Monthly Archive: October 2010
PROKOFIEV: Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84; Four Pieces, Op. 4; Visions Fugitives, Op. 22 – Jerry Wong, piano – MSR Classics
Jerry Wong brings both depth of feeling and powerful technique to the Sonata, but a sense of architecture is not the greatest virtue here.
Tangos for Piano – Amy Briggs, piano [TrackList below] Raviello
The many varieties and possibilities of the tango form are beautifully captured by Amy Briggs.
Ikon II – Holst Singers/ Stephen Layton, conductor – Hyperion
Thirteen years is a long time to wait for this wonderful sequel.
Yeahwon – Yeahwon – ArtistShare
This is the best sort of crossover – bridging various cultures with an album of jazz-flavored songs in her soft and intimate style.
WILLIAM ORBIT – Pieces in a Modern Style 2 – Remixes – Decca Records
Electronica remixes of various classical themes from Madonna’s mixmaster.
Benito Gonzalez – Circles – Furthermore Recordings
Honoring the tradition….
Audio News for October 26, 2010
Changes in Home Entertainment Electronics; Northwest Effort Toward Energy Efficiency in Electronics; Sigma HomePlug Chipset Gets LAN Certification; Bluetooth Wireless Audio System from iHome
Allan Taylor – Songs For The Road – Stockfisch Records
British troubadour crafts an abbreviated compilation of road songs on an EP SACD.
Avishai Cohen – Live in Portland, Oregon
Jazz bassist and vocalist delights fans in an exhilarating performance that ties in with the theme of the PDX Jazz Festival this February.
MILES DAVIS /GIL EVANS – Sketches of Spain – Newly recorded by Lew Soloff, trumpet/Harmonie Ensemble New York/Steve Richman – Sheffield Lab
This may be one of the most important albums of the year not only in the jazz category but also in world music and crossover.
BACH: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 – Margot Guilleaume, soprano/ Gertrud Pitzinger, alto/Walter Geisler, tenor/Josef Greindl, bass/NWDR Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Hamburg/ Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt – Tahra
The esteemed 1950 performance–pirated by Royale Records–is here restored to its rightful place among earnest and potent realizations of this mighty score.
OTTORINO RESPIGHI: Feste romane – London Sym. Orch./Sir Eugene Goossens. The Birds; Brazilian Impressions – London Sym. Orch./ Antal Dorati – 1) from Everest tape; 2) from Mercury tape – HDTT DVD-R
The Birds and Brazilian Impressions were paired on a Mercury vinyl as well as tape and are on HP’s Superdisc List.
Life Force, The Music of Joel Harrison= JOEL HARRISON: Go Toward the Light for solo cello; Life Force for violin & cello; My Father’s Violin; Winter Dances; Epilogue – Wendy Sutter, cello/Tim Fain, violin – Orange Mountain Music
Solo string music given astonishing performances of almost rock-like intensity!
JEAN-LUC DARBELLAY, “A Portrait” = JEAN-LUC DARBELLAY: Oyama; Azur for horn quartet; Shadows for five percussionists; Sozusagen; Chant d’Adieux; a Quattro; Requiem – soloists/MDN Sym./MDR choir/Fabio Luisi – Claves (2 CDs)
Fascinating collection of music by a Swiss composer & conductor!
The Factory – The Factory – Acetate
The Factory represents a hard rocking, soulful time trip back to the past when big hair and loud guitars still ruled the club scene.
Stallings, Mary – Dream – High Note
Dream is an interesting vocal collection of familiar songs that left me thinking of an intimate club setting without audience noise.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 35th Anniversary, Blu-ray (1975/2010)
In the theaters at midnight, it’s a unique social phenomenon that must be seen to be believed.
Chinese Recorder Concertos “East Meets West” – TANG JIANPING: Fei Ge; BRIGHT SHENG: Flute Moon; MA SHUI-LONG: Bamboo Flute Concerto; CHEN YI: The Ancient Chinese Beauty – Michala Petri recorder /Copenhagen Philharmonic/Lan Shui – OUR Recordings
All four recorder concertos are fascinating, most enjoyable, and quite different from one another.
Solomon = Works of BEETHOVEN, SCHUMANN, BACH, CHOPIN, BRAHMS – Audite (2 CDs)
Splendid inscriptions from the greatest of the “thinking virtuosos” of old British pianism, a reminder of sweet promises and broken hopes.
The Human Holiday – Slight of Mind – audio drama – Fresh!
A unique satirical radio drama in hi-res stereo.
Carl Schuricht in Paris = BRAHMS: Ein deutsches Requiem; Symphony No. 4 in E Minor; BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor – Claudio Arrau, piano/Elfriede Troetschel, soprano/Heinz Rehfuss, baritone/Orch. National de France/ Schuricht – Tahra (2 CDs)
Fine performances from the “eternal itinerant” of the Old School, Carl Schuricht, a master of the German tradition.
“20th Century Harp Sonatas” = PIERICK HOUDY: Sonate pour Harpe; ALFREDO CASELLA: Sonata per Arpa; NICOLAS FLAGELLO: Sonata for Harp; PAUL HINDEMITH: Sonate für Harfe; GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE: Sonate pour Harpe – Sarah Schuster Ericsson, harp – Dorian
Strongly recommended, even to those who normally shy away from harp recitals.