Monthly Archive: July 2010
SCHUMANN: Eichendorff Lieder, Op. 39; Kulmann Lieder, Op. 104; Frauenliebe und Leben, Op. 42 – Vivian Hanner, mezzo-soprano/ Frank Peter, piano – Genuin
Somewhat problematic performances redeemed by the rarely-recorded Kulmann Lieder.
The Band – Northern Lights-Southern Cross (1975) – Stereo-only SACD Capitol/ Mobile Fidelity
Oh, such glorious acoustics….
Barry Harris – Live in Rennes – Plus Loin Music
Still going strong at age 80…
“Johann, I’m Only Dancing” = Various BACH selections – Red Priest
The famous and controversial Red Priest take on Old Bach.
HAYDN: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major; Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major; PEREIRA: Concertino in G Major for Cello and String Orchestra – Antonio Meneses, cello/Northern Sinfonia – Avie
Brazilian cellist Antonio Meneses wields bow and baton in Haydn and Pereira, music of ingratiating charm.
Grand Sonatas for Flute = PIERNE: Sonata Op. 36; GADE: Sonata No. 2, Op. 21; PROKOFIEV: Sonata No. 2, Op. 94 – Hans-Udo Heinzman, flute/ Elisaveta Blumina, piano – Genuin
A fine album of catchy pieces guaranteed to delight.
Hiroe Sekine, piano – A-Mé – SekaiMusic.com
Her title tune is one of the most interesting of jazz interpretations of rain I’ve heard.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major; Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 “Emperor” – Edwin Fischer, piano/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ Philharmonia Orchestra of London/Wilhelm Furtwaengler – Naxos Historical
Classic Furtwaengler renditions of Beethoven, with the advantage of eschewing the usual Berlin Philharmonic Fourth typically recycled in such collations.
CARL FRIEDRICH ABEL: Cello Concerto in C Major; CHRISTIAN ERNST GRAF: Sinfonia I; Concerto for Cello No. 2 in D Major; Sinfonia III; Cello Concerto No. 1 in D Major – Klaus-Dieter Brandt, cello / L’arpa festante – Ars Produktion
Graf’s is an even more obscure name than Abel’s, so it’s especially good to have the sampling of his works offered on this CD.
OFFENBACH: Leonide Massine’s Gaite Parisienne
Here is an exceptional experience for the film lover, the ballet enthusiast, and the history buff: a brilliant film of the popular Gaite Parisienne.
Audio News for July 30, 2010
B&W To Furnish Their Speaker Line to Best Buy; Wireless Specialist CSR Acquires APT-X Audio Compression Technology; Cloud Music Streams Your Own Music Files to iPhone or iPod Touch; Marantz Network Audio Player
Dave Anderson – Clarity – Pony Boy
On his first solo album, Clarity, Seattle saxophonist Dave Anderson proves that his adapted home is a city with an increasingly great jazz community.
KABALEVSKY: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Major, Op. 6; Piano Sonata No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 45; Four Preludes, Op. 5; Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 46 – Artur Pizarro, piano – Regis
With a generous timing, this CD represents great music making and very good value.
BOCCHERINI: Cello Concertos Nos. 10 in D; 2 in D, 3 in G; 9 in B-flat – Wen-Sinn Yang, cello/ Streicherakademie Bozen/ Georg Egger, conductor – Arts
Maybe the best recording yet of these under-appreciated concertos.
Neeme Jarvi 70th Birthday Jubilee (2010)
“A family affair,” the celebration of conductor Neeme Jarvi’s 70th Birthday Jubilee (26 May 2007) in Talinn, Estonia has all the trappings of a religious festival.
Danilo Perez – Providencia – Mack Avenue Records
Prodigy delivers a brilliant, heartfelt tribute to Panamanian culture.
“Masterworks for Flute and Piano II” = POULENC: Sonata for Flute and Piano; FRANK MARTIN: Ballade; CARL REINEKE: Sonata “Undine”; MARTINŮ: Sonata for Flute and Piano; MESSIAEN: Le merle noir – Sharon Bezaly, flute / Ronald Brautigam, piano – BIS
A wonderfully varied program wonderfully played by Bezaly and her accompanist Ronald Brautigam.
TCHAIKOVSKY: Manfred Symphony in B Minor, Op. 58 – Gūrzenich-Orchester Köln / Dmitri Kitayenko – Oehms Classics
As an audiophile experience, this is certainly a treat, though it leaves something to be desired as a performance of Tchaikovsky’s often exciting but problematic work.
Audio News for July 27, 2010
Phone and Cable Companies Fight FCC Plans to Regulate Broadband; Jazz at Newport; New Video Recording Studio Chain for the General Public; Amazon Sells More e-Books Than Print Books; Samsung Big on LED HDTVs for 3D
STURMINGER: The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer (2010)
What Sturminger has concocted endures as a gallows-humor indictment of the cult of celebrity.
The Music of America – JOHN WILLIAMS: Air and Simple Gifts; American Journey, Suite from Memoirs of a Geisha; Song for World Peace; Summon the Heroes; Hymn to New England, The Five Sacred Trees; Sound the Bells!; Elegy; soundtrack themes – Sony (3 discs)
This is physically a compact little package, considering it presents three CDs, many photos, and a complete note booklet.
Paul van Kempen, Vol. 3 = ROSSINI: William Tell Overture; The Barber of Seville Overture; SMETANA: The Bartered Bride Ov.; GRIEG: Symphonic Dances; SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 4 in D Minor – Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra/Paul van Kempen – Historic-Recordings
Kempen inscriptions from 1940 lovingly restored: a must-have disc for the historical-minded connoisseur.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
