Monthly Archive: February 2007
Caprichos Goyescos – Jurgen Ruck, guitar – MD&G
An album for the artfully adventurous
CHERUBINI: Requiem in C Minor (1816) – Boston Baroque/ Martin Pearlman, director – Telarc
This may be the rosiest requiem ever written.
GEOFFREY BURGON: Choral Music – David Bednall, organ/ Alan Thomas, trumpet/ Matthew Owens, conductor/ Choir of Wells Cathedral – Hyperion
A choral program from the composer of the music for Brideshead Revisited
Copland and the American Sound (Keeping Score series) (2006)
Not just music-oriented, the commentary delves into the social and political developments around Copland’s capturing of that special American sound.
5 for Freddie: Bucky’s Tribute to Freddie Green – Arbors Jazz
A heartfelt tribute to Basie’s guitarist, Freddie Green
GURIDI: Piano Works = Danzas Viejas; Cantos populares vascos; Vasconda; Ocho apuntes para piano; Lamento e imprecacion de Agar; Vals de Mirentxu; Amanceer; Nostalgia – Victoria Aja, piano – Naxos
Derivative but not uninteresting nevertheless
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37; CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11 – Gary Graffman, piano/ Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Walter Hendl (Beethoven)/ Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Charles Munch – HDTT CD-R
These remasterings are quite stunning, the forward presence of the Chicago Symphony woodwinds and strings ripe with piercing sonority from the opening of the Beethoven Concerto.
Joe Zawinul and WDR Big Band – Brown Street – Heads Up (2)
Ex-Weather Report keyboardist delivers eclectic live album
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major; Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor – Dino Ciani, piano/ Orchestra Sinfonica A. Scarlatti della RAI di Napoli/ Barbirolli (K. 503)/ Orchestra Sinfonica A. Scarlatti RAI di Torino/ Piero Bellugi – Arts
The playing of such a hugely-mounted Mozart concerto attests to Ciani’s ambition and digital fortitude.
Charlotte Margiono Sings RICHARD WAGNER: Wesendonck Lieder & Arias – Limburg Symphony Orchestra, Maastricht, Netherlands/Ed Spanjaard – PentaTone
This affecting performance augurs well for the young soprano.
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor; Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major; Two Rhapsodies; Three Intermezzi; Four Klavierstuecke – Emanuel Ax, piano/ Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ James Levine (Op. 15)/ Boston Sym./Bernard Heitink – Sony Classical (2)
A compilation of Ax’s performing Brahms, 1983 to 1997, at various venues in America, England, and Germany.
SCHUMANN: Fantasia in C Major, Op. 17; Kreisleriana, Op. 16; Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 – Jonathan Biss, piano – EMI Classics
Biss relishes, in sometimes beefy sound, Schumann’s intricate, nostalgic figures.
Carl Schuricht = SCHUMANN: Manfred Overture, Op. 115; MOZART: Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504 “Prague”; BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ Carl Schuricht – Testament
A sound that is at once lush, warmly subjective, and often nervously idiosyncratic.
SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 9 in C Major “The Great;” Symphony in B Minor “Unfinished” – Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Charles Munch – RCA Red Seal Living Stereo
Munch probes the depths of both symphonies with the orchestra with which he had such a warm and close connection.
Pat Martino, guitar – El Hombre – Prestige
Lounge and Muzak You Can Love
John Coltrane with Red Garland Trio – Traneing In – Prestige
RVG Remaster of a Coltrane classic
Wes Montgomery – Riverside Profiles – Riverside
Best of Wes Montgomery on Riverside
Jackie McLean 4, 5 and 6 – Prestige RVG Remaster
His tone was unique and his ability to bridge the bop/hard bop/ and avant vein a true rarity.
BRAHMS Clarinet Chamber Music = Clarinet Trio in A Minor; Sonata in F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1; Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2 – Arthur Campbell, clarinet/ Frances Renzi, piano/ Jean-Pascal Meyer, piano (Op. 114)/ Daniel Raclot, cello – Audite
For ambiance, intimacy, and audiophile presence in your Brahms library, you need only acquire this fine disc.
The New York Sessions – West of 5th – Hank Jones, piano/Christian McBride, bass/ Jimmy Cobb, drums – Chesky
Great spatial placement of all three musicians on the soundstage in surround mode.
CHARLES TOURNEMIRE: “l’Orgue mystique:” Office No. 2, Immaculate Conception; Office No. 17, Pâques (Easter); Office No. 48, La toussaint (All Saints’ day) – Sandro Muller at the large Jann organ of the Stifts Basilica, Waldhassen – Cybele Records
A high degree of spiritual and theological absorption is evident in his music
Cannonball Adderley – Riverside Profiles Series – Riverside/Concord
The best of the brothers Adderley
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
