Monthly Archive: July 2010
ADAM: Giselle–Ballet – Paris Conservatory Orchestra/Jean Martinon – HDTT
Its HDTT reincarnation quite stuns us with its visceral effects in strings, woodwinds, triangle, harps, and percussion.
Lee Ritenour – Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory – Concord Records
Guitarist celebrates fifty years of recording with a labor of love.
The Book of Eli, Blu-ray (2010)
As a movie that needs to be watched more than once to fully appreciate it, “The Book of Eli” is an easy recommendation for me
Martha Moedl = GLUCK: Orpheus und Eurydice, “Ach, ich habe sie verloren”; BEETHOVEN: Fidelio, “Abscheuler, wo eilt du hin?”; VERDI: Macbeth arias ; Don Carlos aria; BIZET: Carmen arias; WAGNER: 3 arias; MUSSORGSKY: Boris Godunov aria – Preiser (2)
The durable spinto soprano Martha Moedl presents us with passionate examples of the New Bayreuth style, 1950-1958.
Curtis Fuller Sextet – I Will Tell Her – Capri Records (2 CDs)
A landmark recording for Capri Records.
TANEYEV: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 4 – Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra/ Thomas Sanderling – Naxos
A pair of late Romantic Russian symphonies that are ripe with melodies, yet exhibit considerable mastery of polyphonic composition.
Karl Leister: Classic Clarinet = RIES: Sonata in G Minor, Op. 29; HOFFMEISTER: Duo No. 6 in A Major; DEVIENNE: Sonata No. 1 in C Major – Karl Leister, clarinet/Ferenc Bognar, piano – Camerata
Leister’s fluid virtuosity makes him the “Jean-Pierre Rampal of the clarinet.”
Golovanov, Vol. 2 = GLAZOUNOV: Ballade, Op. 78; From the Middle Ages–Suite, Op. 79; IPPOLITOV-IVANOV: From Sons of Ossian, Musical Pictures, Op. 56 – Moscow Radio-Symphony Orchestra/Nikolai Golovanov – Historic-Recordings
Rarities from the Russian orchestral catalogue, taken from Soviet Melodiya LPs of the 1950-1952 period.
MILES DAVIS: Bitches Brew – 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition – (3 CDs + DVD of previously-unissued performance + double-LP replication) – Columbia Legacy
If you’re a Miles fan, this one’s definitely a keeper. It could keep you happy for years.
Illumine Our Hearts – Liturgical and Secular Jewish Choral Music – Stan Nelson (cantor)/ Rebecca Harris (soprano)/ Alan Taylor (tenor)/ other vocal soloists/ Sursum Corda/ Lester Seigel, conductor – MSR
A sympathetic and intriguing debut from Birmingham (Alabama, not England).
Rapport – Vocal Chamber Works = BRENDAN MCCONVILLE: La Pioggia nel Pineto; EPSTEIN: 3 Sonnets; HENDRIK HOFMEYR: Ainsi qu’on oit le cerf bruire; NORMAN MATTHEWS: Rossetti Songs; EDWARD FICKLIN: Context Songs; DEL TREDICI: New Year’s Eve – Ensemble – Navona
Contemporary song with additional instrumental colors.
WILLIAM GRANT STILL: Symphony No. 5 "Western Hemisphere;" Symphony No. 4; Poem for Orch. – Fort Smith Symphony/ John Jeter – Naxos ARTHUR FOOTE: Francesca da Rimini; Air & Gavotte; Four Character Pieces; Suite in E Major – Seattle Sym./Schwarz – Naxos
Music of two lesser but most interesting American composers, and both at bargain prices.
J.S. BACH: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books I & II (2000/2010)
It strikes me as a wonderful idea to have videos of all of Bach’s landmark WTC, and I believe having it on video opens up viewing by many who would never consider sitting down to just listen to CDs of all – or any – of the WTC.
Audio News for July 6, 2010
HDMI to be Replaced Soon by HDBaseT; Death of the Big Screen?; Inexpensive Digital SLRs Being Used for Professional Movie-Making; Pioneer Launches Six New AV Receivers
The Rolling Stones, 1969-1974 – The Mick Taylor Years – Limited Collector’s Edition (2010)
A complex observation of the transformative years of the ultimate rock band.
The Doobie Brothers – Takin’ It To The Streets – Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Hard rockin’ California band gambled on a new sound, and it paid off.
JEAN SIBELIUS: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor Op. 47; Tapiola – tone poem – Tossy Spivakovsky, violin/ London Symphony Orch./ Tauno Hannikainen – (Dual Disc from 35mm master – CD + DualDisc of DVD-A/DVD-Video, 2 or 3-channel) Everest/Classic
Excellent transfer of Everest original, but aced out by Heifetz three-channel SACD.
Andreas Haefliger: Perspectives 4 = JANACEK: Piano Sonata 1.X.1905 “From the Street”; BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major “Waldstein”; Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Major; BRAHMS: Piano Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp Minor – Andreas Haefliger, p. – Avie
Another experiment in programming by Andreas Haefliger, in brilliant form in 2008.
Universal Remote Control MX-6000 2-Way Touch Panel Universal Remote PSX-2 iPod Interface Dock
Universal Remote Control MX-6000 2-Way Touch Panel SRP: $1500 [$1259 at Amazon] IR, RF and Wi-Fi (802.11 B/G) Remote Control, receives artists, albums, songs for cover art, news, sports, weather and stocks. The unit is compatible with the MSC-400 Controller offering RS-232, IR, relay control and with MRF-260 (4 IR outputs) and MRF-350 (6 IR outputs with separate antenna) RF bases for IR control of standard components. PC Server software enables media server control on any PC with iTunes or Windows Media Player. Automated backlighting motion sensor; animation in color; 4.3” screen with 480×272 resolution; scroll wheel; graphic, sound and animated GIF or FLASH capable; four hour continuous use, 10 day standby, charging base, 7.5” x 5.1” x 1.3”, 15 ounces, 15kHz to 455kHz learning, 255 step macro with nesting, one-year parts and labor warranty. [Page on their site.] Universal Remote PSX-2 iPod Interface Dock SRP: $400 iPod dock with two-way functionality and discrete IR commands. Browse on TV or from MX-6000 remote; compatible with all URC remotes; synchronize with PSXLink software for Macs and PCs. “Play More From” feature to hear more from a particular artist; shuffling between genres or artists; personal playlists; alphabetical search; 6.75” x 5” x […]
RACHMANINOV: Aleko (complete opera) – Sergey Murzaev (Aleko)/ Evgeny Akimov (Young Gypsy)/ Gennady Bezzubenkov (Father of Zemfira)/ Svetla Vassileva (Zemfira)/Coro del Teatro Regio di Torino/ BBC Philharmonic/ Gianandrea Noseda – Chandos
The earliest of Rachmaninov’s one-act operas, in the best production to date.
BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”; Violin Sonata No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 12, No. 3 – Viktoria Mullova, violin/Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano – Onyx
Beethoven’s old wine in a pungent new bottle, the period instruments played to sizzling effect by Mullova and Bezuidenhout.
Festa Napoletana – Cappella De’ Turchini/ Antonio Florio, director – Naïve
2001 sampler of music from the celebratory nature of Neapolitan festivals.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
