Monthly Archive: November 2009
BACH: St. Matthew Passion – Bostridge, Scholl, Gura, etc. / Collegium Vocale Gent/ Philippe Herreweghe, conductor – Harmonia mundi – 3 CDs
Philippe Herreweghe conducts Bach in a performance of Gallic elegance and beauty.
SCHONBERG, WEBERN AND BERG: The Waltz Arrangements = Arr. of Johann Strauss (Jr.) Waltzes by Arnold Schonberg, Anton Webern and Alban Berg: Wine, Woman and Song; Roses from the South; Lagoon Waltz; Kaiserwalzer; Schatzwalzer – Linos Ens. – Capriccio
Take your iPods or portable CD players to the local coffee house and imagine yourself in the Vienna of the early twentieth century!
The Who, The Mods and The Quadrophenia Connection (2009)
For those not familiar with the Mods, they were a British sub-cult of thrill-seeking, sharp-dressing, motorbike scooter-riding teens with an R’n’B and soul music fanaticism.
HENNING MANKELL: Solo Piano Works = 3 Preludes, Op. 56; Valse mesto, Op. 58; 3 Legends, Op. 59; 4 Pieces, Op. 60; Ballade No. 7, Op. 77; Sonata-Fantasias: No. 1, Op. 69; No. 3, Op. 72; No. 6, No. 76 – Anna Christensson, piano – Phoenix Edition (2 CDs)
Music by a Swedish romantic composer, whose eclectic style embraces large elements of Grieg, Chopin, and the more ecstatic Russians.
Idil Biret Concerto Edition, Vol. 3 = SAINT-SAENS: Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op. 103 “Egyptian”; RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G Major; Piano Concerto in D for the Left Hand – Idil Biret, piano/Bilkent Symphony Orchestra/Jean Fournet – IBA
Turkish pianist Idil Biret has established her own Idil Biret Archive that preserves as many of her inscriptions as possible through former recording contracts.
SMETANA: String Quartet No. 1; SIBELIUS: String Quartet No.4 Op. 56; Andante Festivo – Kocian Quartet – Praga Digitals
Both quartets are “intimate voices” telling deeply personal tales from worrying times during which each composer was tried and tested.
RAVEL: Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2; STRAVINSKY: Le Sacre du Printemps; HONEGGER: Symphony No. 5 “Di Tre Re” – RIAS Symphonie-Orchestra and RIAS Chamber Choir/Igor Markevitch – Audite
These 1952 inscriptions from RIAS feature the extraordinary, virile efforts of Franco-Russian conductor Igor Markevitch in music with which he excelled.
Bug – The Gadfly – Origin
One of the more accomplished indie jazz bands.
Mikel Rouse – Gravity Radio – Exit Recordings ExitMusic
Noxious ear-candy.
Loren Stillman – Winter Fruits – Pirouet
Saxophone prodigy Loren Stillman comes into his own.
Bobby Previte – Pan Atlantic – Auand
One of the more attractive indie jazz bands.
Claudio Roditi – Brazilliance – Resonance Records
Without a doubt, Claudio Roditi’s best recording to date.
MARTINU: The Piano Trios. = Piano Trio No. 1; Piano Trio No. 2; Piano Trio No. 3; Bergerettes for Piano Trio – Kinsky Trio Prague – Praga Digitals
Martinu’s works integrate a mastery of counterpoint in the Baroque style with a talent for expressing joy composed in accessible twentieth-century musical language.
BRAHMS: Horn Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 40; KOECHLIN: Quatre Petites Pieces; BANKS: Horn Trio – Barry Tuckwell, horn/Brenton Langbein, violin/Maureen Jones, piano – Tudor
This reissue (9-10 April 1987) celebrates the marvelous art of French horn virtuoso Barry Tuckwell.
Eduard van Beinum & Concertgebouw Orchestra = BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, OP. 73 “Emperor”; SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 – Myra Hess, piano/Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam/Eduard van Beinum – Tahra
Beinum invests the tuttis with considerable dramatic power, all the while meticulously and faithfully supporting Hess with the interior nuance that often illuminates the structure of the work.
Audio News for November 27, 2009
Roku Adds Ten Free Content Channels; Linn To Exit CD Player Market Jan. 1; California Passes Rules Restricting Power-Guzzling TV Displays; Sony Steps Into 3D; Rupert Murdoch Looking at Buying MGM
Gomorrah, Blu-ray (2008/2009)
A shocking and gritty expose of the third Italian crime organization, the Camorra, which is the oldest and bigger than the other two Mafia networks.
Kuzma Stabi S Brass Turntable with Kuzma Stogi Tonearm
An attractive turntable with simple design and high performance.
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique – Keeping Score series, Blu-ray (2009)
Another documentary and full-length performance in the San Francisco Symphony series
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Music for Piano and Orchestra = Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor; Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major; Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat Major; Concert-Fantasy in G Major – Jerome Lowenthal, piano/London Sym. Orch./Sergiu Comissiona – Bridge
The recordings date from 1987 and 89, at London’s Abbey Road Studios.
Fiona Joy Hawkins- Blue Dream – Little Hartley Music
Hawkins’ musical influences include George Winston, Michael Nyman, Chopin and Mendelssohn.
SIR MALCOLM ARNOLD – Ballet Music = Suite from “Homage to the Queen;” Ronaldo and Armida; Concert Suite from “Sweeney Todd;” Electra, Op. 79 – BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba – Chandos
A most interesting collection of ballet music from one of the most interesting British composers.