Monthly Archive: July 2008
STEVEN STUCKY: Four Album Leaves; Three Little Variations for David; ESA-PEKKA SALONEN: Yta II; 3 Preludes; Dichotomie; LUTOSLAWSKI: Piano Sonata – Gloria Cheng, piano – Telarc
Cheng is right on target in this wonderful recital
GRIEG: Six Poems by Henrik Ibsen, Op. 25; Six lieder, Op. 48; A Girl of the Hill Spirits, Op. 67; Melodies of the Heart, Op. 5; Princess – Katarina Karneus, mezzo-soprano/ Julius Drake, piano – Hyperion
An outstanding collection of undervalued Grieg gems
Glass Farm Ensemble – In Four – Music by LOUIS ANDRIESSEN, YVONNE TROXLER, PETER HERBT, ELIZABETH HOFFMAN and WOLFGANG HEINIGER. Glass Farm Ensemble – Innova Recordings
Individually and collectively, the instruments honk, squeak, whine, cry, batter, tick, tock, clang, chime, sing and generally surprise.
YORK BOWEN: The Complete Works for Viola & Piano = Viola Sonata No 1 in C minor; Romance in D flat major; Fantasia for four violas; Piano Sonata No 14 ‘Moonlight’; Phantasy in F major; more – Lawrence Power, viola/Simon Crawford-Phillips, p. – Hyperion
Both play magnificently and this is an excellent survey of Bowen’s works for viola and piano.
Audio News for July 18, 2008
Netflix & Microsoft Stream Movies Via Xbox; Reissue of The Complete Alfred Deller Recordings; Musicians Using Download Cards to Sell Their Music
Arne Domnérus, alto sax & Gustaf Sjökvist, pipe organ – Antiphone Blues – First Impression Music
Originally recorded in Sweden in l976, this is the No. 1 audiophile choice in sax/pipe organ improvisations.
Beta Söderberg & Justango – Bailata – World Village
It’s sort of a feminine view of the New Tango but highly individual and not just copying Piazzolla’s sound.
Leonard Bernstein conducts Boston Symphony Orchestra in Brahms (1972)
The bonus track has Bernstein narrate a brief history of Tanglewood, particularly as the dream-child music center of Serge Koussevitzky.
WILLIAM ALWYN: Mirages – Song Cycle; Divertimento for Solo Flute; Naiades – Fantasy-Sonata for flute & harp; Fantasy-Waltzes; Sonata alla Toccata – Benjamin Luxon, bar./ David Willison, piano/ Christopher Hyde-Smith, flute/ Mariisa Robles, harp – Lyrita
Alwyn was also a poet and wrote the words for his Mirages song cycle, which were also published separately as poetry.
THUILLE: Sonata for Cello & Piano in D minor; TOVEY: Sonata for Two Cellos in G Major; and DOHNANYI: Sonata in B-flat Major Op. 8 – Marcy Rosen and Frances Rowell, cellos – Bridge
An extraordinarily fine and enterprising release, which should be no surprise since Bridge specializes in such matters.
Cal Tjader – Cool Fire – double CD from “A Fuego Vivo” & “Good Vibes” – Concord Records
A nostalgic and welcome time with one of the most distinctive sounds in Latin jazz ever.
BACH: Goldberg Variations – Beth Levin, piano – Centaur
If you go with the premise that this is an honest live performance, you might find much to admire in Levin’s playing.
FRANZ SCHREKER: Songs – Hermine Haselbock, mezzo-soprano /Wolfgang Holzmair, baritone/ Russell Ryan, piano – Bridge
A good mix of Schrekerian muse, performed mostly to good effect
The Bank Job, Blu-ray (2008)
Based on the true story of England’s biggest robbery, which took place in the early seventies.
PAUL JUON: Piano Quartets Op. 50 and 37, “Rhapsodie” – Oliver Triendl, piano/ Daniel Gaede, violin/ Hariolf Schlichtig, viola/ Peter Burns, cello – CPO
Another great release of an unknown composer
The 6th Day, Blu-ray (2000)
Some of its concepts feel borrowed from previous Schwarzenegger films, but well-done special effects and high-octane action help offset that.
Stockfisch Records Sampler – Closer To The Music Volume 2 – Stockfisch Records
My review of the first Stockfisch Records sampler was an all-out, unabashed rave – you can consider this review “Rave, Part II!”
Geza Anda Edition I = MOZART: Piano Concertos Nos. 20, 21, 22, 23 & 28 – with Camerata Academica Salzburg & Cologne Radio-Symphony – Audite (2 CDs)
The first volume features his work in Mozart, with whose name Anda became indelibly associated with the screening of the motion picture “Elvira Madigan.”
John Gorka, The Gypsy Life, (2007)
This is my third experience with AIX, and as they say, the third time is definitely the charm!
Kremerata Baltica/Gidon Kremer, violin and leader (2002)
The ensemble offers absolutely thrilling performances of two of Mozart’s signature pieces, the “Sinfonia Concertante” and the “Serenata Notturna.”
Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire – Live at the Greek Theatre, Blu-ray (2008)
I couldn’t stop watching, and almost three hours later I was still truly enjoying myself.
Rickie Lee Jones – It’s Like This – Analogue Productions
Offers an exceptionally analog-sounding presentation of performers occupying a very realistic space, and Rickie Lee’s voice comes across with absolute clarity.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
