Monthly Archive: November 2006
DVORAK: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 “From the New World” – The New Philharmonia Orchestra/ Antal Dorati – HDTT
A highly-polished account, with beautiful woodwinds playing in the Largo movement
SKALKOTTAS: Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra; Tema con Variazioni; Little Suite for Strings; Four Images – Geoffrey Douglas Madge, piano/ BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Nikos Christodoulou – BIS
A lyrical element is present, but don’t expect to whistle any melodies
VIVALDI: Vivaldi, il furioso! – Music from Naïve’s Vivaldi Edition – Various singers, soloists, ensembles and conductors – Naïve
Experience the full breadth of Vivaldi’s genius!
PROKOFIEV: The Stone Flower ballet (1990)
Not up to his Romeo & Juliet, but worth viewing
Cello
An “Asia Extreme” horror feature with lots of cellos
Quincy Jones, Live in ’60
Best of the Jazz Icons series as far as I’m concerned
DVORAK: Serenade in E Major for Strings, Op. 22; Serenade for Winds in D Minor, Op. 44 – Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Alexander Schneider – Coe Records
Delightful assemblage of Dvorak serenades recorded 1984
Coyle & Sharpe: These 2 Men Are Imposters – SharpeWorld
Not jazz, but these guys are master improvisers…
Audio News for November 28, 2006
CDs, DVDs and Consumer Electronics Rate in Black Friday Shopping; HDMI/DVI Hassles, Continued
RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27 – Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/ William Steinberg – HDTT
Mastered from a quarter-track tape but hiss is not a problem.
BERG: Violin Concerto; STRAVINSKY: Violin Concerto in D – Christian Ferras, violin/ Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/ Ernest Ansermet – Claves
Purity of expression makes these two concertos eminently repeatable.
ARIEL RAMIREZ: Misa Criolla and more music from the South American Folk Tradition for Chorus and Native Instruments – Counterpoint and Friends/Robert DeCormier, director – Albany Records
Another fine version of this lovely folk mass
SCHUMANN: Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73; Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 105; Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 121 – Dora Schwarzberg, violin/ Polina Leschenko, piano/ Avanti Classic
Uncompromising playing of Schumann from two well-paired artists
The Choral Project – One is the All: A Human Experience as Told Through Song – The Choral Project/Daniel Hughes, conductor – Clarion Records
This adventurous group and their conductor present outstanding choral singing.
HINDEMITH: Concert Music, Op. 50; DVORAK: Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70; BEETHOVEN: Egmont Overture, Op. 84a – London Philharmonic Orchestra/ Carlo Maria Giulini – BBC Legends
The opening of the Dvorak 7th enjoys a spacious, grandly dramatic line
MAHLER: Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” – Soloists/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ Pierre Boulez – DGG
Boulez creates a lighter Mahler voicing
RACHMANINOV: 24 Preludes, Op. 3, No. 2; Op. 23; Op. 32 – Sergio Fiorentino, piano
Fiorentino emphasizes the long lyrical line
BACH: Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971; Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903; Overture on the French Style, BWV 831; Sonata in A Minor after a Sonata by Jan Adam Reinkens, BWV 965 Kenneth Weiss, harpsichord – Saterino Records
Will satisfy original instrument and Bach cognoscenti both.
DVORAK: Violin Concerto in A minor; Czech Suite Op. 39; Nocturne for Strings in B major; Waltz No. 1 from Two Waltzes Op. 54 (arr. for strings) – Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Joseph Swensen, violinist & conductor – Linn
As richly lyrical as the composer’s famed cello concerto
Anarchism in America; The Free Voice of Labor (2006)
Informative but technically-lacking documentaries on an interesting social movement
Audio News for November 25, 2006
Blu-ray Marketing Campaign; DTS/Nielsen Research on Importance of Surround Sound
BRAHMS: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80; Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73; SMETANA: Overture to The Bartered Bride; An Elizabethan Suite (arr. Barbirolli) – New York Philharmonic/ John Barbirolli – Dutton
Fine transfers of Barbirolli recordings of the early 1940s