Monthly Archive: November 2009
Audio News for November 24, 2009
Sony Considering Charging $40 for Home Viewing of New Theatrical Films; Chinese Firm TCL Launches Glasses-Free 3D; Blu-ray Disc Price Drops; Blu-ray ‘Managed Copy” Starting Next Month, But Useless; Books for Burning; Country’s No. 1 Electronics Retailer is in Montana
Dutch Jazz Orchestra Plays the Music of Rob Madna – Challenge Records CR73267 (5 CD Set)
The Dutch Jazz Orchestra specializes in orchestral jazz of the greatest artistic relevance and musical quality.
J.S. BACH: Concertos for Solo Harpichord (complete) – Elizabeth Farr, harpsichord – Naxos
An outstanding set, and at a most reasonable price.
Dom Minasi String Quartet – Dissonance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder – Konnex
A fusion of classical and jazz which incorporates through-composed material with improvisation and a sense of humor.
MESSIAEN: Poèmes pour Mi; Les offrandes oubliées; Un sourire – Anne Schwanewilms, soprano/ Lyon National Orchestra/ Jun Markl, cond – Naxos
A fine introduction to Messiaen.
Poncho Sanchez – Psychedelic Blues – Concord Music
On his latest sojourn Sanchez once again heads into territory that encompasses soul, jazz, R’n’B and Latin American influences.
* The Virtual HAYDN – The Complete Works for Solo Keyboard – Tom Beghin plays seven historical keyboards in nine virtual rooms – Naxos Box Set (3 pure audio Blu-ray discs plus 1 1080i 16:9 Blu-ray video)
********* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ********
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43 – NWDR Symphony Orchestra, Hamburg/Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt – Pristine Audio
Schmidt-Isserstedt’s. . . results leave us astounded by the breadth of the reading, certainly on a par with the classic conceptions by Kajanus, Koussevitzky, and Beecham.
SCHUBERT: Symphonies 2 & 4 – Bamberg Symphony/ Jonathan Nott – Tudor
These beautifully-judged performances of two symphonies written when Schubert was 18, playfully, seductively and happily bring the heart of the young composer alive.
Oskar Fried, Vol. IV = BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7; WAGNER: Selections from Flying Dutchman; Lohengrin; Tannhauser; WEBER: Der Freischutz aria; MASCAGNI: Cavelleria Rusticana sel. – Berlin St. Opera Orch. & Choir/Oskar Fried – Music & Arts
Among the rare and under-estimated talents in the conducting pantheon, Oskar Fried remains unique. Amazing – an entire Bruckner symphony recorded in the acoustic era!
MOZART: Piano Quartet No.1 KV478, Piano Quartet No. 2 KV493 – Mozart Piano Quartet – Mark Gothoni/ Hartmut Rohde/Peter Hörr/ Paul Rivinius – MD&G
Mozart’s first piano quartet is in the tragic key of G minor and was considered daringly modern by giving the strings equal importance to the piano.
Audio News for November 20, 2009
SACD Releases on Increase; Battery Power Supplies for Hi-End Audio; Blu-ray Trade-In Offer for HD DVDs; Safe Listening Promoted by CEA & ASHA
Paderewski: His Final Recordings = HAYDN: Variations in F Minor; MOZART: Rondo in A Minor; BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, “Moonlight”; SCHUBERT: Moment musical No. 2; CHOPIN: Nocturne in F-sharp Minor; others – Ignacy Jan Paderewski – APR
The last inscriptions from a giant of Golden Age pianism keep us in thrall, even in his decline.
Leonard Bernstein Reflections (1977/2009)
This fine film may seem a bit dated because it was made in 1977 and shown around the world but not in North America.
Yeol Eum Son, Silver Medalist = HAYDN: Sonata No. 58 in C Major; BARBER: Sonata for Piano; DEBUSSY: 6 Preludes, Book I; J. STRAUSS, arr. GODOWSKY: Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes from Die Fledermaus – Yeol Eum Son, piano – Harmonia mundi
A recital by the 23-year-old winner of the Silver Medal of the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition.
Count Basie – (1953-56) Supreme Jazz series – Membran
Reprocessed for surround from mono originals.
Amy X Neuburg – The Secret Language of Subways – MinMax
Neuberg uses rapid transit trains and the journey from destination A to station B as a stepping-off point to examine larger issues such as commitment and conflict.
GABRIEL PIERNE: Cydalise et le chevre-pied – Metz Cathedral Vocal College/Luxemburg Philharmonic Orchestra/David Shallon – Timpani
This delightful score is almost a second Daphnis et Chloe.
Los Romeros – Celebration – Works of BRETON, TARREGA, VILLA-LOBOS, BACH, RODRIGO, IRADIER, PACHELBEL, DE MADINA, PEPE & CELEDONIO ROMERO – Celin, Pepe, Celino and Lito Romeros, guitars – RCA Red Seal
This is the latest incarnation of “The Royal Family of the Guitar,” commemorating 50 years since the beginning of the guitar quartet as an art form.
Emil Gilels, piano = SCARLATTI: 7 Sonatas; DEBUSSY: Pour le Piano; Images–Livre I: Reflets dans l’eau; BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor; SCRIABIN: Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major; PROKOFIEV: 6 Visions fugitives; Piano Sonata No. 3 – BBC
Inscriptions by the great Russian pianist Emil Gilels (1916-1985) from St. John’s, Smith Square and Memorial Hall, Farrington Street, London, basically from the beginning and the end of his British appearances.
PIAZZOLLA and Beyond = PIAZZOLLA: Libertango; Angel Suite; Decarisimo; Soledad; Michelangelo; Invierno Porteno; DAVID GORDON: Augmented Tango; Milonga Bourgeois; ADAM SUMMERHAYES: When Churchyards Yawn; El Desposeido – London Concertante – Harmonia mundi
This Piazzolla-oriented CD one goes further in including Piazzolla’s synthesis of various musical approaches combined with tango as part of new compositions creating another synthesis.
A Sampling of Sampler Discs
14 SACD and other audiophile samplers with a variety of music, performers and technologies.