Monthly Archive: July 2006
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 126; PROKOFIEV: Symphony-Concerto in E Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 125 – Lynn Harrell, cello/ Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/ Gerard Schwarz – AVIE
Two modern Russian cello vehicles of great interest
Miles Davis All Stars – Walkin’ (Miles, trumpet; J.J. Johnson, trombone; Lucky Thompson, tenor sax; David Shildcraut, alto sax; Horace Silver, piano; Percy Heath, bass; Kenny Clarke, drums) – Prestige
A Miles classic in hi-res sound, now at a bargain price
Audio News for July 29, 2006
Shoppers Research Tech Purchases Online, Then Buy Offline; Hi-Def Flat-Panel TV Has Gone Mainstream; Wireless Technology to Enter More Homes
21st Century Vinyl – Michael Fremer’s Practical Guide to Turntable Set-Up (2006)
Fear no more getting into high-end vinyl playback
Lionel Hampton – There Will Never Be Another You – featuring Sylvia Bennett, vocals – OutofSight Music CD + DVD
Never-before-released 1989 session by the king of the vibes
MICHAEL HAYDN: Concertos – Claudio Brizi (claviorgan), Luca Ranieri (viola, Mario Ancillotti (flute), Luca Arcese (violin) and the I Solisti di Perugia conducted by Thomas Indermühle – Camerata
An audiophile classic masterpiece, revised
SATIE: Gnossiennes; Ogives; Petite ouverture á danser; Sarabandes; Gymnopédies – Reinbert de Leeuw, piano – Philips
Horrible piano sound in reissue; originals sound great
Ambient DVD Series
No actors, no story, no beginning or end, but plenty of audiovisual delight
LISZT: Piano Sonata in B Minor; Fantasy and Fugue on BACH; Totentanz (Paraphrase on the Dies Irae) – Markus Groh, piano – Avie
His mastery over the Liszt rhetoric quite sweeps one away
Virgil Fox – The Bach Gamut – Fantasy & Fugue in G minor; Sheep May Safely Graze; Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C; St. Matthew Passion – Finale; Prelude and Fugue in A minor; Air on G String; Prelude and Fugue in D; I Call to Thee – Reference Recordings
Live recording of a 1976 San Francisco concert for 5500
Sir! No Sir! (2005)
Powerful documentary on the GI antiwar movement during the Vietnam period
MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito – Mark Padmore (Tito), Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Vitellia), Bernarda Fink (Sesto), Marie-Claude Chappuis (Annio), with the Freiburger Barockorchester and RIAS Kammerchor cond. by Rene Jacobs – Harmonia mundi (2 discs)
Totally indispensable for the compleat Mozartian! [To be released Sept. 12]
HAYDN: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 54, No. 2; BACEWICZ: String Quartet No. 4; DVORAK: String Quartet No. 14 in A-flat Major, Op. 105 – Szymanowski Quartet – Avie
Musically and acoustically satisfying – to be on our Best of the Year List
J.S. BACH: Cantatas for the Second and Fourth Sundays after Epiphany – The Monteverdi Choir/ The English Baroque Soloists/ vocal soloists/ John Eliot Gardiner – Soli Deo Gloria
Volume 21 in the series of all the cantatas performed at the times for which they were created
Jamie Stewardson, guitar – Jhaptal (with Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Alexei Tsiganov, vibes; John Hebert, bass; George Schuller, drums) – Fresh Sound Records
Tonally-advanced original compositions by guitarist Stewardson
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 9, Op. 70; PROKOFIEFF: Lt. Kijé Suite – London Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Malcolm Sargent – Everest 35mm mag film recording reissued as Classic Records
CD, DVD-V audio, DVD-A audio, both 2 and 3-channel, on 2 discs
Audio News for July 25, 2006
Queen’s Rolling Blackout Due to Computers and Big-Screen TVs?; Networked Digital Device for Audiophiles; Commerce Department Proposes Coupon Program for Digital Converter Boxes
Dr. Lonnie Smith – Jungle Soul – Palmetto Records
An Old School Master At His Best
John Fogerty -The Long Road Home (Concert Video)
The DTS surround provides one of the best rock concert audio coverages yet
DE FALLA: The Three-Cornered Hat (complete ballet) – Barbara Howitt, soprano/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Enrique Jorda – Everest 35mm mag film recording reissued as Classic Records HDAD
Two discs offering options for 44.1K, 96K, 192K, two-channel and the three channels originally recorded
OTTORINO RESPIGHI: Metamorphoses, Modi XII (Theme and Variations) (1930); Rossiniana Suite (1925); Burlesca for Orchestra (1906); Passacaglia in C minor of J.S. Bach – Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra/ George Hanson- MDG Gold
Less-often-heard repertory from the popular Italian composer
Monteux Conducts = WEBER: Jubel Overture; RAVEL: Le Tombeau de Couperin‚ PIJPER: Symphony No. 3; ELGAR: Enigma Variations, Op. 36; CHABRIER: Fete polonaise – BBC Symphony (Ravel, Pijper)/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Pierre Monteux – BBC Legends
Early 60s recordings of a diverse repertory by a much-loved conductor
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
