Monthly Archive: August 2007
Academy Award Nominated Short Films for 2006
A good program of both live action and animation with few complete duds
Audio News for August 11, 2007
Universal To Sell All Downloads DRM-free; Wal-Mart Wants to Rule Consumer Electronics Sales; Oscars Bans Providing CDs of Soundtrack Scores
RICHARD STRAUSS: Four Last Songs; Final scenes from Capriccio & Salome – Nina Stemme, soprano/ conductor Antonio Pappano/ Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 56.22 – EMI Classics
An award-winning voice but harmed by muffled sonics
Barbirolli at the Proms = HAYDN: The Uninhabited Island Overture; The Creation: In Native Worth; BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68 – Halle Orchestra/ David Galliver, tenor/ Sir John Barbirolli – Guild Historical
A thoroughly charming and graceful program of one hour duration led by the ever-enthusiastic John Barbirolli
The Host (2006), Blu-ray
A scary monster movie from Korea with political/environmental ramifications
The Soul of Tango – LUIS BACALOV: Triple Concerto for Bandoneon, Soprano & Orchestra; Il Postino; PIAZZOLLA: Tres Movimientos Sinfonicos, Buenos Aires; Oblivion – Soloists/ Santa Barbara Sym./Gisele Ben-Dor – Delos
Two world premiere symphonic recordings plus two delightful tangos
Billy Taylor & Gerry Mulligan, Live at MCG – MCG Jazz
This 1993 concert is right up with the best of the recent jazz reissues
FLORENT SCHMITT: Psalm XLVII; Suite sans esprit de suite; The Tragedy of Salome – Christine Buffle, soprano (Psalm)/BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales/ Thierry Fischer – Chandos
This Salome follows a completely different scenario from the Oscar Wilde version used by Richard Strauss
Vitus – Music from the motion picture soundtrack – Orig. music by MARIO BERETTA; Classical selections by BACH, LISZT RAVEL, SCHUMANN, SCARLATTI, MOZART – Teo Gheorghiu, piano – Sony Classical
Featuring performances by the prodigy who also plays the ficticious prodigy Vitus in the film
Audio News for August 9, 2007
National Bomb Shelter for AV Media; Portable Audio Sales Down; Inexpensive Software Putting Recording Studios Out of Business
Steamin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet – Prestige/Concord
It was Miles’ leadership which made star material out of these performers.
SHCHEDRIN: The Sealed Angel – Sophie Klussmann, soprano/ Judith Simonis, alto/ Rene Vosskuhler, tenor/ Lorenz Wusthof, Richard Schwennicke, boys/ Gergely Bodoky, flute/ Berlin Radio Choir/ Stefan Parkman, conductor – Coviello Classics
A work for the celebration of the 1000 years of Christianity in Russia, by a composer who knows of what he speaks
DELIUS: Songs – Yvonne Kenny, soprano/ Piers Lane, piano – Hyperion
A feast for starved Delius lovers
Red Garland Quintet – Soul Junction – RVG Remasters Prestige/Concord
Garland, Coltrane and Byrd all shine in this Rudy Van Gelder remaster
Bruce Hornsby, piano; Christian McBride, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums – Camp Meeting – Sony Legacy
An excellent and surprising jazz trio album from all-around pop musician Hornsby
SAINT-SAENS: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor; FRANCK: Symphonic Variations; LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat – Arthur Rubinstein, piano/ Symphony of the Air (RCA Sym. in Liszt)/ Alfred Wallenstein – RCA Red Seal
2 French concertos (1 is #2) in 3-channel plus a Hungarian concerto #1 in 2-channel = Rubinstein in Living Stereo
Crime Story (1993), Special Collector’s Edition
A much more serious Jackie Chan in a reenactment of a true Hong Kong crime story
Beautiful Japanese Songs = by KOSAKU YAMADA, SADAO BEKKU, KUNIHIKO HASHIMOTO, YOSHINAO NAKADA, HIDEO KOBAYASHI, SHINPEI NAKAYAMA, IKUMA DAN, KOZABURO HIRAI, RYOSUKE HATANAKA, TADASUKE ONO – Aki Yamamura, soprano/ Matthias Graff-Schestag, piano – EigenArt
Some delicate and gorgeous music, but production values inhibit the last degree of pleasure
Jean de Florette / Manon of the Spring (1986/2007)
A beautiful and epic multi-generational tale of hope, greed, family and retribution in a double-sided, double-feature DVD.
Disturbia, Blu-ray (2007)
A clever thriller inspired by, but not copying Hitchcock’s Rear Window
BACH: Cantatas = Herz und Mund und Tat un Leben, BVW 147; Ich habe genug, BWV 82; Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern – Monika Mauch, sop./ Matthew White, countertenor/ Charles Daniels, tenor/ Stephan Macleod, bass/ Montreal Baroque/ Eric Milne – Atma
Another sterling entry in the Montreal Baroque Bach cantata series in great sound, but you have to be on board with the concept
Lamentazioni per la Settimana Santa (Lamentations for Holy Week) = CARISSIMI, ROSSI, FRESCOBALDI, PALESTRINA, KAPSBERGER, MARCORELLI, ANONYMOUS – Maria Cristina Kiehr, soprano/ Concerto Soave/ Jean-Marc Aymes, conductor and claviorganum – Harmonia mundi
Feeling blue? This won’t help, but the excellent performances will enhance your sense of penitence
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
