Monthly Archive: May 2008
Lars Erstrand, vibes – “Swingcerely Yours” – Opus 3
A surround sampler of tracks from four of the six albums the Swedish vibist has recorded for Opus 3
Marcin Wasilewski Trio – January – ECM
The pianist from the Tomaz Stanko Quartet was invited by label CEO Manfred Eicher to break out his own trio album.
Norma Winstone – Distances – ECM
Instead of the vocalese voice-as-an-instrument approach of Azimuth, Winstone here has put together a “songs band.”
Audio News for May 6, 2008
Microsoft’s DRM Shocker; 12 Inductees Into Consumer Electronics’ Hall of Fame; Premium Rolling Stones Collection Delivered to Premium HT Systems
I Am Legend, Blu-ray (2007)
Amazing scenes of a desolated central New York City with weeds growing everywhere and deer and lions roaming freely.
Houston Person and Ron Carter – Just Between Friends – High Note
Two masters share their craft
George Cables – Morning Song – High Note
A welcome re-release from George Cables; recorded live at the Keystone Korner, San Francisco.
CHOPIN: Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58; 3 Mazurkas, Op. 59; Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60; Grand Waltz Brillante in E-flat Major, Op. 18; 3 Waltzes, Op. 64; Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52 – Ingrid Fliter, piano – EMI Classics
This is a thoughtful, flamboyant virtuoso whose pianism communicates a freshness worthy of our devotion.
BACH: Mass for Four Voices, BWV 234; Prelude for Organ, BWV 544; A Funerary Monument for the Queen of Poland; Herzlich tut mich velangen; Fugue, BWV 544 – Soloists/Ricercar Consort/Philippe Pierlot – Mirare
Esoteric? Definitely. Worth it? You bet.
Sweet Desire (A Desire for the Choicest Sonatas) = SCHMELTZER, BERTALI, POHLE, ANONYMOUS – Chatham Baroque – Dorian
Choice selections of baroque tidbits in splendid sound.
Jeff Barone, guitar – Open Up – Jazzed Media
No longer a well kept secret
MOZART: Songs and Piano Pieces – Werner Gura, tenor/ Christoph Berner, pianoforte – Harmonia mundi
Songs of moderate significance, yet they can’t be ignored since they are by Mozart
Poetic Inspirations = KLUGHARDT: Song of the Reeds; LOEFFLER: 2 Rhapsodies; WHITE: The Nymph’s Complaint for the Death of her Fawn; YANO: Modinha; HINDEMITH: Trio – Alex Klein, oboe/ Richard Young, viola/ Ricardo Castro, p. – Cedille
An outstandingly successful concept album in superior sound played by great artists with wonderful music.
“In a State of Jazz” – Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano – FRIEDRICH GULDA: Exercises Nos. 1, 4, 5; Prelude & Fugue; NICOLAI KAPUSTIN: Sonata No. 2; ALEXIS WEISSENBERG: Sonata in a State of Jazz; Songs of Charles Trenet; GEORGE ANTHEIL: Jazz Sonata – Hyperion
The way these four composers have brought the jazz idiom into their music is endlessly fascinating.
SAINT-SAENS: Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 78 “Organ”; ELGAR: Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma” – NBC Symphony Orchestra/Arturo Toscanini – Opus Kura
Sensational Toscanini at any price!
ZEMLINSKY: Seven Songs; Six Songs to Poems by Maeterlinck, op. 13; Waltz-songs on Tuscan Folk Melodies, op. 6; Five Songs; 2 Cabaret Songs – Hermine Haselbock, mezzo-soprano/ Florian Henschel, piano – Bridge
Zemlinsky was one of the foremost lieder composers of the romantic and post-romantic age.
REICHA: Woodwind Quintets Nos. 1 and 2, op. 91 – Westwood Quintet – Crystal
Those who ignore this legacy are missing out not only on some terrific wind music but on some of the finest music ever penned.
SERGEI TANEYEV: Symphony No. 1 in E minor; Symphony No. 3 in D minor – Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra/ Thomas Sanderling, conductor – Naxos
This man is a real composer with a genuine sense of craft.
Italian Opera Arias = VERDI, BELLINI, DONIZETTI – Natalie Dessay, soprano/ Concerto Koln/ Evelino Pido, conductor + bonus DVD – Virgin
Dessay dances with these roles like Astaire with Rogers; there is no fluff here, only substantive and serious music that takes a real star to bring it to life.
CHOPIN: 24 Preludes, Op. 28; Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45; Prelude in A-flat Major, Op. Posth.; 2 Nocturnes, Op. 62 – Rafal Blechacz, piano – DGG
A cool head and a devotee’s heart reveal themselves in this fine debut by a young keyboard master.
Audio News for May 2, 2008
Fourth Type of Electronic Circuit Discovered by HP; Another Home Theater PC Failure
Oppo DV-983H DVD/Universal Disc Player
For the best possible image display on a larger screen without a separate scaler, the 983H is a terrific performer at its low price.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
