Monthly Archive: January 2010
RACHMANINOFF: Etudes-Tableaux, Op.39; Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op.42 – Alexander Romanovsky, piano – Decca
The “gift” indigenous to Romanovsky is his talent with narration.
Horowitz: The Legendary Berlin Concert = SCARLATTI, SCHUMANN, LISZT, RACHMANINOV, SCRIABIN, CHOPIN, MOSZOWSKI – Sony (2 CDs)
The extraordinary 18 May 1986 Berlin recital by Vladimir Horowitz (1903-1989), who had last been present in Berlin fifty-four years prior, 1932.
MAHLER: Symphony No.7 – Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/ Mariss Jansons – BR Klassik
This live performance from the Philharmonie im Gasteig in Munich can certainly provide a close approximation to why this ensemble remains one of the most celebrated on the concert platform today.
VARIOUS COMPOSERS: Praeludien für die heilige Weihnachtszeit (Preludes for Holy Christmastide) – Johannes Strobl, Great Organ of the Abbey Church of Muri [TrackList below] – Audite
Not a disc for playing only during a couple of weeks in December, it collects together music by eight 18th and 19th century central European composers as well as three pieces by anonymous writers.
Hiromi, solo piano – Place To Be – Telarc
This time she courageously takes to the keyboard unaccompanied, for a program of a dozen tunes mostly her own.
FERNANDO OTERO – “Vital” – compositions, arrangements & performances by Fernando Otero, p. – World Village
Altogether a fascinating mixture of influences revolving around the tango but obviously not to be danced to.
Hadley Caliman – Straight Ahead – Origin Records
Aging like fine wine.
NYNDK – The Hunting of the Snark – Jazzheads
Anyone who has heard and liked NYNDK’s prior releases or is looking for an intriguing classical-jazz synthesis should uncover much of value on this one.
Louis Armstrong – Good Evening Ev’rybody (1970/2009)
This is an unforgettable musical celebration that we have to thank Newport Festival founder George Wein for getting together.
BARTOK: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; BLOCH: Concerto Grosso No. 1 – Chicago Symphony Orch. /George Schick, piano obbligato/Rafael Kubelik – Pristine Audio
The clarity of the CSO line, the sweeping gestures, the forceful conviction of execution, each contributes to a most resolutely satisfying exploration of two outstanding scores.
Ella Fitzgerald – Twelve Nights in Hollywood – Hip-O Select [4-CD set + bound book]
The joy of Ella X 4.
LEGRAND: “Musicales / Comédies” = Umbrellas of Cherbourg; Summer of ’42; Go-Between; Yentl; GERSHWIN: Porgy & Bess; BERNSTEIN: West Side Story; LEGRAND: Donkey Skin; Le Passe Muraille; WEILL: ThreePenny Opera – C. Michel, harp/Grand Orch. Sym. – Naive (2)
The new settings of the familiar music sound fresh and exciting, turning the suites of mostly well-known tunes into mini harp concertos.
SIR EDWARD ELGAR: The Crown of India; Imperial March; The Coronation March; The Empire March – Vocal soloists/ Barbara Marten, Deborah McAndrew, Joanne Mitchell – speakers/Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus/ BBC Philharmonic/Andrew Davis – Chandos (2 CDs)
I say – veddy British indeed.
FREDERIC RZEWSKI: The People United Will Never Be Defeated – Kai Schumacher, piano – Wergo
Rzewski was “capable of depositing huge boulders of sonoristic material across the keyboard without actually wrecking the instrument.”
Audio News for January 29, 2010
Theatrical Box Office Overtakes DVD/Blu-ray Sales; Blu-ray Blooms; DVDs Slump; Dreamer Brings Web Content to Blu-ray Players with BD-Live; OLED and Plasma Best for 3D; Toshiba Launches Blu-ray Recorders
JOHN CAGE: Dream – Stefano Scondanibbio, contrabass/ Fabrizio Ottaviucci, piano/ Ensemble Nextime – Wergo
Not in recent memory have I heard a CD that reveals as many inventive sides of John Cage as this one.
Alfred Brendel: The Farewell Concerts = Works of MOZART, HAYDN, BEETHOVEN, SCHUBERT & BACH – Decca (2 CDs)
Halting his long and fruitful career in December 2008 made an intelligent peroration without detracting from Brendel’s own musical image, his powers remaining intact.
“Two Continents” – CHOPIN: Scherzi for Piano Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4; PIAZZOLLA: Invierno Porteno; GADE: Celos; NAZARETH: Odeon; LOYOLA: El Tecolote; OTEY: Arabesque; GOMEZ-TAGLE: No Me Deies Jamas – Leticia Gomez-Tagle, piano – Urtext
The Mexican classical label has assembled here a program of piano music by Chopin and some 20th century Latin American composers.
Atonement, Blu-ray (2007/2010)
This beautifully-constructed film has the air of a true classic from its very first scene.
The Terence Blanchard Group featuring Bilal & Dr. Cornel West – Choices – Concord Jazz
The acoustic sound on this album is perfectly blended with the cuts of Dr. West’s spoken word.
Sonny Rollins – Reel Life – Milestone/Original Jazz Classics/Concord
A classic album that stands out thanks to perhaps the greatest tenor saxophonist of all time.
STRAVINSKY: Pulcinella; Symphony In Three Movements; Four Etudes – Roxana Constantinescu, mezzo/Nicholas Phan, tenor/ Kyle Ketelsen, bass-baritone/Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Pierre Boulez – CSO-Resound
These are the perfect Stravinsky works to benefit from Pierre Boulez’ baton – strongly neo-classic, very dry and precise, and that is the conducting style of Boulez.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
