Monthly Archive: March 2011
Ratko Zjaca, John Patitucci, Steve Gadd, Stanislav Mitrovic, Randy Brecker – Continental Talk – In+Out
Cohesive cross-cultural collaboration.
Audio News for March 25, 2011
UK Chip Designer Plans Growth in New Markets; Technology Intros Speed Up; Another DTS Audio Technology; New THX “Speaker of the Future” Design; Iomega Launches HD Media Players
Mitropoulos in Minneapolis = Works of BACH, GRIEG, MOZART, COUPERIN, SIEGMESITER, WEINBERGER & GOULD – Minneapolis Sym. Orch./Dimitri Mitropoulos – Historic-Recordings
These 1940-1947 inscriptions attest to the variety and cosmopolitan flair with which Mitropoulos peppered his repertory.
VILLA-LOBOS: Symphony No. 10 “Amerindia”– Soloists / Members of the Staatsopernchor Stuttgart / SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart / Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR / Carl St.Clair – CPO
A grand symphony in Technicolor, performed and recorded with gusto.
“La Preciosa: The Guitar Music of GASPAR SANZ” – Gordon Ferries, baroque guitar – Delphian
Provides a fascinating window on seventeenth century music and musical practice.
“Venice in Mexico: Baroque Concertos by FACCO and VIVALDI” – Soloists / The Mexican Baroque Orch. / Miguel Lawrence – Divine Art
It’s nice to have the Facco concertos served up at mid-price, but overall, you’ll be better off turning elsewhere for these works.
Beecham at Seattle, Vol. 3 = Music of SIBELIUS; BEETHOVEN; MASSENET; SAINT-SAENS; BIZET; ROSSINI – Seattle Sym. – Pristine
The Old Master Beecham leads another rousing concert in Seattle, to the surprise of few who know him when he’s in his element.
Kennedy – Robert Kennedy and His Times – 2 Discs (2011)
This may be one of the best films on the Kennedy family.
LISA BIELAWA: “Chance Encounter” – Susan Narucki, sop./ The Knights Ens. – Orange Mt.
An odd but compelling encounter from the ongoing creativity at Orange Mountain.
Leonard Pennario plays = LISZT: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 2; KHACHATURIAN: Piano Con. – Leonard Pennario, piano/London Symphony/Rene Leibowitz/ Concert Airs Sym. Orch./Felix Slatkin – HDTT
HDTT revivifies excellent performances by American virtuoso Leonard Pennario, a musical master who never appeared in less than superb form.
Elisabeth Lohninger – Songs Of Love And Destruction – Lofish
A mix of folk, jazz and pop culture original and cover songs by one of the world’s most-traveled and under-heard artists.
DOUGLAS KNEHANS “Fractured Traces” = Works for multiple celli, computer, electric cello, voice, piano – Ablaze Records
Amazing blend of cello and other sounds like you’ve never heard before!
CLEMENTI: 12 Monferrinas; other sonatas – Byron Schenkman, piano – Centaur
Freshness and digital brilliance marks this fascinating mix of Clementi works for keyboard, well recorded.
ARETHA FRANKLIN – Take a Look: Aretha Franklin on Columbia – Columbia Records/Legacy – 11 CDs + 1 DVD
A mind-boggling anthology of everything Aretha recorded from 1960 to 1966.
MOZART: String Quartets K. 157; K. 458; K. 589 – Jerusalem Quartet – Harmonia mundi
Superlatively recorded early, middle and late quartets of Mozart performed with brilliance and pathos.
Audio News for March 22, 2011
New Technology Extends Battery Life; Detroit Symphony Musicians’ Lawyer Indicted; Yakov Kreizberg Dies; Home Theater Audio Tips
DVORAK: String Quartet No. 11 in C Major, Op. 61; WOLF: Italian Serenade – Juilliard String Quartet – HDTT CD
A sterling reissue of the Juilliard RCA disc from 1964, just a bit short in terms of duration.
Van Cliburn = BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2; SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto – Van Cliburn, piano/ Chicago Sym. /Fritz Reiner – Testament
Previously unpublished live collaborations between Cliburn and Reiner, prior to their commercial efforts in these large Romantic masterworks.
Lutoslawski’s Last Concert – Fujiko Imajishi, violin/ Valdine Anderson, sop./ New Music Concerts Ens./ Witold Lutoslawski – Naxos
The last appearance of Witold Lutoslawski conducting his own music.
“Continuum: Modern Orchestral Works” = by STEPHEN L. MOSKO; TIM SULLIVAN; DANIEL CROZIER; MICHAEL G. CUNNINGHAM – various artists – Navona
A musical grab-bag but an interesting one—a tour of musical America over the past thirty years.
HERMANN KELLER Works – Hermann Keller, piano / Tomas Bächli, piano / Antje Messerschmidt, violin – NEOS
If you’re the adventurous type, there are some interesting, ear-teasing sonorities here to explore.
Josh Rzepka – Baroque Music for Trumpet = By TORELLI; PURCELL; HANDEL; NERUDA; TELEMANN; VIVALDI
Obvious musicianship at work here, but has this trumpeter’s time arrived yet?
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
