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! Get ready for five sets of variations that stretch the very idea of variations form and range over 125 years of musical history. Talk about variety! and that despite the kind of high concept which might initially seem like something of a straightjacket. Even the cover of this CD has a retro feel that takes us back to a time when the recording medium was still young and programming had a free-wheeling logic that made its own kind of sense—but just. (Think of the Everest LP from the 50s that brought together the Australian John Anthill and the Argentine Alberto Ginastera; it’s still available, if you have a hankering.) Here, we have five sets of variations that stretch (without ever breaking) the very idea of variations form. They range over 125 years of musical history, from the time when the piano was just emerging as […]
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
