Monthly Archive: November 2006
Amphony Model 2500 5.8 GHz Digital Wireless Headphones
Major improvement over previous 2.4 GHz model in both range and fidelity
David Binney – Cities and Desire – David Binney, alto saxophone/Mark Turner, tenor saxophone/Craig Taborn, piano/Thomas Morgan, bass/Dan Weiss, drums – Criss Cross Jazz
Brings a sense of adventure and life to the music
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad” – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Mariss Jansons – RCO Live: SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad” – Orchestra Sinfonia di Milano Giuseppe Verdi/ Oleg Caetani – Arts:
Battle of the Leningrad Symphonies
CHOPIN: Etudes Opp. 10 & 25 – Freddy Kempf, piano – BIS
Gutsy delivery of the Etudes with up close multichannel sonics
PHILIP GLASS – Looking Glass (2006)
Glass takes the viewer into his confidence in the interesting interview portions
“On the Threshold of Hope” Chamber Music of MIECZYSLAW WEINBERG: Sonata for Clarinet and Piano; Jewish Songs after Shmuel Halkin; Piano Quintet Op. 18 – Joaquin Valdepenas, clarinet/ Dianne Werner, piano/ David Louis, piano + string quartet – RCA Red Seal
Three works from the WWII period, when the composer was exiled in the Soviet Union
Stu Goldberg & Cassius Khan – Dark Clouds – Dedication Records
An exciting and satisfying blend of East and West musical cultures
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 “Emperor”; Choral Fantasy in C Minor, Op. 80; Meerstille und glueckliche Fahrt in D Major, Op. 112 – Yefim Bronfman, piano/ Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich/ Schweizer Kammerchor/ David Zinman – Arte Nova
A brilliant disc all around; I’ll add it to our Best of the Year List.
Toby Koenigsberg Trio – “Sense” – Origin Records
The aim was to escape the thought process of intellectualism and let the senses take over.
Metamorphoses Fidei – Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall, Conductor/ La Capella Reial de Catalunya/ Montserrat Figueras, soprano – Alia Vox
The marvelous choral and instrumental work maintains the high standards we now expect from this source.
SZYMANOWSKI: Songs of a Fairytale Princess; Harnasie; Love Songs of Hafiz – City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/ Simon Rattle, Conductor/ Iwona Sobotka, soprano/ Katarina Karneus, mezzo-soprano/ Timothy Robinson, tenor – EMI Classics
A must for Szymanowski lovers and high on the list for everyone else as well.
MOZART: Mass in C; Masonic Funeral Music – Le Concert d’Astree/ Louis Langree, Conductor/ Natalie Dessay, Veronique Gens, sopranos/ Topi Lehtipuu, tenor/ Luca Pisaroni, bass – Virgin Classics
About as good as any period instrument performance available
Lighten Our Darkness – Music for the Close of the Day; The Office of Compline – The Cambridge Singers/ John Rutter, conductor – Collegium Records
A fine concept program from an always-reliable ensemble
CORIGLIANO: Violin Sonata; Etude Fantasy for Solo Piano; Fantasia on an Ostinato; Chiaroscuro for Two Pianos – Andrew Russo, piano/ Corey Cerovsek, violin/ Steven Heyman, piano – Black Box
There is no better introduction to the composer’s smaller scale works
Audio News for November 17, 2006
Media Synchronization; Wal-Mart Not Happy About Apple’s Movie Downloads; Compatibility Is Foremost
TALBOT: Path of Miracles – Tenebrae/ Nigel Short – Signum Classics
A promising work from a promising source that just falls short
FRANCISCO GUERRERO: Missa Surge Propera; Usquequo, Domine; Ave Maria; Hei mihi, Domine; Surge Propera; Beata Dei genitrix; Ave virgo sanctissima; Regina caeli laetare – The Tallis Scholars/ Peter Phillips – Gimell
A disc of serene beauty and soul soothing sound
Bernard Haitink conducts MAHLER: Symphony No. 1 in D Major; Symphony No. 2 in C Minor “Resurrection”
Haitink occasionally conducts with eyes closed, a la Karajan
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp minor – San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas – SF Symphony
Another highly recommended entry in the SF Sym./Mahler series
The Microscopic Septet – History of the Micros, Vol. 1 & 2, “Seven Men in Neckties;” “Surrealistic Swing” – Cuneiform Records
Lawrence Welk on acid? Or Charles Mingus plays Willem Breuker?
Starr Parodi, piano – Common Places (piano improvisations) – Parodi Fair
Imagine the James Bond theme and Albinoni’s Adagio on the same CD
The Directors: Roger Corman
The producer’s mix of exploitation and art films launched many actors and directors’ careers
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
