Monthly Archive: June 2008
VIVALDI’s Five Seasons – Quintessence Saxophone Quintet – CPO
Definitely a classical-jazz crossover effort.
The Best of DELIUS – 13 complete selections; various orchestras (listings below) – Naxos
An inexpensive introduction to Delius’ special world and will hopefully lead to further exploration.
StringPoetic—American Works in a 21st Century Perspective
Works by HIGDON, RUGGLES, HARRISON & ADAMS
WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde (The Duet Scenes) – Deborah Polaski, Isolde/ Johan Botha, Tristan/ Vienna Singverein/ Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra/ Bertrand de Billy, conductor – Oehms
This is some of the most vivid SACD sound I have ever heard!
“Cello Fiesta!” = HAYDN: Cello Concerto in C Major; TCHAIKOVSKY: Pezzo capriccioso for cello; AZARASHVILI: Cello Concerto; GINASTERA: Glosses on themes of Pablo Casals; COREA: “La Fiesta” – Marie-Elisabeth Hecker, cello/Kremerata Baltica – Profil
A Cello Fiesta to which all are invited.
BEETHOVEN: The Late String Quartets – Busch Quartet & Busch Chamber Players – EMI Classics
The restored sound enjoys the rich nuances of the ensemble with virtually no sonic crackle or various signs of age.
OFFENBACH: Overtures: La Vie Pariesienne; Orphee aux Enfers; Monsieur et Madame Denis; La Belle Helene; La Grande Duchesse; Barbe-Bleue; DELIBES: La Source – Vienna State Opera Orch./Hermann Scherchen/Paris Conservatory Orch./Peter Maag – HDTT
Another audiophile delight from HDTT, here taking the Scherchen tribute to Jacques Offenbach operettas from 4-track Westminster prerecorded tape.
MARTINU: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, H. 293; Serenada No. 2 for Strings, H. 216; Toccata e due canzoni, H. 311 – Isabelle Faust, violin/Cedric Tiberghien, piano (in Toccata)/The Prague Philharmonia/Jiri Belohlovek – Harmonia mundi
Music of diverse genres from the pen of Bohuslav Martinu, whose eclectic style combines Slavic elements with a Parisian pedagogy.
Persepolis, 2007
A very touching story of a young girl growing up in troubled Iran, told in a visually original and compelling way.
Blue Coast Collection – The E.S.E. Sessions – Various Artists – Blue Coast
The exceptional results of this new label’s recording approach are instantly hearable on this demo disc.
Apostle of Ireland = Medieval Irish Plainchant, An Office for St. Patrick – William Taylor, wire strung clarsach/ Canty/ Rebecca Tavener, conductor – Divine Art
A disc of music devoted to St. Patrick
D’INDY: Summer Day in the Mountains, Op. 61; The Enchanted Forest, Op. 8; Souvenirs, Op. 62 – Iceland Symphony Orchestra/ Rumon Gamba, conductor – Chandos
Spectacular. This is all I kept thinking to myself when first listening to this remarkable disc.
The Buddha of Suburbia, 1993/2008
Realistic, sometimes painful, sometimes hilarious coming-of-age story of a young Pakastani in dysfunctional East/West family in South London in the 1970s.
Audio News for June 20, 2008
Rental Program Converts CDs to Digital Files; Canadian Copyright Bill Hassles; 2008 Jazz Award Winners from the Jazz Journalists Association
ZZ Top, Live From Texas, Blu-ray (2008)
In terms of image quality, this disc is superb in every way, and offers an excellent HD presentation, with really good contrast.
The Eye, Blu-ray (2008)
While the movie itself perhaps comes up somewhat short in substance, the two-disc set offers a substantial host of extras.
SCHUBERT: Mass No. 6 in E-flat, D 950 – Brigitte Fournier, soprano/ Jacky Cahen, alto/ Jorg Durmuller, tenor/ Andreas Karasiak, tenor/ Gaston Sister, bass/ Lausanne Vocal Ensemble/ Lausanne Chamber Orchestra/ Michel Corboz, conductor – Mirare
Spirited Schubert hampered by some less than optimal live sound
HANDEL: Dettingen Te Deum; Coronation Anthem, “Zadok the Priest”; Organ Concerto No. 14 – Neal Davies, bass/ Richard Marlow, organ/ Trinity College Choir, Cambridge/ Academy of Ancient Music/ Stephen Layton, conductor – Hyperion
A splendid Dettingen Te Deum (and needed in the catalog), but the fillers somewhat lackluster.
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; Prelude in C-sharp Minor – Artur Rubinstein, piano/NBC Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Golschmann/Philharmonia Orchestra/Walter Susskind (Rhapsody) – Naxos Historical
Though many collectors already own the RCA Rubinstein Edition, they may gravitate to these enhanced restored-sound inscriptions made possible by Mark Obert-Thorn and Naxos.
HASSE: Requiem in C; Miserere in E minor – Greta De Reyghere, soprano/ Susanna Moncayo von Hase, alto/ Ian Honeyman, tenor/ Dirk Snellings, bass/ Il Fondamento/ Paul Dombrecht, conductor – Opus III/Naïve
A bit of recycling from the now defunct Opus 111 label, and worth every moment
Gregor Piatagorsky, cello = MENDELSSOHN: Cello Sonata No. 2 in D Major; CHOPIN: Cello Sonata in G Minor; R. STRAUSS: Cello Sonata in F Major – Gregor Piatagorsky, cello/Leonard Pennario, piano/Rudolf Firkusny, piano (Chopin) – Testament
The Testament release is culled from several RCA recordings.
A Selection from Test-Records 1, 2 & 3 – Opus 3
This was my favorite standard CD test disc for years in a gold CD version.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
