Monthly Archive: September 2010
ARVO PART: Symphony No. 3; Cantique des degres; Stabat mater – RIAS Chamber Choir/ Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra/ Kristjan Jarvi, conductor – Sony/BMG
Can this composer create anything not beautiful?
Dave Bass Quartet – Gone – self-released
Pianist Dave Bass proves that while he has been gone for a while, he is back and sounding better than ever.
MICHAEL HAYDN: Quartet in F Major for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello; Quartet in D Major for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello; Divertimento for Flute, Horn, Violin, Viola, and Cello; Divertimento for Horn, Viola, and Violone – var. soloists – Camerata
The two Divertimenti have the quiet wit and charm of Michael Haydn’s symphonies.
De Profundis – [TrackList below] Gidon Kremer, violin and director/ Daniil Grishin, viola/ Ula Ulijona Zebriunaite, viola/ Andrei Pushkarev, vibraphone/ Reinut Tepp, cembalo/ Kremerata Baltica – Nonesuch
I don’t know what to say—beauty such as this requires no words.
John Gorka – The Gypsy Life , Blu-ray (2010)
The five musicians are sitting in a semi-circle with the piano behind and to the right of the band. The sound is offered in three different hi-res options.
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82; String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 56 “Voces Intimae” – Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra/Eric Tuxen/Griller String Quartet – Dutton
Two classic Sibelius inscriptions from the early 1950s that bestow passion and commitment upon the composer’s arch forms.
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphony No. 1 in D minor “The Gothic” – Honor Sheppard/Shirley Minty/Ronald Dowd/Roger Stalman/ 6 Choirs/ BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Adrian Boult – Testament (2 CDs)
Brian – the epitome of the neglected composer – who turned out 32 symphonies with almost no performances or attention.
JENNIFER HIGDON: The Singing Rooms; ALVIN SINGLETON: Praisemaker; SCRIABIN: Poem of Ecstasy – Jennifer Koh, violin/ Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/ Robert Spano, conductor – Telarc
An excellently conceived program that just misses the “must-have” recommendation, but still well worth your while if you are a Higdon or Singleton fan.
HAYDN: London Symphonies Vol. 1 = Symphony No. 98 in B-flat Major; Symphony No. 97 in C Major – Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra/ Ton Koopman – Challenge Classics
This is a good start to Koopman’s London Symphonies project, but be aware: it’s small-band Haydn with a vengeance.
Georg Kulenkampff Vol. 2 = SCHUMANN: Violin Concerto in D Minor; BRAHMS: Violin Concerto in D Major; BEETHOVEN: Romance No. 1 – Georg Kulenkampff, violin/Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt/Staatskapelle Berlin/Arthur Rother – Opus Kura
Violinist Georg Kulenkampff offered welcome relief from the dry classic notion of the North German musician, given his decidedly Romantic sensibilities.
ALEXANDER SCRIABIN: Piano Sonatas 1-10 (complete) – Anatol Ugorski, piano – Cavi-Music (2 CDs)
“The ten sonatas are a portrayal of human reality with its utopias and its achievements.” – from the note booklet essayist
Audio News for September 28, 2010
Comcast Purchase of NBC Universal May Actually Occur; HDMI Master Key Hacked; Reactions to Apple’s 99-cent Movie Rentals; Hollywood Today Newsmagazine Sees Bright 3D Home Entertainment Future
Julius Katchen, Volume I = BACH: Partita No. 2 in C Minor; BEETHOVEN: 32 Variations in C Minor; Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major; Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major – Julius Katchen, piano/Pablo Casals, cello/Bavarian Radio Sym. /Eugen Jochum – Doremi
American piano virtuoso Julius Katchen eloquently demonstrates the prowess that made him a powerhouse in the music of Beethoven.
Ken Peplowski – Noir Blue – Capri Records Ltd.
Noir Blue is a very listenable gem for a music lover like me. It has a spread of musical sound with a variety of tempos that keep you interested and wondering what you are going to hear next as the tracks change.
A Handel Celebration (2009)
This 2009 Handel Celebration is a fun fest from start to finish.
Georg Breinschmid – Brein’s World – Preiser Records (2 CDs)
A wild and crazy Viennese bass player will entertain you.
Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Complete First Season, Blu-ray
Viewers who enjoyed the movies “300” and “Gladiator” will likely enjoy this Blu-ray set as its gladiator battles are highly-entertaining.
TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake (complete ballet), Blu-ray (2010)
Big things born of small packages.
Babies, Blu-ray (2010)
Babies has no plot or even dialog to speak of aside from typical baby sounds.
Soundtracker (2010)
Gordon has found on his many trips into the wilderness each year to record his sounds that the number of truly quiet places in the country have decreased to the point where there are almost none.
53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival – Sept. 17-19, 2010 – Monterey, CA
International flavors of jazz blend with the youth movement.
BACH: Well-Tempered Clavier (complete) – Gianluca Luisi, piano – Centaur BACH: Well-Tempered Clavier (Book II) – Peter Watchorn, harpsichord and pedal harpsichord – Musica Omnia
Two contrasting instruments and approaches both prove that the WTC is open to any number of well-conceived interpretations.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
