Monthly Archive: December 2009
“Britten’s Orchestra” = BENJAMIN BRITTEN: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; Sinfonia da requiem; Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from “Peter Grimes” – Kansas City Symphony/Michael Stern – Reference Recordings
The programmatic scene-painting of the Storm section is the equal of anything by any other composer.
A German Bouquet = SCHOP: Nobleman; MUFFAT: Sonata in D; KRIEGER: Sonata No. 2 in D; BUXTEHUDE: Sonata No. 5 in C; BACH: Fugue in g, BVW 1026; Sonata in e, BWV 1023; PISENDEL: Sonata in D – Trio Settecento with Rachel Barton Pine, v. – Cedille
Trio Settecento delights from first track to last in this new Baroque traversal.
NED ROREM: On an Echoing Road – The Prince Consort/ Alisdair Hogarth, director and piano – Linn
If you like Rorem, this disc becomes an essential acquisition.
Audio News for December 4, 2009
New Technology Puts Blu-ray & DVD on One Disc; HDTT Introduces LP Transfers; Samsung Increases Capital Expenditure to $8 Billion; Installation of the Year Winner in Australia; Pioneer Unveils First 12x Blu-ray Disc Writer
CLARA SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7; Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17; Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22 – Veronica Jochum, piano/Joseph Silverstein, violin and conductor/Colin Carr, cello/Bamberger Symphoniker – Tudor
Clara Schumann displays a decided lyric gift. . .pure Mendelssohn but tempered by an independent, deft spirit.
Madeleine Peyroux – Somethin’ Grand (2009)
Here’s a female singer who really stands out from the crowd.
Kronos Quartet: Floodplain – David Harrington & John Sherba, violins/ Hank Dutt, viola/ Jeffrey Zeigler, cello – Nonesuch
It turns out to be sophisticated, ingenious, chic, wonderfully creative and tinged with nostalgia for camp.
Roku HD Internet Entertainment Set-Top Box
There is a lot to like about the Roku. Some may decide that what the Roku offers is more than enough for them.
Harmonia mundi Cornerstone Works of Sacred Music Boxed Set – Various Artists – Harmonia Mundi HMX 2908304.33 (30 discs)
Maybe the best primer on sacred music now available.
The Bohemian Album = DVORAK: Serenade for Strings in e; HAAS: String Quartet No. 2, “From the Monkey Mountains” (for strings and percussion); SCHULHOFF: 5 Pieces for String Quarte – Amsterdam Sinfonietta/Candia Thompson – Channel Classics
Terrific stuff this. Don’t miss any of it!
BACH: Flute Sonatas in b, BWV 1030; in g, BWV 1020, in E-flat, BWV 1031; in A, BWV 1032; Partita for solo flute, BVW 1013 – Joshua Smith, flute/ Jory Vinikour, harpsichord – Delos
Wonderful music played like a breeze from the head of the Cleveland Orchestra flutes.
Audio News for December 1, 2009
Better 3D for Theaters; Sony to Show 27-inch OLED Display at CES; Texas Instruments’ Breakthru DLP Pico; First Vacuum Tube: 1904; Flat-panel TV Sales Up in China
Editorial for December 2009
Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6 Our December drawing/giveaway is for Harmonia mundi’s new 30-CD Sacred Music Box set, which will go out to three lucky Audiophile Audition readers in early January. The Limited Box Edition (which we reviewed here) is a gift beyond compare, especially for lovers of vocal and choral music. Just a small sampling of the performers: Andreas Scholl, Rene Jacobs, Ian Bostridge, Alfred Deller, William Christie, Paul Hillier, Kent Nagano and Philippe Herreweghe. The recordings include 111 cornerstone works of western sacred music. Go Here to Register. Remember: we need your address in order to ship. The 12 lucky winners of last month’s drawing/giveaway – the 2L double Blu-ray & hybrid SACD discs of both the Grieg Piano Concerto and other works (with soloist Percy Grainger), and the 2L compilation The Nordic Sound – were: John Thomas, Chicago IL; Wm. Ettouati, San Diego CA; Dan Ferguson, Puyallup WA; George Huges, Atlanta GA; Don Keehn, North Royalton OH; Bret Mitchell, Stockton CA; Chuck Habenicht, Englewood CO; Joe Clarkson, Covington WA; Hang-kien Kwan, Huntington Beach CA; David Sacks, Cambridge MA; Alan Norberg, Warwick NY; Michael Blaszkiewicz, Gibsonia PA. Congrats to all! Guest Editorial – On Copyright and Research […]
Turbulent Heart = VIERNE: Les Djinns, Op. 35; Eros, Op. 37; Ballade du desespere, Op. 61; Psyche, Op. 33; CHAUSSON: Poem of love and the Sea, Op. 19 – Steve Davislim, tenor/ Queensland Orchestra/ Guillaume Tourniaire – Melba
Melba lives up to their short but intense reputation of aural excellence.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
