Monthly Archive: January 2010
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, Blu-ray (1998/2010)
This Blu-ray release will be a worthwhile addition to the collection of any film fan – especially Terry Gilliam aficionados – whether they identify with its characters or not.
Audio News for January 26, 2010
2010 Consumer Electronics Show Set Optimistic Tone; Consumers Still Split on ‘Connected’ Home; Audio-shaping Software and Hardware for Car Audio; Electrocompaniet HT in a Box; More Portables for HD Radio
Sita Sings the Blues (2009)
This enchanting animated film was directed, written, produced, designed and animated by syndicated comic strip artist Nina Paley, who turned herself into a one-person movie production studio for three years to do it.
Marc Copland, solo piano – Alone – Pirouet
Copland says “There’s no cut and dried technique other than this: the desire, when playing, not to hit a single note or a single chord unless it has a certain touch, a certain blend, a certain feel.”
SMETANA: String Quartet No. 1, “From My Life”; DOHNANYI: String Quartet No. 2 in D Major; Spirituals: Go Down Moses; Swing Low Sweet Chariot; Deep River; POCHON: Irish Cradle Song; Irish Reel; Sally in Our Alley; Turkey in Straw – Flonzaley Q. – Pristine
Among the pioneers of chamber music ensembles in the early days of both acoustical electrical recordings, the Flonzaley Quartet (1902-1929) stands out as a true inspiration.
Wendy Warner Plays POPPER AND PIATIGORSKY = DAVID POPPER: Suite for Cello and Piano; Three Pieces; Im Walde. GREGOR PIATIGORSKY: Variations on a Paganini Theme – Wendy Warner, cello/ Eileen Buck, piano – Cedille
This is a disc of beautiful romantic music that offers much pleasure, especially for cello lovers.
BACH: The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080 – The Roth Quartet/Sir Donald Tovey, piano (conjectural completion of Contrapunctus XIV) – Divine Art
The Roth Quartet (1922-1969) – inscribed the Bach work on Columbia shellacs in 1934, the tempos of which had to be augmented to achieve clean side joins by editor Andrew Rose.
Edition Karl Bohm VII = BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op 58; Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60 – Wilhelm Backhaus, piano/RIAS Symphony Orchestra/Karl Bohm – Audite
The Karl Bohm (1894-1981) legacy here embraces two sessions with Ferenc Fricsay’s RIAS Symphony Orchestra, from 1950 and 1952.
Audio News for January 22, 2010
Six Trends in Home Electronics; Do Users Really Want 3D TVs?; E-commerce Up During the Holidays; Greenpeace Praises Apple, HP, Nokia & Sony
The Billy Collins Suite, Songs Inspired by his Poetry = Music of JALBERT, GARROP, GRIER & TIAN – Steve Robinson, narr./soloists/ensemble – Cedille
Alternately funny and moving like the poetry itself, The Billy Collins Suite works best when it’s sung.
CHOPIN: Journal Intime = Mazurkas, Ballades, Nocturnes, Fantasie, etc. – Alexandre Tharaud, piano – Virgin Classics
The entirely natural piano sound only enhances an already illuminated conception.
Plunge – Dancing on Thin Ice – Immersion
Distinguished, original and thought-provoking music where free jazz and pure improvisation can groove with accessibility.
Lorraine Feather, vocals – Ages (Lyrics: Feather; Music: Eddie Arkin Shelly Berg, Russell Ferrante, Bela Fleck, Dick Hyman) – Jazzed Media
A sort of a female counterpart to her friend Dave Frishberg.
The Welte Mignon Mystery Vol. XIV: Opera Composers = Sel. of D'ALBERT, LEONCAVALLO, HUMPERDINCK, SCHILLINGS, ZOELLNER – Tacet
Relatively minor-league music played by some major figures on the modern Steinway D by way of The Welte Mignon magical mystery tour.
BARTOK: 44 Violin Duos – Angela and Jennifer Chun, violins – Harmonia mundi
Well-chosen music in definitive readings.
Latin America Alive = Works of ESTEVEZ, VILLA-LOBOS, REVUELTAS, ORBON, CHEVEZ, FALLA, GINASTERA – Eduardo Mata cond. – Dorian (6 CDs)
If you get only one collection set this year, this is the one!
JOHN WARD: Consort Music for Five and Six Viols – Phantasm – Linn Records
Award-winning Phantasm is just the group to bring Ward’s leisurely consort music to life.
DEEMS TAYLOR: Peter Ibbetson (complete opera) – Griffey, Flanigan, Zeller/ Seattle Symphony & Chorale/ Gerard Scwharz – Naxos
A once-favorite opera that still packs cinematic appeal.
Bryston 9BSST2 Five-Channel Power Amplifier
Tested more rolled-off and mellow than a similarly-priced Krell 5-channel amp.
BEETHOVEN: Cello Sonata in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1; Cello Sonata in D Major, OP. 102, No. 2; 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126; Cello Sonata in A Major, Op. 69 – Tanya Tomkins, cello/Eric Zivian, fortepiano – Bridge
Given the period instruments and the participants’ level of execution, we can well glean Beethoven’s raising of the cello sonata to an independent status worthy of the highest musical ideals.
KRENEK: Symphonic Elegy, Op. 105; 7 Easy Pieces, Op. 146; Adagio and Fugue; 5 Short Pieces for Strings, Op. 116; Symphonic Piece, op. 86; Sinfonietta a Brasileira, Op. 131 – Leopoldinum Orchestra/ Ernst Kovacic – Capriccio
An eye-opening recording of some very esoteric but worthwhile music.
BACH: Toccata in D, BWV 912; Capriccio sopra la lontananza, BWV 992; Fantasia and Fugue in a, BWV 904; Italian Concerto; Aria 1 from Goldberg Variations; Concerto in C for 2 Harpsichords, BWV 1061a – James Tibbles & Jenny Thomas, harpsichords – Atoll
A Smorgasbord of Bach showing off a new harpsichord.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
