Monthly Archive: July 2005
BRAHMS: 3 Violin Sonatas – Szymon Goldberg, violin/ Artur Balsam, piano – Testament
One of the great violinists in intense l953 recordings of Brahms
RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor; The Isle of the Dead – St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra/Mariss JansonsEMI
One of the finest Russian orchestras in l998 recordings of Rachmaninov works
PROKOFIEV: The Five Piano Concertos; Violin Concerto No. 1 in D – John Browning, piano Erick Friedman, violin Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Erich Leinsdorf – Testament
Testment taps the RCA catalog for these exciting concertos perfectly suited to the percussive style of Browning
William Kapell, piano = BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19; SCHUBERT: 8 Waltzes; RACHMANINOV: Cello Sonata in G Minor – Edmund Kurtz, cello NBC Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Goschmann – Naxos
The great American keyboard virtuoso, student of Horowitz, in three elegant recordings from the late 40s and early 50s
GRIEG: Homage March from Sigard Jorsalfar; Norwegian Dances; Lyric Suite; Symphonic Dances; In Autumn Overture; Two Elegiac Melodies; Holberg Suite; Old Norwegian Romance and Variations; Lyric Pieces – Barbirolli/ Beecham/Berglund/Tortelier – EMI Classics
Some of the best Grieg recordings serve as a fine introduction to the Norwegian’s very accessible music
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor “Choral” – Maria Stader, soprano/ Katharina, contralto/ Waldemar Kmennt, tenor/ Heinz Rehfuss, bass/ Orchestre National/Carl Schuricht – Music&Arts
From a 1954 performance in Montreux, a stirring interpretation equal to Toscanini and Furtwaengler
PETER MAXWELL DAVIES: Naxos Quartets 1 and 2, 3 and 4/ Maggini String Quartet – Naxos
Four quartets on two CDs, in which Davies stretches the fabric of the 21st Century string quartet
GEORGE CRUMB: Makrokosmos Volumes I and II; Otherworldly Resonances – with Robert Shannon, piano/ Susan Grace and Alice Rybak, duo pianists – Bridge
Inspired by Bartok’s Mikrokosmos but producing a new cosmos of sounds from an amplified piano
GEORGE CRUMB: Orchestral Music – Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomas Conlin – Bridge
A diverse type of serialism permeates these orchestral blockbusters by Crumb, in superb sound
City Rhythm Orchestra with special guest Joey De Francesco on B3 = Vibrant Tones – Video DVD & separate CD – Limehouse Records
Rocking Basie-style arrangements, a 17-piece big band and B3 organist De Francesco spell an exciting pair of discs
Monk TV Series, Season 3
The defective San Francisco detective is back for more amazing sleuthing in spite of his OCD
Twenty Bucks (1992)
A cornucopia of stars in a story with heart and soul, following the adventures of a 20-dollar bill
TOCH: Miniature Overture; Peter Pan; Notturno; Jeptha–Rhapsodic Poem (Symphony No. 5) – The Louisville Orchestra/ Robert Whitney and Jorge Mester (Miniature Overture)First Edition
A highly individual composer in the classicist vein, stressing color and nuance in varied works
The Art of Nathan Milstein = BACH: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor; BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor; BRAHMS: Violin Concerto in D Major; BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto in D Major; LALO: Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21 – Music&Arts (2)
Violinist Milstein at his peak, in the latter 50s and early 60s
Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio performs BEETHOVEN: Trio in C Minor; BRAHMS: Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major; SAINT-SAENS: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
A 1965 appearance on the Bell Telephone Hour, in color
KHRENNIKOV: Three Symphonies – Evgeny Svetlanov/ USSR State Symphony Orchestra – Scribendum
Thrilling interpretations of Soviet-era imitations of what Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Shostakovich did better
TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D Major; Serenade melancolique; BRUCH: Scottish Fantasy – Arthur Grumiaux, violin – New Philharmonia Orchestra/Jan Krenz (Tchaikovsky) and Heinz Wallberg (Bruch) conductors – PentaTone RQR SACD
One of the great violinists, in l973 & 75 concerto recordings originally made for quad
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (1873 Version) – Jonathan Nott/Bamberg Symphony Orchestra – Tudor multichannel SACD
Sumptuous spectacle of Brucknerian sound in surround
Eric Comstock: No One Knows – Eric Comstock, vocals and piano; featuring Frank Wess, tenor sax and flute; Wycliffe Gordon, trombone; Eric Reed, piano; Peter Bernstein, guitar; Peter Washington, bass; Matt Wilson, drums – Harbinger Records
Vocalist is a big star on and off Broadway, but jazz session may or may not be to your taste
Daria: Feel the Rhythm – featuring Alex Acuna, percussion; Jose Neto, guitar; Marc Russo, alto sax; William Kennedy, drums – Jazz M Up Records
San Francisco vocalist has good backing but only comes up to two stars
Hugh Masekela: Revival – Hugh Masekela, trumpet, flugelhorn and lead vocals – Heads Up
Great sonics in this world music/jazz mix reflecting current music trends in South Africa
Fleetwood Mac: Live at the BBC – Danny Kirwan, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Guitars and Vocals; John McVie, Bass; Mick Fleetwood, Drums – Silverline DualDisc
A mixed bag with variable sound quality, though DVD-A included; no videos of the group
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
