Monthly Archive: February 2006
“Paris Mécanique” – Works by PIERNE, FRANCAIX, POULENC, MILHAUD, SATIE, LEROY ANDERSON, SCOTT JOPLIN, MORICONE – Sabine Meyer, Wolfgang Meyer, Reiner Wehle, Michael Riessler – clarinets & Pierre Charial, barrel organ – Marsyas
A program of fun, tuneful short works on the theme of mechanical or machine music
SCHUMANN: Manfred Overture; Overture, Scherzo and Finale in E; MENDELSSOHN: Overture, Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage; The Hebrides Overture; Overture, Nocturne, and Scherzo from A Midsummer Night‚s Dream – Stuttgart Radio Sym./Carl Schuricht – Hanssler
These recordings of 1954-1961 show the conductor’s special gift for the Romantic repertory
HAROLD BUDD: Avalon Sutra – Works performed by Harold Budd with assistance of Jon Gibson, sop. sax, Michael Coleman, String Quartet led by James Sitterly, v. – Samadhisound
Noted minimalism composer spins spacey sounds in his final album
Audio News for February 14, 2006
Bush Signs Analog Cutoff Law; Plasma Sales Aid Pioneer Profits; Dolby Lake Processor Improves Sound Management; Sony Features Auto Calibration in Entry-level HT System
BACH: Italian Concerto in F Major; Prelude in E-flat Major; Prelude and Fugue in A Minor (arr. LISZT); HAYDN: Piano Sonata No. 50 in D Major; MOZART: Piano Sonata in C Minor; Rondo in F; SCARLATTI: Sonata in E – John Browning, piano – MSR Classics
Vol. IV of a series of four restores items missing from the fine pianist’s commercial recording discography
“Making Overtures” – Philharmonia Virtuosi cond. by Richard Kapp – Essay
A wonderful grab bag of alternative overtures plus Beethoven
MOZART: Requiem Mass in D Minor; Mass in C Minor
John Eliot Gardiner conducts both works in Barcelona in 1991 for European TV
Univers Zero – Live – Cuneiform Records
Mix chamber music, electronics, rock, classical and just about everything else and this sextet makes it work
The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra – Live at MCG – MCG
A band that’s as much of a family as Ellington’s was and sounds about as great
Mats/Morgan Band – Thanks for Flying With Us – Cuneiform Records
A wild Swedish quintet inspired by Frank Zappa and other sources outside the normal jazz world
ROGER WATERS: Ça Ira (opera in three acts) – Bryn Terfel/Paul Groves/Ying Huang/other soloists/London Voices/Italia Conti Children’s Choir/ London Oratory Choir/Orchestra cond. by Rick Wentworth – Sony Classical
Perhaps not a real opera, but a powerful musical stage work which makes creative use of surround sound
ARVO PAART: Lamentate; Da Pacem Domine – Alexei Lubimov, piano/SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra/ Andrey Boreyko; (The Hilliard Ensemble in Da Pacem Domine) – ECM
A very powerful piano/orchestral work from not-always-minimalist Paart
Terje Rypdal – Vossabrygg, Op. 84 (Octet led by guitarist-composer Rypdal) – ECM
Scandanavian avant jazz tribute to Miles Davis’ “Witches’ Brew” period
Maria Schneider Orchestra, Live at The Jazz Standard – Days of Wine and Roses – ArtistShare
Latest CD from the winner of four awards from the jazz journalists
GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue; Concerto in F; Prelude No. 2 – Michel Camilo, piano/Barcelona Symphony Orchestra/Ernest Martinez Izquierdo – Telarc
Domenican Republic-born jazz pianist Camilo brings a special swing to Gershwin’s two concertos
Dire Straits (Mark Knopfler and his five-piece band) – Brothers in Arms – Vertigo/Universal
Another hi-res reissue version of the rock classic of 20 years ago
Douglas Marshall at the Trinity Church Opus 1. DAVID JOHNSON: Trumpet Tune in A Major; HANDEL: Concerto for Organ in B Flat Major; BACH: Prelude and Fugue in D Major; SOWERBY: Carillon; FRANCK: Grande Piece Sym. – 5 Hymn Preludes – Circles Int. DVD + CD
An unusual combination of CD + 5.1 DVD surround + Kaleidoplex images accompaying part of the program
Concert Magic (1947)
A classical and pops-classics program which Hollywood billed as The First Motion Picture Concert
The West Wing – Season 5 (2003-2004)
Another great season on DVD from the award-winning TV series which will end its run with this season
SONGS OF ARIEL: Music by Dowland, Purcell, Handel, Rubbra, Vaughan Williams, Britten, Warlock, Tippett and others – James Bowman, countertenor. Kenneth Weiss, harpsichord and piano – Saterino
One of today’s leading countertenors and an imaginative program
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F Major “Pastoral;” Leonore Overture No. 3; Fidelio Overture; Coriolan Overture; The Creatures of Prometheus Overture – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ BBC Symphony/ London Sym./British Sym./ Bruno Walter – Naxos Historical
More Beethoven recordings made by Walter in Vienna 1930-38
MUSSORGSKY-STOKOWSKI: Pictures at an Exhibition; Entr’acte from Khovanshchina; Night on Bare Mountain; Symphonic Synthesis of Boris Godunov; TCHAIKOVSKY-STOKOWSKI: Humoresque; Solitude – Bournemouth Symphony/José Serebrier – Naxos
The SACD version of a superb new audiophile demo disc
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
