Monthly Archive: September 2008
* MAHLER: Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) – Stuart Skelton, tenor/Thomas Hampson, baritone/San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas – San Francisco Symphony
********* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ********
Grey’s Anatomy, Season Four, Blu-ray 4-Disc Set (2008)
At only about $30 difference, true fans will easily want to spring for the high definition set; they’ll get an astounding 740 minutes of viewing!
Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze – Sira – ObliqSound
Simple ingredients result in a deeply spiritual and greatly satisfying recording.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in D minor (Nowak Edition) – Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal/ Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Atma Classique
Interesting how Bruckner’s final symphony is not known as the “Unfinished” a la Schubert.
Audio News for September 30, 2008
HD Radio Advances With New Audio Channels & Data Services; Steinway Lyngdorf Selects HT Consulting Partner; DVD Declines, Blu-ray on Rise
Bebo Valdés, piano & Javier Colina, bass – Live at the Village Vanguard – Calle54 Records
With bassist Israel “Cachao” Lopez, he played a major part in the early development of the mambo, and appeared with him in the wonderful music documentary “Calle 54.”
Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Live in ‘63 & ‘67 (2008)
Kirk is another jazz figure crying out for a dramatic feature film or documentary to be made of his life.
The Thing (1982/2008)
Carpenter’s version has little similarity to the original aside from the arctic research station location and The Thing being from outer space.
Fourplay – Energy – Heads Up
The closing track, Sebastian, is based on a chord progression from a Bach keyboard work.
Martha Argerich – Music for Two Pianos – TCHAIKOVSKY: Nutcracker Suite; RACHMANINOFF: Suite No. 2; Six Morceaux; BRAHMS: Sonata in F minor; St. Anthony Variations; PROKOFIEV: “Classical” Symphony; LUTOSLAWSKI: Variations on a Theme – EMI Classics (2)
The Prokofiev Classical Symphony transcription is almost as if Haydn had given us a two-piano sonata.
Omar Sosa – Afreecanos – Otá Records
With 18 discs to his credit (incl. limited distribution of Aleatronix and Promise primarily on MP3) Omar Sosa may be the best little-known musician on the planet.
Jussi Bjoerling in Song = GEEHL, LEONCAVALLO, de CURTIS, SJOEGREN, KOERLING, ARTHUR, KALMAN, BIZET, SCHUBERT: 5 Lieder; BRAHMS, LISZT, WOLF, GRIEG; R. STRAUSS, SIBELIUS, RACHMANINOV, TOSTI – with Orch.cond. by Nils Grevillius – Testament
This present collection embraces several of Bjoerling’s earliest inscriptions, 1929-1936, along with an elusive aria from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers.
Joe Locke – Force of Four – Origin Records
Joe Locke: One busy fellow
Kenny Garrett – Sketches of MD: Live at the Iridium – Mack Avenue
Garrett is no stranger to Davis’ music, since he performed with Miles Davis from 1987-1991.
Otto Klemperer: The Last Concert = BEETHOVEN: King Stephen Overture, Op. 117; Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58; BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90 – Daniel Adni, piano/New Philharmonmia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer – Testament
Whatever we say about Klemperer’s last, “massive” years, this performance does “not go gently into that good night.”
I Furiosi: Crazy (16th-18th century music by HANDEL, VIVALDI, VERACINI, FALCONIERI and others) – Gabrielle McLaughlin, soprano; Aisslinn Nosky and Julia Wedman, violins; Felix Deak, cello; with guests Lucas Harris, lute and theorbo; James Johnstone, harps
They put their heart and soul into their work with such passion that you’re either going to hate this CD or take it to bed with you.
Audio News for September 26, 2008
Toshiba Seeks to Battle Blu-ray With $199 Upscaler; Internet Video Downloading; Blu-ray Players Now Under $200; Many Blu-ray Music Videos Coming; Amazon Leads in Classical Music Downloading
Sackbutt – Trombone in the 17th and 18th century – Jörgen van Rijen/Combatimento Consort Amsterdam /Jan Willem de Vriend – Channel Classics
The sackbutt is a fascinating brass instrument whose antiquity goes back to at least the 1200s but by 1800 had been superseded by the modern trombone.
DUKE ELLINGTON: Black, Brown & Beige; Three Black Kings; New World A-Comin’; Harlem for Jazz Band and Orchestra – American Composers Orchestra/Maurice Peress – Nimbus Records
All these works concern Ellington’s African-American heritage, putting it in a more symphonic guise than his many big band works.
The Phil Norman Tentet – Totally Live at the Catalina Jazz Club – Mama Records
In homage to Bob Florence.
Santa Fe Guitar Quartet – Wapango – Soundset
Their program on this disc differs greatly from the usual guitar program.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral” – Eileen Farrell, soprano/Nan Merriman, mezzo-soprano/Jan Peerce, tenor/Norman Scott, bass/NBC Symphony Orchestra/Robert Shaw Chorale/Arturo Toscanini – Pristine Audio
A grand vision from 1952, brilliantly restored by Andrew Rose and his colleagues at Pristine Audio.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
