Monthly Archive: February 2009
Horenstein = NIELSEN: Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 “Sinfonia espansiva”; SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82 – Alexandra Browning, soprano/Colin Wheatley, baritone/ BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra/Jascha Horenstein – BBC Legends
The Kiev-born conductor noted for his wide-ranging musical sympathies and his colossal, incisive energy.
Mike Pardew – Azul – Afán Music
Mike Pardew’s jazz-rock fusion album, Azul, is a multi-colored project.
CHOPIN: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3; 2 Nocturnes; Berceuse; Barcarolle – Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano – Hyperion
Hamelin’s admirers will adore these world class Chopin performances.
HANDEL: Opera Arias – Joyce DiDonato, soprano/ Les Talents Lyriques/ Christophe Rousset, conductor – Virgin Classics
Surely one of the best of the year, and a distinctive addition to the solo Handel discography
KOECHLIN: Piano Works Volume 1 = Sonatines, Nos. 1 – 4, Op. 87; Andante quasi adagio; L’Album de Lilian, Op. 139; Paysages et marines, Op. 63; ; L’Album de Lilian, Op. 149 – Michael Korstick, piano – Hanssler
The start of a definitive series, but this music is not for everyone
HAHN: Chansons Grises; ZEMLINSKY: Six Songs, op. 13; BOULANGER: Four Songs; MILHAUD: Poemes Juifs; ALMA MAHLER: Lobgesang – Janina Baechle, soprano/ Charles Spencer, piano – Marsyas
Evocative, interesting, and well sung—but give us the translations next time!
Futurama – Into the Wild Green Yonder, Blu-ray (2009)
With everything going green nowadays it’s only natural that the latest Futurama feature length adventure would deal with the phenomena.
BEETHOVEN: String Quartets Nos. 1-6, Op. 18 – Fine Arts Quartet – Lyrinx (3 discs)
A fantastic new reading of these oh-so-familiar pieces
BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique; La Mort de Cleopatra – Susan Graham, soprano/ Berlin Philharmonic/ Simon Rattle – EMI
Nice try, but we’ve heard it all before
Audio News for February 27, 2009
Latest on 3D HDTV; Pioneer Exits TV Line; TV-Internet Convergence; Blu-rays at $15
Lee Shaw Trio – Live in Graz – CD Recorded at Café Stockwerk, Graz, Austria (77:23) + DVD (4:3 color) of live concert, bonus tracks, photos and interviews with Lee Shaw – ARC
This long overdue tribute to a great pianist belongs in every jazz collection.
DEBUSSY: Images for Piano, Series I and II – Ignace Jan Paderewski/Marius Francois Gaillard/Walter Gieseking/Jean Doyen /Artur Rubinstein/Arturo Benedetto Michelangeli/ Marcelle Meyer/Claudio Arrau/Ricardo Vines – Ysaye Records
In a unique historical concept, this CD captures the two books of Debussy’s Images from the musical standpoint of various performers, 1926-1949.
Fareed Haque and the Flat Earth Ensemble – Flat Planet – Owl
An exhilarating song collection of pan-ethnic elements brimming over with entwined instrumental prowess, democratic interplay, and abundantly engaging music.
Richard Tauber sings LEHAR = Arias from Friedrike; from Der Rastelbinder; The Merry Widow; The Child of the Prince; The Count of Luxembourg; Gypsy Love; The Land of Smiles & others – Dutton Vocalion
We enjoy the original, Richard Tauber, the ultimate in Austrian – especially Viennese – charm and sophisticated musicality.
PETERIS VASKS: Viatore; Sinfonietta Riga – Normunds Šnē, English Horn – Wergo
There’s no telling what will happen next in this composer’s work, other than it will be something extraordinary.
Audio News for February 24, 2009
Streaming Online Movies Still Have Some Glitches; Studios Offering Blu-ray + DVD Combos; A “Third Screen” at Home?; Sony Intros All-In-One HD Studio
Doubling in Brass = WAGNER: March in Homage of Ludwig II of Bavaria; Funeral Symphony in Memory of Carl Maria von Weber; MENDELSSOHN: Overture for Wind Music; Funeral March – Musique Des Guardiens de la Paix/Desire Dondeyne – HDTT 96K DVD-R or CD-R
Never mind that neither of these composers are French; this is the sound of La Gloire Francaise, certainment!
The Jeff Albert Quartet – Similar in the Opposite Way – Fora Sound
Albert is a perceptive composer, and it is apparent he is developing an artistic astuteness and charting a unique road that will be worth following.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection” – Simona Saturova, soprano/ Yvonne Naef, mezzo-soprano/ Philadelphia Singers Chorale/ Philadelphia Orchestra/ Christoph Eschenbach, conductor – Ondine
No surround, a lackluster reading—what happened?
BEETHOVEN: Diabelli Variations Op. 120. BACH: Partita No. 4 – Stephen Kovacevich, piano – Onyx
The sound is what digital does best, creating an absolutely silent space with just touch of reverb in which Kovacevich’s Steinway D simply makes music.
BACH: Solo Cantatas = My heart shall possess God alone, No. 169; Contented rest, beloved heart’s desire, No. 170; Mind and Spirit are bewildered – Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano/ Freiburg Baroque Orchestra/ Petra Mullejans, conductor – Harmonia mundi
A fine outing from Fink and company, really as good as it gets
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23; RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30; KABALEVSKY: Rondo in A Minor, Op. 59 – Van Cliburn, piano/Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Kyrill Kondrashin – Testament
This Testament release captures a magical moment in political history, when the Cold War thawed decisively by the international power of music.