Monthly Archive: February 2008
George Russell Sextet – Ezz-thetics – Keepnews Collection, Riverside
Semi-tonal more than actually atonal, Russell’s Lydian Concept influenced Miles Davis and many others.
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 in B flat Op. 100; Ode to the End of the War Op. 105 – Russian National Orchestra/ Vladimir Jurowski – PentaTone Classics
Has a surprisingly optimistic slant to it – though seasoned with plenty of the composer’s patented hard-edged sardonicism.
Audio News for February 26, 2008
Home TV-to-Internet Connections; Sony Cuts Greenhouse Gas Emissions; World’s Biggest Tube Amp and Subwoofer
Isaac Stern Performances (1965/1973)
Violinist Isaac Stern is in good form, playing with more exactitude and less schmaltz than this period produced in his commercial CBS recordings.
BACH: The Art of the Fugue BWV 1080 – Bradley Brookshire, harpsichord + bonus CD-ROM of entire score – Bach Harpsichord Inc.
A unique opportunity to follow Bach’s score while listening to the work’s complete performance.
Blue Note – A Story of Modern Jazz (1996/2007)
A very informative documentary on the most famous jazz record label ever.
Howard Alden and Ken Peplowski’s Pow-Wow – Arbors Records
These two cats have amazing, almost telepathic connection and find fresh and clever ways to handle each tune.
ELGAR: Piano Quintet; WALTON: Piano Quartet – Wu Han, piano/ Ani Kavafian, violin/ Arnold Sussmann, violin/ Paul Neubauer, viola/ Fred Sherry, cello – CMS
Spectacularly played energetic Walton but dreary Elgar
EMIL TABAKOV: Concerto for Two Flutes, Piano Concerto – Patrick Gallois, flute/ Philippe Bernold, flute/ Jean-Philippe Collard, piano/ Bilkent Symphony Orchestra/ Emil Tabakov – Naxos
Pieces with good ideas, but too much repetition
la Quinta essentia (The Quintessence of a Musical Art) = DE LASSUS: Mass, “Tous les regretz”; ASHEWELL: Mass, “Ave Maria”; PALESTRINA: Mass, “Ut re mi fa so la” – Huelgas-Ensemble/ Paul Van Nevel, conductor – Harmonia mundi
A fine one-disc summary of a complex period in music history
FRITZ BRUN: Symphony No. 9; From the Book of Job – Moscow Symphony Orchestra/ Adriano, conductor – Guild
Joyous and inspired music from an unjustly neglected Swiss composer
A Flutist’s Favorites = Works by BACH, HANDEL, MOZART, QUANTZ, GLUCK, FAURE, DEBUSSY, SAINT-SAENS, HUE, TEMPLETON – Julius Baker, flute – Cembal d’amour
Baker’s easy perfectionism caught the ear of conductors Reiner, Walter, Bernstein, and Stokowski, all of whom desired his sound for the principal solo parts.
Ivo Pogorelich Plays (1987)
The Croatian keyboard superstar at his peak
In the Shadow of the Moon (2008)
A winning documentary on the project to put men on the moon
Petenera – A Flamenco Drama in Music & Dance (2007)
A unique presentation of interest to flamenco aficionados
The Russian Piano Tradition: Yakov Flier = CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, “Funeral March’; RACHMANINOV: Prelude in C-sharp Minor; Prelude in G Minor; KABALEVSKY: 24 Preludes – Yakov Flier, piano – APR
Flier sported a sudden and extreme dynamic range, capable of fortissimos too shattering for the microphones of his Soviet recording engineers.
Deep Purple Live At Montreux, Blu-ray (2008)
Almost sounds more like a Deep Purple cover band than the real thing
Catherine Russell – Sentimental Streak – World Village
A swinging success in the style of lusty, big-hearted blues and jazz women such as Bessie Smith, Pearl Bailey and Ella.
Audio News for February 22, 2008
DTV Transition to Hit Latinos Hard; AntennaWeb Site Launched by CEA & NAB; Europe Behind on HDTV
No Country for Old Men, Blu-ray (2008)
The most hard-hitting film the Coen Brothers have made, and surely their most violent.
Frommermann – Music of the Comedian Harmonists – Channel Classics
The Dutch vocal group Frommermann named themselves after the founder of the Comedian Harmonists of Berlin and they use the same six-voice blend plus piano.
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra (1987-1989)
A delightful opportunity to revisit one of the most imaginative crossover projects in recent music history.