Monthly Archive: March 2010
GORDON GETTY: = Orchestral Works = Overture to “Plump Jack;” Ancestor Suite; Tiefer und Tiefer; Homework Suite; The Fiddler of Ballykeel; Raise the Colors – Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/Sir Neville Marriner – PentaTone
Nice to be exposed to the other side of Getty’s music for those of us more attuned to instrumental works than vocal.
Paul Motian, Chris Potter, Jason Moran – Lost In A Dream – ECM
Against The Grain.
The Band – Cahoots – Capitol/Mobile Fidelity
If you’re a fan of The Band and want to hear them at their sonic best, this SACD is the thing.
“Catch Me If You Can” – Works for Violin & Piano by MATTHEW PIERCE [TrackList below] Matthew Pierce, violin/Christine Doré, piano – SeedMusic
“Catch Me If You Can” – Works for Violin & Piano by MATTHEW PIERCE [TrackList below] Matthew Pierce, violin/Christine Doré, piano – SeedMusic (www.matthewpierce.com) **½: A creative attempt at a crossover style, imbued in minimalism. Pierce has created many classical scores for American ballet companies, and has performed as a violinist with such pop artists as Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega and played on the Philip Glass film score for Kundun. If nothing else, the titles of the 17 tracks demonstrate that this is not your usual recital of classical miniatures for violin and piano. At least things are tonal and the sound is nice in small portions, but it doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Some of the pieces carry the minimalism too far for my personal taste. No. 7, Whirlygig, has piano accompaniment that sounds lifted straight from Orff’s Carmina Burana. TrackList: Catch Me If You Can, for violin & piano African Smile, for violin & piano Present, for violin & piano Devil Went Down, for violin & piano Office Parks and Strip Malls, for violin & piano Big Love Duet, for violin & piano Whirlygig, for violin & piano Pas de Deux, for violin & piano Salvador Dali, […]
MORTON FELDMAN et al.: “For Feldman.” Pieces by Morton Feldman, John Prokop, David Beardsley, David Kotlowy, David Toub – Rangzen Quartet/ Christina Fong, violin – OgreOgress Productions (DVD-A)
The Feldman pieces are played really well, with their wispy clusters of single tones and slow pizzicato arpeggios.
LISZT: Piano Sonata in B Minor; Apres une Lecture de Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata; Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C-sharp Minor; Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A Minor; Hungarian Rhapsody No. 8 in F-sharp Minor – Mykola Suk, piano – Music & Arts
Suk has his own ideas about the B Minor Sonata, which he plays for its extreme ecstatic convulsions in dark and light.
GRAHAM FITKIN: “Circuit” = Circuit for 2 pianos & orchestra; T1, T2 & White for 2 pianos; Relent, Carnal, From Yellow to Yellow & Furniture for solo piano – Noriko Ogawa & Kathryn Stott, duo-pianists/Tokyo Symphony Orchestra/Naoto Otomo – BIS
The works on this SACD remind me of the sonic equivalent of little electrons rushing around a circuit, bumping into one another, and racing like Las Vegas chase lights.
Audio News for March 19, 2010
3D Content Vital to Sales of 3D Equipment; Viacom, Google and YouTube Strife; Universal to Test Lowering New CD Prices
“A Selection from Tomas Örnberg’s Blue Five & The Swedish Jazz Kings” – Featuring Kenny Davern, Roy Williams & Bob Barnard – Opus 3
The recordings were originally made between 1971 and 2001, and 19 tracks of the very full SACD cover the classic jazz of the 1920s and 30s.
Jasper de Waal, horn = Concertos of JOSEPH/OR MICHAEL HAYDN, & MOZART – with Concertgebouw Chamber Orch. – Channel Classics
This is surely another triumph for Jared Sacks and his team, and a contender for one of my discs of the year.
“Schlindler’s List” = WILLIAMS: Suite “Schlindler’s List” for violin and orch. BLOCH: Suite Hebraique for Violin and Orch.; Concerto Grosso No. 1 – Alexandre da Costa, violin/ Marc Pantillon, piano/ Orchestre Symphonique Bienne/Thomas Rosner – Atma
Williams’ main theme lends an air of sadness and nostalgia for the lives saved and lost.
HUBAY: Works for Violin and Piano, Vol. 13 – Ferenc Szecsodi, violin/Istvan Kassai, piano – Hungaraton
Recorded in 2008, this latest edition of Hubay violin works extends his powerful presence in gypsy and Magyar styles.
Lee Shaw Trio – Blossom – Artists Recording Collective
On her latest effort, Blossom, pianist Lee Shaw produces a varied set of jazz trio tunes sure to delight keyboard buffs.
HAYDN: String Quartets Volume 5: String Quartets Op. 20 Nos. 1 – 6 – Auryn Quartet – Tacet (2 CDs)
May all of the Haydn installments be as fine as the present one.
TELEMANN: Overture and Concertos – Soloists/Holland Baroque Society/Alexis Kossenko – Channel Classics
Given that only a fraction of Telemann’s prodigious output has been published, he should inspire the sense of discovery for a long time to come.
“Passing Through” – Works by BACH, DOMENICONI, PLESKOW, LAURO, SCHULTHORPE, ROVICS, & SAVAGE – Harris Becker, guitar – Rang 4
The program of a half dozen mostly contemporary works for guitar plus some Bach is well-chosen and interesting.
PAGANINI: 24 Caprices, Op. 1 – Mayuko Kamio, violin – RCA Victor
A youthful virtuoso takes on the Mount Everest of violin exercises to ravishing effect.
Audio News for March 16, 2010
FCC Asks TV Stations To Release Certain Frequencies; Vuzix Offers 3D DVD Titles for Its Video Eyewear; 3D TV On Its Way; NuVo Technologies’ New Music Port Server
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Major – after Violin Concerto Op. 77 (Arr. by Dejan Lazic); Two Rhapsodies Op. 79; Scherzo in E-flat minor Op. 4 – Dejan Lazic, piano/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/Robert Spano – Channel Classics
A world premiere of the Third Brahms piano concerto.
Tord Gustavsen Ensemble – Restored, Returned – ECM
Norwegian jazz pianist Gustavsen strikes off in a new direction with this one, though again stretching the usual definition of what constitutes jazz.
Dan Tepfer & Lee Konitz – Duos with Lee – Sunnyside
Duos with Lee will satisfy discerning and thoughtful listeners.
MAHLER: Das Lied Von Der Erde – Klaus Florian Vogt, tenor/ Christian Gerhaher, baritone/ Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal/ Kent Nagano – Sony/BMG
A natural balance of orchestra, soloists and hall ambience is achieved – minus, unfortunately, the ultimate detail provided by higher resolution recording.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
