Monthly Archive: December 2006
Monster House (2006) (animation)
Clever translation of live-action movement to convincing animation, but watch out for over-scaring children
Dave Liebman & Bobby Avey – Vienna Dialogues (soprano sax & piano duo) – Zoho
Fairly straight instrumental performances of lieder and piano pieces by Romantic Period classical composers
Shueh-Li Ong – Music From Another Land – with John Anthony Martinez, e-drums- Xenovibes
Composer/vocalist/synthesist/multi-instrumentalist from Singapore
Randy Sandke and the Metatonal Big Band – The Subway Ballet – Composed, arranged and conducted by Randy Sandke, trumpet/Flugelhorn – Evening Star
Sandke’s metatonal harmonic approach employs chords that lie beyond the scope of traditional harmony.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1; Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2 “Tempest”; Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 “The Hunt” – Mari Kodama, piano – PentaTone
The dynamic contrasts in the keyboard registration make for some edge-of-one’s-seat listening
Audio News for December 30, 2006
New AC Audio Distribution Plug; Music DVDs: Audio Dos & Don’ts
SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major, D. 125; Grand Duo in C Major, D. 812 (orch. Joachim) – NBC Symphony Orchestra/ Arturo Toscanini – Testament
1940 & 41 historical Toscanini efforts never before commercially released
BERNSTEIN: Fancy Free; Dybbuk (complete ballets) – Mel Ulrich, baritone/Mark Risinger, bass/ Nashville Symphony/Andrew Mogrelia – Naxos American Classic
Two highly-contrasted Bernstein ballet scores
PAUL WRANITZKY: Grande Sinfonie caracteristique pour la paix avec la Republique francoise Op. 31 in C minor; Symphony No. 52 in D major – NDR Radio Philharmonic/ Howard Griffiths – CPO
Worth-hearing symphonies from a friend of Mozart’s
A Rose for me – The Soundscapers – First Impression Music
Chinese folklore meets American jazz – a study in diversity!
20 Years Guarneri Trio, Prague = DVORAK: Dumky Trio in E Minor, Op. 90; BEETHOVEN: Archduke Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 97 – Guarneri Trio – Praga
An eminently happy disc in glorious live surround sound modality
The Takacs Quartet Plays Bartok Quartets
Nos. 2, 3 & 6, with informal introductions by the players themselves
Hélène Grimaud Reflection = Music by ROBERT SCHUMANN, CLARA SCHUMANN and JOHANNES BRAHMS – Hélène Grimaud, piano/Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano/ Truls Mørk, cello/Staatskapelle Dresden/Esa-Pekka Salonen – DGG
An attractive concept album let down, on balance, by a lack of balance.
IVES: String Quartets 1 and 2, and Scherzo – Blair String Quartet – Naxos
Thanks to Naxos for presenting these involved, elegant and knowing performances of Charles Ives
Hazmat Modine – Bahamut – Barbes Records
Would you believe blues harmonicas with Tuvan throat singers?
Ray Samuels’ The Hornet Compact Headphone Amp
Op-amp-based, battery-driven, minimalist dedicated amp for ‘phones
Sweeter Than Roses = 18 songs by HENRY PURCELL; BENJAMIN BRITTEN: Winter Words, op. 52 – Ian Partridge, tenor. George Malcolm, harpsichord (Purcell). Jennifer Partridge, piano (Britten) – Resonance
Recital features music by two of England’s greatest song writers.
Duos From Marlboro = SCHUBERT: Introduction and Variations on “Ihr Bluemlein alle”; PROKOFIEV: Sonata in C Major for 2 Violins, Op. 56; KIRCHNER: Duo No. 2 – Paula Robison, flute/ Rudolf Serkin, piano/ Daniel Phillips, violin – Bridge
The Schubert is a collaboration of the young flutist and the veteran pianist
Tennstedt Conducts Mahler 1st & 8th Symphonies
Painfully emotional conducting and drawn-out tempi characterize these moving performances on video
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture; SIBELIUS: Karelia Suite; Pohjola’s Daughter Symphony Fantasy; Valse Triste – Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Sir Colin Davis – PentaTone
Great performances, good surround, and real cannon in the 1812!
Audio News for December 27, 2006
New Chip for Wireless Video; AV Distribution Via Internet Protocol
David Crosby – If I Could Only Remember My Name… – Atlantic/Rhino
This has become one of my favorite recordings!
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
