Monthly Archive: June 2010
Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott – East-West Trumpet Summit – Origin
A meeting of East and West.
Ofra Harnoy, Vol. I = OFFENBACH: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra; TCHAIKOVSKY: Rococo Variations for Cello and Orchestra; SAINT-SAENS: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor – Cincinnati Sym./Erich Kunzel /Victoria Sym. Orch./Paul Freeman – Doremi
DOREMI celebrates Canada’s most revered cellist in three dazzling collaborations.
* RICHARD STRAUSS: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life); WEBERN: Im Sommerwind – Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Bernard Haitink – CSO-Resound
********** MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH *******
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 9 – Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi/ Oleg Caetani – Surround Records
Our reviewer is bowled over by the 7.1 surround of this music-only Blu-ray, similar to the offerings of the 2L label.
Dom Minasi and Blaise Siwula – Live at the Matt Bevel Institute – Re:konstrukt
Guitarist Dom Minasi and Blaise Siwula: 21st century artists who bring melodic poise to accessibly free improvisation.
The Cedar Walton Songbook – Cedar Chest (compilation) – The Composer Collection Volume 6 – High Note
A chestfull of treasures.
Boards of Canada – Music Has the Right to Children – Warp Records
This landmark electronic effort would probably appeal to others who don’t really like the electronic music genre.
Jason Moran – Ten – Blue Note
Stylistic heirs of Jason’s are honored on the various tracks: Monk, Andrew Hill, Jack Byard, Jimi Hendrix, Bert Williams.
David Nadien = FRANCK: Violin Sonata in A Major; DEBUSSY: Violin Sonata; FAURE: Berceuse; RACHMANINOFF: Daisies; PROKOFIEFF: Sonata for Two Violins – David Nadien & Ruggiero Ricci, violins (Prokofieff)/David Hancock, p./ Abba Bogin, p. – Cembal d'amour
Recital materials 1968-1970 grace this fine disc, another Cembal d’amour tribute to the living legend of the violin, David Nadien.
JACOB KLEIN: Scordatura Sonatas – C Major, D Major, A minor & B minor for cello/continuo; Duet in G Major for two cellos; Sonatas in E Major and F# minor for cello/ continuo – Pavel Serbin & Alexander Gulin, cellos/ Hans Knut Sveen, hpchord – Caro Mitis
Klein didn’t just toss off these works as a side interest, as many amateur musicians.
ORFF: Carmina Burana – Agnes Giebel, soprano/Marcel Cordes, baritone/Paul Kuen, tenor/Chorus of the Westdeutschen Rundfunk/Cologne Radio-Symphony Orchestra/Wolfgang Sawallisch – Pristine Audio
Producer Andrew Rose provides a 1956 reissue collectors will be glad to obtain, a performance which masterfully set the bar for so many others.
DVORAK: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104; Slavonic Dances: Op. 46: Nos. 5-8; Op. 72: Nos. 3-4 – Antonio Janigro, cello/Vienna State Opera Orchestra/Dean Dixon (Op. 104)/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Artur Rodzinski – HDTT
Sweet Dvorak revived from the Westminster Records vaults, including a fine performance from Antonio Janigro.
The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 49 = STENHAMMAR: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 1 (Original version); Piano Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 23 – Seta Tanyel, piano/Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Manze – Hyperion
For the sheer exuberance of bravura coloration for piano and orchestra, these fervent readings of Stenhammar’s too infrequent works come as a delight for Best of the Year honors.
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83; Eight Keyboard Pieces, Op. 76 – Nicholas Angelich, piano/Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Jarvi – Virgin Classics
American pianist Nicholas Angelich performs heroic and introspective Brahms with dash and panache.
PIERRE MOULU: Mater floreat; Missa Missus est Gabriel angelus; In pace; Missa Alma redemptoris mater; JOSQUIN: Missus est Gabriel angelus – Brabant Ensemble/ Stephen Rice, conductor – Hyperion
Who is Moulu? Not much is known, but his music speaks volumes.
ELGAR: Complete Songs for Voice and Piano, Volume 2 [Tracklist below] – Amanda Roocroft, soprano; Konrad Jarnot, baritone; Reinild Mees, piano – Channel Classics
Volume two finally appears and substantially confirms Elgar’s place in the song firmament.
MAX REGER: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart, Op. 132; Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Johann Adam Hiller, Op. 100 – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Paul von Kempen (Op. 100)/Karl Bohm (Op. 132) – Guild
The only Berlin Philharmonic inscriptions of these two Reger staples here led by two masters of orchestral technique warrant the historical collector’s immediate commitment.
Audio News for June 18, 2010
2010 Jazz Award Winners of Jazz Journalists Association; Nashville Symphony Album to Help Rebuild its Home; Ray Dolby to Receive 2010 IEEE Edison Medal; Expansion of Networked Audio Devices
HANDEL: Ariodante (complete opera) (2008)
A well-sung Ariodante that still leaves room for improvement on the visual aspect.
BACH: Mass in b minor (Rifkin 2006 edition) – Susan Hamilton, soprano/ Cecelia Osmond, soprano/ Margot Oitzinger, alto/ Thomas Hobbs, tenor/ Matthew Brook, bass/ Dunedin Consort and Players/ John Butt, director – Linn
Rifkin reappears, but with a twist that makes this worthwhile.
South Memphis String Band – Home Sweet Home – Memphis International Records
If this is your first dip in the creek, you will return for many many more.
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130; Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 and alternate ending: Allegro (1826) – Cypress String Quartet – Cypress Performing Arts
Vol. 2 of the Cypress String Quartet survey of the Beethoven cycle is devoted to the B-flat Major Quartet (1825), his “Liebquartett”.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
