Monthly Archive: November 2005
Frasier – The Complete Seventh Season (1999-2000)
Yet another one of the 11 terrific seasons of many viewers’ favorite TV series
Nelli Shkolnikova = MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto in E Minor; TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D Major; KHACHATURIAN: Chanson-poeme in E Minor; PAGANINI: 2 Caprices; YSAYE: Sonata No. 3 in D Minor – Nelli Shkolnikova, violin/ Rozhdestvensky – Doremi
Amazing, thrilling performances of both violin concerto potboilers
Monday Michiru: Naked Breath – Monday Michiru, vocals; Adam Rogers, guitars – Artist Share Records
Improvised vocalese without lyrics and just guitar
John Doyle: Wayward Son – John Doyle, guitar and vocals; with special guests Alison Brown, Stuart Duncan, Seamus Egan, Linda Thompson, many others – Compass Records
Irresistible acoustic disc makes reviewer’s Top Ten
Drew Emmitt: Across The Bridge – Drew Emmitt, mandolin and vocals; Matt Flinner, banjo, mandolin and bouzouki; Greg Garrison, bass and harmony vocals; Ross Martin, guitar; many special guests – Compass Records
Folk, bluegrass and blues, with high-quality playing and sound
Andrea Wolper: The Small Hours – Andrea Wolper, vocals; Ron Affif, guitar; Ken Filiano, bass; Victor Lewis & Jamey Haddad, drums; others – VarisOne
Very entertaining first effort by this new trio featuring sultry vocal stylings
Mercedes Sosa: Corazon Libre – Mercedes Sosa, vocals; many others – DGG Edge
Leading Argentina artist in songs of her country
Bill Charlap & Sandy Stewart: Love Is Here To Stay – Bill Charlap, piano; Sandy Stewart, vocals – Blue Note
Bill and his cabaret singer mother provide a superb but subdued song collection
Audio News for November 29, 2005
TV Antenna Myths?; Award for Harry Pearson; Expert Tech Service Needed Along With Technology Gift-Giving
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)
Gorgeously-shot and acted black & white film noir
Cello Encores = PAGANINI: Moto perpetuo; SCHUBERT: Moment muisical No. 3 in F Minor; MENDELSSOHN: Song Without Words; POPPER: Mazurka; CHOPIN: Nocturne in E-flat Major; FAURE: Apres un reve etc. – Miklos Perenyi, cello/Koscis, piano – Hungaraton
Formidable artistry from cellist, joined by leading pianist in this 1985 concert
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60 “Leningrad” – Russian Federal Orchestra/ Vakhtang Jordania – Angelok
The war symphony is delivered in the grand tradition of Russian conductors of Russian music
Tafelmusik: Concerti Virtuosi = VIVALDI: Concerto in A Minor for 2 Oboes; Concerto in E Minor for 4 Violins; LEO: Concerto in D Minor for Violoncello; BACH: Concerto for Oboe d’Amore; LOCATELLI: Concerto Grosso – Tafelmusik/Jeanne Lamon – Analekta
Hearty program of Italian and German Baroque works
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor;” Piano Sonatas Op. 13 “Pathétique” & 27/2 “Moonlight” – Bruno Leonardo Gelber, with the Philharmonia Orchestra/ Ferdinand Leitner – EMI Classics
The two sonatas are found to be more recommendable than the concerto
HANDEL: Messiah (complete) – Christina Schäfer, Anna Larsson, Michael Schade, Gerald Finley, with the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and Concentus Musicus Wien conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt – Deutsche harmonia mundi
A reflective and gentle Messiah in complete contrast to Harnoncourt’s effort of 24 years ago
Quintessence Saxophone Quintet – Moving Mozart – CPO
Superlative arrangements of Mozart selections for the five voices of a sax ensemble
German Overtures = MENDELSSOHN, WEBER, NICOLAI, MARSCHNER, WAGNER – Vienna Philharmonic/ Christian Thielemann – DGG
Popular German Romantic overtures, including one rarely heard
The Music of RAVEL and DEBUSSY – Nancy Allen, Harp/ Tokyo String Quartet/ Ransom Wilson, flute/ David Shifrin, clarinet / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra/ Gerard Schwarz – EMI
Painfully luscious music including some transcriptions of piano works for solo harp
BRITTEN: Song Cycles – Ian Bostridge, tenor/Radek Baborak, horn;/ Berliner Philharmonic/Sir Simon Rattle – EMI
Worth owning for Britten fans but variable quality of compositions
Sony 60” Grand WEGA 3LCD KDS-R60XBR1 HDTV
Terrific picture utilizing the latest enhancement of LCD displays
Imagining Argentina (2003)
Drama on the period of “the disappeared” in Argentina
Live 8 Concert (July 2, 2005)
Four-DVD set of concert series for African aid
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
