Monthly Archive: March 2010
MOZART: Symphony No. 39 in E-flat; Symphony No. 40 in g minor – Freiburger Barockorchester/ Rene Jacobs, conductor – Harmonia mundi
Jacobs tries to show us that Mozart has more under the surface and succeeds most of the time, even though I often then return to my other favorite recordings determined to hear them in a different way as well.
Bobby McFerrin – “Vocabularies” – Emarcy
McFerrin has demonstrated a restless and far ranging musical intelligence which is constantly in search of new musical turf to explore.
FAURE: Requiem, Op. 48; DEBUSSY: Images pour Orchestre – Victoria de los Angeles, soprano/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone/ Choeurs Elisabeth Brasseur/ Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire/Andre Cluytens – EMI Classics
This tribute to French orchestral master Andre Cluytens combines two Great Recordings of the Century into one.
Audio News for March 26, 2010
New Technologies to Drive TV Sales; SIM2 Has LED Video Projector; Keep Children’s Ears Safe With Earmuffs; Google Working on Internet TV with Intel, Sony & Logitech
Wilhelm Furtwaengler Polydor Recordings Vol. 2 = Works of J. STRAUSS, MOZART, BACH, ROSSINI & BRAHMS – with Berlin Philharmonic – Opus Kura
Furtwaengler leads relatively light fare with his Berlin Philharmonic for the Polydor label, 1929-1937.
“Café Music” – PIAZZOLLA: Four Seasons of Buenos Aires; Le Grand Tango; PAUL SCHOENFIELD: Café Music; TURNA: Trio No. 2 in B minor; GERSHWIN: It Ain’t Necessarily So – Trio Solisti piano trio – Bridge
The CD’s title might allude to a much more informal sort of collection of popular melodies for a small ensemble, but it is a quite serious though very enjoyable program of two major works composed for piano trio and two by Piazzolla arranged for that combination.
HAYDN: Piano Trios Volume 2 (4) – The Florestan Trio – Hyperion
The Florestan Trio continues its superb series of Haydn Piano Trios with a recording of the final four.
Toy Story 2 Special Edition, Blu-ray + DVD (1999/2010)
The toys are back, with some new ones added to the mix, and they’re even better than Toy Story 1 if that’s possible.
Eric Reed & Cyrus Chestnut, duo-pianos – Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul (with Dezron Douglas, bass; Willie Jones III, drums) – Savant
Both pianists share a background of associations with the black church and tenures with Wynton Marsalis’ bands.
Maya Le Roux, guitar = OBRADOVIC: Symphonic and Guitar = Ghostly Eyes; Ballade de la Vallee Magique; Concerto Latino; Petite suite pour un Prince – with soloists/RTS Radio Belgrade & Sinfonietta Belgrade – Sacem
Favoring a decidedly melodic and tonal syntax, her music communicates something of Villa-Lobos, especially in the opening Ghostly Eyes.
TCHAIKOVSKY (Arr. by CARL DAVIS): Alice in Wonderland Ballet – The City of Prague Symphony Orchestra/Carl Davis – Threefold Records
35 very short cues make up the ballet, something like cues from a film soundtrack.
BARBER: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 14 (rev. edition, 1948); Commando March; Symphony No. 2, Op. 19 (orig. version) – Ruth Posselt, violin/Boston Symphony Orchestra/Serge Koussevitzky – Pristine Audio
The restoration of the complete Koussevitzky Barber legacy creates an immediate classic, essential to the collector of American music and Koussevitzky enthusiast.
Steve Davis – Eloquence – JLP
Something special.
RESPIGHI: Belkis, Queen of Sheba (orchestral suite); HINDEMITH: Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber; FLORENT SCHMITT: The Tragedy of Salome (orchestral suite) – Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra/Sascha Goetzel – Onyx
Three most colorful and exotic orchestral works, coming from a previously unknown symphonic source and in excellent sonics though not hi-res.
The Blind Side, Blu-ray + DVD/Digital Copy (2009)
A great family film. It delivers a positive uplifting message without resorting to preaching to the viewer.
Audio News for March 23, 2010
Theaters Suffering From Insufficient 3D Screens; Possible Solution to Insufficient 3D Screens; New Technology Confuses Consumers
Toy Story (1) Special Edition, Blu-ray (1995/2010)
The really creative concept behind it is to show things from the toys’ point of view, as if they were alive.
Stephan Battaglia/ Michele Rabbia – Pastorale – ECM
Still Moving In New Directions.
Rufus Reid – Out Front – Motéma
On his newest venture, Out Front, bassist Rufus Reid showcases his composing and performing prowess.
TCHAIKOVSKY: Rococo Variations, Op 33; PROKOFIEV: Sinfonia Concertante in E Minor, Op. 125 – Gautier Capucon, cello/Orchestra of the Marinsky Theatre/Valery Gergiev – Virgin Classics
For those who wonder if Gautier Capucon’s cello rates the big leagues, inquire no further than this monumental collaboration with Valery Gergiev.
Mindru Katz plays = BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 “Emperor”; SHOSTAKOVICH: Prelude in E-flat Minor, Op. 34; ENESCO: Suite for Piano, Op. 10; CHOPIN: Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 “Heroic” – Mindru Katz, piano – Cembal d’amour
Selections from the Katz legacy in Britain, each projecting the sheer elan of collaboration or solo performance in the grand manner.
BOHUSLAV MARTINU: Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra; ANTAL DORATI: Divertimento for Oboe and Orchestra; HEINZ HOLLIGER: Sonata for Oboe solo – Yeon-Hee Kwak, oboe/ Munchner Rundfunkorchester /Johannes Goritzki – MD&G
It would be impossible to praise oboist Yeon-Yee Kwak too highly. Her tone is sumptuous and the high registers never grate on the ears.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
