Monthly Archive: February 2006
Other Voices, Other Rooms (1994)
From Truman Capote’s semi-autobiographical novel set in rural Louisiana
Wanda Landowska = Dances of Poland & A Treasury of Harpsichord Music – Testament
Her harpsichord was far from authentic, but Landowska brought intense musicality to everything she performed
The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till (2005)
Groundbreaking documentary on the main catalyst for the American Civil Rights Movement
Brent Jensen – Trios – Origin
Sweet & Sour – A Challenging Combination
MOZART: Oboenspitze (Oboe concerto K. 314, transcriptions of the Quintet K. 516 and the Andante for Flute and Orchestra K. 315) – Alexei Utkin, oboe, with the Hermitage Chamber Orchestra – Caro Mitis
Mozart seduced by the oboe: What a concept!
BARBER: Cello Sonata. Op. 6; VIVALDI: Sonata No. 5 in E Minor; SCHUMANN: Fantasiestuecke, Op. 73; BRAHMS: Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38 – Kalin Ivanov, cello/ Emily White, piano – Gega
Sensitive Bulgarian cellist does not suffer in comparison to Piatagorsky
HUMPERDINCK: Haensel und Gretel–Complete Opera (1980-81)
Charming film version of the opera, which includes animation and an all-child audience in attendance
Organissimo – This is the Place – Big O Records
Healthy grease for the soul
Art Pepper – Winter Moon – Galaxy
This “with strings” session is a desert island disc for sure
Bobo Stenson – ” Goodbye ” (With Anders Jormin and Paul Motian) – ECM
A magnificent jazz trio disc of audiophile quality
All the President’s Men (1976)
“Redman” plays “Woodstein” in the Watergate retelling produced by Robert Redford
SAINT-SAENS: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor; BLOCH: Schelomo – Hebraic Rhapsody; TCHAIKOVSKY: Variations on a Rococo Theme; MASSENET: Elegie; GREENE: Sing Me to Sleep – Leonard Rose, cello/ Gladys Swartout, soprano/ NY Philharmonic/Mitropoulos – Biddulph
Classic collaborations by the famed cellist of the NBC Symphony under Toscanini
XAVER SCHARWENKA: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor; ANTON RUBINSTEIN: Piano Concerto No. 4 in D minor – Marc-André Hamelin, p./ BBC Scottish Sym. Orch./ Michael Stern – Hyperion
Two of the once-most-popular among the many in Hyperion’s Romantic Piano Concerto series
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor (Original Version) – Leipzig Radio-Symphony Orchestra/ Franz Konwitschny – Weitblick
Powerful live performance by the East German conductor who died in 1962
Toscanini Television Concerts Vol. 1
First of 5 volumes of the NBC-TV series kinescopes from 1948-52
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) Special Edition
A witty and very black comedy different from Ealing Studio’s normally wholesome fare
AUBERT LEMELAND: Symphonies No. 8 & 9; In ricordo Arturo Toscanini; Battle Pieces – Orquestra Nacional du Porto/ Marc Tardue, conductor – Skarbo
Important, primarily tonal works from the contemporary French composer
ANDREW HILL – ” Time-Lines” – Blue Note
The pianist-composer’s latest could vy for record-of-the-year in jazz
Audio News for February 23, 2006
Online Video Becomes Mainstream; DRM Also Becomes Mainstream
The Elegant Viola = RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Suite for Viola and Orchestra; J.S. BACH: Fantasia; W. F. BACH: Sonata; MICHAEL COLGRASS: Variations for Four Drums and Viola – Yizhak Schotten, Viola/ Slovak Radio Orchesra/ Kirk Trevor, conductor – Crystal
Well-played sampling of an instrument often given short shrift
BRAHMS: String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major, Op. 67; Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 – Ivan Klansky, piano/ Prazak Quartet – Praga
These two Brahms chamber works leap thru your audio system to your attention
ZEMLINSKY: Rustic Dances, Op. 1; Albumblatt; Fantasies after poems by Richard Dehmel. Op. 9; Four Ballades; Menuett; Skizze; A Ray of Light – Silke Avenhaus, piano – Naxos
Relatively rare piano works by the composer and conductor
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
