Monthly Archive: April 2007
BEETHOVEN: Polonaise in C Major, Op. 89; Rondo a capriccio in G Major, Op. 129; 32 Variations in C Minor; SCHUMANN: Carnaval, Op. 9; LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 1 – Gyorgy Cziffra, piano/ Paris Conservatory Orchestra/ Pierre Dervaux – Urania
A volatile artist of temperament and tempestuous digital authority, too often dismissed for his unorthodox pedagogy.
Agatsuma, shamisen – En – Domo Music
The instrumentals really swing thru a variety of genres – including rock, folk, funk, flamenco, blues and dance music.
Honolulu Jazz Quartet – Tenacity – HNQ
Good to learn there is a jazz alternative to the typical islands music…
*SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No. 3 in C minor “Organ;” BARBER: Toccata Festiva for organ and orchestra; POULENC: Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani – Olivier Latry, organ/ The Philadelphia Orchestra/ Christoph Eschenbach – Ondine
******* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH *******
Audio News for April 11, 2007
RCA Begins Mahler SACD Series; F.I.M. and JVC Debut New XRCD Technology; Improved DSD Technology Now In Use; Orrin Keepnews Collection Bows
The Louisville Project = ROCKMAKER: Rothko Landscapes; SATTERWHITE: Clarinet Quintet, The Widows of Kalama; KARLINS: Just a Line from Chameleon, Improvisation; WARSHAUER: Brothers Dwell – Richard Nunemaker, clarinets/others/Louisville Q. – Arizona Univ.
I can see the attraction of the production seeping into those segments of the classical music populace that would normally shun such a listing.
Babel, Blu-ray (2006-07)
This is a feature which benefits greatly from the hi-def imaging for telling small details in the environment in the scenes shot in Morocco, Mexico and Tokyo.
LALO: Symphonie Espagnole in D Minor, Op. 21; RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34 – Henryk Szeryng, violin/ Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Walter Hendl (Lalo)/ RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra/ Kiril Kondrashin – HDTT CD-R
Spain by way of alternative national styles is the theme for this high-powered restoration
In Sure and Certain Hope: Choral Music of NICHOLAS WHITE – The Tiffany Consort and String Ensemble/ Nicholas White, conductor – MSR Classic
The overall feel of this album is rather wistful, meditative, and somewhat monochromatic.
DONALD TOVEY (1875-1940): Cello Concerto, Op. 40. Air (Andante cantabile) for Strings, arr. Peter Shore; Elegiac Variations, Op. 25, for cello and piano – Alice Neary, cello/ Gretel Dowdeswell, piano/ The Ulster Orchestra/ George Vass – Toccata Classics
Harnessing the musical power of the modern orchestra and a fine young virtuoso, the UK label Toccata has done an immeasurable service to English music.
DEBUSSY: Children’s Corner Suite; Suite Bergamasque; Estampes; Deux Arabesques; La Plus que Lente Valse; Ballade; Mazurka; Le Petit Negre – Pascal Roge, piano – Onyx
Recorded in Switzerland in 2005, these works enjoy high gloss and pearly resonance
A Bridge to Bach = GIBBONS: Lord of Salisbury Pavane and Gaillard; SWEELINCK: Mein junges Leben hat mein End; More Palatino; Fantasia; Under the Linden gruene; Works of TOMKINS; TISDALL; FROBERGER; BEEHOTVEN, FARNABY & BACH – Andrew Rangell, p. – Bridge
Rangell tries to capture the sound of the virginal quite as much as Glenn Gould used to imitate the harpsichord
MAX HELFMAN: Di Naye Hagode; Hag Habikkurim; The Holy Ark (excerpts) – Theodore Bikel, narrator/ Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale/ Choral Society of S. Cal./ Young Musicians Foundation/ Nick Strimple, conductor/Slovak Radio Sym./ Samuel Adler – Naxos
This music resonates with themes that go far beyond their specific identities, and as such does have a more universal appeal than might first be noticed.
Atualfo Argenta Set – Works of CHABRIER, RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, DEBUSSY, GRANADOS, MOSZKOSKYLISZT, BERLIOZ, ALBENIZ, TCHAIKOVSKY, TURINA – Decca 5 CDs
A fine colorist, with an obviously natural penchant for Spanish music, Argenta made a solid handful of inscriptions of decidedly Romantic repertory
OFFENBACH – “Romantique”: Orpheus in the Underworld; Grand Concerto for Cello and Orchestra; Les Fées du Rhin (The Rhinemaidens): Overture, ballet & grande valse; Le Voyage dans la lune (Trip to the Moon) – Pernoo, cello/Marc Minkowski cond. – Archiv
The world premiere recording of the cello concerto in its original version
JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU: Keyboard Suites in E minor, G minor, A minor – Angela Hewitt, piano – Hyperion
Hewitt does a marvelous job with the ornamentation and achieves a remarkable clarity of line without the odd harpsichord-imitation effects that were associated with Glenn Gould.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7 in E Major – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ Hans Knappertsbusch – Orfeo D’Or
The coda alone is worth the price of admission!
Casino Royale, Blu-ray (2006)
Daniel Craig is one of the best Bonds to date
Audio News for April 7, 2007
RIAA Opposes Fair Use Bill; AES to Discuss Illusions in Sound; Home-Quality Audio Coming to Cars
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 5 in D minor & No. 9 in E flat – Russian National Orchestra/Yakov Kreizberg – PentaTone
Matches Bernstein’s super-emotional recording, and in much-improved sonics and surround in the bargain.
Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington (with Oscar Pettiford, bass; Kenny Clarke, drums) – Riverside/Concord Records
Part of the new Orrin Keepnews Collection and Monk’s first recording
ANDRE CAPLET: Conte fantastique for harp and string quartet after “The Mask of the Red Death” Les prieres for vocalist, harp and string quartet; Divertissements for harp; Deux sonnets for soprano & harp; Septuor – Soloists/Ens. Musique – Harmonia mundi
The Mask of the Red Death was one of two Poe stories which Caplet set to music, reveling in the violent contrasts he could illustrate musically.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
