Monthly Archive: December 2010
VINCENT PERSICHETTI: Tenth Piano Sonata, Opus 67; Serenade No. 7, Op. 55; Eleventh Piano Sonata, Opus 101 – Ellen Burmeister, piano – Starkland
An important reissue: Ellen Burmeister’s performances are authoritative, and Starkland’s remastering serves them well.
GLIERE: Symphony No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 42 “Ilya Murometz”; The Red Poppy Ballet, Op. 70–6 Dances – Vienna State Opera Orchestra/Hermann Scherchen – Historic-Recordings
A potent restoration of the 1957 epic Symphony No. 3 by Gliere, one that audiophiles can relish without apology for its age.
Audio News for December 24, 2010
New Linn Music Server, The Universality of Mobile Devices; New Sony Classical Website; Summit Wireless Products Receive FCC Certification
MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 13; String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 30; Capriccio, Op. 81 No. 3 – Modigliani Quartet – Mirare
An impressive rendering of some of Mendelssohn’s finest chamber music.
“5 Variations” = HAYDN: Variations in F Minor; BIZET: Variations Chromatiques; NIELSEN: Chaconne; BRAHMS: Variations on an Original Theme; SCHUBERT: Variations on a Theme from “Rosamunde” (Impromptu in B flat, D. 935 No. 3) – Andrew Rangell, p. – Bridge
“5 Variations” = HAYDN: Variations in F Minor; BIZET: Variations Chromatiques; NIELSEN: Chaconne, Op. 32; BRAHMS: Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 21 No. 1; SCHUBERT: Variations on a Theme from “Rosamunde” (Impromptu in B flat, D. 935 No. 3) – Andrew Rangell, piano – Bridge 9331, 72:08 [Distr. by Albany] *****: Talk about variety! […]
MARIO CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO – Shakespeare Overtures 2: As You Like It; The Merchant of Venice; Much Ado about Nothing ; King John; The Winter’s Tale – soloists/ West Australian Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Penny – Naxos
A disc of overtures that are impressions of Shakespearean dramas recalling the great American film scores of the 1940s and 1950s.
HarmOrgan (Harmonica & Organ) – [TrackList below] Sigmund Groven, chromatic harmonica/ Iver Kleive, pipe organ – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray + SACD
The world’s smallest and the world’s largest musical instrument together in stunning baroque pieces and Norwegian folk music
BRAHMS: 21 Hungarian Dances (arr. Joachim) – Oscar Shumsky, violin/Frank Maus, piano – Nimbus
Shumsky (1917-2000) was someone special in music, a world class prodigy, working musician and pedagogue of the first order.
Paul Meyer’s Quartet featuring Frank Wess – Miles High Records
Nonagenarian flutist/saxist Frank Wess has been in the jazz community and music about 70 years which included a number of years with Count Basie.
Howard Hanson conducts = CARPENTER: Adventures of a Perambulator; SESSIONS: The Black Maskers; IVES: Symphony No. 3 – Eastman Rochester Orchestra/Howard Hanson – HDTT 96K/24-bit DVD-R
These HDTT transfers from various Mercury Records prerecorded tapes capture Hanson in top form and with ultimate fidelity.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 in D Major – Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI/ Sir John Barbirolli – IDIS
The debonair British conductor discovered Mahler relatively late in his career, but then embraced him with the unbridled devotion of any recent convert.
Cronos, Blu-ray (1993/2010)
Don’t confuse this with the Ron Fricke dialog-less film Chronos. Forgetting that “h” could lead to quite a shock.
Jena Labs Mod of Oppo BDP-83 SE Player SRP: $1125
Major first-rate modifications to the already excellent Oppo universal player raise it to highest-end AV levels.
Inception, 2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD/Digital Copy (2010)
“Inception” is a brilliant movie. It has both non-stop action and a plot that requires you to use your brain throughout.
Houston Person – Moment to Moment – High Note Records
Houston Person’s “Moment to Moment” is one of the most exciting jazz albums I’ve listened to in a long time.
BRAHMS: Handel Variations, Op. 24; Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79; Six Piano Pieces, Op. 118; Four Piano Pieces, Op. 119 – Murray Perahia, piano – Sony
Perahia brings power and liquid energy to the Brahms keyboard oeuvre, the Handel Variations a new classic of its kind.
RAMEAU: Pygmalion; La Dauphine; L’Impatience – Mathias Vidal (Pygmalion)/ Jennifer Lane (Cephise)/ Rebecca Choate (La Statue)/ Ava Pine (Amour)/ James Richman, harpsichord and conductor/ Concert Royal Orchestra and Chorus – Centaur
Rameau at his considerable best, with the Concert Royal matching him in every bar.
WEILL: Berliner Requiem; Vom Tod im Wald; HINDEMITH: Der Tod; STRAVINSKY: Octet; MILHAUD: Cantate de la Guerre; Cantate de la Paix – I Solisti del Vento/ Flemish Radio Choir/ Paul Hillier, conductor – Glossa
These pieces may seem strange bedfellows, but they fit like a glove especially when aided by Hillier’s brilliant forces.
Charles Rosen, piano – The Romantic Generation = CHOPIN: Nocturne in B Major; Nocturne in D-flat Major; Chant Polonaise “My Joys”; LISZT: Reminiscences of Don Juan; Die Loreley; SCHUMANN: Davidsbuendlertaenze – Nimbus
This pupil of Moritz Rosenthal and heir to the Liszt tradition–captures several quintessential Romantic staples that define the ethos of the period.
John Abercrombie – Class Trip – ECM Records
Free form guitarist charts his own course.
David Hardiman’s Sextet – Portrait of David Hardiman – David Hardiman Music
“Portrait of David Hardiman” is a great piece of work in mainstream jazz.
“Corridors of Light – Music of William Ferris” = WILLIAM FERRIS : Gloria for Mixed Chorus, Solo Quartet & Orchestra; Ed e Subito – Solo Cantata; Bristol Hills, a Reflection for String Orchestra; Corridors of Light – Wm. Ferris Chorale etc. – Cedille
Beautiful tribute to a late, great choral master who deserves to be better known.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
