Monthly Archive: June 2009
The Doobie Brothers – Toulouse Street – Mobile Fidelity
The band is somewhat of a rock ‘n’ soul group with vocal harmonies, but with more of a blues influence rather than a country influence like The Eagles.
Audio News for June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson Dead at 50; HDtracks Offers Downloads of Complete Mahler Symphonies; Contrasts of Consumer Electronics Between India and China; Resellers of Leftover DVDs & CDs
Sonneteer Sedley Phono Preamplifier
Simply the best phono preamplifier I’ve heard near this price so far.
Guido Cantelli : The Complete Concert of His 30th Appearance with the NBC Symphony Orchestra = SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, “Unfinished”; BRITTEN: Sinfonia da Requiem; WAGNER: Rienzi Overture – NBC Symphony Orchestra/Guido Cantelli – Pristine
Noted for his tenacious energy and direct, chiseled style, Cantelli brings poignant, fervent drama to the scores he presents.
NIKOLAI MIASKOVSKY: Intégrale des symphonies (Complete Symphonies & other works) – Eugeny Svetlanov cond. State Symphonic Orchestra of the Russian Federation or Symphony Orchestra of the USSR – Warner Music/Rhino #35 (16 CD boxed set)
An amazing collection; is Miaskovsky’s time coming – as did Mahler’s and Bruckner’s?
Fuzjko Hemming, piano – Works of BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, LISZT, SCARLATTI, DEBUSSY – Domo
I discern Fuzjko to be a more natural Liszt acolyte than a Chopin interpreter, since the rhythmic freedom in Liszt seems more suited to her idiosyncrasies.
Stokowski = HOVHANESS: Symphony No. 1, “Exile Symphony”; MILHAUD: Symphony No. 1; COPLAND: Symphony No. 2 “Short Symphony”; SEREBRIER: Symphony No. 1 – NBC Symphony Orchestra/ Houston Symphony Orchestra (Serebrier)/Leopold Stokowski – Guild
Every performance of “first” symphonies here (excepting the Copland) marks a World, United States, or New York premier.
PURCELL: Complete Fantazias – Fretwork – Harmonia mundi PURCELL: Fantasias – Les Voix humaines – ATMA
Two outstanding and competitive releases of essential early baroque music.
CLEMENTI: 3 Sonatas, Op. 13; 3 Sonatas, Op. 23; 2 Sonatas, Op. 24; Sonata in C, Op.20; Sonata in F, WO3 – Howard Shelly, piano – Hyperion
The excellence continues in Volume 3 of the Clementi series.
BACH: Goldberg Variations BWV 988 – Arr. & edited for harp by Catrin Finch – DGG
I believe this is the most enjoyable version of the Goldberg Variations I have ever heard.
George Harrison – Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison – Capitol Records
A fine compilation of 19 tunes from the late Beatles’ member.
Harlan Ellison – Dreams With Sharp Teeth (2007)
Fascinating documentary on the imaginative writer who has been compared to Lenny Bruce and Hunter Thompson.
SCHUBERT: The Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 = Sonata in B Major, D. 575; Sonata in A Major, D. 664; Sonata in A Minor, D. 784; Sonata in A Minor, D. 845; Sonata in D Major, D. 850 – Seymour Lipkin – Newport Classics (2)
Seymour Lipkin, who won the 1948 Rachmaninov Competition and possesses credentials in conducting–having studied with Koussevitzky and Szell–as well as keyboard expertise, offers us a survey of the Schubert sonatas in three volumes.
Bill Evans Trio – Turn Out the Stars – The Final Village Vanguard Recordings, June 1980 – Nonesuch (6 CDs)
The flame still shone brightly
Audio News for June 23, 2009
Blu-ray Users Get Backup Rights; Retrial of Minnesota Woman Accused of File-Sharing Turns Out Worse; NAD AV Receiver Features Virtual Inputs; New Samsung BD-P3600 Blu-ray Player
Josef Suk, violin = DVORAK: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53; BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 – Josef Suk, violin/BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Malcolm Sargent – BBC Legends
The audience hysteria at the concert’s end testifies that this rendition remains a defining moment in their collective experience.
SCHUBERT: The Complete Piano Sonatas and other Major Works Vol. 2 = Sonata in B Major, D. 575; Sonata in A Major, D. 664; Sonata in A Minor, D. 784; Sonata in A Minor, D. 845; Sonata in D Major, D. 850 – Seymour Lipkin, piano – Newport Classics (2 CDs)
Limpid, tender, conscientiously etched, this music sings and sails under Lipkin.
MOZART: Don Giovanni (complete opera), Blu-ray (2008)
Features a top flight cast of singers who look the parts they play and are good actors as well.
Loop 2.4.3. – Zodiac Dust – Music Starts From Silence /Analog Arts
New York instrumental percussion duo Thomas Kozumplik and Lorne Watson combine multiple elements of neo-classical, jazz, rock, and ethnic/world music.
Paul Robeson: The Complete EMI Sessions, 1928-1939 – EMI boxed set (7 CDs)
“You don’t have to do anything but sing”
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 – Artur Rubinstein, piano/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham – Pristine Audio
A happy meeting of two, distinctly individual performers who found a common ground in the G Major Concerto.
Nature’s Most Amazing Events, Blu-ray (2009)
I found the series amazingly informative and enjoyable to watch, and the stereo soundtrack was serviceable if not optimum.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
