Monthly Archive: March 2010
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat – Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/ Marek Janowski, conductor – Pentatone
Terrific Bruckner from a very unexpected source.
How She Danced – String Quartets of ELENA RUEHR – Cypress String Quartet – Cypress String Quartet Performing Arts Association
These are very impressive contemporary quartets and I look forward to hearing more music from Elena Ruehr.
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216; BRAHMS: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 – Giaconda de Vito, violin/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham (Mozart)/ German Opera House Orchestra, Berlin/Paul van Kempen – Naxos Historical
Giaconda de Vito (1907-1994) made her first London appearance at the Albert Hall with Victor de Sabata in the Brahms Violin Concerto, which soon became her own signature piece.
Horizon 2 – A Tribute to Oliver Messiaen = DUKAS: La plainte, au loin, du faune…; MESSIAEN: Les offrandes oubliees; Chronochromie; MARC-ANDRE DALBAVIE: La source d’un regard; ROB ZUIDAM: Adam-Interludes – RCO/George Benjamin and Ingo Metzmacher – RCO Live
Be not afraid—Messiaen and a passel of new music inspired by him well worth your attention.
MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 29, 31 “Paris”, 32, 35 “Haffner”, 36 “Linz” – Scottish Chamber Orchestra/ Charles Mackerras, conductor – Linn
Absolutely one of the best Mozart discs in the last 10 years.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 4 – Laura Claycomb, soprano/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Valery Gergiev, conductor – LSO Live
Much improved and worth a hearing, though I don’t think we are there quite yet with this conductor.
Audio News for March 30, 2010
Brits in a Tizzy Over Proposed Shutdown of All FM Radio; Rovi Hopes to Become Programming Guide for HDTVs, Blu-ray players and Set-top Boxes; Sony Hopes for a Comeback
CHOPIN: 20 Nocturnes – Nelson Freire, piano – Decca
The eroticism Freire brings to the F-sharp Minor might well have seduced George Sand . . .one of the fine integral surveys of this pillar of the keyboard repertory.
* BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor (Ed. by Benjamin G. Cohrs) – Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Järvi – RCA Red Seal
******** MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH *********
Following Bruckner’s Seventh, this latest Ninth from Järvi and the FRSO is a musical document of inspiration.
Tia Fuller – Decisive Steps – Mack Avenue
On Tia Fuller’s third outing, Decisive Steps, the saxophonist/flutist evolves her artistry upward and outward.
Francois Couturier, piano solo – Un Jour Si Blanc – ECM
A rich reward.
Michael Rabin Collection Vol. 3 = Sel. by MOZART, GLAZUNOV, TCHAIKOVSKY, PAGANINI, PROKOFIEV, SAINT-SAENS, KREISLER, SCRIABIN, CRESTON & others – Doremi (2 CDs)
Rare and historic documents of the late Michael Rabin, once touted as “The Greatest Young Talent Since Heifetz” and reissued to often stunning effect.
Joe Locke – For the Love of You – E1 Music
Romantic ballads from Joe Locke and vocalist Kenny Washington.
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, piano – Solos – The Jazz Sessions (2010)
What better way to start the series than with the artist many critics have acclaimed as one of the top jazz pianists active today – Cuban emigre Gonzalo Rubalcaba?
An Education, Blu-ray (2009/2010)
Basically a coming-of-age drama which Hornby based on an autobiographical memoir by the girl played so beautifully by Carey Mulligan.
“Istiqbal Gathering” – JOHN JORGENSON: Concerto Glasso; Dieter’s Lounge; Istiqbal Gathering; BALAKRISHNAN: Groove in the Louvre – John Jorgenson, solo guitar/Orchestra Nashville/Paul Gambill/Turtle Island Quartet – J2 Records
This album breaks new ground crossover-wise.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet (1953) – Jazz at Oberlin – Fantasy OJC Remasters
The conservatory-trained Oberlin audience in the school’s chapel was perfect for the quartet’s literate and witty improvisations.
1941-1945: Wartime Music, Vol. 5 = Mieczyslaw Weinberg: Symphony No. 1; Cello Concerto – Dmitry Khrychov, cello/ St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orch./Alexander Titov – Northern Flowers
“Although I never had a single hour of lessons with him (Shostakovich), I consider myself his disciple, flesh of his flesh” …Weinberg
OLE BULL Violin Concertos = The Herdgirl’s Sunday; Concerto in A Major; Concerto Fantastico; La Melancolie; La Verbena de San Juan; A Mountain Vision – Annar Follesø, violin/ Norwegian Radio Orchestra/ Ole Kristian Ruud – 2L
Old Bull is probably the next most famous Norwegian in music after Edvard Grieg, with whom he was friends.
MOZART: Concerto in C Major for Flute and Harp, K. 299; Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major, K. 313; Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major, K. 314 – Emmanuel Pahud, flute/Marie-Pierre Langlamet, harp/Berlin Philharmonic |Orchestra/Claudio Abbado – EMI Classics
Recordings from 22-29 September 1996 from the Philharmonie, Berlin, each of which sparkles with the musical magic that defines Emmanuel Pahud’s virtuosity.
J.S. BACH: Goldberg Variations (Version for 2 Pianos by Rheinberger/Reger) – Yaara Tal and Andreas Groethuysen – Sony Classical
Tal and Groethuysen offer in this recording a probe into the world of Bach, but with a modern voice of unprecedented elegance and novelty.
The African Queen, Blu-ray (1951/2010)
The African Queen on DVD looked so bad that this restored version finally allows us to see the original Technicolor – with its over-brilliant colors and everybody sporting a thoroughly Hollywood tan – in all its glory.