Monthly Archive: March 2007
BACH: Goldberg Variations BWV 988 – Pius Cheung, solo marimba – Pius Cheung
The concert marimba is an excellent instrument for the performance of Bach transcriptions and this is not the first work of the master to be adapted for it.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral” – Wilma Lipp, soprano/ Elisabeth Hoengen, contralto/ Murray Dickie, tenor/ Gottlob Frick, bass/ Choeurs Elisabeth Brasseur/ Paris Conservatory Orchestra/ Cal Schuricht – Testament
An important addition to the legacy of Carl Schuricht (1880-1967), especially as the original recordings derive from stereo masters
Allan Vaché, clarinet – With Benny in Mind – Arbors Jazz
Vaché gathered a group of musicians who all demonstrate a good understanding of Goodman’s pioneering contributions to jazz.
Audio News for March 21, 2007
Proposed Royalty Rates Could Kill Internet Radio; Rush in Development of Home Video Distribution; Wal-Mart to Score Electronic Equipment on Environmental Impact
The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot – Arista/Sony Legacy The Alan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky – Arista/Sony Legacy
Two of the ten-album expanded restoration project supervised by Parsons and Eric Woolfson
C.P.E. BACH: Nine Sonatas – Jean Goverts, piano – Divox Antiqua
Conceived mainly for the harpsichord or the fortepiano, these sonatas cultivated the new emotional style that aimed at “touching the heart.”
Scherzo Audio Andante Headphone Amplifier
Great sound in a compact and flexible battery-operated amp
Jean Sibelius: The Early Years; Maturity & Silence (1984/2006)
Producer Nupen wanted to focus on the work of a composer rather than his life
Metheny Mehldau Quartet – Nonesuch
The second pairing of the older guitarist and the innovative young pianist, plus a musical interview of the pianist
Turtle Island Quartet – A Love Supreme (The Legacy of John Coltrane) – Telarc
The TIQ has successfully blended the classical string quartet esthetic with every sort of American music and world music of Latin America and India.
Greg Glassman Quartet – Into The Wild – GGQ
The second CD from the trumpeter, with guest Clark Terry
*BACH: The Goldberg Variations – Glenn Gould’s 1955 performance re-created in modern hi-res surround sound and hi-res binaural sound by Zenph – Sony Classical
************ MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH **********
Climb inside Glenn Gould’s head at the keyboard by simply plugging in your headphones on tracks 33-64
Audio News for March 17, 2007
Blu-ray, HD DVD & Vista DRM Reported Hacked Already;
World’s First Digital Wireless Home Theater System Claimed
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 2 “To October,” Op. 14; Symphony No. 12 “The Year 1917,” Op. 112 – National Ukrainian Choir/ Beethoven Orchester Bonn/ Roman Kofman – MD&G
Two works of proletarian temper grace this album, and it hard to separate the music from the politics.
BRITTEN: Phantasy Quartet, Op. 2; String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94; BLISS: Quintet for Oboe and String Quartet Alex Klein, oboe – Vermeer Quartet – Cedille
This is Britten’s Pathetique Symphony, etched in dark fire by the Vermeer.
Declarations: Music Between the Wars = JANACEK: String Quartet No. 2 “Intimate Letters;” CRAWFORD SEEGER: String Quartet; HINDEMITH: String Quartet No. 4 – Pacifica Quartet – Cedille Records
The Second Quartet (1928) is one of the great musical monuments to the exigencies of love.
FEINBERG: 4 Preludes, Op. 8; Sonata No. 6, Op. 13; Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 44 – Victor Bunin, piano/ Great Symphony Radio and TV Orchestra/ Gennady Tcherkassov – Classical Records
The Op. 8 Preludes owe their immediate allegiance to Scriabin and a touch of Debussy.
Poseidon: HD-DVD (2006)
Second hi-def review rates poorly on film but highly on image & sound
Syriana: HD-DVD (2005)
First review of one of the two new hi-def DVD formats!
SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in A Major, D. 959; Six German Dances, D. 820; 4 Laendler, D. 814; German Dance in F, D. 841; Waltz in G, D. 844 – Christian Zacharias, piano – MD&G
Zacharias adapts his tempos and dynamic touch constantly, a real kaleidoscope of melancholy.
BARBER: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 14; BLOCH: Baal Shem; WALTON: Violin Concerto Joshua Bell, violin/ Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/ David Zinman – Decca
A solid addition to the Joshua Bell legacy
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
The scatological, laugh-filled mockumentary/documentary of a Kazakh TV reporter visiting the United States.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
