Monthly Archive: March 2006
Ruby Braff – Controlled Nonchalance at the Regattabar, Vol. 2 – Arbors
More fun from Ruby and his buddies- a recipe for success
MAX BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor; Scottish Fantasy; HENRY VIEUXTEMPS: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Minor – Jascha Heifetz, violin/New Symphony Orchestra of London/ Sir Malcolm Sargent – RCA Red Seal Living Stereo
Two familiar but not overplayed Bruch concertos, plus a rarely-heard Vieuxtemps discovery
Rolf Lislevand – Nuove musiche – ECM
Early music convincingly brought up to date [Release date: Tues. March 7th]
“Telemann in Major” = Orchestral Suite in B Flat Major; Concerto grosso in G Major for Strings and Cont.; Concerto grosso in G Major for Two Flutes, Bassoon, Strings and Cont.; Concerto in E Major; Concerto in G Major – Pratum Integrum Orch. – Caro Mitis
First recordings of some of the prolific composer’s instrumental music, mostly in major keys
Brad Mehldau Trio – Day Is Done (with Larry Grenadier, bass; Jeff Ballard, drums) – Nonesuch
A skilled improviser who also respects the musical structures
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto in B-flat Minor; LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major; Piano Concerto No. 2 – Nikita Magaloff, piano/ Residentie Orkest Den Haag/ Willem van Otterloo (Tchaikovsky)/ Tonhalle Orchester Zurich/ Serge Baudo – Ages
Russian pianist of big technique and aristocratic poise, in reissues from Concert Hall LPs
JOSEPH WÖLFL: The Symphonies = G Minor Op. 40; C Major Op. 41; Grand Duo in D Minor for Fortepiano and Cello Op. 31 – Pratum Integrum Orchestra – Caro Mitis
This contemporary and so-called rival of Beethoven loved to employ tympani in every movement of his symphonies.
Audio News for March 4, 2006
Apple Targets Home Audio; Sony Introduces Digital Walkman; Set-Top-Box Credit Considered by Congress
LISZT: 14 Hungarian Rhapsodies; Concerto pathetique in E Minor for 2 Pianos, four hands; Marche de Rakoczy in A Minor – Mark Hambourg, piano/ Michal Hambourg, piano (Concerto pathetique) – Appian Recordings
Hambourg is such a self-indulgent musical character that the reviewer feels the pianist would be happy playing for silent films
Pride & Prejudice (2006)
A brilliant adaptation of the love story by Jane Austen
TELEMANN: Sinfonia & Melodica – Berliner Barock Solisten, conducted by Rainer Kussmaul, with Albrecht Mayer, oboe – DGG
Two world premiere recordings in this all-Telemann program
“Portraits” = Music by NORDGREN, BRUCH, BARTÓK, SALLINEN, RAUTAVAARA, GRIEG and JALKANEN – Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra conducted by Juha Kangas – Alba
In music, performance and sound – the very model of a five-star recording from Finland
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
An acting tour de force for Al Pacino
BEETHOVEN: Fidelio – complete opera (2006)
Orchestrally and visually a fine production; some soloists found wanting
Sacred Music of Duke Ellington – Soloists/Chorus/Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra/ Clarence Acox & Michael Brockman, Co-Directors – Origin
Freedom, justice and prayer’s power are Ellington’s themes in his sacred music
Michelangeli plays CHOPIN
1962 Italian B&W telecast by the virtuoso pianist
Vienna – Chicago Symphony Orchestra /Fritz Reiner, conductor – Sony/BMG Living Stereo Series
Trumps on several counts last year’s xrcd release of the same material
Pops Caviar: Russian Orchestral Fireworks – Boston Pops Orchestra/ Arthur Fiedler, conductor – Sony/BMG Living Stereo Series
Borodin, Khachaturian and other Russians grace this colorful Boston Pops program, now in three-channels
BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique; Romeo and Juliet: Love Scene – Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Charles Munch, conductor – Sony/BMG Living Stereo Series
Recorded two-channel in 1954, this jewel in the Living Stereo crown didn’t appear on disc until the mid-1960s
Mario Lanza – At His Best (with highlights from The Vagabond King) – Mario Lanza, tenor/ featuring Judith Raskin, soprano /Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Franco Ferrara – Sony/BMG Living Stereo Series
A thrilling reminder of an incredible vocal talent of the past – now in the original three channels
Claire Martin and Richard Rodney Bennett – When Lights Are Low – Claire Martin, vocals/ Richard Rodney Bennett, piano and vocals – Linn
Superb combo of Martin’s alto voice and Sir Richard’s piano and smoky vocals
Editorial for March 2006
Protect Your Right to Record and Timeshift In Your Own Home – Oppose the Audio Broadcast Flag Act! Take a minute NOW to contact your members of Congress and tell them you strongly oppose the Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006, H.R. 4861. Although styled as a narrow bill giving the Federal Communications Commission only “limited authority” to impose licensing conditions on new HD radios and satellite radios from XM and Sirius, the Audio broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006, H.R. 4861 is a fundamental attack on traditional home taping practices that consumers have engaged in since the first analog cassette recorder reached the U.S. market in 1964, and the reel-to-reel recorder decades before. Like other proposals shopped around by the Recording Industry Association of America, the bill is not just a “flag” proposal aimed at preventing mass redistribution of music over the Internet. The bill gives the FCC remote control over consumers’ right to engage in reasonable and customary “unauthorized” recording, even in the privacy of their homes for noncommercial purposes. Virtually all home recording is “unauthorized” by copyright owners. But as the Supreme Court held in the Betamax case, that does not make it “unlawful.” Exercising their […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
