Monthly Archive: February 2006
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 “Pathetique;” Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/ Daniele Gatti – Harmonia mundi
A compelling performance in strong Romantic style by the highly-touted new conductor
HANDEL: Water Music; Music for the Royal Fireworks – Arcadia Ensemble conducted by Kevin Mallon – Naxos SACD
A newcomer enters the Handel competition with both SACD & DVD-A versions
Eugen Jochum conducts BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7
Also Prelude and Liebestod from WAGNER’s Tristan und Isolde & bonus of MOZART’s Overture to Marriage of Figaro
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet–Excerpts from the Ballet; Lt. Kije Suite, Op. 60 – Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Erich Leinsdorf – Testament
Part of a survey of Prokofiev performances with Leinsdorf and the BSO
Byron Janis plays Prokofiev and Rachmaninov Piano Concertos
Videotapes from the 1960s, with bonus performances also by Julius Katchen
Pickpocket (1959)
Robert Bresson classic, using non-actors
Audio News for February 9, 2006
The 2006 Grammy Award Winners (selected)
BACH: Cantatas 26, 62, 116, 139 – Bach Collegium Japan/ Masaaki Suzuki, conductor/ Yukari Nonoshita, soprano/ Robin Blaze, counter-tenor/ Makoto Sakurada, tenor/ Peter Kooij, bass – BIS
Bach reverentially performed and recorded in surround by Bach specialists
MOZART: Così fan tutte – Schwarzkopf, Merriman, Panerai, Simoneau, Otto, Bruscantini/ Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus/ Herbert von Karajan – EMI Classics
Still a classic though now more than 50 years old
The Bad News Bears, Widescreen Collector’s Edition (2005)
Remake of the 1976 classic baseball comedy
PROKOFIEV: Violin Sonata No. 1 in F Minor; Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major; STRAVINSKY: Duo concertante; Russian Maiden‚s Song; Pastorale – Joseph Szigeti, violin/ Joseph Levine, piano (Op. 80)/ Leonid Hambro, piano/ Igor Stravinsky, piano/cond. – Biddulph
Long-awaited 78 rpm Szigeti recordings
DOMENICO SCARLATTI: 16 Sonatas – Pierre Hantaï, harpsichord – Mirare
Pleasing resonance is a feature of this harpsichord recording
Dune – Extended Edition (1984/2006)
40 added minutes explain many confusions of Lynch’s original theatrical version, which is also on this disc
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Audrey Hepburn/Henry Mancini/Blake Edwards – no wonder it copped two Oscars
“MOZART 250: A Celebration” – Excerpts from the composer’s music with various artists, ensembles, orchestras and conductors – Sony Classical
Some unexpected selections in this 3-CD set featuring top names from Sony & BMG catalogs
Alfred Brendel plays SCHUBERT’s Final Three Piano Sonatas
Stirring performances in hi-res DTS surround sound
PROKOFIEV: Alexander Nevsky Cantata; Lieutenant Kijé Symphonic Suite – Claudine Carlson, mezzo-soprano (Nevsky)/Arnold Voketaitis, bass-baritone/ (Kijé)/ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Leonard Slatkin – Vox/Mobile Fidelity
****** MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ******
27 years later we are finally able to hear these quad-era classics the way they were intended to be heard
Michelangeli Plays Beethoven
Keyboard personality Michelangeli honed a small group of works until they achieved a “gemlike flame.”
SHURE E4 High Performance Earphones
Way beyond the ear-buds that came with your iPod
WILLIAM SCHUMAN: Credendum; Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; Symphony No. 4 – John McCabe, piano/ Albany Symphony Orchestra/ David Alan Miller, conductor – Albany
Music of one of American’s most prolific symphonists
RICHARD STRAUSS: Playing His Own 1906 Interpretations: (Complete Welte-Mignon Piano Rolls) = Salome Fragments and Dance of the 7 Veils; A Hero’s Life: Love Scene; Feuersnot: Love Scene; 4 Mood-Pictures – Tacet
Rube Goldberg-style gear achieved in 1906 the utmost realism possible in piano roll cutting, now heard in stereo with a phantom composer at the keyboard
BOCCHERINI: Fandango, Sinfonie & La Musica Notturna di Madrid – Rolf Lislevand, Bruno Cocset, Manfredo Kraemer, Pablo Valetti, José de Udaete and Le Concert des Nations conducted by Jordi Savall – AliaVox
Magnificent performance and sound in more familiar repertory than usually cultivated by Savall
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
