Monthly Archive: August 2010
MAHLER: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Ruckert Lieder; Des Knaben Wunderhorn (selections) – Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano/ Thomas Hampson, baritone/ San Francisco Symphony/ Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor – San Francisco Symphony
The swansong release for the San Franciscso Symphony’s Mahler project?
Bernstein’s Mahler (1972-77/2010)
Great Movements from all Nine Symphonies Celebrating Mahler’s 150th Birthday
James Moody – 4B – IPO
James Moody’s album 4B is a continuation of his success and distinction as one of the finest tenor sax players of the last half century.
Jascha Horenstein Conducts Beethoven's Ninth (1963/2010)
A rare visual document of conductor Jascha Horenstein in visceral form at the helm of a strong Beethoven Ninth.
Audio News for August 24, 2010
MusicBrainz Community Music Metadatabase; Polk Introduces Flagship LSiM Speaker Lineup; Back-to-College Spending on Electronic Gadgets Falters; Getting Started on Whole-House Audio
“Dragonetti’s New Academy” = DRAGONETTI: String Quintet Nos. 1 & 18; String Quintets Nos. 13 & 31 – John Feeney, doublebass/ Krista Bennion Feeney and Anca Nicolau, violins/ Anca Nicolau, Joanna Hood, and Gregor Kitis, viola/Myron Lutzke, cello – Grancino
The playing of John Feeney is worth the price of admission, whether Dragonetti asks him to sink to the growling bottom of his range or sing in fruity harmonics.
Ben Webster – See You at the Fair – Impulse/Universal/Analog Productions John Coltrane – Coltrane – Impulse/Universal/Analog Productions
These are both classic early 60s Impulse sessions which have been remastered for SACD by Acoustic Sounds.
BRITTEN: Cello Symphony; Cello Suite No. 1 – Pieter Wispelwey, cello – Flanders Symphony Orchestra/Seikyo Kim – Onyx
Superb performances of Britten’s symphonic masterpiece and his homage to Bach.
* OTTORINO RESPIGHI: Belfagor Overture; Orchestral Suite: Belkis, Queen of Sheba; Four Symphonic Impressions: Church Windows – Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Holland/ Vladimir Ashkenazy – Exton
********* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH *********
ZEZ CONFREY: “Kitten on the Keys” = 28 Pieces – Mordecai Shehori, piano – Cembal d’amour
28 selections from the master of youthful wit and innocence, Zez Confrey, who took ragtime to the concert hall.
The Square, Blu-ray (2008/2010)
A superb and highly original noir thriller from Australia that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
EGON WELLESZ: Mass in F, Op. 51; I Sing of a Maiden; Offertorium in Ascensione Domini; Missa Brevis, Op. 89; To Sleep, Op. 94 – Christ Church Cathedral Choir/ Stephen Darlington, director – Nimbus
A noted musicologist proves equally adept as a composer.
SAMUEL SCHEIDT: Sacræ Cantiones – Vox Luminis/ Lionel Meunier, conductor – Ricercar
Superb music by a Lutheran liturgical master of his time.
$5 a Day (2008)
Basically a comedy but with some serious and poignant sides to it.
BEETHOVEN: Complete Music for Cello & Piano – Lesser & Paik – Bridge 2 CDs + DVD
Lesser and Paik make a serendipitous partnership in the survey of the Beethoven sonatas, with a wonderful supplementary visual record to commemorate the proceedings.
CHAUSSON: Poeme de l’amour et de la mer, Op. 19; Quartet, Op. 35; Chanson perpetuelle, Op. 37 – Salome Haller, soprano/ Nicolas Kruger, piano/ Le Quatuor Manfred – ZigZag
A unique version of Chausson’s seminal Poeme de l’amour et de la mer with a wonderful reading of the unfinished Quartet Op. 35.
Music for the Peace of Utrecht = HANDEL: Te Deum, HWV 278; Jubilate, HWV 279; WILLIAM CROFT: Ode for the Peace of Utrecht, “With Noise of Cannon” – Netherlands Bach Society/ Jos van Veldhoven, conductor – Channel Classics
A prelude to the 300th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht in 2013.
Harmonies/Orgel Modern = KRENEK: Four-Winds Suite, Op. 223; LIGETI: 2 Etudes; CRISTOBAL HALFFTER: Ricercar; SCHNITTKE: 2 Little Pieces; ZSOLT DURKO: Andromeda; RAINER BISCHOF: Cadenza, Op. 19/2 – Martin Haselbock, organ – NCA
Amazing vibrant sound, but probably for specialists.
HAYDN: Symphonies No. 102 in B-flat, No. 104 in D, “London” – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/ Jane Glover – RPM
Solid middle-of-the-road readings that will be attractive to many.
Steve Tibbetts – Natural Causes – ECM
If he had 12 fingers to play the 12-string guitar on Natural Causes, my bets are that he would be a household name by now.
BACH: Brandenburg Concertos (complete); Harpsichord Concertos in d, BWV 1051, in f, BWV 1056; Violin Concerto in d, BWV 1052 (reconstruction) – Elizabeth Wallfisch, violin/ Apollo’s Fire/ Jeannette Sorrell, director & harpsichord – Avie
One word—wow! Where has this recording been?
J.S. BACH: St. Mark Passion – Dominique Horwitz, voice/ Amarcord/ Kölner Akademie/ Michael Alexander Willens, conductor – Carus
Scholars can’t resist exhuming the St. Mark Passion, and this one is as successful as any.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
