Monthly Archive: December 2005
TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35; ASSAD: Violin Concerto in d Major – Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, violin/ Colorado Symphony Orchestra/ Marin Alsop – NSS Music
Intense and fiery performance of the Tchaikovsky on the violinist’s own new label
Geza Anda 5 CD set – Piano Concertos and Solo Piano Works – DGG
One of the most consistently satisfying keyboard artists
Gruss an Wien, New Years’ Concert in Vienna – Peter Guth cond. – Arts
Fattening Viennese delights with plenty of pep
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 6 in A Major – Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/ Kent Nagano – Harmonia Mundi
The Adagio movement along can stand as a grand showpiece for audiophile reproduction
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 65; Festive Overture, Op. 96 – Russian Federal Orchestra/ Vakhtang Jordania – Angelok
Deeply-felt recent Russian performance of the bleak WW II-inspired Eighth Symphony
Audio News for December 14, 2005
DVRs Not Killing Commercials; Paramount Will Buy DreamWorks; Big Changes at Philips; Surround 2005 Conference Opens This Week
Vladimir Sofronitsky, piano – “The Art of Sofronitsky” – SCRIABIN: 16 Preludes, 10 poems, 2 dances, 2 poems, 6 misc. works – Classical Records
“Best interpretations of Scriabin by anyone”
DOMENICO SCARLATTI: 18 Sonatas – Vincent Boucher, pipe organ – Atma Classique
Surprise! Many of the harpsichord sonatas sound perfect for the organ
BARTOK: The Miraculous Mandarin (complete ballet); Dance Suite; Hungarian Pictures – Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/ Marin Alsop – Naxos
Another winning recording from the first woman conductor engaged by a major U.S. symphony
Spirits of Music, Part II (2002)
Bobby McFerrin leads and improvises with players and singers from around the world in a mega-concert
40 Years – A Charlie Brown Christmas – Monster SuperDisc
11 of today’s pop and jazz performers interpret Vince Guaraldi’s music for the annual TV special
Anna Russell – Crown Princess of Musical Parody
CBC-TV appearances by the Australian vocalist-comedienne
SMETANA: Ma Vlast (My Country) Symphonic Cycle = Vysehrad, Vitava (The Moldau), Sarka, From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields, Tabor, Blanik – London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Colin Davis – LSO
Highly recommended live performance recording of one of the best-known examples of nationalism in music
Peter Cincotti – Live in New York (2005)
Rooftop video concert by the singer-pianist + his hit CD of last year
Audio News for December 11, 2005
Video Delivery Choices Expand; Surround Sound Choices Also Expand
BEETHOVEN: Complete Cello Sonatas and Variations – Pieter Wispelwey/Dejan Lazic – Channel Classics (2)
The label’s “house cellist’s” solid musicianship impresses in this important collection in surround sound
A Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi Trio – Monster Music SuperDisc (Not DualDisc but separate DVD & CD)
Extensive report on Monster’s new series of discs boasting DTS 5.1, Dolby 5.1, 96K PCM 2.0, multiple audience & stage mixes, and computer music files encoded with Dolby Headphone
MICHAEL DAUGHERTY: Philadelphia Stories for Orchestra; UFO, for Solo Percussion and Orchestra – Evelyn Glennie, percussion/Colorado Symphony Orchestra/Marin Alsop – Naxos
Cheeky young composer gives us a nostalgic musical picture of Philadelphia plus an alien-inspired percussion concerto
DVORAK: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104; Dumky Trio in E Minor, Op. 90 – Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello/ Isabelle Faust, violin/ Alexander Melnikov, piano The Prague Philharmonia/ Jiri Belohlavek conductor – Harmonia mundi
Smooth and sweet interpretation, with spacious ambiance
JANACEK: The Eternal Gospel; The Ballad of Blanik; The Fiddler’s Child; The Excursions of Mr. Broucek – suite for orchestra – Soloists/Edinburgh Festival Chorus/Elizabeth Layton, violin/ BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/ Ilvan Volkov – Hyperion
Fascinating but more obscure works of the great Czech individualist
VERDI: Messa da Requiem – Eva Mei/Bernarda Fink/Michael Schade/Ildebrando D’Arcangelo/Arnold Schoenberg Choir/Vienna Philharmonic/Nikolaus Harnoncourt – RCA Red Seal
First recording from a new edition following Verdi’s instructions on dynamics, scoring and instrumentation
BEETHOVEN: Works for Piano Duet = Sonata in D, Op. 6; 6 Variations, WoO 74; 3 Marches, Op. 45; 8 Variations, WoO 67; Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 (arr. Hugo Ulrich) – Prague Piano Duo – Praga
The piano duo version of the Seventh Symphony expands on the usual solo piano transcription, and in surround sound
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
