyptic world as imagined by post-prog-rockers Thinking Plague.
In Memoriam Kathleen Ferrier (1912-1953) = Works of MAHLER, BACH, HANDEL & GLUCK – Bruno Walter & Herbert von Karajan cond. – Tahra
Tahra reminds us, in memoriam, of the splendid but ephemeral gift to music that was Kathleen Ferrier, a voice one critic compared to “a consoling angel”.
Virginia Mayhew Quartet – Mary Lou Williams, The Next 100 Years – Renma Recordings
Celebrating Mary Lou Williams 100th birthday.
LISZT: Transcendental Etudes, S139; Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S514; Gnomenreigen, S145 No. 2; Hungarian Rhapsodies – Georges Cziffra, p. – EMI Signature Series (3 discs)
One of the greatest technicians of all time in splendid hi-res sound—an outstanding release.
Mengelberg Conducts = TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1; Symphony No. 5 – Conrad Hansen, p./ Berlin Philharmonic Orch./ Willem Mengelberg – Pristine
For the Mengelberg enthusiast, his uncanny fluctuations of the rhythmic line in the Tchaikovsky will generate untold excitement and admiration for the BPO discipline, that can respond in the heroic mold to such tugs and pulls at the elastic melodies.
Hugo, Blu-ray 3D, 3-disc set (2011-12)
Maybe should have won the Best Picture Oscar instead of The Artist. A fantastic family picture.
Yes – Open Your Eyes – Eagle Records/ Sireena Records (2 LPs)
1997 CD is re-mastered to audiophile vinyl, with mixed results.
Mare Nostrum – Montserrat Figueras, sop./ Lior Elmahleh, chant/ Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall – Alia Vox
The latest book set SACD from Savall tackles a huge subject with good success.
Muddy Waters/The Rolling Stones – Checkerboard Lounge: Live Chicago 1981 – Eagle Rock (CD + DVD)
Artists like The Stones owe a debt to the blues culture. It is refreshing to see the payback.
BACH: The Six Cello Suites – Richard Tunnicliffe, cello – LINN (2 discs)
Tunnicliffe brings each suite a unique voice; a voice among many voices.
FROBERGER Edition Vol. 1: “Le Passage du Rhin” = Bob van Asperen, harpsichord – Aeolus (2 CDs) "Les Graces Francoises: Music of the French Baroque" = Les Graces – MSR
Baroque treasures served up for different audiences, different tastes.
Steven Staryk: A Retrospective: Volume I = PAGANINI, BEETHOVEN, MOZART, SHOSHTAKOVICH, SAINT-SAENS – Centaur (2 CDs)
Famed concertmaster and esteemed soloist Steven Staryk performs brilliantly enough so that light from the Staryk Galaxy permanently illumines our musical skies.
Audio News for July 13, 2012
Gallo Has a New Normal-Looking HT Surround System; Audioquest DragonFly USB DAC; Pure Expands Docking-Speakers; CEA Announces Five New Standards
Jessica Williams, solo piano – Songs of Earth – Origin
I think this is the finest solo piano CD I’ve enjoyed in years!
BERLIOZ: Requiem – Nicolai Gedda, tenor/ Choir of N. German Radio/ Cologne Radio Choir/ Cologne Radio Sym. Orch./ Dimitri Mitropoulos – ICA Classics
ICA resurrects a deeply personal performance of the Berlioz Requiem from Cologne, led by the ever-enthusiastic musical missionary, Dimitri Mitropoulos.
CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT: Momentum; Concerto for Violin and Orch.; VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphony No. 5 – Royal Scottish & Bournemouth Syms./ Martin Yates – Dutton Epoch
A haunting and deeply personal concerto is the centerpiece to this important release.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
