Monthly Archive: July 2010
Eberhard Weber’s Colours – Boxed set of three albums: “Yellow Fields,” “Silent Feet” and “Little Movements” – (3 CDs) ECM
This set has my vote as one of the most important jazz reissues of the year.
DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 ‘From the New World’; Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 – Budapest Festival Orchestra/ Ivan Fischer – Channel Classics
Ivan Fischer’s fine recording of Dvorak Symphonies 8 and 9 makes a very welcome return to the SACD catalog.
CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor; Fantasie-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor; Prelude in C-sharp Minor; Scherzo No. 4 in E Major; Nocturne in F Major; Fantasie in F Minor; Waltz in C-sharp Minor – Nikolai Lugansky, piano – Onyx
Nikolai Lugansky in a diverse Chopin program of suave and supple colors.
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique Op. 14 – The London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Eugene Goossens – (CD + DualDisc of DVD-A/DVD-Video, 2 or 3-channel) Classic Records
The Classic Records reissue is excellent, with even better sonics but to my ears a somewhat less involving performance.
EVAN CHAMBERS: The Old Burying Ground – Tim Eriksen, folksinger/ Nicholas Phan, tenor/ Anne-Carolyn Bird, soprano/ University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra/ Kenneth Hiesler, conductor – Dorian Sono Luminous
One might think that such a paean to death would be too overtly depressing for toleration, but this is not the case.
SHOSTAKOVICH: 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 – Alexander Melnikov, piano – Harmonia mundi (2 CDs & DVD)
Finally these Preludes and Fugues and getting their due with another fine recording.
BERLIOZ Vocal Works = La belle voyageuse, Op. 2, No. 4; La captive, Op. 12; Le jeune patre Breton, Op. 13, No. 4; Zaide; Sara la baigneuse; Tristia; Chant sacre; Helene; Le ballet des ombres – var. soloists/Sylvain Cambreling – Hanssler
An essential complement to anyone’s standard Berlioz library, this disc presents some marvelous scores in the Berlioz canon of vocal writing.
Elvin Bishop – red dog speaks – Delta Groove Music
Veteran bluesman rips through a raucous collection of anecdotal songs.
PETER PHILLIPS: Cantiones Sacrae (1612) – Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge/ Richard Marlow, conductor – Chandos Chaconne
Superb music from a huge talent but lesser light.
Columbia Film Noir Classics II, 5 DVDs (2010)
Less Style, But More Substance.
HANDEL: Concerti Grossi Opus 6 – The Avison Ensemble/ Pavlo Beznosiuk – Linn Records (3 discs)
…right up there with Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti as one of the greatest examples of instrumental works of the High Baroque.
Audio News for July 2, 2010
CEA 3D TV Study; Olympus Digital Audio Recorders; Amazon Adds AV to Kindle; Naim Launches Wireless Multi-room Home Audio System; Best Buy Debuts Their Own 5.1 HT Audio System
MAHLER: Symphony No. 8 – Martina Arroyo, Erna Spoorenberg, Edith Mathis, sop./ Julia Hamari, Norma Procter, altos/ Donald Grobe, ten./ Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, bar./ Franz Crass, bass/ Eberhard Kraus, organ/Bavarian Radio Sym./Kubelik – Audite
Rafael Kubelik and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra attest to this Mahlerian vision through a combination of technical command and musical coherency.
Optoma HD8600 Video Projector
Optoma HD8600 Video Projector SRP: $6500 (no lens), $500 standard lens, $1500 long throw lens, $2000 short throw lens Optoma USA 715 Sycamore Drive Milpitas, CA 95035 408-383-3700 (voice) 408-383-3702 (fax) https://www.optomausa.com Basic Description Native 1080p HD projector using .65” DC3 DLP technology; 1600 ANSI Lumens; 50,000:1 Contrast Ratio with Dynamic Black; 3000 Hour Standard Lamp Life/2000 Hour Bright Mode (280W bulb); 30-110% Vertical Lens Shift; +/-5% Horizontal Shift; +/-5 Degree Vertical Keystone Correction; 2.35:1 capability with Optoma Anamorphic Lens; (2x) Remote Controls with Discrete Codes; PC/Mac Computer Compatibility from 800×600 to 1600×1200; (3x) HDMI 1.3 Deep Color, VGA, Component Video, S-video and Composite Video inputs; RS-232 Control Capability; (2x) 12V Triggers; 19 pounds (w/o lens); 16.9” W x 6.5” H x 13.4” D; 29 dB Noise Level; 390 Watt Consumption (Bright mode), 335W (Standard), <1W (Standby); Includes: Detachable IEC Cord, RS232, Video, HDMI Cables, 12V Trigger Connector; Three Year Exchange Warranty and One Year Lamp Warranty when purchased through A.V.A.D. Supplied Dealer. Associated Equipment Oppo BDP-80 Blu-ray Player, Dish Network ViP622 HD DVR, Popcorn Hour A-110 Media Player, Roku HD, Extron 200 Matrix Switcher, Furman F1000-UPS Uninterrupted Power Supply, Stewart Filmscreen Visionary 97” 1.78:1 Electric Screen with StudioTek 130 […]
Editorial for July 2010
Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6 For our July drawing/giveaway Allegro Distributors is offering the Complete Bach Cantatas conducted by Ton Koopman on 67 CDs from the Challenge label. There are only a couple of complete Bach cantata sets, and this is one of the best. They were recorded in Holland over a space of about ten years. Koopman’s versions are considered warmer and more empathic than those of a competing set on BIS. This will be a perfect award for one of our readers who has found our extensive reviews of choral and liturgical music of value to her or him. Go Here to Register on our site this month in order to be eligible to win the Bach Cantatas set in early August, and please mention your interest in this massive set in the Comments field. The lucky winner of the Livio/Pandora Wi-Fi Radio – our June drawing/giveaway – is Robert Wilkins, Mill Valley, CA July Guest Editorial – The Joy of Cloning by Andrew Rose of Pristine Classical I received a number of e-mails following my editorial last week, and there’s one point I realise I neglected to make and which I’ll return to at the end of […]
Music of ELLIOTT CARTER, Vol. 8: Horn Con.; Mad Regales; Tintinnabulation; Wind Rose; Sound Fields; On Conversing with Paradise; Retracing; Retracing II; Retracing III; Figment III, IV & V; Clarinet Quintet; La Musique; Due Duetti; Zukofsky Poems – Bridge
I too have shied away from this composer, but this new set makes me reevaluate everything I thought I knew and felt about him.
Passion and Lament: Choral Masterworks of the 17th Century = SALAMONE ROSSI:(The Songs of Solomon); FRANZ VON BIBER: Stabat Mater; GIACOMO CARISSIMI: Historia di Jephte – Bach Sinfonia/ Sinfonia Voci/ Daniel Abraham – Dorian sono luminus
Music that while different, is extremely complimentary and gorgeously rendered.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
