Monthly Archive: May 2009
Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain: Legacy Edition 2-CD Set – Arr. & Conducted by Gil Evans, Columbia/Legacy
Yet another Miles reissue that many fans will absolutely have to have.
ALBERTO GINASTERA: Cello Concerto No. 1; Cello Concerto No. 2. Aurora Natola-Ginastera, cello /Orquesta sinfonica de Castilla y Leon /Max Bragado Darman – Pierian
For those who are familiar with the Ginastera oeuvre and want to explore his later works.
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482; CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21 – Mindru Katz, piano/BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra/Yuval Zaliouk – Cembal d’amour
A “rescue mission” on the part of Mordecai Shehori resuscitates two vital Mindru Katz collaborations.
Audio News for May 26, 2009
Less Than Three Weeks to Final DTV Transition; RealNetworks Battling Movie Studios to Save Its DVD-Copying Application; NAD Launches Direct Digital Amplifier
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor; GRIEG: Piano Concerto in A Minor – Nelson Freire, piano/ Munich Philharmonic Orchestra/Rudolf Kempe – HDTT
Among the Best of the Year–hie thee to a copy!
Taken – 2-Disc Extended Cut, Blu-ray (2009)
Liam Neeson, perhaps best known for his 1994 Oscar for Schindler’s List, proves a versatile action figure in this often violent thriller.
The N. Glenn Davis Quintet with Special Guest, Phil Woods – Come Right In – Jazzed Media
Round two with N. Glenn Davis’ Quintet and a special guest
Abraham Lincoln Portraits = Works by COPLAND, IVES, HARRIS, PERSICHETTI, BACON, GOULD, McKAY, TUROK – Naxos (2 CDs)
This two-disc issue contains a variety of tributes to Abraham Lincoln by American composers that celebrates the bi-centennial of the great statesman’s birth.
Jimmy Rushing – The Scene – Live in New York – High Note
On the scene with Mr. 5 x 5
Freddie Hubbard- Without a Song: Live in Europe 1969 – Blue Note
Oh what a treat…
Rory Gallagher – Live In Cork (2009)
The late Irish performer was one of the most respected and capable six-string slingers working in the blues and rock fraternities.
Van Cliburn in Moscow, Vol. 4 (1960/1972)
Cliburn here performs works that did not necessarily transfer to his official commercial discography.
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 15 in A Op. 141 (1971); Hamlet Op. 32 – Russian National Orchestra /Mikhail Pletnev – PentaTone
This is an excellent addition to PentaTone’s ongoing series of recordings of Shostakovich symphonies.
Silvia Marcovici, Vol. I = Works of BEETHOVEN, TCHAIKOVSKY, SAINT-SAENS, LALO, BRUCH & BARTOK – Doremi 2 CDs + DVD
Marcovici demonstrates her imposing platform presence which might invoke tropic nights with Hedy Lamarr.
BRAHMS: Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 102 – John Corigliano, violin/Leonard Rose, cello/New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Bruno Walter – Pristine Audio
The Walter after-burners are on full this day.
Hank Jones & Frank Wess – Hank & Frank II – Lineage Records
Cowings’ approach on all of his vocals is so right that I’m enjoying this CD immensely.
Fletch, Blu-ray (2009)
A somewhat-engaging thriller in which Chase plays a newspaper reporter who constantly changes his identify to pursue a drug deal story for his paper.
Miles Davis – That’s What Happened (1987/2009)
There are not many videos of the trumpeter later in his career (following a six-year hiatus), so this is valuable for fans.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Time Out – 3-disc Legacy Edition: Disc 1 – Orig. Time Out (1959); Disc 2 – Brubeck Quartet live at Newport, Disc 3 – DVD, Interview, Historic B&W footage of the Quartet on TV, Interactive piano lesson – Columbia/Legacy
This is one of three specially-reconfigured album sets celebrating Jazz’s Greatest Year – 1959.
Iogear Guwavkit Wireless Audio/Video Kit SRP: $350
I see its greatest use for someone downloading video to their computer (in the same room) and, without having to run wires, have the image and sound go to their TV monitor and stereo.
MAX BRUCH: Suite after Russian Folk Melodies, Op. 79b; Serenade in C Minor after Swedish Melodies for String Orchestra; Swedish Dances–Suites No. 1 and No. 2, Op. 63 – SWR Radio-Orchestra Kaiserslautern/Werner Andreas Albert – CPO
The music of Max Bruch consistently provides a safe haven for music conservatives who like their melodies lush and the orchestration resplendent.
HANDEL: Saul (complete oratorio) – Yorck Felix Speer (Saul)/ Tim Mead (David)/ Maximilian Schmitt/ Ditte Andersen (Michal)/ Anna Prohaska/ Eric Stoklossa/ Clemens Heidrich/ Dresden Chamber Choir and Baroque Orch./ Hans-Christoph Rademann – Carus
A fine new surround sound reading that competes with the best of them
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
