Monthly Archive: May 2007
Apocalypto, Blu-ray (2007)
This is definitely a film for which hi-def was designed: One sees every detail of the vegetation in the jungle, and the hundreds of differently-costumed people in crowd scenes
“Burnished Bright” = Sacred Sounds of Brass, Organ and Bells – Works of BACH, PURCELL, WHITE, BEDFORD, HALE, CHARPENTIER, HAIG, PACHELBEL, PINKHAM, PHILLIPS – Gabriel V Brass Quintet/ David Chalmers, organ/ Extol Handbell Choir – Gloria dei Artes
The blend of the brass with the coloristic attributes of the organ’s orchestral sounds makes for an exciting sound that can achieve thrilling fortissimos.
Pianist Lili Kraus (1960-61)
Sparkling playing in the two recitals from Radio Canada and one from Camera Three
Trends Audio TA-10 Ver. 1.1 Tripath (Class-T) Amp
Amazingly good sonics out of amazingly tiny and inexpensive amp
BERIOT: Violin Concertos 2, op. 32; 4, op. 46; 7, op. 73 – Laurent Albrecht Breuninger, violin/ Northwest German Philharmonic/ Frank Beerman, conductor – CPO
Music by one of the greatest virtuosos of the Romantic Golden Age
LORRAINE HUNT LIEBERSON in recital with Roger Vignoles, piano – Music by MAHLER, HANDEL, PETER LIEBERSON, TRAD., and BRAHMS – Recorded live at Wigmore Hall, London, on November 30, 1998 – Wigmore Hall
Songs of love and death by composers profoundly familiar with the subjects
LOCATELLI: Concerti Grossi Op.1 (2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10) – Freiburger Barockorchester/ Gottfried von der Goltz, conductor –Harmonia mundi
A fine recording of some underrated music
JULIUS REUBKE: The Keyboard Works = Scherzo; Mazurka; Sonata in B-flat minor – John Owings, piano; Trio in E-flat; Sonata on the 94th Psalm – H. Joseph Butler, organ – Pro Organo
The Sonata for Organ is the prize work on this disc – surely the equal of the best of Franck, Liszt and others.
BRAHMS: String Quartets 1-3 and Piano Quintet Op. 34 – Emerson String Quartet/ Leon Fleisher, piano – DGG
A virtual orgy of Brahms that, in its precise elegance and light-handed passion, sets a brilliant new standard for recordings of this repertoire.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concertos 1 & 4 – Lang Lang, piano/ Orchestre de Paris conducted by Christoph Eschenbach – DGG
Lang has come up with virtually a new interpretive solution to each bar.
Mario Adnet – From the Heart – Adventure Music
The first U.S. album from the acclaimed Brazilian composer, arranger, producer, guitarist, and singer.
JOHANN STRAUSS JR.: A Gala Performance of Die Fledermaus – Starring Hilde Gueden, Waldemar Kmentt, and Eberhard Wächter with the Vienna State Opera Chorus and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan – Decca (2 CDs)
There has never been a Fledermaus like this!
BEETHOVEN: Mass in C Major, Op. 86 – Gundula Janowitz, soprano/ Julia Hamari, alto/ Horst R. Laubenthal, tenor/ Ernst Gerald Schramm, bass/ Elmar Schloter, organ /Munich Bach Choir and Orchestra/ Karl Richter – HDTT
The Credo totally ravished me at the “Et incarnates est;” Gundula Janowitz and the Munich Bach Orchestra trumpets blowing me out of my seat.
Audio News for May 23, 2007
Marriage of PC & TV in the Home Hasn’t Been Consummated; Standardized Connector for MP3 Players; New Linux-based Home Control System in Development
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Symphony No. 5 in D Major; Serenade to Music; Original Tallis Theme – Soloists/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus/ Robert Spano – Telarc
The antiphonal effects are a pleasure to hear for those of us fans of surround sound for music.
ANDREW VIOLETTE: Rave – Gregor Kitzas, electric violin; Curtis Macomber, violin; Andrew Violette, keyboards & producer – Innova
He deliberately provides too much happening at once soundwise to take it all in.
DOHNANYI: Serenade for String Trio in C; String Quartet No. 2 in D flat; Piano Sextet with string trio, horn, and clarinet – Kocian Quartet & Beethoven String Trio/Vladimira Klanska, Fr. horn/Jaromir Klepac, piano/ Ales Hustoles, clar. – Praga Digitals
In late-Romantic style, Dohnanyi has great melodic invention and develops his harmonies in a modern fashion
Gilad Barkan – Live Sessions – New Step Music
Fans of jazz flute will especially enjoy the second disc of the set.
Breathe – The Relaxing Jazz Guitar; Breathe – Relaxing Bossa – both Telarc
Two more efforts in Telarc’s very functional and well-thought-out reissue sampler series
Donnie Brasco, Blu-ray (1997)
Based on the true story of FBI agent Joe Pistone, who worked undercover for six years embedded in a NYC Mafia faction
The Young Brothers – Tales of Time
Mainstream modern jazz of the cool variety
Karajan in Italy = Symphonies of MOZART, BRAHMS, BEETHOVEN and Bartok Piano Concerto 3
He was musician and megalomaniac, magician and manipulator, the architect of music, often without emotional content.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
