Monthly Archive: December 2010
Julia Fischer in St.-SAENS Violin Concerto & GRIEG Piano Concerto (2010)
Equally adept at the violin and piano, and this Decca video provides ample testimony to her prowess in both worlds.
KARL JENKINS: The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace; For the Fallen (In memoriam Alfryn Jenkins) – Soloists/John S. Davies Singer/Orch. of Welsh Nat. Opera/Karl Jenkins – S4C-Opus/EMI Classics DVD + CD
EMI has combined the 2005 releases on CD and DVD into one album.
Audio News for December 31, 2010
Internet Neutrality; Growth of Better Access to Internet Radio; The Death of Line Notes
CHOPIN: Ballades (complete); Barcarolle in f-sharp, Op. 60; Fantasie in f, Op. 49; Polonaise-fantasie in A-flat, Op. 61 – Sergei Edelmann, piano – Triton
Edelmann revels in his natural and insightful Chopin interpretations.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 2 in c (1872 version) – Aachen Symphony Orchestra/ Marcus Bosch, conductor – Coviello
Fine spacious Bruckner from a composer-oriented orchestra, though the sound is a little opaque.
“Autumn” = BRUCH: 8 Pieces, Op. 83; BRAHMS: Clarinet Trio, Op. 114 – B3 Classic Trio – Non-Profit Music
Two well-paired works of great sublimity and passionate sound.
GEORGE WALKER – GREAT AMERICAN ORCHESTRAL MUSIC: Concerto for Violin; Sinfonia No. 2 for Orch.; Foils for Orch. (Homage a St. George); Pageant and Proclamation – Gregory Walker, v./ Andrezej Krzyzanowski, solo flute /Sinfonia Varsovia/Ian Hobson – Albany
These recent orchestral compositions of this esteemed American composer are dissonant and atonal examples of music that require and demand serious efforts from the listener
FERDINAND RIES: Piano Concertos, Vol. 4 = Concerto Pastoral in D, Op. 120; Piano Concerto in C Minor, Op. 115; Introduction et Rondeau Brilliant WoO54 – Christopher Hinterhuber, piano/ Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/ Uwe Grodd – Naxos
Two grand, fully mature concertos by Ferdinand Ries—if you haven’t been collecting this series, Vol. 4 is a very good place to start.
“Works for Natural Horn by Piano Virtuosi” by VON KRUFFT, POTTER, BEETHOVEN, RIES & CZERNY – John Stobart/Barbro Jannsson – Zuk Records
This recital brings us some little-known music of real merit.
HAYDN: 3 String Quartets, Op. 54 – Parkanyi Quartet – Praga Digitals
Superb and well-considered Haydn by a resurrected string quartet.
The Pizzarelli Boys – Desert Island Dreamers – Arbors Jazz
The first family of jazz guitar tackles a host of musical standards, slowly.
Whitney James – The Nature of Love – Damselfly Productions / Stir Stick Music
An expressive vocal approach to classic songs with jazz quartet accompaniment.
Django Reinhardt 100th Anniversary / Gypsy Jazz Special
The Roma genius, who lived from 1910 to 1953, is even more popular today than during his lifetime. He is considered by many to be the single most important guitarist in the entire history of jazz.
Jascha Horenstein Volume 2 = KORNGOLD: Prelude and Carnival from Violanta; SHSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 1; HINDEMITH: Mathis der Maler–Symphony – Royal Philharmonic Orch./Orchestre Radio Symphonique, Paris (Hindemith)/Jascha Horenstein – Doremi
Masterful readings by Jascha Horenstein in repertory that adds significantly to his selected but ever-rewarding legacy.
Boris Christoff: Italian Opera Arias; Russian Opera; Russian Songs and Sacred Music – Nimbus Prima Voce (3 CDs)
An excellent assemblage of the great operatic basso, 1949-1955, that embraces much of his colorful and dramatic range.
WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Highlights), Blu-ray
The Valencia Ring – but does this excision tell us anything?
Mewton-Wood plays Twentieth Century Piano Concertos = BLISS: Piano Concerto; STRAVINSKY: Concerto for Piano; SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Concerto No. 1 – Harry Sevenstern, trumpet/ Utrecht Sym./Residentie Orch./Concert Hall Sym./Walter Goehr – British Music Soc.I
In gorgeous sound restoration, the entire production represents a milestone of its kind.
Audio News for December 28, 2010
Bringing Internet Stations to Non-Networked Devices; The Promise of Apple’s AirPlay; Extended Warranties – Good Idea?; TDK to Re-enter U.S. Audio Market; New LG Blu-ray Player for Vudu Addicts
Lost In Translation, Blu-ray (2003/2010)
Definitely not the Bill Murray you think you know from his other movies, even the superb GroundHog Day.
Cyprien Katsaris: Viennese Connections = Works of BEETHOVEN, SCHUBERT, DIABELLI, LISZT, HUETTENBRENNER – Piano 21 (2 CDs)
Cyprien Katsaris explores at some depth the Viennese-Biedermeier tradition of keyboard compositions, dances, arrangements, and transcriptions.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor “Choral” – To Van der Sluys, soprano/Suze Luger, contralto/Louis van Tulder ,tenor/ Willem Ravelli, bass/Amsterdam Toonkunst Chorus /Royal Oratorio Society/Concertgebouw Orch./ Willem Mengelberg – Pristine
The Mengelberg experience in Beethoven presents his music as grand and festive entertainment, and always as a virtuoso moment of orchestral ensemble.
Dave Brubeck – Legacy Of A Legend – Columbia/Legacy Records (2 CDs)
This is a phenomenal retrospective of a jazz legend.